Karthus reached the hut and slowly opened the door. A fireball the size of a coconut hit the wall next to him. He saw Safera and her bright red palm, looks like she is a fire elementium adept.
"Safera? What are you doing it's me Karthus" he said cautiously
"Karthus?" she said questionably "I thought you were an enemy. I feel something is odd about you, your presence brought shivers to my body. Did something happen to you?"
Looks like the tattoos death energy really did alarm other adepts.
"Nothing, I just went for a jog" He said innocently
"Maybe something came onto you… either way make sure you alert me if you feel anything strange"
"We should get going" the nonvocal George said surprisingly.
The others nodded and started to pack their belongings. Soon they were outside, Karthus went to the cart and started pushing. He made sure to control his deathly aura. They Left the village cries of anguish were heard.
"The children, the children!"
"Ahhhhhhh, why!!"
Safera and George looked on curiously as Karthus's pulse began to race. But fortunately they just shrugged it off. Death was not uncommon in these poverty-stricken villages.
They went upon the beaten path and continued their journey. They reached a forest with a river snaking through it. At a glance it seemed like Karthus was admiring the scenery, but he was really making the system memorize the paths and the creatures they encountered.
As hours passed they finally saw a group of humans near a stone path. The path was adorned with magical runes and the sign above read, 'Beware mortals, intrusion means death"
The trio finally neared the group and a handsome boy turned to them. His graceful smile turned into a treacherous frown.
"Safera" he said
"Henry"
They stood off against each other but Henry's aura dominated them.
"Guys this is Henry, a pseudo adept and my former lover"
Karthus was shocked, after talking to Safera for sometime he understood more about the adept world. Henry was a step away from being an officially adopt the likes of which would never stand with apprentices like them.
"Yes, former after you left me"
"I can't explain this now just let me and my brother pass with our servant."
Karthus looked at her again wide eyed, she didn't tell him george was he brother.
"Ummm, no" Henry said with a sadistic grin
"What! The path is the only way to get to the school safely, without it the magical beasts can attack you as they like"
"We'll you can deal with it yourself" he laughed
Suddenly Karthus became angry, they couldn't do anything about this cunt because he was too powerful. Suddenly his dark aura came out!
Henry quickly looked at Karthus, earlier he dismissed him as an insignificant ant.
A large halo of light materialized above Henry. Karthus felt his own deathly presence diminish.
"Surrender now apprentice, you're body contains the malicious wills of countless souls. Which proves your crime of soul experimentation."
"Karthus, your an adept apprentice" Safera gasped
"System detects a powerful light source. It is subduing the hosts dark spiritual energy. Get away from the source or you will die"
Karthus looked in surprise, he needed to be more careful from now on… if he made it out alive. It seemed that Henry was a Light elementium adept a natural counter to soul and dark adepts. His light acts like a purifier against those type of adepts.
"The truth is, I used to be an apprentice to a dark adept. I was a subject to his soul experimentations, which twisted my presence to house the malicious souls intent. I'm lucky to be alive." Karthus said with a face of sadness.
He was betting his life on this lie, but it seemed to work. The halo of light slowly went away, while Henry looked in contemplation.
"Your situation isn't surprising. Adepts usually get away with soul experimentation if it's behind closed doors" he sighed "But you will still not be allowed on the path. The you will have to venture into the magical woods to get to the school. If I find out you used the path I will kill you." without waiting for a reply Henry turned around and continued talking to his group.
Safera, George and Karthus reluctantly continued into the the magical woods. As they ventured in the dark trees seemed to be whispering and cries of terror were heard all around"
"Ignore it, there tricks of the forest" Safera said. She hesitated then said "Why didn't you tell us you were an apprentice adept."
"It was just easier that way, and I didn't want you to be suspicious. If you knew who I was you probably wouldn't let me join you. I don't want to talk about it anymore"
Safera looked at him in frustration, but as they were both beginner apprentices she really couldn't do anything. Soon they stumbled across small human like beats. The skin on their faces were shriveled like an old mans, while menacing fangs protruded from their mouths. As more began to come they were quickly surrounded.
"Man faced beasts, powerless as individuals but frightening when in a group. George you take the front me and Karthus will support you."
As George walked forward the beats lunged at him in a crazed fashion. George roared and shook them off, he wore a glove over his fist that adorned brutal spikes. He punched the beats and delivered gaping wounds across their bodies.
George ran towards a tree and gave it a bear hug. His muscular arms bulge as he ripped it out the ground. Each time he swung the tree countless man faced beast were smashed to death.
Safera raid her arms and chanted unknown syllables. A fireball the size of a watermelon appread and she launched it right in the middle of the horde. The beats screamed as they were burned to ashes. But Safera hunched over, the spell completely drained her.
"Looks like it's my turn" Karthus thought the as he pointed to the horde. Suddenly a circular area exploded as Karthus drew his soul power there.
".5 spirit used" they system informed him
Corpses and body parts rained down upon the battlefield, but the carnage wasn't over.
Areas in the battlefield exploded whenever Karthus focused his spirit there. After 19 more catastrophic detonations Karthus spirit ran up, and he became dazed.
But, the battle was already won. The area was littered with corpses, the remaining man faced beats fleed.
"How is that possible" Safera said wide eyed " Your.. your only a beginner apprentice! Those attacks could rival apprentice… no pseudo adepts! And how do you have enough spirit power!"
"I think we should keep going" Karthus said weakly. He ran his spirit dry and was too tired to explain anything. Safera didn't expect to much anyways, an adept would never reveal their secrets.
A unsettling roar was heard nearby. The trio looked at the direction it came from worryingly.
George slammed his hand on the ground "It's these damn corpses, the smell of their blood is attracting other beats! We need to go"
As Karthus contemplated he heard the system.
"Fight the pseudo grade beast- reward- defensive spell"
Karthus didn't hesitate to accept, he was sure he could escape alive. And the fight with henry earlier exposed his weakness, he needed a defensive measure.
"We can't run" Karthus said resolutely " The beast will chase us to our deaths! We can defeat it together!"
Safera and George looked at him nervously. But after remembering his earlier performance, they felt a little safer.
Safera reached into her cloak and pulled out a vial "Drink this, it will restore your spirit for 5 points"
Karthus too the vial and looked at it. " 5 points with .5 consumption equals 10 spirit explosions." He thought then chugged the vial.
As the beast came into view it's enormous body towered in the vicinity.
"A Basilisk!" Safera cried