Rovanne and Elyssia had been running through the near-pitch-black tunnel for quite some time now. But they eventually came across a blue-colored room. The hisses of pipes and vibrations of magic filled their ears the moment they stepped inside.
There should have been a worker here? Where have they gone to? As Elyssia looked around, she laid her eyes upon the dried pools of blood on the ground. Good lord, is that what happened to them? But where are their bodies?
No, It's better if she or Rovanne didn't see it. She knows for a fact that they won't handle it well. Both of them ran towards the control panels. Hundreds of buttons and magical orbs was laid bare before them.
"Uh...Do you know what to do?" Rovanne asked Elyssia.
"Madhav will. Let me get in contact with him." Elyssia tapped into her comms yet again, "Hey! Madhav! You copy?"
A short buzzed responded in Elyssia's ear, "Yes! Yes! What's wrong? I was busy activating the turrets and everything."
"We are in the control room! We don't know what to do here. It's just a bunch of buttons and levers!" Elyssia reported.
There was a screen infront of them. Showing the arena in all of its glory. Rovanne noted that the other kids outside the blue barrier were working together to save another group. In the Haelfein area. But then her eyes turned to within the barrier. She couldn't help but pray that the three would be okay.
"I can't see inside! Can you fix the camera there?" Madhav said.
Elyssia spun around the room, spotting said camera with a black substance covering the lenses. She ran to it and ripped it off. It almost felt like a mix between play-doh and slime.
"There we go! Much better! Go back to the panels!"
As Elyssia and Rvanne grouped up infront of it, Madhav thought long and hard about what to do, "Ah crap. The button for the barrier is broken." He pointed out.
"You mean that one?" Elyssia pointed to an open socket with wires spewing out.
"Yeah. So they're stuck in there."
"Is there something you can at least do to help them?!" Rovanne shouted at the camera, "We can't let them die!"
"Ok ok! Calm down! Let me think!"
Elyssia then noticed the flag laying in the barrier. The flag of Zyortis. It was then she formed an idea, "Weren't we supposed to have an event where placing the flag in the middle and guarding it for a minute would give you extra points?"
"Oh yeah. It never happened." Rovanne nodded.
"That's it! It would reset the area around it! Maybe it might remove the barrier that's keeping those three inside! Yes! Okay, if we force that to happen, and they plant the flag inside the platform, they could be free!"
"Ok! What do we do?" Elyssia turned her eyes back to the arrays of buttons and panels.
"Press the red button!"
Rovanne reached out to the button to her right. As she pressed it, the arena sunk three feet down, putting everyone to the ground from the sudden change, "No! Not that one! The one labeled, 'Event'!"
"That was labeled event!" Rovanne said.
"No! It's on the Very top right of the panels, next to three levers!"
Elyssia reached out to the button, Madhav was right, it was next to three levers. As she pressed it, a new panel appeared before them, flipping the old one and showing them a new range of options.
As Madhav scrolled through the book for the controls he found in the file room, he missed out on something moving behind Rovanne and Elyssia. It was too fast. Bolting out of the room without any noise. And to the point where Elyssia and Rovanne didn't notice it.
Madhav finally found the page for said panel, "Alright! Press the...Green button-"
Rovanne quickly pressed one, instead of summoning the platform, it shook the ground vigorously. Before Lava erupted from the Arlecant area, "What did you do?!"
"He said green button!"
"NO! Oh for god's sake, the blue button in between the orange and red! Below a lever!"
Elyssia found the correct one, as she pressed it, the lava stopped flowing. And was left untouched, "Ok. That fixed it. Now green button, under three levers and labeled, 'Platforms'."
Rovanne pressed the correct one this time, Summoning four orbs infront of them, "Alright...We have to take a gamble. You have to imbue magic into an orb. It's either the one on the far right, or far left. The book doesn't say anything else."
"Blast it-!" Elyssia slammed her palm onto the far left, imbuing magic quickly towards it. This time, it was the correct one. As a platform slowly emerged behind the three in the middle.
"Yes! That's it! Now they should-"
"-Madhav!" Matthew's voice spoke from the comms.
"What?"
"I could use some help over here!" Matthew was in the middle pummeling a monster down with his foot. As another one lunged in, he activated his blessing. A flash erupted in his eyes as his body involuntarily dodged away in time, "I put a few people into area six! I need you to seal it!"
"Alright!" Madhav fumbled through his panel, pressing a few buttons and activating a lever, "You two, do whatever! I gotta help Matt here!"
Both of them shut down their comm's. Leaving Rovanne and Elyssia alone, "What do we do?" Rovanne asked.
"We go into the arena!" Elyssia pulled her soul-bounded greatsword off her back, "There's more monsters appearing from within. Come on!"
Elyssia lead Rovanne back into the pitch-black corridors. Aiming to reach the entrance yet again. It was a race against time. And there seemed to be no end of the monsters. They just kept on coming and appearing from behind the crevices and dark alleys. Although, it was only a matter of time before their summoning stopped. As Karasu quickly closed the distance to their hiding spot.
***
Sultan ran through the area. Slicing down monsters with his scimitar in one elegant swoop. Before the people he saved can react, he already disappeared from view. Unable to be spotted by anyone or any monsters. Because to them, he was but a gust of win in the air. That bore an overwhelming strength to cut them down when he pleased.
He left a trail of monster corpses his way before quicly climbing up a house to the flat roof, he tapped into his ear to activate his earpiece, "Karasu. You copy?"
"I'm here. What is it?"
"Where are you? I'm coming to assist you."
"Don't. You stay where you are."
"What-? Why?"
"I need you to protect the bystanders and all. I'm close by to some people. And I can't stand idle. Please Sultan, go back." Karasu shut down his comms again.
"Ugh...Fine." Sultan grunted before turning back at the arena. Before hopping down the roof. And run's through the area.
He began to cut down more monsters before they can react. Slicing them to pieces and moving on. He targeted the ones that were about to kill someone. And when he can, he grabbed them and pulled them to safety.
He spotted a particularly large monster. It was standing on its two legs instead of being a quadrapedal. That's one sign of an intelligent monster most of the time, but to truly find out, Sultan charged it immediately, and swung his scimitar down on its shoulder.
Instead of cutting through, he stopped when he came across something hard. He pulled his scimitar out just in time as the monster roared and swung wildly.
"A leader...That's...of course there is." Sultan grimaced upon the leader roaring at the top of his lungs.
As it roared, a few monsters charged at Sultan, he spun around quickly and cut them all down with flow before disappearing out of sight. Through the number of monster corpses strewn about and mix of magic aura's, it was impossible to find him.
The leader gritted its teeth due to that fact, what he did was impossible. How could that boy just disappear? It would have been able to deduce his magic aura and find him relatively easily. But however, it did note one thing, it was never able to feel an ounce of magic.
Sultan ran through the crowd, second and third year S-rank students were protecting the weaker lower years of the lower classes. But they fare well by themselves. However, it was a nice sight to see them protect people.
Sultan came across a first-year S-rank boy. He was communicating something to a group of young kids that was separated from their parents.
"It's okay. It's okay..." The boy failed to calm them down. As most of them cried for their parents. Who were somewhere in the middle of the fight.
Sultan recognized the boy as one of the security force members. Noticeable with the ring on their finger and a unique emblem on their shoulder, "How do I do this..."
"You need help?"
"Gah!" The boy jumped back, "Where the hell did you come from?! Wait...An S-rank boy? Aren't you supposed to be in the arena? How did you..."
"That's not important." Sultan said, "You're part of the security force. Right?"
"Y-Yes...?"
"Then I need your help." Sultan pointed towards the leader a short distance away from them, "You see that one?"
"Yeah? What about it?'
"It looks like an Alpha monster. Like a leader of some sort. We gotta kill it. Me and you."
"M-Me? Why not any of the second or third years?" He asked.
"They're all busy. The onslaught of monsters is too much. I even spotted a few teachers, they are also occupied with their own problems." Sultan said, "Plus, you need members on your team right?"
"Yeah? How did you know?"
"Doesn't matter. However, if YOU kill it, it could be good propaganda for people to join it. Or put more trust into the security force." Sultan said, "You in or not?"
The boy seemed to think for a second, going over his ideas and thoughts, before tapping into his comms, "Madhav. You there?"
Sultan tapped his ear, and pressed a few buttons and turned something, he ended up tapping into their communication line without them knowing, "Yes? What is it?"
"I need your help Madhav. There's an alpha nearby. We need to kill it."
"An Alpha? How did I miss that...Fine. I'll try my best to assist you. Do you need actual help there?"
"No. I have someone here...what's your name?" The boy asked Sultan.
"Sultan Bin Adil Al Bilal. Call me Sultan." He answered.
"I'm Matthew Halcom." Matthew bowed, "Pleasure to meet you."
"You ready?" Sultan asked.
"Yeah...I am." Matthew clenched his fist tighter.
"Keep up!"
Sultan suddenly blitzed through the crowd. Cutting down monsters with one quick slash for each of them. Matthew was taken aback at his speed and strength. How could someone be that fast? A boy his age most of all! It was also important to note that it was hard to keep track of him.
Matthew ran through the corpses, finding Sultan clashing with the leader. It swung wildly at Sultan, but he managed to deflect and block every attack with his scimitar alone.
He jumped in from the side and held his hand out, "Maelstrom! Ik Roep Je Aan! Steken!" A short bundle of wind magic piled up into Matthew's hand, before being shot out and striking the leaders side.
The leader screeched out in pain as its side was mostly blown off. Sultan jumped up and slammed his leg against the side of its face. Knocking it to the ground.
Matthew tried to chant a spell to blow off its head, but it suddenly swung its claws at Matthew, cutting his body and sending him to the ground, "Ow! Oh, oh! That hurts...! That hurts a lot!"
The leader swung its tail and pushed Sultan away as it charged Matthew. Before it can kill him, a bolt of magic struck the leader on the chest, leaving a burn mark on it. Followed by multiple magic bolt shots.
"Got you!" Madhav shouted in the communication line.
The leader roared yet again. Causing monsters to stop attacking their victims and run towards Matthew and Sultan. Beofre they were overwhelmed. Turrets and orbs of magic rose from the ground, shooting raw magic towards the incoming monsters.
"Kill the leader...! I-Ah....Will handle the others." Madhav verbally sounded like he was in pain. The strain of using magic on so many things at once is getting to Madhav.
The leader raised its hand forming a wide blade and lunged at Matthew. Sultan came in between Matthew and the leader, blocking the strike of the blade with his scimitar.
It pulled Sultan's scimitar away with its blade and threw a wild punch at him. Matthew tried to help, but it was too late. The full force of the leaders punch, imbued with magic that amplified its power collided against Sultan.
However, to both Matthew and the leaders shock, Sultan blocked it with his arms, "Unfortunate." Sultan slammed his foot onto the leaders stomach. Sending it away towards a building.
"How the..." Matthew tried to find his words to question him, but Sultan grabbed his Scimitar and held out his hand for Matthew.
"Come on. We can finish this brother. Just follow me lead." Sultan said.
As Matthew took his hands, he felt something odd. Usually, when in contact, ones magic essence would touch the other. Letting you feel its aura, how rough it is, and the power. But when Matthew held Sultan, he felt absolutely nothing. Almost as if he was touching an empty doll. Devoid of magic.
But his hand was surprisingly firm and strong. As he was pulled up, he can feel the sheer strength of Sultan's body. Sultan turned around to face the leader who was standing up from the rubble.
"You ready to claim the kill?" Sultan asked Matthew.
"Yes...I'm ready." Matthew formed more orbs of wind within his hand.
He was confused with the fact that Sultan never bothered to use any magic enchantment or enhancement. Then it finally dawned on him. The impossible explanation. There was a human that was born without an ounce of magic. That was an old myth that went around the world years ago. But people dismissed it as everyone in the world has atleast a small speck. But not this boy. He truly is devoid of magic.
Will one devoid of the very fundamentals of this world be able to work together with Matthew? And to be able to defeat the alpha monster? With someone like Sultan, such feats can become reality.