It was just a few minutes to midnight, and the sky was as clear as it could be, giving the full moon full domination to shine in its beauty without interruption.
The darkness of the wooden cottage below was only broken by the bright rays of moonlight seeping through the windows, giving the rooms in it a calm glow. Including the room of Palon and Melani as they lay entwined on their bed, fast asleep.
Having their abode far from civilization of other mages wasn't the plan they had for themselves, but still, it was something they preferred and was best for them and their new born as they were unable to meet up to the standards of the mass. Making it hard for them to survive with the life cycle system of other mages who could level up. So, just like the few other low-grade mages who were unable to level up anymore, they went into the forest and made their home there, surviving on whatever creature they could hunt down.
Not having the ability to stand a chance of haunting down creatures higher than their ranks, they couldn't level up but were able to feed and survive from the ones they could get.
———
Melani and Palon lay entwined, their gentle snores filling their quiet cottage room. The night remained calm being as peaceful as it could be. But just as the midnight hour came to click, Melani's peaceful slumber broke as her eyes snapped open, She sat up slowly, her hands moved with calm, weary motions, as she lifted the sheets off her laps and swung her legs over the side of the bed, her small tender bare feet dangling above the floor.
Palon's eyes flickered open. He hadn't been deeply asleep, and Melani's subtle movements caught his attention almost immediately. He watched as his wife slowly sat up and straightened her back her back bones cracking in response breaking the silence in the room.
"Mel?" Palon called with an audible but soft tone. But she didn't flinch or respond. Her gaze remained fixed ahead, as she sat still for a moment.
Melani had just put to birth two days ago considering that, palon felt it was a normal thing for her to feel stressed at night. And it didn't seem like it was their baby that woke her up this time. The infant was quietly asleep in its little wooden cradle next to their bed.
"Is there a problem Mel" Palon spoke again, but didn't get a response. But just as Melani was about to take her first step, she staggered, making Palon throw off the covers immediately and rush to intercept his wife. As he stepped before her, their eyes met making fear grip his soul instantly.
Melani's eyes gleamed with a faint green aura, like energy pulsing from them, and at that moment, time seemed to warp, and the few seconds Palon gazed into her eyes felt like minutes. He was drawn in and almost lost control of his self-control in her gaze. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. Luckily, he was able to tear his gaze away as he tried gasping for air, stumbling backward, his hand holding on the doorframe to steady himself.
Noticing just a stare into her eyes could drain him so much as to almost lose his consciousness, he quickly stepped aside in shock. He had never seen that glow in her eyes before. If at all her eyes were to glow, it was only because she had her powers in use and at a very intense level at that. The few times she used her powers intensively, her eyes always had that ethereal white glow coming from them, which was a normal thing for healers.
Not green ones. And in this world green visible auras or powers signify only one thing. Demonic or evil forces. Powerful ones to be precise.
Melani, was a mage born with the gift of healing and managed to attain the ability of Geomancy ( earth control ) but wasn't able to train that ability. Unlike Palon her husband born with the gift of Pyromancy ( fire manipulation ) which he had mastered to an extent, but still just like his wife was unable to train his Goe abilities.
And in this realm, mages are expected to master their abilities from brith but most importantly master the basic ability of a Z - ranked mage to move to the next level. Geomancy was the main ability
Melani continued forward, with a calm pace, as if unaware of Palon's distress or even his presence, as she stepped past him and made her way out of the house.
Palon, his hands still rubbing his throat got up and stepped out after her, his eyes fixed on his wife's retreating figure as she departed. The moon cast an ethereal glow over the forest, illuminating the misty veil that shrouded the trees, giving the atmosphere a creepy look.
And as Melani walked, the wind danced through her white hair, sending silken strands swirling around her. Her night attire clung to her frame, accentuating her curves and her pale and almost white skin matched with the glow of the moonlight hitting it. And at that moment, Palon could feel this sensation from her - a more powerful aura, even with the distance she covered from him. It was a new one and seemed like it was growing by the minute.
Still confused and slightly scared, Palon followed her. His calls didn't work, and it didn't seem like she was aware of her actions. Palon realized and knew there was only one explanation for this.
"This can only be an evil possession". he muttered, looking unsure of his own words.
Possessions in this dimension could only be done through close range or contact between the possessor and the possessed, even through eye contact. But Melani's case was entirely different. Waking up into possession?
Palon had never seen such before. And through the stories and scriptures he knew about, only the S-ranks and godlike mages could harness such power to do so. Not even the leaders in this dimension could have such power.
This made Palon's thoughts run wild, as he tried to figure out what was wrong with his wife. And just imagining the amount of creatures and beasts lurking in the dark depths of the forest that would consume her in minutes, Palon wasn't ready to let her go just like that.
Taking a firm stance, he let out a deep, primal grunt as his fists erupted in flames, the fire lightning the space creating shadows from the trees around :crackling and spitting embers into the night air. Without hesitation, Palon launched a massive fireball at one of the trees with a swing before Melani, the blast sending sparks flying in all directions as it exploded against the trunk. The force of the impact shook the ground beneath her feet, and the heat was so intense that Melani stumbled backward.
"I don't know what's gotten over you, Mel!" Palon yelled, his voice echoing through the forest, the sound waves disturbing the underbrush and sending unseen creatures scurrying for cover and most definitely alerting the predatory ones.
Ignoring him, Melani regained her footing and proceeded forward, her night attire rubbing on the earth as she walked. But before she could take another step, he unleashed another fireball, this one striking a nearby tree Melani stumbled again, her bare feet slipping on the damp earth as she fell.
"Please, Mel, I know you can hear me," Palon pleaded, his voice cracking with desperation. "You're in there somewhere; you can fight this. If you leave, what do I tell the our son We both know I can't handle them alone." His words hung in the air, unanswered, as Melani rose to her feet once more like nothing happened and walked deeper into the forest, her gaze remained fixed on some unseen point.
Although surprised Melani didn't retaliate, palon still didn't want to relent. Their children were still fast asleep, oblivious to the scene outside. And his possessed wife was heading deeper into the forest, towards what seemed like a terrible fate.
He looked back at the cottage and at the direction with a confused and worried expression. then with and with a sigh he proceeded after his wife.
The scent of decaying leaves and tree barks intensified as they went in deeper. He could feel the presence of wild creatures around them and could clearly see flashes of glowing eyes and figures but couldn't catch a glimpse due to the speed at which they moved showing they had already passed their boundaries. The deeper they went into the dwelling of higher ranked creatures and the more danger they opened themselves to.
The forests breaded Abominable beasts and monsters that embodied darkness itself in its depths : these beasts mainly feasted on their kind being that they were far from civilization and were known for their immense power. They were so powerful they gave even the B ranked mages tough times to kill and harvest and hardly killed lower rankers. And they weren't even the most powerful, the deeper, the forest, the stronger the beasts and creatures that dwelled in it.
Even the scriptures had it: in the deepest of depths, dwelled unimaginable beasts that had the power to challenge even the godlike….. the S-ranked