Robin glanced around the room, his eyes landing on an elderly doctor with gray hair covering his face. Just then, Ann ran up to him and asked, "Grandpa Joe, is Father going to be okay?" The doctor, looking worried and with sweat on his brow, answered softly, "Yes, my dear, he will be fine.". Robin could see that the doctor was visibly shaken. "Malsa, can we heal them both?" Robin asked. "We can heal the Duke," Malsa replied. "But for the Duchess, I need a sample of her energy." Turning to Doctor Joe, Robin instructed, "Please ask all the servants to leave the room."
"But Your Highness! I need to be here to care for them," Healer Joe protested. Ann turned to Robin, concerned. "What are you planning?" she asked. Robin met her gaze with determination. "I told you—they're going to be fine, right?" Ann nodded, reassured but curious. "With all due respect, Your Highness, I can't leave you alone with the Duke. I'm the family doctor," Joe argued. "Then stay here with me and Ann and just watch," Robin replied, his voice firm. "Or are you going to defy my orders?". Faced with the Prince's authority, Healer Joe finally relented, hoping for the best. Now, only Robin, Ann, and the doctor remained in the room.
Robin went closer to the the duke first and started said, "Malsa commence healing.". A visible mana started flowing from the palms of Robin hands and started wrapping allover the duke. As healer joe was looking he realized it was healing magic with a pure dense mana. He could not believe his eyes. Even though Healers existed they had to learn and understand concepts like healing and holy magic, they were limited to clerics of churches to various gods. Healing effects would be increased depending to there faith in various churches now here a boy less than 10 years old just doing it casually.
The Mana wrapped around the duke visibly started to vanish and healing was completed. Robin took a huge breath and looked at his hands fealing the after effects which had a warm feeling in his chest. Now he moved on to the next bed which was the duke's wife. Now this time Robin had already started healing the duke's wife.
—
PROCESSING NEW ENERGY: DARK ENERGY
—
As Robin focused on healing the Duchess, a cold wave of dark energy began to seep from her body, coiling and shifting through the air. Suddenly, she rose, lifted by an unseen force, until she was floating mid-air. The shadows around her thickened, twisting and merging until a gigantic, menacing draconic face took shape, its eyes blazing with a dark, ancient power.
"WHO DARES DISTURB MY SLUMBER!" the dragon spirit bellowed, its voice booming through the room, thick with rage and resentment. Robin instinctively stepped back, his heart pounding as he stared up at the colossal, spectral face.
"What... what are you?" he managed, barely concealing his shock. Malsa, he called inwardly, seeking his guide's wisdom, but silence met his plea, leaving him stranded with the full force of the creature's fury bearing down on him.
The dragon's face twisted, its eyes narrowing with a sinister gleam. "YOU… YOU'RE DRAWING MY POWER!" it roared, each word steeped in a malice that seemed to darken the very air. "HOW DARE YOU! I WILL DESTROY YOU! I WILL DEVOUR YOUR SOUL! STOP THIS AT ONCE, HUMAN!"
Its roar reverberated through the entire castle, a sound so powerful that it could be felt across the kingdom. Robin could sense the immense weight of the dragon's hatred and ancient wrath filling the room, as if it would crush him under its sheer intensity. And yet, he stood his ground, feeling the pulse of his own mana stirring in response to the challenge.
Robin stood frozen, his gaze locked onto the massive draconic face. The air around him pulsed with dark energy, its oppressive weight suffocating. Ann and the doctor had collapsed from the force of the creature's roar, its effect too powerful for ordinary people to endure. But Robin, a newly appointed junior knight, held his ground, gritting his teeth as he fought against the overwhelming fear coursing through him. He knew this was now a matter of life and death.
In the royal palace, King Lion shot up from his throne, his face pale with disbelief. "How can this be? I thought we destroyed the dark dragon," he muttered, dread clouding his voice.
Just then, his brother, Luke, burst into the throne room, his face tense. "Brother, we're in serious trouble. That creature—it's back! The dark energy is coming from the Duke's estate. We have to move, now!"
King Lion's eyes widened as he realized the gravity of the situation. "Robin is there as well!" he shouted. "We can't waste a moment."
Without hesitation, the King and his two brothers sprinted to the balcony. In a single, coordinated leap, they vaulted off, racing through the air towards the Duke's palace with a speed far surpassing any horse. As seasoned warriors, their powerful strides propelled them over the city, cutting through the wind with the urgency of men facing an ancient, terrifying foe.
Meanwhile, back at the Duke's palace, Robin braced himself as the dark energy intensified, knowing he stood alone against an unimaginable force—yet he refused to falter.
—
PROCESSING COMPLETED
—
At last, Robin felt energy settle within him, a warm surge spreading from his heart. He could feel the formation of two magic circles, untapped magic now at his command. Just as he grasped this newfound strength, the draconic face let out a final, furious roar.
"IF I AM TO FALL, I WILL TAKE YOU WITH ME!"
With that, a dark, swirling orb erupted from the Duchess's body, hurtling toward the window before shattering the glass and vanishing into the night. The thunderous noise roused Ann and Healer Joe from their fainted state, both of them blinking, disoriented, as they came to.
"Old man Joe, tend to the Duke and Duchess right away!" Robin commanded. "I'll be back."
Healer Joe nodded, shaking off the last traces of his shock. As the doctor moved to assess his patients, Robin dashed to the window, his eyes fixed on the dark orb as it sped toward the dense forest at the edge of the estate. Without a moment's hesitation, Robin leapt through the shattered frame and set off in pursuit, his heart pounding as he followed the dark presence into the shadows of the trees.
The King and his two brothers arrived at the Duke's castle, urgency in their steps as they pushed past the guards and entered. The servants, sensing the gravity of their presence, quickly led them to the Duke's chamber.
The King's eyes scanned the room before settling on Healer Joe. "Old man, where is Robin?" he demanded.
Healer Joe, still recovering from the shock, pointed toward the shattered window. "He followed… that thing, into the forest."
The King took one look at the broken glass, his jaw set with determination. Without hesitation, he leapt through the window, calling back as he did, "Peter, stay here and protect the Duke and Duchess. Luke, you're with me."
Peter gave a respectful bow. "Yes, Your Highness."
With a nod to his brothers, the King disappeared into the night, with Luke following close behind, both moving swiftly toward the forest to join the chase.
After a few minutes, the Duke stirred, slowly opening his eyes. His vision was hazy, but the first thing he noticed was Ann lying on a nearby couch, still groggy from the effects of the dragon's roar. Panic seized him as he sat up, his thoughts spinning.
"No, no, no!" he murmured in despair. "I can't lose you too… This is all my fault."
His hands trembled as guilt weighed heavily on him, convinced his experiments had somehow caused this catastrophe. Healer Joe and Peter quickly stepped forward, sensing his distress. The healer laid a reassuring hand on the Duke's shoulder. "She'll be alright," Joe said gently. "And this is not your fault."
Joe launched into a quick explanation, recounting everything he had witnessed while Peter stood by, silent yet visibly astonished. Since when did that brat become a healer? Peter thought, his mind racing as he tried to reconcile his memories of the young prince with the miraculous skills he'd just learned of.
Suddenly, the Duke's wife began to levitate once more, but this time, instead of the dark waves of energy, fierce strands of hot mana erupted from her body, swirling violently around the room. The Duke instinctively moved to protect Ann and Healer Joe, raising his arms as a barrier against the onslaught of energy.
As the hot mana danced through the air, it eventually began to dissipate, retreating and coiling back into the Duchess's body. She slowly descended until her feet touched the ground, and the chaotic energy settled.
"Darling, how have you been?" the Duchess asked, her voice steady and strong. She stood tall at six feet, her muscular frame exuding an aura of power.
The Duke, overwhelmed with emotion, rushed to embrace her, tears welling in his eyes. "Mary, I missed you," he whispered, his voice choked with relief. He held her tightly, feeling the warmth of her presence dispel the lingering shadows of fear that had clouded his heart.
The Duchess turned her gaze to her husband, then noticed Ann sleeping peacefully on the couch. A sudden surge of anger coursed through her, and her killing intent erupted, crackling in the air around her. "That bastard is still alive," she hissed, her eyes narrowing with determination.
Without a moment's hesitation, she moved toward Ann, wrapping the young woman in her warm mana. "Now everything will be alright," she murmured, her voice calming as she channeled her energy into Ann, ensuring her protection.
Peter, witnessing the reunion, felt a shift in the atmosphere. "Since everything seems to be okay now, I think I'm going to help His Highness fight that thing," he declared, ready to rush into the fray.
"I'm coming with you!" Mary shouted, her fierce spirit undeterred.
"Mary, you can't!" the Duke exclaimed, desperation creeping into his voice as he tried to grasp her shoulders, urging her to stay.
But Mary shook her head resolutely. "I have to."
At that moment, a distant boom echoed through the forest, signaling the start of a fierce battle. The sounds of clashing magic and roars of power reverberated, reminding them all of the danger still lurking just beyond the castle walls.