As Seok-Hyun continued to teach me, his magic flowing freely and relentlessly, I felt myself breaking. Each spell he demonstrated was more than just an attack; it was a lesson, an assault on my body and mind. He healed my wounds physically but left my thoughts in torment. The pain was unbearable, but he didn't care. He was a god, a force of nature, and I was nothing more than his student, his plaything.
Then, he flew into the air, releasing my sword from his grasp. His voice rang out, cold and unfeeling: "Now show me your knowledge. Prove it. Cut down the shadows that cannot be cut."
I gripped the sword, my mind racing. The shadows before me were unlike anything I had ever faced. My sword passed right through them, unable to cut, unable to harm. The shadows bypassed the blade, their tendrils reaching for me, pulling me closer to the void.
I remembered the barrier. With a forceful thought, I willed the barrier to activate, and it shimmered into existence around me, reflecting the shadows. But they kept pushing, testing, clawing at the shield.
I hesitated, my mind racing for a solution. The shadows were relentless. I fired a fireball from my outstretched hand, but it sailed past the shadow, striking a nearby tree, missing its target by a wide margin.
Frustration mounted as I watched the shadow strain against the barrier, its dark tendrils twisting and pulling at the shield's edges. In the background, I could hear the screams of soldiers, their cries of pain and fear filling the air. And I knew—if any of them made it out alive, the villagers would be doomed. I couldn't allow that to happen. Not now. Not when I had the power to stop it.
I had to act. I couldn't waste any more time.
I dug deep, recalling the moment in the labyrinth when I had frozen time, when I had stopped everything in its tracks. That feeling of control, of power, surged up inside me.
"Stop!" I yelled, my voice echoing through the chaos.
And for a brief moment, everything froze. The shadows halted mid-swing. The soldiers stood still, their movements frozen in time. Even Seok-Hyun stopped, his eyes wide with something almost akin to amusement.
"Impressive," he said, clapping his hands slowly. "But you'll need more than that to defeat me."
I didn't care what he thought. I wasn't here to prove anything to him. My thoughts cleared in that frozen moment, and I felt the pull of something deep inside me. I looked up at Seok-Hyun, my voice steady, though a strange, commanding power laced my words.
"Protect the villagers for me," I said, my words carrying a weight that even I didn't fully understand. "I'll grow my strength, and I'll face you."
His gaze softened, but only for a moment. He didn't seem offended by my tone. Instead, he nodded once, a strange smile playing on his lips.
"Don't worry," he said, his voice like a whisper in the frozen world. "I don't harm innocents. Their lives are guaranteed."
Relief washed over me. I didn't know if he was telling the truth, but I had to believe him. I had no choice.
As time began to move again, I descended from the sky, my mind still reeling from the intense exchange. But no sooner had my feet touched the ground than the weight of the magic hit me like a freight train. The barrier, the time freeze, the shadows—all of it crashed into my consciousness, and I felt my head throb with pain.
My brain couldn't handle the immense pressure, the strain of all the magic I had been forced to absorb. The headache was blinding, my vision blurred, and the world around me spun. The shadows pulled at me, trying to drag me back into their dark embrace.
In desperation, I teleported away, the pain in my head intensifying as the magic took its toll. The world around me twisted and blurred, and the next thing I knew, I was standing in the village, my legs shaking, my mind a chaotic whirl of memories and magic.
The knowledge of the spells, the power I had just gained, was overwhelming. But I had no time to rest. The battle wasn't over. I had to protect the villagers—no matter the cost.
*****
Kailus PoV:
It was strange. What was this odd way of bonding that Seok-Hyun and Lira had developed? A strange, dynamic connection—one that both fascinated and confused me. Even I couldn't deny the unexpectedness of it.
When did I ever intend to set them on a grand journey, fighting for some higher purpose? I certainly didn't. They were never meant to be heroes or champions in some epic battle. In truth, I had merely thrown them together to watch what would unfold. It was never about grand plans or convoluted schemes—it was simply a matter of amusement.
I never intended for them to bond, to grow, or to face something so significant. It was supposed to be a game. A test.
But here they were, becoming something more than I expected. It intrigued me, and a part of me found it... enjoyable. Still, one of them dead? That would be boring. Two of them—now that's where the fun lies. If one dies, it's too predictable, too simple. But with two? There's room for chaos, unpredictability, and a wonderful mess of emotions and decisions.
Maybe I should add a little more to the mix. A little twist to keep them on their toes.
I pulled a rock from thin air, the cool stone cool in my hand as I examined it, considering the possibilities.
"Perhaps," I muttered to myself, a grin creeping up my face, "they could use a little more help... or perhaps a little more challenge."
With a flick of my wrist, I imbued the rock with a strange, intangible energy. A system, I thought. Intelligence. Power. Hopefully, it would push them further, force them to adapt, and—most importantly—entertain me.
"Let's see what magic you can truly do," I murmured, watching as the rock pulsed with an eerie glow.
The game was far from over, and I wasn't about to let it end too soon.
*-*-*-*-*
A legend of history, a god of sorts,
Seok-Hyun, the divine beast.
He needs not a single support,
For all who dare approach, deceased—
To ever exist, they are released.
His lair in the east, where shadows feast,
A power untamed, a soul deceased.
His name whispered in hushed tones,
A figure of power, with no known throne.
He walks through the veil, unseen, alone,
The forest his dominion, the world his bone.
A beast with no master, a god with no name,
The world trembles in his eternal flame.