SOPHIA POV
Moments before the swirling black vortex subsided, Sophia tried to reach Eizan, but was held back by Alex and Elisia.
"Let me go, Alex! I can't lose my friend again! Let me go!" Sophia struggled to free herself from Alex and Elisia's hold.
"It's dangerous, Sophia. If you go near that black vortex, you could get seriously hurt," Elisia warned, trying to restrain Sophia.
On the other side, the King remained seated, calmly observing the scene. His guards stood firm beside him, showing no signs of concern.
Back to Sophia...
"For now, calm down. Eizan will be fine; he's not that weak," Alex reassured, holding Sophia back.
Sophia thought about her time with Eizan and couldn't bear the thought of leaving him now. "No! Let me go!" she continued to fight against Elisia and Alex.
Sophia was overwhelmed with worry for Eizan.
Soon, the black vortex began to gradually dissipate...
The vortex slowly shrank and contracted until it formed a ring around Eizan's body. Finally, it vanished, leaving the area silent, including Sophia.
Eizan now stood upright before the crystal, free of any surrounding disturbances.
"Hoho... So this is your Element. You will bear a tremendous responsibility from now on. I thought this Element had vanished when you were gone thousands of years ago, but a miracle has unfolded before my eyes," the White Mage commented.
Element of Darkness...
Eizan opened his eyes, feeling as if he had been reborn. He looked at his hands; they hadn't changed, but when he saw his reflection in the crystal, he noticed his eye color had changed from brown to red due to the Element of Darkness.
"W-What happened to me? Why did my eyes turn red? Is it because of my Element?" Eizan touched his face, unable to believe the reflection in the crystal was him.
Looking around, Eizan saw the area was in disarray. "W-What happened here?"
He was unsure about the events, but he suspected his Mana might be the cause.
"You're awake now, child. Hoho..." said the White Mage.
"Who caused all of this? Is it due to my Mana?" Eizan asked, still confused.
"Hoho... Yes, it's true, Eizan. It's because of the Absolute Power of your Element," the White Mage explained.
So, it was indeed my doing. 'I look at my mother; her face shows deep concern. I can't bear to see her like this.'
"Eizan, thank goodness you're alright," Sophia said, collapsing to the ground in relief upon seeing her friend wake up.
It was a relief to see my mother again after waking from my subconscious state. But what is this? I feel invincible now with the newly acquired Element, as if... possessing an undefeatable power.
"I told you he'd be fine," Alex said.
"He's not a weak child. Trust him; he can handle any problem that comes his way," Elisia said, knowing well what kind of person Eizan was.
Sophia smiled, hearing their words of encouragement, and stood up, feeling reassured.
Meanwhile, the nobles were in disbelief at what they were witnessing. "It's impossible! How could that child possess a Mystic Level Element?" Noble Melfix Moretti said, astonished.
"It's not about luck. Each Element chooses its wielder during the Coronation Ceremony. Now, the Element of Darkness has found the right person to wield its power," Reins Grey explained.
"Interesting. I must recruit him into my team someday," Bairon da Silva said, rising from his seat and leaving the Colosseum.
The citizens and participants whispered about Eizan, still unable to believe he was chosen by the Element of Darkness.
"Why are these people so noisy? Why are they talking about me?" Eizan thought, feeling that they might not believe in him easily.
"EVERYONE, CALM DOWN!" The King's attendant's commanding voice silenced the crowd.
"Hohooo... Thank you for your assistance. As we've seen, the Element of Darkness has chosen Eizan as its rightful bearer. Trust that the power he will wield will protect you in the future," the White Mage said.
"BUT HOW CAN WE TRUST HIM WHEN LEGEND SAYS THAT THE LAST PERSON TO USE THIS ELEMENT BROUGHT DESTRUCTION TO THE WORLD?!" a citizen shouted.
"Yes, that's true!" The crowd echoed the legendary warning.
"Hoho... Remember, if everything around you seems dark, look again. Perhaps light will shine through!" the White Mage's words brought a glimmer of hope and faith to the people, reminding them of the past when their ancestors were annihilated by darkness. They hoped the same fate wouldn't befall them again.
"Trust Eizan. He will use this Element well. Hoho... If you let yourself be influenced by the evil within it, you will end up like its previous wielders."