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"You want me to come with you to the Baffin Mountains?" Warren asked, concern evident in his voice as they sat in his living room. Aidan had just proposed joining him on a weapons testing expedition to the mountains, where they'd have far more space to experiment.
"Absolutely," Aidan assured him quickly. "Don't worry about my safety. if things get dangerous, I can use spatial magic to escape instantly." He'd considered going alone, but the mountains were unfamiliar territory filled with unknown creatures and hazards. An experienced hunter's guidance would be invaluable.
Warren considered this for a moment before nodding. "Alright then. Let me gather some supplies. I actually managed to hunt some game earlier. we can have a proper meal tonight." Having surrendered his weapons to Aidan for modification, he hadn't hunted in a week. Now, with his newly enhanced arsenal, his hands itched to test their capabilities.
After Warren finished his preparations, they set out toward the towering Baffin Mountains that loomed behind the house.
The Baffin range was the closest mountain chain to Asgard proper. a vast wilderness teeming with rare and exotic beasts. Beyond it stretched an endless series of peaks that seemed to go on forever, like something from ancient legends. These mountains served as Asgard's premier training ground, where warriors underwent brutal survival trials that forged their spirits through life-and-death struggles.
Long ago, Asgard had been merely a small village, constantly threatened by the strange beasts that descended from these very peaks. But as the realm grew in power—culminating in Odin's creation of the divine kingdom those same creatures had become little more than training exercises.
As they walked through the city streets, Aidan noticed curious stares from passersby. The rough mountain paths eventually gave way to the foothills themselves. From a distance, snow-capped peaks had been visible, but up close, lush forests dominated the landscape. The afternoon sun bathed Asgard in golden light, transforming the city into a gleaming capital, while the mountains beckoned with their wild, untamed beauty.
"Let's test the weapons here," Warren said, stopping in a small clearing. "Once I'm familiar with them, we can venture deeper."
"Sounds good. Just let me know if anything feels off," Aidan replied, scanning the area for a suitable place to sit. He spotted what looked like a perfect boulder and settled onto it.
Immediately, he felt himself rising into the air.
His bio-suit activated instantly, covering him in protective material as weightlessness took hold. The red-cloaked Aidan landed gracefully and spun around to see what had happened. Four stubby legs had emerged from beneath what he'd mistaken for a gray rock, and the creature was now scuttling away as fast as its comically short limbs could carry it. The legs moved like tiny motors, creating an almost endearing sight despite the surprise.
"What in the Nine Realms was that?" Aidan asked, his heart still racing.
Warren chuckled. "A Limestone completely harmless herbivore. They're incredibly timid and lazy, spending most of their time motionless and perfectly camouflaged as rocks. You just happened to sit on a particularly rare specimen."
"Just my luck," Aidan muttered.
"Actually, it is lucky," Warren's expression grew more serious as he gestured toward the dense forest. "That creature won't attack, but it's a reminder there are far more dangerous things hiding in these woods. Keep that armor active at all times once we go deeper."
"Understood," Aidan said, this time choosing to sit directly on the grass.
Warren positioned himself in the clearing and drew the longbow from his back. As he pulled the string, his eyes widened in amazement a brilliant white energy arrow materialized, crackling with power. He aimed at a nearby tree trunk and released.
Thwip!
The arrow streaked through the air like a bolt of lightning, punching clean through the first tree and continuing into the second before finally stopping in the third trunk. The precision and power were remarkable.
Warren jogged over to examine the damage, his excitement palpable. Though the trees weren't particularly thick maybe ten centimeters in diameter the arrow's ability to pierce two completely was impressive.
"Uncle Warren, try putting more strength behind it," Aidan called from his grassy seat. "Let's see what the upper limit is."
Warren returned to his position, taking a deep breath to center himself. He raised the bow to chest level, his gaze piercing as he focused on the forest depths. This time, he drew the string back slowly and deliberately. Instead of releasing immediately, he continued applying pressure, pulling until the bowstring was taut as a wire and twisted in a complete circle.
The white energy around the arrow grew denser and more concentrated, transforming from ethereal light into something resembling solid matter. The magical projectile hummed with barely contained power.
When Warren finally released, the result was spectacular. Rather than the sharp whistle of the previous shot, this arrow moved with such velocity that it created a spiral vortex of air in its wake. Instead of a visible streak, only an afterimage remained before the projectile vanished completely.
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
The sounds of multiple tree trunks being pierced echoed through the forest in rapid succession.
Warren sprinted into the woods to investigate, returning moments later with the nearly dissipated remains of the energy arrow in his hands.
"How was that?" Aidan asked with evident pride.
"Incredible!" Warren's voice was filled with awe and excitement. "I don't think any beast in these mountains could survive that shot."
"Excellent. Take some time to get comfortable with all the weapons."
"Gladly!"
Warren spent the next hour enthusiastically testing each weapon. The spear's extending shaft and defensive capabilities, the dagger's space blade extension each new feature brought fresh wonder to his weathered face. When he was finally satisfied with his proficiency, they packed up and headed into the deeper forest.
Meanwhile, back in Asgard, chaos reigned at the Magic Hall. Every student had poured out of the building in a fury, scouring the city for any trace of Aidan. They'd learned from Ivy that the device he'd carried was called a camera an ancient artifact capable of preserving images permanently. This meant their painted faces were recorded for posterity.
The thought of those embarrassing photos being displayed publicly sent waves of panic through the student body. The Magic Hall's reputation and their personal dignity hung in the balance. They searched every street, every shop, every possible hiding place, but Aidan seemed to have vanished completely.
None of them thought to look in the Baffin Mountains.
Deep in the mountain forests, Aidan crouched beside a fallen log, carefully holding a creature that looked like it had stepped out of a fairy tale. The rabbit had snow-white fur, ruby red eyes, and an emerald gem embedded in its forehead that caught the dappled sunlight.
"Got you!" he said gently, using red magical energy to calm the trembling creature.
"A Bligh Rabbit," Warren observed, recognizing the species immediately. "That's quite a catch."
"This magic?" Warren asked, studying the soothing energy emanating from Aidan's hands.
"I adapted it from ancient enchantress techniques designed for pacification and immobilization," Aidan explained with a smile. "Is rabbit meat any good out here?"
Warren shook his head. "These are far too valuable to eat. They make excellent pets, but the explosive nature of their forehead gems makes them nearly impossible to capture safely. Many of Asgard's nobles would pay handsomely for one."
Aidan's eyes lit up with entrepreneurial interest. "In that case, let's catch a few more."
"Just promise me you'll stay close and not wander off alone," Warren cautioned.
"Of course. Though I have to say, we haven't encountered any truly dangerous beasts yet," Aidan said with a hint of disappointment.
"Let's hope it stays that way," Warren replied, returning his attention to the ground as he searched for animal tracks.
As they continued their journey, Aidan's collection grew. Exotic birds, rare small mammals, and more Bligh Rabbits found their way into a magically suspended cage that floated along behind them. Warren watched this menagerie with amused resignation, focusing instead on the trail he'd discovered hoofprints belonging to a fire-horned rhinox, a creature whose meat would make their hunting expedition complete.
Following the tracks through increasingly dense underbrush, they finally pushed through a particularly thick tangle of bushes and found their quarry.
The beast before them was magnificent and terrifying in equal measure. Its single horn blazed with actual flames, and its massive body rivaled the largest elephants from Midgard. This was no ordinary prey animal it was a true monster of the wilderness.
Warren held his breath, slowly drawing his bowstring as he aimed for the creature's eyes. A clean shot would end this quickly and cleanly.
"Wait," Aidan whispered urgently.
Warren paused, lowering his weapon with a questioning look.
"Upper right," Aidan murmured, pointing toward the forest canopy.
Warren followed his gaze and immediately tensed. Coiled among the thick branches, nearly invisible against the bark, was an enormous gray python. Its predatory eyes were fixed on the same rhinox they'd been stalking.
Warren began to lower his bow, preparing to abandon their hunt, but Aidan had other plans.
"I'll handle the snake," he whispered. "You take the rhinox."
Before Warren could protest, Aidan vanished from sight.
Warren reached out desperately, anxiety flooding through him. That wasn't just any snake—it was an illusion serpent. One look into its hypnotic gaze would trap the viewer in beautiful visions while the creature slowly consumed them alive.
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