A Quick Fight

The air was calm, leaves swayed side to side on the branches, leaves crunched under Venator's boots in the walk. Birds chirped on the trees while the whistling of blowing leaves formed the ambience of the forest.

As he continued on, he came across a river passing alongside the route. The leaves slowly parted, seeing the river more clearly. A clear and pristine stream with a few large rocks resting above it.

While he walked on, faint screams suddenly echoed out.

"Ah, there is a village nearby."

Venator gripped his weapon, darting through the path towards the noise.

Through thick bushes and large branches, his eyes found the source. On the other side of the river was a small village, burning while people ran around outside, running away.

"Bandits?" He asked himself.

A bridge to the village stood above the river. Peering long enough, Venator ran to the bridge, running above it to meet the burning village.

As he entered into the center of the burning village, he saw the cause. Bandits, wearing leather armor, carrying torches and blades while people ran away, those too close being cut down.

Venator started unsheathing his blade, looking at the group of bandits with annoyance.

"Good, blood that i can taint on my sword."

The bandits stopped, now staring at Venator, now with his sword unsheathed.

One of the bandits dashed forward, attempting to slam down his sword on Venator.

In one swift motion, the bandit was cut down, his sword clanked on the ground.

More bandits charged at him at the sight of one of their dead comrades. But just like him, Venator quickly cut them down. Slashing around and hitting their chest to necks.

The bandits who torched the village now lie dead. Venator quickly wiped his sword before concealing it.

Taking out the book, he raised his hand on one of the burning homes.

"Hope that god's gift helps."

Frosty mist formed above his hand as he looked at a page.

A beam of ice shot through the air, landing onto the house, as the beam continued, the house became enveloped in bright blue ice.

Venator was shocked at the sight of the now put out house. Staring at it in surprise.

"Just like the user i killed earlier." He mumbled to himself.

"Let's see," Venator looked more to the pages, landing on a page showing the power of the ice, burned onto the paper itself, a description and the name of the power.

"Frost" Was burned above the page.

"The power of the frost element is in your hands. A power to repel flame, to form shelter, to create blockades against your opponent. All this may be shattered if you do so wish by a single snap of your fingers." The text read. Venator quickly shut the book upon finishing.

"Alright, let's see if this works." Venator snapped his fingers, in an instant, the ice shattered. Shards of ice fell on the ground, revealing a charred home underneath it.

With the new power, Venator began running to the other houses. With his hand out he began extinguishing more homes.

In minutes the village fire was wiped out, the smell of burned wood filled the air with bodies laying on the ground of the unfortunate village people.

"Thank you." A voice said behind Venator, turning around, a man walked towards him with a group of others behind him, looking around at the extinguished buildings.

"Who, are you?" He asked.

"Merely a wanderer." Venator replied.

"How can we ever repay you?" The man asked.

"All i want is where is the nearest temple or shrine for your god."

The man showed a face of confusion at the reply, but went on with Venator's request. He looked back at the road, down to the forest.

"There is a temple to our god Silva, the goddess of the forest and our guardian, we prayed for someone to save us and here you arrive." The man explained.

"Thank you."

Venator started leaving, with no delay, leaving the group of people as they stood around.

"If i may ask." The man shouted.

"Are you one of those magic wielders?" He continued.

"Indeed i am." Venator simply replied.

Without another word spoken, Venator headed to the road, walking to the forest, leaving the path beyond the bridge and onto one new. The group of folk dispersed as they headed inside their homes, scavenging while the man stood still, staring at Venator before joining the others after.

"So they know of a magic user, maybe one nearby. If so, this will be an easy." he thoght to himself down the path.

"Atleast i got some free blood to stain this sword with though." He continued.

"Didn't even tell me which path to take." Venator complained. The path split to two in front of Venator, he began thinking on which route to take.

As he thought, he heard the ringing of a bell, emanating from the right.

Venator ran to the path on the fight, hood down and his cloak breezing through from the air as he ran.

The trees slowly parted to a large sight, a large line of steps heading up to a large temple. Bearing a massive tree in the middle, arches strewn around the temple with smaller buildings splitting off to both sides, all on the side of a mountain.

Even from a distance, Venator could see the people walking on the steps.

"Yeah these ones love their gods quite deeply to make this." He commented.

He walked more and more, reaching to the start of the steps. He could no longer see above, only seeing some branches of the tree from down below. People around walked up on different parts of it once he arrived.

Venator, after staring for a few seconds, started his ascent upwards, step after step, heading to the very top.

As he continued, he looked at the other people walking up, people wearing different apparel from robes to clothing fit for nobility to simple clothing for peasants.

His climb went on, the sun beamed down on his head as he continued.