Lana suddenly emerged, blood streaking down her uniform. A soft crimson aura radiated from her, emitting a frenetic energy. Her fists clenched, ready to unleash their devastating power. In the background, Adrien, Paul, and Eliana were safe, shielded by guards ushering them towards the bunker, away from the imminent battlefield.
Lana caught sight of Rogue behind the witch but maintained a stoic expression.
So, she's defeated him? No, he's not dead; I can still sense his mana… Not surprising, though… He faced the cult's leader; no member of the Lost could have stood a chance against her… Except for that depressive Gwendoline.
The witch amused herself, taunting Lana with a subtle laugh.
"But isn't this Lana Temparus we have here…"
"What do you want from me?"
"I want you to come with us, nothing more."
She extended a hand, but Lana ignored it, preferring to glare at the mansion with an accusing gaze before turning back to the witch.
"Why destroy the castle?"
She sighed, relaxing her body, dramatizing her boredom.
"Look, I don't have time, okay? So, if you could just come along, that'd be great."
"And why should I?"
"To become one of us, of course."
Lana shrugged condescendingly.
"So, you're starting your kidnapping phase for the new leader? Is that it?"
"Exactly, you catch on quick for a girl with nothing in her head."
Now I understand… They see potential in me; that's why they're so desperate to abduct me.
"Well, I'm sorry, Bearer of Aversion, but I don't need your magic to become stronger. I am enough on my own."
"I guess I'll have to insist!"
With surprising agility, the sorceress prepared a punch imbued with her reverse magic. She then rushed towards Lana, who, with a scornful look, froze time for a few seconds, draining the colors. She used the opportunity to deliver a devastating blow to the abdomen, producing a sound that seemed to tear through space. The next moment, she moved Rogue's body to safety behind a tree.
When time resumed, the sorceress was catapulted so high in the sky that she could see the entire village.
"It would be such a waste to leave you here, dear Lana."
[Reversed Magic: Subversion of Order]
The reality anomalies that once overwhelmed her multiplied around her body like a bomb nearing its breaking point. Now, she was nothing but an indescribable mass of glitches, imploding her colors throughout the village, yet nothing changed, no damage was perceptible, except now, the sorceress floated in the air.
"YOU WILL JOIN US! WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT!"
Headfirst, she rocketed at the speed of sound towards the garden, sporting her best smile.
Where jet planes left condensation trails in their wake, the sorceress left a trail of her glitched corruption from her boots.
Finally, she deliberately crashed into the center of the garden, obliterating part of it, creating a crater so immense it could easily be mistaken for a comet's impact.
Lana discerned her silhouette among the dust cloud, her black garment striking against the wind.
"You're still alive after that hit?" asked Lana.
The next moment, she floated in the air, her gaze meeting the teenager's.
"I ask you one last time, Lana Temparus…"
A horde of the sect's magicians rushed toward her, pinning her to the ground.
"Let go of me!"
As she struggled fiercely, the sorceress teleported in front of her, stooping to her level.
"Will you follow us nicely without making a scene?"
"I have too much honor to comply like a good dog! I'd rather die!"
"Oh!"
She pondered thoughtfully, overplaying her contemplation.
"Mmmhhh… I would've loved to deliver a villainous line like: 'If that's the case, may your wish be granted!' But that's too showy… And it's not my goal to finish you off, SO I'LL KNOCK YOU OUT!"
"In your dreams."
In a whirlwind of violence, she fought fiercely, unleashing a strange temporal distortion that accelerated the lifespans of anyone she touched. The unfortunate souls caught in this distortion saw their lives hurtle towards their inevitable end, reduced to dust by the force of the wind. The battlefield transformed into an apocalyptic landscape of destruction and desolation.
Picking herself up with fierce determination, Lana surveyed the devastating aftermath of their clash. Opposite her, her adversary stepped back, a mocking smile still clinging to his lips.
"You see what you've done, you wretched witch..."
"Ever been told it's not nice to insult others, rich girl?"
"Give me your name, and maybe I'll stop insulting you."
"My first name's Tsura!"
"Well, I'm disenchanted to meet you, Witch Tsura."
Tsura laughed at her provocation, clutching her stomach. "That was a good one!"
"Can we stop joking around, please?"
"With pleasure."
Tsura slowly extended her hand toward the manor, the building shuddering under the influence of her power. The ancient bricks began to crack and disintegrate, releasing clouds of dust in a hellish whirlwind. The centuries-old windows, once proud guardians of the house's mysteries, shattered with a melodic tinkle, turning tranquility into chaos.
Lana, petrified by the surreal scene unfolding before her eyes, stood frozen, unable to comprehend what Tsura was trying to accomplish.
"What are you doing?!"
"Changing your mind."
[Reversed Magic: Morphosis of the Void]
Suddenly, the entire castle disintegrated from within, transforming into a whirlwind of debris that collapsed with incredible force. This devastation engulfed the mysteries buried in its ancient walls as well as its rich past.
Like a deluge of murderous shooting stars, the powerful implosion sent massive debris flying in all directions, creating a deadly rain that mercilessly pelted the village below.
Sharp fragments of stone and metal fell with terrifying force, piercing the roofs of modest homes, while others hurtled towards innocent villagers, tearing through the air on their deadly trajectory.
Now, the village stood as a sinister shadow of its former glory, a devastated landscape where blood mixed with flames, and the villagers' cries of despair filled the air.
Lana stood there, powerless under the screams.
"Let's start with a first lesson in reverse magic: Nothing in the universe is irreversible, except the soul.
"What are you getting at?"
"Reverse magic allows us to alter reality in one way or another, but it doesn't let us control the soul. Only dragons have that power, don't you agree?"
"Yes..."
"Which means that if you agree, I'll restore the village and its still-living inhabitants. But for certain reasons, I won't fully restore the manor."
"And if I refuse?"
"You'll be responsible for the destruction of an entire village."
Lana's heart raced. She could clearly feel all the malice emanating from Tsura, a witch worthy of the name.
"So? The choice seems obvious, doesn't it?"
"If I agree... what will you do with me?"
"We'll take you to our hideout until other participants join you for the final selection."
"But that means I won't see my loved ones again?!"
"Exactly. Just like me, you'll be forgotten and mourned every day, your loved ones searching for you in vain."
"I..."
"But the reward is significant, as you could live like a queen and be idolized by the sect's members. You could be free to do as you please."
An image imprinted in her mind, where Lana saw herself sitting on a throne, wearing a mocking expression. Around her, an assembly of magicians, numbering a hundred, kneeled respectfully, their eyes filled with admiration and veneration. Like a goddess among mortals, she reigned supreme, her presence emanating an undeniable aura of power.
But she had to face the reality that for this, she would have to sacrifice her humanity and her status as an heir to the Temparus.
"Refusing would be a waste, Lana. Think of all the advantages you would gain. Think of how you could enforce order with your power. You could bring down a nation if you wanted."
"I have a question..."
"This isn't the time for questions, but for decisions!"
"If you're here today, does that mean you were kidnapped? Right?"
"Don't change the subject."
"Did you resist?"
Tsura's aura violently changed, as she knew Lana was psychologically testing her, and her menacing stance betrayed her state of mind.
"I advise you not to venture into a territory you don't understand, Lana Temparus."
"It seems I've struck a nerve."
"I think it's time we stop dithering, you and I. This little game has lasted long enough. So, what's your decision?"
I tried to buy time... but it didn't work...
Lana took a deep breath, every drop of sweat on her forehead resembling a pearl of determination. She observed the chaos Tsura had wrought, the ruins of the manor, the devastated village, the lifeless bodies, and the distressed survivors. She felt the pressure of the choice imposed on her, the temptation of power, the moral dilemma tearing at her soul. In this tornado of thoughts, a memory emerged, piercing like a shard of glass in a heavy silence.
[About a decade ago, in Edra, the main hospital of Valdoyenne City]
Due to the technological backwardness of the Kingdom of Rymis, Lana's mother had been taken in by the advanced nation of Edra. Here, the newly elected President Marc, had acceded to Charles's request to treat his wife.
However grandiose curative magic might be, it had its limitations in healing powers. Terminal stage cancers, for instance, were among the few ailments incurable by any known magic.
The door slowly opened, revealing a room bathed in the dim light emanating from the neon lights overhead. Inside lay her mother, a figure now but a shadow of the woman she once was. Her face, once radiant with life, was now ravaged by cancer, a cruel disease eating her from within.
Her mother's features had become gaunt, her pale skin marked by the struggle against illness. Traces of suffering and fierce battle were visible in each of her fine lines, silent witnesses to her fight against a relentless enemy. Beside her, the medical machines emitted a monotonous hum and clicking, a constant reminder of the harsh reality of her treatment.
Lana, still very young, clung to her mother's fragile hand. She could still smell her mother's familiar scents, even in the sterile, sanitized environment of the hospital.
"Did you make any friends at school?"
"Yes, a few..."
"That's good, my daughter... But don't forget your studies, okay? They're important for becoming an adult."
"Will I become like you?"
"Become sick? No, haha. Let's just say your mother has been very unlucky, something even powers couldn't foresee."
"But in the end... What's the use of powers if you can hardly do anything with them?"
Her mother stroked her short, silver hair, a proud smile on her lips.
"They are there to protect you against the unknown. They remind you of your identity, to remind you that even in the darkest moments of your life, you can rely on your own strength to protect yourself.
"But then, why couldn't our family's temporal powers protect you?"
"For the simple and sole reason that we are not omnipotent, Lana. Every human on Trillia has their weaknesses, flaws, and defeats."
She lifted her chin, her teary eyes meeting Lana's.
"Lana, there are things we can't control, and that's part of the natural circle of life. But never forget that you can always control your life, whether it's with your powers or your choices… The most important thing is to know what matters most to you and hold onto it with conviction. Okay?"
"Yes, Mom…"
[Back in the present]
Lana lowered her gaze, closing her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. When she reopened them, the world around her seemed to have stopped, as if her mind had slowed time to allow her to make her decision.
"Tsura, I refuse your offer!"