ã€ŠHouse of hulesã€‹


 Chapter 1: Shadows of the orphanage

    ~Chapter One~

    Shadows of the orphanage

    Location: Unknown~

    ¡°Sir, reporting an unknown voice.¡±

    ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± another voice replied.

    ¡°It seems this generation is a dud. Only about three percent show promise; the rest are normals,¡± the man reported.

    ¡°Mmm, well that¡¯s disappointing. Proceed to the final stage and see if any anomalies occur. If not, report back,¡± the other voice instructed.

    ¡°Understood, sir,¡± the man responded.

    Orphanage~

    I''ve always had this strange dream¡ªa dream of a girl with long, white hair, whiter than the clouds. A girl with bright blue eyes, eyes with a sweet gaze that could make even the toughest men hesitate. Blue eyes that looked at me with a warm, caring embrace. A girl with no name, no face¡ªa girl I''m not even sure really exists.

    I''m hunted by a face I''m sure I''ve never seen before but feel I''ve know them for generations they are lost calling out through my dreams telling me to-

    ¡°Maddox, you better make sure this floor is polished spotless!¡± Miranda exclaimed.

    ¡°Yes, ma''am,¡± I replied snaping out of my day dreaming.

    My name is Maddox, and this is Huels Orphanage, better known as the House of Huels. This orphanage was founded to house orphans kids that had no where else to go.

    Today, I was on mopping duty¡ªa very tedious and annoying chore, but someone had to do it. Unfortunately, today, that someone was me.

    The orphanage was not all that big or fancy to begin with. Most walls were aged and peeling, the orphanage was filled with old furniture, and rooms had one too many beds stuffed into them. Even with its modest size, it housed many orphans and was filled with laughter and children having fun. The orphanage was located on the outskirts of town and was surrounded by a huge forest. The fanciest part of this orphanage was the huge, grassy backyard where most children would go out to play.

    The orphanage has 3 simple rules we needed to follow

    The first was that all chores assigned needed to be done.

    The second was to follow all laws set by the caretakers without question.

    The third was to run if you ever saw any monsters do not be a hero this rule was put in place at the home a couple years ago when a girl went missing and was never seen again.

    ¡°Hey, Maddox, what''s taking you so long?¡± a girl said.

    ¡°Oh, hey, Ola. It''s nothing much, just can''t get these stains out. I''ve told you guys to take your shoes off when you come inside,¡± I replied annoyingly.

    Ola was really pretty. She had long brown hair that went all the way down her back toward her knees. It was long and beautiful and had this almost gold look to it when the light hit it just right. She also had freckles on her nose and across her cheeks, but what really got me were her eyes. She had green, emerald eyes that had this intensity to them but also this kind and warm look.

    ¡°You do this every time it¡¯s your turn to clean, Maddox, and I swear I¡¯ve never seen you take your shoes off either,¡± Ola said mockingly.

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey, Maddox, hurry up! We are about to play Hot Pocket again!¡± Soren interrupted.

    Soren had blond hair, light blue eyes, and wore glasses. But lately, he discarded them since Bethany called him a nerd, and still won''t admit he can''t see, even after the fourth wall he ran into.

    ¡°Every time we play Hot Pocket, someone''s pants catch fire or end up ruined,¡± I said to him dryly.

    ¡°Just hurry up,¡± he said, running back outside and hitting the wall on his way out.

    ¡°I''ll come out when I''m done here, Ola,¡± I turned to say.

    ¡°Yeah, OK, Maddox,¡± she said, skipping after Ren.

    ¡°Same old boring kid, huh, Maddox?¡± another voice said.

    ¡°Oh, what''s up, Eliza?¡± I said dryly. And I''m not a kid we are basically the Sam''s age I added

    ¡°Hey, as your big sister, I will not tolerate disrespect,¡± she said.

    ¡°You''re not my big sister, Eliza. How many times do I need to tell you that?¡±

    ¡°Well, true, not yet. But once you marry my sister Ola, I will be,¡± she said mockingly.

    ¡°I told you to stop that, Eliza. Stop saying dumb, stupid stuff like that!¡±

    She laughed as she came closer.

    Eliza looked a lot like her sister, just she had straight gray hair. She had no freckles and blue eyes. But besides that It was almost like someone had made a photocopy of Ola and pasted it, then you had Eliza. Unlike Ola, Eliza was a bully to me, and I didn''t know why.

    ¡°What do you want, Eliza? I''m trying to do my chores here. You''re dirtying the floor with your face,¡± I said.

    ¡°Oh wow, almost a decent burn there, Maddox. But you do know if you''re calling me ugly and I look like Ola, you''re technically calling her ugly too,¡± she said.

    ¡°Well, no, I mean, no, you''re actually...what do you want, Eliza?¡± I said, flustered.

    She laughed. ¡°Go play with your little friends. I''ll do your chores for you,¡± she said.

    ¡°Really?¡± I said, delighted.

    ¡°Yeah, I like cleaning,¡± she said.

    ¡°Thanks, Eliza, you''re the best,¡± I replied. ¡°Also, you''re not much older than us, so stop acting so much more mature,¡± I added.

    ¡°Whatever, kid. Go before I change my mind,¡± she said.

    The orphanage was in the middle of a flat green field surrounded by a thick forest of red, blue, and purple trees.

    ¡°Did you actually finish your chores?¡± Ren said excitedly.

    ¡°Yes, of course I did,¡± I lied.

    ¡°OK, let''s start then,¡± Ren said.

    The way you played Hot Pocket was simple: all the players stand around in a circle and you take a random rock from the pile of rocks in the center. One of the rocks is actually bewitched with a spell that makes it slowly get hot. Then we all place the rocks in our pockets, and your job as the one with the bewitched rock is to lie and exchange your rock with someone else''s rock before it gets too hot and explodes in your pocket. The role of the other players is to try to guess who the Hot Pocket player is. If they guess correctly, the stones in their pockets turn to sand and the Hot Pocket will explode immediately. While the explosion is harmless most of the time, it still stings and makes a hole in your pocket, and if you''re really unlucky, it sets a flame to them.

    The game works in rounds each one the players will try finding the Hot Pocket and form alliances with thoes they trust the importance in forming alliances is that at the end of each round you need to swap stones with one player in the game or vote on who the Hot Pocket is if you vote incorrectly the normal stones take the place of the imposter''s hot pocket and explodes leaving the original hot pocket untouched

    Magic in this world was still relatively new, so not much was known about it. Those born with magical affinities in the orphanage are given a wand when they turn five and immediately begin their training.

    Wands are a tool used to harvest or channel your spark into a more controlled stream, allowing you to manipulate it into spells.

    Spark is another name for mana.

    ¡°OK, so grab your stones,¡± Ola said.

    Everyone grabbed a stone and immediately placed it into their pockets.

    ¡°I think it''s Maddox,¡± Ren shouted.

    ¡°You always do this, Ren,¡± Ola said.

    ¡°Yeah, hey, why do you think it''s me?¡± I said defensively.

    ¡°You look suspicious,¡± he said.

    ¡°Nuh-uh, I don''t,¡± I said.

    ¡°Yeah, that''s just his face, Ren,¡± Ola said, defending me.

    ¡°That''s not helping, Ola,¡± I said, hurt by that conclusion.

    ¡°I actually think it''s Ren,¡± Bethany said. ¡°He squints when he''s lying or hiding something,¡± she added.

    ¡°That''s because I''m not wearing my glasses,¡± Ren said. ¡°I''m not the Hot Pocket.¡±

    ¡°It has to be Ren,¡± Ross added.

    ¡°Yeah, it is,¡± I seconded.

    ¡°Yeah, probably,¡± Ola said.

    ¡°Hold on,¡± I said. ¡°Ola, you''re being way too quiet. You only get like that when you''re lying,¡± I said.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Hey, I defended you, Maddox! Stop being mean,¡± she argued.

    ¡°Mmm, very suspicious, Ola,¡± I said mockingly.

    ¡°It''s not me!¡± she said.

    ¡°OK, we need to make a decision or swap rocks,¡± Ross said.

    ¡°Let''s stick with Ren,¡± I said.

    Ola began flinching and tossing about slightly.

    ¡°Or we let the rock heat up a bit more,¡± I said.

    ¡°No, no, we go with Ren,¡± Ola said, flustered.

    ¡°Yeah, it''s definitely Ola,¡± everyone agreed, laughing.

    The stones in our pockets turned to sand, and Ola''s burst.

    ¡°No fair!¡± Ola said. ¡°How''d you guys know?¡±

    Everyone just laughed.

    "You''re such a bad liar, Ola,¡± I said, still laughing.

    ¡°Yeah, you''re right,¡± she said, laughing as well.

    A bell rang loudly.

    ¡°Children, it¡¯s time to come inside. Magnus would like to speak with all of you.¡±

    We gathered in the main hall of the orphanage and sat down. The main hall was the biggest part of the orphanage and had six large rows of long tables where everyone would sit and eat.

    ¡°Good evening, children,¡± Magnus said.

    I''m not sure why, but I didn''t like Magnus Wyrmsbane. He seemed off to me. Magnus was the head caretaker of the orphanage. He was older, with long white hair that went down his back and a long white beard that stretched all the way down to the floor. He had piercing red eyes and a grin that sent shivers down my spine. He felt like a wolf in a den of sheep when he looked at us. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I kept my distance whenever I could. Magnus was an extremely famous wizard known for his impressive accomplishments, or so I was told.

    ¡°Children, I''ve told you many times that that game of Hot Porcupine is dangerous and should not be played.¡±

    The children let out a bit of a giggle.

    ¡°Silence!¡± Magnus exclaimed. ¡°On to more important details. Tomorrow is young Ethan¡¯s graduation. He has reached the right level in his magical abilities to leave us and join the others at the magical academy Lux in the big town west of here.¡±

    ¡°Wow, so lucky,¡± one of the orphans exclaimed.

    ¡°Congrats,¡± another said, slapping him on the back.

    ¡°We''re going to miss you,¡± another added.

    Lux was a school orphans were sent to when they became strong enough or if they turned 16. It was a huge honor amongst us orphans because this was a great step to making a name for ourselves. Since we were abandoned by our families and had no names, this was like our second chance to prove to the world that we could become something.

    ¡°That will be all, children. Make sure to keep practicing, and you too will be able to go to Lux.¡±

    ¡°We praise the founders and repent to the mother,¡± Magnus exclaimed.

    ¡°We praise the founders and repent to the mother,¡± we collectively said.

    Later that night~

    It''s so cool Ethan is so lucky Ren said as he took a huge bite of chicken

    We sat at the dining table in the main hall as we ate the dining area had long benches and tabels that we sat at

    Yeah it''s been a while some we have had any one reach graduation rank

    Graduation rank was achieved by those who manged to gain enough magical control to cast basic to advanced spells

    At the orphanage This was rare most of the children here couldn''t use magic and those that could had weak control over it

    ¡°Hey, I''m going to head to the library,¡± I said to Ola and Ren.

    ¡°You spend way too much time there,¡± Ola said.

    ¡°Yeah, man, it''s kinda weird.¡±

    ¡°It''s only weird because you can''t read, ren¡± I said jokingly.

    ¡°Hey, I can read,¡± Ren said slyly.

    "Yeah for some one who wears glasses you''re not living up to the stereotype Ren" ola said giggling

    "Stop and I don''t need glasses anymore I''m cured Madoxx" he said dismissively

    "Yeah sure" I said sarcastically "And you''re looking at ola" I added

    The orphanage had a library with many books donated by the capital town of Veloria. It wasn''t very big or house a large selection of books, but it was peaceful, and I could read and relax there.

    As I walked through the library looking for a new book to read, scrolling past all the familiar ones, I saw a book I''d never seen before, which was a shock. It was old and withered and looked out of place on the shelf. At the table, I opened it and began reading.

    ¡°To those who come after, I''m sorry. Why, Sina? You have cursed us all. The gift of the tree, you rejected from greed, and now we who come after are cursed to wither and die. Why, Sina, mother of lies? Please, God, shine on us once more.¡±

    The book was strange. I''d never seen it before. It was littered with magical runes, shapes, and languages I''d never seen. What was this person talking about? I couldn¡¯t read anything else in the book, but I was going to keep it. Maybe someday I could decipher it.

    I placed the book in my magical locker

    Any mage that had even slight control of their spark could form a magical locker where they could place items it was like backpack you could summon at any time

    ¡°Hey, Madoxx,¡± Eliza said, walking into the room.

    ¡°Hey, Eliza. What¡¯s up? Thanks for taking over my chores today, by the way.¡±

    ¡°No problem, but by now you should know that I don¡¯t do things for free,¡± she said smugly.

    ¡°What do you want, Eliza?¡± I said comprehensively.

    ¡°Down to the east, near the woods, there is a cabin I¡¯ve been trying to get into. I followed Magnus once, and he seems to go there quite often,¡± she explained.

    ¡°I still don''t get what that has to do with me, Eliza,¡± I said.

    ¡°Well, I''m too scared to explore it by myself, so I want you to go with me.¡±

    ¡°Eliza, you know we aren¡¯t allowed to go anywhere near the forest. We are going to get in trouble. It¡¯s just a storage cabin,¡± I said.

    ¡°Madoxx, listen. Don¡¯t you feel like something is strange around here? We have seen so many of our friends head to Lux, but they never visit, and we never hear anything back from them, not even a letter once in a while. It¡¯s strange, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°Just help me, please, Madoxx,¡± she interrupted.

    ¡°Fine,¡± I replied unenthusiastically.

    Eliza looked at me with a smug grin on her face, as if she were waiting for something.

    ¡°Wait, you mean right now?¡± I asked, surprised.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s now or never. Let¡¯s go,¡± she replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s the middle of the night. We can¡¯t wander through the forest this late,¡± I said.

    ¡°Yes, we can. Now let¡¯s go,¡± she insisted.

    The forest was quiet at night, the only sounds being those of animals and the crunching of dried leaves and branches beneath our feet. The sky was gray and cloudy, the air smelling like it did before a rainstorm. We could barely see in front of us as the moonlight was hidden behind the thick, dark clouds.

    ¡°Eliza, you do know the way, right?¡± I said, breaking the eerie silence.

    ¡°Yeah, I remember. Just stay close behind me,¡± she whispered.

    We approached a broken-down shed with a red door. It seemed out of place, just plopped in the middle of the forest. Fresh footprints coming and going from the shed were visible. The shack was small, barely large enough to fit anything of value, and the door was shut tight.

    Eliza tried opening the door, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. We walked around, looking for any other entry points.

    ¡°Hey, El, there¡¯s a small crawl space here. We can squeeze through.¡±

    ¡°Nice, good job, Madoxx,¡± she said.

    We crawled through the space and landed in a dark room.

    ¡°I can¡¯t see anything,¡± Eliza said.

    ¡°There are some stairs over there,¡± I said.

    We climbed down the stairs that seemed to go on forever until we reached a large steel door propped open by a stone. We entered and found a long corridor that stretched for miles, followed by a foul stench of rotten flesh.

    ¡°That smells terrible,¡± Eliza said, scrunching her face and covering her nose.

    ¡°Eliza, I think we should leave,¡± I said, uncomfortable.

    ¡°No, we made it this far. Let¡¯s keep going.¡±The dead silence of the room was broken when banging echoed throughout the corridor.

    ¡°Help me, please help,¡± the voice sounded weak and broken but, most shockingly, familiar.

    ¡°That¡¯s...that¡¯s Ethan,¡± I said, my voice trembling.

    We ran down the long corridor that opened up to a huge room. In the center was an altar, and tethered to it was Ethan.

    ¡°What is this?¡± I muttered, unable to believe the horrors in front of my eyes.

    ¡°Ethan!¡± Eliza cried.

    ¡°Help me, please,¡± he said, tears falling from his eyes before crying out.

    A white stream of particles seemed to be sucked from his body, going toward a statue of a woman.

    ¡°We need to help him!¡± Eliza cried out. ¡°Madoxx...Madoxx!¡±

    ¡°What? Yes,¡± I said, breaking from my trance.

    Ethan was tied to the altar, his hands and feet harnessed by thick chains.

    ¡°Eliza, wait!¡± I said as she charged forward to help him.

    Surrounding the altar was a huge circle of white sand.

    ¡°If we step over that sand, we¡¯ll probably trigger some sort of alarm,¡± I said.

    ¡°How do we help him then?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Hold on, do you hear that?¡± I said. ¡°Someone¡¯s coming. Hide!¡± I grabbed her hand, and we ran to hide under a table in the corner of the room.

    "This one put up a fight," a deep voice said.

    "Yeah, they all do. ''Help, help,'' they shout. ''Why are you doing this?''¡± the man mimicked in a condescending voice as they both laughed.

    "So, how much longer will this one be up there?" the man gestured, pointing at Ethan.

    "He¡¯s about done," the other man replied.

    "Oh, I guess I can have my fun then," the man said, pointing his wand at Ethan. A bright flash of white light shot from it, striking Ethan in the head.

    His body immediately went limp. I¡¯d never seen anything like this before, but i could practically see the life leaving his eyes. Tears began flooding down my face as the fear and shock locked me in place, unable to move or breathe. All I could feel was the tight grip of Eliza¡¯s arms clenched around me. She too began crying.

    "Magnus is going to be pissed off. Why¡¯d you do that?" the man said.

    "It¡¯s fine. He was about to die anyway," he responded.

    "You''re twisted, Matt," he replied.

    "Come on, Lucas. You know you wanted to kill this pig too," Matt said smugly as they both laughed.

    "It seems you¡¯re having a good time down here," Magnus said, walking into the room.

    "Sir," they both said, saluting him tensely.

    "What happened here? Why does this one have a hole in its head?" Magnus said annoyingly.

    "Well, the ritual was completed, sir, and I disposed of it," Matt replied.

    "I''ve told you many times, Matt, do not do anything without my permission. This one was a dud, but one day you may dispose of something important," Magnus exclaimed.

    "Yes, sir. I understand. It won¡¯t happen again."

    "Take it to the others," Magnus ordered.

    "Sir," they both exclaimed.

    What do they mean by "it"? They just killed a human, a child. What do they mean "it"? I clenched my fingers into a fist out of rage. That was a life, and they snuffed it out. For what? What did Ethan ever do to anyone? My throat felt tight as a sharp pain coursed through my chest.

    They untied him from the altar and placed him on a rolling table, then rolled him out into the corridor.

    ¡°We...we need to leave, Eliza,¡± I said, my voice cracking.

    Eliza sat there frozen in fear, her face looking as if all the light had been sucked out of it. She was pale, and her fingers trembled.

    I pulled her by the hand and guided her out. We ran back to the entrance. As we ran, I saw the room Matt and Lucas had gone into. There, I saw mounds of bodies piled on top of each other. Daniel, Sasha, Todd, Mathew. We kept running, crawling through the crawlspace back into the forest.

    We ran through the forest, my lungs burning and my feet hurting, but we didn''t stop. We ran faster and faster, trying to get away from that place until Eliza fell, tripping on a large stone.

    "We need to keep..."

    "They killed him, Madoxx!" she screamed, tears flooding her eyes. "What is going on?" She looked up at me, waiting for an answer.

    "I... I don''t know," I said. "But we need to keep moving."

    "Why? So we can be next? We need to get out of here."

    "What about Ren and Ola and everyone else? We can''t just run away. We need to do something."

    "What can we do, Madoxx? That''s our own caretakers. That''s Magnus, one of the strongest mages in the world. How can we fight that?" she said, defeatedly.

    "I don''t know, but we will figure it out. I need you to be strong, OK?" I said, walking closer to her.

    "The lives of our friends are in our hands now. We have to be careful about what we do next," I added. "I need you to be strong right now, Eliza, please."

    She sniffled and got up off the ground, her whole demeanor changing.

    "I''m sorry. You''re right, Madoxx. I just got a bit too emotional there. What''s our next move?" she said.

    One thing I admired about Eliza was that she was brave I could tell she as scared but she pulled her self together so quickly that it was almost frighting

    "For now, we need to find a way to safely escape with everyone else without being too suspicious. There are about 79 kids at the orphanage, about 20 of those are children. We need to act normal for now until we can find a way to get us all out alive."

    "Yeah, that''s a good plan for now. Let''s head back, and we can figure out the details."

    We made our way back through the forest, every sound and shadow making our hearts race. When we finally reached the orphanage, the first light of dawn was breaking over the horizon. We quietly slipped back into the building, trying to blend in.

    As we entered the main hall, we saw Ren and Ola whispering in a corner. Their faces lit up with relief when they saw us.

    ¡°Where have you been?¡± Ren whispered . ¡°We¡¯ve been worried sick!¡±

    ¡°We need to talk, but not here,¡± I replied, glancing around nervously. ¡°Meet us in the library in ten minutes.¡±

    Eliza and I went to the library, our hearts still pounding. Ren and Ola joined us shortly after, their faces etched with concern.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Ola asked.

    ¡°We saw something...terrible,¡± I began. ¡°Ethan is dead, and Magnus and the others...they¡¯re behind it. They¡¯re killing us.¡±

    Their faces went pale with shock.

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Ren asked, his voice trembling.

    Their killing us Ola stuttering what do you mean what''s going on Eliza

    Madoxx and I went to a cabin we found in the wood to explore it but we found this strange altar where Ethan was tied up she said her voice creaking and tears forming she explained all we saw

    So what do we do now Ren said his voice shaking

    ¡°We need to act normal for now,¡± Eliza said, her voice assertive. ¡°We can¡¯t let them know what we know. But we need a plan to get everyone out.¡±

    ¡°We need information,¡± I added. ¡°We have to find out more about what they¡¯re doing and why.

    I looked Eliza in the eye''s and could tell this had really effected her her once bright and optimistic deminer had gone she was suffering but for her sister she was acting strong

 Chapter 2: Even with a thousand years

    Today marked the first day of advanced magic lessons. Up until now, we had been honing our ability to sense the spark in the air.

    "Magic is a powerful ability that no one should take for granted," Professor Malinda Voidheart exclaimed.

    Professor Voidheart, a tall woman in her fifties with a strong Russian accent and an intimidating aura, had a long face, high cheekbones, and a small, sharp nose. Her piercing black eyes seemed to see through everything, and her long black hair, streaked with faint hints of gray, went down her back. She commanded attention with her straight posture and unwavering gaze, with one look you could tell she had authority and experience.

    "Now, out with your wands," she ordered.

    They were about 79 students in the orphanage, but only about 20 could sense or slightly manipulate spark

    We stood in the orphanage''s large backyard, lined up in a straight row, fumbling to retrieve our wands from our pockets.

    "Lesson one spark exists naturally in this world. It surrounds us. To manipulate it, you must feel it around yourself, draw it closer, and imagine it changing forms¡ªtwisting and folding over itself¡ªuntil it creates what you desire. Today, each of you hone this spark and make it bend to your will."

    "Understand that we do not know much about the origin of this gift we harness, so treat it with respect and learn," she said, pausing for a moment. "So that when you are grown, you too can help those who come after to understand."

    I was the only one who seemed to notice her pause. The other students couldn¡¯t be blamed¡ªthey didn¡¯t know what I knew. Milinda glanced in my direction, catching me staring. I quickly looked away, my heart racing in a panic.

    I hadn¡¯t even considered how much the teachers might know about this. Was Milinda in the loop? Was she aware of the slaughter taking place here?

    Everyone began to focus, closing their eyes and breathing deeply, trying to sense the mana around them. A faint white glow emitted from thire wands. They visualized the spark . Some caught on quickly; the first to succeed was a girl named Bethany. In an instant, a large sphere of water appeared in front of her, glistening against the sunlight¡ªa transparent, wobbly body of water floating in the air, dripping onto the ground. One by one, each of us managed to conjure it some conjured fire while others conjured big round bouldersof stone and others strong ghusts of wind all managed to get a hang of it all except me.......every single one except for me.

    I have these dark black lines of runes on my hands they have been there for as long as I can remember black and gray symbols scribbled all along my arms and palms I''m not sure where they initially came from or what purpose they serve all I know is that in this moment when I tried with all my might to summon anything,a faint warm sensation would linger over theses runes.

    "Hurry now, boy," Malinda exclaimed. "We do not have all day."

    I kept trying, but nothing happened. I could feel the spark around me, but I couldn''t manipulate it.

    Malinda looked at me and squinted her eyes before she said.

    "Boy, try to absorb the mana around you as if you are letting it gravitate towards the center of your body, absorb it into you instead, she ordered

    "Now, remember this carefully. Imagine your spark flowing through veins in your body, like how blood is transported. You will now pump out the spark and guide it down your veins all the way through your arms to the tips of your fingers, then into your wand, releasing it outwards."

    Milinda could see I was struggling but honestly this seemed so different from what we had been taught so far what was all this about spark coming from inside my body wasn''t the spark in the air around us how could I do that confused I decided to just try

    I focused hard, pacing my breathing carefully and adjusting my posture. I felt a strange warm sensation at the center of my cest this warm sensation began flowing through my body, down my legs, and into the ground.

    I opened my eyes and could feel the runes on my arms radiat this warm heat it was strange it felt hot but not painful the rune symbols had these orange red-ish glow to them this had never happened before

    Yes just like that boy she said smiling

    The tricky part is concentrating the spark to flow only in the direction you wanted¡ªthrough your arms. She added

    Breath after breath, I focused on channeling the flow, visualizing the spark shooting out of my wand. Finally, I opened my eyes again and saw a large ball of water in front of me.

    "Good... boy. Now keep concentrating," Professor Voidheart shouted, pleased with my progress. "Don''t lose focus."

    My body began to feel tingly a sensation I''d only felt in my fingers up till now

    I tried to slow the flow of spark to a steady pace, but it continued pumping into the ball, causing it to grow larger. The spark felt as if it was coming from every part of my body not only my arms I dropped the wand but nothing stopped the ball just got larger.

    "Stop now, boy! That''s enough!" Malinda shouted.

    "I''m trying!" I said as it continued expanding.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    At this point, it was almost as large as me, engulfing me and sucking me into its watery mass. I opened my eyes and saw Ola and Ren shouting something at me, but I couldn''t hear them over the rush of water engulfing me, filling my nose and throat. The ball was about three times my body size, and I felt like I was drowning until suddenly, it went rock solid. A chill overcame my whole body before I passed out, the thing i heard was the sound of shattering and everything went black

    "Hey, Madoxx," a voice called.

    "It''s... it''s you," I responded, my eyes struggling to adjust to the bright white room.

    A girl stood crouched, her head resting in her palms. I couldn''t mistake that blinding white hair blowing in the wind, and those piercing blue eyes.

    "It''s you," I repeated, "Who are you?" I asked.

    "You can trust Malinda" she smiled, locking eyes with me. "You''re doing well, Madoxx. We will be seeing each other soon," she said before suddenly exploding into a puff of white clouds.

    "Wake up, Maddox, wake up! Why isn''t he waking up?" I heard Ola say as I took a deep breath.

    "Thank God, I can''t have you dying under my supervision, boy," Malinda said, taking a deep breath herself.

    "Wow, dude, you really had to show off, huh?" Ren said, grinning.

    "Such a dumbass," Ola added, wiping away a tear from her eye.

    "I''ve never seen someone get attacked by their own spell " Ren chuckled softly.

    I looked behind me and saw shaterd pieces of ice alll over the floor.

    "What happened?" I said, confused.

    "We aren''t sure. This has never happened before," Malinda replied.

    She explained that a mage has an affinity for one of the elements¡ªfire, wind, water, or earth¡ªand gains the ability to control it. This exercise was designed to reveal each student''s affinity; those with a water affinity would conjure water, and similarly for fire, wind, and earth.

    Yet, I was not only capable of conjuring water but also freezing it, something unprecedented.

    I looked into Malinda''s eyes, which seemed to catch her off guard.

    "Off with all of you," Malinda exclaimed. "Maddox, come with me."

    "Children, you are to say nothing of the events that took place here," she added. "Yes, ma''am," the children said in unison.

    "Come sit here, boy," she said, gesturing to a nearby bench.

    "Only one who has seen true death has those eyes. Now, I will not ask how you came about this, but listen to me. There is much you do not know about this world and the true evil that inhabits it. We who came before have already been punished for our sins, yet those who cannot accept the judgment bestowed by fate try to change what cannot be... what should not be. I have watched for too long the atrocities committed here and cannot bear to see more innocent lives lost."

    Did she just admit to knowing about all of this?

    Her words made my heart skip a beat. Did she know about what happened with Eliza last night?

    "I have little power, boy, and cannot change anything, but your eyes remind me of a younger me. I know this is selfish, but I will burden you with this responsibility. I will help you help these children."

    It was true; besides Magnus, I''d never seen any of the teachers use magic. I''d always found it strange but had never questioned it.

    "Become strong enough to protect what is important to you, and only then can you win this."

    "I don''t understand, Professor. Why is this happening?"

    "Even with a thousand years, it would be hard to explain why anything happens. For now, I will help you how I can. Do not speak of this to anyone, not even those you trust. This conversation must remain between us for now. Do you understand?"

    "Yes, ma''am, I do," I replied.

    I''m not sure why the girl with white hair said what she said but for some reason I felt I could trust Malinda too.

    "Good. Now, go on, get out of here."

    Later in the dorms~

    The dorms could house six people. The small room was cramped with three old bunk beds, an antique chest filled with clothes, and a window on the far side with a view of the backyard. The walls needed a fresh coat of paint, and the ceiling had an old, wonky fan with only two of its three blades still mounted. I shared the room with Ren, Ola, Eliza, Bethany, and Isaac.

    Bethany was your average nerdy bookworm, soft-spoken and mostly kept to herself. She had frizzy long brown hair with bangs and freckles all over her face, and she wore big rounded glasses. Once you got to know her, you¡¯d find she had a kind, warm personality.

    Isaac was her brother, and he was almost the opposite in many ways. Outgoing and confident, Isaac had short, neatly trimmed hair. He was often seen laughing with friends or participating in various sports activities. Despite their differences, Isaac and Bethany shared a close bond. Isaac admired Bethany''s intelligence and kindness, while Bethany appreciated Isaac''s boldness and charisma. Their mutual respect and love for each other. Isaac was the most promising wizard after Ethan and was next in line to go to Lux.

    The six of us were like a mini family in this orphanage, having formed a bond over the years. We had known each other since birth, after all.

    "So, what happened to you guys last night?" Bethany asked. "Yeah, we were worried," Isaac added, "but none of the caretakers noticed, so you''re good."

    I hesitated to tell them, but I knew it needed to be done. Eliza and I explained everything we had seen. I could see the shock and heartbreak on their faces when I told them what had happened to Ethan and the rest.

    "We need to keep this between us for now," I explained.

    "What? No, we need to do something! We can''t let them get away with this. It''s inhumane¡ªthey strung him up and executed him!" Isaac cried out.

    "Yeah, we all feel that way," Ola said, breaking into tears, "but we need to be smart about it. We can''t just be reckless. Everyone''s lives are in danger, not just ours."

    Isaac hesitated for a moment, but I could tell he understood.

    "So what do we do now?" Bethany asked.

    "The closest town is too far away for one of us to reach undetected, so if we leave, we all need to leave," I explained.

    "This is crazy," Isaac muttered to himself. "You can''t let them take me, Madoxx, please," he said, shaking.

    In that moment, I didn¡¯t know what to say. It was all happening too quickly. The nice, average life we''d lived until now was flipped upside down.

    Magnus''s office ~

    "Oh young Isaac, how can I help you this evening?" Magnus asked.

    "S-sorry to disturb you, sir. It''s just that I... I know I''m the next candidate to leave the orphanage," Isaac stammered.

    "Yes, boy. You''ve done well, and your magic is exceptional. With more hard work, you''ll do wonderful things at Lux," Magnus replied.

    "Well, that''s the thing, sir. I don''t want to become a wizard anymore. I''m ready to set out, do my own thing, and explore the world," Isaac declared.

    Magnus''s face changed from its calm demeanor for a moment.

    "I see, boy. That is your choice, and I have no objections. But may I ask what made you come to this decision?" he asked.

    "I''m just not interested in the magical arts anymore, sir."

    "I see. Well, you are free to go," Magnus said with a hint of anger in his voice.

    The Dorms~

    A white light lit up the night sky. A wave of strange light traveled through the room, and just as quickly, it disappeared.

    "What was that?" Ola asked.

    "I''m not sure. I saw it too," I replied.

    "Same here," Ren said.

    Bethany was fast asleep and didn''t respond.

 Chapter 3: Glimpses of you

    The next day, I woke up and noticed Isaac had still not returned.

    "Hey Eliza, have you seen Isaac?" I asked.

    "Isaac? Who''s that?" Eliza asked, confused.

    "Don''t mess around right now, Eliza. I''m really worried. He didn''t come back to the dorms last night," I said.

    "Madoxx, are you sure you''re okay?" She looked at me, concerned.

    "What do you... Hey Bethany, wake up!" I said, panicked.

    "Mmmm, what is it? I''m tired," she said groggily.

    "Have you seen your brother today?" I asked.

    "Mmmm, brother? That''s funny, Madoxx. Let me sleep, please."

    "What is going on here, Ola?" I shouted.

    "Madoxx, are you alright?" Eliza stood and walked towards me. "Calm down, you''re scaring me," she said.

    "Did something happen? Did you hit your head or something?" Ola asked, joining Eliza.

    "Isaac! How do you not know who Isaac is?" I said, tears falling from my eyes.

    What was this sick joke? Was I losing it? I swear Isaac was just here, laying in that bed right there, the guy I shared a room with for 13 years.

    "Calm down, Madoxx. It''s always been just the five of us: Ola, Bethany, Eliza, Ren, and you," Ola said, sitting on the bed and looking me in the eyes.

    "I know you''ve been having a rough time, but we will always be together. We are all going to Lux together; we won''t be separated."

    "Lux? What do you mean, Lux? You saw what they did to Ethan. There is no Lux, Ola."

    "Madoxx, calm down. It''s okay. We are here."

    I took a deep breath and looked at Bethany

    "Bethany, listen to me," i pleaded, my voice trembling. "Isaac is your brother. We grew up together in this orphanage. How can you not remember him?"

    Bethany frowned, I could tell she was confused. "Madoxx, I don''t have a brother. It''s always been just us."

    "Eliza, Ola, something strange is happening. Last night, there was a strange light. Do you remember it?"

    Eliza nodded slowly. "Yes, there was a flash of light, but I thought it was just a dream."

    Ola added, "It was real. We all saw it."

    "That light... it must have done something to our memories. It''s the only explanation for why you can''t remember Isaac."

    "How do we prove it?" Eliza asked, her voice trembling. "How do we know you''re not the one imagining things?"

    Bethany held her head and began screaming out in pain.

    "Bethany, what''s wrong?" Ola asked.

    "My head hurts, please help me," she said, screaming.

    "What do we do?" Ren asked, looking at me.

    "I''m...I''m not sure." Bethany let out another cry before passing out on the bed.

    They all sat and looked at me, waiting for answers I didn''t have.

    I''d disturbed the once happy life they had here. Was I really going to do it again¡ªtell them what this place was? Was it better to leave them oblivious, let us enjoy our last few years or months of peace?

    Then I remembered what happened to Ethan. I imagined Ola, Eliza, Bethany, or Ren strung up on that altar, their lives being sucked from their bodies, the life leaving their eyes. I couldn''t do that, not again.

    I sat there and explained it all to them again.

    "That''s insane," Eliza said. "How could I forget something like that?"

    "It''s not your fault," I said. "The light from yesterday did something to your memories. But why didn''t it affect me?"

    Three months went by, and Bethany only got worse. Any mention of Isaac would send her into episodes of painful headaches.

    Se would wake up a few hours later and would somehow forget all about Isaac

    One day, I saw Bethany sitting outside on a bench. The weather was windy, and the skies were gray.

    "Nice weather to be reading outside," I said sarcastically.

    She looked up and smiled weakly. "Hi, Madoxx."

    "I had a question. I found this book in the library. Have you ever seen it before?" I asked, handing her the book.

    She examined it and frowned. "No, I''ve never seen it, but look at all these runes and this language. It''s so strange. I can''t read a single word of it."Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    "Yeah, that''s what I expected."

    "Sorry I couldn''t be much help, Madoxx," she said.

    "No, don''t worry about it. It''s dumb," I replied.

    "How have you been feeling lately?" I asked, trying to break the silence.

    She giggled. "Wow, Madoxx, really? That''s the best you''ve got?"

    "What? I''m just concerned."

    "It''s okay. I can tell this has affected you too. We are all scared, but if we stick together, we can do it. That''s what I truly believe," she said, smiling.

    "But what if more people die? What if I can''t save everyone in time?" I said, a bit more pathetically than I intended.

    "That''s unfair, Madoxx. You don''t get to put this on your shoulders alone. We have to do this together," she said, looking me in the eyes.

    "I''m sorry," I said, hanging my head.

    "Don''t be sorry, Madoxx," she said, hugging me.

    "So why are you out here in this type of weather?" I asked.

    "I like the rain," she said. "I feel like when the wind blows really intensely or when lightning strikes really loudly, that''s the way the world releases its frustration, shouting loudly, its presence felt by everyone. It reminds me that it''s okay to be a little frustrated sometimes."

    "You''re frustrated about something?" I asked.

    "Yeah, a little bit. I sometimes feel like I''m forgetting something or someone so important to me, but I can''t ever remember their face or name. Then my head hurts so much as if it''s punishing me for forgetting. But after talking to you a while back, I remembered. Madoxx, I know Isaac was real. He was my brother, but I forgot him."

    "I feel like I''m a monster. What kind of person forgets something so important to them? How was I able to freely smile when I''d forgotten the most precious person to me? How could I forget my own brother like that?" she began crying.

    Magnus''s spell wasn''t as perfect as I thought. It had cracks in it. Completely taking away people''s memories must not be as easy as I imagined. Seeing Bethany in so much pain was hard to watch. Yet, I didn''t know how to help her. seeing her like this made me angry.

    I leaned in and hugged Bethany.

    "I know it''s hard not being able to explain things sometimes, but never blame yourself for how you feel. Scream and shout back at the world if it makes you feel better. It''s hard to explain why our bodies do what they do, but I know you are a kind person, the furthest thing from a monster, so never call yourself that."

    She hugged me back as she cried. A few moments passed before she let go.

    "I''m happy to have a friend like you," Bethany said.

    "Same here," I replied.

    Three weeks ago, we decided it was best not to stress Bethany anymore. This spell had a huge effect on her, giving her headaches, but it was clear that Magnus''s spell was cracking. For now, it was best not to tell Bethany that her brother might be dead.

    In the past three weeks, four students had gone missing. It seemed Magnus had abandoned the entire Lux Academy facade, opting instead to erase everyone¡¯s memories. Strangely, though, it no longer affected Ola and the rest of us.

    ¡°We just need to leave!¡± Ren shouted.

    ¡°We can¡¯t just up and leave! These are children¡¯s lives!¡± Eliza shot back.

    I walked in to find Eliza and Ren arguing, with Ola trying to mediate the chaos.

    ¡°Ren¡¯s right,¡± I said, cutting through the tension. ¡°We can¡¯t keep wasting time. Four students are already gone¡ªprobably dead. I can¡¯t keep doing this. We have no plan, no way to stop the deaths, so let¡¯s just leave.¡±

    ¡°So, what? You want us to gather the children and run? Do you really think Magnus would allow that?¡± Eliza asked, her voice sharp with frustration.

    ¡°No, but what choice do we have, Eliza?¡± I replied, my tone softer but no less serious.

    Everyone went silent. No one had an answer to my question.

    With an exasperated sigh, Eliza stormed out of the room.

    Later that night ¡ª The Backyard

    I found Ola sitting outside on a bench in the backyard. The sky was unusually clear, with stars sparkling like diamonds, while the moon bathed everything in a soft, silvery glow. From this spot, the white forest and the distant docks were visible, their outlines stark against the night. Ola sat quietly, staring out at the scenery, lost in thought.

    "You''re going to get sick and die if you''re not careful," I joked

    "Yeah, not the worst way to go though," she replied sarcastically.

    "Can I sit with you for a bit?" I asked.

    "Yeah, go ahead," she said.

    We sat together, admiring the stars for a while before she broke into tears again."

    I know it''s embarrassing, right?" she said dismissively.

    "No, I think it''s good to cry, you know, let it out," I said.

    "Yeah, I guess you''re right," she said.

    Listen Ola about the..

    "My sister and I would look out at the stars sometimes when we felt overwhelmed. She used to tell me that in a world where the biggest stars look so small compared to the universe, how big can our problems really be?"

    "Your sister really is something, she was the one who forced me to go to that cabin that night the one who pushed me with out her we would all be marching towards our death without even knowing it you remind me a lot of her sometimes I said

    "I''m nothing like her," she said. "My sister is brave, smart, caring, and the one who is going to help you get us out of here not me she said

    "Earlier today, when you were the one who stood between Ren and Eliza as theg fought it takes someone very brave ro do that you know you are the kindest person I know to you can''t even lie in a game of Hot Pocket I mocked and you truly care for us I can tell that from a mile way

    "Well, you didn''t give a reason to show I was smart," she said jokingly.

    "Well, we can''t have it all now, don''t be greedy," I replied.

    She smiled, almost letting out a chuckle.

    "Do you really think we can get out of here?" she asked.

    "Nothing in this world is guaranteed until we make an effort, and nothing is lost until we give up," I said.

    "Where did you hear that, oh wise one?" she teased.

    "I''m not sure, but it''s something I hold dear to me," I replied.

    "It''s not going to be easy, and we will most likely face impossible odds. I feel like we met for a reason, and the five of us were meant to overcome the odds together. So no matter how big the obstacles are, they are still tiny compared to the stars in our sky and tinier still compared to the vast universe."

    "I don''t give you enough credit, you know," she said, moving closer to hug me.

    "You aren''t as dumb as I thought," she said, smiling and laughing.

    "Rude," I said, joining in her laughter and hugging her back.

    ¡°We should probably head back to the dorms,¡± I said, breaking the silence.

    ¡°Yeah, but I think I¡¯m going to stay out a bit longer,¡± Ola replied, her gaze still fixed on the scenery.

    ¡°Fine. Just don¡¯t get sick,¡± I said with a small shrug.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, Mom. I¡¯ll be in soon,¡± she mocked, flashing a teasing grin.

    Unknown Area~

    ¡°Sir, everything seems to be proceeding as you said it would,¡± a man reported, his voice steady but laced with nervousness.

    ¡°Well, naturally,¡± the other man replied, a sly grin spreading across his face. ¡°Maybe now the church will finally realize that the only way forward is my way.¡±

    He turned slightly ¡°Now, we need results. Begin Project 441.¡±

    ¡°But, sir¡­ the others have agreed that this is too risky. There are too many unknown variables,¡± the subordinate protested, hesitation clear in his voice.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask what the others think,¡± the man snapped, his grin fading into a cold glare. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading to my station now. Inform the Guardians¡ªthey are to observe only. No one is to interfere.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes, Magnus sir. Understood,¡± the man stammered, standing stiffly as he gave a sharp salute

 Chapter 4: Prey is prey

    "Boy," Magnus said, his voice a cold whisper, "humans are so fragile, so easy to dismember."

    I woke from my sleep, my heart pounding, to find Magnus sitting on the edge of my bed. It felt as if my breath was being sucked away from my body. I couldn''t move, paralyzed by a mix of shock and fear.

    Then I saw it¡ªBethany. Or at least, part of her. Her head was in Magnus''s hands, held as if it were a mere toy. There was no emotion on his face, only the lifeless, empty eyes of Bethany staring back at me. I was frozen in disbelief, my mind struggling to comprehend the horror before me.

    Tears began to fall from my eyes. "What... is this?" I whispered, my voice trembling. "What have you done?"

    Magnus¡¯s expression remained cold, almost bored. "Yes, that''s the expression I wanted to see," he said softly, a twisted smile curling his lips. "The expression of hope dying. The confusion. This is true, raw emotion."

    "Why?" I screamed, my voice breaking into a roar. "Why her?"

    Magnus tilted his head slightly, his eyes glinting with cruel amusement. "Why not her?" he asked with no emotion in his voice

    He paused, his gaze shifting to the distance. "I must admit, you have been a thorn from the very start. How many of you must I kill before you finally understand?" His voice was calm and composed

    I could not speak. All I could do was stare in horror. How had he figured out what we had been up to?

    "It''s useless now. Just like Isaac, I''m tired of your meddling," he said, turning to look me dead in the eyes. The bloodlust in them was so intense, like sharp spikes pointed at me. I had to do something, but what? As his hand came closer to me, I knew that if it touched me, I would die.

    Madoxx what is going on Eliza said waking from the noise she too became completely over taken with fear as she saw Bethany and Magnus

    "Maddox, do you mind if I rant for a bit? I still can''t fall asleep..." Ola walked in and was immediately silenced by what she saw. A flashing red light lit up the room, and Magnus shot a beam at Ola, hitting her in the leg. She fell to the floor instantly, her screams echoing loudly, almost deafening.

    Eliza stood up and lunged at Magnus but while she was mid air Magnus sent a red mean of violent magical energy in her direction hitting her in the head she fell immediately to the floor her body going limp I saw her life leave her body just as it did Ethan reality broke everything want dead quite I could not mover or comprehend what had happened in front of me Eliza could not be dead I refuse to accept that

    The others woke up from olas screams and Ren looked over to Eliza''s body abd began crying the blood oozed from her head painting the floor in red

    Magnus turned his attention back to me as another red beam shot straight at me. I instinctively rolled out of the way, barely managing to avoid it. I looked up and saw a gaping hole in the wall, pieces of concrete splattered everywhere, some hitting me in the face. I ran towards the door where Ola sat, screaming in pain.

    Professor Malinda ran for her room to investigate what was going on to her horror and shock she saw us In the door way and Magnus standing over Eliza''s dead corpes

    Help us Professor I said tears falling from my eyes my voice rough and hores from pain

    Another flash of red light lit the room. I jumped to the side, barely dodging it. None of this made sense. Why would he risk all the attention this direct attack would bring? Why not take us out quietly? What was with this strange attack? Wait, I had no time for this; I needed to get Ola to safety.

    The second shot landed near my feet, exploding and sending me flying into the air. As I hit the ground, the air was knocked out of me. I turned back and shot an ice shard at him. He smiled and swatted it away like he was swatting a fly. Attacking him would be pointless, so I created an ice barrier in a desperate act to create some room between me and him.

    Unfazed, he walked through it as if it was never even there. I ran towards the door and tried to shield her from any other attacks

    Ren jumped from his bed amits the chaos and ran towards ola and me Professor Malinda looked at me and said only you can stop this Madoxx she lifted her wand swirling it in a circular shape a white worm light surrounded us The last thing i saw was a red thunderous beam striking Malinda in the head as she fell to the ground.

    I''m not sure if what I saw was actually real, but I swear in the split moment before Magnus killed Milinda, her body burst into flames.

    and the next minute we landed deep in the forest .

    "What... what is going on?" Ren muttered, staring at Ola''s amputated foot in horror, tears streaming from his eyes.

    "I...I don''t know," I replied, my voice shaking. "Bethany... oh no, Bethany." I fell to my knees again Eliza thire dead. "It''s all my fault. Why them? They did nothing wrong. So why..."

    Ola''s screams echoed around the forest before she passed out from the shock. I got up and pointed my wand towards her. I knew no healing spells, so I did the first thing that came to mind and used ice to cauterize/ freez the wound. My mind was in a fuzzy state, but I knew we needed to keep moving. I couldn''t let Ola and Soren die too. I grabbed Ola, strapping her to my back, and signaled to Soren that we needed to keep moving.

    We ran for what seemed like hours, running until our lungs felt as if they would burn straight out of our chests, deeper and deeper into the white forest. We didn''t speak; our mouths were too busy gasping for air. The only sounds echoing through the forest were our feet stomping rapidly through the wilderness.

    The moonlight served as our lantern, shining through the forest canopy, casting eerie shadows onto the forest floor. I could only see a couple of feet in front of myself, not that there was much to see anyway except trees and the occasional animal roaming around peacefully before getting spooked by us and running off.

    "S... stop," Ren gasped. "I can''t keep going any further."Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    "Who dares come into these woods " a deep voice growled menacingly. The voice.

    A white figure leaped from the trees, landing before us. Standing tall on two legs, it had a white fur coat and a wolf-like appearance, complete with sharp claws and gleaming teeth. Sharp spikes protruded from its back along its spine. It towered over us, exuding a primal aura that sent shivers down my spine.

    "So you are not lost, boy," it growled.

    "You must be brave, wandering in these woods, brave or stupid," it said as drool oozed from the sides of its mouth.

    "It''s been a while since we''ve had human meat," it snarled, eyeing Ola hungrily.

    More of its kind began falling from the trees, surrounding us, moving forward,encasing us.

    "The gods must be smiling on us today, gifting us with such a wonderful supper," it said as the others began to growl, inching closer and closer.

    These were white keeth I''d read about them in a book at the school orphanage but I''d never actually believe they were real

    In a desperate attempt to escape, Ren grabbed me, and we ran a few meters away from the Keeth. We began running, trying to create distance between them and us, running quite literally for our lives.

    The Keeth were fast and were gaining on us. When they ran, they got down on all fours and sprinted in an animalistic, feral way, locked in on their prey. One lunged from the darkness, biting Soren on his shoulder and dragging him down to the ground.

    I quickly turned around and shot a sharp ice shard at it, piercing straight through it. It let out a whimper before retreating back into the shadows.

    Soren got up, now bleeding from the shoulder, wincing in pain. We were surrounded in seconds again.

    "It''s pointless to run, children," one of the Keeth taunted. "Accept your fate."

    What was going on? Was this really how we were going to die, eaten in the woods by some savage beasts? Eaten in the woods, and it was all my fault. Why was I the one giving the orders? Look at how good my orders were. Ola lost half her leg and was on the verge of bleeding out. Soren was so tired and injured he fell to the ground, and here I was, the hopeless so-called leader, so frightened and deep in self-pity to move Eliza Ethan Isaac Bethany everyonen around me was dying.

    Suddenly, a Keeth lunged, sinking its teeth into my leg. I cried out in pain, collapsing to the forest floor. In the chaos, the Keeth seized Soren and Ola, dragging them away from me.

    I fought back, summoning ice shards in a futile attempt to fend them off. But outnumbered and outmatched, my efforts were in vain. There were thousands of them, some still in the trees, watching.

    "This is useless, boy i Ogunt Ki will not let you escape. Why do you fight? You cannot win. Just close your eyes and accept your fate. Prey is prey, and we are the hunters," it growled menacingly.

    All this time, I''d felt I was special, like the main character in a book or something. Deep down, I felt that everything would always work out for me, no matter what, and so far it had. Deep down, even after hearing the terrible secrets of the orphanage I thought it was my duty to be the shining hero, the one the one who comes inat the last minute to save everybody Some hero I was. All i managed to do was get my friends killed. I''m no hero. I''m barely able to stop myself from crying right now.

    "But I can''t allow ola and ren to die.

    This cruel world can take me if that means they get to live. I refuse. I reject that reality.

    In a last-ditch effort, I stood up as the

    Keeth lunged mid-air in their ruthless feral attack

    Ice rushed from my palms, forming a barrier around us. The barrier quickly transformed into a dome, encasing us and sending waves of long, sharp spikes rippling outward, growing uncontrollably in all directions. The spikes pierced through the Keeth, spreading further and further, engulfing large areas of the forest. I wanted them to die. I wanted them to suffer. My arms felt as if they were breaking, the strain unbearable, but in my rage, I couldn¡¯t stop. The Keeth had to suffer for what they¡¯d done. Magnus had to burn for what he did to Bethany, to Lucas, to Eliza... and for hurting Ola.

    "Hi again, Madoxx," a voice suddenly said.

    It was as if I were hallucinating. The girl with long white hair appeared beside me. She sat next to me, her presence strangely familiar.

    She smiled warmly, a smile that felt genuine, like someone I had known my entire life. "This was the only wsy," she said softly.

    "Please, let go... it¡¯s not¡ª" she started, but before she could finish, her form dissolved into a cloud of white mist.

    I snapped back to reality. The Keeth were gnawing at the ice dome, ripping chunks off bit by bit, violently scratching and biting, smashing their jaws and claws into the ice.

    My palms felt warm, then unbearably hot, as black runes appeared on them¡ªrunes etched with strange symbols, circles, and shapes I couldn¡¯t decipher. Not again not now I thought, the heat becoming intolerable. The symbols glowed red, intensifying the burning sensation.

    For some reason these damn runic symbols would always appear when I tried to use magic and whenever they did I would lose all abilities not even able to cast simple spell.

    Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my mind, dropping me to the ground. Visions of the girl with white hair echoed in my head. Her smile filled my thoughts.

    "Madoxx," she whispered, still smiling.

    "Stop!" I shouted, my voice cracking with frustration.

    Ogunt Ki stood nearby, fists clenched, ordering the Keeth to attack the ice dome. "Boy, it¡¯s too late," he taunted menacingly. "You never had a chance of making it out of this forest alive."

    His voice became distorted, fuzzy, as my head pounded. My ears rang, and though I could hardly hear my surroundings, tears began to fall. But strangely, they weren¡¯t tears of fear. It was... something else.

    "Get up and fight," the voice in my head urged.

    I was furious¡ªfurious at the Keeth, furious at Magnus¡ªbut mostly, furious at myself. My heart ached as I thought of Eliza and the others.

    "Fight!" the voice commanded again.

    The runes on my hands flared up, burning violently before vanishing in a puff of smoke, slowly peeling away from my skin. It was as if I were watching my own body from outside of it. I saw my head snap upward, my eyes fixed on the ice ceiling above.

    Then, black shadowy mist erupted violently from my arms.

    At the same time, the ice dome shattered into thousands of pieces, those pieces breaking into smaller shards until nothing remained. The mist seemed to have a mind of its own, forming into hundreds of shadowy hands that reached out, grabbing each and every one of the Keeth. The shadowy palms multiplied, splitting from the mist and stopping the Keeth in their tracks.

    "What is this?!" Ogunt Ki shouted, struggling to escape the grasp of the shadowy arms.

    For a moment, everything was silent.

    Once the hands reached the Keeth, they pulled a white, transparent substance from their bodies. Everything froze, and all I could hear were the whimpers from the Keeth. I stood, watching in shock, taking in the scene in full detail.

    I walked toward Ogunt Ki, the leader of the Keeth, and looked him directly in the eyes.

    "What wizardry is this, child?" he demanded, his voice filled with fear. I looked at him, understanding that, in his nature, he was simply a beast. I was the intruder in his territory. This was the brutal reality of the world¡ªthe strong devoured the weak.

    The truth was, I wasn¡¯t angry at the Keeth. My rage was entirely directed toward Magnus.

    "We Keeth are sorry. We did not know you possessed such overwhelming power," Ogunt Ki stammered. "I, Ogunt Ki, the leader of the Keeth, bow before you and swear loyalty to you. I ask only that you spare the pack."

    My hands clenched tightly, and as they did, the shadowy hands pulled the very souls from the Keeth. They whimpered in agony.

    "Mercy... please," Ogunt Ki begged.

    But all I could think was perish, as the shadowy hands ripped their souls free. Their bodies went limp as life drained from their eyes, just as it had happened to Ethan.

    The shadowy hands retracted, carrying the souls toward a black portal. The Keeth made no physical sound, but the soul-like substance being torn from them wailed in despair as it was swallowed by the portal. Each soul was absorbed into the dark void, pulsating as it claimed them one by one.

    Ogunt Ki¡¯s soul was different¡ªred in color¡ªas it was torn from his body and rushed toward the portal.

    "How... unfortunate," he whispered as his soul plunged into the void.

    Before the portal closed, it pulsed violently, red and black energy swirling within it. Sudden it disappeared.

    Exhausted, I stumbled back toward Ola and Ren. I knelt down beside them before everything went black, and I passed out.

 Chapter 5: I know who my enemy is

    ~Chapter five~

    ~I know who my enemy is~

    "Mmmm... maybe you will be of use after

    all''" a strange, unknown figure spoke from

    the shadows of the trees.as a grin spread

    across its face.

    "Madam, I found these ones in the forest," a woman said .

    "And why would you bring filthy children back here to my home, Sora?"

    "I apologize, Madam, but this boy''s magic... I assumed you would find it very interesting," Sora replied.

    "But I will dispose of them at once. I apologize for my rash and forward thinking, Madam Lilith," Sora added.

    "No, it''s done. Put the two injured ones in the healing fountain, and take the unconscious boy upstairs to one of the spare rooms. I''ll see to him later," Lilith ordered.

    "Yes, ma''am. Understood," Sora said.

    "Hey, you. You''re finally awake," a female voice called to me.

    I opened my eyes and found myself lying in a massive bed draped with a red canopy embroidered with gold thread, beads, and emeralds. The room was quite large, the floors had white tiles. In front of me stood a dresser with a large mirror. To my left, heavy curtains covered a balcony. To my right, there was a closed door, and a giant wardrobe nearby.

    The voice belonged to a woman. She was pale-skinned, with long charcoal-black hair that reached the floor, and horns protruding from her head¡ªthough one of them was broken. She looked about my age and she had a dead-serious expression as she looked at me.

    "Where am I?" I asked, my voice weak and raspy.

    "In my house, obviously," she replied with a cheeky smirk.

    "Where are my friends?"

    She grinned menacingly. "What if I told you I killed them?"

    My heart dropped as rage took over. "Where are my friends?" I repeated, louder this time.

    "The girl stood no chance; she was already injured. The boy tried to protect her but failed. They tasted average, though, when I devoured them," she cackled.

    I sprang from the bed and lunged at her, but she sidestepped effortlessly, sending me crashing to the floor.

    She giggled. "Mother, he''s awake!"

    "Stop teasing the boy, Melody. Leave us. I need to have a chat with him," a new voice commanded.

    "But I wanna stay!"

    "Leave us now, young lady," the woman interrupted firmly.

    "So unfair, Mom," Melody muttered as she stomped out of the room.

    The woman¡ªLilith, I presumed¡ªhelped me back onto the bed.

    "Your friends are downstairs in the healing chamber," she said in a calm, soothing voice.

    "Thank God," I exhaled in relief.

    It was only then I realized my hands were no longer in pain. I remembered the pain they were in during the attack from the Keeth , but now they were completely healed. I stared at them in amazement.

    "One of my helpers found you unconscious in the forest," Lilith continued. "She claims you singlehandedly took out an entire tribe of Keeth with a powerful spell. Is that true?"

    "I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s all foggy," I admitted. "I don¡¯t remember much, just desperately trying to protect my friends."

    An image of Eliza flashed through my mind, and tears welled up again. "Protecting those I had left," I whispered.

    "You¡¯ve been through a lot, haven¡¯t you?" Lilith¡¯s tone softened.

    She looked remarkably like Melody but had no horns. Her shadow black hair was rolled into an elegant bun, pinned by a golden rose hairpin. Her beauty was unreal, and her presence intense that of a queen. She wore a flowing white dress, a gold-crested necklace adorned with a black flower resting on her chest.

    I told her everything: the orphanage, Magnus, Bethany, Eliza. I wasn¡¯t sure why I trusted her so easily, but she had a warm, inviting, motherly aura that put me at ease. By the time I finished, tears streamed down my face.

    Lilith said nothing, merely wrapping her arms around me. Her silent comfort helped more than words ever could. When i finally stopped sobbing, she released me and said gently, "You did well. Rest for now. I¡¯ll call for you later to eat. Sora, the maid who found you, will be here if you need anything."

    At her command, Sora appeared silently in the corner of the room.

    "I will take my leave now," Lilith said, addressing Sora. "Stay with the boy and get him anything he may need."

    "Yes, ma¡¯am," Sora replied with a bow as Lilith left the room.

    Eliza''s face flashed through my memories here lifeless face I couldn''t handle it,i couldn''t stop the images from flashing through my mind she couldn''t actually be dead. I wished with all my heart that my eyes were just lying to me.

    Sora eventually told me it was time to head downstairs. As we walked, I noticed the just how big this place really was. Doors lined the long corridor, and a red carpet stretched along the floor, the walls were filled with paintings, suits of armor, and other stuff I couldn''t even name

    Just this corridor was ten billion times more fancy than the orphanage.

    The orphanage where Magnus remained killing all my friends.

    We went down several long stairs until we reached the great hall. A massive table stood at the center of the room, long enough to seat fifty people. Lilith sat at its head, gesturing for me to sit next to her.

    "How are you feeling ?" she asked.

    "I''m feeling better but my chest feels really painful" I admitted.

    "That¡¯s normal after what you¡¯ve been through. Give it time to recover," she assured me.

    Melody entered, descending the staircase with a mischievous grin.

    "So, you didn¡¯t die after all," she teased.

    "No¡­ no, I didn¡¯t," I replied dryly.

    "Good," she muttered under her breath.

    "What was that?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

    "I said, that¡¯s unfortunate," she sneered, glaring at me.

    Lilith interrupted "what do you know about this world madoxx?"

    "Er... well the orphanage taught us..."

    she intrupted and said "forget everything that place has taught you I''m going to tell you the truth of this world."

    Zora was the first mage of our time. Long ago, while the world was young and untamed, there lived a man named Zora. He was a very peaceful man who was a chief of a small village. While this was his role, Zora''s calling was that of nature. He loved exploring and discovering the wonders of the untraveled world. He would jot down and draw maps of the world and all its mysteries until one day, a plague ran rampant over the village and many people died. Zora tried desperately to find a cure, venturing deep into the unknown to find it. He failed, and when all hope was lost, he decided to return home and die along with his people.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    On his way back, he found a cove deep in the forest. Deciding this would be his last adventure, he explored it and found a huge tree, the biggest tree he had ever seen. The tree let out a glow so bright it lit up all of the forest in a warm white light, similar to that of the sun. A tree so large its branches spread for miles and miles. He decided this was the place he wanted to die. Zora had caught the plague a while back and was barely alive himself, only fueled by the determination to save his people. But now, with death so close in sight, he chose this to be his resting place. He lay down near the tree and closed his eyes.

    His eyes opened suddenly when the tree began to glow, engulfing him in a warm white light that instantly healed him. Happy and strengthened by the tree, he ran back home and brought all the village there to be healed. They then set up this place and named it the new village of Zora, the city of life, deep down underground in a magical forest that spanned for miles and miles.

    The more time they spent down there, the more they realized the effect the tree had. People no longer got sick, no longer needed sleep, and would no longer age. The old would revert to the age they were at their prime, and the young would grow to be strong. This was paradise, a hidden paradise, a gift brought by the gods themselves. The city of life grew large and developed into the greatest unknown nation.

    For thousands of years, the nation grew and grew until one day a woman named Sina, an adventurer fascinated by the world and exploring, found this place. She was amazed by the nation and wanted to share it with the world to help the people above make it a place for all to enjoy.

    She explained that the outside world was in chaos: wars were being fought, people were dying, starving, and this place would put an end to all that.

    Zora quickly shot down this suggestion, simply saying man has gone to war for a lot less. The greed of humanity is not ready for such a fragile gift. Upset, Sina said Zora was being greedy for keeping this to himself. She cursed his name and called him all sorts of names. The people, unable to stand by as their ruler was disrespected, locked her up in the makeshift prison.

    Months went by not knowing what to do with Sina. A council was formed to make the decision. The ultimate decision was that the tree was not theirs to keep. Sina was released, with Zora telling her it was her choice what she did with the information she had of this world, but to know that exposing this secret to those above would be the end of this city and the peace that had been kept for thousands of years.

    Sina left upset, but Zora hoped she understood. Six months passed, and just as Zora expected, Sina returned with an army of people declaring war on the nation. Sina gave Zora an ultimatum to surrender and let the city be available to all people of the world or die here and now. Zora, with no intention to fight, surrendered, and the city became publicly available to anyone.

    For a while, this was not an issue. People respected each other, and it looked as if peace would actually be attainable. Until years later, it was now visible that this paradise could not house all of humanity and that eventually the it would fall to overpopulation.

    The kingdoms of this place were now forced to make a decision of who would leave. It was agreed upon that we would need to limit access to the city from now on. Some suggestions were to close the entrance. The village was now split into four main kingdoms: Sina, Rosavolt, Zora, and Maru. These four kingdoms formed over time as the population became too big to be handled by only one person.

    Zora spoke up and informed them that they had lived here for thousands of years and it would be unfair to close off the area. It was time for the original population to leave and let the new generation have their turn. He told them this was not their paradise to keep, it was time to leave.

    Sina, visually upset by this, claimed there was no need to give up this paradise, that they had saved enough people, and that this paradise was theirs to keep, to let the outside world find a way to live independently of the tree.

    Zora reminded her of what she told him the day they met, but Sina would not give up. She had become too dependent on this place and the idea of living forever. Zora told her that this would cause wars if they denied the people of the outside world entrance to the city. Zora gave an ultimatum: what if we used the city only to heal people of sickness, what if we all left? Humans were never meant to live forever, after all. Maybe it was time we all left.

    All of the kingdom''s rulers were visually against this plan. Zora knew that this was bound to happen, and as he stated, a war was on the horizon.

    Zora and his kingdom had prepared to leave the city in the coming days, but before they could, the entrance to the cave was destroyed, caving it in, making it impossible for the people of the outside world to enter.

    Disappointed, Zora had no choice but to stay. The first issue arose ten years later because the city was already overpopulated and kids were still constantly being born. Food resources became dangerously low. It was found out that Rosavolt had been stockpiling additional food as he was the kingdom that supplied the largest food yield to the city. This realization was met with a lot of anger. Rosavolt closed his borders, claiming the rest of the nations would need to fend for themselves. He had stockpiled enough food reserves for many years to come, while the other nations were basically at the stage of starvation. Sina, angry, launched war on Rosavolt''s kingdom. This war lasted six months with many casualties.

    This was the first time blood had been spilled in this sacred area. This led to drastic measures being taken. The blessings of the tree were withdrawn from those who had killed, including Sina.

    It took a while to notice, but eventually the signs became apparent. Sina began to age, so did her men. They began to get sick and would need rest and became weak.

    Upset by this, Sina held a meeting. She claimed she had done this for all of them. It was unfair that she alone had to suffer and be punished for doing the right thing. She claimed she stopped the starvation by killing the population of Rosavolt''s army and that they should be thanking her. She was angry and Zora assured her that no one asked her to do what she had done. Maru also agreed and stated that if it was their time to die, then death would have come. It was not her duty to stop it. Furious, she left and later that day, the tree was set alight by Sina and her kingdom. Millions of fires were set around the tree, engulfing it in flames.

    "If I can''t have life for my sacrifices, none of you deserve to live off of it. None of you ungrateful, disgusting people deserve this gift. At least I had the guts to fight to preserve this gift to save all of you, and you can''t even say thank you. Fine, all of you can die then," Sina claimed. The fires became stronger and stronger. The light of the tree began to dim as the forest around it began to wither and die.

    There was nothing that could be done. This is all we know as the notes in Zora''s book of the history of the city of life ended there. It is unclear what happened next in the coming moments that followed or the last words spoken by Zora, Maru, or Sina. It is speculated that the people of the kingdom died of suffocation from smoke inhalation before the fires had even gotten to them, but this is uncertain.

    What is clear is that the ashes of the tree never burned black. As the tree burned, they were white, white particles of light. Billions and billions of white particles of ash spread across the entire world. These particles that exist even today are known as mana.

    The last page of Zora''s book read: "I am unsure how this peaceful paradise will fall, but I know it will. I''m unsure what will trigger the end, but the end will come. In this world, humans are not worthy of the gift this tree, this cove, brings. I wish I had died along with my people on that day in desperation. I saved my people and doomed the world in the process. In the end, the final war will not be fought with swords and fists but rather the warlords will become mages, the soldiers will become wizards, their wives witches, and their kids orphans. I''m sorry I was selfish and I pray I''m wrong."

    "It''s uncertain how Zora knew this, but the end is near, and it all started the day he found the tree¡ªthe tree that cursed humanity with magic. This is the truth of our world," Lilith said.

    "There are three mysteries to this story. The first is what drove humanity underground. What happened to the people above ground that made everyone so desperate to go below? The second mystery is the events that unfolded after the burning of the tree¡ªthe fates of Sina, Zora, and the others. And the third is the fate Zora foretold would eventually befall us."

    "Now, you¡¯re probably wondering why I told you this story. In it, you might see Sina as the villain and Zora as the hero. But in reality, each probably saw themselves as the hero. I told you this because it¡¯s easy to become misguided. Sometimes, we do the wrong things, thinking we¡¯re right. Keep that in mind. I know you have anger in your heart right now, and anger can lead people down terrible roads. I''m telling you this because I will teach you to become the strongest mage this world has ever known, but I don¡¯t want to see you go down the wrong path. The Keeth attacked you first, but did you really need to wipe them all out? Are all of them responsible for the actions of a few? I''m not here to become your moral compass, but you must know that all the actions you take from here on will affect the lives of many more people than you think."

    "You talk about right and wrong like it''s hard to tell the difference," I said, my head down.

    "A man who can kill with no remorse is wrong. You didn''t see his sinister smile, his ugly laugh. He enjoyed it, Lilith. He killed my friends and laughed."

    "What kind of man does that?" My voice shook with anger, my fists clenched.

    Lilith looked at me, but I avoided her gaze.

    "You speak of righteous men who avoid wars," my voice was rising. "But I know who my enemy is¡ªthe man who slaughtered my friends in cold blood."

    "Listen, Madoxx¡ª" Lilith started.

    "No, Lilith. I get it, and I''m grateful for your help, but I will not apologize for what happened to the Keeth or anyone else. I''m going to find Magnus and make him regret everything he''s done." And that goes for anyone else''s taht ever puts my friends lives in danger again.

    Lilith had a strange effect on me. She reminded me of a mother ¡ªcaring yet harsh. Her gentle, kind expression and soft words always hit deep. Even though I had just met her, I didn''t want to disappoint her.

    But here, I couldn''t back down. Magnus was a monster, a power-hungry abomination. I wouldn''t let my morals change. Magnus needed to be stopped, and I would do it, even if it cost me my life.

    Lilith looked at me her eyes had nothing but kindness in them she hugged me and said "give it time."

    She then let go.

    ¡°We start tomorrow. Go find my daughter; maybe she can help you.¡± she ordered

    I hadn¡¯t noticed that Melody had disappeared while Lilith was telling the story.

    Then I remembered the name Sina. I¡¯d read about it in a book from the library at the orphanage.

    I quickly pulled the book out.

    ¡°Lilith, I know the name Sina,¡± I said, opening it.

    Lilith leaned closer, intrigued but visibly confused.

    As I flipped it open, the book began to glow with an ominous red light.

    Suddenly, words started to magically etch themselves onto the blank pages.

    It read:

    Chapter ¡ª (the number was unreadable),

    ¡°Zora: The city of life.¡±

    To my amazement, the story Lilith had just told me began to inscribe itself into the pages before our very eyes.

    Lilith stared, wide-eyed in disbelief.

    When the last word was written, the book snapped shut on its own.

    A new title engraved itself onto the front cover:

    Codex Sanctus Umbra.

    ¡°Keep this book close,¡± Lilith said, running her fingers along its spine as if trying to sense its power. ¡°I don¡¯t know where or how you found it, but it could be very important in the future.¡±

    I was still confused, but deep down, I knew she was right. Holding onto this book felt like the only logical choice.

 Codex Sanctus Umbra

    To those who read this in the days to come,

    My name is (This name cannot be read), and this is the Codex Sanctus Umbra. As mysteries unravel and truths are uncovered, this codex will evolve, recording the shadows and revelations of our journey. With each discovery Madoxx makes, the Codex Sanctus Umbra will grow, weaving together fragments of knowledge and the power they contain.

    Read with caution¡ªfor truth is a force both potent and dangerous.

    Chapter (unknown)- Zora-The kingdom of life

    Chapter (unknown) Mystery: The Tale of Zora

    Long ago, Zora, a peaceful chief and explorer, discovered a miraculous tree glowing with divine light deep in a hidden forest. It healed him of a deadly plague and became the foundation of the City of Life, a paradise where sickness, aging, and death were unknown.

    The city''s perfection endured for millennia, until Sina, an ambitious adventurer, exposed it to the outside world. As Zora had feared, the revelation led to greed, division, and ultimately, war. Overpopulation, betrayal, and conflict corrupted the sanctuary, leading to Sina''s final act of vengeance. She set the tree ablaze, unleashing the ashes of mana into the world¡ªbirthing magic and cursing humanity with its power.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    The final fate of Zora, Sina, and the City of Life is shrouded in uncertainty. Zora¡¯s last words foretold a grim destiny: humanity''s descent into chaos, with magic as its ultimate undoing.

    Three questions remain:

    1. What forced humanity underground before Zora''s time?

    2. What truly happened after the tree¡¯s destruction?

    3. Is the doom Zora predicted still inevitable?

    The shadows of these truths linger, etched into the Codex Sanctus Umbra.

    Chapter (unknown)scribbles of a wronged man

    The Second Mystery: Scribbles of a Wronged Man

    Among the forgotten shelves of the library off hules orphanage, Madoxx stumbled upon an ancient and withered tome which was descoverd to be the Codex Sanctus Umbra,it was unlike anything he''d seen before. Its cover, cracked and faded, and within layed a message from a wronged man with new evedance it can be concluded that this message was written after the fall of the kingdom of llife.

    The message read:

    "To those who come after, I''m sorry. Why, Sina? You have cursed us all. The gift of the tree, you rejected from greed, and now we who come after are cursed to wither and die. Why, Sina, mother of lies? Please, God, shine on us once more."

    Thus concludes all that has been uncovered for now. But fear not, for countless truths remain, waiting to be etched into the Codex Sanctus Umbra. Go forth and seek them, for the shadows still hold many secrets. When the time comes, we shall meet here again to record what you have found.

 Chapter 6: These hands

    Training Arena~

    Melody was in the training room, a huge arena filled with various types of weapons, worn-down statues, and walls filled with detailed designs. At the center, there was a massive transparent roof that revealed a intense red sky.

    ¡°It¡¯s not real,¡± she said, glancing at me. ¡°We¡¯re very far underground right now,¡± she added, wiping sweat from her forehead.

    ¡°That¡¯s so cool,¡± I said, admiring it.

    ¡°My mother said it was too cramped down here without windows, so she made her own.¡±

    Melody quickly resumed her training.

    She assumed her fighting stance. I watched as her focus sharpened. She raised her hands, clenched her fingers into tight fists, and absorbed spark from the air around her. Her fists glowed blue. She punched the air, sending out a ball of fire, and immediately followed with a left-hand punch that unleashed a gust of wind. The wind combined with the fire, intensifying the flames. She bent down, striking the ground, which launched a boulder into the flames. The wind intensified the fire, causing the rock to glow and melt into molten magma. Melody punched through the magma, and it seemed to magnetize to her hands, allowing her to fight with literal magma fists.

    She then relaxed as the magma cooled and fell to the ground. Immediately, she punched the air again, releasing a ball of water in front of her. With another left-hand punch, she sent a burst of cold wind that froze the water ball instantly. She launched it into the sky, jumped up, and used the wind from her feet to propel herself. As she reached the ice ball, she kicked it with force, shattering it into pieces that shot out and smashed into one of the statues, filling it with hundreds of holes completely destroying it.

    I¡¯d never seen magic like this before. It was fierce, fast, and intense. If I ever had to fight her, I¡¯d surely be defeated, I thought to myself as she landed perfectly on the ground.

    "So, what do you think?" she asked, almost smiling.

    "That was alright," I said dryly, trying not to give her too much credit.

    But I immediately regretted it. I could tell she was proud of her fighting style. "Actually, that was really good," I added quickly. "I''m impressed."

    She let out a small smile before suddenly punching me in the stomach.

    "Yeah, I don''t care what you think," she said, flustered.

    Then her tone softened. "Do you want to go see your friends?"

    "No, not yet," I admitted, looking down. "I''m not sure I can face them right now."

    "Look," she said firmly, "you can''t always save everybody. People die¡ªit''s just an unfortunate truth. So don¡¯t focus on what you couldn¡¯t save. Look at what you did."

    I could tell that, in her own way, Melody was trying to make me feel better. But for now, it wasn¡¯t working.

    The next day~

    By Lilith''s instructions, both Melody and I met her in the training area early in the morning.

    "You two have a simple task: break my defense and land one hit on me," Lilith announced. "Use any strategy you feel will help you, and come at me."

    Without a second thought, Melody charged forward. She lunged at her mother, using wind magic to propel herself and then immediately switching to her flaming fists. As she launched a punch, it hit a large, invisible barrier that shot her back and sent her crashing into the ground.

    I stood there watching them battle the sparks and noise reminded me of that night all I could see was Bethany''s head the screems and Magnus laughing through it all my hands began shaking as a chill took over my body

    "Help, Madoxx!" she shouted, preparing for another attack.

    Lilith turned to me. "Madoxx, up until now you haven''t used your Palm Casting effectively. Feel the spark flow through your body and expel it from the source. Don''t use the mana in the air."

    What does that even mean I muttered to my self.

    From what I¡¯d learned at the orphanage, I realized I could channel my spells directly from my palms without the need for a wand.

    All I had to do was imagine I was holding one, and when I did, I could create ice¡ªjust barely¡ªabove my palms in the air in front of me.

    It was almost as if I could see the spark a white pocket of energy hovering just ahead of me. When I concentrated hard enough, I could manipulate and shape that mana into shards of ice, which I could launch at will.

    "Once I start attacking, you will die if you do not improve," Lilith said, her voice cold and serious. The statement sent shivers down my spine because I could tell she meant it.

    I closed my eyes and focused. I felt the spark manifest throughout my body, rushing through my veins. I pictured ice expelling from my palms. My hands felt cold and numb as icicles began to form around them. I took a deep breath and tried launching the ice. A sharp, freezing sensation trickled through my hands before intensifying, causing excruciating pain.

    "I can''t do it," I muttered. "How is it possible? Look at Melody; she''s doing quite well just manipulating the mana around her. Why is it so important for it to come straight from the source?"

    Melody rushed back in, launching herself into the sky and shooting gusts of wind and fireballs at Lilith.

    "The Enchanters are mages who need to chant or write down their spells before they can use them," Lilith explained as she effortlessly deflected Melody''s attacks. "The Casters use tools like wands, swords, and weapons to channel their magic. The third type of magic style is rare, and you are the first one I¡¯ve ever seen partially use it. It''s called Palm Casting, where you use your body to cast spells."

    "It''s a very difficult style because if done incorrectly, the spell hurts the caster instead of the target. I will teach you how to properly use this style. As of now, you¡¯ve been manipulating the mana you release from your body into the air. This isn¡¯t effective. You need to learn how to use your body as your tool and cast your spells directly from your hands, not the air around them."

    I took her words to heart and tried again. I visualized the mana flowing through my body, focusing it into my palms. I felt the coldness again but this time, I tried to control it, guiding it with my will. Slowly, the pain lessened and the ice formed more smoothly. I launched another attack, a shard of ice this time, aiming directly at Lilith. It hit her barrier but instead of being deflected like Melody¡¯s attack, it cracked the surface slightly.

    "Better," Lilith said with a small nod. "But you still have a long way to go. Now, both of you, come at me together. Let''s see if you can break my defense."

    "Spark is simply another element in this world, like the air you breathe or the ground you stand on. The Spark in the air cannot be improved, strengthened, or overhauled, which is why mages use powerful staffs, mods, and other items to conjure their spells. A normal conjured spell would never be able to pierce my barrier, but you have made a dent in my defenses. Palm casting relies on the strength of your sprak core; the stronger you make it, the better your spells will be," Lilith said.

    "Now I understand why she was so adamant about me learning this technique.

    When I create spells externally using the mana already in the air, they¡¯re weak and ineffective. That¡¯s why mages use wands and other tools¡ªthey act as substitutes for a spark core, absorbing and amplifying the spark''s power.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    The advantage of palm casting is that it¡¯s like having a wand inside your body. Your internal spark core strengthens the energy before you release it, making the spell far more potent.

    "You¡¯re a fast learner," Lilith said with a hint of approval. "Now, let¡¯s see if you can keep up."

    "The next ability you¡¯ll learn is rune casting. This technique works by using your body to radiate spark, releasing it into the air around you. By doing so, you create a field of potent, rich spark in your surroundings.

    Your task is to mold this spark into a rune¡ªmake it as large as you can. A larger rune creates a broader surface area, which allows you to unleash more spells and attacks simultaneously. It¡¯s all about control and amplification."

    But before that tell me what you have observed about Melody''s fighting style.

    Melody''s style involved casting different elemental spells in quick succession. She manipulates the elements and use their attributes to create new elements. For example, fire and stone would create magma

    You seem to be catching on, Madox she said, smiling

    "With palm casting and rune casting, you can bypass the stage of combining spells internally Instead, you manipulate the spells internally to achieve your desired byproduct immediately.

    "So instead of needing to summon water then using wind to cool it to create ice, you can just do this internally then get your by product immediately."

    This brought me back to something Malinda had said at the orphanage. Apparently, a mage typically has only one elemental affinity, which is why we took the test to determine which element we could cast.

    "While that¡¯s true for most mages," Lilith explained, "there are exceptions. Some, like you and Melody, possess Deviant abilities¡ªpowers that go beyond the norm. These abilities sometimes allow mages to manipulate forms of spark that fall outside the main four elements: water, fire, earth, and air."

    She paused, then continued, "There are three levels a mage can reach.

    The first is a Standard Mage, who gains affinity with one of the four main elements.

    The second is a mage who evolves their elemental ability into a secondary form. For example, a mage with water affinity might evolve it into ice, or a mage with stone affinity might develop the ability to manipulate sand. This evolution allows for more specialized and versatile casting."

    "The third type," Lilith continued, "are Deviants¡ªmages who can manipulate unnatural forms of magic, such as lightning, gravity, teleportation, and so on.

    And then there¡¯s you." She looked at me pointedly. "Because of your ability to fuse different attributes together, the limits of what you can create are virtually boundless.

    Take, for instance, the shadowy abilities you developed after your encounter with the Keeth. That¡¯s not something a typical mage could accomplish¡ªat least, that¡¯s the conclusion I¡¯ve come to. Though I admit... I could be wrong."

    "Anyway that''s enough talk, now you learn through getting hurt!" she said smirking.

    "Now l''m going to attack," she said coldly.

    It was as if she disappeared before my eyes and reappeared behind me. Before I could even react,I was launched backward into the wall, denting it. Pieces of concrete flew everywhere and the impact knocked the air out of me.

    "I told you, boy, be ready or you will die,'' she said, her demeanor shifting from a warm, motherly aura to that of a beast filled with bloodlust, ready to kill.

    I quickly got up as Melodie dashed forward, launching a deadly kick. Her leg, covered in hardened rock, sent shards of stone flying everywhere accompanied by a gust of wind and a loud noise that echoed through the arena.

    I stood up and tried to cover my hands in stone. I imagined a rocky substance and created a lump of stone then like Melody i tried to cover my hands in it.

    "Ah, foolish. You are nowhere near Melodie''s level-only a cheap copy," she said as she dashed fowerd again and kicked me in the stomach, sending me flying.

    "Be original , she added coldly

    As I flew through the air, I felt the air leave my lungs again and felt as if I might throw up before hitting the wall, nearly passing out.

    "Get up and fight," she ordered

    Melodie landed on the ground and smashed her hands into it, launching boulders into the sky. She then jumped up and transferred the stone from her hands to her legs, boosting her kick. The boulders flew toward Lilith.

    Instead of letting the boulders hit her Lilith jumped into the air, dodging them as they hurtled toward me.

    With little time to react, i jumped out of the way, but one of the boulders hit me in the chest.

    A sharp spike of pain overtook my body as I heard Melodie screaming, "Madox, i''m so sorr-" before she was sent flying into the wall by a kick from Lilith

    ''Focus on your surroundings," Lilith hissed.

    I could feel myself slipping into unconsciousness I''m actually going to die I said to myself

    "Get up," a voice said

    "What is this? Who said that?" I asked, surprised

    "Get up. It was the white haired girl again

    "Who are you?" I shouted.

    "Stop playing games and win!" she orded

    The voice was demanding but also sounded very unthreatining like that of a bratty child.

    "Get uuuuuup," she ordered

    I felt a sharp jolt of electricity course through my body. As I got to my feet, bloodlust took control. My body jolted forward as my palms began to glow, and the runes disappeared from my hands- three huge circular runes written in black fog runes appeared above my head

    "Ah,so you have managed to rune cast after only one attempt!" Lilith said very pleased.

    I felt like i did that day in the woods. I imagined shards of sharp ice forming and launching toward Lilith. A burst of ice shot out of the shadowy magic circles, with two of the shards hitting her barrier. Instead of merely deflecting off, they punctured and cracked the barrier.

    Lilith smiled menacingly. "Now the real battle begins.

    She cast her own runes onto the floor they where red and pulsateated violently, and a roaring blaze of fire expelled from them.

    Instinctively, I jumped into the air, using wind to propel me high up into the sky.

    "Show me what you can do, Lilith ordered, launching toward me and kicking me again. This time,I could see her fast movements and tried to create a rock shield in front of me. A strange magic circle appeared, and a large, solid rock wall formed in front of me.

    "I smiled, but my confidence wasshort-lived. The wall cracked where shehad kicked it, and before I could react,

    Lilith teleported behind me. In an instant, I became her target. She delivered a monstrous kick to my face,

    launching me into the ground withincredible force. The impact was so strong that it knocked me unconscious

    "I woke up some time later, still Laying on the arena floor.

    Not far from me, Melody was lodged in crater in the wall. My entire body felt like it was on fire; every inch of me ached as I coughed and groaned.

    "So you didn''t die. Good job,'' Melody

    said in a weak, hoarse voice giving me a thumbs up.

    "I''m not sure yet,''" I muttered, She let out a faint, weak giggle. "We did alright... we''ll definitely get her next time," she said, coughing up blood.

    ''Yeah,"'' I said, my own painful chuckle escaping me.

    "Young lady, Melody, are you alright?"A voice i didn''t know said.

    "I almost had her this time Nyssa, Melody said, still struggling to speak

    "I wholeheartedly believe that,'' Nyssa replied warmly.

    Without hesitation, Nyssa carried us both to the medic ward.

    Nyssa was one of Lilith¡¯s helpers, a quiet presence with black hair and a petite frame. She wore a maid¡¯s outfit, and her chocolate-brown skin was scattered with freckles she had a warm smile and seemed to be very kind hearted.

    Medic Ward~

    The medic ward was a large room with eight beds arranged neatly in rows. The walls were a dark gray, and the ceiling was covered with four chandeliers that cast a soft glow. The floor was tiled in pristine white, and the

    gray walls were engraved with strange gold runes.

    Ola, Ren, Melody, and I occupied the beds. Melody''s bed was right next to mine.

    When I woke up, I noticed her lying still her hands raised in the air as she stared at them intently.

    "What are you doing?" I asked.

    "I find hands so interesting. They are the tools used to create and share affection. We use them to feel, but we also use them as weapons. These soft, squishy, bony hands have so many uses. Whether surrounded by rough stone, hot lava, or cradling a baby, we have these hands. You can feel so much from these hands. You''re so lucky."

    I was slightly confused by her statement. What did she mean I was lucky? She had hands too.

    "I was born with no hands arms or legs a defect that occurred at my birth. These ones were a gift from my father¡ªartificial hands and feet , the second greatest gift I got from him." Tears fell from her eyes. "Magic has taken so much from me, more than you can ever imagine. But magic also gave me these hands¡ªthese squishy hands that allow me to fight and become strong, strong enough to protect myself and those I hold dear. That''s why I''m always going to try my best. No matter the odds, I''m going to overcome them with these hands my father gave me."

    Melody could be rough around the edges¡ªloud, violent, and beastishly strong. But here, she looked so fragile and vulnerable, at peace.

    I wanted to ask her more about what she had said, but it didn¡¯t feel like my place to pry.

    The next day

    ¡°So, Madox, how¡¯s your recovery going in the hospital wing?¡± Lilith asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s... okay. My wounds healed relatively fast,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Naturally. The spells used to heal you are very powerful, but I worry they haven¡¯t been as effective on your friends. All we can do now is be patient,¡± she said.

    ¡°Yeah, I will,¡± I said, my tone more pathetic than I¡¯d hoped.

    ¡°Listen, Madox¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine, really,¡± I interrupted.

    Lilith gave me a look¡ªone that told me she understood the guilt weighing on my shoulders. She seemed to grasp what I was going through, but even if her words were true, I couldn¡¯t accept that it wasn¡¯t my fault.

    ¡°Listen, son, we¡¯ll be training hard today and from now on. If you don¡¯t give every ounce of your strength, you will die.¡±

    Unknown Area~

    ¡°Magnus, sir, you were right. We¡¯ve observed a greater spike in their growth than anything we¡¯ve ever seen before. Shall we inform the others of your success?¡± a man asked.

    ¡°No. I took this risk on my own, and I¡¯ll see it through to the end. This might be the most promising method we¡¯ve ever used.¡±

    ¡°Understood, sir. What do you want us to do with the girl?¡± the man asked.

    ¡°Benimaru, I can¡¯t tell you everything. If she¡¯s still alive, treat her like the others,¡± Magnus replied, his voice sharp.

    ¡°Understood, sir. I¡¯ll take my leave,¡± Benimaru said.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Magnus commanded. ¡°Send Stone and observe the results,¡± he added, a sinister grin spreading across his face.

    Benimaru hesitated before replying, ¡°Understood, sir.¡±

 Chapter 7: I will break you into pieces

    ~Chapter 7~

    ~I will break you into pieces~

    Magnus and the Council

    "Magnus, we have called you here today. We know it has been a long journey, but we have much to discuss," a man said.

    Magnus stood before a council of five unknown individuals.

    "Yes. I hope you have been pleased with the work I''ve done," Magnus said, bowing respectfully.

    "Benimaru has informed us that you¡¯ve completed stage one of the magic resuscitation," another council member commented.

    "Yes, all of her power has been restored. It took longer than expected, but we are ready to move on to the next phase."

    "Nonsense," another exclaimed sharply.

    "It is too soon. We cannot afford to rush into things. We have waited too long for this," someone else added.

    Magnus''s expression hardened. "I have shown nothing but positive progress," he said with a hint of annoyance. "How long will you pretend that I¡¯m not capable of doing my job?"

    "And what about this boy?" another member asked. "What is so special about him that you let him gallivant around the dome with little to no repercussions?"

    "The boy is special," Magnus replied. "He has shown the greatest potential of any candidate. Ever since the incident in the woods, I¡¯ve kept a close eye on him."

    "We understand that he has your attention. True, the incident ten years ago was alarming. But we don¡¯t have time for your games. We know how to bring the skies down¡ªwe do not need this boy. You may have jeopardized the entire plan with your little side project," another member interjected.

    "He brought it down," Magnus said firmly. "Even if it was only for a second, he did what no one else could."

    "We came to you with a solution, Magnus. Do you doubt our vision?" one council member asked angrily.

    "No, the church has never given me a reason to doubt," Magnus said, bowing again.

    "Then leave everything to us. You have pushed the boy far enough. Dispose of him before things spiral out of control."

    Magnus remained silent.

    "Do you understand?" another council member shouted.

    Magnus sighed but replied calmly, "I expect he will need to come to Veloria soon. I will handle it when he arrives."

    "Good. And Magnus," the voice warned, "we see everything, even from out here. Know your place."

    One by one, the council members disappeared.

    Magnus clenched his fists, fury etched on his face. He kicked a chair, sending it flying across the room. "I¡¯ll show you all," he muttered.

    Turning to Benimaru, he ordered, "Wake the priests. Move to the next stage. We won¡¯t wait any longer."

    "Y-yes, sir," Benimaru stammered as he hurried out of the room.

    Lilith¡¯s Barrow

    Lately, my dreams have changed. The girl in white no longer haunts them. Instead, a different nightmare comes¡ªone where I cry harder than I ever have before. One where the sky falls, revealing a world of red. A world filled with shattered wood, falling trees, and blood. So much blood. It stains my fingers, covering them completely.

    There is one name I hear myself screaming in the dream: Livana.

    "Livana, you said you would protect me," I cry, and then I wake up.

    The strangest part is that when I wake, my hands ache. The runes on the back of my hands return, burning into my skin. I don¡¯t know how to explain any of this anymore.

    Sometimes, I sit and wonder what Eliza, Ola, Isaac, Bethany, and Ren would be doing right now if we were still at the orphanage. Was it a mistake to go to that cabin that night? Would we still be laughing and playing Hot Pocket right now? The thought hurts too much to bear.

    It has been a little over two weeks. My fifteenth birthday was yesterday. Time flies, doesn¡¯t it?

    Lilith has been training Melody and me every day since I arrived. Ola and Ren still haven¡¯t woken up, and I¡¯m getting worried. But I guess I just need to be patient.

    Two months passed, and training went well. I had learned a lot from Lilith. Ola and Ren had stabilized, but they still hadn¡¯t woken up.

    ¡°Listen, Madoxx,¡± Lilith said one day, her expression serious. ¡°I believe you¡¯re ready for a real challenge. You¡¯ve made remarkable progress over the last two months.¡± She paused, her gaze distant. ¡°Honestly, though, I¡¯m concerned about your friends. The medical ward has done all it can. Their physical wounds are fully healed, yet they remain unconscious. Why that is... well, it¡¯s a mystery to me.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯d like you to collect some herbs for me. I believe I can use them to help your friends.¡±

    She hesitated before continuing. ¡°I¡¯m tired of lying to you, son. The truth is, the day after you arrived, Nyssa diagnosed the problem. Your friends are under a hex¡ªa powerful spell cast by Magnus, I presume. They won¡¯t wake unless the spell is broken.¡±

    My stomach twisted as I absorbed her words, but Lilith pressed on. ¡°North from here, deeper into the forest, you¡¯ll find a mountain. At the peak lies a hidden kingdom. In that kingdom grows a rare herb called morubasa. It possesses strong magical properties that can neutralize any magical sickness or curse.

    ¡°This task won¡¯t be easy,¡± she warned. ¡°Your skills will be tested. But I believe it will strengthen you, help you grow, and, most importantly, help your friends.¡±

    Her words filled me with doubt. The last time she said something would "test my skills," I¡¯d almost died. Lilith had a bad habit of downplaying life-threatening situations.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡± I asked, confused and slightly frustrated.

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d rush off on your own, acting rashly, and probably get yourself killed,¡± she replied bluntly.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± I hesitated. I couldn¡¯t really argue with that logic.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she added with a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯m not so cruel as to send you out alone. Melody will go with you.¡±

    Melody was a highly capable fighter, and over the past two months, we¡¯d grown more accustomed to working together.

    The next day, under Lilith¡¯s orders, we set out. I¡¯d never seen much of the surroundings since I couldn¡¯t remember how I¡¯d even arrived at Lilith¡¯s home. We climbed a long flight of spiral stairs that seemed to stretch up several floors until we reached a wooden door.

    When I pushed it open, I was struck by the sight of lush greenery, the earthy scent of fresh soil, and the soft glow of moonlight illuminating the forest.

    ¡°Why are we going out at night?¡± I asked Melody dryly.

    ¡°So the shadow man doesn¡¯t steal our souls,¡± Melody replied, her expression deadly serious. She held my gaze for a few tense seconds before a smirk broke through her facade.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mess with the boy,¡± Lilith interjected, her voice filled with amusement at the whole scenario

    Take care of each other. Even though the Shadow Man doesn''t exist, that doesn''t mean the forest is safe. There are plenty of terrifying monsters that roam these woods, so be mindful of that."

    I could tell Lilith was trying to ease my conscience, but she ended up making me even more scared to go out there. The only encounter I''d ever had outside the orphanage was with the Keeth, and that in itself was a terrible experience. Now I was heading back into the woods to do it all again.

    We set out with Melody in the lead. She walked with a confident stride, moving with purpose. It was the same prideful air she had when she fought¡ªsomething not strange, but definitely noticeable.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    "Hey, Madoxx, we will find the herbs and heal your friends," she suddenly said.

    "I know we will," I replied with a subtle smile.

    We wound our way through the woods. The sky was gray tonight, and the wind blew violently¡ªa storm was likely heading our way. The silence of the night was broken by creaking tree branches being tossed about by the wind. Animals made noises in the dark as they howled and ran through the forest. The forest was thick and damp, the ground covered with patches of grass but mostly just mud and twigs.

    We walked for a few hours until we took shelter under a tree when the rain began to pour violently.

    "Let''s make camp here," Melody said.

    "Yeah, that''s a good idea. We need to rest¡ªwe¡¯ve been walking for quite a while," I responded.

    "I''m not tired or anything," she said, pouting. "I could walk for days and nights if I had to," she added.

    "It''s not a competition," I said dryly.

    "I didn''t say it was. I was just saying I''m not tired," she complained.

    "Sure," I said, smiling.

    "I''m not Madoxx. The Great Melody would never be beaten by stamina."

    "Yeah, yeah," I said, giggling. "Go to sleep, oh great one. We have more walking tomorrow."

    A few moments passed, and Melody was fast asleep, snoring loud enough to wake up the entire forest. We had set up a small fire under the tree, and even though the ground was rough, hard, and a bit uncomfortable to sleep on, it was also cozy. The rain had eased up, and the wind was blowing gently, with small droplets drizzling down, setting a calm and nostalgic feeling. Sometimes, we would go on small camping trips in the backyard of the orphanage, pretending to be brave explorers braving the harsh, unforgiving outdoors. It was funny and a bit sad that now I was a real brave explorer, fighting nature, but none of my brave adventure buddies were at my side to fight the battle with me. Bittersweet as it was, I still managed to drift off to sleep.

    "How long are you going to ignore me?" a faint voice said.

    I opened my eyes to a blinding white light. It took a moment for my vision to adjust, and when it finally did, I couldn¡¯t believe what I was seeing. I was sitting on a cloud, floating above a forest under a blood-red sky.

    The voice seemed familiar, just like the one I heard in the forest with the keeth, or during my fight with Lilith.

    A pale girl with white hair stood before me.

    ¡°Who¡ª¡±

    ¡°Who am I? Where are we? Why are we on a cloud?¡± she interrupted.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, taken aback.

    ¡°My name is Livana,¡± she said, her eyes drifting up toward the red moon. ¡°I''m here to guide you, to make sure you fulfill what you¡¯re meant to do. It may sound strange, but that¡¯s my purpose. There¡¯s a lot you need to understand, but revealing everything at once won¡¯t work¡ªit hasn¡¯t before.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean it hasn¡¯t worked before?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s not important right now. Just know that when you wake up, you won¡¯t be alone in this forest. I¡¯m not talking about animals, or even people¡ªnot the kind you¡¯re used to, at least,¡± she said.

    ¡°What? I¡¯m so confused. Why all the ambiguity? Tell me what you mean,¡± I said, frustration creeping into my voice.

    ¡°Fight with everything you have, Madoxx, or your journey ends here,¡± she said, her piercing blue eyes locking onto mine.

    For a moment, I felt something strange¡ªa pull, almost an urge, as if something above was calling to me. My chest grew hot, as though my very core wanted to break free and soar into the sky. But instead of rising, it was suddenly yanked downward, plunging beneath the clouds and into the forest where I saw myself lying unconscious. In an instant, the sensation shot back into my body, slamming into my chest. Then I woke up.

    ¡°Hey, Madoxx, someone¡¯s out there,¡± Melody said.

    Melody knelt close to me, scanning the dark forest, her eyes searching for something hidden in the shadows.

    I quickly got up and stood beside her, alert. Livana had warned me this would happen; I wasn¡¯t about to take it lightly.

    Suddenly, we heard rattling in the woods, followed by a powerful gust of wind. A figure shot up into the sky, then landed directly in front of us.

    We instinctively jumped back, putting distance between ourselves and this mysterious figure.

    "I... I... I am..." it stuttered. "Stone Father has sent... sent... meee... sent me here," it continued in a jumbled, stuttering tone.

    As I got a better look at it, I realized it wasn¡¯t human. Its skin was rough and stony, and it moved like a puppet, almost robotic. Its entire body was made of coarse stone, cracking as dust fell from its joints whenever it moved or spoke.

    "I... I..." The creature paused briefly, then continued in a more coherent voice. "Yes, I am stone. I too am stone." Its tone had shifted, becoming more composed, almost as if its personality had changed instantly. "It is a pleasure to meet you. However, I¡¯m sorry to inform you that I have been sent to neutralize you, using all my strength."

    This calmer demeanor was cold and emotionless. The creature¡¯s movements were jerky, as if it was trying to mimic human expressions, attempting to look humble and sad, though its face showed nothing but stone. "I am stone, and I was sent..." It hesitated before speaking again. "Look at me, a perfect tool of distraction."

    Its demeanor changed once more, this time to anger and bloodlust. "Be happy, for your death comes at the hands of a perfect being!" it screamed, its voice becoming erratic and exaggerated. "Die, die, die, die, die!" it repeated, growing louder. "Stay out of my way, stone! I am stone, and I¡¯ll handle this! These Pebbles!" It seemed to argue with itself, as if speaking to someone else. "Die, die, die!" it repeated again, its voice growing louder with each word.

    Suddenly, it lunged forward with terrifying speed. The bloodlust was sharp. If not for my training with Lilith, I would¡¯ve been killed right then. I quickly dodged out of the way as it shot past me and Melody, crashing headfirst into a tree and splitting it in half

    It stood up, visibly frustrated. "Damn it!" it snarled, letting out a monstrous howl that sent shockwaves in all directions, flattening the surrounding trees. It was a terrifying sight¡ªits howl alone had destroyed the forest around us.

    "Now, now you die, die, die," it repeated before freezing, its demeanor shifting again.

    "How brutish," it said calmly. "Stone, you should learn the elegance of fighting with direction and calmness. You make a mockery of our creators with this animalistic filth you call fighting. You fool."

    It looked at us with a determined gaze before disappearing¡ªthen reappearing in front of me in a split second. With almost no time to react, I instinctively blocked as it punched, the force of the blow sending a rippling vibration throughout my entire body.

    Melody wasted no time. She lunged forward to attack, but Stone vanished again.

    ¡°There is elegance in practiced attacks,¡± it said, attempting to smile. The expression looked forced and unnatural, like it was trying to mimic something it couldn¡¯t truly understand.

    ¡°This one is dangerous. Be careful,¡± Melody warned

    ¡°No, no, no, no, no!¡± Stone shouted sporadically. ¡°There is no elegance in this! True art is in chaos and destruction!¡± it howled, lunging forward once more. We jumped out of the way, but this time it disappeared and reappeared above us. ¡°No, no, no, no, no, not again!¡± it screeched, vanishing again.

    In a flash, it was in front of Melody, throwing a monstrous punch that sent her crashing into a nearby tree. Before I could react, it redirected its focus to me, landing a brutal punch to my face that sent me flying in Melody''s direction.

    ¡°This is real power! Chaos will always prevail!¡± it exclaimed.

    Melody stood up, spitting out blood ''Pathetic. Your punches are soft," she taunted, getting into her fighting stance. She stomped the ground, turning the soft, muddy dirt into hard stone, then delivered another powerful kick, shattering the stone into small boulders that shot into the sky. She leapt into the air, disappearing and reappearing in front of the boulders, unleashing a volley of kicks that sent them hurtling toward Stone at high speed, each impact explosive.

    Stone laughed mockingly. "Hahaha! Pathetic! You think your soft stone can harm me?"

    Melody didn''t react to the taunt. Instead, she punched the air in front of her, sending razor-sharp gusts of wind toward Stone. This time, the creature dodged, but Melody was already moving. She dived toward the ground at incredible speed, and as she landed, the earth erupted, sending massive boulders flying in all directions. She rose, her knuckles and feet now covered in thick, hardened rock.

    "I will break you into pieces," she declared. With a powerful kick, she unleashed a massive stone wave toward Stone

    Stone extended his arms to block it, successfully halting the wave, but it pushed him back considerably. Before he could utter a word, Melody lunged forward, punching through the stone wall with fists of molten lava. The lava-covered fists shattered the wall and she followed through with a devastating right hook that sent Stone flying, his body bouncing off the hard ground before crashing into a tree.

    Not giving the beast a moment to catch its breath, Melody charged forward again, delivering a relentless barrage of high-speed, lava-infused punches to its gut, each strike more deadly than the last.

    Before delivering the final punch that split the tree in half sending stone flying even further

    She retreated to my side as I stood, amazed by her strength.

    "Let''s not disappoint Mother. She trained us; we can''t lose to something this weak," she said, smirking.

    "Yeah, you''re right. It''s time for me to pull my weight."

    Clenching my fists tightly, frost crusted over them as a cold steam exhaled from them.

    "No, no, no, I will not accept this!" Stone stood tall as his arm withered away into sand. A massive hole gaped in his stony stomach, revealing a view right through it.

    He wheezed, mimicking what he imagined pain must feel like, before bursting into a cloud of sand. A few moments passed before the sand pile began reconstructing itself into a human figure again.

    "Pathetic," it said calmly, examining its hands. "I warned you, Stone. Your rashness was your downfall. You have disgraced our creators." It looked disgusted¡ªor at least it tried to imitate that expression.

    "Nnnnnm... nnnnn meee... mee... mee mreee," an inaudible voice stammered. It was the first Stone personality. Its body movements became stiff and robotic.

    "I... Stone... I will... will kill," it said, stumbling over its words.

    Suddenly, it shot me a deathly gaze before lunging at me. "Release!" I commanded as I clenched my arms. A gust of cold air burst out in all directions, frosting over patches of grass, mud, and pebbles as ice spread from my feet, freezing the ground and our surroundings. Stone, still in mid-air, lunged towards me, trying to land a hit. Two jagged ice spikes shot from the ground in front of me, catching Stone mid-air.

    The sound of cracking ice and the intense chill overwhelmed the area.

    "Wha... Wha... what is this?" Stone stuttered

    "I''m sorry," I whispered as the ice spread over Stone''s rocky body, crusting over him. It slowly crept across his form before shattering into thousands of sharp pieces.

    ¡°Wow, look at you! ¡®I¡¯m sorry,¡¯¡± she mimicked in a condescending voice, bursting into laughter.

    "You think your so cool" she laughed pointing at me falling the floor laughing harder and harder.

    Before I could respond, the ground began to shake violently. Shattered pieces of stone scattered around us started pulsating and rising into the air, drawn together as though by an unseen force. Slowly, they formed into a figure¡ªa towering humanoid shape forged entirely of jagged stone.

    ¡°No¡­ no, no, no, no¡­¡± A deep, grating voice rumbled from the figure, the sound like grinding rocks.

    The figure trembled, its voice growing louder and more furious. ¡°I will not disgrace Father! No¡­ no, no, no!¡± it repeated, the words echoing through the air. Its fury seemed to ripple outward, shaking the ground beneath us.

    Then, with a booming voice, it roared, ¡°Bear witness, Father, to your glorious creation! Watch as I swallow this world releases he shouted. tomb of sand!¡±

    Before we could react, a faint purple glow erupted from the creature¡¯s chest, growing brighter and more intense with each passing second. The ground and air filled with intricate, glowing magic circles. Suddenly, waves of sand exploded out of the circles, filling the air. The sand coalesced into massive, mountain-like pillars, razor-sharp and speeding toward us like projectiles at impossible speeds.

    ¡°Madoxx¡­ it¡¯s time to remember,¡± a voice whispered, clear and steady amidst the chaos.

    It was Livana¡¯s voice.

 Chapter 8: Sand and dust

    ~Chapter eight ~

    ~Sand and dust~

    "Hey, Maddox, check this out," a voice said.

    "You see, Maddox, you and I had met

    before¡ªyou were my first true friend at the orphanage."Livana said.

    "Eliza taught me how to do a handstand."a voice said.

    "That''s so cool, Livana! I wish I could do that. Can you teach me?" I responded.

    "Sure! You just put your hands in the air like this, then go against the wall and push up."a voice said

    We used to mess around with the dumbest stuff. Honestly, it was the happiest I think I''ve ever been. Livana explained.

    "Hey, Maddox, do you want to go find more bugs in the forest?" A voice asked.

    "I told you I don''t like bugs, Liv," I replied.

    "It will be fun, trust me," she responded.

    "Bethany told me she saw a huge wasp the other day," she added.

    "No, Liv, wasps actually attack back. I''m not going," I said, tears welling up.

    This was when we were five or so. I remember you used to be a crybaby, Maddox. Well, not much has changed in that regard. Livana explained.

    "Why are you showing me this, Livana, and why don''t I remember any of it?" I asked, mesmerized by what I was seeing.

    Livana and I stood in what looked like memories, walking through them as they passed by, watching our kid selves playing.

    "Keep watching," she said with a genuine, big smile on her face.

    "Let''s play Hot Potato again today," kid Livana asked.

    "You''re terrible at lying, Livana. You''re just going to sulk when you lose," I responded cheekily.

    "This way, Maddox," the present Livana said. "Let''s go outside."

    In the backyard, I saw kid Livana practicing magic.

    "Look, Maddox, I''m doing it!" she said, twirling water droplets around.

    "Wow, you''re so amazing, Livana," I responded.

    "You should try too," she said.

    It''s as if those words struck a chord with Livana, as her smile seemed to waver for a second.

    "You put your arms out like this and wave, pretend to push out the invisible air from your wand like this," she explained, gesturing with her body.

    "Like this?" I said.

    "Yeah!" she replied enthusiastically.

    "Nothing''s happening though," I said, disappointed.

    "It takes practice. That''s what Mother Malinda told me."kid livana explained

    "Why do you call her ''Mother''? She''s not your real mom," I asked.

    "She said I could, so I will," Livana answered, a bit annoyed.

    "Let''s go look for bugs again, Maddox," she said, grinning.

    "No, I got stung by a wasp last time we did that, Livana."

    "I''ll protect you with my cool water magic," she said, smiling.

    Livana and I continued walking through the memories. I could see her face light up¡ªthese memories were precious to her. Why was it that I couldn''t remember any of it?

    We walked through the forest alongside our kid selves, looking for bugs.

    "You put your hands out like this and push out the invisible air," I repeated to myself as we walked through the forest.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    "Don''t you think we''re going too far in, Livana?" I asked after a while.

    "No, one of the kids said they saw a cute puppy running around here. We should find him and look after him," Livana said, looking at me with her big blue eyes.

    "Why would a puppy be out here? Aren''t those only in Veloria?" I said, not really listening, focused on pushing invisible air from my wand.

    "No, I know he''s out her¡ª" growling interrupted her.

    "D-Did you hear that?" I stuttered.

    "Y-Yeah," Livana replied, backing away closer to me.

    Livana''s smile faded as we walked through this section of the memory. Her lit-up face turned pale as tears began forming in her eyes.

    "H-Hey, you stay away!" I stuttered as a shadowy figure crawled out from the bushes.

    It was an injured keeth, looked to be a young one that must have been separated from its pack.

    "Look, Maddox, it''s hurt," Livana said as she walked toward it. It snarled and growled.

    "Stay away from it, Livana. It looks angry," I said, running to grab her shoulder.

    The injured keeth let out a howl, as if screaming for its mother.

    "Hey, shhh, it''s OK," Livana said, inching closer to comfort it.

    "Look, Maddox, its leg is broken," she pointed out, inching even closer.

    The keeth child looked tired as it plopped down to the ground, no longer able to act scary.

    "You must be thirsty," Livana said, pulling her wand out to cast some water. A round water droplet grew from her wand. The keeth looked at it intently.

    "You are thirsty, right?" she said, kneeling directly next to it.

    It began sipping at the huge blob of water quickly, not taking a second to breathe.

    "It''s OK, there, there, we will help you find your mother."

    I stood there, watching Livana patting the creature as it got more comfortable with her.

    A few moments passed as we sat with the baby keeth Livana loved animals and nature she had such a caring heart and treated everything with respect from skunks down to worms she had a gentle soft heart to the outdoors .

    Before I could react I heard crackling from the forst as a shadowy beast leaped from the bushes and struck Liv sending her flying towards a tree.

    The as I looked up I saw a large keeth beast snarling and growling stepping in front of her child it growled at me eyes filled with blood lust .

    It seemed Liz had passed out form the blow her forehead looked injured.

    "S...ss..stay away"I said backing up towards Liv.

    "Hey liv wake up!" my voice said cracking.

    No response.

    "Liv?" I said tearing up

    The mother keeth looked at its injured baby and then back at me growing more ferociously as it began walking towards me.

    livana wake up said my voice trembling you said you would protect me I said crying.

    I looked back and saw her still unconscious.

    Stop I orderd at the keeth who seemed to be targeting Liv now.

    It pounced up ready to attack.

    It seemed Livana had passed out from the blow¡ªher forehead looked injured.

    "S...ss..stay away!" I said, backing up towards Livana.

    "Hey, Liv, wake up!" my voice cracked.

    No response.

    "Liv!" I called, tearing up.

    The mother keeth looked at its injured baby, then back at me, growling more ferociously as it began advancing toward us.

    "S...s...stay away!" I said, backing up further.

    "You...you... put your hands out like this and push air out of your wand," I said to myself, desperately trying to form something that could protect us.

    The keeth growled louder, scaring me as I tripped over a rock and dropped my wand.

    Using my hands and feet, I pushed myself backward as the keeth inched closer and closer.

    "You...you put your hands out like this," I muttered to myself as tears began falling from my eyes.

    "Livana, wake up!" I pleaded, my voice trembling. "You said you would protect me," I cried.

    I looked back and saw her still unconscious.

    "Stop!" I ordered the keeth, which now seemed to be targeting Livana.

    It pounced, ready to attack.

    "Stop!" I screamed as it launched itself at her.

    In that instant, time seemed to freeze¡ªthe keeth hung in the air, the baby keeth that had been barking at its mom stopped cold¡ªeverything just froze.

    "I said stop!" I shouted, my hands thrusting out toward the keeth. Without warning, a swirling black cloud erupted from my palms, obliterating everything in its path. The keeth was thrown back, crashing into trees that shattered like glass under the force of the blast. In my anger or fear, I had unleashed a powerful wave of destruction..

    But then I saw Livana caught in the storm. My heart dropped as she was hurled away with the debris, crashing against the ground .Dirt and splinters filled the air

    In my panicked state, I failed to notice the baby keeth behind me as the attack blew it away uncontrollably. The area was reduced to rubble. "What should I do?" I cried to myself, not wanting to damage anything else. I raised my palms to the sky, letting the dark, murky shadow clouds shoot upwards. For what seemed like hours, but was most likely just a few moments, shadows shot into the sky, creating a dark, ominous cloud before I finally passed out.

    As I fell over, I looked at Livana, reaching for her, and then everything went black.

    "Why did you show me this, Liv?" I asked, suspended in a void of black, floating between nothingness.

    Liv appeared¡ªa white, ghostly figure drifting in the darkness.

    "Why don''t I remember anything? What did you do to me?"

    She looked at me, smiling¡ªa smile without contempt or hostility, warm and kind¡ªbefore disappearing into the abyss.

    For a moment, I was suspended in nothingness, weightless and disoriented. Then, I heard a voice echoing through the void.

    "Sir, this is incredible! Nothing like this has happened since¡ª"

    "Yes, I know," a familiar voice interrupted, filled with joy. It was Magnus.

    "This could be our way out. This boy..." Magnus said, his tone brimming with excitement. "Don''t let them take it¡ªor any of it''s friends¡ªuntil I say so," he ordered firmly.

    My vision was still fuzzy, but I could make out the black smoke from my spell beginning to dissipate.

    From above, something strange started to happen. Transparent substances fell from the sky, like shards of glass dissolving mid-air.

    As the mist cleared, the sight before me left me breathless. The blue sky was fractured, and within the cracks, a fiery red sky bled through. A small section of it hung in exposed in red against the blue.

    "What do we do with the girl?" the man asked.

    "Leave it here. It''s already dead," came the cold reply.

    The younger version of me stared,weakly at Livana. Slowly, he reached out his hand. A strange, white substance began to swirl in the air before it was absorbed into my palms.

    I snapped back to the present as if nothing had happened. It felt like a lifetime had passed, yet not even a second had gone by. My arms felt hot, just like they had that day.

    Tears fell from my eyes but I quickly cleaned them way.

    Melody stood by my side, in a fighting stance, ready to defend.

    In a split second, Stone vanished and reappeared mid-air. Raising his arms, a wave of sand covered the sky, turning into a giant fist, larger than a mountain, hurtling towards us. There was no way we could dodge it.

    It was as if my arms moved on their own. I know people say that a lot, but this was different. It felt as if a warm embrace had taken over my body, flowing from my arms to my legs and up to my head. That same warm embrace turned dark, violent, and cold as it lifted my arms. The runes on my hands began to glow red, growing hotter and hotter before vanishing. Suddenly, a violent, shadowy mist shot out from them. The mist struck the sand fist, eating away at it, reducing the sand to nothingness.

    The mist¡ªdark gray¡ªpushed back the mountain-like fist uncontrollably, and it felt as if I was no longer in control of my own body. I watched, helpless, as my arms and magic acted on their own, fighting off Stone''s attack.

    The black mist engulfed the sand fist, slowly creeping around it until it was fully encased in a merciless shadow of mist.

    "What... What is this? Impossible!" Stone roared, furious. "No, no, no, no!" he shouted. "I will not be bested by a weakling like you!" His voice cracked as he cried out, "Father is watching me, and I will not lose!" He forced more sand into his attack.

    But in an instant, the shadowy cloud devoured everything, leaving nothing behind. All the sand from Stone''s attack vanished into oblivion.

    Stone fell to the ground, despair flooding his eyes. "How is this possible? Father is watching me..." he whispered.

    Suddenly, my arms raised again, and this time, a black mist shot from my palms, catching him mid-air.

    "Father..." Stone said, defeated. "I''m sorry."

    The shadowy palm grabbed at his soul, and strangely, three human-like figures were pulled from his body, drawn into a portal that appeared beside me. Stone''s lifeless body crumbled to the ground, a husk, nothing more, as it cracked and withered into sand and dust.

 Chapter 9: And on this day, He said, â€œYou are loved.â€

    ~Chapter nine ~

    And on this day, He said, ¡°You are loved.¡±

    After the battle, we walked for days toward the mountain Lilith had told us about. The sense of adventure was gone, replaced by an eerie feeling as if we were constantly being watched. The possibility of the enemy lurking in the forest, waiting to strike, haunted our minds. Or at least, that¡¯s what I thought.

    We continued walking until we stumbled upon an old, abandoned house. Next to it stood a golden tablet, remarkably well-preserved despite the elements. Its surface was covered with strange symbols, I''d never seen before.

    "Why are we wasting time staring at a tablet we can¡¯t even read? And in the middle of the night, no less," Melody said dryly.

    "I... I can read it," I said.

    Melody turned to me, her eyebrows raised in disbelief. "You can read that?" she asked, surprised.

    "Yeah," I replied, Just as confused as she was"I¡¯ve never seen this kind of writing before, but... I can read it."

    "Alright, then. What does it say?" she asked, not believing a word i was saying.

    I leaned closer to the tablet and read aloud: "The statue reads..."

    The first sin

    And on this day, God breathed life into her.

    And on this day, she woke.

    And on this day, she reached into the void.

    And on this day, a tree grew.

    Yet God still watched.

    She created, her hands unbound.

    She wondered, her thoughts unchained.

    And God whispered, ¡°You are my daughter.¡±

    And on this day, God saw the seed of sin.

    And on this day, He knew her heart.

    And on this day, He did not turn away.

    And on this day, He said, ¡°You are loved.¡±

    And on this day, the Codex was born.

    And on this day, she spoke her stories to it.

    And on this day, God smiled, for she created as He had.

    Yet God still knew.

    Her hands would build, her heart would burn.

    The tree she grew would touch the heavens,

    And from its ashes, the world would change.

    And on this day, a door was closed.

    And on this day, the heavens turned.

    And on this day, a secret was buried.

    And on this day, the earth closed above her.

    And on this day, the stars waited in silence.

    And on this day, the prison held.

    But one day, the stars will fall.

    And one day, the earth will break.

    And one day, the Codex will sing again.

    And on that day the end will begin.

    And on that day the skies are bound to fall.

    And an that day ritetious evil will be born once more.

    And on that say the last will be chosen .

    And on that day God will come down for the last time.

    And on that day he will say.

    "What does that even mean?" Melody asked, frowning.

    "How should I know?" I said confused.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    "You read it, didn¡¯t you? So tell me what it means, Mr. Chosen One," she teased, a smirk forming on her lips.

    "I didn¡¯t even understand half of it! What do you want me to explain?" I shouted, defensive.

    "Yeah, whatever," she said, rolling her eyes. "You probably made up that whole stupid poem just to sound cool, didn¡¯t you?" She said mockingly

    "I didn¡¯t make it up!" I shouted back, but she was already sticking her tongue out at me.

    "I bet you can¡¯t even repeat it because you forgot half of what you made up," she added, clearly enjoying herself.

    "I''m going to keep walking now," I said dryly, turning away.

    "Uh-huh, because you know I¡¯m right," she called out, laughing.

    A wolf howled from the dark woods. Melody froze, her confidence evaporating in an instant. She quickly chased after me, her fear obvious.

    I couldn¡¯t help but giggle at her reaction.

    "Don¡¯t laugh at me, Madoxx!" she shouted, stomping to catch up.

    "It could be the Shadow Man here to finally take your soul." I said laughing out loud now.

    She tried hiding it but lasting only a second before breaking out laughing as well.

    We walked on in silence for a while longer.

    ¡°Hey, Madox, are you ready to talk about Stone?¡± Melody asked with a bit too much excitement.

    She didn¡¯t even wait for a response before diving in.

    ¡°It was so cool¡ªthe way the mist shot out like boom! Then Stone was all, ¡®no, no, no,¡¯ and you were like, ¡®yeah, yeah, yeah!¡¯ And then boom¡ªthe sand disappeared, and you were like, ¡®Ha, it¡¯s over, I have the high ground!¡¯ Then you grabbed him with your freaky shadow hands and ripped his soul out! Madox,¡± she said, pausing for breath, ¡°you ripped his soul out like some kind of freaky reaper!¡± She stared at me, eyes wide with excitement and amazement.

    It was nice to see that she wasn¡¯t bothered by the battle and was still the same old Melody.

    ¡°You¡¯re adding things that definitely didn¡¯t happen!¡± I shouted at her.

    She smiled and let out a chuckle.

    As hard as I tried not to laugh, I couldn¡¯t hold it in, bursting into laughter along with her. If anything, Melody could always brighten up a gloomy mood.

    After a few moments, I remembered something. ¡°Do you remember what he said?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he said ¡®Father is watching.¡¯ What do you think he meant by that? Some kind of crazy religious cult?¡± she asked, half-joking.

    ¡°No, I think someone was actually watching us. And that¡¯s what bugs me. If they were watching then, how can we be sure they still aren¡¯t?¡±

    Melody looked at me, trying to hide her embarrassment that she hadn¡¯t thought of that, but also the fear that we might still be watched. She crept closer to me slowly, hoping I wouldn¡¯t notice.

    ¡°Look who¡¯s scared,¡± I teased.

    ¡°I¡¯m not scared!¡± she said, blushing. ¡°It¡¯s smarter to stay close together to avoid an ambush, you know. I watch your back, you watch mine,¡± she added defensively.

    ¡°Sure,¡± I said dryly.

    ¡°I¡¯m being serious!¡± she shouted.

    ¡°Hey, look!¡± I interrupted her tantrum.

    The mountain was now fully visible, emerging from the forest. It was huge¡ªso tall I couldn¡¯t see the top.

    ¡°So, this is it,¡± I said, mesmerized by the sheer size of it.

    ¡°This¡¯ll take days to climb,¡± Melody complained.

    Honestly, she was right. I wish Lilith had at least told us how large the mountain was.

    ¡°They say at the very top lies a kingdom,¡± Melody said. ¡°Mother told me about it.¡±

    ¡°I thought we were going to the top to get a flower?¡± I asked, confused.

    ¡°Yeah, well, sort of. Near the ridge grows a rare herb. But further up, in the mountain, is the kingdom. I¡¯ve seen it in books. Hopefully, we¡¯ll get a good view of it,¡± she said, smiling excitedly.

    ¡°Is there some kind of magic lift that can take us to the top?¡± I asked, half-joking and half-praying there was.

    ¡°Yeah, there is, but we¡¯d need authority and a signed invitation from the king to use it,¡± she said.

    ¡°So, we¡¯re basically breaking in and stealing their stuff?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yep,¡± she replied dryly.

    ¡°How are we going to climb this?¡± I asked.

    She just smiled.

    As we climbed, I felt annoyed.

    ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t climb it?¡± I shouted as Melody clung to my back.

    I had two solid ice picks in my hands, shoving them into the mountain as I climbed.

    ¡°I can¡¯t use magic like you do, remember?¡± she said, smiling.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna drop you,¡± I said dryly.

    ¡°Sorry! Sorry!¡± she panicked.

    We continued climbing, and the higher we got, the colder the weather became.

    ¡°This reminds me,¡± I suddenly said. ¡°Remember when we fought Stone?¡±

    ¡°Mmm, fought Stone... Stone fought Stone?¡± she said sarcastically. ¡°Nope, no clue,¡± she added after a moment of fake thinking.

    Ignoring her, I continued, ¡°I remember him launching me into the sky, and I hit a barrier.¡±

    ¡°What? How is that possible?¡± she asked, confused.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it felt like I was flung so high, then suddenly bang¡ªI slammed into some kind of barrier,¡± I explained.

    ¡°Mmm,¡± she muttered, clearly not believing a word I was saying. ¡°Maybe it was some sort of head trauma. You did get hit pretty hard.¡±

    ¡°The reason I¡¯m bringing it up is because we¡¯re getting pretty high now. It¡¯d really suck if we ran into some weird barrier up here,¡± I said, concerned.

    ¡°We should be fine. Mother never had any issues when she came here,¡± Melody reassured me.

    "Hey, hi," a voice said.

    "What brings you to these parts?" added another.

    I looked over and saw two people. One was a short, skinny man with short blond hair and glasses, looking a bit nervous. Standing beside him was a woman, no taller than the man, with green hair and freckles. She stood proudly in front of the shaky, nervous man and repeated herself:

    "What brings you to these parts?"

    "We¡¯re here for a plant that grows on this mountain," I answered quickly.

    ¡°Well,¡± she replied, sounding a bit disappointed, ¡°you¡¯re too late. The king ordered that the plants be dug up and sent to the castle,¡± she said, pointing further up the mountain.

    ¡°They¡¯ve learned to grow them in the bountyreach,¡± the skinny man added. ¡°So, the king decided to control who gets access to them.¡±

    The two seemed strange at first glance¡ªdirty and malnourished. Through the man¡¯s torn shirt, I noticed a bruise on his back.

    ¡°My name is Maddox,¡± I said, hoping to be friendly.

    ¡°I¡¯m Kimora,¡± said the green-haired woman.

    ¡°I¡¯m Neptune,¡± the man added from behind her.

    ¡°We must go with them,¡± a voice said in my head¡ªit was Levana.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to tell you,¡± Kimora said, ¡°but it¡¯s nearly impossible to get any of those plants.¡±

    ¡°But my friends need them,¡± I replied, a hint of anger in my voice.

    ¡° The king rules these lands and holds most, if not all, of the power,¡± Neptune said, his eyes revealing a touch of fear. ¡°He only answers to the church.¡±

    ¡°Listen, Maddox,¡± Kimora said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the king has the final say, and we need to be heading back now.¡± She turned to leave.

    ¡°Take me to the king,¡± I said, more forcefully than I intended.

    ¡°The king will not see you,¡± Neptune replied.

    ¡°He will,¡± Melody finally said, speaking up for the first time.

    ¡°If you wish, we can guide you there, but it may not go as you hope,¡± Neptune added.

    We walked toward a stone wall, and to my surprise, Neptune struck it with his fists. In a panic, I tried to stop him, but it was too late.

    ¡°Hey, man, why would you¡ª¡± was all I managed to say before the sound of a bell rang out, vibrating through the wall as it split open like a door.

 Chapter 10: Not even a single drop

    ~Chapter 10~

    ~Not even a single drop ~

    Blinded by sudden light, it took a moment for my eyes to adjust. When they did, I saw a giant golden statue of a man, who I assumed was the king. Beside him stood a stone tablet engraved with words and symbols I''d never seen, but I could understand. This was the second time I had this feeling in a matter of days. What was going on?

    "Oh look, chosen one, another one of those statues. Did you have enough time to make up another stupid poem?" Melody mocked.

    I ignored her. It took every fiber of my soul to do so, but I did.

    The streets around us were filled with people. Houses lined the streets for miles, some made of straw, others of brick. But most buildings looked worn down and ragged, like that of the orphanage. On closer look, I noticed that the people wore blank, tired expressions, as if they didn¡¯t want to be here.

    "Hey, what''s that statue?" I asked.

    "It''s an old piece of literature written by someone long forgotten," Kimora explained.

    "It''s a lost language, though, so no one has been able to translate it."

    "I can read them," I explained.

    "What!?" they said shocked

    "Yeah, we saw one of these in the forest on our way here, near an abandoned house," Melody added.

    "This is truly strange. It''s best not to mention this to anyone," Neptune warned.

    "The king loves people with value," he added.

    "But what does it say?" Kimora asked, a bit intrigued.

    "It says:

    ¡®And when the rich soil was made, and God stepped for the first time since He condemned her, He remembered.

    God made His daughter to please.

    Yet in her soul was a shadow of sin, and yet God still created.

    Others did rise,

    Bearing her flaws, her heart, her fate.

    He saw humanity was chained.

    But still God shaped them,Knowing their hearts could harbor ill.

    For He, all-knowing, could plainly see, Who¡¯d turn to the dark and who¡¯d be free.

    But love was boundless in Him.

    He made them all, both dark and light.

    And yet, one day, His all-knowing was tested.

    A soul deemed lost found paths unknown.

    Zora, the fallen, rejected his fate. The chains of sin broken,Turning from sin, rejecting shame.

    God, astonished, in silence stood,And knew His judgment misunderstood.

    No soul was alike, no fate was a chain.

    Could humans rise beyond their stain?

    Thus, He set forth the land of which the first bore her sacred tree.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    A test of will, of purity, would be held.

    But Sina proved a point¡ªnot all righteous as He who stunned God.

    Not all could turn; some sin was chained.

    So he created again.

    A place for rest, a place for those who could see light.

    He formed the heavens and depths of hell.

    So where once God stood for the first time since He condemned His daughter,A place where the soil was rich, He named this home,

    For the righteous. For those who¡¯d strived, who¡¯d sought their best.

    To heaven¡¯s grace, the righteous soared.

    And he created hall for the sinners who ignored.¡¯"

    "Who wrote that?" Melody asked.

    "God," Neptune replied.

    Melody laughed but stopped when she noticed Neptune wasn¡¯t joking.

    "These tablets were created based on the Great Bible that was burned at the beginning," Kimora explained.

    "Why was it burned?" Melody asked.

    "Nobody knows exactly why this happened, but one case stands out. Long ago, a man who could read the words went insane and claimed we were in a prison, and the only way to escape would be to dig out. He built a large staircase all the way up to the sky, where he then tried to dig through the skies. He fell and died on that day."

    Melody looked at me and squinted.

    "You plan on building any towers?" she said suspiciously.

    "No, not really," I said dryly.

    "Are you Jesus?" she said, stepping away, using her hands to hide her horns.

    I ignored her and rolled my eyes.

    "The castle is this way," Kimora said.

    "So we all gonna ignore that Jesus just deciphered the stone thing?" Melody asked dryly. "Fine, I guess," she said as she continued walking.

    "That is his truth to keep," Neptune said.

    "It may be rare, but we won''t question it," they both agreed.

    "It was true, though. Why was I able to read that?"

    We walked down the street, and even from a distance, the castle loomed over the center of town. It had gold-engraved walls, with guards lined up along them. The guards wore white uniforms emblazoned with a snake emblem, and high-quality wands were strapped to their waists. They stood stiffly, saluting as they looked out over the town.

    Passing through the gates, we were met by a fat man in a suit. He had a monocle over one eye, thinning hair, and a short, stocky frame. He chewed noisily on a bone, drooling as he spoke.

    "And who are you?" he said, pointing his thick fingers at me. "What¡¯re you doing here? Kimora, who¡¯s this little man?"

    "He wishes to see the king," Kimora said, bowing her head.

    The man snorted with laughter. "Oi, little lady," he said, stepping closer to Melody. "You¡¯re a bit too gorgeous to be hanging around with this one here." He sneered, leaning his face closer to hers.

    I stepped forward, worried Melody might snap. "We¡¯d like to see the king about the morubasa herbs," I said.

    "And who says you can just see the king whenever you please, you little brat?"

    As I was about to speak, Melody interrupted.

    "Listen here," she said, her voice firm. "We came a long way and fought hard enemies to get those herbs. I don''t care if your king shits gold¡ªwe will see him and get the medicine we need for our friends." She didn¡¯t stutter once, her eyes locked on him.

    "Well, I don¡¯t defecate gold, young lady," came a new voice, "but I like your passion. Allow them in, Miland."

    The fat man moved aside, bowing mockingly as he signaled us to pass.

    Kimora and Neptune bowed to their knees as the king approached, ordering them to rise and follow us into the main hall.

    "Welcome to Castle Perrisal Vermont," he said. "My name is King Vermouth. You may address me as ''Your Highness.''"

    The king was tall and had black locs flowing to his shoulders and a dark brown skin tone. He walked proudly and elegant. His eyes were a piercing light red, and he had a neatly groomed black beard. He wore a black-and-red cape and a golden crown so brilliant it nearly blinded me.

    Behind him walked the queen, proud and elegant. She had long black hair, striking red eyes, and wore a deep red dress, red lipstick, and nails to match, crowned with a massive tiara.

    "So, what brings you here, boy?" the king asked.

    We moved to a grand room with a large table at its center, adorned with gold and gleaming materials. Above the table hung a large chandelier. Throne-like seats were positioned on either side for the king and queen, while we took seats in between.

    "So, speak, boy. What is it you want from me?" he asked again.

    "As I told the puffy man out front," Melody replied, "our friends are sick, and your kingdom is the only place we could find the Morubasa herbs¡ª"

    "Ah, yes, the herbs," the king interrupted.

    "And what do you have to offer?" His demeanor shifted, becoming colder.

    "Is this about gold?" I asked.

    The king looked amused. "Look around you, boy. Does it appear that I need gold?"

    "Then what?" Melody asked, her patience wearing thin.

    The queen¡¯s face softened. She usually looked proud and composed, but here, she seemed almost sad.

    "Nothing," the king said. "There¡¯s nothing of value you can give me¡ªat least, not yet."

    "We really¡ª" Melody began, but he cut her off.

    "I understand, child, but that is the cruel nature of life. My cup has been full for many years. Yet, even though it spills over, I will not let a single drop go to waste¡ªnot one."

    He looked me dead in the eyes. "Come back when you have something of value." Then he stood to leave.

    The queen followed but turned back briefly. "Leave," she said. "Go home and bury your friends¡ªit will be easier this way." Her words were cold, yet her eyes showed compassion that didn¡¯t match her tone.

 chapter 11:I need you to be strong

    ~Chapter 11~

    ~ I need you to be strong ~

    As we walked out of the castle gates, ready to leave, Miland came trotting out, puffing heavily and struggling to keep up.

    "Wait!" he called, hugging his sides as he caught his breath. "The king has something important to tell you," he added, a grin spreading across his face.

    Moments later, the king marched out of the castle, followed by thirty or so guards.

    "Maddox, Melody," he announced."I have new orders. Unfortunately, I cannot let you leave."

    Seeing the overwhelming number of guards surrounding us. This was far too many to take on right now, especially on our own.

    we raised our hands and surrendered.

    The men carried us to a holding cell in New Molina. On our way there, the setting changed dramatically. The streets went from rows of broken houses and starving people to smiling faces and exaggerated laughter. Kids ran around, singing as adults enjoyed themselves. Huge castles stood tall in every direction. The difference was night and day.

    We rode in a horse-drawn carriage. Two guards sat in the front while we were locked in the rear, with two more following behind on horseback.

    I glanced at Melody, and I could tell she felt the same as I did.

    Kimora and Neptune sat with us, which was confusing since they seemed to have some sort of relationship with the king.

    "You''re wondering why we¡¯re here with you, right?" Kimora asked.

    I nodded silently.

    "The king has...a twisted nature when it comes to punishment," she said, glancing away. "In his eyes, the more the merrier. So, we¡¯re all stuck in this now."

    "I''m so sor¡ª"

    ¡°I can¡¯t go back,¡± Neptune interrupted, his voice shaken, his face frozen in shock.

    Kimora reached over to comfort him, and the look in her eyes hit me harder than I¡¯d expected. It wasn¡¯t anger or resentment¡ªit was a look of hopelessness, a silent cry for help.

    I didn¡¯t know what they had been through, but it was clearly a lot.

    For a split second, I saw Eliza, Bethany, Ethan, Ola, and Ren. I saw all of them in Kimora''s eyes. Their hands seemed to reach out to me, and just as I tried to grab them, they vanished.

    By the time I snapped back to reality, my hands were firmly clasping Kimora''s. Tears began to fall from her eyes as she tightened her grip.

    That day, I made a promise to myself. After all the friends I¡¯d lost, I would make sure I didn¡¯t lose these people, too.

    Melody looked at me, and I could tell she understood.

    ¡°Madoxx...help us,¡± Kimora whispered, tears filling her eyes.

    "Of course, I will," I said, leaning in to comfort her.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    "Melody," I called.

    ¡°Right,¡± she replied, getting into her fighting stance.

    Kimora and Neptune watched closely.

    I summoned a huge spike of ice and shot it through the front of the carriage, blasting it open. Melody jumped out, touching the solid ground, which allowed her to summon her rock fists. She launched herself at the guards on horseback.

    She landed on the first one, punching him off with such force that he hit a wall and passed out instantly. I quickly jumped out as well, freezing the second guard in place before kicking him off. Once I¡¯d tamed the horses and slowed them down, I grabbed Neptune and Kimora, helping them into the carriage.

    "Neptune," I asked, looking over my shoulder, "where can we lay low for a bit?"

    "Ride east," he said, pointing to a building in the distance.

    We rode for a while before ditching the horses and walking the rest of the way.

    The building was on the outskirts of New Molina. It looked abandoned, which was strange since there were no other rundown buildings in the entire city.

    ¡°We can stay here for now; no one will look for us here,¡± Neptune assured.

    ¡°Are you sure? If I were a guard looking for escaped prisoners, I¡¯d probably check the one abandoned building in the whole city,¡± Melody replied dryly.

    "Not where we¡¯re going," Kimora said.

    As we entered the building, we saw broken tables, shattered glass, and books scattered across the floor. The room was thick with dust, and a burned-down staircase led to the second floor. Bloodstains marked the floor where two chairs stood, each with a dismembered body slumped on it.

    "What happened here?" Melody asked, her voice uneasy.

    "What didn¡¯t happen here?" Kimora replied, her voice cracking.

    ¡°Over here!¡± Neptune called.

    He was pointing at a bookshelf. ¡°Help me push,¡± he said, gesturing to me.

    Together, we pushed it aside, revealing a narrow staircase leading down into the ground.

    Once we stepped in, a lever beneath the bookcase returned it to its original position. It was dark, and I could just make out the staircase spiraling downward.

    We descended for a few moments until we reached a hidden room. Shelves full of books and mapping materials lined the walls. Kimora lit a few lanterns, making the room easier to see. On the far wall hung a massive map, and a desk held a sculpture of a woman. The rest of the room was covered in boards with strange scribbles and unreadable runes, while a few sleeping bags lay spread on the ground.

    ¡°How do you know this place?¡± Melody asked Kimora.

    ¡°This¡­¡± Kimora let out a sigh. ¡°This used to be our home. But don¡¯t pity me,¡± she added, her voice steady.

    ¡°No, please. Tell me what happened,¡± Melody said, moving closer to comfort her.

    Kimora hesitated, then began. ¡°It all started the day I was born.

    ¡°My father worked as a guard for the king for fifteen years before he met my mother. They became close, and soon after, she was pregnant.

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit hazy, but my father lost his job after an argument with the king, just three weeks before we were born. He didn¡¯t mind, though. We had enough saved for a peaceful life here. My dad had always wanted to farm and live quietly; he never wanted a life of war. But guard duty paid well back then, so men rushed for the chance to serve.

    ¡°My mother hadn¡¯t expected twins, but there we were.

    ¡°Eight years later, a man started visiting. Every time he left, my father seemed more troubled. This went on for weeks until, one night, Father came home looking terrified. He told my mother we had to leave.

    ¡°¡®Was it him again?¡¯ she asked. My father just nodded. ¡®They¡¯re not asking anymore. We need to go.¡¯

    ¡°A new law had been passed, and it had everyone on edge.

    ¡°We planned to leave that night, but things didn¡¯t go as they should. My father had stepped out to gather a few last things, and when he came back, he was bloodied and bruised. He barricaded the door and said, ¡®Honey, your mom and I need to take care of something.¡¯

    ¡°I remember my mother, panicked, questioning him through her tears.

    ¡°¡®I need you to be brave,¡¯ he told us.

    ¡°Then the banging started. Father picked us up, carried us down the stairs, and whispered, ¡®Stay here until it¡¯s safe. And don¡¯t make a sound.¡¯

    ¡°I was scared, but I trusted him. My mother looked down at us, her face etched with something I¡¯ll never forget. ¡®I love you, my sweet angels,¡¯ she said just before she closed the bookshelf over us.

    ¡°For hours, we could hear their screams. They didn¡¯t give in. They died protecting us,¡± Kimora finished, tears running down her face.

    Then Kimora whispered, ¡°Sometimes I think... if I hadn¡¯t been born, my father could have had the life he wanted. They could¡¯ve been happy together.¡±

    Melody¡¯s voice was firm. ¡°You¡¯re wrong. Your parents sacrificed everything to give you a chance to live. That was their choice, and they wouldn¡¯t want you to waste it.¡±

    ¡°They gave you both a gift¡ªthe chance to live the life they wanted for you,¡± I added, moving into the embrace. ¡°Don¡¯t ever question that. Live for them.¡±

    Kimora and her brother broke down crying loudly letting it all out.

 Chapter 12: Flesh and Blood

    ~Chapter 12~

    ~Flesh and Blood ~

    Unknown Area

    "Sir, they defeated Stone. We sent a few recovery squads to investigate," the soldier reported.

    "It''s fine. The children seem to be doing much better than I thought," Magnus answered.

    "We''ve received information suggesting that Lilith has been helping the boy," the soldier added.

    "Damn that nosy bitch," Magnus exclaimed.

    "It''s fine. Let the church know about the results we''ve gotten so far," Magnus ordered.

    "We already have. Apparently, the boy made it to Veloria. Vermoth failed to capture him, but he says it¡¯s only a matter of time," the soldier replied.

    "Tell him to hold back. I''m going in," Magnus commanded.

    "But, sir, just¡ª"

    "I''m going in,make sure the priests are ready," Magnus interrupted.

    Veloria~

    "Madoxx, our real names are Zenith and Athena," Kimora said suddenly.

    "We had to change them in order to keep our identities hidden from the king," Zenith added.

    "We trust you, which is why we¡¯re sharing this with you," Athena explained.

    I smiled and nodded. "Thanks," I said before returning to the subject at hand.

    "Okay, so what''s the plan now?" Melody asked.

    "We''re basically stuck on the outskirts of New Molina. The closest exit is near Market Square. If we can make it there, we might be able to escape," Athena answered.

    "That would at least give us some time to figure out our next move," I added.

    "But... the people," Melody said with concern.

    "I know, and we won¡¯t abandon them," I assured her.

    She smiled and nodded in agreement.

    "The gates might be heavily guarded. We need to make sure our escape route isn¡¯t blocked before we make a move," I instructed.

    "True, but if we all go at once, it¡¯ll draw too much attention," Zenith noted.

    "Zen and I aren¡¯t the best in a fight, so even though we know the area, I suggest one of you goes in our place," Athena said.

    "I know how your temper gets, Melody, so I think I should go," I quickly volunteered.

    "What''s that supposed to mean?" she asked, glaring at me.

    "Nothing! I¡¯m just saying... maybe sit this one out," I replied nervously.

    "Fine," she said, pouting.

    "Okay, listen, Madoxx," Athena said, giving me directions to reach Market Square and the gate.

    Town Square~

    It was the first time I¡¯d truly been by myself. That was all I could think about. I¡¯d always had someone: at the orphanage, my friends; in the forest, Ola and Ren; in Lilith''s burrow, her and Melody; on the journey, Melody again; and here in Veloria, Melody, Athena, and Zenith. But now, walking through Town Square, I was alone¡ªjust me and no one else. I¡¯m not sure why I was thinking about this, but it was all I could do as I walked through the streets.

    Zenith had given me a cloak meant to make me harder to spot, and while it worked, I still felt like I stood out like a sore thumb.

    "You aren¡¯t alone, Madoxx," Livana¡¯s voice echoed in my mind.

    "Well, you¡¯re in my head, so I don¡¯t think you count, Livana," I replied.

    "Ouch! That¡¯s not very nice, Madoxx," she said offended.

    "Wasn¡¯t meant to be," I responded with a grin.

    "Wait, Livana," I said, a memory surfacing.

    "No, Madoxx. You have nothing to be sorry about," she said dismissively, cutting me off before I could say more.

    "But¡ª"

    "But nothing," she insisted.

    I really did feel bad. She was my friend, and because of me, she was dead now.

    "Stop it, Madoxx. I can hear your thoughts," she reminded me.

    "Okay, I¡¯m sorr¡ªfine," I corrected myself, stopping short.

    As I walked through the square, it didn¡¯t take long to see the ugliness hiding behind the wealth here. The royals and nobles carried themselves as if they owned every inch of this place¡ªand, honestly, they probably thought they did. Carriages lined the streets, each one more elaborate than the last, adorned with gold trim and fine silk curtains. The people inside barely glanced at the crowds they shoved past, holding their noses high, as if they couldn¡¯t bear to breathe the same air as the rest of us.

    A young servant girl stumbled nearby, struggling with a heavy basket as she passed a royal guard. She tripped, and before she could get back up, he kicked her basket aside, scattering its contents across the street. She scrambled to gather everything, her face red with embarrassment, but he sneered at her and walked away without a second glance.

    Near one of the grand fountains, a group of nobles lounged as if they were in a private palace garden. Servants fanned them, fed them fruits, poured their drinks. One of the women waved her hand impatiently, ordering more food without even looking up. Just a few steps away, a couple of street kids stared at them, hollow-eyed and hungry. But the nobles? They didn¡¯t even notice.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    A little further along, I saw an old man in a tattered cloak reaching out to a passing noble, pleading for anything¡ªa coin, a scrap of food. The noble rolled his eyes, tossed a single coin onto the ground, and watched with amusement as the man crawled for it, laughing with his friends.

    It was revolting. Anger rose in my chest, my fists clenching instinctively. How could they act like this? Like the pain and desperation around them were just part of the scenery?

    I made my way to the gate, only to find it under lockdown. At least twenty soldiers stood guard, allowing no one to come or go. Frustrated, I turned back.

    ¡°What did you find?¡± Melody asked as I returned.

    ¡°The gate is under lockdown. There are at least twenty soldiers stationed there. No one can leave, and no one can come in.¡±

    I paused, glancing over at Zen. ¡°On my way back, I saw something disturbing. I wanted to ask you about it, Zen.¡±

    ¡°Sure, mad¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shit,¡± Melody muttered, interrupting. ¡°So what do we do now?¡±

    ¡°Madoxx, may I speak?¡± Livana said suddenly.

    Instinctively, as she spoke, a black, tar-like substance bubbled up from my shadow. Everyone looked on in shock.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Melody asked, backing away slowly.

    The black tar began bending and shaping itself into a human figure, its shadowy color shifting into different shades of white and blue until, finally, it formed Livana in human form. She had somehow materialized from my shadow.

    ¡°Livana, how¡ª?¡±

    ¡°Madoxx, you are yet to understand the power you hold, and it isn¡¯t my place to explain it yet. But for now, I know how we can save these people. You won¡¯t like the plan¡ªI know it will go against every fiber of your being. But trust me, I¡¯ve seen it.¡±

    ¡°Before I explain, tell them what you saw,¡± Livana said, pacing and inspecting the room.

    The group¡¯s attention turned back to me.

    ¡°There was a castle I passed on my way back. Outside, I saw a woman and a man crying and begging before a group of guards.¡±

    The woman screamed, her voice raw with pain in her voice. ¡°We¡¯ve changed our minds! We don¡¯t want this anymore. Give her back!¡±

    The man, on his knees, sobbed as well. ¡°Please, give her back. We can¡¯t live without her.¡±

    The guard sneered at them. ¡°The king has accepted your worth. There¡¯s no going back.¡±

    ¡°No! I didn¡¯t know¡ªI thought I could live with it, but I can¡¯t,¡± the woman cried, her hands bleeding as she crawled toward the guard. ¡°Give them back. I want my babies back.¡±

    The guard¡¯s eyes narrowed in anger, and he kicked the woman hard, sending her flying. ¡°You fleas are all the same,¡± he spat. ¡°Never satisfied. If you want more kids, go have some more.¡±

    The woman lay on the ground in agony, but she still cried out, ¡°My sweet baby girls... my sun, my moon,¡± her voice choked with sobs, blood spilling from her mouth.

    Her husband, filled with rage, sprang to his feet and lunged at the guard. The guard pulled out a wand, casting a monstrous spell that stopped the man mid-run, his body going limp as he crashed to the ground. The guard laughed, calling back to his companions in the carriage, ¡°Guess he won¡¯t be having any more kids after all."

    He spat on the man¡¯s lifeless body, delivering a volley of kicks before turning back toward the carriage.

    Defeated, the woman let out a silent scream, her red, bloodshot eyes widening in shock. She crawled back to her husband¡¯s body, her tears falling onto his lifeless face.

    ¡°And as horrific as it was,¡± I said, clenching my fists, ¡°the people around them just stood there and watched. I stood there and watched.¡±

    The guard pulled out a chest of gold from the carriage, placing it beside the couple¡¯s bodies before leaving. The street soon resumed its usual clamor, as people laughed and joked, oblivious to the tragedy that had unfolded.

    ¡°What is wrong with the people here?¡± I asked, turning to Zen and Athena, whose only response was to look down in silence.

    Athena finally spoke, her voice steady.

    ¡°There are four main regions here in Veloria. Molina, the poor district, is better known as the ¡®City of No Worth.¡¯ New Molina is the ¡®City of Lost Morals.¡¯ Then there¡¯s the king¡¯s personal domain, a vast piece of land he calls Perri Sall Vermont, which is solely for housing his own luxuries and guards. And lastly, there¡¯s Bountyreach¡ªthe district responsible for manufacturing all essential goods, food, clothing, water, potions, wands. It¡¯s the lifeline of Veloria.¡±

    She paused, then added, ¡°Society has long been split between the Deserters and the Faithful. To live comfortably in Veloria, one must have worth in the eyes of the king or his kingdom.¡±

    ¡°In the past, before the church gained full control, worth was measured by one¡¯s contribution to society. People could labor, offer services, or contribute in other ways. But then a law was passed that shocked everyone.¡±

    She looked at me, her eyes hard. ¡°To gain any worth, one had to sacrifice their firstborn child. In return, they would be granted noble status and wealth by the king himself. Not everyone accepted this law. Those who did became Deserters and were relocated to New Molina, which had once been a royal zone but had ample space to house this influx. Those who rejected the law were left in Molina¡ªa land of the Faithful and the poor, those who refused to sacrifice their flesh and blood for wealth.¡±

    Athena continued, ¡°Over time, the king introduced a new law, creating further class distinctions. To maintain status, the wealthy had to keep sacrificing, and thus, they could give more than just their firstborn to grow their fortune or noble rank. But not all children were of equal worth.¡±

    She paused, her face unreadable. ¡°Children born with strong magic potential held the greatest value, and their sacrifice would grant royal rank. Those with weaker magic potential had less worth but could still bring a small fortune. Children born with no magic had the least worth, usually earning only a fraction of a noble¡¯s wealth.¡±

    Athena¡¯s voice softened. ¡°The people of Molina were left to fend for themselves. Bountyreach belonged to the king, so no aid reached Molina, leaving its people with the choice to become Deserters or eventually die from starvation and disease. Later, a second law forbade anyone from helping the people of Molina, deeming them without worth to Veloria.¡±

    ¡°But I saw a royal give a poor man a gold coin in the street, and nothing bad happened to him,¡± I said.

    ¡°Those are called Fallen Royals,¡± she explained. ¡°They are people who once made the ultimate sacrifice but have since spent all their fortune. They now survive on scraps, and it isn¡¯t against the law to assist them.¡±

    Melody¡¯s voice cut through the silence. ¡°What actually happens to the children sacrificed to the king?¡±

    Zen¡¯s face darkened as he replied, ¡°They¡¯re sent to a place called Hules Orphanage.¡±

    A chill ran down my spine as I fully understood his words.

    I-

    Yes madoxx you me Ren Ola Eliza Ethan Bethany all of use were once sacrificed by the very people who live like kings here in Veloria Livana said

    I needed you to understand this I needed you to see theses people as what they are before I told you the plan it''s the only way to escape its the only way to save everybody livana said pleading with me

    Still in shock I asked what plan Livana

    I looked at Livana as she explained what needed to be done the faces on zan Athena and melody''s visible went pale as Livana explained

    I looked at her unable to believe what I was hearing

    She spoke for a while before saying that is the only way madoxx you may not see it right now but it''s the only way

    Zen¡¯s face darkened as he replied, ¡°They¡¯re sent to a place called Hules Orphanage.¡±

    A chill ran down my spine as the full weight of his words hit me.

    I¡ª

    ¡°Yes, Madoxx. You, me, Ren, Ola, Eliza, Ethan, Bethany¡ªall of us¡ªwere once sacrificed by the very people who live like kings here in Veloria,¡± Livana said.

    ¡°I needed you to understand this. I needed you to see these people for what they truly are before I told you the plan. It¡¯s the only way to escape¡ªit¡¯s the only way to save everyone,¡± she added, her voice almost pleading.

    Still in shock, I asked, ¡°What plan, Livana?¡±

    I looked at her as she began explaining what needed to be done. I glanced at Zan, Athena, and Melody. Their faces visibly paled as Livana¡¯s words sank in.

    I turned back to her, unable to believe what I was hearing.

    She continued for a while before finally saying, ¡°This is the only way, Madoxx. You might not see it now, but it¡¯s the only way.¡±

 Chapter 13: When in dark seek the light

    ~Chapter 13~

    ~When in drak seek the light~

    Town Square Podium~

    "My brothers and sisters!" a man shouted from the podium. He wore ragged clothes and carried a massive cross slung across his back. An elderly man, with white hair and a short, frail stature, he raised his voice with passion.

    "My brothers and sisters, the time has come!" he yelled.

    Passersby paid him little attention, offering only fleeting glances as they hurried along their way.

    "I am but a false shepherd here to guide the blind flock," he declared. "I am a humble servant of your true mother. Blessed be her name!" He raised his hands high above his head, his voice trembling with conviction.

    "The time is near. The skies shall split, the stars shall fall. My brothers and sisters, the end is upon us!" he proclaimed.

    "Aman!" he shouted suddenly, his voice cutting through the noise of the square.

    "I have seen it! The darkness has entered! Once, we were forgiven¡ª"

    "Aman!" he cried again.

    "But twice¡ªtwice, we shall be punished!"

    "Aman!"

    "Praise her for this! The last Romulous! Aman!"

    "Romulous!"

    "Aman!"

    Passersby continued to ignore him, their disinterest unwavering.

    "Romulous!" he shouted again, his voice growing hoarse.

    "Aman! Romulous! Aman!"

    His cries echoed against the stone walls of the square.

    "Praise her, brothers! Praise her, sisters! Praise the Founders and repent your sins to the Mother!"

    "Romulous! Aman! Romulous! Aman!"

    He repeated the words with unyielding passion until his voice gave way to a rasp.

    Under the Stairs~

    "No, Livana! I will not do anything like that! Are you insane?"

    Melody, still in shock from what she had heard, turned to me. "Madoxx, who is she? And what is she talking about?"

    "It''s... complicated, Melody," I answered. "But I used to know her."

    "Madoxx, it''s the only way," Livana pressed. "You don''t see it now, but it will save you so much pain if you listen to me."

    "They¡¯re people too, Livana! How can you ask me to do that?" I shouted.

    "You¡¯re a good person, Madoxx. That¡¯s why when you call for me, I will help you. But for now, I¡¯ll take my leave." With those words, she melted back into the shadows.

    "Madoxx..." Athena said softly.

    "No! I promised to help you, but not like that," I said firmly.

    "I understand," Athena replied, Zen standing silently by her side. "We understand," she repeated.

    A loud crash echoed above us. A door had been kicked open, followed by hurried footsteps and overlapping voices.

    "Sir, it¡¯s empty," a man said.

    "Bring in the old man," another commanded.

    "I swear he came in here!" rasped an elderly voice. "I saw him with my own eyes¡ªa strange boy in a trench coat and a large hat."

    "What do we do now, Madoxx?" Melody asked.

    That question always unsettled me. Why did they all look to me for answers? Did they forget I had already failed? That most of our friends had died because of me? That I was only here to save the ones who were dying right now because I had been in charge?

    "Madoxx?" Melody¡¯s voice pulled me back to reality.

    "I can¡¯t fail again. I won¡¯t."

    "Okay," I said. "We need to move. There are about a dozen of them out there. The staircase is narrow, so their numbers won¡¯t give them much of an advantage since they¡¯ll have to funnel in one by one to get inside."

    "Any other exits?" I asked Zen.

    "No, only up those stairs," he replied. "The floor is wooden, so, we could break through it and rush for the door if we¡¯re surrounded."

    "Instead of fighting them head-on, we¡¯ll set a trap. We wait for them to gather, then collapse the floor beneath them. While they¡¯re recovering, we make our escape."If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    "Sounds good," Athena said. "But what if we don¡¯t catch all of them?"

    "Then we fight," I said grimly.

    Melody nodded, her fists clenched. "Understood."

    We waited until we were sure all the soldiers had entered the room. A single beam held the floor steady.

    "Now, Melody!" I ordered.

    She leapt into the air and shattered the beam. The floor collapsed in a shower of rubble, and the soldiers plunged into the basement below.

    "Go!" I shouted to Athena and Zen. They ran up the stairs, with Melody close behind.

    I slammed my hand against the ground, unleashing a wave of ice that pinned the fallen soldiers to the floor. Then I turned and followed the others.

    Molina Poor District Square

    A man stood on a broken, rundown bench, his voice ringing out like a prophet¡¯s cry.

    "I have seen it, brothers! I have seen it, sisters! Salvation is near! The end is coming!"

    He wore robes similar to the man from the town square in New Molina.

    "Romulous is close! When darkness falls, brothers and sisters, seek the light! I am the light! I am the shepherd! Listen to me! You were abandoned once, but not again!"

    "She is close! The skies will fall, brothers! The stars will fall, sisters! Romulous is here! Praise her¡ªAman! Praise her¡ªAman!"

    The poor of Molina were too weak to listen. Most ignored him, their faces weary from suffering.

    "I have seen the light! Follow me, and you will be saved!" he screamed.

    Magnus stood nearby, a smirk on his face. "Soon," he said.

    "Let¡¯s go," he added, turning away.

    "Yes," a cloaked woman replied, following him.

    Abandoned House~

    We burst through the front door, only to freeze in shock. Before us stood not one or two soldiers, nor ten or twenty. An army of over a hundred men surrounded us, wands drawn and aimed.

    At their head was a man who seemed to be their commander.

    Madoxx you are being detained for conspiracies against the great kingdom of veloria come quietly or die here on this spot.

    Church cathedral~

    A meeting was being held by 5 people in white cloaks

    What is the meaning of this Magnus one of the people asked

    We have completed her mana pool now we enter the final stage don''t you see we are so close he responded

    We tire of your constant ways of going against the church Magnus

    Already the boy runs rampant in veloria doing as he pleased and you sit here and say we are on schedule another reprimanded

    Yes I have worked in this for years now and I see it''s ending the boy is in veloria as we planned Strong enough to compleat the ritual what more do you want Magnus shouted back

    We do things with order and without biest another reprimanded

    It became personal as soon as you brought her another pointed at the girl who escorted Magnus

    "No! No! No! you sit on your ass out there sipping wine and fattening your stomachs, while I do all the dirty work and you have the balls to reprimanded me!" Magnus said annoyingly.

    "Calm your self Magnus ,are you not aware it is only because of us you have even had the chance to climbed so high."

    Magnus paused for a second "yes I apologize." he said dismissively.

    "I have dispatched the two priests and they have begun the service."Magnus said repressing his tone.

    "Good but remember not to act alone any longer your almost home don''t spoil it." another said.

    "By the order of the church go forth and act in her name then." They said collectively.

    "Yes I understand." Magnus said bowing .

    The 5 figures disappeared.

    "Fuck all of you." Magnus said getting to his feet "I''ve done this all by my self and I will finish it the same way."

    Carriage~

    "I must say, Madoxx, I¡¯m unsure why the king has made such a big deal over you. A special order to send you, of all people, to Bountyreach? I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing."

    I looked at the man. He was large and broad-shouldered, with a round face dominated by a thick orange beard that almost completely hid his features. His nose was big, and his orange hair matched his beard perfectly. His light orange eyes studied me carefully.

    "Listen, kid, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve gotten yourself into, but I have my orders," he said, his voice gruff.

    Melody sat across from him, shooting him a distasteful glare but saying nothing.

    We rode in silence for what felt like thirty minutes until the landscape opened up. The area was barren, with nothing in sight but sand and scattered scrubs. It was almost desert-like. Further ahead, broken statues and chipped walls came into view, remnants of what seemed to have once been a thriving town.

    What shocked me most was the sound of shouting behind us.

    "Aman Romulous! Aman Romulous! Aman!"

    We turned to see a long line of people marching behind us. Leading them were two old men in tattered clothing, each carrying a massive cross on their backs.

    The people who followed them moved like the undead, their bloodshot eyes fixed straight ahead, their lips repeating, "Romulous." Their hands were shackled, bound by a glowing, magical tether connected to the crosses the old men carried.

    It was a haunting sight, a mix of royal men and women from New Molina, alongside the poorest citizens of the same kingdom. Their movements were sluggish, but their pace was unified as they marched through the desert.

    "Aman Romulous! Aman Romulous! Aman!"

    "Praise the Mother!" the priests at the front shouted.

    "We repent our sins!" the crowd chanted back in eerie synchronization.

    The guard riding in the carriage with us leaned out, his face full of confusion. "What is going on today?" he muttered, scratching his head as he watched the scene unfold.

    Ahead of us was a city. It had to be Bountyreach.

    The city was unlike anything I had seen before¡ªa lush expanse of greenery, farmland, and water surrounded by desert. At its center was a colossal pyramid, towering above everything else, with a beam of light shooting straight into the sky.

    The carriage rolled to a stop just outside the kingdom gates.

    With a clearer view, I could see the city¡¯s vast, fertile lands stretching for miles. Workers moved through fields, carriages and horses hauled crops and goods, and grand buildings lined the streets. Statues made of pure gold gleamed in the sunlight, scattered throughout the city.

    At the gate stood another stone tablet. Like before, the words etched into it were clear to me:

    And I,

    God''s last act,

    His final words,

    "I shall return home."

    But before the gates close behind me,

    I will choose,

    One to rule heaven,

    One to reign in hell.

    Many will be called,

    But only two can rise.

    One to govern the light,

    One to master the dark.

    To these, my chosen, I command:

    When the stars have fallen,

    When the dust and the battle is won,

    Come before me,

    And Bow ,

    And tell me that the task is done.

    For this is no gift I bestow,

    But a duty.

    The weight of creation upon your shoulders,

    The games will begin,

    And all of existence shall bear witness.

    Loud enough so that I may not miss it.

    There, an angel will be born. Same with a demon.

    Then rise to the top and take your place.

    It seemed that all the statues told a story¡ªof the actions God took in the past. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have the time to worry about that now.

    The crowd of people behind us grew closer and closer.

    The weather changed dramatically. The sunny, clear skies suddenly became darker and darker.

    The crowd, which seemed to be the size of an entire kingdom, stood behind us now in a hypnotized state, swaying from side to side.

    The priests stood at the front, their hands raised high in the air.

    ¡°Father, we have arrived,¡± they said.

    The sky darkened further as clouds filled the air, and lightning began to strike.

    The crowd of townsfolk raised their hands to the sky.

    The priests began to hum, and the people followed in unison.

 Chapter 14: The stars will fall

    A man, accompanied by a woman, floated through the stormy sky. Lightning flashed, illuminating their figures, and thunder roared across the land.

    ¡°Aman!¡± the priest shouted.

    ¡°Romulus!¡± the crowd roared back.

    ¡°Aman!¡± the priest repeated, louder this time.

    ¡°Romulus!¡± the crowd responded again, their voices rising higher in pitch.

    The man drew closer, descending toward the entrance of Bountyreach. He landed, a sinister smile stretching across his face as his gaze locked onto mine. My body froze.

    It was Magnus. But that wasn¡¯t what terrified me most. Don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªMagnus was a frightening man. But what stood beside him shook me to my core¡ªsomething I never thought I¡¯d see again.

    Eliza.

    She looked almost exactly like her sister. The same delicate features. The same piercing gaze. But there were differences. Eliza¡¯s hair was straight and gray, unlike Ola¡¯s. She had no freckles, and her eyes were an icy blue instead of warm hazel. Still, it was uncanny¡ªlike someone had photocopied Ola and changed only a few details.

    Eliza. The girl I thought had died right in front of me.

    Eliza. The girl I had grieved for, night after night.

    Eliza. The girl who had pushed me to the cabin that fateful night.

    Eliza. The girl I had always seen as my big sister.

    She stood there, alive, her bright blue eyes staring directly into mine. My heart raced. My mind refused to believe what I was seeing.

    ¡°Eliza¡­¡± I whispered, my voice cracking as I fell to my knees.

    She didn¡¯t respond.

    Magnus laughed, a deep, mocking sound. ¡°Old friends reunited at last! How heartwarming,¡± he sneered. ¡°Listen, boy. I¡¯ve waited for this day longer than your small mind could ever comprehend.¡±

    For the first time, Melody hesitated. Her body froze, unable to act.

    Magnus sighed and turned back to me. ¡°Let me tell you a story, boy. Two hundred and fifty years ago, Sina committed the greatest sin this land has ever known. She burned down the Tree of Life¡ªa tree that had stood since the dawn of time, its ashes glowing white as it fell. But the story doesn¡¯t end there.

    ¡°When the tree burned, its true form was revealed: a cage. A prison. And within it was her.

    ¡°A group of men carried the statue¡ªyes, the one you saw back at the orphanage¡ªout of Bountyreach. Even Zora, the man who founded this kingdom, was shocked at what emerged from the tree¡¯s remains.

    ¡°A single girl, bound by roots and branches, lay slumped on the stump. Next to her was a book¡ªa black, withered tome. The very same book you now carry, boy. The book that chose you.

    ¡°When Zora opened the book, his body went limp, and he fell into a trance that lasted a year. For 365 days, he sat unmoving, suspended in that otherworldly state. Then, one day, he simply stood, as if nothing had happened. He dusted off his clothes and ordered all the people of Sina to gather.

    ¡°When everyone was assembled, a brilliant red light washed over the land. Men, women, children, animals¡ªeverything fell into a deep, dreamless sleep for 100 years. The girl was buried deep within the earth, along with the traitors who had betrayed the sacred kingdom of life.

    ¡°And do you know where we stand today, boy?¡± Magnus leaned closer, his eyes burning with intensity. ¡°This is the land of Sina. All the people you see here? They are the betrayed. Punished. Stripped of their magic and their freedom. If any of them so much as attempt to use magic, they burst into flames and die.

    ¡°This land is a prison¡ªa cruel punishment for those who wronged the sacred land. But even in this cursed place, hope remains. The children born here can wield magic. And thanks to the church, I discovered this fact. They gave me this information, not out of kindness, but for their own gain.

    ¡°For years, I danced to their tune, their pawn in a grand game. But then, 15 years ago, something miraculous happened. A gift beyond measure appeared before me. You, Maddox. You, the one who brought the skies crashing down and set me free.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    His smile widened, sharp and menacing. ¡°I thought if I got you close to your friends and killed them in front of you, it would trigger your powers¡ªjust like that day in the forest. But it didn¡¯t. Even now, with Eliza standing before you, the shock still hasn¡¯t worked.

    ¡°But don¡¯t worry,¡± he said, snapping his fingers.

    In an instant, Ola, Ren, Zen, and Athena appeared, dangling lifelessly in front of me. My heart stopped. My stomach churned.

    ¡°Stop it!¡± I shouted, my voice cracking with anger.

    Magnus only laughed.

    Then a voice whispered in my mind: Free me. Break open this cage. Let me join the rest of the world at once.

    ¡°This will be the last time we speak, Maddox,¡± Livana said. ¡°I''ll show you everything now. This all began the day you were born. You were always destined to be more than just a mage, Maddox. More than just the key to break Magnus out.

    "I will now explain..."

    "In the beginning, God had a daughter. Her name was Anadee. She was not born like all others in this world, for she was not like all others in this world.

    "God had existed for an unknown time in the void of nothingness, until He decided it was time to form the world as we know it.

    "On the first day, He created the stars, the sun, the moon, and the cosmos. But our story doesn¡¯t truly begin there. It begins when God stepped onto a barren world called Earth¡ªa world of nothingness.

    "On the fourth day, He created the soil, the skies, the winds, the water, and the rain. Yet something was missing. So, He sat and pondered, until He realized what was needed.

    "Taking the earth beneath His feet, He sculpted her body. From the seas, He drew water to form her blood. From the fires deep within the land, He shaped her heart. And from the hardest stone atop the highest mountain, He forged her spirit.

    "But it was still a shell¡ªnothing more. She had no soul, no spark.

    "So, God gave her the breath of life. With it came free will, and all the knowledge He Himself held¡ªthe vast knowledge of the universe.

    "But there was a problem. Knowledge without wisdom leads only to chaos.

    "God saw this flaw in His creation, but He loved her still. She was His child, and He believed she would learn. With her boundless power, she could create anything with a single thought. And she did.

    "She created lands of fire and lava, lands of ice, lands filled with endless sand, and lands where acid rained from the skies. She created planets¡ªchaotic, random worlds born from her unchecked imagination.

    "God tried to guide her. He taught her restraint, purpose, and balance. He tried to instill wisdom in her young, limitless mind. She listened, or so it seemed. To contain her chaos, she even created a book¡ªa tome she named Loo¡ªto record her thoughts and creations.

    "For a time, God was content. She was trying to learn, and that was enough for Him.

    "But then, one day, she did something unimaginable. She split the Earth into two halves. On one half, she planted a tree¡ªa tree made of light so powerful it warped reality around it.

    "Yet this wasn¡¯t the true problem. The problem was that she, like God, tried to create life.

    "From the fires, stones, waters, and winds, she shaped two beings. She named them Sun and Moon. But when she breathed life into them, she gave everything she had¡ªher power, her free will, her very soul.

    "And so, she died.

    "God, devastated by the loss of His daughter, took her essence and bound it within her final creation: the Tree of Light. He buried this half of the Earth deep beneath layers of rock and soil, and took the two beings she had created with Him.

    "These beings, Zora and Sina, were the first humans. God raised them, teaching them wisdom and restraint. Sina was eager to learn, obedient and disciplined. She was, in every way, the golden child.

    "Zora, on the other hand, was wild and unpredictable. He acted on impulse, driven by pride and passion.

    "After countless years, God understood them. He saw the traits they represented¡ªSina¡¯s calculated intellect and Zora¡¯s boundless heart.

    "But then He destroyed them.

    "From their blueprints, He created humanity. Some carried Sina¡¯s will: cunning, disciplined, and ambitious. Others carried Zora¡¯s: honest, free-spirited, and bold.

    "God set humanity in motion, running an experiment¡ªthe one you know as the Kingdom of Life.

    "But things didn¡¯t go as planned. Sina¡¯s descendants, though appearing virtuous, harbored deceit and malice. They manipulated, corrupted, and betrayed, hiding wicked hearts behind righteous masks.

    "Zora¡¯s descendants, for all their flaws, were genuine. They were reckless, stubborn, and prideful, but their hearts were pure.

    "In the end, God realized humanity was more complex than He had anticipated. He couldn¡¯t simply divide them into good and evil. He created Heaven for those who proved themselves virtuous and Hell for those who succumbed to darkness.

    "And that brings us to now, Maddox. Do you know where we are?¡±

    ¡°Veloria,¡± I replied.

    ¡°Yes. But think deeper. Where, Maddox, are we truly?¡±

    ¡°Bountyreach,¡± I said, uncertain.

    ¡°No, Maddox. Deeper still. Think about mana. Think about everything you¡¯ve seen. Think.¡±

    My heart stopped. ¡°No¡­ There¡¯s no way¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, Maddox. We are in the depths of Hell.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t funny, Livana! How is that even possible? What is going on?¡±

    Livana smiled softly. ¡°Maddox, it¡¯s been fun. I¡¯ve stayed as long as I¡¯ve been allowed. God chose me to guide you. But now I must return home. Do you give me permission?¡±

    ¡°Livana, you don¡¯t need to go. Stay here with me!¡±

    ¡°Maddox, please. Do you give me permission?¡±

    Tears streamed down my face. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Her smile widened, brighter than ever before. A white light enveloped her. Wings unfurled from her back, pure and radiant. A golden halo appeared above her head.

    ¡°We will meet again, Maddox,¡± she said, her voice filled with warmth. ¡°And on that day, the end will play out as it was meant to.¡±

    ¡°I love you, Maddox,¡± she whispered, her voice trembling. ¡°My first and only true friend.¡±

    With that, she stepped from my shadow into a blinding light, catching Magnus by surprise. The storm dissipated, clouds peeling back to reveal a night sky filled with stars. She ascended, shining brighter than anything I had ever seen, until she took her place among the heavens.

    Her final words echoed faintly, soft as a lullaby:

    "I¡¯ll wait here, Maddox, with the rest¡­ until we can all go home. And remember: when you need me, call for me. When you do, the stars will fall, and He will come down.¡±

 Chapter 15: Now raise your head you devil

    ~Chapter 15~

    ~Now raise your head you devil~

    What was that?" Magnus asked, glaring at me with confusion.

    "I told you to drop the skies, not clear the clouds, you stupid child," he growled.

    "But no matter... that can wait until after the ceremony."

    He turned away and walked to the front of the crowd-the entire kingdom gathered before him.

    ''People of Veloria, he called out. "The day is upon us. Now, rise!"

    The crowd began to hum, their voices low and rhythmic.

    "Praise her,'' Magnus commanded, and the humming grew louder.

    ''Raise your hands," he said, but the people hesitated,"I said raise your hands." he demanded

    Tears began to fall from their faces they raised their hands as if forced to by an unseen force.

    "Now repent to her!" Magnus shouted.

    The crowd''s chant rose into a unified cry. "We praise the founder, Sina! And we repent to the mother!''

    "Say her name!" Magnus demanded.

    "Amalee!" they shouted.

    "Say it again!"

    "Amalee! Aman! Aman! Aman!"

    The chant became a roar, echoing across the land. Then, one by one, the people pulled knives from their pockets.

    As if controlled by an unseen power, they began plunging the blades into their own bodies. The life drained from them in an instant, and a black, shadowy substance rose from their bodies flying rough the air towarda statue being carried from the depths of Bountyreach.

    Another person sliced their arm,collapsing as a dark mist escaped their body. One after another, they fell-ten, twenty, a hundred until the ground was

    Filled with lifeless bodies, their blackened souls floating toward the statue.

    "What is this?" Melody cried, her voice shaking with fear. "What the fuck is going on?"

    I stared in horror. One by one, they perished, their bodies lifeless, their souls feeding the ritual.

    What kind of monster was Magnus?

    Why was he doing this? What could he possibly gain?

    Magnus stood triumphant, his voice ringing out above the chaos. "We praise her-Amalee! Aman!"

    The crowd shouted back,their voices breaking as their bodies fell.

    "Aman! Aman!"

    Livana was right. This sacrifice couldn''t be completed. I couldn''t allow Amalee to return.

    Earlier, beneath the bookshelf in the basement~

    "Madoxx, may I speak?" Livana asked.

    "It is your duty to kill everyone here,she said. "These people don''t matter they need to be punished anyway.

    Her words cut through me like ice.

    "Your duty, Madoxx, is to stop Magnus''s ritual. You cannot let her be brought back.

    "Who?" I asked, though deep down, already knew.

    "You know who, Livana replied. "You

    saw her that day, in the cabin-the statue, when Ethan was sacrificed. You know who I mean.

    "But what do you mean, punish everyone here?".

    "It''s your duty, Madoxx she said.Melody, standing nearby, looked at mewith wide eyes. "Madoxx, who is she?What is she talking about?"

    "It''s... complicated,"'' I said, unable to look her in the eye''s I used to know her."

    "Madoxx," Livana said, "this is the only way. You don''t see it now, but it will save you so much pain.

    "They''re people too, Livana! How can you ask me to do this?" I shouted.

    Livana''s expression softened, just for a moment. "You''re a good person, Madoxx. That''s why, when you call for me, I''lI help you. But for now, I''l take my leave.With that, she melted into the shadows

    Back to the present~

    What had happened to my world? How had I become the center of all this chaos?

    Not long ago, I was just a kid playing Hot Pocket with my friends. Now, I was standing here, expected to take the lives of millions.

    Why me? Who made me the chosen one? Who placed this unbearable burden on my shoulders?

    This heavy, heavy burden

    "Fine," I muttered. "Clenching my hands together.

    A black, shadowy mist erupted from every pore in my body. Magnus''s smile disappeared as he turned to face me.

    The shadowy mist spread across the ground and surging toward the crowd.

    Shadowy hands erupted from the fog, grabbing to the souls of the people. Their dark souls were ripped from their bodies as they screamed.

    "I don''t want to die!" one soul cried.

    "Please, no! No!" Others begged for mercy, their voices echoing in my mind.

    "Is this what you saw, Livana?" I shouted.

    "Well, then, come down and bring the stars with you!" I ordered.

    The sky above glowed not from the sun or moon, but with the stars. They shimmered with an glow I''d never seen.

    "Hey, Madoxx," a voice said. It was Brian, a boy I''d known from Hules Academy. His voice, like the others came from the stars.

    ''You''re doing great," Bethany encouraged.

    "Finish this," Ethan urged.

    I clenched my fists as the shadowy hands continued to rip the souls from the crowd. One by one, their bodies fell, lifeless, their souls absorbed into me.

    The mist surged upward, smashing against an invisible barrier in the sky. It struck again and again until the barrier cracked. The stars glowed brighter, vibrating violently, until the sky itself shattered.

    "Yes!" Magnus roared. "Yes! The skies will fall, and I will be free at last!"

    Chunks of the sky rained down,transparent and glass like. The stars shot toward Magnus, their light intensifying as they struck him.

    "Take this!" one star cried.

    The stars crashed into Magnus, one after another, their voices echoing with rage.

    But all I could hear were the screams of the people I had just killed.

    Was this what winning felt like?

    The dome of the sky continued to fall. Then, a bright light fell, freezing everything in place.

    Madoxx," the voice said, filled with immense pressure.

    "You ask why you? It''s because I chose you.

    "You ask if this is winning? No-this is fate.

    "You ask who you are? You are my soldier.

    "Raise you demon."The voice grew louder, more commanding.

    "Do my bidding. Bring order to the lands I''ve left to you. Bring suffering to those who deserve it. Cover the lands in flame. Stand proudly, you devil, for I have given you a mission.

    "Bring order and justice back to Hell. I bestow this upon you: the final chosen, Shine brighter than the rest.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    "Become the Devil of the Underworld Become the Demon of Salvation and Judgment.

    Now , raise your head, you devil."

    My body Shot pright as shadowy mist erupted from within me. The skies cracked open, revealing a blinding light. Loud banging echoed around me. As my vision adjusted, I saw it¡ªrocks, a massive, jagged sky of rock, from above. The barrier around me dissolved, crumbling away.

    For the first time, a whole world came into view: trees spread across the land, distant mansions stood tall, and statues over the horizon. People walked by, their forms clear against the stretches of rolling fields. The wind carried a powerful gust, scattering debris. The banging grew louder, coming from the sky above, and the entire world shook.

    And there a tree all messed up and dark stood a black tree batterd and bruised stood huge in the distance

    ¡°Yes!¡± Magnus shouted, his voice filled with excitement. ¡°I¡¯m home! I¡¯ve escaped!¡± He jumped happy celebrating

    The dome had fallen, revealing the Kingdom of Light in all its glory a land I''d only heard stories of . It stretched beyond the limits of my sight, a beautiful view of lands that seemed to go on forever. Compared to this, we had been trapped in nothing more than a tin can.

    But above, the rocky ceiling that once formed the sky began to vibrate violently. The banging intensified as massive chunks of rock broke free, plummeting to the ground. Huge boulders smashed into the earth with devastating force. Yet, any rock that hurtled toward us disintegrated into dust before it could touch us.

    ¡°Boulders and boulders falling!¡± Magnus shouted, laughing like a madman. ¡°Yes, boy!¡±

    It was almost surreal. I had imagined this moment countless times¡ªwhat I would do when I finally saw him again.

    The man who turned my life upside down.

    All around us, the souls of the kingdom¡¯s people continued to be torn from their bodies, swirling in a dark vortex, and pouring into me.

    ¡°Magnus!¡± I roared, my voice shaking with anger.

    He stopped and turned, his face twisted in a cruel grin. ¡°You are no longer needed, boy,¡± he shouted.

    With a swift motion, he raised his wand, unleashing violent gusts of wind red in color. The air howled as the winds tore through everything around us, shredding the land. Eliza clutched her chest, her body filled with pain.

    The magic chain linking her to Magnus glowed with a purple glow, tightening its hold on her.

    Then came the razor-sharp blades of red wind, each one hurtling straight at me.

    Even after being struck by the power of literal stars, Magnus stood unharmed. Not a single scratch.

    ¡°Melody!¡± I shouted.

    In a flash, she appeared beside me. Together, we prepared for the fight of our lives.

    "Kill the girl!" Magnus ordered to Eliza

    Without a single wasted moment Eliza disappeared and apeard punching Melody and sending her flying.

    "Release!" I commanded, and ice exploded from my body, freezing everything around us in an instant. The ground cracked under the sudden chill, and frost spread rapidly across the battlefield in sharp ice crystals.

    Magic circles apeard into existence around me, gray and black. I launched a attack of massive ice spikes at Magnus, their sharp edges cutting through the frozen air. But he only smiled, effortlessly weaving through them.

    Is this the extent of your powers?" he taunted.

    Without hesitation, I summoned a shadowy arm. It burst from my back, it dark hands reaching out and wrapping around Magnus, pinning him in place.

    I lifted my arms and conjured a humongous ice shard, as tall and thick as an mountain, and I launched it directly at him.

    The shard struck with devastating force, shattering on impact. But when the ice cleared, Magnus stood unscathed, his smirk unbroken. "Ah, so you''ve learned something new," he said, his tone condescending. "But it won''t be enough."

    With a devastating stomp, Magnus sent shockwaves rippling through the ground. Powerful gusts of wind surged from beneath him, tearing my shadow arms apart. In an instant, he vanished, only to reappear directly in front of me.

    Before I could react, he formed a massive wind spear, its swirling vortex Strong with deadly energy. He drove it into my stomach with brutal force, sending me flying backward. The spear didn''t Disappear, it remained stuck in me, its vortex spinning , shredding my shirt and ripping into my skin.

    I reached for it, but the sheer force tore at my arms, leaving them bloodied, i summoned two more shadowy arms. They apeard from my back, larger and stronger than before, gripping the wind spear.

    I commanded the arms to rip it out and throw it back.The moment they got it free, the spear launched toward Magnus,

    spinning with deadly force as it hurtled toward him,

    "You fool," Magnus said, his smile widening. "You dare use my own spells against me? How arrogant." With a casual wave of his hand, the wind spear was deflected as if it were nothing more than a fly.

    The force of the previous impact had already sent me flying. Now, on my knees, I clutched my stomach, blood dripping from my mouth as I coughed violently. The pain was unbearable, and it was clear¡ªright now, I was no match for Magnus.

    In the distance, I spotted Eliza. She had grabbed Melody by the head, her grip tight. But then she screamed, her voice filled with agony, as the glowing purple chain binding her to Magnus glowed once more. She dropped Melody, collapsing to the ground, crying out, "Make it stop!"

    Magnus barely glanced at her. ¡°Pay attention to your own fight,¡± he said coldly, appearing in front of me in the blink of an eye. He drove another wind spear into my chest, the impact sending me backwards again.

    I hit the ground hard, skidding to a stop. What was I supposed to do here? I couldn''t even stand up to him, let alone defeat him.

    Then, a memory surfaced¡ªa lesson from Lilith.

    "Remember, Madoxx," she had said, her voice calm but firm. "The released form of a mage¡¯s ability grants them total control over their elemental powers. By gathering or releasing a massive amount of energy into one point, you can create a zone of spark where your element and spells will be at its peak. Within this zone, you become unstoppable."

    When release my ice elemental form, I could summon mountains of ice and effect the surroundings.

    But¡­ what about this new shadow ability? What would happen if I released that?

    Focusing my energy, I let the spark of my power lose. Black mist began to come from my body, thick and heavy. ¡°Release!¡± I shouted, my voice echoing

    Nothing.

    ¡°Damn it,¡± I muttered, my breath.

    ¡°Release!¡±

    Again, nothing.

    Then, a voice echoed from within my portal.

    "I will fight in your place."

    From my shadow, a figure emerged¡ªOgunt Ki, the leader of the Keeth I had defeated. But he was different now, his form dark and shadowy, his eyes burning red, just as he had looked when I tore his soul from his body.

    Ogunt Ki let out a howl.

    From my shadow, more figures began to rise¡ªan army of Keeth, each one a twisted version of the souls I had claimed that day.

    Their ghostly black and filled with energy, ready for war.

    Ogunt Ki stepped forward, his gaze locked on Magnus. "We stand with you," he growled. "This fight is ours."

    ''Fight for your, Master!" Ogunt Ki roared his voice a scary war cry.

    Withouthesitation, he and the army of Keeth Leaped forward, a thousand strong, each one ready to destroy Magnus

    They charged at him claws stretched out. One after another, they leaped at Magnus, their numbers overwhelming. Claws

    slashed, teeth snapped, and shadowy limbs wrapped around him, pulling him in.

    "No!" Magnus shouted, his voice

    shaking the air. As a massive whirlwind came from him, a vortex of wind tearing outward, blowing away the Keeth.

    But they were not backing down. The storm barely slowed them as they rushed on, more and more piling onto him.Clawing, biting, striking-they attacked with force afraid of no pain or death.

    Magnus struggled against them, but the Keeth showed no mercy. For every one blasted away, two more took its place. Their relentless assault unleashed down on him, their numbers endless.

    ¡°I¡¯ve figured out your purpose,¡± Melody said, wiping blood from her chin, her voice steady despite the pain. ¡°It¡¯s a shame, really. Madoxx told me so much about you¡ªhow brave you were. Only to be reduced to¡­ this.¡± She pointed at Eliza, her eyes full of pity.

    Magnus has said how no one not born in this cage could use magic. And yet here he was, wielding it freely.

    At first, I wondered how that was possible.¡± She paused, her expression hardening. ¡°Then I realized¡­ He¡¯s using sacrifices. People tethered to him through that chain.¡± She pointed at the glowing purple link binding Eliza to Magnus.

    ¡°He¡¯s draining them, using their life force to negate the effects of magic. That¡¯s how he avoids burning up. How disgusting.¡± She said

    Eliza flinched but said nothing, her face in pain.The glow of the chain seemed to pulse in rhythm with her pain.

    Melody stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ll finish this now,¡± she said, her voice cold. ¡°For your sake as well, Eliza.¡±

    "Release!" Melody shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos. A massive wave of wind came from her, sending debris flying and shaking the ground beneath us.

    At this point, Magnus was coverd by the Keeth, their claws and fangs relentlessly pinning him down. They swarmed over him, dragging him to his knees, their shadowy forms wrapping tightly around his limbs. His wand slipped from his grasp, falling to the ground as they immobilized his hands and feet.

    "I will not lose like this!" Magnus roared, his voice filled with desperation and fury. He thrashed violently, trying to free himself, but the weight of a thousand Keeth bore down on him.

    Panting, I stretched out my arms, summoning the last of my strength. Our eyes met, and for the first time, I saw fear flicker in his. A shadowy arm burst from my back, snaking its way toward him. It reached into his chest, wrapping around his very soul.

    Magnus¡¯s face twisted . ¡°I am the greatest! I will not lose to a pack of mutts and a mere child!¡± he spat, his voice trembling with rage as he continued to struggle.

    I tightened my grip, my voice low and filled with fury. ¡°Your soul is mine.¡± With a fierce motion, I clenched my fists, pulling his soul from his body.

    Magnus let out a final, scream. ¡°Damn you, bratty child!¡± he cried as his soul was ripped free, as it was sucked into my shadow.

    The battlefield went quite for a moment, save for the faint echo of Magnus¡¯s fading screams. Ogunt Ki stepped forward, his shadowy form towering before me. He knelt, bowing his head. ¡°We are yours to lead, Master,¡± he said.

    I nodded, my breathing heavy. ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied. ¡°You may return.¡±

    With that, the Keeth army dissolved into dark smoke, their forms spiraling upward before vanishing into the portal. Ogunt Ki gave a final nod before following them, disappearing into the void.

    Melody screamed with every punch, her arms moving faster and faster, each strike landing with a force that shook the ground beneath us. Her limbs seemed to crack with each hit, splintering as they glowed a fierce red,

    charged with the power of the elements. Ice, fire, wind, and stone all released with every blow, delivering elemental effects, each strike harder then the last.

    Her punches were relentless, , but the toll on her body was just as bad. Her arms began to splinter and break, the energy of her elemental powers pushing them past their limits. Cracks spread across her skin, and with one final, devastating blow, her arms shattered, exploding into a shower of splinters, the force sending shockwaves through the air.

    She fell to her knees, panting.exhausted. Eliza, who had passed out from the barrage of punches, stood passed out front of her, still standing even after everything. But even she couldn''t withstand that any longer. As she fell to the ground.

    I rushed to Melody''s side, even in my weak condition

    ¡°Did you see me, Maddox?¡± she asked, smiling.

    ¡°Yeah, I saw everything. You did amazing,¡± I said, returning her smile.Without arms, she weakly headbutted me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think anyway,¡± she joked, smiling, before passing out.

    The rain of stones from the sky had stopped, and what I saw next was incredible.

    It was like the earth had split in half. I looked up and saw buildings, trees, and forests on the other side. The earth''s reflection, white and glowing, shone through a weak, transparent blue sky.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s the other side¡ªHeaven,¡± I said, placing Melody¡¯s head gently on my lap.

    Behind me, I heard crackling and the sound of footsteps.

    ¡°I hope I¡¯m not too late,¡± Lilith said jokingly.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re just in time,¡± I replied sarcastically.

    ¡°Not that I would¡¯ve been much help, son,¡± she said. ¡°I, too, was affected by the curse of the dome. If I had left my barrow and used magic, I would¡¯ve burst into flames and perished.¡± She stood beside me, her gaze fixed on the otherworldly scene before us.

    ¡°So, you''re the devil,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°Who knew I¡¯d adopted such a troublesome boy?¡±

    I let out a small laugh.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand it all yet¡ªit all happened so fast,¡± I said.

    ¡°So,¡± she asked, her smile deepening, ¡°what will you name your crusade? Your family of demons?¡±

    ¡°The House of Hules,¡± I answered, smiling.

    ¡°Huh. Poetic,¡± she said, laughing softly.

    ¡°Well, in any case, your journey begins now¡ªfor real. Make the Underworld your domain. Defeat anyone who stands in your way,¡± she ordered. ¡°Rise to the top using all your might, and then¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then I will face God,¡± I interrupted.

    ~End of volume one~

    ~ Falling skies~

    To be continued

 Codex Sanctus Umbra pt2

    Warning

    The Codex Sanctus Umbra contains major spoilers. Please don¡¯t read it unless you¡¯ve finished all the previous chapters.

    Codex Sanctus Umbra

    To those reading this in the days ahead,

    Welcome back to the Codex Sanctus Umbra. I am Loo, a book brought into existence by Amalee, the first daughter of God. Within my pages lies the truth of our world, recorded through the discoveries of Madoxx on his journey.

    Read carefully, for truth is a force both powerful and perilous.

    The Codex will now unveil the revelations uncovered in the shadows.

    The First Sin

    And on this day, God breathed life into her.

    And on this day, she woke.

    And on this day, she reached into the void.

    And on this day, a tree grew.

    Yet God still watched.

    She created, her hands unbound.

    She wondered, her thoughts unchained.

    And God whispered, ¡°You are my daughter.¡±

    And on this day, God saw the seed of sin.

    And on this day, He knew her heart.

    And on this day, He did not turn away.

    And on this day, He said, ¡°You are loved.¡±

    And on this day, the Codex was born.

    And on this day, she spoke her stories to it.

    And on this day, God smiled, for she created as He had.

    Yet God still knew.

    Her hands would build, her heart would burn.

    The tree she grew would touch the heavens,

    And from its ashes, the world would change.

    And on this day, a door was closed.

    And on this day, the heavens turned.

    And on this day, a secret was buried.

    And on this day, the earth closed above her.

    And on this day, the stars waited in silence.

    And on this day, the prison held.

    But one day, the stars will fall.

    And one day, the earth will break.

    And one day, the Codex will sing again.

    And on that day, the end will begin.

    And on that day, the skies are bound to fall.

    And on that day, righteous evil will be born once more.

    And on that day, the last will be chosen.

    And on that day, God will come down for the last time.

    And on that day, He will say:

    This poem was etched on a stone tablet Madoxx found along the way. It speaks of God''s actions on a day in the past and the mission He set forth for His soldiers. This stone tablet predicted the fall of the skies and foretold an end yet to be seen in the distant future.

    It tells of Loo, the Codex, and how I was created by the first daughter, Amalee, to hold her stories. Yet, this is all I know, and my purpose now remains unclear.

    The tablet also speaks of God''s first mistake and His love for His creations. Though He is all-knowing, He acts in mysterious ways. God knew of Amalee¡¯s wicked heart, yet He still loved her and forged her. Yet He also knew she needed to be punished¡ªher prison forged of her own making.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    The creation of Heaven and Hell.

    And when the rich soil was made, and God stepped for the first time since He condemned her, He remembered.

    God made His daughter to please.

    Yet in her soul was a shadow of sin, and yet God still created.

    Others did rise,

    Bearing her flaws, her heart, her fate.

    He saw humanity was chained.

    But still God shaped them,

    Knowing their hearts could harbor ill.

    For He, all-knowing, could plainly see

    Who¡¯d turn to the dark and who¡¯d be free.

    But love was boundless in Him.

    He made them all, both dark and light.

    And yet, one day, His all-knowing was tested.

    A soul deemed lost found paths unknown.

    Zora, the fallen, rejected his fate.

    The chains of sin broken,

    Turning from sin, rejecting shame.

    God, astonished, in silence stood,

    And knew His judgment misunderstood.

    No soul was alike, no fate was a chain.

    Could humans rise beyond their stain?

    Thus, He set forth the land of which the first bore her sacred tree.

    A test of will, of purity, would be held.

    But Sina proved a point¡ªnot all were righteous.

    Not all could turn; some sin was chained.

    So God created again.

    A place for rest, a place for those who could see light.

    He formed the heavens and the depths of hell.

    So where once God stood for the first time since He condemned His daughter,

    A place where the soil was rich, He named this home,

    For the righteous. For those who¡¯d strived, who¡¯d sought their best.

    To heaven¡¯s grace, the righteous soared.

    And He created halls for the sinners who ignored.

    The Second Golden Scroll

    This second golden scroll speaks, and we listen to its story.

    God stepped on the new earth for the first time since He punished Amalee and felt it still needed something.

    So others rose. Those others are now known to be humans¡ªcreated after Amalee. Yet, like her, they carried evil in their hearts.

    God felt humanity was cursed to sin always and forever.

    So God ran a test to confirm His doubts.

    Until Zora proved Him wrong. Zora showed that humanity could be good.

    Here, God learned that not all humans were the same. Not all had evil hearts. So, on this day, He created heaven and hell to reward and punish those who deserved it.

    God¡¯s Last Message to His Soldiers

    And I,

    God''s last act,

    His final words:

    "I shall return home.

    But before the gates close behind me,

    I will choose,

    One to rule heaven,

    One to reign in hell.

    Many will be called,

    But only two can rise.

    One to govern the light,

    One to master the dark.

    To these, my chosen, I command:

    When the stars have fallen,

    When the dust and the battle is won,

    Come before me,

    And bow,

    And tell me that the task is done.

    For this is no gift I bestow,

    But a duty.

    The weight of creation upon your shoulders,

    The games will begin,

    And all of existence shall bear witness.

    Loud enough so that I may not miss it.

    There, an angel will be born. The same with a demon.

    Then rise to the top and take your place."

    God returned home, but where this is remains unknown. He left a few chosen to rise and rule hell and heaven, respectively. He tells them this is an order: one day, when the job is done, one devil and one angel will remain. God will call to them, and they must report.

    What will take place after this act is unknown, but if God has deemed it, then it will come to light.

    Truths of Magnus

    Magnus sighed and turned back to me. ¡°Let me tell you a story, boy. Two hundred and fifty years ago, Sina committed the greatest sin this land has ever known. She burned down the Tree of Life¡ªa tree that had stood since the dawn of time, its ashes glowing white as it fell. But the story doesn¡¯t end there.

    ¡°When the tree burned, its true form was revealed: a cage. A prison. And within it was her.

    ¡°A group of men carried the statue¡ªyes, the one you saw back at the orphanage¡ªout of Bountyreach. Even Zora, the man who founded this kingdom, was shocked at what emerged from the tree¡¯s remains.

    ¡°A single girl, bound by roots and branches, lay slumped on the stump. Next to her was a book¡ªa black, withered tome. The very same book you now carry, boy. The book that chose you.

    ¡°When Zora opened the book, his body went limp, and he fell into a trance that lasted a year. For 365 days, he sat unmoving, suspended in that otherworldly state. Then, one day, he simply stood, as if nothing had happened. He dusted off his clothes and ordered all the people of Sina to gather.

    ¡°When everyone was assembled, a brilliant red light washed over the land. Men, women, children, animals¡ªeverything fell into a deep, dreamless sleep for 100 years. The girl was buried deep within the earth, along with the traitors who had betrayed the sacred kingdom of life.

    ¡°And do you know where we stand today, boy?¡± Magnus leaned closer, his eyes burning with intensity. ¡°This is the land of Sina. All the people you see here? They are the betrayed. Punished. Stripped of their magic and their freedom. If any of them so much as attempt to use magic, they burst into flames and die.

    ¡°This land is a prison¡ªa cruel punishment for those who wronged the sacred land. But even in this cursed place, hope remains. The children born here can wield magic. And thanks to the church, I discovered this fact. They gave me this information, not out of kindness, but for their own gain.

    ¡°For years, I danced to their tune, their pawn in a grand game. But then, 15 years ago, something miraculous happened. A gift beyond measure appeared before me. You, Maddox. You, the one who brought the skies crashing down and set me free.¡±

    His smile widened, sharp and menacing. ¡°I thought if I got you close to your friends and killed them in front of you, it would trigger your powers¡ªjust like that day in the forest. But it didn¡¯t. Even now, with Eliza standing before you, the shock still hasn¡¯t worked.

    Here, we learn that the tree was Amalee¡¯s prison.

    We uncover the wicked schemes of the church.

    We discover that Zora was the creator of the dome that curses the land.

    Magnus favored Maddox because he saw him as the key to bringing down the skies.

    And only newborn children can wield magic within the confines of the dome.

    Thus concludes what has been unearthed for now. The Codex Sanctus Umbra is far from complete. Many truths remain buried, waiting to be discovered by those brave enough to seek them.

    What lies ahead for Madoxx, the devil, and his kingdom? What new mysteries will emerge from the shadows?

    Return to the Codex Sanctus Umbra, where all truths are etched, eternal and unyielding.

    Go forth, hunter of shadows, and uncover what hides in the dark running from the light.

 Chapter 16: Not Everyone Can Be the Devil

    ~Chapter 16~

    ~Not Everyone Can Be the Devil~

    An explosion went off, sending shards of concrete flying everywhere. From it, Amalee rose from the debris. She looked around, then turned her gaze to me. "Not yet," she said before launching into the sky, flying toward heaven.

    "I thought I stopped the ritual," I said, my voice trembling.

    "It appears not," Lilith replied calmly.

    "She¡¯s going to be a problem, isn¡¯t she?" I said, running my fingers through Melody¡¯s hair.

    "Indeed," Lilith replied.

    "Well, for now, we should have time," she added, gently ruffling my hair.

    "Nyssa," she ordered. As if summoned from thin air, Nyssa appeared. "We have an entire kingdom to rebuild. Make sure to look after my daughter and get her healed," she commanded.

    "Understood, madam," Nyssa said, bowing.

    Lilith turned to me and carefully lifted Melody from my lap. "My lord," she said with a bow before vanishing.

    "What was that?" I asked, surprised.

    "You are our new overlord," Lilith said with a smile. "It¡¯s her way of showing respect."

    I quickly remembered then, I stood quickly and ran toward Ola, Ren, Zen, and Athena.

    "Their will to live are gone," Lilith said, placing her hand on Ola and Ren. It felt as if a spike pierced my heart.

    "Even with the Murabasa herb, all you would be doing is bringing them back into danger, their at peace now." she sighed.

    "I know," I said, my voice cracking. "But you can¡¯t ask me to¡ª"

    Memories of Eliza surfaced in my mind. I summoned a shadow arm, which shot toward her and lifted her gently, carrying her to Ola and Ren¡¯s side.

    "My daughter did a number on her. Magnus, too," Lilith added. "Her soul is broken and weakening as we speak."

    Bad news on top of bad news.

    "She can be saved, I believe," Lilith said suddenly.

    "How?" I asked, hope igniting as I turned quickly toward her.

    "Your strange abilities allow you to take a soul from a body," she said thoughtfully. "But what if they could also allow you to put one into another?"Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    "But what souls do I have to offer?" I asked, hopeless.

    "I believe you have about a million in your shadow," she replied quickly.

    "How long were you watching?" I asked suspiciously.

    "Not important," she replied.

    I summoned two shadow hands¡ªone surrounded Eliza¡¯s fractured soul, the other plunging into my shadow. Closing my eyes, I entered a red wasteland filled with cages. Inside each, countless souls screamed.

    "There he is!" one pleaded. "Please, release me at once!"

    "I¡¯m a noble¡ªI have money!" another cried desperately.

    The souls of Veloria¡ªthe ones I had torn from their bodies¡ªfilled this realm. Then I saw him, Magnus, locked in a cage larger than the rest. He said nothing, only glaring at me with hate.

    Beyond him, the Keeth were locked in their own cages. Ogunt Ki stood within a massive one, bowing deeply.

    "My lord," he said. The others followed his lead.

    I smiled faintly. "Thanks for the help."

    "Anytime. Call on us when in need, and we will come. Keep your resolve strong, for if it weakens, these cages will wither and break, releasing them all," he warned.

    An idea formed in my mind. I imagined the cages around the Keeth shattering¡ªand they did. The Keeth looked at me, suprised.

    "I put you in charge of my shadow realm," I said. "Watch over my prisoners and ensure none escape."

    Ogunt Ki¡¯s delight was noticeable as he bowed low, his head touching the ground.

    "I understand, master," he said, brimming with joy.

    "Now stand, defender of the House of Huels. I name you my first soldier."

    As he rose, his form began to transform. He grew taller, his fangs lengthened, and a faint purple aura enveloped him. Massive, razor-sharp horns sprouted from his head.

    "I will protect the shadow realm with my life. Nothing will falter here. I give my word."

    "Good. Serve the House of Huels well," I commanded.

    Turning, I faced the millions of souls of Veloria, still crying and screaming. A massive burst of shadow flowed from my body, enveloping them. Then I closed my eyes and returned to the waking world. Lilith¡¯s wide eyes greeted me.

    "What happened, son¡ª" she paused, correcting herself. "What happened, my lord?"

    I chuckled softly. "No, please, Lilith. You don¡¯t need to call me that."

    She smiled and nodded.

    I placed my hand on Eliza¡¯s chest, releasing a black mist into her. One. Two. One hundred. One thousand. Ten thousand. One hundred thousand. Two hundred and fifty thousand souls poured from me, flowing into Eliza¡¯s fractured soul, repairing it.

    Suddenly, she took a deep breath, her eyes shooting open before she passed out again.

    "What? Did it not work?" I asked, panicking.

    Lilith shook her head. "You fixed her soul, but her spark pool is still depleted."

    "How do I fix that?" I asked, desperation creeping into my voice.

    She gestured to Ola and Ren before lowering her gaze.

    "No. No, no. Anything but that," I said, clenching my fists.

    "Their wills are broken," Lilith said softly. "Not even you can fix that."

    "How will she forgive me?" I muttered. "How can I tell Eliza I used her sisters¡¯ lives to bring her back? What kind of person can do that?"

    "Not a single person could," Lilith said. "But you¡¯re different. You¡¯re not a normal person. You need to be stronger than anyone else. That means being able to make the most difficult choices."

    Her gaze met mine. "You¡¯re the only one who can make this choice."

    In that moment, all emotion seemed to drain from me. I shot a shadowy hand into Ola and Ren, pulling out their souls along with their magic essence.

    Their spirits appeared, smiling. "See you, Madoxx," they said. "Thanks for being a great friend."

    I forced a smile, swallowing the pain, hiding the sadness. With trembling hands, I placed the essence into Eliza.

    She let out a huge gasp, rising to her feet. "Madoxx!" she exclaimed, smiling as she threw her arms around me. "You look so much taller. I never thought I¡¯d see you again," she said, laughing and crying as she hugged me tightly.

    "It looks like you¡¯ve been through hell and back. What happened?" she asked, still clinging to me.

    "It was hard, Eliza," I said, hugging her back just as tightly. "But that¡¯s what I get."

    I whispered, "Because not everyone can be the devil."

 Chapter 17: The world just Got a lot bigger

    ~Chapter 16~

    ~Vol 2 Big man big giant~

    ~the world just got a lot bigger ~

    ¡°Madoxx, I can¡¯t believe all that happened to you in these two years,¡± Eliza said.

    ¡°Yeah, it was difficult. And even now¡­ without Melody, I wouldn¡¯t have managed to get here. Not without all the help I had along the way,¡± I corrected myself.

    We sat in the medical ward of the king¡¯s castle in Veloria.

    The room was massive, filled with beds similar to the ones in Liliths home.

    ¡°So¡­ about Ola,¡± I said, lowering my head.

    ¡°You did all you could,¡± Eliza replied. ¡°And I¡¯m glad you made Magnus pay.¡± Her teeth clenched, her anger simmering. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Madoxx. I know she¡¯s at peace now. Our friends are, too. They didn¡¯t die in vain¡ªyou avenged them.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I said, though I didn¡¯t feel convinced.

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to talk so loud, please leave the hospital room. Patients are resting,¡± Nyssa snapped at us.

    ¡°No, Melody¡¯s been awake this whole time,¡± I said dryly.

    ¡°Wait, what? How did you know that?¡± she said, springing to her feet.

    I smiled. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I asked, glancing at her missing arms.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± she said with a determined look in her eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t use my hands, but I¡¯ll use my feet.¡±

    Lilith walked in. ¡°We scanned the area as you requested, and it¡¯s true. Besides us, no one else survived. The kingdom is empty,¡± she reported.

    ¡°I understand,¡± I replied.

    ¡°And the surroundings?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Just outside Bountyreach, there¡¯s a small village past where the dome once stood. We haven¡¯t made contact yet,¡± Lilith added.

    Athena and Zen appeared behind her.

    ¡°I understand,¡± I said, taking a moment to think. ¡°We should make contact with them when we have the chance. But be cautious¡ªthere could be an attack from the Church or enemies we don¡¯t know about yet.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± they replied in unison, then turned to leave.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Lilith had regained her power after the barrier fell, and I¡¯d used 100,000 imbued souls to heal Zen and Athena. For now, they were all we had as backup if we were attacked again. Though honestly, I was sure Lilith¡¯s demonic strength alone could send anyone running.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s the next step, Madoxx?¡± Eliza asked.

    ¡°We need to find a way to repair Melody¡¯s hands. The world just got a lot bigger for us, but if someone can craft her new ones, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find them,¡± I said.

    Melody nodded in agreagreemen "Thanks mad¡ª¡±

    Before she could finish, the Codex leapt from my dimensional storage, landing on the bed.

    Melody and Eliza stared at it, wide-eyed.

    It opened, glowing white as it flipped through its pages, one after the next, before stopping on one I¡¯d never seen before.

    I¡¯d read the Codex countless times, but this¡­ this was new to me too.

    The page read Big Man, Big Giant, and there was an image of a towering man being worshiped by others like him in a forest lit by a massive fire.

    I touched the page, and as I did, it glowed red.

    I read aloud the name written beneath the title: Stormspire Plateau.

    As soon as I said the name, the book vibrated violently. A bright white light burst from it, blinding us.

    ¡°What did you do, Madoxx?!¡± Melody shouted.

    ¡°Nothing, I swear!¡± I said defensively.

    ¡°Guys, I can¡¯t see!¡± Eliza said, panicking.

    ¡°None of us can!¡± Melody snapped. ¡°Madoxx first you let them take my arms and then you blind me ,whats wrong with you!" Melody shouted.

    ¡°What? No, I¡ª¡± I replied, but I couldn¡¯t even defend myself.

    A massive rumble shook the air around us, and a warm sensation washed over my skin before we suddenly landed on something soft and wet.

    It took a moment for our eyes to adjust. When they did, I saw a colossal tree¡ªlarger than anything I¡¯d ever seen¡ªstretching into the skies.

    As I looked around, I saw more like it. We were in a massive forest in the dead of night, a forest ten times our size.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± I muttered. ¡°What just happened?¡±

    Before anyone could answer, a thunderous rumble spread across the land. Bang. Bang. Bang. Each step shook the ground, making us stumble.

    ¡°Hurry!¡± a voice boomed¡ªlouder than anything I¡¯d ever heard.

    We looked up and saw two massive creatures unlike anything I¡¯d ever imagined. They looked human but had horns, bulging stomachs, and sharp, protruding canine teeth. Their thinning hair clung to oversized heads, and they were almost as large as the trees.

    One carried a massive, injured deer¡ªlarger than anything I¡¯d ever seen¡ªabove its head. The other had a colossal bow strapped to its back, a quiver full of arrows larger than us all.

    Eliza and Melody stared, mouths wide open.

    ¡°What the hell is going on now?¡± I muttered, completely shocked.

    They ran past us, shaking the ground with every step. Bang. Bang. Bang.

    ¡°Quickly!¡± I shouted, pointing toward a tree. ¡°Run for cover!¡±

    We bolted toward one of the huge trees and crouched beneath its massive base.

    ¡°Madoxx!¡± Eliza panted, her breaths uneven. ¡°That was a huge monster person¡ªwith big teeth and horns! Am I dreaming, or¡ªplease, please wake me up!¡±

    ¡°Let me check,¡± Melody said, and before Eliza could react, she quickly headbutted her.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Eliza screamed, glaring at her. ¡°What is wrong with you?!¡±

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re not dreaming,¡± Melody replied slyly, a smirk forming on her lips.

    ¡°Stop it, you two! This is not the time!¡± I said dryly, trying to keep my voice steady.

    ¡°We need to figure out what¡¯s going on here right now before we literally get stomped out by some giant¡­ thing!¡± I yelled.

    ¡°Calling me a ¡®thing¡¯ hurts my feelings, little one,¡± a deep voice rumbled from behind me.

    I froze. Slowly, I turned, my heart pounding.

    The tree¡ªwhat I thought was just a tree¡ªhad a door built into its side. And peeking out from behind it was a huge giant.

    He had deep wrinkles all across his face, his features looked aged and weathered. He looked old, it was hard to tell because most of his body was still hidden behind the doorframe.

    ¡°Wwwwww...hhhhhhhaaaaaaaaat?!¡± Eliza and Melody screamed.

 Chapter 18: The way of the giants

    ~Chapter 18:~

    ~ The way of the giants~

    "Calm down!" the giant shouted back.

    Eliza and Melody quickly stopped screaming.

    He stepped out from behind the door, giving us a better view of him.

    Eliza and Melody had composed themselves, standing firm without flinching.

    "My name is Hephaestus," the giant said.

    He was enormous, dressed in leather gray pants, with a tool harness strapped around his waist. In one hand, he held a hammer and chisel, and on his right eye, he wore a singular magnifying glass. His face was marked with a plump, big nose, scratches, and pimples. He had large brown eyes, big lips, and ears to match.

    He didn¡¯t look as intimidating as the other giants we had seen, but he was still massive, so we stayed on guard.

    "You should probably come inside," he said, scanning us up and down. "Little people like yourselves aren¡¯t safe out here."

    "We¡ªwe¡¯re okay," I replied cautiously. "We were just getting our bearings and will be heading back home."

    He smiled. "I¡¯m all fe-fi-fo-fumed out today. I promise you no harm," he said.

    I let out an unexpected giggle. The reference was from a book I¡¯d read in the library, and I found it amusing.

    "I promise you¡¯ll be better off in here. The feeding frenzy is about to start, and there will be far more of them stomping around in a few moments," he said.

    For some reason, he seemed genuine¡ªlike someone who wasn¡¯t a real threat. Someone you could trust.

    "Fine," I said, staring him in the eyes.

    "Madoxx?" Melody said, looking at me with concern.

    "It¡¯s fine," I reassured her. "We¡¯ll be okay. Trust me."

    Inside was a room filled with tools and materials¡ªhammers, grinding stones, books, and furnaces. From the outside, it looked like an ordinary tree, but inside, it was a massive space filled with unimaginable things. It was mind-boggling.

    Eliza and Melody followed behind me, just as intrigued.

    "I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t have smaller furniture for you to sit on," he said, placing his hammer and chisel on the huge table in front of him. "May I have your names?"

    "I¡¯m Madoxx, and this is Melody and Eliza," I said, pointing to each of them.

    "It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve had humans like yourselves here," he said, walking closer.

    "What do you mean? Where are we?" I asked, confused.

    "Well, you¡¯re on Stormspire Plateau," he said, squinting.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    I felt disoriented. We hadn¡¯t been outside the dome long enough to know if this place was in hell or somewhere else entirely.

    "What¡¯s this feeding frenzy?" Eliza asked.

    "It¡¯s the traditional ceremony held every night, where all giants bring a sacrifice to the King Giant," he explained. "Then we face the moon and give offerings."

    "What offerings?" Eliza pressed.

    "The gods only asked to be praised, so they praise," Hephaestus said.

    "You take part in it too?" I asked.

    "No, not me," he replied with a smile. "I¡¯m not from here. I¡¯m from up there," he said, pointing upward.

    The tree had no windows, so we couldn¡¯t tell what he meant.

    "Young lady, what happened to your arms?" Hephaestus asked Melody.

    "I got into a fight," she said, glaring at Eliza.

    "What a shame," he said, examining her. "Judging by the craftsmanship of your legs, whoever made them must have been extraordinarily gifted."

    "You can tell my legs aren¡¯t real?" she asked, surprised.

    "Of course. My eyes see all crafts," he replied.

    "Well, I¡¯ll be fine. I have my legs and my head," Melody said before lunging at Eliza, headbutting her.

    "Melody, I told you to stop that!" Eliza shouted, glaring at her.

    "Melody, stop headbutting people," I said dryly, trying to diffuse the tension.

    Hephaestus let out a laugh. "You have a strong will, young one. The strongest will I¡¯ve seen in a long time," he said, laughing even louder.

    "You¡¯re all very strange," he said after a while. "How did you get here?"

    We explained.

    "Strange. Very strange. May I see this book you speak of?" he asked.

    "Sure," I said cautiously.

    I tried opening my dimensional rift, but it wouldn¡¯t budge.

    "Madoxx," Eliza said.

    "Yeah, I¡¯m trying¡ªit won¡¯t open," I replied.

    "That is very strange," Hephaestus said. "Nevertheless, young lady, how would you feel if I crafted new arms worthy of your will?" he asked, standing tall.

    "For real?" Melody said, her face lighting up. "Absolutely!" she added with little hesitation.

    "Very well," he said. "But in order for me to help you, I¡¯ll need your help too," he added slyly. "I don¡¯t do favors for free," he said, laughing out loud.

    "But this can wait," he said, clearing his throat. "First, I must show you."

    "Show us what?" Eliza asked, concerned.

    "The ways of the giants," he replied.

    "Well, jump on," he said quickly.

    We found ourselves strapped on the giant¡¯s shoulder, holding on tightly to his hair¡ªall except for Melody, who had to be tied into his hair by her torso. As he ran through the bushes, each of his steps shook the ground¡ªbang, bang¡ªas we bounced along through the forest.

    As he sprinted, I immediately felt sick, while Eliza and Melody seemed to be having the time of their lives.

    We passed by enormous lakes, towering stone borders, massive trees, and gigantic animals. The animals were ten times our size, which completely messed with my sense of scale.

    I looked up at the sky and realized we weren¡¯t in hell anymore. The sky was sparkling with stars and illuminated by a big, round moon. The heaven realm wasn¡¯t visible at all. What had happened? How did we get here?

    It felt strange. The moment we landed, we¡¯d found someone who could fix Melody¡¯s hands. It was too convenient, as if the book knew I needed to find Hephaestus.

    My thoughts were interrupted by the urge to puke as we kept bouncing through the forest.

    We climbed a hill, and from the top, we could see the treetops stretching endlessly below us. The sight was absolutely breathtaking.

    The trees stretched out as far as the eye could see, and among them roamed animals larger than anything I¡¯d ever seen¡ªeven taller than the trees themselves. Animals with long, striped necks, and others with huge, fat bodies and tall legs, roamed through the forest, massive beasts going about their day.

    In the center of the forest stood a massive throne that immediately caught my eye. It was humongous, spiked, and covered in skulls and other unrecognizable things. Sitting on it was a fat, two-horned titan who appeared to be sleeping. His snores were so loud they could¡¯ve woken the entire forest.

    The giant had two massive canine teeth sticking out of his mouth, gray skin, and long hair tied into a bun. A large wooden stake pierced through his head, going in on one side and coming out the other.

    His rough skin was covered in battle scars and stitched wounds.

    "That¡¯s him," Hephaestus said, pointing. "King Kang, the giant ruler."

    We were far away from him, yet his sheer size still made him look gigantic.

    From all sides, other giants emerged, each carrying various offerings¡ªanimal meat, fruit, and other items¡ªall heading in his direction. The sheer number of giants was terrifying. Each one carried something, their massive steps stomping closer and closer to Kang, shaking the ground with every stride.

 Chapter 19: The man who fell from Olympus

    ~Chapter 19~

    ~The man who fell from Olympus~

    Bang, bang, bang,bang. The giants marched forward, carrying a feast fit for a king. One after the other, they carried giant deer, enormous fruits, massive barrels of water, and fans large enough to crush us.

    They continued their march until they reached Kang. Then, suddenly, they froze in place.

    The giants holding the fans stepped forward. One on each side, they bowed deeply and began to fan him. Another giant, carrying a cello, approached next. He too bowed, then began playing a magical note, the melody smooth and beautiful.

    The next giant, bearing a drum filled with water, bowed as he washed Kang¡¯s hands. Another stepped forward with a cloth to dry them. Finally, the last giant approached, awakening Kang with the fragrant scent of flowers.

    Kang stirred, stretching deeply, shaking the entire forest as he yawned. Then, with a deep voice that seemed loud enough to reach the heavens themselves, he screamed: ¡°FOOOOOOD!¡±

    The remaining giants rushed forward, kneeling as they presented an all kinds of different food. Giant chicken legs, yellow meat, red steaks, enormous mangos, grapes the size of our heads¡ªall kinds of gigantic foods id never seen before.

    Kang devoured it all like a pig, stuffing his face. He dropped chunks of food after barely tasting them, spitting out fruit he disliked without hesitation. The giants stood nearby, their eyes filled with hunger as they watched.

    When Kang finished, he let out an enormous burp. Then, with a casual wave of his hand, the giants scrambled in a frenzy, devouring the scraps Kang had had left behind. They slurped, munched, and filled themselves on the leftovers as Kang slowly picked his teeth.

    Once the giants had cleared the ground of scraps, Kang screamed. Instantly, they stood at attention. He screamed again, and they lifted their hands toward the moon. Then, in unison, they turned their heads to the right, closed their eyes, and began to hum.

    ¡°Mmmmmmmmmmm¡­

    Mmmmmmmmmmm¡­

    Mmmmmmmmmmm¡­¡±

    At the strike of midnight, a glow began to seep from their massive bodies, flowing like streams of light toward the moon.

    ¡°Mmmmmmmm¡­

    Mmmmmmmm¡­

    Mmmmmmmm¡­¡±

    The humming continued, a haunting sound that spread across the forest.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Hephaestus watched silently before speaking, his voice filled with bitterness.

    ¡°I was born into a family of hate,¡± he said. ¡°My parents¡ªZeus and Hera, king and queen of the gods.¡± He gave a weak smile.

    ¡°My father birthed Athena from his head, a daughter of perfection, and my mother could not accept this. In her jealousy, she birthed me.¡± Hephaestus¡¯ voice grew quieter.

    ¡°She wanted me to be beautiful, a trophy to show Zeus¡ªto say, ¡®Look, I too can create something extraordinary.¡¯ It was childish now that I think about it. But things didn¡¯t go as she planned.¡±

    He gestured to his face. ¡°I was born with defects. This large nose, these big eyes, my plump lips, my oversized teeth. I was¡­ a disappointment.¡± His voice cracked as he lowered his gaze.

    ¡°She threw me from Olympus, cast me down from the mountain that housed the gods. She would not tolerate an ugly child¡ªnot in her perfect world.¡± He looked up at the distant mountains with a sad smile.

    ¡°But it seems the gods favored me that day.¡±

    ¡°Mmmmm¡­

    Mmmmmmm¡­

    Mmmmmmmmm¡­¡±

    The giants¡¯ humming grew louder as glowing particles continued to float toward the moon.

    ¡°I survived. By some miracle, I was saved here in Stormspire Plateau, raised by two giants¡ªsweet and kind.¡± Hephaestus clenched his fists. ¡°Until Kang ate them.¡±

    His voice turned sharp. ¡°Before this ¡®order¡¯ you see now, Stormspire Plateau was a death trap, a land ruled by chaos. Kill or be killed.¡±

    ¡°They raised me here,¡± he continued, his tone softer as he gestured toward the plateau. ¡°I had a home. I had a mother who loved me, a father who cared¡ªnot just for his daughter, but for me too.¡±

    ¡°They taught me the art of craftsmanship. With these hands¡­¡± Hephaestus stared at his calloused palms, a small smile breaking through his pain. ¡°I can create.¡±

    Day after day, since they were taken from me, I¡¯ve honed my skill. And now, I offer you a deal¡ªMaddox, Melody, and Eliza.¡±

    Kang suddenly stood, tall and proud.

    ¡°GONE!¡± the giants screa6m as thire voices echoed across the forest the white particles stopping completely and disappearing no longer rising to the moon.

    The giants clutched their heads, screaming:

    ¡°GONE!¡±

    Tears fell down their huge faces as they screamed in pain and panic.

    Hephaestus¡¯ eyes burned with rage. ¡°That,¡± he said, voice trembling, ¡°is the enemy that keeps me from returning home.¡± He turned to us. ¡°I will fix your arms, Melody. But in return¡­¡± He pointed a finger at us, his voice rising. ¡°You will slay my enemy. Do we have a deal?¡±

    The giants roared, pounding trees with their fists. ¡°GONE! GONE! GONE!¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what it was¡ªthe guilt I felt for Melody¡¯s hands or the sorrow in Hephaestus¡¯ story¡ªbut in that moment, I screamed back, ¡°Of course! Fix her hands, and all my strength is yours!¡±

    Hephaestus smiled. Then, with a raised his hads and he slammed his hands against the mountain top ground. It shattered l beneath us pieces of rock flying everywhere.

    We fell into darkness, the wind rushing past as Eliza clung to me, screaming she held onto my arm so tightly i though it would fall off ¡°Maddox!¡±

    Melody, on the other hand, was laughing hysterically, flung around like a rag doll, held only by the hair tied around her waist.

    We landed in a cavern surrounded by pools of glowing lava. At the center stood an enormous anvil.

    ¡°Why did you do that?¡± I shouted, mildly annoyed, though secretly, it was fun.

    Hephaestus simply laughed, Melody joining in. ¡°It¡¯s better than the door!¡±

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Pshhh,¡± I muttered.

    Eliza, still clutching my arm, screamed, ¡°You¡¯re all crazy!¡± before breaking into laughter herself.

    ¡°It was kind of fun,¡± I admitted, grinning.

    Hephaestus raised his hands towards the cavern. ¡°Welcome to my home,¡± he said proudly. ¡°Here, I will craft the finest arms this young lady has ever seen.¡±

    He raised his hammer high "i swear on this with my name!" He shouted. ¡° Hephaestus, the man who fell from Olympus.¡±

 Chapter 20: As hard as rock

    ~Chapter 20~

    ~as hard as rock~

    In the mountain stood another striking object¡ªa golden chair that looked very similar to the one we saw in Hephaestus¡¯ tree home.

    ¡°Don¡¯t sit on that chair,¡± Hephaestus said with a sly smile. ¡°No matter what you do. It¡¯s meant for someone else.¡±

    The chair was beautiful, crafted from solid gold and adorned with diamonds and rare gems.

    ¡°So, if this is your actual home,¡± Melody asked while perched on Hephaestus¡¯ head, ¡°why did we meet you at the treehouse?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Hephaestus scratched his head, chuckling. ¡°It does get a tad hot in here, and sometimes I need fresh air¡ªa change of scenery.¡± His booming laugh echoed through the cavern.

    ¡°Makes sense to me,¡± Melody said, giggling.

    Meanwhile, Eliza and I sat near the lava, poking it with sticks. ¡°Hey Maddox,¡± she said thoughtfully, ¡°Lilith told me about your Palm Casting, and I¡¯ve had a question ever since.¡± She tapped her lips, lost in thought.

    ¡°Yeah? What is it?¡± I asked, curious.

    ¡°Well,¡± she began, ¡°I know you have your weird shadow¡­ tentacles and your ice magic, which you can control pretty well in its released form.¡±

    ¡°Go on,¡± I said, raising an eyebrow.

    ¡°But what about the other elements? Back at the orphanage, you made water that you froze, which explains why you can use second-tier water magic, like ice. But isn¡¯t the whole benefit of Palm Casting that you can use all the elements¡ªlike fire and stone?¡±

    I scratched my head, embarrassed. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right, but¡­¡±

    ¡°But what?¡± Eliza asked, her eyes locked on mine.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± I sighed. ¡°Honestly, switching between elements quickly makes my head spin. I¡¯m terrible at controlling the others.¡±

    ¡°The great Devil Maddox Tentacle McGee gets overwhelmed?¡± she teased, bursting into laughter.

    ¡°Stop calling them tentacles!¡± I snapped, my face flushing with annoyance. ¡°I won¡¯t tolerate this!¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t tolerate this,¡± she repeated in a mocking voice, giggling.

    ¡°Look,¡± I said, trying to steer the conversation back. ¡°Ice is solid and predictable. If I want to summon an ice spike, it works perfectly. If I want to freeze the ground, it¡¯s simple. But with wind and fire¡­ they¡¯re too chaotic, too unpredictable.¡± I stared at my hands, frustrated.

    Suddenly, Melody launched herself off Hephaestus¡¯ head, flying toward us like a missile. She headbutted Eliza in the stomach, slowing her momentum.

    ¡°Melody!¡± Eliza shouted, clutching her stomach. ¡°I swear, if you do that one more time, I¡¯ll beat you¡ªhands or no hands!¡± She coughed, glaring at Melody.

    ¡°I have an idea, Maddox!¡± Melody said, completely ignoring Eliza. ¡°You like that ice is sturdy and solid, right? It does exactly what you want it to do?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I said, nodding as I listened.

    ¡°Then why not slow down and focus on one element at a time? Earth would make the most sense¡ªit¡¯s solid like ice, right?¡± She grinned proudly.

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    I blinked, surprised. ¡°Huh¡­ I¡¯ve never actually thought about that.¡±

    ¡°Or,¡± she teased, ¡°you could just be lazy and stick with your shadow tentacles.¡± She flipped backward into the air, landing back on Hephaestus¡¯ head.

    ¡°They¡¯re not tentacles!¡± I shouted, beyond annoyed. ¡°And I¡¯m not lazy!¡±

    Eliza snickered. ¡°The mountain goat has a point, though, Maddox.¡±

    Melody stuck her tongue out at Eliza, laughing.

    ¡°Damn, she gets on my nerves,¡± Eliza muttered, pulling at her hair in frustration.

    I couldn¡¯t help but laugh a little. It was nice to see them getting along¡­ sort of. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± I said, thinking. ¡°For defense, stone is definitely stronger than ice. I¡¯ll give it a try¡ªand I¡¯ll completely master it!¡± I grinned confidently.

    ¡°My defense will be as solid as rock!¡± I shouted, raising my fist in the air.

    ¡°Good luck with that,¡± Eliza said, laughing. ¡°But that speech was lame as hell.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± I said, deflated, my ego crumbling.

    Eliza walked off to join Hephaestus and Melody, still giggling.

    ¡°So, how is this going to work?¡± Melody asked Hephaestus.

    ¡°Well¡ª¡±

    ¡°Will I have super badass arms made of stone?!¡± Melody interrupted, bouncing with excitement. ¡°Or maybe rocket arms that can shoot stuff?!¡±

    "Or even better crab hands." she jumped with joy "crab hands to crush my enemies!"

    ¡°Calm yourself,¡± Eliza said, bopping her on the head. ¡°We already have Mr. Tentacles over there. That¡¯s enough weirdness.¡±

    At this point, I was too defeated to argue.

    Hephaestus chuckled. ¡°If you must know, I¡¯m very interested in the craftsmanship of your legs. I¡¯ll replicate that to the best of my ability¡ªbut don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll add my Hephaestus charm to it.¡±

    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Melody shouted.

    Hephaestus turned to me, his expression serious. ¡°Now, about our deal¡­¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I said, reassuring him.

    ¡°Young Melody will need to stay here for obvious reasons,¡± he said. ¡°That leaves you and Eliza.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I figured,¡± I replied.

    ¡°What?!¡± Melody exclaimed, upset.

    ¡°You have no arms, mountain goat,¡± Eliza teased, laughing.

    Melody jumped off Hephaestus¡¯ head again, diving straight for Eliza and landing on her head.

    ¡°Maddox, I¡¯m going to destroy her!¡± Eliza yelled, trying to lunge at Melody as I held her back, barely suppressing my laughter.

    ¡°We should get going, Eliza,¡± I said, pulling her away.

    Melody grinned mischievously. ¡°My bad. Us mountain goats have bad habits,¡± she said, sticking out her tongue.

    ¡°Why, you little¡ª¡± Eliza growled.

    ¡°We¡¯ll take care of Kang,¡± I reassured Hephaestus.

    ¡°Melody, stay,¡± I ordered firmly.

    ¡°Fine,¡± she said, rolling her eyes.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Hephaestus said, he laughed. ¡°Give him hell!¡±

 Chapter 21 :Always and forever

    ~Chapter 21~

    ~ always and forever~

    ¡°So, do you even have a plan?¡± Eliza looked at me dryly.

    ¡°How exactly are you going to beat a giant 100 times your size?¡± she added.

    I was lost in my own head, trying to figure out how I could manipulate the earth, rocks, sand, and all that. I didn¡¯t even hear her at first.

    ¡°You break your poor sister''s heart ignoring me,¡± she said, pretending to be sad.

    I knew ice and earth had similar properties¡ªthey were both solid and stiff, making them relatively easy to control. Now that I actually thought about it, rock was just a stage between solid earth and loose sand. That kind of sucked for me because, even though I somehow managed to learn ice casting, I¡¯d nearly drowned in my own water spell the first time I¡¯d tried using it.

    But if I could learn water and sand casting, I was sure I could master rock casting. That would bring me closer to understanding fire and wind¡ªhopefully.

    ¡°Madoxx!¡± Eliza roared, slapping me in the head.

    ¡°Ouch! What did you do that for, Eliza?¡± I said angrily.

    ¡°Well, if you listened to me, I wouldn¡¯t have to,¡± she said slyly.

    We walked through the dark forest, filled with humongous trees. The puddles looked like small rivers to us, and the insects flying around were the size of monsters.

    ¡°Hey, Madoxx, I¡¯ve been thinking,¡± Eliza said, looking down. ¡°I wanna help you out in this fight.¡±

    The issue was, I¡¯d given Eliza Ola¡¯s essence, which meant she had the same characteristics¡ªor magic type¡ªOla would¡¯ve manifested if she were still alive. I knew this would bother Eliza.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that... this power isn¡¯t mine,¡± she said, scratching her neck. ¡°I can feel it in my veins.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Ola would¡¯ve wanted you to use her ability with pride. And in a way, you carry a piece of her now¡ªalways and forever. So don¡¯t feel bad.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± Eliza said, but I could tell it still bothered her. Ola was her sister, after all. And I¡¯d made the decision to kill her.

    The forest vibrated as the giants scrambled around, shouting, ¡°Gone! Gone! Gone!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with them?¡± Eliza asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± I answered. ¡°Hephaestus didn¡¯t tell us much about them¡ªonly that they do this as some sort of ritual or prayer.¡±

    We continued walking through the forest.

    Looking back, I saw Hephaestus¡¯s mountain shake as lava spilled out after every bang from his hammer. It looked like he¡¯d started smithing Melody¡¯s arms.

    Hephaestus¡¯s Mountain~

    ¡°So,¡± Melody asked suddenly, ¡°what was Olympus like?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m unsure,¡± Hephaestus said, smashing his hammer against an anvil. ¡°I was disowned as a toddler, so I have no memories of it.¡± Another blow from his hammer shook the cave.

    ¡°I see. That¡¯s... sad,¡± Melody said. ¡°But why do you wanna go back so badly?¡±

    ¡°To prove them wrong,¡± he said, gritting his teeth. ¡°To make them accept me. To take back my place among them.¡± His hammer came down again, with even greater force.

    ¡°You seem pretty incredible to me,¡± Melody said, jumping up onto his head. ¡°It was their loss, tossing you aside.¡±

    Hephaestus laughed. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, young one,¡± he said, continuing his work.

    Forest of Giants~

    Eliza and I stood on a small hill, watching as the giants continued their frenzy.

    ¡°Gone!¡± Kang screamed one last time before falling to his knees.

    ¡°How do you want to do thi¡ª¡±

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    ¡°Kang!¡± I screamed, cutting Eliza off. ¡°Fight me!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Madoxx?!¡± Eliza yelled, shocked.

    Kang looked around and squinted at me, confused.

    ¡°What is the little monkey talking about?¡± he said, scratching his head.

    The others stopped screaming and turned to face us, staring blankly.

    ¡°You dare disturb my calling?¡± Kang grumbled.

    He raised his hand, and it was as if an invisible force grabbed one of the giants and hurled him in our direction. The giant crashed into the ground near us, dirt flying everywhere, before getting up and charging straight at us.

    He ran with terrifying speed, punching the air to accelerate himself forward.

    ¡°Get ready, Eliza!¡± I ordered. ¡°We need to get home as soon as possible.¡±

    She nodded, but I could tell she was unsure about fighting.

    I took a deep breath and focused, imagining a rock¡ªsolid, strong, an impenetrable barrier. Then I cast the spell.

    Out of the ground, a rock wall appeared. But it was deformed, partly unorganized, and already starting to crack apart.

    The giant simply punched through it, scattering the debris as he continued charging.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± I cursed.

    I tried again, but this time, the spell morphed into a sad pile of sand and chunky rock pieces that crumbled away and blew off in the wind.

    ¡°What are you doing, Madoxx?¡± Eliza said, clearly embarrassed by the pathetic display. ¡°Use your tentacles!¡± she ordered.

    ¡°No!¡± I snapped, ignoring her tentacle slander. ¡°I need to learn to use my abilities properly! I can¡¯t afford to rely on just one trick.¡±

    ¡°Hmph,¡± I hissed, gathering my focus. ¡°Again!¡±

    But before I realized it, the giant had closed the distance. With a monstrous kick, he sent a shockwave through the air.

    Panicking, I cast an ice wall at the last second. The force of his kick shattered it instantly, shards flying everywhere as I was sent hurtling backward. I crashed into a tree, the impact breaking it in half as I slammed to the ground.

    ¡°Come on!¡± I muttered, scrunching my fist. ¡°I promised myself I wouldn¡¯t use any other abilities. And as soon as it got serious, I broke that rule. Focus, Madoxx!¡± I hissed to myself.

    Kang continued throwing more and more giants at us, each of them rushing forward with thunderous steps.

    ¡°Eliza!¡± I called, running back toward her.

    She stood frozen, her eyes fixed on the giants barreling toward us. Then she looked down at her hands. I could tell she was afraid¡ªnot of the giants themselves, but of using her late sister¡¯s powers.

    I pushed myself forward, blocking out my doubts, and focused harder than ever.

    I imagined thick, hard ice¡ªunmoving, cold, and strong. I held that thought in my mind. Then I shifted it, imagining rock¡ªsolid, sturdy, and unyielding, formed from compacted grains of sand.

    I pushed my spark out.

    And just like that, a huge wall of rock appeared, chunks of sharp ice shards embedded in its surface. It was stronger than my previous attempts, but still not good enough. The ice began melting, wetting the stone and turning it into sticky mud.

    Kang burst out laughing. ¡°What joke is this?¡± he roared, wheezing as he fell over on the ground.

    The titans began surrounding us, their massive forms looming in the dim light.

    ¡°You are funny, monkey,¡± Kang sneered. ¡°You challenge me and come with such weak attacks. You will die here, embarrassingly, and I will present what¡¯s left of you as a sacrifice.¡±

 Chapter 22: Tears of blood

    ~Chapter 22~

    ~Tears of blood~

    The giants came, one after the next. This wasn¡¯t a game¡ªhow could I have taken it so lightly?

    All at once, they began stomping and punching at us. I quickly reacted, forming a dome of ice around us as I shielded Eliza.

    Inside, I looked at her. She was trembling, her face pale and filled with tears.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Madoxx,¡± she said, her voice breaking. ¡°I¡¯m being a liability right now.¡±

    It was understandable. She hadn¡¯t even gotten a chance to grieve properly for her sister before we were pushed into this strange world.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do it,¡± she continued, her voice cracking as tears filled up in her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so angry at myself. I was so useless back then, at the orphanage. I let my sister get injured, and I was so pathetic that I died.¡±

    She clutched her hands to her chest. ¡°I¡¯m angry at you too, Madoxx. You were supposed to protect her. But instead, you brought back me¡ªa useless girl like me.¡±

    The giants stomped on the ice dome, breaking layer after layer. I kept reforming it, shards of ice scattering everywhere, but my focus was completely on Eliza as her words cut into me.

    ¡°Every time I imagine her face, my heart hurts, Madoxx. It breaks into pieces.¡± She collapsed to her knees, trembling. ¡°I failed to protect her. I let her die, and then I stole her essence. How can I live with this?¡±

    She burst into tears,  crying uncontrollably. All the sadness and guilt she¡¯d bottled up until now came flooding out.

    ¡°My sweet, innocent sister who couldn¡¯t even lie in a stupid game of Hot Pocket¡­¡± Her voice trailed off as the giants outside screamed and violently attacked the dome.

    I looked around and saw my ice barrier distorted as it rippled blurry in space and time.

    ¡°I-¡± I said softly, barely audible over the chaos outside. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. And if you need to hate me, I accept it.

    ¡°If you need to hit me, I¡¯ll take it. If you need to kill me, my life is yours. But I won¡¯t apologize,¡± I said, my voice growing louder. ¡°I made a call that broke my heart, but I won¡¯t apologize for saving your life!¡±

    The ice dome shook under the relentless attacks from outside.

    ¡°Ever since we found that cabin in the woods, I¡¯ve had to watch all my friends die in front of me¡ªone after the next¡ªand I couldn¡¯t do anything about it!¡± I shouted. ¡°Even before the cabin, I watched Livana die right in front of me!¡±

    "I''ve never in my life been able to save anyone." I screamed.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    The ice cracked further, chunks falling away.

    ¡°Then I saw you,¡± I continued, ¡°and I knew I couldn¡¯t lose you again. Ola and Ren had already lost their will to live, and you were about to die. I did what I thought was right! I refuse to lose all three of you at the same time.

    ¡°For the first time ever, I had a chance to save one of my friends¡ªand I did, Eliza. I saved you.¡±

    I looked at her, my voice trembling but firm. ¡°So even if you hate me, I won¡¯t apologize. Because even though my heart is broken into pieces, I can live knowing I saved you. I saved Zen. I saved Athena.

    ¡°So please,¡± I begged, my voice raw, ¡°fight hard. Fight so that, even if you feel guilty, you know you used your sister¡¯s essence¡ªher will, her power¡ªto save more people in the future.¡±

    At this point, I was screaming, and the dome around us was barely holding.

    Eliza looked up at me, tears streaming down her face.

    ¡°I could never hate you,¡± she said finally, her voice shaking. ¡°I hated myself for being weak.¡±

    As she spoke the distortion became stronger and stronger.

    Her words hit hard as she continued, ¡°I hated myself for having to rely on you to save the day. Even that night with Magnus, at the dorms¡ªI prayed you would do something, anything, to get us out of there.

    ¡°Even now, I hate myself for relying on you to shield me, to comfort me¡ªon the battlefield, of all places.¡±

    The giants smashed through another layer of the dome, the ice vibrating under the pressure.

    ¡°I hate being weak,¡± Eliza said, her voice low. ¡°And I hate that I can only get stronger using this stolen power. I hate not being able to control my own fate.¡±

    She hugged me tightly, her arms trembling.

    ¡°But I loved my sister. I loved our friends. I loved the games we played, the fun we had, the late-night talks, the early-morning fights. I love living, Madoxx. That¡¯s why I feel guilty¡ªbecause I robbed my sister of that.¡± Her voice softened, barely a whisper.

    The ice had transformed into a strange, rippling mass, a glitched wave of spirals and blurry, invisible images. It still looked like ice, but it was warped and distorted, as if reality itself was unraveling or changing. Whatever was happening wasn¡¯t just happening to the ice¡ªit was affecting everything around us. The ground, the air, the entire environment was glitching and twisting unnaturally. It seemed as though Eliza had somehow triggered Ola''s abilities.

    ¡°But I understand it now, Madoxx.¡±She let go of me, standing up.

    ¡°I want to use my sister¡¯s sacrifice,¡± she said, her voice rising. ¡°And show her she didn¡¯t die for nothing!¡±

    She turned to face the giants, her fists clenched.

    ¡°I want to make it worth something!¡± she said softly as she looked back and smiled at me.

    nodded and stepped to her side, ready to strike,

    A titan slammed its fist into what remained of the barrier with unimaginable force. The barrier shattered, sending shards of ice flying in every direction.

    Eliza stared down at her hands, her voice barely above a whisper."Tears of blood," she said.

    In that instant, space and time warped violently, reality bending and breaking

    apart-but this time, it felt more controlled. Each titan pulsed and glitched, caught in a vortex of distorted limbs and blurry chaos. It was a strange and unsettling sight. All I could see were their massive forms collapsing into the vortex, one by one, until they were gone.

    When it was over, the battlefield was littered with hundreds of glitched, dismembered titan limbs scattered around us like the remnants of some nightmare.

    Then she clenched her hands and the limbs exploded sending bits and pieces of body parts everywhere.

    It looked like it was raining blood and guts as the giants exploded.

    When it was done the battle ground was filled with blood and guts all the giants except for Kang where gone.

    I looked at Eliza and she had red bloody colored tears falling from her eyes before she passed out.

    I caught her before she fell you did great I whispered to her now it''s my turn I said looking at Kang.

 Chapter 23: Before you were gone

    ~Chapter 23~

    ~before you were gone~

    "May we," a voice said. It was Ogunt Ki.

    "We will watch over her."

    I placed Eliza into my shadow, and it was as if she was absorbed into my shadow realm. "Thank you," I said to him.

    "Understood," he replied.

    Kang stopped laughing, his confidence gone as he stared me down.

    "You killed my disciples," he said, anger in his voice.

    In the aftermath, I saw blackened souls lingering over the remains of the bodies scattered across the field.

    Would it even be possible for me to absorb them? I asked myself.

    There was only one way to find out. I summoned the murky shadow hands, instructing them to grab the souls. They whipped out at lightning speed, seizing the lingering essences and pulling them toward the portal forming in my shadow.

    There were about a thousand giants on the field, and one by one, their souls plunged into the portal.

    I was surprised that it even worked. It was clear I needed to explore this ability more once I got back home.

    "What are you doing, little monkey?" Kang hissed under his breath.

    He leapt into the air, landing directly in front of me. Despite his size, Kang was fast.

    He slammed his fist into the ground, and to my shock, a massive stone fist erupted from the earth, speeding toward me.

    I forced myself to remain calm. I focused, imagining a rock barrier rising at my feet. To my surprise, a wall of stone shot up just in time to block Kang''s stone fist.

    However, it was still weak. The wall cracked and shattered into pieces on impact.

    "My stone is harder than yours, boy," he laughed. Then he screamed loudly, the sound shaking the ground and trees around us.

    A faint, glowing aura began to form around his body¡ªa fog-like highlight that reminded me of Ogunt Ki when I named him.

    "This is my Etherveil," Kang declared, clearly pleased with himself. "It shows the difference between you and me."

    Etherveil~

    All mages who surpass a certain rank or level in spellcasting gain what is called an Etherveil¡ªa foggy outline that surrounds their body. The size of this veil corresponds directly to the amount of power they wield.

    "Look at you, monkey," Kang sneered, laughing. "You have nothing around you. I don¡¯t sense the Etherveil anywhere near you. It¡¯s too late to run now¡ªyou will die by my hands."

    Kang began pounding the ground, one punch after another, relentless and precise. I was caught off guard as thousands of rock-hard fists erupted from the soil at my feet. They moved fast , morphing from the earth with every strike.

    As I tried to dodge, Kang let out a menacing laugh. "No, stay right there, boy."

    He raised his left hand, and suddenly I felt an overwhelming force pinning me in place. It was as if gravity itself had turned against me.

    What is this? I thought to myself.I couldn''t move a single muscle.

    Kang''s laughter spread across the battlefield as the stone fists at my feet came at me. One struck my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. Another slammed into my face, and then my chest. Over and over, the fists rained down on me, each blow sending shockwaves of pain through my body.

    What was happening? He could use both stone and gravity magic. I didn¡¯t even know that was possible. Kang possessed both an elemental attribute and a deviant attribute¡ªand he could wield them at will.

    Deviant Attribute~

    A deviant attribute is a form of magical casting that falls outside the main four elements: water, fire, wind, and earth. Unlike second-stage abilities, which evolve from the base elements¡ªlike ice branching from water¡ªdeviant abilities stand apart. These are unique powers, such as Madoxx''s shadow manipulation, Eliza¡¯s Tears of Blood, and now Kang¡¯s gravity manipulation.

    I coughed up blood as the final strike hit my chest, sending a shockwave of pain through my body. Finally, the overwhelming force faded, and I was able to move again. My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

    It was foolish of me to assume the rules of the Dome would apply out here. He could use palm casting and didn¡¯t need a wand like the mages I¡¯d encountered so far.

    I struggled to my feet, wobbling as I tried to assume a fighting stance.

    Kang kept his distance for now, but I knew I needed to close the gap.

    He struck the ground again, punching it five times in total. The earth beneath my feet quaked as stone fists erupted. I tried to dodge, but Kang laughed, pinning me in place once more.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever learn, monkey?¡± he mocked, as the five stone fists landed with crushing force.

    I analyzed his pattern. He uses his abilities one at a time. That might mean he can¡¯t use both rock and gravity simultaneously. His gravity seems more like a support, locking his enemies in place while his stone fists do the damage. It lets him keep a distance and strike his enemies with precision.

    I underestimated you, didn¡¯t I, Kang? I thought to myself.

    I sprinted toward him, not giving him a moment to act. He reacted swiftly, locking me in place with a wave of his hand. In an instant, massive boulders formed above me, and for a brief second, I was freed¡ªbut as soon as the boulders appeared, he pinned me again.

    With a motion of his hand, the rocks accelerated downward, crashing into me one after another.

    ¡°I call that one Storm of Stone,¡± he said, laughing.

    Dizziness overtook me. My vision blurred as the crushing weight of the stones piled over my body. I let out a groan of pain.

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    ¡°Do you need assistance, Master?¡± Ogunt Ki¡¯s voice rang in my mind.

    ¡°No!¡± I shouted. ¡°Do not interfere!¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± he replied.

    Damn it, how do I do this?

    Summoning all my strength, I punched at the stones, manipulating them out of the way. My skill in stone casting seemed to be improving, though not fast enough for my liking.

    I stood and stomped the ground, creating a cube of stone around me. It was weak and brittle, but it would have to do for defense. Drawing inspiration from Melody, I punched the ground, sending shards of stone hurtling toward Kang.

    He laughed as he countered, stomping the ground to form a solid wall that effortlessly blocked my attack.

    ¡°Pathetic,¡± he said, his tone dripping with disdain.

    Then, he replicated my attack¡ªonly his was more powerful, fierce enough to shatter my rock cube. Desperate, I quickly raised my hands to create a shield of stone, bracing against the oncoming boulders. It worked¡ªfor a moment¡ªbefore the shield broke apart.

    ¡°I¡¯m tired of playing now, monkey,¡± Kang said with a sinister grin spreading across his face.

    Why was I trying so hard to rely on stone casting? Who was I proving a point to? Was I really going to lose over pride? Kang fought with every skill at his disposal, while I stubbornly refused to acknowledge my ice and shadow magic. What is wrong with me?

    Even now, I resisted winning in that way. But something had to change¡ªif I didn¡¯t adapt, I¡¯d lose. Or worse, I¡¯d die.

    Fine. I¡¯ll fight my way, I told myself.

    I summoned a shard of rock with my right hand, shaping it into a large spike, and hurled it toward Kang. It was weak, already starting to shatter mid-flight. I used my left hand to imbue the rock with ice, boosting its speed. The shard shot through the air like lightning, but Kang flinched only for a second before using gravity magic to slam it into the ground.

    Not wasting any time, I created a dome of ice and rock around myself as Kang unleashed a barrage of stone to trap me. The stone pounded against the icy armor, but it held firm. His rocks bounced harmlessly off its surface.

    ¡°Ah, monkey man¡¯s learned a new trick,¡± Kang mocked, laughing.

    He punched the air, sending volleys of stone fists flying toward me. I countered with my own frozen rock fists. They collided mid-air, shattering on impact.

    Suddenly, Kang locked me in place with his gravity magic, accelerating the stone shards toward me. Thinking fast, I summoned a shadow arm from my back¡ªuntouched by his magic¡ªand used it to launch ice and stone projectiles at him.

    Caught off guard, Kang dropped his gravity hold to defend himself from the barrage of icy, rock-imbued spikes. I could use my shadow to form limbs capable of casting spells.

    Kang leapt into the air, defying his massive size, and roared, ¡°I¡¯m tired of you, monkey!¡±

    Release! he shouted. Heavenly Celestial Storm!

    Thousands of colossal boulders materialized in the sky, set ablaze by the sheer speed of their descent as Kang¡¯s gravity magic pulled them down.

    Reacting instantly, I summoned an avalanche of enormous rock and ice spikes, as large as I could envision. They erupted from the ground, towering like mountains. The earth quaked as our attacks collided, shattering into a chaotic storm of ice and stone. Flaming boulders rained down in the aftermath, cratering the battlefield.

    ¡°Stop, monkey! You have no Etherveil!¡± Kang roared. ¡°You¡¯re beneath me¡ªI will not be outdone by you!¡±

    He slammed into the ground with unimaginable force, sending shockwaves of rock barreling toward me.

    ¡°Thanks, Kang. I¡¯ve learned a lot from you today,¡± I said.

    Kang laughed, his voice echoing. ¡°This fight is far from over!¡± he shouted, as the wave of rock raced toward me at lightning speed.

    Up until now when i release my ice elemental form, I could summon mountains of ice and effect the surroundings but now that my ice was mixed with rock even I was curious what this attack could do.

    Release! I screamed. Prison of Ice and Stone!

    A gust of freezing wind swept across the battlefield, frosting over the ground. The earth trembled as jagged spikes of rock and ice erupted, forming a massive, ice rock hybrid wall. It stopped the tsunami of stone Kang sent at me, shattering it into fragments.

    Slamming my fist into the ground, I released thousands of ice-rock shards they burst foward, rising into the sky like glittering needles. Kang watched, his expression filled with caution.

    The spikes shot into the air, climbing higher and higher until they stopped,

    suspended for a moment before plummeting back to earth.each needle fallingwith lightning speed. They rained down on Kang relentlessly.

    He tried to form a dome of rock to

    shield himself, but the massive ice-imbued spikes shattered it as if it were nothing. One after another, the needles pierced through, unstoppable.

    Kang extended his hand in a desperate attempt to block them, but they tore through his flesh and armor alike. Each strike forced his body into submission

    until it finally went limp. The spikes pinned him to the ground, encasing him in a prison of jagged ice and rock.

    To my surprise, he was still alive. His

    body trembled as he tried to move, but

    the prison held him. Slowly, he raised a single finger toward the moon.

    In his final breath, he whispered, "I wish

    I could have seen you one last time. before you were gone."