Apophis' Illusionary Shadow figure was like a person with black skin, but it was shiny. All around his body is covered with snake scales that are arranged together in a beautiful skin, had a strong muscle, like a bodybuilder who has been exercising for a long time. Apophis' eyes were terrifying, like those of a snake, bright red like blood, contrasting with the black outer layer around the eyes. His smile was so wide that it almost reached his ears and looked terrifying. The teeth were neatly arranged, and the fangs were larger than before, white contrasting with the pitch-black face, giving off a feeling of mystery and distrust behind this cold smile.
"Try to attack me." Apophis demanded.
Segal and Mariel turned to look at each other. They boosted their magic power to maximum, then blasted the power of fire magic and water magic until they combined into two magic spirals at Apophis.
Apophis stood with his arms crossed and smiled without any fear at all. Then he used his right hand to receive these two combined magic powers and brushed it out to the right side until a hole was made in the hall wall because of the destruction of these two combined magic powers.
Both Mariel and Segal were shocked that all their magic power was being manipulated so easily but it wasn't over yet.
Apophis rushed towards them at close range without warning. There was not even a second for them to prepare their defend from this attack.
Ouch!!!
Cry out in pain of the two children came out after being kicked in the middle of the stomach by Apophis, causing their bodies to fly away in different directions until they slammed into the hall wall with a loud noise.
"In front of someone who is skilled in magic and has fought countless battles, you two are nothing but ducks on a pond." Apophis said.
Mariel clutched her stomach in pain, but she felt admiration and excitement to meet someone who had invincible power of magic.
(If I could practice the Illusionary Shadow with the Serpent God Apophis, it would definitely help me advance to the next level of becoming the Goddess of War. I encountered something like this, it made me want to learn this technique immediately.) (Chai thinking)
Apophis then allowed Mariel to use her healing magic to heal herself and Segal until their bodies returned to normal. Then Apophis called them to sit in front of him in the center of this large hall.
"Before I start teaching you the Illusionary Shadow who is the first disciple I accepted. You must pass the final test again because I want to make sure once again that you are a chosen one, Mariel." Apophis said.
"I am ready, Lord Apophis." Mariel replied.
"As for you, Segal, even though you are not my disciple, how lucky are you to be able to witness this teaching, watch it with your attention." Apophis said to Segal, who was sitting in front of him on his left.
"OK." Segal replied.
Apophis slowly closed his eyes and touched Mariel's forehead with the finger of his right hand and said sentences that it was almost incomprehensible. As for Mariel, her forehead felt increasingly hot until it seemed like she was starting to have a fever, but she still forced herself to sit and tried not move her body.
Apophis suddenly opened his eyes and stared into Mariel's eyes with a terrifying expression. A black magic energy shot through his finger and instantly pierced Mariel's forehead.
Mariel's black eyes immediately disappeared, and her head bent down almost to the level of her waist. She no longer had a sense of her surroundings.
"Mariel! What happened?" Segal was shocked by what was happening in front of him, but Apophis raised his left hand and told him to stop.
"From now on, it's up to Mariel herself that how appropriate she was to learn this technique from me, Lol." Apophis said and laughed.
In that darkness, Mariel suddenly woke up with a dazed expression on her face as to what exactly had happened to her. In this empty black space, it was like standing on a battlefield somewhere.
Mariel turned to look around her to find out where she is. The scene suddenly cut to reveal a battlefield where many people were warriors, wizards, archers, assassins, and healers were fighting against large demon armies with raven wings. Hundreds of giant bat-like creatures, including high-ranking dark wizards with terrifying appearances whose were fiercely casting skills at each other, aiming to completely slaughter the opposing side.
The sound of many magical powers, whether fire magic, ice magic, water magic, dark magic, crashed into each other until it was almost impossible to see it clearly.
The sound of people screaming in pain or the demons' howls before dying right there that it almost hurts the eardrums.
*Scream! *
In front of Mariel was a wizard-woman who had dark magic shot through her stomach until her body began to turn black little by little as the dark magic slowly ate away at her body. She held her hand to her stomach where the blood had not stopped flowing. Then she cried out in pain, almost died, twisted her body, and slowly began to breathe until she died immediately.
Mariel felt like she was going to vomit as she saw such this thing.
*Scream! *
Marielle immediately turned to look at that sound. She saw that the male warrior with a sword and shield had his left arm cut off gruesomely by a sharp claw of demon. Blood spurted out so much that it coated the floor in a bright red color and gave off a bad smell.
"Why do I have to see such a thing?" Mariel truly realized the brutality of war this time. Lot of people being horrifically slaughtered, their bodies shot by dark magic and had been torn apart in front of her. It made her feel even more depressed. Her acting unsure of what to do next from now on.
"Fall back and be careful, Claudia!" A familiar voice shouted not too far away. This caused Mariel to immediately turn around and look at that voice.
In front of Mariel were Deric and Claudia running for their lives from the attacks of several high-ranking dark wizards who were swarming and firing countless amounts of dark magic at them. As for Kehal and the others, they were unable to resist this attack until the demons began to swarm and tear their bodies apart in front of her.
"Dad! Mom!" Mariel immediately shouted and rushed over to her parents.
Suddenly, a large ball of dark magic was shot towards them without warning. Deric was helpless and unable to survive this attack. So, he hurriedly wrapped his own body around Claudia's body, wanting to receive all the attacks alone.
*Scream! *
Deric's final cry of pain before dying along with Claudia. They were shattered by the huge dark magic until they were nothing but pitch-black ashes.
Mariel was shocked by what was happening in front of her. Her own father and mother had died and only two small of ashes were left. Tears of sorrow flowed down both her cheeks. The girl cried out loudly, even though it was just a dream, but it was very realistic. Then she leaned down and held the ashes of his parents in pain, not knowing that danger was approaching in front of her.
Ouch!
Mariel was struck in the face by a magic staff, sending her body flying a considerable distance. Blood slowly flowed from her nose and mouth until she could feel it.
A high-ranking black wizard under a robe used his right foot to crush the ashes of Deric and Claudia until they slowly scattered on the ground with a look of disdain on his face.
Mariel's eyes staring at those wizards began to change. From fear gradually changed to anger and revenge, wanting to completely kill the group of wizards who killed her father and mother.
Mariel's eyes began to change. The eyes turned bright red, covered with pitch black rims, just like Apophis. Mariel slowly stood up, her body began to accelerate to the maximum, but what was suspicious was that she didn't use her own magic power. Instead, she gradually absorbed more and more of the black magic power that spread around her into the body, regardless of the danger and pain she would receive from this action.
Mariel's body began to change continuously. Her torso, arms, and legs gradually changed from normal human skin color to pitch black. Countless small cracks formed along her arms and legs, which gradually split into a structure that looked like a shiny black snake's scales. The nails on all 10 fingers of her hands gradually grew longer like a witch which had sharp features that ready to tear and rip everything in her path.
Mariel exhaled heavily through her mouth. Her hair gradually grew longer and turned black.
*Wink*
Mariel's eyes stared at the many dark wizards like vicious serpents that were about to attack her delicious prey. The sound of her bones made noise rhythmically from both hands, ready to tear apart these bodies into pieces. Her mouth slowly sticks out its tongue to lick wounds, ready to have fun hunting down her prey.
"You killed my parents. You all DIED!!!!" Mariel shouted in rage.
Mariel killed by leaping forward and using her long claws to decapitate the dark wizards who used his feet to crush the ashes of her parents until he died instantly.
The remaining wizards were shocked by the speed that was happening, but they had not yet raised their magic staffs to prepare for battle. Mariel swooped in and cut off their arms. The necks of the remaining 10 wizards were cut off with such speed that they couldn't even imagine, her movement making everything seem effortless.
Finally, Mariel with her Illusionary Shadow form, killed all the high-ranking dark wizards in short time. She stood panting from exhaustion but before she could prepare herself, she was surrounded by several 100 black, winged demons that came in and wanted to kill her on the spot.
"Let's all come in!!!" Mariel roared with determination.
The sharp claws tore countless demons' bodies apart. The young girl was killing demons like a brutal murderer killing her victims.
The time passed, in front of Mariel was a sea of blood that was pitch black, the corpses of countless dark wizards and demons that had been torn to pieces lay scattered all over this area.
Mariel began to feel that her own body had been attacked until there were severe wounds all over her body as well. Claw marks all over her body and blood flowing out non-stop which made her almost unable to stand any longer.
The girl slowly closed her eyes and fell unconscious on the ground. Consciousness gradually began to fade. It seemed like she was about to die. Her breathing became slower until she was about to stop breathing. Everything became so dark that she could no longer recognize the surroundings.
*Scream! *
Mariel, who was sitting with her head bowed, suddenly awoke with shock with sweat all over her body, tired as if she had just gone through a big battle.
"Is something wrong with you? Mariel." Segal hurried over and asked with concern.
"How long have I been unconscious?" Mariel asked.
"Almost an hour. We must get ready to go home. Your father and mother will probably be suspicious." Segal said.
Apophis stared at the girl with joy in his eyes.
"Rage that builds up. Pushing towards the completion of my Illusionary Shadow technique. Very interesting, Lol!" Apophis laughed happily.
"The scene that I dreamed was very real. It was just a dream, right?" Mariel asked curiously.
"True or not, it doesn't matter but you've passed the final test, Mariel. Come back to me next week. Then we will practice more of the Illusionary Shadow technique and comes with foods too." Apophis concluded.
Mariel and Segal said their goodbyes to Apophis as he used his power to shatter the entrance that was blocked by rocks. Then he returned to his original old man's form.
Mariel and Segal were riding their horses and heading out of the deep forest to return to their home. Segal was worried that his younger sister would have to train in such a dark magic technique.
"Mariel, are you sure that this Illusionary Shadow technique is really suitable for you? I'm very worried. I'm afraid it will affect to your health and body in the future." Segal asked with concern.
But Mariel's eyes showed him the determination. This made Segal not dare to ask any more questions.
"This is the skill that will help me to become the goddess of war in the future along with you, brother. You can trust me." Mariel turned and smiled at Segal. Then they hurriedly rode their horses back to their own house, took a shower and changed into their pajamas again. They put their baggage down next to the table before falling asleep from exhaustion.