Ash Minse, noticing the tide of the battle shifting, turned his attention to Aro Lupe and the students. His expression twisted into a sinister smirk. "Okay, I've had my fun. The show is over.." he declared, his tone mocking and filled with dark amusement.
Aro, still wounded but determined, shouted back, "Do you think we'll let you escape, you bastard!!"
Ash laughed coldly, his eyes glinting with malevolent delight. "Do you really think you can stop me? You fools.." he taunted. With a swift, practiced motion, he used his dark magic to activate teleportation.
Aro's eyes widened in alarm. "Attack!!" he ordered, recognizing the danger of Ash's imminent escape.
Bax, Roki, and Lory, sensing the urgency, prepared to unleash their combined elemental powers. Bax's fire, Roki's wind, and Lory's water surged together, creating a formidable attack aimed at Ash. However, their efforts were in vain as Ash's form began to blur and shimmer, and he disappeared in a swirl of dark energy.
As Ash vanished, Shen Mort and the skeletal minions, too, began to dissipate. The undead creatures vanished as if they had never been there, their forms dissolving into nothingness. The battlefield, once filled with the clamor of combat, now lay eerily silent.
Brando, his face set in grim determination, looked around at the vanishing minions. "Tsk, it looks like that bastard also teleported all of his minions with him.." he said, frustration evident in his voice. The realization that they had been unable to fully prevent Ash's escape left a sour taste in his mouth.
Rika, her eyes wide with horror, saw the skeletal form of Teacher Crost, a respected knight instructor, disappearing before her eyes. "Teacher!! Crost!" she cried out, her voice filled with anguish. The sight of her mentor, now reduced to a skeletal minion, was a bitter blow to her.
Her voice, filled with pain and frustration, echoed through the now-empty courtyard. The reality of their loss hit her hard as she realized the true cost of the battle.
As the dust began to settle, the students and Aro Lupe took stock of their situation. The battlefield was strewn with the remnants of the fight—broken spells, fallen debris, and the lingering traces of dark magic.
Lucy Greay, who had been supporting Aro throughout the battle, approached her injured teacher with concern. "Teacher Aro, are you alright?" she asked, her voice trembling with worry.
Aro, leaning heavily on his staff, nodded wearily. "I'll be fine. We just.. aurg.. need to regroup and assess - ..the damage."
The students, though exhausted and disheartened by the loss of their teachers and the escape of their foe, stood resolute. The battle had been a fierce test of their strength and unity, and they knew that the fight was far from over.
.......
As the aftermath of the battle left the academy's courtyard in a state of desolation. The students stood amid the ruins, their frustration and sorrow palpable as they grappled with the escape of Ash Minse and the vanishing of their teachers.
Bax Wood paced back and forth, his face a mask of frustration. "Damnit, damnit, damnit!!!" he exclaimed, his fists clenched in anger. The escape of Ash Minse was a bitter defeat he struggled to accept.
Roki Bilzton remained calm on the surface, but his eyes burned with intense fury. His usual composure was shattered by the loss and the sight of his fallen mentors.
Lory Lawen, her dark hair framing a face twisted in anger and disbelief, surveyed the wreckage. "Tsk, why did he do this?" she muttered, her gaze sweeping over the destruction.
Rika, overwhelmed by the emotional toll, dropped her sword with a cry of anguish. "Aurg!!!!" she shouted, tears streaming down her face as she struggled to cope with the weight of their losses.
Brando, despite his typically laid-back demeanor, approached Rika with a rare seriousness. "Take your sword." he urged her gently, "it's still not over, Rika."
Rika looked at Brando with a mixture of gratitude and sorrow. "Brando..." she murmured, her voice barely audible through her tears.
As the students gathered their strength and emotions, a portal suddenly materialized in front of them. The shimmering gateway caught their attention, and the room fell silent with anticipation and dread.
Aro Lupe's eyes widened in shock as he saw the figure emerging from the portal. The sight of Colerio Sapher, a former teacher turned traitor, filled him with a mix of anger and disbelief. "Colerio!!" Aro shouted, his voice laced with fury.
Colerio, a man known for his expertise in both magical theory and knightly skills, appeared with a cold and indifferent expression. Behind him, the Raven Squad emerged, their dark presence a stark contrast to the academy's usual order. Also with Colerio were Petra Haws and Lerona Everdale, both familiar faces now shrouded in suspicion.
Petra Haws, a knowledgeable teacher with deep expertise in history and magic, and Lerona Everdale, a knight instructor known for her unyielding spirit, stood beside Colerio. Petra's gaze swept over the students, her expression a mix of concern and determination. "Everyone..." she said, her voice carrying an empathy and sympathy.
Aro's anger was palpable as he addressed Petra and Lerona. "What? Petra and Lerona, you two—why are you with Colerio?" He was visibly shocked and confused by the unexpected alliance between his colleagues and the traitor.
Colerio, with a dismissive shrug, replied, "Aro, nice to see you again. I see you've been keeping busy."
Roki, Bax, and the other students looked at the newcomers with a mix of shock and hope. "Teacher Colerio... Teacher Petra..." Roki said, his voice betraying a flicker of uncertainty.
Colerio, glanced around at the battlefield. His sharp eyes quickly assessed the scene—the damage, the lingering traces of dark magic, the exhaustion on the students' faces. It was clear to him what had transpired.
His gaze then settled on Aro, who stood across from him, clearly tense and hostile. Aro's anger was still raw, remembering how Colerio had helped the Beastfolk, the academy's enemies, just a few days ago.
Colerio broke the tense silence, his tone measured. "Aro, I know you hate me, and you have every right to. But now is not the time for that. I understand what Ash has done here—he's the one responsible for this devastation."
Aro's fists clenched in anger. "You!!" he spat, the betrayal still stinging deep in his chest. The thought of trusting Colerio again seemed impossible to him.
Petra stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "Aro, listen to me. I've already told the Colerio about what happened, and you deserve to know the truth as well. There's more to this than you realize. Lerona and I... we sought out Colerio's help because we had no other choice. There are things happening behind the scenes that you need to understand."
.............
Athos, a twisted creature born from the malevolent essence of the first calamity, Aurathos, roamed the desolate camp. His form was a grotesque mockery of an Eldoan, with his humanoid body distorted by dark energy. His long, thin limbs ended in sharp claws, and his face—though vaguely resembling an Eldoan—shifted unnaturally, as if it were melting. His glowing, eerie eyes and fin-like ears only added to the terror he inspired. A dark aura radiated from him, seeping into the very air around him.
"Where are you, Rowena Lomius?" Athos snarled, his voice dripping with malice as he scanned the camp. He had absorbed the memories of an Eldoan he had killed, but it seemed Rowena was not present.
The camp was a slaughterhouse, littered with the bodies of fallen Eldoans. Athos had left no survivors in his wake, their life force drained, their corpses hollow. As he looked over the carnage, a twisted smile spread across his distorted features.
"It looks like she isn't here," he muttered, glancing at the lifeless bodies around him. "No matter... I'll feast on this delicious meal and grow even stronger." With that, his hand morphed into dark, writhing tentacles, which extended toward the fallen Eldoans. The tentacles latched onto the bodies, absorbing their energy in a horrific display of consumption.
As Athos continued to absorb the life force of the dead Eldoans, a sudden voice broke the silence. "Mo-Mon...ster!" The voice belonged to a terrified Eldoan man who had somehow survived the initial massacre. His sword slipped from his trembling hands as he stared at Athos in horror.
Athos turned his gaze toward the man, his eyes narrowing. "Another morsel.." he said with a sinister grin, licking his lips. Without hesitation, he stretched out his left hand, which extended unnaturally fast, and pierced the man's heart. The Eldoan died almost instantly, collapsing to the ground.
[Morsel:a small piece or amount of food]
Athos leaned down, pulling the still-beating heart from the man's chest. He devoured it with relish, his twisted form absorbing the energy and growing even darker.
Just as Athos finished his gruesome meal, a portal suddenly materialized nearby. From it emerged Ash Minse, who immediately dropped to one knee before Athos.
"You're here," Athos said, his tone both curious and demanding. "Where have you been?"
Ash kept his head bowed as he replied, "My lord... I was hunting many Eldoans for you."
Athos arched an eyebrow, intrigued. "Is that so?"
Ash nodded eagerly, still kneeling. "Yes, my lord. In fact, I have their bodies stored in my spatial abilities. You can absorb them and grow even stronger."
Athos looked down at Ash, his interest piqued but his suspicion clear. "Seriously...Why are you doing this?" he asked, his voice a dangerous whisper.
"To prove my loyalty, my lord," Ash said, his voice filled with conviction. "I live to serve you and to help you achieve your ultimate power."
"Hoh..." Athos responded, a low, amused sound that echoed ominously through the camp. He eyed Ash with a mix of curiosity and malice, wondering what truly motivated the dark mage's actions. But for now, the prospect of more power was too tempting to ignore.
As Ash remained on one knee, his head bowed low, waiting for Athos's judgment. The silence stretched on, thick with tension.
Finally, Athos spoke, his voice a deep, guttural rumble. "Show me these Eldoans you've hunted, Ash. If you're truly loyal, you'll feed my power as you claim."
Ash lifted his head slightly, his eyes glinting with a mix of fear and determination. "As you wish, my lord."
With a wave of his hand, Ash summoned a dark vortex that swirled with a malevolent energy. From within the vortex, lifeless bodies of began to spill out—dozens of students and teachers (Eldoans), their faces frozen in terror, their bodies drained of life. Each one bore signs of a brutal death, the work of a skilled but a twisted mage.
Athos watched with a growing hunger as the bodies piled up. The energy radiating from them was faint, but together, it formed a significant pool of power. He could feel it calling to him, begging to be consumed.
Without another word, Athos extended his hand, and the dark tentacles sprouted forth once more, latching onto the bodies. The air around him grew even more oppressive as he began to draw in the remaining life force, the tentacles pulsing with energy as they transferred it to him.
Ash watched with a mixture of awe and satisfaction as Athos's form grew even darker, more twisted. The dark energy surrounding Athos intensified, swirling around him like a black storm. His body seemed to expand, the dark energy seeping into every part of him, making him stronger, more formidable.
As the last of the energy was absorbed, Athos let out a low, satisfied growl. He flexed his claws, feeling the newfound power coursing through him. His gaze fell back to Ash, who was still kneeling, awaiting his fate.
"You've done well," Athos said, his voice carrying a dangerous edge. "For now, your loyalty is... accepted."
Ash let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, relief washing over him. "Thank you, my lord. I live only to serve."
Athos's eyes narrowed, his curiosity about Ash's true motives still lingering. But for now, the mage had proven useful. "Continue to serve me well, Ash, and you will be rewarded. But betray me, and you will meet a fate worse than death."
Ash nodded quickly, understanding the thin line he walked. "I understand, my lord. I will not fail you."
Athos gave a slow, sinister smile, his sharp teeth gleaming in the dim light of the camp. "Good. Now, rise. We have much to do."
As Ash stood, Athos turned his gaze toward the horizon, where the remnants of the Eldoan forces were likely regrouping. His hunger for power was far from sated, and with Ash at his side, the devastation he could unleash would be unimaginable.
The camp, once a place of life and hope, was now nothing more than a graveyard, a testament to the dark power that Athos wielded. And with every step he took, that power only grew, fueled by the despair and destruction left in his wake.
To be continue