The collision of their attack's looms, a high probability of unleashing uncontrollable destructive power. The combined force of my magic and Anya's barely stirs the colossal wave of arcane energy. Should it detonate, this vicinity would be reduced to dust in an instant.
"Both of you, stop this!" Anya's voice cracks through the air, a desperate plea swallowed by the deafening clash of magical forces. Helpless, she watches the aura surge towards her, slamming into her frail form and sending her sprawling. I lunge forward, catching her unconscious body before frantically searching for a solution to prevent this from escalating.
If only I were in my human form, I could do so much more...
"These idiots never hold back, do they?" A voice cuts through the chaos from behind, accompanied by a sudden gust of wind. Effortlessly, the colliding magical energies dissipate, along with the two reckless combatants. I look up to see Professor Aek, clad in casual attire – a white shirt and stark black trousers, his usual scholarly demeanor completely wiped. His dark eyebrows are furrowed, his eyes glow with a crimson light, and an oppressive aura radiates from him.
As the situation calms, Raymond and Carlos are punished with dormitory confinement every weekend for a month, and their participation in the magical tournament is revoked. This brings a wave of relief to Anya and me, sparing us from facing the hulking duo again.
In the aftermath, Anya seeks a secluded spot to burn the letters, with me by her side until not a speck of ash remains. Moments later, our stomachs begin to rumble in unison. We exchange a knowing glance and head towards the convenience store, where we encounter Jack, his trusty hamster perched on his shoulder like a pirate's parrot. The two humans engage in lively conversation, and I begin to notice a subtle blossoming between them. Jack isn't bad looking, but his constant fidgeting detracts from his potential as a dignified gentleman.
Then again, he's only thirteen. There's plenty of time for him to mature, both physically and mentally. The path to adulthood stretches far ahead, fraught with countless experiences.
A dark sky blankets the land, night replacing the fading twilight. Silence envelops the school castle, broken only by the sounds within the first-floor dormitory common room. The entrance is sealed by a barrier, a known fact that crossing it means no return until dawn, and potential disciplinary action. Each time I gaze at the faint, gentle yellow barrier, the headmaster's gaze from that night flashes in my mind, sending shivers down my spine. Anya twirls her wand, idly conjuring small blue flames that dance around her, bored after finishing her six assignments, while I lie sprawled nearby, watching Jack play chess with the bright student, "Backshima."
From my vantage point, the checkered board with alternating black and white squares, the king, queen, knights, rooks, and pawns are identical to those of my previous world. The difference lies in their silent play. Each piece moves through the players' mental commands, their eyes barely blinking as they concentrate on controlling their pieces and strategizing their next moves.
It's still boring to me. If I had a phone, it would be a much better way to kill time.
I yawn widely and rest my head on my master's arm.
"Tired, Nappo? It's dark now. Should we head back to our room?" Anya asks, extinguishing the surrounding lights. "We have class early tomorrow. I wish I could sleep in."
She complains as she does every evening. I pull her onto the floating stone slab and command it to ascend to our room. Our nightly routine before bed involves practicing spells on each other, conjuring defensive shields – a way to hone our offensive and defensive skills, as well as our reflexes. It wasn't the defense instructor's idea, but mine. I want to become stronger to protect Anya, and to ensure she can protect herself even if I'm no longer in this world.
After all, in both my past and present lives, the future remains unpredictable.
Silence blankets the entire castle. The lights in the first-floor dormitory common room are extinguished. Every student is back in their room, fast asleep.
Outside the barrier, a cloaked figure appears, their face hidden beneath the dark hood. The moonless night offers ample cover for their clandestine approach.
"For the Emperor and our comrades," they whisper, drawing their wand, its tip glowing faintly. "The dark magic lineage will rise again! Zemma Binaza!"
A beam of purple light shoots from the wand's tip towards the barrier. A gust of wind erupts as the destructive beam collides with the protective dome, creating a ripple of energy. It must be a defensive mechanism. The cloaked figure grinds their teeth, straining to draw power from the depths of their being. Cracks begin to spread across the wand, expanding into a wide circle. An eerie blue energy surges forth. The five fingers gripping the weapon tightly are stained with a dark hue.
Boom!
The barrier dome shatters, its fragments scattering like broken glass. The student dormitory building is now defenseless against the malevolent forces outside. Inside, many students jolt awake from their slumber.
The figure in the black cloak grins amidst the chaos. The wand in their hand crumbles as their body slowly turns to ash, the dark residue carried away by the wind.
Simultaneously, dozens of portals open, and countless figures in black cloaks and hoods emerge. They wield wands like instruments of death. Without waiting for orders, as if already knowing their objective, they cast levitation spells and soar towards the students' rooms, who are still grappling with confusion and fear.
The invaders smash through doors with purple beams of magic, capturing the children and binding them with magical ropes, piling them in a corner of the building. The students are terrified and plead for help. Those who resist are met with multiple silencing spells, leaving them injured and traumatized. Everything happens so quickly that the students are unable to process the situation. They cry out for their parents and teachers, but no one comes to their aid. The invaders bark harsh commands, silencing their cries and intensifying their fear. Tears stream down their faces, and their bodies tremble uncontrollably.
Meanwhile, back in Professor Aek's room, he jolts awake, naked, the dark, swirling tattoo on his body now more prominent than ever, shifting and writhing across his muscular frame.
The middle-aged man is startled. He grabs his wand and rushes out to confront a group of invaders. They flick their wands, firing purple beams of magic. Professor Ek swiftly conjures a protective shield before casting silencing and fire spells, incapacitating several invaders.
He then confronts one invader whose eyes are covered with a black cloth, revealing only his nose and mouth, marred by gruesome burn scars. Professor Ek freezes upon seeing the figure, but shows no fear.
"Long time no see, old traitor," the blindfolded invader sneers, pointing his wand, ready to unleash a purple beam. A grotesque smile stretches across his scarred face, reminiscent of a mountain troll. "You look more human since you quit being a demon. Not like the monster who killed indiscriminately back then."
"That's all in the past, Cerberus. The demon within me is gone," Professor Ek retorts, raising his wand, its tip glowing with a deadly purple light. "You should be too."
"Planning to kill a friend, huh? Go ahead! Just like you killed 'Rena'!! Do it!" Demon Cerberus challenges, his smile widening into a grotesque grin. "Don't forget, your precious thing is still with me. Inside me. If you kill the demon, you know what will happen."
Professor Ek's face tightens, his facial muscles stiffening, resisting his will. Only his brain, hidden beneath his skull, throbs, processing the complex situation.
That demon minion smashes through the door to my room. The doorframe splinters from the force of the purple beam. Anya and I jolt awake, drawing our wands in defense. It fires a silencing spell, but I conjure a shield just in time, followed by Anya's silencing spell. It manages to raise a shield. As the shield fades, I unleash a fire blast, setting the black-clad minion's cloak ablaze.
Anya casts a levitation spell and propels it out of the room. But then two more minions burst in. I cast a water control spell, sending them flying back.
"We can't just keep defending! Let's get out of here!" I exclaim, leaping onto the floating stone slab. Anya follows.
The dormitory building has become a battlefield. The sounds of spells, cries, and screams echo through the halls. But there's no sign of any professors.
"How cruel..." Anya bites her lip before casting a spell to make the stone slab ascend. "Are these the dark magic demons?"
"Judging from downstairs, they're not just petty thieves. They're definitely demons," I clench my wand, scanning left and right, noticing countless dark magic demons hovering in the air, surrounding us.
My eyes widen in alarm, and I decide to cast a clone spell, preparing to fight them.
"Versato Corpo!!"
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To Be Continue Ep.17