Our eyes met a person covered in dark aura, completely in black, his eyes were glowing red. He spoke again-
"Leave this area or see your grave here when you die..."
"Who are you? And what do you mean we are not allowed here? Sorry but we can't leave as we have an important task here." I replied.
"Who is this? I am feeling a eerie sensation from him."
"....." I got no replies.
"Elena! Step aside!"
The shadow like person tried to attack with his dark ball, Elena dodged his attack just in time.
"That was close!"
"Is this also a part of the trial?" I muttered.
"We can't let you go near the Shadow Crystals...We are the protectors of Shadow Crystals...known as Shadow Hives."
"!?"
"Protectors? And he said "we" Does that mean... There are others as well who are protecting other crystals?"
"Elena, I think we need to stop these protectors..."
"Understood!"
The protector sent the dark projectiles towards us but I used the wind barrier to defend from the attack. Then I used the wind cutters as the protector dodged my attacks while it rushed towards me.
I enhanced my defence magic to protect myself from its shadow claws that was generated by the magic energy. When I took the hit, I got some damages despite using my magic defence. However, Elena immediately healed me with her brilliant ability to heal. Then I countered at the same time, using my wind cutters, and hit the protector as it made a distance in a hurry from me.
"...!?" I sensed an incoming attack.
"Look out Chloe!"
I was trapped in a shadow prison,erupted from the floor, as the spikes inside the prison tried to pierce me from every side of the prison but I increased my defence output to hold the spikes for a while as it was trying to pierce through me.
"No! Chloe!"
"Oh no....This is bad....I can't hold these spikes for a long time..."
The protector had started to put more strength on it's attack as the spikes's strength were enhanced by it.
"....I don't think I can hold it....any....longer..."
"Stay away from Chloe!" She exclaimed as she-
"....!?" I looked surprised at what I just saw.
The pure white light of the huge projectile emerged through her Light magic and pierced through the protector's torso as it exploded due to the impact of the projectile.
The attack magic was cancelled as the prison had vanished when the protector was exploded.
"Chloe! Are you alright! Are you hurt somewhere?"
"No I am completely fine, thanks to you! Besides it seems like you are really incredible. I thought you had supportive skills or some self defence magic techniquez but your attack packed a powerful magical strength in it. You are amazing Elena."
"Eh!? Oh! I just noticed it! But how come?"
"I think it was your kind nature and will to protect someone which led you to find your new-found strength. You wanted to protect me and your intense desire and emotions led you to find a new skill."
There are two conditions on how you can gain new-found powers. First condition is common, where you can practice and learn new skills. Second condition is rare where, based on your emotions or personality, you can get new strength. Elena found her new strength and I had sensed great powers within her. She has so much potential.
"This proves that you can do everything, Elena. I believe you can also learn through your normal trainings as well just don't give up. Remember, what Orion told you?"
"Yes! I feel even more confident now..."
I was happy for her but for some reason. I had sensed something disturbing from Elena and remembered the conversation I had with her parents two days ago at night.
"Um? Chloe?"
"Oh it's nothing, I was just surprised so I was lost in thoughts, haha." I laughed in an awkward way, showing that I was just surprised by her new abilities.
"I am also surprised but I am happy now." she smiled.
"Alright so, let's head deeper and look for the crystal. Let's destroy it and head back to the location where we were spawned before." I said.
"Yes!"
As we head deeper and deeper, we started to notice that the eerie sensation was increasing rapidly. We felt a little suffocation as we were moving forward. After few minutes, our eyes met a dark coloured crystal in a spherical shape as it was glowing.
"Chloe, this is..."
"Yes we found it... Let's destroy it-"
"I won't let you..." We heard a voice.
As we started looking for the source of this sound, we saw someone that we had not anticipated.
"R-Ray? What are you doing here? And what do you mean by what you said?" I asked.
"Sorry Chloe but you have to die since you are just interrupting us now." replied Ray.
"? What? I don't understand, please Ray stop this nonsense! We are comrades not enemies!" I said while not able grasp what was happening.
"Elena? Where is Elena!?" I said.
Ray pointed towards the direction of the dead body of Elena...
"Elena!!"
I rushed towards her and held her in my hands.
"Elena! Elena! Wake up!"
I turned towards Ray and-
"What did you do!? Ray, why are you doing this!? Why? Elena! Please wake up!"
I was unable to control my emotions...
"Now it's your turn..."
I stood up and attacked him with wind cutters but he deflected all of my attacks. He was moving towards my direction slowly.
"Step back Ray! You have lost your mind now! I would never forgive you! I thought you were not that kind of person!..." I said as I was trembling and feeling intense emotions along with my flowing tears for Elena...
I was confused and felt hopeless as I was trying to deny the reality. Ray was approaching me silently.
---
Part 2- Anti-Libra hideout, members were complaining and-
"Are you sure? We noticed their movements, they are on the second trial now. If things go like this then!"
A member complained about it but it was obvious that my followers would complain.
"Don't worry about it, they can't pass the second trial so easily and they will eventually die. Even if they pass that trial, there is the third trial where you have to defeat the Giant Serpent." I said.
"Even if they manage to get the White Tear it is still not a problem. Besides I don't think they can pass the second trial as it was confirmed that someone or something else will protect the Shadow Crystals... Though I am not sure about this..." I continued.
"Someone or something?"
"Don't worry about it, I am pretty sure they will fail in their task." I said.
"... Everything is in order..." said another member, he was none other Shawn himself.
"Excellent, Shawn. You can rest a little bit now..."
Those Shadow Crystals are not normal crystals as it looks like, it is almost like you are confronting the most disgusting thing...
---
Part 3- Elena was standing besides the dark huge egg like structure, where Chloe was inside of it, and started worrying about Chloe as she tried to do something...
"Chloe! Chloe! Can you hear me?"
When we had seen the crystal, it sent a powerful small dark bullet towards Elena and it's speed was so much that I didn't realised it until Chloe was covered by this egg.
"I....I have to destroy this Shadow Crystal to save Chloe...."
I stretched my hand as I held my staff towards the Shadow Crystal. I generated the huge Light projectile and launched it. The Shadow Crystal was hit by the attack as the light projectile exploded, spreading lighting rays...
"Is it destroyed now?"
Before I even realised it, I was hit by the bullet. It didn't pierced me rather it tried to envelop me by creating the egg like structure around me.
"...no!?"
I was losing my consciousness as I saw the Shadow Crystal as it looked undamaged by the attack....
"I am losing consciousness now..."
---
Part 4- The Shadow Crystal, without letting Ray realise what happened, shot Ray with it's bullet.
"Where am I?"
"Ray, You are finally here..."
"....!?"
It was a familiar voice that I hated the most. As I turned to look who it was-
"You-"
My blood was boiling as I saw the person in front of me while he was smiling in a devil manner.
"Long time no see Ray....How are you doing? Is your We-
"Shut up! You bastard! You don't have any rights to say his name."
"Kekekeke, You know who created these Shadow Crystals? It was me and you know that these crystals-"
When he had finished his sentence, my blood boiled like I was about to be exploded.
"How....dare you...I will.....NEVER FORGIVE YOU!"
As I tried to rush, my body was seized by the magical chains.
"....!?"
"Keke, I can sense that intense rage within you, Ray. However, it's too late as you have shown your.... negative emotions."
---
To be continued...