Petra Haws stood frozen for a moment, her heart heavy with grief as she faced Shen Mort, the former alchemist and teacher at Magux Academy, now twisted into a lich by the dark magic of Ash Minse. Her hands trembled, a mixture of sorrow and anger rising within her. Shen Mort, who had once been a colleague, a mentor to many students, was now nothing more than a shell of his former self—a puppet under the control of the very darkness they were all fighting against.
"Sphera Aqua!" Petra cried, her voice thick with emotion. With a sharp, decisive motion, she summoned a massive sphere of swirling water, the very essence of her specialty in history and magic—water magic. The sphere hung suspended in mid-air, shimmering with a faint light as the water swirled and churned within its confines. It radiated with incredible energy, its power ready to be unleashed.
She hurled the sphere toward Shen Mort, aiming to strike him down and free him from the curse Ash Minse had inflicted upon him. The sphere shot forward like a bolt of lightning, its watery surface reflecting the flickering light of the battlefield.
But Shen Mort, despite his decayed state, was still a powerful mage—an alchemist before his fall—and he quickly retaliated. He raised a hand, and dark, malevolent magic coursed through his bony fingers. From the ground, skeletal hands emerged, forming a dense, intricate barrier of bones, a shield forged by the dark magic now controlling him.
The water sphere collided with the skeleton barrier, sending waves of force through the air. The sphere splashed against the barrier, sending droplets flying in all directions, but it was unable to break through. The dark energy surrounding Shen Mort kept the water at bay, and the barrier remained intact.
Petra's heart ached at the sight. Shen Mort was no longer the man she had once known—the man who had taught and guided her, who had shared the same ideals and beliefs. This shell before her, this lich, was not him anymore. He had been consumed by Ash Minse's dark power.
Tears began to fall freely from Petra's eyes, her hands shaking as she looked at the man she had once admired. The realization hit her with full force: Shen Mort was trapped, just like so many others, within the suffocating grip of Ash Minse's twisted magic.
"No," Petra whispered, her voice breaking. "Shen Mort… you didn't deserve this."
Her grip tightened around the magic wand in her hand, her resolve hardening. "I can't let this continue," she said to herself, her voice steady despite the sorrow. "I have to finish this. I have to free you. I have to end this reign of misery."
With renewed determination, Petra steeled herself. She wouldn't give up on freeing Shen Mort. She wouldn't let Ash Minse's darkness claim another soul, especially not someone she had once fought alongside. The battle ahead would be long and grueling, but Petra knew what needed to be done.
As Petra prepared herself for the next attack, she whispered one final vow to herself, her voice firm despite the tears. "This ends now."
....
The battlefield was heavy with tension as Athos, the son of Aurathos, the First Calamity, cast his gaze upon the gathering of enemies. His eyes burned with malice as he took in the sight of Colerio Sapher, Rowena Lomius, Aro Lupe, Darius Borne, and Cevic.
With a voice that echoed across the field, Athos shouted, "Ash!!!!!!"
In an instant, Ash, who had been engaged in a fierce battle against the beastfolk Kenjo and the knight-instructor Lenora, heard his name ring through the chaos. A malicious grin twisted his face as he turned to face the distant cries. He was done playing games.
"You pest!!!" Ash snarled, his dark magic swirling around him like an ominous storm. Without warning, he unleashed his full strength. The air became thick with an overwhelming, oppressive energy, the ground beneath them trembling as dark magic spread across the battlefield.
Ash's thoughts raced. "I have no choice but to use this forbidden technique, even if it means sacrificing my lifespan."
In a desperate moment of resolve, Ash Minse invoked the dreaded forbidden spell Endios Lalute—an ancient, destructive magic that would change the course of this battle.
With a guttural incantation, Ash shouted, "Endios Lalute, tenebrae omnia obruunt, animae suffocantur!"
As the words left his lips, a wave of dark magic surged outward, its energy wrapping around the battlefield like a suffocating cloud. The ground beneath them shifted, a shadow consuming the terrain, while the very air thickened with darkness. Those caught in its radius were immediately affected, each breath a struggle as though the very life force was being drawn from their bodies.
The suffocating aura spread, draining the strength and will of all within its reach. Magic, normally easy to summon and wield, became nearly impossible to use in the presence of this dark mist. The more time anyone spent in the field of influence, the weaker their bodies and minds became, struggling to maintain consciousness.
Colerio Sapher felt the full brunt of the spell. A sharp pain coursed through his body, the sensation of his vitality being drained leaving him with little breath to spare. "Tsk, no! I cannot let Athos escape!" he thought to himself, his fists clenched in determination. He had to act quickly.
He knew the cost of using dark magic. It was dangerous, volatile, and he knew what will happen if they find out about this. But he had no choice. His gaze fixed on Athos, the one who had caused so much destruction. "I have no choice but to use this power," Colerio thought grimly.
Without hesitation, Colerio tapped into the darkness within him. A black, shadowy aura engulfed him as he cast a spell to dispel the encroaching power of Ash Minse. The magic responded violently, crackling with raw energy as it fought back the suffocating influence of Endios Lalute. The darkness roiled and clashed, but slowly, the oppressive aura began to recede.
Rowena, barely able to breathe, struggled to comprehend what she was seeing. Her eyes widened in shock as she looked at Colerio using dark magic. "You..." she whispered, unable to fully process the reality before her. "You've been hiding this all along?"
Rowena knew that dark magic wasn't something that could be easily controlled—it was a power that, if a person was born with it, would consume them over time, erasing their humanity. Those who wielded it without mastery lost their minds. To see Colerio—someone she had known as a friend and colleague—wielding such power, it shook her to her core.
Aro Lupe, always the one to challenge Colerio, coughed violently, his words dripping with disdain. "I knew... I knew it (coughing). You're a monster." Aro, a fellow teacher, had long detested Colerio, especially after Colerio had saved the beastfolk all those years ago. His personal rivalry with Colerio had always been simmering, and this moment, seeing the man he loathed use such dark power, only fueled his contempt.
Athos, watching from the edge of the battlefield, was momentarily impressed by Colerio's resolve. "Colerio Sapher, you have my respect," he muttered, his voice filled with a strange acknowledgment of the other man's power. But the moment was fleeting as he turned his attention to Ash.
"Good job, Ash Minse." Athos nodded, an eerie calm taking over him despite the chaos around him. His plan was nearly complete. But, weakened and exhausted from the battle with Rowena and the others, Athos knew that staying would only risk his life further.
With a grim determination, he raised his hand, calling upon a vortex of magic to transport him away from the battlefield. "The time I get recovered will be the end of yours, Rowena Lomius! And also you, Colerio Sapher!" Athos declared, his voice cold with promise as he vanished from sight, retreating to tend to his wounds and to gather his strength.
Rowena, struggling to hold her breath against the remnants of Endios Lalute, glared in the direction Athos had fled. "Bastard, wait!" she shouted, though her voice was weak, and her body trembled from the exertion of trying to resist the effects of Ash's forbidden magic.
The battle was far from over.
....
[Joe Pov]
I, the God of this world, watch everything unfold in Eldoan with curiosity and detachment. This world is full of magic, conflict, and endless stories, and I have a front-row seat to it all.
One week has passed since Athos managed to escape, using the forbidden Endios Lalute spell, a desperate gambit that drained Ash Minse of his life force but left him with only twenty years of life remaining. He may have succeeded in retreating, but the cost is great. Even a being as powerful as Ash cannot escape the toll of dark magic when it is wielded recklessly. His future is now limited, and his path forward is uncertain.
But Ash did manage to escape, and now, the situation has escalated. Athos, the son of the First Calamity, has raised an army, preparing for war against both the Eldoan and Beastfolk. The alliance between these two factions remains fragile. The Eldoan and Beastfolk continue to bicker, engaging in sporadic skirmishes despite the looming threat of Athos's growing power. A true alliance has yet to form, and the fragile peace seems doomed to break under the strain of old grudges.
As much as I want to see a resolution, I can't help but watch the chaos with a degree of detachment. Chalu, the potential key to shifting the balance of power, remains in training. He's not yet strong enough to face Athos. I can feel the urgency building within me. The world needs someone capable of challenging Athos's might, and Chalu holds that potential—but only if he becomes stronger, and that's where Roe, my avatar, comes in. Roe can push Chalu to reach his full potential, but he's still preparing. I need to give them both time, but the urgency is growing. The world needs someone to stop Athos, and I believe Chalu can be that person, if he becomes strong enough.
Meanwhile, Bale Lomius is taking care of Chalu, who is still unconscious. Bale's strength has also grown, possibly with Colerio's help. It's curious how much Colerio has changed, too. His dark magic, once a secret, is now known to all. The people of Eldoan have learned of his other attribute, the forbidden power that lurks within him, and some view him with suspicion, even fear. But, thanks to King Rex Sugan, the matter has been handled with care.
King Rex, a direct descendant of Cain, has always known about Colerio's dark magic. As much as it may terrify others, the king sees past that. He understands that Colerio is unique. Unlike others who wield dark magic, Colerio hasn't lost his mind. He retains his sanity, perhaps because of the balance his other elemental magic brings. He wields not just the destructive power of dark magic but the four elemental magics—fire, water, earth, and air—making him something special, someone who defies the usual rules of magic.
The question remains: Is Colerio stronger than Rowena Lomius, the strongest mage of this age? Rowena is in her forties, just like Colerio, and together they're considered the two most powerful mages of the time. Rowena's strength is legendary, and there's talk that she might even surpass her ancestor, Belz Lomius, who is known as the mother of magic. Rowena and Colerio have a quiet rivalry, but they are bound to cross paths, and it will be a defining moment for this world.
Things are heating up, and Athos and Ash are up to something. Maybe a new power is rising on their side. The pieces are moving, and soon, a major clash will happen, one that could change everything.
As for me? I watch and guide from the shadows. I can't interfere directly, but I can nudge things in the right direction. The fate of this world is in the hands of its people, and I can only make sure the pieces fall into place.
The stage is set, and the next chapter is about to begin.
To be continue