Corvin unleashed a massive spell, and the academy plunged into darkness. A second later, the room filled with the unmistakable stench of decay as undead clawed their way into existence, summoned by his magic.
I blinked, trying to adjust to the eerie black fog. "Great. Just what I needed—extra spooky mist and zombies. Thanks, Corvin."
I couldn't see anyone—Dorian, Selene, Claire, Leon, Fiona—they were all somewhere in this mess, but I couldn't sense them. It was like we'd been swallowed by some void where even my mana senses were on vacation. And let me tell you, this fog? Not your standard spooky mist—it had 'bad news' written all over it.
Corvin's voice echoed through the haze, dripping with smugness. "You think you can escape? This spell is inescapable! I've summoned undead to every corner of the academy. You won't stop me, none of you will!"
I rolled my eyes. "Ah yes, classic villain monologue. Bonus points for the evil laugh."
But as much as I wanted to keep up the sarcasm, reality was starting to bite. If Corvin's army of zombies swarmed the academy, a lot of students were going to end up in serious trouble. I had to stop this. Fast. But how?
Then it hit me. This spell—this dark fog—it was made of the same dark mana I used. If Corvin could control it, maybe I could do something with it too.
I closed my eyes and focused, channeling my mana, trying to sync with the darkness around me. The fog pulsed, like it was alive, reacting to my energy. It felt... familiar, like an old friend with a really bad attitude.
As I focused deeper, I felt the darkness tugging at me, pulling me further in. So this is what Aldric and Corvin were talking about? The power of merging with darkness? I thought. Not bad, but let's not get carried away.
Slowly, I started to absorb it, letting the dark energy flow into me. It was heavy, thick, but there was something oddly comforting about it, like slipping into a warm, creepy blanket. My body hummed with power as the darkness filled the empty spaces inside me.
And then, just like that, it was gone. The fog? Poof. No more. The room cleared, and I stood there, the last traces of dark energy swirling around me before fading into nothingness.
"Are you alright?" Dorian rushed over, his face a mix of concern and awe.
"Better than alright," I said, flexing my fingers, feeling the new strength coursing through me. "I just got an upgrade."
"What about the others?" I asked, snapping back to reality.
"Everyone's fine, but the students in the academy could be in danger. The undead—"
"Right. Gotta deal with that," I said, scanning the room. But Corvin? Gone. He'd vanished like a magician who'd overstayed his welcome.
I frowned. "He's playing hide and seek now? Seriously?"
The truth hit me then. The story... had changed. This wasn't how things were supposed to go, but I'd messed with the timeline, or maybe the timeline messed with me. Either way, it didn't matter. I had to deal with it now.
And the power I absorbed? Yeah, that was definitely something new. My body felt stronger, like I was suddenly packing a whole lot more punch than before. Maybe this darkness thing wasn't so bad after all.
We needed a plan. Fast. Corvin was wreaking havoc, and those undead weren't exactly here for a friendly visit. I pulled the group together.
"Alright, we've got two problems—Corvin and the undead crawling all over the academy. We split up and tackle both."
Dorian crossed his arms. "How are we splitting?"
"Simple. You, me, Leon, Claire, and Fiona are on Team 'Smack Corvin.'" I shot them a glance. "We'll head straight for that flying maniac. Zephyr, Kain, Lucas, and Selene—you're Team 'Zombie Exterminators.' Clear the academy, save the students."
"What about us?!" Princess Luna piped up, her eyes sharp.
"Uh, princess, maybe stick to the 'protect yourself' plan?" I suggested, as diplomatically as possible.
Adel bristled immediately. "You dare suggest—"
"Listen, it's not about 'daring.' It's about keeping you from getting eaten by zombies," I said, keeping my tone calm. "We've got to prioritize your safety."
Princess Luna didn't back down. "I'm not sitting this out. I can fight just as well as anyone here."
I shrugged. "Fine, your call. But you're rolling with the undead clean-up crew." I pointed at her group. "The zombies are all yours."
With that settled, we split off. I led Dorian, Claire, Leon, and Fiona up toward the roof. I could feel Corvin's magic pulsing above us, like some evil beacon.
And there he was, the academy roof torn apart like some kind of dramatic stage for his dark show. Corvin hovered in the air, dark magic swirling around him like he was the lead actor in the apocalypse. He had that evil, self-satisfied grin plastered on his face—pretty sure the guy rehearsed it in a mirror.
"Hey, Corvin!" I shouted. "I'd say 'get down here,' but then again, you seem to be enjoying your little villainous power trip."
Corvin's chuckle echoed across the rooftop, his voice as slick as oil. "You're too late, Lucius. The academy will crumble, and from its ruins, a new order will rise. You can't stop it."
"Yeah, yeah, very original." I rolled my eyes. "You could at least throw in some plot twists. Maybe a tragic backstory? Something fresh?"
Corvin didn't seem amused by my critique and sent a wave of dark energy crashing down toward us. I barely managed to raise my sword in time, channeling what little mana I had left to slice through it. My body screamed in protest—absorbing all that darkness earlier had messed with my mana reserves, and I was running on fumes.
"Not gonna lie," I muttered to Dorian, who was already readying a glowing mana blast, "this guy's definitely compensating for something."
Dorian smirked, though his focus remained on Corvin. "Maybe it's the lack of originality in his evil plan?"
Corvin, not appreciating our commentary, hurled another burst of energy our way. I managed to dodge it, but just barely. I could feel the dark element inside me stirring, like an unpredictable storm. It gave me power, sure, but it also felt… unstable.
"We've got something Corvin doesn't," I said, trying to sound confident despite the fact I was basically winging it at this point.
Dorian glanced at me, raising an eyebrow. "And what's that?"
I grinned. "We're not the bad guys."
Dorian sighed. "Seriously?"
Before I could defend my witty comeback, Corvin's voice boomed, cutting through the night. "You will all fall, just like the academy! Witness the dawn of a new era!"
"Wow, Corvin, really leaning into the 'destroyer of worlds' speech, huh?" I called back, trying to mask how tired I was getting. "Got any new material, or are you just workshopping this?"
His eyes narrowed as he raised both hands, summoning a torrent of dark energy. The sky crackled with it, the air heavy and oppressive. This was it—the big showdown.
"Dorian," I said, eyes fixed on the swirling storm of darkness above us, "time to give this guy the finale he deserves."
"Alright," I muttered, gripping my sword tighter. "Time to see what this new power can really do."
I felt the darkness in my core pulse, responding to my call. Slowly, I pulled on it, letting it flow through me, into my blade. Shadows clung to the sword like a second skin, swirling with the dark element I'd absorbed earlier. Not perfect, but hey, nothing ever is.
Corvin's eyes narrowed, flickering with surprise. "You've embraced the darkness."
I smirked, taking a step forward. "Let's just say I've made peace with it. Doesn't mean we're buddies."
The sky crackled with energy as Corvin gathered more power, his smirk widening with sadistic delight. This wasn't a fight anymore; he was gearing up to wipe us out.
"Dorian," I whispered, "we need a distraction."
Dorian nodded, already channeling mana. "On it."
As Dorian fired a volley of elemental shots, I took my chance, darting forward with my sword raised. The dark energy around it whistled through the air as I swung at Corvin's barrier. The impact sent him staggering back, and for the first time, his grin wavered.
"Guess you're not untouchable after all," I quipped, feeling a spark of satisfaction.
But of course, Corvin wasn't going down that easy. His smile returned—more unhinged this time. "Let's see how you handle this!"
He raised his hands, summoning a massive orb of darkness above him. The air buzzed with raw energy, the sheer force of it making my skin crawl. This wasn't just bad—it was catastrophic. That thing was heading straight for the academy, and it would turn the whole place to rubble.
"Dorian!" I shouted, panic creeping into my voice. "We can't let him—"
Before I could finish, Corvin hurled the orb straight at us. Time seemed to stretch as the dark mass hurtled toward the ground, warping the air around it. I gritted my teeth, preparing to summon every last scrap of mana for one final strike.
But just as I was about to act, a blinding bolt of light streaked across the sky. It slammed into the orb with a crack of thunder, shattering the darkness into harmless fragments.
"What the—"
I glanced up, and my breath caught. Above us, standing on the rooftop like it was his personal stage, was Leon, his hand crackling with lightning.
"Lucius!" Leon called, a grin playing on his lips as the wind whipped around him. Behind him, Claire and Fiona had also arrived, Claire's sword drawn and Fiona already deep in her spellcasting. The cavalry had arrived, and just in time.
"You guys took your sweet time," I muttered, but I couldn't help the wave of relief that washed over me.
Corvin's expression soured, his eyes darting between us. "You think this will stop me?" His voice trembled with fury. "This is only the beginning!"
I tightened my grip on my sword, feeling the dark element surge through it. "Funny, I was just about to say the same thing."
We had Corvin cornered, but this wasn't over—not by a long shot. The real fight was only just starting.
With a furious roar, Corvin raised his arms, summoning a swirling vortex of dark energy. The ground trembled beneath our feet, and the sheer force of his magic bore down on us like a tidal wave.
"Lucius!" Dorian's voice barely cut through the storm of magic. "We need to take him down, now!"
I nodded, my heart hammering. This was it—do or die. And somehow, I knew—this battle was going to change everything.