Several lit torches flickered, casting shadow on Magus Xion's face. The magus' statent of 'you've made a ss of your spirit core' and '...you'll never not be able to cast any properly ever again' repeated themselves in his mind like echoes reverberating inside a cave. He felt like he had beco deaf for a second as the continuous thunder of Magus Xion's sentence didn't disappear.
Ery rembered Killgragah had told him that the way the dragon had taught him was another way of cultivating and the humanity's way was stupid. He had expected that so people from the Magus Academy would be surprised to know this way of cultivating but to never beco able to cast a spell in its full effectiveness again? Had the black dragon, Killgragah fooled him sohow? The black dragon still needed him, he believed. That creature wouldn't save him in his mont of need and then just make a ss of him after, would he? No! Killgragah would have not lied to him, he wouldn't accept such a conclusion even from a magus.
Ery shook off the festering thoughts and said, "Please, Magus Xion, can you please explain?"
Magus Xion pondered for a second before looking back at Ery and said, "Tell , who taught you to cultivate this way?"
"I… soone in my world did…" Ery answered, his voice in the end diminishing. He wasn't willing to tell them about Killgragah, it was too early to believe the conclusion Magus Xion had said. After all, this way of cultivation had pushed Ery to beco on par with acolytes that had a higher aptitude than him. If they insisted however, he decided he would make up a story. Sothing like a person who had magical powers such as him in his world had taught him; the lady of the lake ca into his mind.
Chumo, beside Ery, couldn't hide the shock on his face. He kept on switching his gaze from Ery to Magus Xion until it finally stayed on the magus and he said, "Please, Master Xion. Do you not have a way to fix this for my friend, Ery?"
"If you continue with what you are doing, Ery, you would—" Magus Xion paused mid-sentence. He recollected himself and said, "No, I'm not the person qualified to explain this. And since I have already promised to help you, it's… ok you should co with . Chumo, it's best that you don't co with us."
Chumo made a face of repudiation but when Ery shook his head, Chumo resigned.
Magus Xion then led Ery out of the classroom and back to the lobby. They passed the darkness origin stone room, and after a couple more turns, Ery noticed that the torches were starting to beco far and few in between on every divergent tunnel they entered. The written signs on the ceiling as well were starting to beco more faded and only the sound of their steps were all Ery could hear. The increasing silence and darkness, however, was broken when Magus Xion suddenly spoke.
"Let's hope she's in a good mood, if not I am sorry to tell but I won't be able to help you," said Magus Xion, voice fuller in the encompassing tunnel.
"She? Who are we eting, Magus Xion?" asked Ery.
"You'll know soon. Rember to be respectful and do not talk unless asked. Let do the talking, do you understand?" said the young-looking magus, sounding a totally different person from the one he had heard in the classroom. Ery nodded.
They walked in uncomfortable silence and Ery finally took notice of the upward slanting floor. A faint whisper of the air whipped past his ear and when they got to the end of the tunnel, the image of a wide and mighty stair stretching over a cliff toward a gray palace entered his sight: they exited the insides of the mountain and were now near the peak.
Magus Xion didn't stop his tread and Ery followed not far behind. After they reached the end of the stairs, Ery couldn't keep his eyes off the decorated monstrous stone sculptures laid displayed on the side of the giant dark wooden door. So had big bulging eyes, with fangs and wings; so also weren't humans, rather just a big eyeball the size of a human as well as all other things that looked as if it ca out of a nightmare.
They paused in front of the towering door, and Ery saw Magus Xion taking a deep breath. The magus turned to Ery and once more minded that he should be respectful, don't do anything rash and speak only when asked.
Ery didn't say anything but simply nod. Afterward, Magus Xion reached out for the circular tallic door knob and slamd it loudly a couple of tis.
Dang! Dang! Dang!
The magus waited for a second or two before announcing, "Master, it's , Xion."
There was only silence until the huge door creaked open with no one pulling them from the inside of the palace. Magus Xion gestured halt to Ery and once he was inside, he gestured once again to follow the steps he had made behind him.
The inside of the palace was also dark. The light sources were scarce by the huge pillars which housed a couple more stone sculptures. The sculptures inside this ti were mostly in humanoid form and most of them had a sharp outlook with fangs peeking out stony lips. There were even bat shaped sculptures as well as young and adult, whether it be n and won who seed to look like they were in great fear. Ery's spine ran a shiver for it felt like the sculptures were watching his every step.
They soon arrived at the grand lobby with a podium encircled by two large stairs on the side, with its surfaces covered by a crimson velvety carpet.
"Yes, Xion? What is it? Ahh, you've brought a gift for today?" resounded a female voice inside the big, dark and empty lobby. Hearing the chilling words, Ery's heart pumped hard against his chest.
"I am sorry, master. It is not that kind of gift. This is a new acolyte of the darkness institute and his na is Ery," said Magus Xion, voice filled with the utmost respect.
"Ah... what is it about the boy's circumstances that you felt the need to bother my slumber," echoed the voice.
Magus Xion gulped. He spoke slow and kept his eyes locked on the empty podium. "Master, I owe this boy a favor. And after seeing his situation, I was hoping you could give him so of your precious ti to see the boy interesting or not."
"I see... anything for my lovely student," replied the voice.
Ery stood on the spot frozen as he could feel a heavy and constricting force drawing closer. The silhouette on the podium appeared and as the raging fire cast its light on the shadow, his heart seed to have stopped beating altogether.
He watched as a stunning woman revealed herself and took alluring steps down the stairs. Her paler than snow skin contrasted greatly against her skintight black clothes that seed to rge in the darkness. He couldn't see where she was looking but he could tell she was staring at him with her ocean dark eyes, which felt fiery and able to penetrate his mind.
"Well, well, well, this boy doesn't look too bad, my lovely student. Are you sure you can't just give him to ?" said the woman. Her voice seed to make Ery feel enchanted for a mont.
"Please, don't joke about things like that, master. It always scares ," said Magus Xion, seemingly unaffected by what had hit Ery. He turned and said, "Ery, gives your respect to Grand Magus Zenoia, the head of darkness institute."
Whatever she had done, it seed to have lingered on him. When he recovered, he quickly said, "My respect to the Grand Magus—"
An invisible giant hand grasped Ery's full being and pulled him closer to the Grand Magus Zenoia the mont he was about to bow. She didn't give him any chance to react for raised her finger with a wide smile and then pressed it against his forehead. A great jolt of tingling energy rushed over his body. She kept it pressed and said, "Aaaah, you're a human but you also have a bloodline. I like you already. Hmm… quadruple affinity but a terrible aptitude. And this is — Hahahaha! Spirit core of darkness? Very good! Very interesting!"
Ery could do nothing, not even let out a scream. It felt like his only option was to accept this fate as whatever this prickling, sharp energy ran its course through every part of his body, for he knew there was no way he could resist whatever things this woman would do to him.
He then felt himself being lifted by the invisible hand into the air and Ery felt the flow of energy in his body being pushed upside down. More needle like stabs coursed in every part of his body! The pain was so unbearable but Ery gathered all his will so hard to resist.
"Let's see what happens if i do this!" shrieked the woman as she gave out a maniacal laugh.
Ery thought his body was being ripped apart but aside from the paid and weird sense of ecstasy was filling him just before he passed out.
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Author Note
Don't worry it doesn't add the coin cost, will erase later
Dear reader,
First, I want to apologize that I haven't been able to do more chapters for the novel. As so of you might already know, I have been behind on my promises because my editor/writing partner was infected by COVID-19 since last week. Fortunately with his condition getting better and the new privilege month coming, I decided to commit myself to write more chapters and to give you more quality chapters.
I am very honored with the support you have been giving to make this new novel reach the Top 50. Honestly this gives the confidence to tell my wife to consider doing writing full ti. But unfortunately no love about this yet ^_^
I plan to give March at least 10 chapters a week as promised, hopefully more.
anwhile I apologize in advance that I will take 2 to 3 days of rest before I continue releasing the daily chapters. Hopefully, when I returned from my small break, there will be a mass privilege release.
As the month is about to end, I'd once again like to invite you all to my discord server for the monthly event. I am looking for the Earth Greatest Magus Biggest Fan with the 10 trivia questions regarding everything that had happened in the novel. The winner will receive the 'Biggest Fan Title' and an account enough to read next month's highest tier chapters worth 1000 COINS.
The event will be held on tomorrow, Sunday 28 February at 15:00 UTC/ 23:00 8 GMT
Check out our website for the link sbit.ly/avansweb
Or Join Avan's Discord server: sdiscord.gg/7ngn7yN9xN
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