Magic in the world of the Arkana was quite an amazing thing. In theory, anyone could learn magic. But in order to be good at it, a particular affinity needed to exist.
There were at least five main disciplines or forms of magic. Mainly: White magic, which specialized in curative and defensive spells. Black magic, which specialized in elemental attack spells. Dimensional magic, which specialized in space-warping spells. Time magic, which specialized in time manipulation spells, and Dark magic. Dark magic was outlawed on the Western Continent. This form of magic specialized in contracts with demonic entities and quite often corrupted the minds of its mages.
These weren't the only forms of magic that existed. They were the main and most recognizable ones. Usually, mages (or wizards) would select one form of magic to dedicate to. There were some very rare cases of mages that were able to wield different disciplines of magic. Though generally, those that attempted to wield several other disciplines of magic were usually considered slackers with no commitment. They rarely amounted to anything. But on rare occasions, a master wizard could perfect different disciplines and become insanely powerful. Mastering several magical disciplines would gain a mage the title of Sorcerer.
White magic, for instance, was essentially a very defense-oriented type of magical discipline. Not exclusively defensive since it had several extremely powerful attack spells that could only be performed by masters of the discipline. Perhaps the most challenging white magic spell to perform was Life (**A spell that would bring a fatally wounded ally back from the brink of death. Many White wizards have failed while attempting to cast it. Attaining and perfecting this spell meant achieving the pinnacle of a White mage's power**).
Somewhere on the Western Continent
A young woman was in a forest with a group of children. It was an outdoors White magic class. The day's lesson was focused on perfecting Regeneration and Hold (**Regeneration was a White magic spell that offered a light cure or healing continuously over time to the target. Hold sealed the movements of a target by paralyzing it with the heavenly rings**).
While in class, one of the children saw a group of people walking toward them. Usually, people would avoid disturbing mages while they were teaching practical lessons to their students so that they would avoid any accidents. But these people didn't seem to care about that, and they were making the children nervous.
Child: Teacher... Who are those guys? - The child was pointing at the men that were walking in a disturbing manner and getting closer to them.
White Wizard: I don't know... Stay here, children... I'll go see if they need help.
As she got closer to them to ask if they were lost or needed any assistance, she noticed something really off about them. It was as if they didn't know how to walk... Their movements were pretty bizarre. That was an indicator revealing them to either be highly inebriated or of them not being human at all. She ran back to the children and started channeling an attack spell.
White Wizard: Children, stay behind me! Those of you that know Protect (** a spell that increases the target's defense against physical attacks**) start casting it on all your classmates!
Child: They're coming from behind too!
They were completely surrounded. Shortly after, the strange men started contorting in their place as if something was about to burst inside them. There was something that was worming its way inside and around them. It was not a sight anyone would want to see, especially children. They finally revealed what they were behind that disguise of human skin... they were all mimics. The children started to scream at the sight of them.
White Wizard: Powers of light, come aid from the heavens... Cleanse the evil around us with your purity!
LIGHT BOMB!!! (**An offensive white magic spell. It was a blast of purity sent out to smite evil. Creatures of the dark were especially weak against this**)
The White wizard's spell hit several of the mimics, destroying them instantly. But there were too many of them and not many options to escape. Recharging Light Bomb would take too long, so her offensive options were limited (she had to worry about protecting all the children as well, so she couldn't fight freely). The mimics started sending their tentacles toward everyone. Just before that, the White mage managed to warp two of the children away to a close town. As soon as those two children realized that they were safe, they alerted the authorities, which in turn got a search party with armed men and fighters. But by the time they made it to the woods, there was no one there. There was no sign of the White mage, the children, or the mimics. Even the remains of the dead mimics were gone.
Back at the fake town of Salvation, Merlin was overseeing the culmination of the Tower of god. The tower was almost finished before, and this time it only needed a slight boost. With the last captured White mage and apprentice children, they could harvest enough essence of divinity to imbue the proper fortification into the tower.
The recently abducted were afflicted with Mute, which made them unable to use magic. The mimics chained them in a circle by the well at the very center of the tower. The mimics had finished building the tower all the way to the top, which had no covering. It was all a hollow structure. It was over 200 meters tall. At the base of the tower, there was a well that was needed for the process of bringing Adramellech through the gateway.
Merlin proceeded with the ritual of harvesting the essence of divinity from the White wizard and the apprentice children that were recently abducted. The same process that was followed with Agatha (and was also meant for Rachel) was performed once again. All of them began to glow and felt as if they were being torn apart, all the while Merlin chanted in an unknown language. They were all reduced to small white particles... or essence of divinity, which was then dispersed throughout the tower. The tower continued glowing, meaning that everything was ready to bring Adramellech through.
~Sometime in the past~
The triad of the Cabal, its three top members, met again sometime after the humiliating defeat of Merlin at the hands of Relm. It took Merlin a few months to fully heal from the wounds that were inflicted upon him, but there was no healing for his pride.
Woman: I thought the plan was not to engage in battle. What happened?
Zeldrys: I believe Merlin got a bit carried away. Is it not right, Merlin?
Merlin: Shut up. I don't care what a dead man like you thinks. And I don't care what it takes... I'll make him pay tenfold! – Merlin was beyond enraged. If anyone knew how to keep a grudge, it was him.
Woman: I see talking with this guy is pointless... Zeldrys... What's your assessment?
Zeldrys: It is true that the barriers have weakened... But if we act now, we may be able to succeed. What we must avoid at all costs is for several of the Fiends to be in the Arkana all at once... I believe this is our window of opportunity to avoid endless and pointless battles.
Woman: I was worried when it looked like the one called the Grand Master was about to break in. It's good that this Relm fellow isn't against us. If he had a way of neutralizing that level of a Fiend, it means that he would pose a serious threat to us if he wanted to.
Zeldrys: As long as we don't interfere with him, Relm will not interfere with our plans. However, I believe it wise to keep an eye on him... just in case. A distant eye… he is extremely sharp and would realize immediately that he is being followed.
Woman: If you want a subtle approach, then I can take care of that. So… we must act quickly to resume our lord's return.
Merlin: A hasty harvest of essence of divinity should suffice to complete the tower. I'll take care of it. You two just make sure that this time no one interrupts my work.
Woman: What about the young mage that you mentioned had incredible amounts of essence?
Merlin: I would have been able to use her if you hadn't interrupted me before! Anyway... I understand why you did it. No matter. I'll arrange for an alternative that should prove less complicated.
Zeldrys: Very well.
Woman: Then it's settled.
~Present day~
The mimics finished with their construction work, and the tower was now complete. Zeldrys, the Woman, and Merlin were at the base of the tower, ready to summon the demon Adramellech from the Dark Dimension. And this time around, there was no one to stand in their way.