Lukas took light steps as he walked through the hallway, heading to his favorite place in the academy: the library. "Oh... I see," he stopped and mumbled to himself. He sensed something off about Parker, the guy who had fought with Ellice, but couldn't put his finger on it until now. Suddenly, he quickened his pace as he continued walking to the library. As he reached the door, he sensed a very powerful mana behind him.
"Long time no see... Lukas," a voice spoke.
Lukas turned around with a smile on his face. "Long time no see, Andre Parker," Lukas said.
"It's so embarrassing to see you in a human body," Parker grinned.
"Embarrassing, huh? The same goes for you," Lukas replied, examining Parker's new muscular build, a stark contrast to his previously frail appearance. Despite his frailty, Parker had always been a powerful time mage, possibly the strongest, excluding Lukas.
"Well... a lot changed after you left," Parker said, his tone tinged with anger.
"Yes, I've seen some of the changes, including Arcade's betrayal," Lukas said, his eyes glowing red as sharp red spikes lunged forward at Parker with immense speed.
"Don't you dare speak of Arcade that way!" Parker growled, evading the spikes with a backflip. He lunged forward, aiming a powerful punch at Lukas's neck.
"Such speed!" Lukas said, ducking under the punch and going for an uppercut, which Parker evaded. Parker lunged forward again, aiming a right hook at Lukas's jaw. Lukas sidestepped with ease, letting Parker's fist sail past him, and countered with a swift jab to Parker's ribs.
Parker grunted but recovered quickly, swinging a heavy backhand that Lukas barely ducked under. Lukas retaliated with a series of rapid punches, each one precise and calculated. Parker blocked most of them, but a few landed on his torso and face. Frustration flashed in Parker's eyes as he growled and charged forward, trying to tackle Lukas to the ground.
Anticipating the move, Lukas braced himself and twisted, using Parker's momentum against him. Parker stumbled but stayed on his feet, throwing a wild haymaker, which Lukas deftly avoided, responding with a sharp elbow strike to Parker's temple.
Parker shook his head, trying to clear the ringing in his ears. "It's about time I got serious," he smirked, taking a battle stance again.
Suddenly, Parker's eyes flashed with a strange glow. Lukas noticed but had no time to dwell on it. Parker moved with uncanny precision, dodging Lukas's attacks as if he knew what Lukas would do before he did it.
Lukas threw a straight punch aimed at Parker's nose, but Parker tilted his head just enough to avoid it, countering with a quick uppercut that caught Lukas off guard. The impact sent Lukas stumbling backward, a sharp pain radiating from his jaw.
"What the...?" Lukas muttered, regaining his stance.
Parker smirked, his confidence returning. "Didn't see that coming, did you?" he taunted.
Lukas, undeterred, launched a series of rapid kicks and punches, but each time Parker anticipated the moves, dodging and countering with brutal efficiency. It was as if Parker could see the future, reacting to attacks before they fully formed.
A sense of realization dawned on Lukas. "He's seeing my moves before I make them," he thought, adjusting his strategy. He needed to break Parker's rhythm, to throw something unpredictable into the mix.
Lukas feinted a high kick, but instead of following through, he dropped low, aiming a sweeping kick at Parker's legs. Parker saw it coming and jumped to avoid it. But Lukas anticipated Parker's reaction, using the momentum of the sweep to propel himself into a spinning back kick that connected squarely with Parker's midsection, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Parker quickly got up, but Lukas could see the frustration on his face. Despite his advantage, he was being pushed to his limits. Lukas pressed the attack, mixing feints and unpredictable movements to keep Parker on his toes.
But Parker's foresight allowed him to regain control. He ducked under a wild punch, stepped in, and landed a crushing blow to Lukas's ribs, followed by a swift kick to the side of his knee, buckling it. Lukas fell to one knee, gasping for breath. "What's with your eye and what sort of magic is that?" Lukas asked with curiosity.
"It's called the Trisight Eye. It allows me to see three seconds into the future," Parker lectured.
"Trisight, huh? Copy that," Lukas said as his red eyes returned to normal.
"You never stop being a copycat, do you?" Parker facepalmed.
"What did you mean when you said I shouldn't talk about Arcade that way?" Lukas suddenly asked.
"You transmigrated into the body of that Arcadian, right?" Parker asked.
"Yeah, I know. The Arcadians are descendants of Arcade. His statues are all over the place," Lukas said. "But from what I heard, he joined forces with the ice dragons to eradicate my people, and they called it the Great Purge."
"Yeah, that's right. It was a purge meant to eradicate the world from the filth of your people," Parker said calmly.
Lukas's eyes flashed with anger. "What do you mean?!" he growled.
"After you left, your people started devouring humans and stealing their magic under the leadership of your brother Roland."
"Wh...what?.. Ro...Roland? My brother?" Lukas was shocked at the revelation.
"Yes, he is no longer the Roland you knew. I have no idea what has gotten into him, but I can assure you that his thirst for power won't stop even if he devours a universe," Parker said.
"But... what happened to him now, and why are you still alive?" Lukas yelled. "How do I know you aren't working with the ice dragons?" he added.
"For your first question, Lukas took the body of a human earth mage whom no one knows, and as for the second question, I am alive because I'm immortal, just as you are. And if I were working with the ice dragons, I would not be here," Parker said.
"Just because you say you aren't? How do you expect me to believe that?" Lukas asked furiously.
"You can scan my memories if you want, or can't you do that anymore?" Parker asked.
"I believe you, but did you just say he was in the body of an earth mage?" Lukas asked as his mind suddenly drifted to Grey.
"Yeah, but he didn't transmigrate like you into this world; he stole a body."
"Oh... that means the earth mage must be an Arch-mage or, better still, an S-rank mage," Lukas said. The grades of magical capabilities are as follows: F-rank, E-rank, D, E, C, B, A, and after that, there was another realm of magic which started from Arch-mage, S-rank, X-rank, EX-rank, and finally godhood.
"From my research, the strongest earth mage out there is..."
"The head of the Grey family household, Edwin Grey," Lukas interrupted.
"Yeah, that's right," Parker said.
MEANWHILE....
Grey rested his head comfortably inside the chariot that was leading him home. "I wonder why Dad wants me back home?" he spoke to himself. His dad had always been a fierce and strict man who hated indiscipline. But even at that, he was a nice father who loved his children and took care of them. But suddenly, his dad's personality changed as if he was no longer the same man.
The chariot moved steadily through the forest path, flanked by four elite guards riding on horseback. These guards were the best of the best, each one handpicked by Grey's father to ensure his son's safety. Grey felt a slight unease in the pit of his stomach, but he shook it off, attributing it to his father's strange behavior.
Suddenly, a cold gust of wind swept through the forest, causing the horses to whinny nervously. The guards exchanged wary glances, their hands instinctively moving to their weapons.
"Stay alert," the lead guard ordered, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
Without warning, a figure emerged from the shadows, walking calmly towards the chariot. He was a tall, young boy in his late teens with a sinister smile, his presence exuding a chilling aura. The guards drew their swords, ready to defend Grey at all costs.
"Who are you?" the lead guard demanded.
The boy ignored the question, his eyes fixed on Grey inside the chariot. "You must be Grey," he said, his voice cold and menacing. "I've been looking forward to this."
"Stay back!" one of the guards shouted, lunging at the boy with his sword. But before he could even get close, the boy moved with blinding speed, a dagger appearing in his hand. He slashed the guard's throat in one swift motion, blood spraying as the guard collapsed to the ground.
The other guards attacked simultaneously, but the boy was a whirlwind of death. He dodged their strikes with ease, his movements almost inhuman. One by one, the guards fell, their lifeless bodies hitting the ground in a matter of seconds.
Grey watched in horror from inside the chariot, his heart pounding in his chest. "Who... what are you?" he stammered.
The boy turned his icy gaze on Grey. "You can call me your worst nightmare," he said with a cruel smile. "And I'm here to take you with me."
Grey scrambled out of the chariot, ready to fight for his life. "I won't go with you willingly," he declared, his fists clenched. He channeled his mana, feeling the earth's power surging through him.
The boy laughed, a chilling sound that echoed through the forest. "Oh, I was hoping you'd say that," he said. Then, before Grey's eyes, the boy began to transform. His body elongated, scales forming on his skin, and wings sprouted from his back. In moments, he had turned into a massive ice dragon, his breath freezing the air around him.
Grey's eyes widened in shock, but he quickly steeled himself. He wasn't about to give up without a fight. He stomped the ground, sending a shockwave through the earth. Spikes of rock erupted from the ground, aiming for the dragon's legs.
The dragon roared and lifted off the ground, avoiding the spikes. He swooped down, his claws aiming for Grey. Grey rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the attack. He raised his hands, and the ground beneath the dragon turned into quicksand, trying to trap him.
But the dragon was too strong. With a powerful flap of his wings, he broke free from the quicksand, sending debris flying everywhere. He landed in front of Grey, his icy breath chilling the air. "Is that all you've got?" the dragon taunted.
Grey gritted his teeth and focused his mana. He raised a wall of stone between himself and the dragon, buying himself a moment to think. The dragon smashed through the wall effortlessly, but Grey was ready. He created a large boulder and hurled it at the dragon with all his strength.
The boulder shattered against the dragon's scales, barely leaving a scratch. The dragon's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Impressive, but futile," he said, lunging at Grey. His clawed hand wrapped around Grey's throat, lifting him off the ground.
Grey struggled, trying to break free, but the dragon's grip was like iron. "You're strong, boy, but not strong enough," the dragon said. He threw Grey to the ground, the impact knocking the wind out of him.
Desperate, Grey slammed his hands into the ground, causing a series of sharp stone spikes to erupt around him. The dragon leapt back, but not before one of the spikes grazed his leg. He roared in pain and fury, his body beginning to glow with a cold blue light.
"Time to end this," the dragon growled. He began to shrink, reverting to his human form, but the cold aura around him grew even more intense. He raised his hand, and a massive spear of ice formed in his grip. He hurled it at Grey with deadly precision.
Grey summoned a thick wall of stone in front of him, but the ice spear shattered it with ease. The spear struck Grey in the shoulder, pinning him to the ground. He cried out in pain, his vision blurring.
The man approached, his cold smile returning. "You're coming with me," he said, yanking the spear out and lifting Grey over his shoulder. He stretched his hand forward and what appeared to be a swirling portal appeared before him.