CHAPTER FIVE:
THE AMOUNT OF power that was being excerted by the likes of Lord Bulkian and Lady Wrath was immeasurable. The two were moving at blinding speeds, something that wasn't unheard of in the magic community, but incredibly rare. For one to reach even a position where there was potential to expell the amount of magic needed to enhace the body to the point of supernatural capability, it would take up too much energy.
Yet here were too titanous magic weilders both capable of such a feat. Both attacking quicker than it takes to blink, the ground beneath their feat deminishing bit by bit as the Lord Bulkian forms his weapons just to be crumbled by the power of the wind controlled by the Lady Wrath.
One, a hulking figure that had survived one war, and many a battle in the second. The other, a Dark Lord, one that appeared out of nowhere years ago, using the rage of man against themselves, allowing her power to slip into their minds and take control. For blind rage is the best ingridient for an obidient soldier.
CRASH
The two hit the other across the clearing that had been made through the demolision of the trees. Bulkian, trying to catch his breath forms a buster sword from the earth beneath him, his hair in disaray as bits fall from the bun atop his head. Lady Wrath clutches to her right forearm as blood trickles down it.
"Y'know, you assholes seem to like to assert yourselves as being these indestructable forces that are borderline gods. You do know that the gods don't exist to mortals like us?" Bulkian informed the litle girl. She smirked.
"That's just like a wizard to say. So arrogant to disacknowledge that there's a power higher than you. Look at the Attuned. they're a higher power than a wizard. Look any of the Olympian Gods. The Norse Gods! Any religion or collective of people always adore those that are gifted with magic. Sorry. Who are exceptionally gifted with magic. Wizard lore? Who do you have that even the mundane know of? Merlin? the wizard that spent years turning the kingdom of Camelot into an unimpregnable fortress, that it changed its name and locked its walls to the world?" She took a moment to compose herself.
"As you know, the Order of the Sin have walked the earth for centuries. It's because wizards like you, and your captain exist that we've been allowed to rise to power. Those Dark Wizards that walked the earth before us? They don't hold a candle to the power that we pocess. Tell me Bulkian. Does all this fighting anger you?" She said, her eyes locking with Bulkian's.
Fire was all there was. The walls, fire. The ceiling, fire. The candle wax that lit with fire, fire. There was no escaping it. The only safe space was te space that surrounded Atlas, his body curled up in a ball.
The flickers of flame danced across his cheek, but he did not care. Why would he? He had just learned that all of his friends had been captured. Zephyr had been captured. What was the point in fighting on?
"Mr Vault, what excellent use of the Welding spell! I believe your combined attunement to both the Sun and Metal elements must do well when conduring such magic! This rapier has such fine detailing work! Becket? Oh! What an intricately designed Dagger, a fine feat for a metal Att such as yourself, great work the two of you!" came the fading voice of Miss Englund.
Atlas could never place it, but he knew that it was from somewhere deep within the recess of his mind. For he never paid much attention to that lesson. It was over a year ago, sometime in his second year, and he'd only used the spell a number of times, the only time that it mattered was when he was trying to teach it to Shreya. Only so that she could protect herself.
Latching on to the memory of it, Atlas withdrew himself to that day.
They were in the Roost. A room hidden in the ceiling of one of the old hallways of Belgarve. You would have to step on the ground a certain way and a ladder would appear, you'd climb up it and appear in a room filled with books, desks, chairs, balls, multicoloured stones, a record player, a radio, and other stuff that over the years the group had collected, in the adjoining room to the Roost was an open space that the group used to practive magic.
They had been in a few life threatening situations over the years, from a werewolf trying to kill and take the power of Atlas to avoid the sun so that he may stay a wolf forever, to another sun att that wanted to increase his own power, to someone trying to kidnap Shreya and use her for ransom from the famous Mistry family. So they thought that a training room would be best.
Atlas had been chilling listening to a group Griffin had introduced him to called The Muses, they had been an easy group to listen to, calming to the ear, perfect for when the weight of your own existence leaned heavy on the back.
Shreya had cleared her throat, pulling Atlas out of his daze, looking up at her "Hey beautiful, how's class with Professor Kontos?" seeing her troubled expression he stood up and held her clsoe to him "hey, hey, its okay!" moving back to see her face, seeing the tears now streaming down her face.
"At... Could you.. teach me how to defend myself?" She asked, trying to hide just how upset she was.
Atlas didn't even ask why, he knew that her lack of knowledge on offensive spells other than her fireball magic had gotten the best of her on a number of occassions and something might have made her think of this. Especially with the recent attempted kidnapping.
"Of course Shey. Let's head into the battle room and I'll show you a spell that'll be brilliant for fire att like you." the calming voice of Atlas put a smile on her face. A perk of being a sun att is that you always give off a warm and calming vibe, its hard for people to be sad around you.
The two left the main room of the Roost and into the training room. Once in there Atlas placed Shreya, grabbing two metal polls from the side for when Becket trains, Atlas gave one to Shreya and kept the other for himself and moved a few paces from her. "Okay Shey, I'm gonna teach you something called the 'Welding Spell', okay?"
She nodded her response, her brows knittef together in concentration, focusing on the aubrun haired boys every word and action. "I don't want you to try anything until I've told you to, okay?" She rolled her eyes and nodded her response, he smiled "Okay, first you're gonna wanna think of yourself as if your a forge, your magic heating up to extreme heats, yet controlled." Just as he had said, his body began to glow, his skin reddening under the heat that he was now exerting.
He looked over to Shreya, gesturing her to follow. She did so, it took her a seond, but she managed to get her body to heat up.
"Now, focus all of that power into your hands." He called out, doing so himself, his hands now glowing an almost blood red. Shreya, just like before, taking a second to adjust to the idea, but following soon after, her tanned skin twinning Atlas' in being dark red.
"Now you'll notice that the metal is starting to become malleable. Use that to your advantage, think in your head the kind of weapon that you want to form, and begin to twist the metal as such." Atlas began to twist his metal and forming a cutlass, one similar to that of what he'd seen in a book as a child. He looked over to see that Shreya had formed a thin, elegantly designed rapier. "Okay, now that it has a shape, call out 'Estanule' to complete the spell!" Atlas had enough control over his affinities that he just needed to think the word for the spell to finalise itself. The metal instantly cooling down, colours taking form, and a cutless in his hand, battle ready.
Shreya shouts the spells words, the metal cooling a little, but not as quick as Shreya would like, she yelled the spells incantation a few more times, a transmutation circle appearing in the hilt of the sword, the metal cooling in a snap, the metal glowing red for a moment. Her head snapped up with a shit eating grin on her face, she sprinted towards Atlas and leapt into the air, and planted a kiss on his cheek "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou! Thank you so much At!" Atlas tightened his grip on Shreya, holding her close.
The two felt at peace. Shreya rested her head on Atlas' chest, their heart beats beating as one. It was this day that Atlas Vault knew that he was in love with Shreya Mistry.
The two continued to hug, the feeling of happiness that Atlas felt overcame his body, Shreya faded from view; in her place was a transmutation circle, the sigil for the sun at its centre, it filled Atlas with power, the rooms of the Roost washed away, the flames that surrounded him before now surrounding him, the transmutation circle glew a bright gold, the fires of the room came to Atlas, and surrounded him, as if they no longer wanted to attack him but now wanted to defend him.
In the distance there was a door. Atlas walked towards, he placed his hand on the handle, the circle on his chest glowing brighter, the fire burning brighter. Atlas turned the door knob and stepped out.