The white room hummed with the soft pulse of the Evocyte crystal. Drifter sat in the corner, back pressed against the cold wall, his vacant gaze fixed on the Black Cube floating in its protective field. Whispers gnawed at his mind like cold winds through cracks.
The tension in the room pressed against him like thorns. His empty stare remained unchanged until something touched his consciousness—a voice unlike the others. A distortion, like a rift in reality speaking directly to him.
"They... are coming..."
His eyelids blinked once, slow but sharp. His empty gaze ignited, flashing with an unusual gleam—not just awareness, but something darker, deeper. His lips curled into a twisted smile, not of relief, but of something far more unsettling—like a predator finally finding its prey.
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His body trembled—then surged forward. Blue light enveloped him, forming shimmering black armor as his cloak billowed in the energy-charged air.
Exaltare materialized in his grip, its dark gray blade pulsing with vibrant blue light. The very air quaked as he stood firm, his resolve unshaken. Raising his left hand, crackling energy gathered at his fingertips.
Exalt Storm.
Three glowing blue sigils flared to life. In an instant, a volley of energy blasts erupted, striking everything in the room.
As the shockwaves rippled through the space, two figures slowly emerged from invisibility.
The first, a young man with silver hair, wielded daggers emitting wild blue electricity. His movements were fast, hard to follow as he dodged energy blasts.
The second figure, tall and slender, moved with an effortless grace. His black suit remained immaculate, a fedora casting a shadow over his face, partially obscuring the eye patch he wore. In his hands, he wielded crescent moon-shaped tonfas, their edges glowing with an unnatural, fiery light—Vimorian Moralistra.
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"Well, well... Do you have some magical sight, or is that just pure skill? I''ll give credit where it''s due... that was impressive." the man said.
Drifter''s eyes flared with a dark gleam, his gaze sharp like a knife. The muscles in his brow tensed, revealing raw anger, while his lips curled slightly.
Fire and lightning user... whoever they are... no mercy, Drifter thought.
Suddenly, the room trembled like a storm. Drifter''s feet braced hard against the ground.
The man smiled faintly, tilting his head in a gesture both relaxed and almost dismissive.
"Ah, too bad the lights are still on. Looks like we''re about to get a real show, huh?"
Drifter''s eyes sharpened, narrowing at him.
No doubt about it... that vibration... Skyship Cannon... Damn... Looks like that nightmare is becoming a reality. I hope they all make it, Drifter thought.
The young man disappeared in a flash of blue lightning, reappearing at the magisterial console. He threw a small rectangular box in three directions, creating glowing blue portable shields to protect him while his fingers touched the console near the Black Cube.
Drifter immediately vanished into blue particles—Exalt Shift—moving straight to the console''s side. He slashed at the shield with Exaltare, but suddenly felt heat on his right. The man in the fedora emerged from flames, attacking with his dual tonfa blades. The slash struck Drifter''s arm, but his armor and natural barrier protected him.
"Oh, come now. Don''t spoil the fun for my partner," the man said.
Drifter stepped back, but the man advanced with weapons engulfed in raging flames. Drifter released a series of Spectral Swords towards the youth at the console. Dozens attacked from various angles, but before they reached their target, the man in the fedora snapped his fingers.
Click… the sound of his finger snap.
Suddenly, an explosion shattered every sword into bursts of energy.
The man in the fedora continued slashing toward Drifter, who blocked with Exaltare. Blue light and fire clashed in the room.
The man chuckled softly. "Ah, an Arcane Saber? How quaint. You don''t see those much anymore. A shame, really—almost a lost art."
Drifter gritted his teeth. Damn... whether I like it or not, I have to deal with him, he thought grimly.
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With unwavering determination, Drifter activated Exalt Shift once more, his sword carving a brilliant blue streak through the air toward the man''s back. But with effortless grace, the man spun his dual tonfa blades behind him, deflecting the strike without so much as a backward glance, a smug smile tugging at his lips.
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In one fluid motion, he whirled around, executing a perfect 360-degree slash. Drifter barely stepped back in time, but before he could regain footing, the man snapped his fingers with a sly grin.
Explosions of fire struck Drifter, but he emerged from the smoke, his sword slicing toward the man''s head. The fedora-wearer tilted his head effortlessly to dodge, then countered with a fiery kick that sent Drifter staggering backward.
"Quite nimble," the man said casually. "But lacks impact." He winked.
Drifter''s eyes widened. This won''t be easy.
Taking a deep breath, Exaltare began to shine brightly, the blue energy intensifying. Determined, he swung his sword, unleashing barrage of Exalt Edge—blue energy waves surging toward the man in the fedora.
However, the man moved his dual tonfa blades with uncanny precision, slicing through each wave until the energy dissipated into nothing.
The man materialized spinning red sigils in both hands, radiating intense heat before disappearing as swiftly as they appeared.
Drifter felt alarming heat beneath his feet, sharp and searing. What is he doing? A trap rune? he thought, eyes scanning the room.
He took a slow step sideways, while keeping eyes and body aligned with his opponent.
The man smiled faintly, fingers raised. With a simple snap, his voice cut through the air with cold, terrifying calm.
"Flame Burst."
The explosion struck like a storm, scorching Drifter''s hands and waist. The Lumina Core on his wrist shattered, its tiny fragments vanishing into the air. The pouch at his waist, carrying his Evocyte recovery potions, burst apart, its remains falling lifelessly.
Drifter staggered but quickly steadied himself, his face composed—showing no panic, only a cold, unwavering gaze filled with relentless determination.
"Ah, what a shame," the man mocked. "Looks like your little energy drink spilled, didn''t it? How terribly unfortunate..."
He suddenly appeared from the flames in front of Drifter. "Inferno Shrapnel,"
He swung his Fire Tonfa Blades in a quick motion, causing them to shatter into bursts of glowing energy scattered in chaotic patterns. Then, an explosion occurred.
Drifter jumped high and slashed downward with one hand. As the man blocked the strike, Drifter fired an Exalt Bolt from his left hand—blue projectiles shooting toward the man''s face. His red natural barrier protected him, but the fedora fell, and a smile spread across his face.
"Now that''s better..." the man said with a relaxed tone.
Drifter was sweating. He glanced to his left, watching the barrier protecting the Black Cube begin to fade while the young man worked at the console.
No time left... Drifter thought to himself.
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[Location: Front Area of Academy – Night – Year: 1092 Ad Felicitas]
The night wind howled fiercely. Friedrich stood among the Holy Knights at the edge of the academy''s front yard, eyes fixed on the holographic display reflecting red light from the fallen structures.
He raised his hand to the Lumina Core on his wrist. The ARF comms text flashed on the hologram screen.
"Research Center team, report in... Drifter, do you copy?"
Explosions drew closer, shaking the air and ground beneath him, but Friedrich didn''t flinch. Suddenly, Vilreth''s name appeared beneath the ARF text.
"Commander, we''ve lost the golems and skyships. They launched a surprise assault on the hangar using Stealth Automaton." Vilreth said.
Friedrich''s jaw tightened. "How many units are left?" he asked.
After a brief silence, Vilreth replied emotionlessly, "Only four assault golems... two transport golems."
Friedrich''s eyes darkened. "Bring them all here," he commanded.
Soft but confident footsteps approached. Without looking, Friedrich spoke sharply, "Did you hear my orders? To the shelter. Now."
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Alma stepped forward, chin raised, gaze defiant. "We''re not going," she said, voice trembling with emotion but unfaltering.
Friedrich stood silent, his gaze finally falling on Alma''s pinkish eyes. He breathed quietly, like holding something back, before muttering, "Damn..."
Behind Alma stood Nadia, hands gripping her skirt, brown eyes gleaming with resolve behind her glasses. Friedrich surveyed the gathered students—Lorcan, Sloane, Reine, Caelus, Alyssa, Bryan, Erick, Vaeloria, Mia, Lily, and Vellya. Fear marked their faces, some trembling, yet none retreated.
Lorcan spoke first, attempting casual confidence despite his wavering voice. "Oi, Alma, Nadia... don''t act like you''re the only tough ones. We''re here too, right?"
Caelus added calmly, but meaningfully, "What else can we do? This city, this academy... it''s our home."
A faint smile touched Alma and Nadia''s faces, though tension remained.
Sloane looked at the approaching automatons. "Eh, if you think about it... this is beyond our ability, right?"
Alyssa shot him a sharp look. "Coward! We won''t lose, even if we die."
Bryan shook his head slightly. "But still, be careful, Alyssa. Don''t act rashly."
Mia sighed deeply. "Ugh... I just hope we don''t die young, alright?"
Vaeloria stepped forward. "Come on, whether we like it or not, we have to do this."
Vellya, hugging her guardian skeleton, spoke with simple conviction. "Papa and Mama will protect all of us."
Reine, Erick, and Lily remained silent, faces pale but resolute.
Vaeloria looked at them gently. "Are you okay? We''re not forcing anyone."
Lorcan added with rare seriousness, "Yeah, if you''re unsure, it''s fine to go to the shelter."
Reine smiled awkwardly. "Don''t worry, we''re always together, right? Just like always."
Erick nodded firmly. "Yeah, we''ll be fine."
Lily glanced at Vellya. "If the little one is going... I have no reason to be afraid."
Friedrich surveyed the young faces, then nodded heavily. "Alright. But listen carefully. Follow my orders. If I say retreat, you retreat. Understand?"
All students nodded, fear mingling with determination. Friedrich turned to the instructors. "Luna, Jaxon, Alina—keep them safe. Don''t let them act recklessly."
Luna''s voice carried warmth. "They will be safe. I''ll make sure of it."
Alina spoke firmly. "We''ll protect them."
Jaxon smiled faintly. "Ready. No one''s dying here."
The ground trembled as metal machinery approached. Friedrich''s voice rose above the noise. "Everyone, get ready! Hold the line!"
The first explosion followed, light and sound filling the night. Veterans moved forward, weapons glowing. Students followed, their fear cloaked in courage.
Alma stepped forward, her left hand materializing a bright magical sigil. "Let''s do this."
Nadia joined her, creating her own brown sigil. "I''m with you."
Together, they faced the wave of automatons advancing like a storm, the clash of steel and energy shaking the ground beneath their feet.
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[Location: Evocaier Academy – Research Center – Night – Year: 1092 Ad Felicitas]
Drifter and the man in the fedora clashed violently, blue energy colliding with raging red storm, sending sparks flying. Each strike echoed like metal against metal. Drifter''s attacks grew sharper, exploiting every opening, but his opponent blocked each attack with dance-like movements.
Drifter focused on his breathing, eyes darting between his opponents. I hope this works, he thought.
The blue swords circling him moved like flowing water toward the fedora-wearing man. As his opponent blocked and destroyed them, Drifter vanished into blue particles—Exalt Shift. He reappeared near the console, but red light flared beneath him. Ignition Trap.
Boom!
A massive explosion erupted, sending a red-orange pillar of fire skyward. But Drifter was ready. Exalt Barrier surrounded him, a transparent blue shield pulsing with energy. The silver-haired youth froze, eyes wide with surprise.
Drifter unleashed Azure Tempest, filling the room with afterimages and blue slashes like a raging storm. The youth, however, merged with blue lightning, leaping high to evade every blade.
The tempest shattered all portable shields and gouged the floor deeply. After landing, the young man exhaled briefly. "Man, that was close," he said calmly with a small smile playing at his lips.
From afar, the man''s smile widened. "Don''t tell me that was your best shot," he teased.
Drifter stood firm, materializing his Exalt Barrier again. The man raised an eyebrow. "You think you can take me head-on? Bold... but foolish."
He dismissed his tonfa blades and summoned red sigils, releasing Ember Precision. Molten fireballs formed at his fingers, shooting toward Drifter and destroying his barrier. Yet Drifter formed a new one each time.
His breathing grew heavier, eyes narrowing as pressure mounted. Just a little more...
Suddenly, the man paused mid-swing, brow furrowed. Drifter seized the opportunity, dashing forward. Exaltare moved with lightning speed, its blue gleam cutting through the air in a flurry of slashes that destroyed the man''s natural barrier. The final strike pierced his black suit, drawing blood.
The man winced. "Tch..." His hand lifted, gathering fire energy to heal his wound. Across the room, the silver-haired youth froze in surprise.
Drifter''s victory was brief. Pain spread through his body as Exaltare''s faded. Damn... My reserve is almost gone, he thought.
The man straightened, wiping blood away casually. "Ah, bravo! That was almost... entertaining. But, I''m afraid the show ends here."
He disappeared into flames, reappearing before Drifter with wild eyes and wrong smile. His strikes grew faster, more aggressive. Drifter struggled to block, retreating step by step.
When his opponent slashed vertically with a fiery shockwave, Drifter raised a small Exalt Barrier. The shield held momentarily, causing the man to stagger. Quickly, Drifter spun and slashed at the man''s right arm, tearing his jacket. He followed with Spectral Swords, but the man created a fire wall that destroyed them all.
Suddenly, the young man called out, "Done."
Drifter turned quickly—the shield around the Black Cube had vanished. The youth touched it, dark energy pulsing beneath his fingertips.
Cold filled Drifter''s chest. Stay calm... It''s not over yet. If I can take this guy down...
He used Exalt Shift again, teleporting to the right of the man and unleashing Azure Tempest. His afterimages slashed through the air, but struck only a fire dummy as it was an illusion trap. Suddenly, the air heated around him. A series of explosions hit him with brutal force.
Drifter dropped to one knee. His barrier held briefly, but Azure Tempest ceased. The man appeared to his left, and with a single slash, triggered Inferno Shrapnel. The explosions shattered Drifter''s natural barrier. Pain seared through his ribs as his body slammed into the floor.
The world spun around him. He tried to rise, but his strength had drained. Blood pooled beneath him.
His opponent dismissed his weapons, which dissipated into red particles. He retrieved his fedora and turned toward Drifter. "Well, what a shame... looks like the prize is already in our hands," he grinned with dark satisfaction.
The taunting words cut deep. Drifter lay gasping, Exaltare and his armor fading into the air.
The two intruders walked toward the exit, but the man paused at the doorframe, glancing at Drifter''s weakened form. "Don''t take it personally. It''s just business."
Outside, a black Alcherider appeared from invisibility, its sharp angles and aerodynamic body hovering with cold blue light.
Before boarding, the man snapped his fingers, triggering Concussive Flame. A deafening boom erupted, followed by a massive fireball forming a mushroom cloud with a powerful shockwave. The explosion lit up the night sky behind him as his smile brightened the darkness.
The young man watched coldly as the Research Center crumbled. "Well... it always ends with a bang," he said, entering the cockpit. The man followed, his smile never fading as he shut the door.
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[Outside the Research Center – Verm Evocaier Academy – Battlefield – Night]
The ground shook violently as tremors rippled through the battlefield. An explosion roared like a dragon''s cry, blending with clashing magic, clanging steel, and war screams.
Sloane flinched, nearly losing balance as he deflected an attack with Zephyra Fang, his dagger. His face paled as he stared at the explosion''s source. "What in the world was that?"
A panther-shaped automaton leapt from the shadows. Its claws lashed out, barely missing Sloane as he rolled away, wild winds swirling around him.
Nearby, Reine gripped his sword and shield, Vireiscryne tightly, the shield trembling under energy blasts. "That''s coming from the Research Center," he said tensely, gaze fixed on distant flames.
Alina tore through automatons with her Frostshard Legacy greatsword but stopped suddenly, eyes locked on the firestorm. "Luna... is that—"
Luna stood firm despite her strained breathing. Her hands glowed with blue sigils, freezing advancing enemies. Her gaze remained fixed on the distant inferno, her expression shadowed with fear. "I know," she murmured, hands trembling slightly.
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[Location: Evocaier Academy – Research Center – Night – Year: 1092 Ad Felicitas]
Cold enveloped Drifter as he lay beneath the rubble. His breaths came shallow and weak. The faint blue glow from the Elysian Wardstone had barely shielded him from the worst of the explosion.
His vision blurred, distant alarms and battle sounds receding like whispers into silence. His hand clutched the fading Wardstone until its warmth vanished, replaced by bone-deep cold. "Vina… you saved me again… I''m sorry… Wardstone… your precious one..." he whispered.
The stone crumbled to dust in his grasp, the final memento of his past gone.
Shadows twisted in the corners like sentient creatures watching him. With great effort, Drifter forced his eyes open. A faint shimmer appeared, solidifying into a blurred figure that shifted constantly—one moment human, the next something indescribable. Its face changed with each transformation, subtly wrong, as if reality rejected its presence.
The figure approached with deliberate steps. Its smile was gentle yet sinister, its voice soft but oppressively heavy. "Hello again, my dear."
Icy tendrils shot through Drifter''s veins. The voice felt both familiar and alien, digging into buried memories. He tried to move, to speak, but remained paralyzed by fear and weakness.
The figure crouched before him, its void-like eyes staring into his soul. "Oh, don''t bother. I can see you''re not quite up for a chat."
Its tone was soft, almost mocking, wrapped in false affection. It leaned closer, cold breath sending shivers through him.
"I know what you''re thinking—''Why are you here?'' Well, let''s just say I wanted to see how it all plays out...."
The words struck hard, dragging Drifter back into inescapable memories. Visions of his friends fighting an impossible battle filled his mind—not dreams, but cold reality sinking into his heart.
The figure raised its hand, plunging the room into darkness. Horrifying images flooded Drifter''s thoughts: Friedrich wielding his glowing Mace against endless waves; Luna, exhausted yet resolute; Alma, struggling to heal the injured; Nadia, trembling as she created protective barriers.
"Look at them. They''re giving everything they''ve got, aren''t they? But it''s never enough," the figure''s voice poisoned the nightmare.
Drifter''s heart raced with fear. His fingers trembled, searching for anything to hold onto.
The figure leaned closer, its whisper both tempting and sinister. "I can change all this. Bring back the Cube, save them. All you have to do is ask."
Drifter froze, caught between fear and impossible hope. But something about the figure felt deeply wrong. His body remained still, voice trapped, even as his heart rebelled. No... This is wrong... but out there... they need me...
The figure leaned in, its face nearly touching his, smile widening mockingly. "You''ll change your mind, My Dear. You always do."
It stood, its body shimmering and vibrating, warping the room around it. Shadows stretched and wrapped around the figure before it vanished, leaving crushing silence.
Drifter lay still, strength gone, mind haunted by terrifying images. He tried to hold onto his friends'' faces, but darkness slowly consumed everything, enveloping him completely.