Awakener

Once outside the city, Augustus took a winding path, leading towards the Flame Salamander nest. He kept his pace steady, occasionally glancing around to ensure the stalkers were still following.

He needed to lure them far enough away from the city to confront them without interference. After about an hour of walking, Augustus reached a clearing surrounded by small mountains. The perfect spot for a confrontation.

He stopped, pretending to adjust his backpack, and listened intently. The faint rustle of leaves and the snap of a twig confirmed the stalker's approach. 

Augustus spun around and said, "I know you're there. Show yourself!"

Three people emerged from behind the rocks. Two were men who appeared to be in their mid-thirties, each with a hardened, battle-worn look. The third was a woman in her early twenties, which surprised Augustus.

The young woman was beautiful, with long black hair, purple eyes, and a charming face, with a bit of a slutty expression, like she wanted to eat him. This made him wary of her, knowing that the crazy ones were often the trickiest to deal with.

"Hey, hey, this kid isn't bad. He found you first and led us to this place," said one of the men, licking one of his dagger-like blades.

"Kid got lucky. If I had taken him seriously, he never would have found us," retorted the other man, who had a sword on his back and was dressed like some idiotic ninja.

"Alright, you two, enough of that. Let's take care of him, but go easy on him because I like that pretty face. I want to taste him deeply."

The young girl instructed the two men, her gaze lewdly fixed on Augustus.

The two men grunted in acknowledgment, eyeing Augustus with a mix of caution and amusement. Augustus remained calm, sizing up his opponents, even after hearing the young woman disturbing words.

Despite their banter, they exuded a dangerous aura, and he knew he couldn't afford to underestimate them.

The man with the dagger-like blades lunged first, his movements swift and calculated. Augustus, his senses heightened by his mage abilities, dodged to the side with fluid grace, narrowly avoiding the deadly slashes aimed at him.

With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a small burst of flame, aiming for the man's legs. The attacker jumped back, cursing as the heat singed his trousers.

Augustus noted the man's agility and martial prowess—clearly a skilled martial artist, likely of the first rank. He couldn't afford to underestimate him.

Meanwhile, the ninja-like man drew his sword with a flourish, closing in on Augustus from the other side. His strikes were precise and rapid, intended to overwhelm his adversary.

Augustus, however, had anticipated this move. In a swift and practiced motion, he had already prepared a powerful fireball spell, his casting speed surprising even the ninja-like man.

Just as Augustus released the fireball towards his approaching foe, a sudden intervention occurred. The young woman who had been standing behind them moved with an uncanny swiftness.

She extended her hand, and an invisible force seemed to pull the ninja-like man back, disrupting his trajectory. The fireball intended for him veered off course, exploding harmlessly against a nearby boulder with a thunderous blast of heat and light.

"Telekinesis!" Augustus exclaimed inwardly, surprised by the young woman's unexpected display of power. He had sensed a formidable presence about her, but witnessing her control over telekinesis confirmed his suspicions.

Mages capable of telekinesis were rare and powerful, typically requiring a high rank—third or fourth—to wield such abilities effectively. Yet Augustus sensed no elemental aura around her, indicating she wasn't a Mage. Instead, she possessed a rare and extraordinary talent: she was an Awakener with telekinetic abilities.

Awakeners were individuals born with innate, unique powers unrelated to traditional elemental magic.

They were exceedingly rare, often possessing abilities that defied conventional understanding. The young woman's mastery over telekinesis marked her as a one-in-a-million talent, capable of manipulating objects and forces with her mind alone.

The young woman glanced back at Augustus with a mischievous smile. "You're not bad as a fire mage, with that level of control and casting speed."

"'I've changed my mind. I think I'll make you my pet slave," she added, her unsettling smile making his hair stand on end.

"The confrontation grew trickier as he hadn't expected to encounter a rare awakener with telekinesis who, instead of being revered like most, was robbing others. Why would such a talented girl with remarkable abilities resort to robbing?

"He wasted no time. He needed to end this quickly, lest he truly become this woman's pet slave. 'Flame Eruption!'

Augustus unleashed his innate spell, boosting all aspects of his strength—spell damage, physical prowess, and speed—threefold. In this state, he could match peak first-rank martial artists with his physical abilities alone, not to mention his formidable fire spells."

Augustus felt a surge of power as he invoked his innate spell, "Flame Eruption." Flames enveloped his body. His muscles tensed with newfound vigor, and mana seemed to explode within him.

He focused his mind, calculating his next move as he assessed the unfolding situation.

As flames flickered around him, casting an intense glow across the clearing, he confronted the young woman and her companions with unwavering resolve. "Why are you doing this?" he demanded, his voice firm yet tinged with curiosity. "You're an Awakener with incredible abilities. There must be another way for you."

The young woman smiled with sadness tinged with a hint of craziness, her telekinetic aura subtly pulsing around her. "You wouldn't understand," she replied cryptically, her voice carrying a hint of defiance. "We do what we must to survive in this world."

Augustus narrowed his eyes, sensing a deeper truth beneath her words. He knew the world could be unforgiving, especially for those with extraordinary gifts like hers.