The Mage is a Menace

"Ignis Pila!"

As he uttered this spell, a ball of flame appeared from out of thin air, propelling itself toward his target. His target was an ogre-like creature with three heads and four arms. These creatures were three times the size of an average human. If that wasn't enough to scare anyone away, besides the fact that the foulest stench permeated the environment whenever one of them was nearby (which got exponentially worse when they opened their mouths), these three-headed ogres ate humans. The younger ones would eat a man raw the moment they caught one. The more experienced monsters liked boiling people in a peculiar broth, which made any human pass out upon smelling it.

The fiery spell was cast by Alik. He was one of the ten mages in the kingdom of Siranna that entered the Trials of the Warrior-Mage. These trials intended to honor the greatest mage in the kingdom, but in order to receive this honor, the mage would have to survive the trials. They took place at different locations throughout the kingdom, all having a number of Observers that could report to the people in charge the outcome of each task the mages performed. The Observers communicated with the Trial Masters through oval-like devices. These made real-time communication possible, regardless of the distance between the people communicating.

Alik was completing the trial of purge: Kill seven three-headed ogres before dusk. Killing these ogres wasn't too hard of a task for an experienced mage like Alik. As long as he didn't get greedy and tried taking on two at a time, it should be considered an average-difficulty task.

Alik was in a forest far away from the kingdom's capital. The attack spell he cast earlier blasted a hole in the monster's chest. He knew that this was no reason to celebrate. This type of ogre would only die after all three heads were destroyed or cut off. Otherwise, they would regenerate from absolutely any type of wound. Alik was only getting the monster's attention so it would run toward him. He needed the monster to be at a very close range in order to use an attack spell that would grant him immediate victory. As the three-headed beast ran toward him, Alik felt the ground tremble with each step the monster took... only that it was trembling too much for just one of those monsters.

Oh, crap! Oh, crap! Oh, crap! Crap! How didn't I realize that I was getting pincered here? Alik got a bit nervous once he realized he was surrounded. The best option would have been to escape by climbing a tree. Alik wasn't agile enough to pull that off, though. There was only one chance for him to survive this predicament. It was a gamble, but still worth a shot.

Best to go down fighting instead of just rolling over, right? Besides... who the heck wants to die inside one of their reeking mouths? Ugh...

"Translucidus!" Upon uttering the name of the spell, Alik's whole person blended in with the forest. The ogres weren't able to see him. However, ogres had an exceptional sense of smell. They only used it to locate humans. The fact that they couldn't see him only gave Alik a slight advantage and a little more time. He sneaked around without making a sound while the two ogres tried to sniff out his location. Ogres weren't the brightest creatures either, which also worked in Alik's favor. As soon as the two of them were positioned next to each other, he saw the perfect opening to strike.

"Ignis Ferrum Extensum!" A line of fire in the form of a scythe blade extended itself across the two ogres cutting off all their heads clean.

"Yeah! That's what I'm talking about! That makes seven! Woo-hoo!" He celebrated. But he felt nauseous right away as the ogre's insides were exposed, making their stench even stronger. While Alik puked his guts out, an Observer appeared in front of him from out of thin air.

"Congratulations on successfully completing the trial of purge. Take my hand now. I shall lead you to the next location," the Observer said in a mechanical tone. All Observers wore long robes, hoods, and masks that covered their entire faces. It was hard to tell if they were actually even human.

"Now, hold on just a minute... This was the final trial. Aren't you supposed to take me to the capital now? I've earned my reward, and I want it right now!" Alik was starting to think that whoever organized this event was not about to honor his word. The mage who survived the trials was supposed to be honored beyond his wildest dreams, receive enough riches to last a lifetime, and have a fully staffed castle along with a lordship as a title. Alik wanted the rewards to impress the girl he was in love with. When he asked her to marry him, she laughed in his face. As a penniless man without a steady job, it wasn't hard to understand her reaction.

"Alanna will take me seriously once I get my hands on the prize. And I won't let any of you sleazy bastards get in my way, you got that?" he uttered while flaunting a distrustful glare.

"I can assure you, there is no reason to worry. As a matter of fact, I am authorized to tell you that you have been the only mage that survived the trials. So, rest assured. The prize is all yours." the Observer reassured him in a mechanical manner.

Alik took the Observer's hand, and they were both instantly teleported to the royal palace in the capital of Siranna. He was then escorted by one of the Trial Masters to the throne room to meet with King Dolion himself.

"So... You are the mage that succeeded? I was expecting something... more..." Those were the first words the King uttered upon seeing Alik. Alik didn't wear fancy robes (he couldn't afford any because he was piss poor). The one thing that Alik was born with that most others didn't have was intense magical power. People with an affinity toward magic could learn and perfect it, but how far their abilities went depended entirely on the magic power they were born with.

Alik had knelt in the King's presence. He was severely annoyed at the words that came out of the King's mouth, but he exercised restraint and kept quiet.

Keep it cool, Alik. You're about to become crazy rich, so being insulted by the king is nothing, right? He thought to himself. At the same time, the ten Trial Masters and ten Observers were entering the throne room, positioning themselves behind Alik. Alik uttered one word, but no one was able to hear what he said. There were a few nobles in the throne room as well to bear witness to the honoring of the legendary Warrior-Mage.

After a bit of protocol and the King addressing all those present, he addressed Alik again. "What is your name, boy?" Alik was triggered upon hearing how the King addressed him. Boy? I'm twenty-one! I oughta... Damn it! I gotta keep calm! Anyone's a boy for an old coot like him, anyway... "The name's Alik, your grace," he replied, trying to keep his cool.

"Alik? A fine name for a fine mage. You have proven yourself worthy today before the elite of Siranna's Kingdom. And now, it is time for your honored reward." As the King said those words, he made a signal with his right hand, and the Observers surrounded him, throwing spears they had hidden in their robes at him. They all pierced his vital organs, left the spears skewered in his body, and made room for the Trial Masters. They all used elemental items that had a similar effect to elemental attack magic. Once all of them were done with their attacks, nothing but dust was left of Alik.

"Good riddance!" said King Dolion, looking down at the ashes of the honored Warrior-Mage. "I never understood how other kingdoms tolerate mages. They are too powerful! Such power shouldn't be in the hands of commoners! Now we have rid the Kingdom of its true danger! Let us celebrate..." While the King was still giving his victory speech, Alik's ashes started glowing. As the glowing intensified and the King and everyone else in the room watched in awe, Alik's body was reformed. His clothes still remained ash, though. He was completely naked in front of the King and the other people in the throne room.

"What is the meaning of this?" the King blurted in fear and confusion. "I knew something was off from the very beginning. There's no way I would let anyone cheat me out of my hard-earned prize." Alik had a devilish grin on his confident face. The King ran behind the throne, trembling and desperate, "What are you waiting for? Kill him!" he cried amid his despair. "If anyone here could kill me, don't you think they would've done it by now, your grace?" Alik started uttering an incantation. Everyone with a weapon charged at him. "Saltabat Flammae Gehennae." The entire throne room turned red. It was as if time had stopped for everyone except for Alik. "Those of you who have no ill will against me, this is your only chance. Leave now, and I'll spare your lives." King Dolion had the image of horror painted across his face. He was struggling to move, but he was paralyzed. "Oh, I'm sorry. I probably wasn't all that clear. That offer of clemency was not for you, your grace." As Alik laughed maniacally, a small number of people were able to leave the room. Once they left, all the others that remained were enveloped in flames so hot that nothing was left of them.

"Well... might as well get something to wear. Man, why didn't I think of doing this sooner? I guess I'll be the King now..."