The cold blizzard blew past Alzer as he struggled to flap his black-feathered wings. The freezing cold seeped into his bones as his mouth released white mist.
His vision reflected the legendary Eternal Freezing Mountain where the Snow Phoenix, one of the four legendary deities, had fallen. It was very huge, so much he looks like dust in front of it. Although it has a very cold temperature, he never gave up. He endured the cold and flapped his wings.
Suddenly, a huge fireball could be seen flying towards him. Alzer's expression suddenly changed as he immediately changed his direction and dodge. The fireball hit the trees and exploded, leaving behind a large crater and charred trees.
He finally sighed, turning his body behind him. He saw a silhoutte moving towards him in a lightning-quick speed. In an instant, it materialized into a blue-robed young man. He was floating there, also staring at Alzer.
The young man has a golden hair and a pair of golden eyes. He has an elegant smile plastered on his face. His mouth moved for a bit and a voice entered Alzer's head. "Just give up and be killed by me. You know that the Royal Court will never allow a person with an affinity to dark magic to exist."
Alzer let out a huge sigh and said. "It seems you hid your true ability, Almond."
Almond, the blue-robed man, narrowed his eyes when he heard this and indifferently replied. "It was thanks to you. You hide your ability so do I. It seems that my training secretly for years had paid off."
When Alzer heard this, he recalled about their rivalry together. They were both talented and both of them joined the Royal Court in a very young age. In truth, Almond knew that he was a practitioner of dark magic. He had told him this a long time ago and he was ready to be captured back then. Strangely, Almond didn't expose him back then which made him utterly confused.
"I'm very interested why did you expose me now and not back then." Alzer cleared his mind and stared at his long-time rival once again.
"Where is the Book of Chaos?"
When he heard his question, Alzer finally realized what was happening. He smiled bitterly, asking, "Where did you hear of that?"
"As the Prince of the Uyzher Kingdom, I have my own means to do that." said Almond, particularly not proud of such ability.
Alzer nodded his head and did not say anymore. He opened his palms and muttered a strange language. Suddenly, a black magic circle manifested from nothingness. There was a black book covered in demonic lightning emerging from the surface of that magic circle.
He held the book—the magic circle fading away. He stared at his friend with a teasing smile and said, "Is this what you want?"
When Almond saw this, unconcealable greed appeared on his eyes. His gaze fixed towards the so-called Chaos Book as though removing his eyes away from it will make it disappear. Then, he stared at Alzer's teasing smile, his face revealing a confused expression. "Why are you smiling?"
"Hehe, do you think I don't have any means to protect myself. How foolish." Alzer sneered, his personality suddenly changing. "As a mage who uses a forbidden magic among the nine elements, I survived many calamities than what you can imagine. Or else do you think I would be able to conceal my affinity until now? Naive!"
Without waiting for a reply, Alzer flipped open the book until he reached a certain page. He chanted an ancient incantation as he raised his arms. The sky began to turn dark as the blizzard became even more stronger, sweeping away trees and making an avalanche.
When Almond saw this, his expression suddenly changed. "Not good!"
Just as his voice dissipated, a demonic lighting appeared from the dark clouds and, with an exceedingly quick speed, he was struck by it. He let out a shriek of pain as his body fell from the air, like a kite with broken string.
Seeing this, Alzer gave him demonic lightning one after another.
Almond's wounded body smashed to the snowy ground, black smoke emerging from his body. His clothes were burnt and tattered, hair messy.
Without waiting for him to recover, Alzer stretched his wings and flapped it, flying towards the mountain peak. However, just as he was about to move, a crescent moon-like ray of light appeared beside him and cut his arms. He suddenly panicked as he moved downwards yet another ray of light cut his legs.
He smashed at the tree, blood pouring to the snow. Alzer stared at the sky and saw a group of people wielding a sword. However, this group of people were exactly the same as each other. They each have black and white, tied long hair.
"Sword Saint!" Alzer screamed in horror.
The group of people turned into smoke, leaving behind an individual who looks the same. It seems that the group earlier were just this Sword Saint's clone. Sword Saint didn't say anything and swung his arm, releasing tens of sword lights.
Alzer struggled to stand up but his hand and leg were already decapitated. When he saw that the sword lights were already about to hit him, madness filled his eyes as he gripped the book tightly in his other hand. He closed his eyes and chanted, "Noitcurtsed! Noitanracnier!"
He opened his eyes then, suddenly, a huge purple magic circle with complex patterns appeared and spread on the ground. It burst out a purple pillar of light that pierced through the sky.
It was at this moment that the swordlights cut through Alzer's flesh and some of his body parts were sent flying; blood spurted out of him, and his organs could now be seen with naked eyes.
Alzer groaned in pain but he gritted his teeth stubbornly. He knelt, putting his hands onto the ground. "Go…"
The pillar of light kept expanding. Its light was also brightening until Alzer's body was covered by a bright purple light. He suddenly felt that he couldn't control his body anymore. He gradually lost his feelings to the point that his all five senses disappeared. He just stared at an empty space, his mind black. He couldn't hold a single thought even if he wanted to.
In the midair, the Sword Saint stared at the scene and became surprised. He didn't expect that he would survive his attacks. Although it was not his full power, one must know that just a single slash could easily beat a lich who have already half-transcended to Immortality.
He stared at the young prince who lay down on the ground. Slowly, he said, "It seems you exposed your beloved friend because of the Book of Chaos that he have. What a sinister man."
Almond didn't reply to Sword Saint's disdainful words. He just lay there, thinking about what will happen soon. It was obvious that he wouldn't be able to get his hands on the Book of Chaos, not under Sword Saint's nose. After all, with the extreme power that it contained, he couldn't possibly suppress his greed. He sighed in his heart. It seems his plan had gone wrong. He was too impatient. If he waited for an opportunity after finding out about Alzer obtaining the black book, then it would never end up like this.
"Wait… Finding out?" Almond's expression changed rapidly when he realized something. As a Royal Mage, and as one of the most powerful figure in the kingdom, Sword Saint should've already known about this information. According to the intel that he obtained, it was supposed to be two years ago when Alzer obtained the black book. If that's the case then why had Sword Saint only took action now? Another thing that he obtained from his intel was that Alzer had made dozen of mistakes which could be connected to the mysteriousness of the black book. One of this was his accidental opening of the legendary Alchemical King's tomb that only treasures beyond mythic-tier could possibly do.
Just as he have this thoughts, a movement entered his vision. He saw Alzer's intestines swelling and veins bulging out. His body had become fatter, too. To the point of becoming obese.
"Not good!" It was at this moment when Almond realized something. He struggled to stand up but he couldn't do it. He still felt pain from the demonic lightning.
Meanwhile, Sword Saint narrowed his eyes and lifted up Almond. He flew up to the sky to avoid what will happen soon.
"Hmph!" Alzer snorted coldly when he saw this but he didn't say anything. With the current state of his body, he couldn't move. Since that's the case, he would have to wait for his spell to be finished. His wait didn't disappoint him. Ancient patterns spread throughout his body. It was gold in color, and shining.
"Explode!"
Bang!
Just as his voice disappeared, his fat body suddenly burst forth, bringing about a powerful destruction that swept through the snowy lands. The purple magic circle was utterly destroyed. The pillar of light disappeared.
Sword Saint's expression turned serious as he increased his speed. Yet, he couldn't avoid the shockwave as he lost control of his pace, sent flying to the nearby tree. He dropped Almond onto the ground and waited for a few minutes. After that he flew up to Alzer's original location.
What he saw shocked him. There was no longer Alzer, but a large crater that could fit thousands of people. What was strange is that it was tainted by blood. He couldn't that any human could possibly have such a large amount of blood.
He narrowed his eyes again and muttered, "It was…the Destruction to Reincarnation."