ASH POV
I left my master's room and headed to my study. The door closed behind me, and I made my way to the desk where all my books were. The room was filled with spell books, magic books, and potion guides. It was where I learned most of what I knew, and it was where I spent countless hours.
I sat down and picked up one of the books, opening it to a random page. I didn't really have a plan for what I was looking for, but I couldn't stop myself from reading. These books held dangerous spells—spells that could kill, spells that no one should be messing with. But now, I didn't care. All I cared about was keeping my master alive.
I had to learn. I had to be ready. His life was in danger, and I couldn't let him die. So, I pushed aside the fear and the warning voices in my head. I focused on the pages, on the magic, no matter how dark it was. I wasn't going to let anything happen to him. That was all that mattered.
I had taken this book from a kingdom we had conquered. I had made my first kill there. I can still remember the chill I felt that day. The kingdom did dark magic and I had stolen the book and I have not opened it. I opened it now learning all dark magic. Dark magic is simple to learn. If I am a star mage, I will be able to do this easily. My mind is set. Time to spy on the enemies I thought. I brought a spell book that contains spy magic. I bring out a spyglass that my master gave me on my eight birthday.
I gripped the spyglass in one hand and stretched the other out, feeling the air shift around me. The wind picked up immediately, tugging at my clothes like an impatient kid. I focused, trying to guide the currents like invisible hands. Slowly, carefully, I let them wrap around the spyglass, steadying it so I wouldn't have to hold it up the whole time. Because, let's be real—holding a spyglass for too long makes your arm ache, and I have better things to do.
The air obeyed, lifting the glass ever so slightly. I peered through it, and boom—enemy camp in perfect focus. Fires flickered, soldiers wandered around like they had nowhere better to be, and in the middle of it all, their commander stood there, looking way too serious for someone wearing that much leather.
I adjusted my magic just a little, and suddenly, I wasn't just seeing—I was hearing, too. The wind carried voices my way, snatches of conversation drifting in and out.
I smirked. Oh, this was too good. The wind had my back, and I didn't even have to risk getting caught.
Then, of course, the spyglass wobbled.
"Whoa, whoa—" I reached out, but the wind caught it just in time. I let out a breath. "Okay. No sudden moves."
I locked onto the commander again. The guy was barking orders, gesturing like he was casting a spell (he wasn't, which was kind of disappointing). I tightened my grip on the wind, keeping the spyglass steady.
Perfect. Now all I had to do was not mess this up.
The commander is tall and young. Maybe twenty-two years old. He looks handsome. Then I focus the glass and saw Zaroth. I look at him, and I just want to kill him. I feel a hatred to him. His glowing eyes glares at everyone. I looked at the commander and found out that he has a striking resemblance to Zaroth. Then realization dawned to me. The commander is Zaroth son. His name is Magnus. Everyone says that Magnus is Zaroth most evil side. I mean, if you have a father that is the most evil guy in the realm, won't you try to be like him?. I mean, you will be scared that he will kill you or something. I gripped the spyglass and peered closer hearing their conversation.
"Father, are you going to really kill your brother" Magnus was asking. His voice is devilish and calm yet scared
"Like I told you, Yes. I will. He is no brother of mine after he killed our master" Zaroth said darkly
What master I asked myself. My master will never kill anyone in cold blood especially his master. He always spoke about his master in a calm yet tearful voice like he regrets something. So this is the thing. A voice in my mind says that Zaroth is lying to his son but I keep on doubting that.
"Father, I don't trust Nyxara. I believe that she is up to something."
"Well, you have never liked her so what's making the hatred more deep?"
"I feel it in my bones"
"Okay son." Zaroth said his voice dripping doubt. He left patting Magnus back. I could almost feel sorry for Magnus. Almost.
Now, who is Nyxara I thought. I searched around using the spyglass and then, I see a girl. She's a girl around sixteen or seventeen, with long, flowing black hair that seems to shimmer with hints of midnight blue when the light hits it exactly right. Her eyes are a striking silver, deep and mysterious, as if they've seen far more than her years would suggest. She carries herself with a quiet, almost otherworldly grace, her presence subtle yet commanding. Her skin is pale, like the moon's glow, and her expression, though gentle, holds a faint sadness, as if she's always observing the world from a distance. She wears simple, dark clothing, almost blending into the shadows, yet there's something captivating about her—an air of serenity and secrets that makes it impossible to look away.
She seems dangerous. Then a strange thing happened. She looked straight at me and I can swear it, I feel that she knows that I am here. Then she said a word that sounds suspiciously like. "Fool". And then, she raises her hands and darkness blocks everything.
What was that. I could feel sweats begin to form on my face.
"What the hell" I murmured
I went to the bath house, had my bath and got the hell out of there as far as my leg could. Then, I heard the first attack.
Why did the attack start when I was in my room wearing my robe. I used magic to wear my dress. And then, I ran to my master study. I saw my master muttering a spell on some statues.
"Ego dabo tibi vitam" he muttered and the statues came to life.
"Defend the castle" My master said. The only thing that can kill those things is blasting them off and crushing their life essence which is a rock. I looked around and saw a cannonball coming at us. It was surrounded with fire.
"Scutum aquae" I yelled. A wall of water absorbed the cannonball fire. Then, I moved my hands and pushed forward. The cannonball in the wall of water launched itself back to its source. My staff came to me.
"Ash, stay alive" My master said and went away from me. It is time to defend the castle.
I jumped from the building and yelled
"Avis Alis" Bird like wings sprouted from my back and I flew. Upon landing,I yelled
"Ventus" A gust of wind. A really powerful gust blew away the mages around me who were fighting with soldiers.
I held my staff and began attacking the enemies.
I yelled spells as I went wounding, killing and knocking my enemies unconscious. I looked behind me and saw Gwen fighting a warlord. The warlord was skilled but Gwen took him down with a flick of her wrist. Cool I thought. I attacked warlords as I ran to aid the king to safety. I looked behind me and saw Magnus struck down a soldier using dark magic. Hmm. He is holding a celestial globe. Those things hold like little of the elemental force of an element. Seems to me like he is using Sky power because of the steps surrounding it. My master uses the Staff of Elements. This was given to him by his father. It controls all elements like a sky mage except its in a staff. But my master is naturally a sky mage. Magnus is combining Dark magic with Elemental magic.
I channel a ball of ice and threw it at Magnus. Magnus just looked at me and without warning, the ball of ice shattered into spikes and came to me. Wow. I channeled a glass of ice that absorbed the spikes.
"Give it up boy, you are no match for me" Magnus yelled
"You know, it's rude to just assume someone weakness without actually know the person" I said tautingly. Magnus looked at me and laughed out loud no doubt wondering who the hell I am. I mean, he Is used to people cowering before him. I am not giving him the satisfaction. We looked at each other moving slowly in a circle. I have an element of surprise. I have shown him that I can control water meanwhile I can control all elements. I know he controls dark magic and sky magic. We looked at each other, and we attacked.
"Ignis Globus" I yelled
"Fulgur Laculum" Magnus yelled.
He looked at me disbelief written on his face. But he covered it with fierceness.
The two spells hit creating a massive boom. Then we began fighting using combat skills and magic. I kicked him but he dodged then, raising his hand, he began to weave another spell, a twisting vortex of wind gathering at is fingertips. I didn't give him a chance to complete it. I feinted left, then spun, delivering a powerful roundhouse kick aimed at his stretched hands. He parried but the force of the blow sent him stumbling back a step. I pressed the advantage, a flurry of strikes designed to keep him off balanced. He dodged, and kicked me faster than possible. I fell but used my staff to keep me on my feet. Then, I channeled a ball of fire and threw it at him. He fell and stood up recovering fast. We both attacked ourself again. He countered my attacks with a series of precise blocks and parries, his movement fluid and precise. He began to use dark magic. He created daggers, that came to his hand with a hissing sound. He threw them at me. It was fast. I channeled my own daggers using moon magic. Illusion. I dodged his daggers easily and he dodged mine not knowing it was all illusions. That was what I needed. While he is busy, I had created a whip of flame using the spell "Flagellum Ignis".
The whip lashed at him like a serpent. It snaked around his hand searing his skin. He hissed in pain. He is weak. Then, I began attacking him with a lot of spells.
"Glacier Globus"
"Ignis Globus"
"Terra Globus". Then to lock him up, I said.
"Terrae Formare" A barrier formed from where he was gasping in pain. I locked him up.
"Bye" I yelled cheerfully.
I ran towards a building where my master and Zaroth were fighting. Their fighting was nothing compared to me and Magnus fighting. Their fighting was more experienced, more---
"You know, instead of watching the fight with your mouth opened, you should go help" A voice said and I looked around to see Nyxara working towards me. She looked more beautiful up close. I held my staff in an attacking motion. She noticed.
"Oh my, you don't need to be rash. I am just passing around" She said playfully but threatening. How could such a beauty be evil at the same time I wondered.
"Who are you? And what do you want" I asked.
"Ha ha ha. It seems to me that you want to play the I don't know you game. Well, you spied on me when I was coming out of my tent. Seems you were amazed by my beauty. I get that reaction a lot, you know?" She said playfully
Wait, what am I doing. Instead of me to help my master, I was here talking with a beauty. I ran, and yelled
"Avis Alis" I flew to the top of the building where they were fighting. Even using high amount of magic, they never seemed to tire. White and Black seemed to mix together forming a space only they seemed to contain. Orange and purple seemed to dissolve, brown and red seemed to fight against each other. They moved like blurs. My eyes couldn't even capture every detail of the fight. They seemed to fight like they could fight forever. Then, it all slowed down. They began to tire.
"Zaroth, you don't need to do this. I love you. I don't want to fight you" My master said blocking each attacks
"Seemed to me that you are fighting me. You never seemed to follow me or support me. You were always there being one of masters best apprentice. Getting award, being the favorite of all. When I followed dark Magic, you feared me and banished me. Then you killed my master. I hate you. Today, I will kill you and resurrect K'tharos." Zaroth said manically.
K'tharos. Isn't that the name of the god of destruction, chaos, evil, dark magic, death, and so on. But he isn't real. Gods aren't real. They are just imaginations to bring hope to people without magic.
"No, not K'tharos. He is damned in that cage of his created by Kyrios. The cage must be weakening. Zaroth, why do you want to do this? If K'tharos is freed from his cage, he will damn the word. He will destroy it and along the way. What did he promise you?"
"He promised me nothing."
They have mentioned two gods now. Something is happening. I can feel it in my bones.
The brothers went back to fighting. My master attack became slower while Zaroth became more faster. Then Zaroth knocked my master to the ground.
"See you. Knocked down to the floor like some rag. Who is there to stop from releasing K'tharos?"
"Zaroth, its not me you should worry about. Its Ash." My master said.
Then, I attacked Zaroth. I would like to say that that is the smartest thing in the world to do. Zaroth attacked me like I was a nobody. He simply used dark magic to tie me up. It was similar to the whip if fire I used for Magnus. But this one is much painful.
"So, this is the one to stop me" Zaroth asked mockingly as he advanced towards me. A dagger appeared in his hands. He raised it up to strike me down. I closed my eyes as the dagger attacks me.
"I am sorry master" I said.