Stephen walked toward the pond, hoping to meet Alicia. With each step in the soft mud, the feeling of being watched grew more intense. Unlike their previous meetings, there was a strange tension in the air this time. With every step, he turned his head to the right, looked to the left, and even glanced behind him, fixing his gaze on his surroundings. But wherever he looked, he was met only with silence and the tranquility of nature.
He could hear the gentle rustle of the branches with the light breeze by the pond. The calm surface of the water reflected the sunlight, adding a peaceful aura to the scene. However, even these natural beauties were not enough to soothe the growing anxiety inside Stephen. Despite not seeing any human presence, his body grew increasingly tense, and with each step, he felt more paranoid.
When Stephen reached the edge of the pond, he noticed a piece of paper on the ground. As he slowly bent down to pick it up, he felt his heart racing. Seeing his name on the paper heightened his curiosity and excitement. With trembling hands, he unfolded the paper and began to read what was written.
Stephen,
To be honest, I've never written a letter before. So, I don't even know how to start. But I had to write somehow, otherwise, you might worry about me.
Stephen was already starting to worry. He had expected something different from the letter. Disappointed, he quickly moved on to the other lines.
First of all, I didn't wear the necklace and, just as you said, I felt very energetic. It was the necklace that was making me tired. Since I suspected it was filled with dark magic, I decided to cast a new spell on it, because we might have used the wrong spell before.
Do you remember the magic book my mother gave me? I flipped through the spells in that book. I came across a spell called Light of Positivity. When I cast that spell on the necklace, it opened again and revealed a map. Now, I'm going to that location. I might not be around for a few days. By the time you get this letter, a day will probably have already passed. Goodbye, Stephen. Please don't worry about me. I don't want to see you upset.
Alicia
When Stephen finished the letter, he was filled with complex emotions. Alicia's sudden disappearance had created a void within him. In a way he had never felt before, he missed her presence and the time they spent together. He was astonished by these feelings. Just a few days ago, he wouldn't have cared enough to worry about Alicia. But now, he couldn't get her out of his mind.
As he grappled with these conflicting emotions, he began to question himself. How could he suddenly feel such deep emotions? Alicia's absence had truly affected him. Perhaps these feelings had awakened something hidden within him.
He not only missed Alicia, but he also wondered what she was doing. He wanted to know that she was safe. With his mind filled with these thoughts, he decided to leave the garden. He set a new goal for himself to focus on his magical training. Now, he needed time to cope with Alicia's absence and to understand these new emotions within himself.
During the training session, Stephen's performance was noticeably different from the others. Normally attentive and active, Stephen seemed distant and lost in thought today. His eyes were unfocused, and his mind was scattered. Albert immediately noticed this change. Looking into Stephen's eyes, he could see how tense and distracted he was. For now, though, he chose to be more observant rather than confront him directly.
The other members also noticed Stephen's changed demeanor. Their eyes reflected concern and confusion. Aaron, in particular, boldly suggested that Stephen needed to be warned about his behavior. However, Albert dismissed Aaron's suggestion, finding it unremarkable and not worth much attention.
Yet, this silence was a sign of the storm brewing inside Stephen. Perhaps his disconnection from the outside world was a reflection of the complex emotions within him.
When the training session ended, Stephen was left alone with his troubling thoughts. He felt like he was on the verge of losing his mind because of these thoughts. Deciding that he needed to pass the time until Alicia returned, he embarked on a mental quest. For a moment, the idea of visiting his old family came to mind. He quickly went to his room, created a clone of himself, changed his clothes, and took his ring. Then, he teleported out of the castle through his room's window.
Disguised as a servant, he quietly left the castle, his footprints softly embedding in the ground, his hair gently swaying with the light breeze.
As he walked towards his old family's home, memories of the past resurfaced in his mind. Under the dim light of the torches, he walked with a slight melancholy. Silence reigned in every corner, but the excitement within him never waned. The feeling of being with his family again after such a long time created a warmth in his heart.
The sun was slowly withdrawing its last rays from the sky. This indicated that Stephen needed to hurry. Because as the evening progressed, fairies were not allowed to roam outside. He also knew that werewolves freely roamed at this hour. However, this time there was a different path. That path, despite the hour, was unusually crowded. This situation had caught Stephen's attention, so he decided to look in that direction.
When he turned his head, he heard a thick voice. Suddenly, someone shouted, "Master!" The word sounded familiar to him. As his eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, a slight unease arose within him. Could it be that he was encountering demons again?
As he moved along the road, he looked around carefully. People moving among the crowd cast shadows under the torches. However, something else caught Stephen's attention: An unusually large group had gathered mysteriously. People were coming together, talking excitedly, and heading towards a specific point. This situation piqued Stephen's curiosity even more. What was happening among this crowd?
Instead of responding to that entity's call, Stephen quietly approached the crowd. When the thick voice began to speak again, Stephen's heart started to race.
"Stephen Peterson! I can feel you approaching me." As soon as these words were heard, the attention of the people around shifted towards Stephen. Some looked on in astonishment, while others spoke with curiosity. Phrases like "Is there someone of royal blood here?" were among the murmurs that reached his ears.
As he stepped into the crowd, Stephen felt himself being drawn into a mystery. With each step, he sensed a mysterious aura and a magical pull. As he walked through the crowd, his eyes scanned the surroundings, and he felt a thrill in his heart.
Quickly concealing his face with his hood, Stephen tried to hide his astonishment before this enigmatic being. The anxiety and curiosity within him seemed to quicken his heartbeat. How could this being recognize him? His first thought was that it was a servant of the Dark Lord. But he needed more information to be sure.
With bold steps, he moved toward the entity, pushing through the crowd until he reached the front. Now he was close to the being and could see it. The being was hovering in the air, capturing everyone's attention. Stephen's eyes began to scrutinize this mysterious figure.
The entity was surrounded by a dazzling aura and mystical energy. Its face was obscured, but there was sincerity and power in its eyes. As Stephen tried to decipher the identity of this being, the silence of the crowd enveloped him. Everyone was eagerly awaiting the outcome of this mysterious moment.
Stephen carefully examined the enigmatic being before him. It was adorned with antlers and cloaked in shadowy robes. The sickle it held was chained, though the chain's other end was hidden and indeterminate. The being's eyes were not visible, adding to its air of mystery.
In the background, red embers or lights seemed to float in the air. This scene intensified the mystical atmosphere. The floating lights danced around the being, emphasizing its grandeur and power. Stephen watched this spectacle with eyes wide open.
The entity, with its presence, seemed like a legend descended from the sky. The crowd gathered around appeared to be subdued by the being's power and influence. Stephen, unsure of what to do in the presence of this mysterious figure, felt a surge of courage within him.
"The bearer of the Sword of Justice stands before me. I can sense it."
As the being spoke mysteriously, Stephen decided it was time to remove his hood. With determination, he pushed his hood back, revealing his face. The being immediately noticed and pointed at Stephen. All eyes in the crowd turned to him.
The being continued to speak in an impressive tone: "I know you, but you do not know me. So let me introduce myself. I am the Lord of Hell." With these words, a wave of tension and curiosity spread through the atmosphere. The presence of the Lord of Hell instilled fear and admiration in everyone.
"Honestly, I don't care right now. What are your intentions?" Stephen asked.
"Our master will soon be resurrected, and nothing will stand in his way—not the organization, not the sorcerers, nor the nations."
The words of the Lord of Hell heightened the tension in the air. Stephen watched the Lord of Hell intently, his courage and determination becoming more pronounced. Suddenly, he sensed something abnormal and swiftly removed his ring, shouting, "Sword of Justice!" Instantly, the ring transformed into a sword, and his clothes changed into princely attire.
Thanks to his training, Stephen had learned to control the sword, and this skill now granted him great power. The Lord of Hell declared, "You are the only obstacle!" and hurled a large black orb at him. Stephen quickly sprang into action to protect the people and shouted, "Get out of here!" As people began to flee in panic, Stephen yelled, "Shield!" Instantly, golden lights formed a large shield, encircling and protecting the people and the land.
When the black orb collided with the golden shield, an explosion filled with black smoke occurred. Both the shield and the orb were obliterated. Stephen, looking into the Lord of Hell's eyes with seriousness and courage, shouted, "Leave the innocents alone! Do you want to kill me? Then fight me!"
This extraordinary clash caused everyone around to hold their breath. Stephen was defiantly facing his destiny, showing his determination to protect the innocent.
The Lord of Hell could not hide his surprise at Stephen's courage. "They told me you were a coward. You've surprised me," he said, with a hint of admiration.
Stephen, maintaining his stance, responded, "Honestly, I'm surprised you're complimenting me," with a sincere expression.
The Lord of Hell said, "Our master commands us so. Honesty is important to us," maintaining eye contact. These words reflected his beliefs and loyalty.
"You represent Evil and Darkness. Honestly, I'm surprised you possess such a quality," replied Stephen, with curiosity and a desire to understand in his eyes.
The Lord of Hell laughed, "You will soon understand which side we represent," he said, with a mysterious and threatening look in his eyes. These words hinted at a dark prediction for the future.
The Lord of Hell decided to counterattack using dark energy-filled battle spells. The spells, filled with dark powers, swiftly headed towards Stephen. However, Stephen quickly repelled these spells by swinging his sword. The Lord of Hell was taken aback, as he did not achieve the expected effect.
This time, the Lord of Hell decided to attack directly with his scythe. With a sudden movement, he swung the scythe towards Stephen. Stephen reacted swiftly, using his sword to break the chain connected to the scythe. The Lord of Hell, not expecting this counterattack, retreated in shock. The scythe slipped from his hand and fell to the ground as he tried to retrieve it.
Seizing the opportunity, Stephen shouted, "Sword of Fire!" and touched the scythe with his sword. Instantly, the scythe began to melt, its dark power disintegrating upon contact with the fire. The Lord of Hell was stunned by this outcome, as his weapon was unexpectedly destroyed.
This moment completely changed the course of the battle, showcasing Stephen's strength and determination. Now, he stood even stronger and more determined against the Lord of Hell.
The creature suddenly distanced itself from Stephen, gaining power through the dark energy surge in its hands. Stephen assumed a defensive stance against any possible attack. As the intensity of the dark energy increased, threatening walls of darkness began to form around.
Realizing the danger, Stephen swung his sword and drove it into the ground, shouting, "Earthquake!" Instantly, a massive earthquake effect began around. The ground trembled, and stones began to move. The dark walls created by the creature also started to shake and crack.
With a deep rumble, the walls began to collapse suddenly. The dark energy-laden walls shattered into pieces, with dust and debris flying in the air. Stephen's earthquake spell had plunged the surroundings into chaos. As the ground shook, the walls collapsed, and the dark energy dissipated, a moment of silence fell in the midst of the battle.
Stephen, carefully observing this moment, was planning his next move. As he countered the creature's attacks, the determination and power within him motivated him even more.
"Didn't you say not to harm the innocents? I created these walls to ensure no harm comes to them during our battle."
"But these walls are made of dark energy."
"This is my power. Whatever I use is made with dark energy."
"You can't fool me like this! I know dark energy can harm the soul."
Hearing this, the Lord of Hell let out a scream. His enraged scream caused a deep pain in Stephen's body. Suddenly, a powerful wave of energy, fueled by the Lord of Hell's anger, began to spread around. Stephen quickly reacted by transforming his sword into a bow and arrow. His eyes were locked onto his target with determination.
He swiftly drew and released his arrow towards the Lord of Hell. Caught off guard, the Lord of Hell ceased his scream and vanished abruptly. Stephen, feeling an abrupt emptiness, checked his surroundings. Suddenly, he sensed an attack coming from behind him.
Panicking, Stephen formed a shield around himself. However, the Lord of Hell quickly and unexpectedly managed to break through the shield. Stephen transformed his weapon back into a sword and prepared to defend himself.
The Lord of Hell swiftly created a dagger from dark energy. As he was about to strike Stephen with the dagger, Stephen's quick reflexes allowed him to intercept and cut the Lord of Hell's hand. This sudden and surprising move caused the Lord of Hell's hand to momentarily regenerate a new hand, creating a brief pause in the battle.
Using the brief pause, Stephen quickly grabbed the dagger from the ground and stabbed it into the Lord of Hell's heart. The Lord of Hell, unprepared for this sudden and unexpected attack, fell unconscious. Surprisingly, there was no blood.
Determined to kill the Lord of Hell, Stephen moved to use the Sword of Justice. However, the sword suddenly vanished from his hand and reappeared to his right. When Stephen approached the sword, he noticed writing on it.
With the intensity and tension of the battle still hanging in the air, Stephen bent down to carefully read the inscription beside the sword. This moment was filled with uncertainty and mystery, opening the door to a new secret for Stephen.
"Do not kill him! He is innocent!"
"So what should I do?"
The inscription on the sword disappeared and a new one appeared, as if the sword was reading Stephen's mind and preparing to respond to him.
"Heal him. Just say 'Amaranthinos' and then touch him with the sword."
With determination, Stephen shouted, "Amaranthinos!" and touched the Lord of Hell with the Sword of Justice. Instantly, the Lord of Hell's black skin turned white, and the cloak that hid his face and body turned to dust, revealing noble attire beneath.
As Stephen watched the Lord of Hell's transformation, he was in shock. But when he saw the figure lying wounded and unconscious before him, he was utterly stunned. It was his uncle, Prince Sam.
Seeing Prince Sam's body injured and defenseless, Stephen was filled with worry and confusion. This sudden transformation and the resulting scene had shaken him deeply. Immediate intervention was needed, and Stephen had to act quickly to save his uncle.
This moment marked a turning point, both emotionally and mentally, for Stephen. It was also the moment he discovered the truth behind the Lord of Hell's identity.