The illusion of control is the favorite trick of chaos.
Control
The flickering shadows of the room danced over the Time Mage and Jelal as they sipped tea in a silence that felt far more significant than their calm expressions let on.
The Time Mage sat across from Jelal, who seemed at ease, though his eyes had the sharpness of someone who missed nothing. I watched as his gaze drifted to the window, but it was the subtle shift back to the pendant on her chest that made my pulse quicken. His interest wasn't casual.
"Did your Master gift you this artifact?" Jelal's voice sounded casual but pointed as if he already knew the answer.
The Time Mage froze for just a heartbeat. I saw the slight tensing of her shoulders, the way her fingers almost involuntarily brushed the pendant. She answered him calmly—too calmly for the significance of what she was admitting. "You have sharp eyes. Yes, it's a relic from ancient times."
My brow furrowed. That pendant...
Jelal hummed, an appreciative sound, but I could see it in his face. He was probing, testing her, waiting for her to reveal more than she intended. "An ancient, huh?"
I listened as Jelal's eyes returned to the pendant hanging from the Time Mage's neck. His voice, low and smooth, pierced the silence.
"What do you think, Alia? Can that artifact protect you from the wrath of all the mages?" His question lingered in the air, his tone almost teasing but with an edge of real concern.
The Time Mage's brow furrowed slightly, her composure briefly cracking. "What?" she replied, a mixture of surprise and challenge in her voice. "You think there is someone as powerful as the ancients in this current age? I've lived this life many times over. There was no one who could compare."
Jelal hummed softly, a sound that was neither agreement nor dismissal, just enough to suggest he wasn't convinced. His silence was louder than his words, and I could feel the weight of his thoughts even through Simon.
I could hear the shift in the Time Mage's tone, the subtle plea woven into her words. "I will protect you, Jelal. You need not worry. Help me, and I won't be ungrateful."
But Jelal's smile in response was chilling, more of a cruel curve than a gesture of warmth. "You should worry about protecting yourself first," he replied, his voice low and cutting.
The Time Mage's eyes widened and Jelal's next words dropped like a stone into the quiet room.
Jelal's eyes looked straight into mine. It was like he was looking right through Simon. Through the memories. For a moment, it seemed as if the sharp line of reality had faded away to allow Jelal to look through it.
"The Hueless King is here for you."
I opened my eyes. I could already feel the heat creeping through the air. It licked at my skin like the first breath of an inferno. I knew Lil was ready. Her magic thrummed, sharp and vibrant, like a pulse waiting to ignite.
Then I saw it. A tiny spark flared to life in Lilinette's hand, innocuous at first, but I knew better than to be fooled. That spark wasn't just fire—it was alive, and I could feel the hunger in it. The moment it tasted Lil's magic, it swelled, ballooning into a blinding, fiery burst, as though it had been unleashed from the depths of a volcano. The air around her shimmered with heat, and the fire laughed—a high-pitched, gleeful cackle as if delighted by the chaos it would soon wreak.
Lil moved with a grace that defied the storm of flames swirling around her. Her movements were deliberate, almost grateful, as she brought her hands together. In a flash, a bow of fire materialized, radiant and ethereal, its form shimmering with the raw, dangerous energy coursing through it. Without hesitation, she pulled back on the string, her fingers summoning a small but fierce fire arrow from the roaring elemental spirit.
"Flamma," she whispered, her voice quiet yet commanding, "gobble it up."
The arrow trembled with power, and the instant she let it go, it whistled through the air, unstoppable. The force behind it was undeniable, like a comet set loose, and its fiery tail left a scorching trail in its wake. I watched as it sped toward the heart of the forest, aiming straight for the protective barrier that had stood so impenetrable moments before.
Then it hit.
The explosion wasn't just a sound—it was a force, an eruption of blinding light and searing heat. The air cracked as the barrier crumbled. It didn't just shatter; it splintered into a thousand pieces, each fragment glowing like shards of multicolored glass suspended in the air. The fractured shield shimmered with hues of violet, emerald, and gold, the magical remnants reflecting the first rays of dawn like scattered stars.
For a moment, it was beautiful, almost hypnotic, these luminous fragments dancing in the air before they disintegrated into nothingness.
Fire surged in every direction, consuming everything in its path with an almost joyous ferocity. The heat was intense, even from where I stood, and the sound of crackling flames roared through the night like an army of fire demons unleashed.
As the flames spread, licking at the castle's walls, I could feel the ground tremble beneath me, the power of Lil's spell echoing in every corner of the battlefield.
I turned my gaze to Lil, and for a moment, the world seemed to still. Her veins pulsed beneath her skin, sometimes golden-orange streaks flickering like molten rivers, as if the magic coursing through her couldn't help but show itself. It was mesmerizing, raw power flowing just beneath the surface, a quiet reminder of her dangerous beauty.
She turned to me, her eyes catching the light—no, not catching it. Consuming it. They burned gold, deep and alive, laced with swirling red flames that seemed to dance with an unrelenting hunger. Her gaze held mine, steady and unyielding, a silent challenge and an unspoken promise all at once.
She wasn't just glowing; she was alive in a way that most people never could be. Radiant and fierce, a storm contained within the fragile walls of human form.
I just needed to see her before I went to complete Operation Fuck Them Up.
"Ready?" I asked, my voice sharp and low, cutting through the charged silence.
Alex, his eyes reflecting the dim glow of the encroaching dusk, nodded with a resolve that spoke louder than words. "Yeah," he said, voice firm.
Mose, who had been standing a few steps away, shifted on his feet, glancing at me with wide eyes before they narrowed with determination. "Yes," he said, the word almost swallowed by the wind. But there was no mistaking the edge to his voice now.
Rolo, who had been quiet through the tense buildup, smirked, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes as if the weight of what was about to happen thrilled him. He leaned forward, the grin on his face daring and reckless. "Always," he said, the word a challenge to the unseen enemy waiting in the dark.
Des stood apart, a formidable figure whose very presence made the air crackle with a mix of anticipation and fear. He unsheathed his sword, the metallic ring echoing across the clearing, sharp and final. The grin on his face was feral, a promise that whatever they faced next, they would face it head-on. "Let's do this," he said, voice deep and unwavering.
I let the silence stretch between us. From the hardened vampires to the restless dark mages, the white mages in their uneasy formation, to the unpredictable lust mages—all waiting for the signal.
It was time.
"Masks on, guys," I said as I put my own mask in place.
I took a step forward, raising my hand to the others.
"We go now," I added, voice carrying the weight of finality.
And with that, Operation Fuck Them Up began.
In the blink of an eye, I was running, feet pounding against the forest floor, the roar of wind in my ears as I moved faster than thought itself. The stunned mages in the clearing stood frozen, eyes wide and mouths agape as I became little more than a blur—a ghost in the deepening twilight.
I didn't know how long I ran. It could have been a minute or five, the passage of time warping around me as I moved.
My body moved with a brutal grace, muscles straining, breath coming in ragged bursts. Every ounce of energy I had was channeled into each stride, the world around me blurring as I raced toward the castle.
Yes, they're coming.
The Time Mage's apprentices were swarming out from the depths of the castle, eyes glinting with the promise of battle. I didn't need to see them up close to know that they were ready to tear through anything in their path.
Alex arrived next, sprinting forward with the kind of reckless determination only he could muster. Mose was slung over his back, his limbs flailing like a ragdoll as the adrenaline and urgency of the moment took hold. The sight of them was one to behold—Alex's unyielding strength and Mose's wide eyes, a mixture of awe and terror.
Rolo was behind them, a knowing smirk carved into his face under the curve of the mask. His relaxed posture was deceptive; I knew him well enough to recognize the razor-sharp focus in his eyes.
Des let out a roar, his sword moving with a vicious fluidity that could only come from years of hard training. He cut down the first ones who attacked, eyes alive with the thrill of combat, his grin must have been feral and untamed behind that terrific mask as he pushed forward.
Alex landed with a crash next to me, breath coming in sharp, controlled bursts. He was already halfway through a transformation, his body morphing, muscles and bone reshaping as his teeth extended into sharp canines. The raw energy of his partial shift radiated from him, an untamed storm ready to be unleashed. Mose, who had only just managed to regain his balance after being thrown, looked as if he were about to jump in, but his gaze flitted nervously between me and the chaos ahead.
Rolo was already in motion, eyes glinting with that smug amusement I'd come to expect, but I saw the way his fingers clenched and the subtle way he positioned himself—ready to pounce.
"Des," I said, "Fall back."
I felt her before I saw her—Lil. She emerged from the edge of the forest, her movements graceful but strained.
Her shoulders sagged slightly, the golden-orange veins that sometimes flickered across her skin now dim, like dying embers. The toll of her spellcasting was etched into her features—her breath shallow, her steps slower than usual. But even in her weariness, she radiated power, an untamed force barely kept in check.
I glanced back and smiled a little.
"It's time," I said simply, my voice steady.
Rolo stepped forward, his usual easy grin now absent. Rolo took a breath, then spoke the word of activation—a single word that carried the weight of destruction. The moment the syllables left his lips, the world erupted.
The mines detonated in a chain reaction, each explosion a brutal, concussive roar that split the air and drowned out every other sound. The ground beneath us trembled violently, the shockwaves rippling outward like angry tides. Fire bloomed across the battlefield, monstrous and wild, swallowing everything in its path. The heat was immediate, oppressive, and blinding.
The mage apprentices, caught in the heart of the devastation, were thrown like ragdolls, their screams lost amidst the chaos. Shrapnel, magical and metallic alike, tore through flesh and bone, leaving nothing untouched. The bright flashes of the explosions illuminated every horrific detail.
Most apprentices's bodies disintegrated mid-air, reduced to ash before they could even hit the ground. Some staggered out of the inferno, their forms grotesquely charred, before collapsing. The once-disciplined lines of the apprentices crumbled, replaced by panicked chaos.
Even the air seemed to burn, saturated with the acrid stench of smoke, blood, and magic.
I stood there, unmoving, my eyes fixed on the carnage. The monster inside me stirred, purring with approval. This was war, cruel and unrelenting.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Rolo lower his hand, his face pale but resolute.
I felt it—a flicker, a presence that wasn't visible but unmistakably there. Flamma. The little flame elemental danced frantically around Lil, its energy erratic and excitable, brushing against the edges of her aura like a child tugging at a sleeve. It didn't speak, not in words, but I could feel its plea, its insistent begging to be let loose.
Lil stood firm, her golden veins pulsing faintly as she fought to steady her breathing. Her eyes didn't leave the inferno, but I could tell she felt it too. She felt the devastatingly powerful life force in those flames that could gobble up the whole world. Flamma was relentless, tugging at her magic, craving the flames before us like a starving beast drawn to a feast.
I half-turned toward them, the corner of my mouth quirking into a small, humorless smile behind my mask. "Flamma," I said, my voice calm but carrying enough weight to still the air around us. "Do you remember the promise I made the last time we met? I told you I'd give you flames." I gestured to the inferno raging across the battlefield. "So here they are. Feast."
I barely finished speaking before Flamma bolted toward the flames, an invisible blur that rippled the air like heat waves. The elemental dove into the chaos, and the fire shifted instantly. What had been a wild, formless blaze began to twist and reshape itself, as though something was molding it from within.
A wicked figure emerged—a massive, laughing fire spirit with jagged edges and spindly limbs. It cackled in a high-pitched whistle, a sound both otherworldly and unnerving, echoing over the battlefield. The spirit's form stretched and danced, the flames reshaping to its whims, each movement more malicious than the last.
The apprentices who were still alive screamed, trying to crawl away from the burning monstrosity. But the fire spirit moved like a predator, its searing limbs reaching for them, its laughter growing louder with each terrified cry.
Lil's gaze stayed locked on the spirit, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "You've unleashed a fire elemental," she murmured, her voice barely audible.
I didn't reply immediately, my eyes watching Flamma's handiwork with grim satisfaction. The elemental was ravenous, bending the flames to its will with a chaotic glee that even I couldn't entirely control. Finally, I turned back to Lil, my voice low and steady.
"I promised it flames," I said simply. "And I keep my promises."
"Rest," I said softly, but firmly, my gaze steady on her. I knew that Flamma would protect her.
She opened her mouth to protest but Flamma swirled closer to her briefly, a protective ember-like aura circling her form, as if reassuring her with its presence before bounding back into the fire to wreak more havoc.
Turning my attention back to the field, I saw the second wave. As I suspected, the Time Mage hadn't sent all her pawns at once. More apprentices swarmed out from the castle gates, their movements coordinated, their expressions grim but determined.
I let out a slow breath.
"Second round, guys," I said humorlessly. "Let's finish this quickly."
I moved like a storm unleashed, an unending wave of fury and precision. The moment the apprentices came, I was already in the thick of it, cutting through them with a relentlessness that would make even the fiercest most seasoned mages beg for their lives. Every muscle in my body burned with the rush of battle, and I didn't know where the line between man and monster ended.
The world around me was a blur of motion—flashes of grey robes and the glint of weapons slicing through the air. My blows were merciless, each strike ripping through flesh and bone with a brutal elegance. I wasn't just fighting; I was feeding the primal part of me that thrived in the chaos. The sound of screams, the splatter of blood, and the shouts of desperate mages only made the monster inside me purr with delight.
I saw Alex, a dark streak of motion, tearing through the apprentices with claws that gleamed like polished steel, his eyes a feral mix of human and beast. Des was a whirlwind of blade and muscle, his laughter tinged with madness as he cut down another opponent, his mask a flash of white in the chaos. Rolo was a shadow between the strikes, eyes glinting as he dispatched those who thought themselves cunning enough to outmaneuver him, sometimes ordering Mose what spells to use to aid him.
I was hyper-aware of every movement on the battlefield, the shifting stances of my friends, the rhythm of their attacks, and the subtle ways they shifted to avoid the attacks. They were the only ones the monster's cruel claws deliberately missed as if instinctively recognizing that they were more than just opponents—we were a pack. So when Rolo drifted closer, I barely noticed. Not at first. Not until it was too late.
I turned towards him.
Not until the jagged edge of his blade slashed through my chest.