Chapter 25: The Shade
It had been one year ever since I enrolled in Magnostadt Academy. When Holly told me about the potential of my Magi of Life powers, I felt like I needed to become much more prepared, so I decided to delve deeper into researching magic. The defeat of Serket and the discovery of a much more powerful threat appearing, I had to grow stronger to even up the odds with the other Magis. I just felt... weak. Their teachings, according to Irene, have been retained before the Medium event, but the ideology class has changed, following the words of the previous Chancellor, Matal Mogamett. According to Holly, Mogamett would have been much more benevolent to a wider population, but his service to voracious and greedy "goi" caused him to only see Magicians as true human beings. The Magi known as Aladdin sent the final words to everyone:
"No one is superior in comparison to others. No matter if he is a Magician or not... No matter if he has ten or a hundred time more power than anyone else... No matter if he so dazzling... Don't abandon yourself to him. Because someone who lived without being wrong once in his life doesn't exist."
The teachers said that quote many times in Ideology classes, and when I first heard it, I couldn't help but shed a tear. Magnostadt has changed so much and tries its best to give equal treatment to all citizens as well as balancing out production with the utilization of magic and manpower. Some magicians who attended medical classes volunteered to help the citizens of the 5th level district recover from their depravity and inspired them to work for the prosperity of Magnostadt. While some have left due to their hedonism, most saw the errors of their ways and lack of purpose and decided to work. Magicians and Goi have started to slowly befriend each other.
It's bedtime, and I was on my bed in my dorm. My roommate, Sai Lin is a Wind Magician that has been studying for a long time in Magnostadt. She was the one who helped me adapt to the harsh discipline of the academy. She said that it's what Aladdin would do. Word has spread in Magnostadt that a Magi in Reim has appeared a year ago and another one at the same time, but in the Tenzen Plateau. The true identity of the one in the Plateau hasn't been confirmed, but the one in Reim is obviously me, and not everyone knew that. Before I joined, Holly, with the help of Yamuraiha, gave me the Magoi Reverse Tool to make it so that the Rukh don't come and help me. Even if Magnostadt has changed, I didn't want unnecessary attention and special treatment.
"Nice job on the Iktiyar, Emiline," Sai Lin said in a friendly voice.
"Thank you, Sai Lin. Thank you for being by my side," I said with a friendly tone.
"You know, it's kinda cool how you managed to get 1st Kodor after a month. It's like the friendship I shared with Aladdin..."
Sai Lin has been a 2nd year three months after the defeat of the Medium. She was about to help me with the physical training classes, but she realized I was already physically fit from years of activity. And people say that doing daily sit-ups and chin-ups looked stupid. I showed them... with my chiseled hips and toned arms. I'm no Amazonian, but at least I built a sexy body out of daily workouts. Even if I never really needed her help during research, her company and her stories was what made me attached to her.
"Pray tell," I said.
She told me about the story of Aladdin being in Magnostadt. From her helping him to the time they both helped each other in passing their Iktiyars. She never knew that Aladdin was a Magi until he defended Magnostadt from the invading Reim Empire. I've already told her that I was the alien Magi from Reim, but we both kept it a secret from everyone else. She understood that someone as powerful and alien as me would be peppered with many questions. I just want my magic studies to be peaceful and tranquil.
"I really never knew you were actually friends with two Magi," I commented with a hushed voice,"How's your relationship with Nero going?"
She blushed and giggled from the mention of Nero.
"Nero was working with Heat Magicians and Life Magicians to make a simulated beach. He invited me there and we both had a fun time there. Too bad it only lasted for a few hours."
The beach, how I missed the times pops would invite me to a beach during Summer Vacation. I'd swim, eat tropical food, and make sand castles. I was only with my dad and a few of his scientist colleagues with their own actual daughters. I kind of felt alone because I was artificial. According to Holly, the Life Power of Anima has healed me and made me a whole human when I managed to tap in to her powers. In fact, she said that I retained my human growth and abilities when I was "reborn". I have a feeling that my dad knows something more. In fact, I already miss dad. Did he expect me to go to this world? Is he affiliated with Holly?
"How's the beaches in your world like, Emi?" Sai Lin asked.
"Well..."
Magnostadt Village
I decided to buy groceries so Sai Lin and I can cook some food. I really like how almost all of the fruits and vegetables in Magnostadt have organic flavor thanks to the usage of magic and manpower. At least I don't have to taste pesticide with every apple I bite. In fact, it might be my Magi of Life magic that keeps me immune to diseases. But I already know that I should have some exercise once in a while. While I was visiting one of the local bazaars, I never knew I would meet up with an unexpected guest.
"Emiline! Hey!"
"Leila?"
She ran to me and hugged me. She has now grown her hair long and it seemed to be less messy and more straight. Her bangs were kinda messy.
"I can't believe you're here in Magnostadt," she said with a big smile.
"Yeah... I can't believe you traveled here too," I looked around awkwardly,"How do you think Ramses fares?"
She blushed and crossed her arms in embarrassment. Does she still like Ramses?
"I-I-I think he's fine?" she replied,"Too bad he went home to train; I wished I could have came there to sell food."
She held her dagger that she used during her thieving days. It was a reminder of her malicious past, but nonetheless, it was still a vital part of her life. A memento of her past.
"Have you heard of what happened to Sasan?" Leila asked.
Sasan... I don't know. What happened in Sasan? I asked her.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Sasan has fallen in only one day by an alien force. Word says that you or your friend, Franklin might have caused it," she said it in a hushed voice.
I raised my brow, not convinced. Does she have proof? I saw a magician with the red hair that hails from Sasan and barred his walking progress, just to ask a question.
"Have you heard about your home country?" I asked him.
His face was sad and there were dried tears by his eyes. Could it have been true?
"Yes... not even Knight King Darius had the power to stop them nor the time to call in help from the Alliance. My friend, Pyrrhas, who's from Artemyra says that they might be invading her home now."
And then, the clatter of conversations involving Sasan's fall spread out. I have a bad feeling what might happen in the future. Zalam might be behind this. I have to contact Holly.
I quickly ran back to my dorm and grabbed my Eye of Rukh from my satchel. Focusing my Magoi on it, I awaited reception from Holly's Eye of Rukh. After a minute or two, Holly was on the screen, with closed eyes, as if she were contemplating.
"I'm aware that you have heard of Sasan's downfall a few days ago," Holly replied.
I shouldn't be surprised. She IS the Magi of Light after all, and Light embodies discovery and truth.
"But why? Did Zalam cause it?" I said in a bit of a panic.
"Yes. She has used her teleportation magic to bring AZRAEL, her armed forces, to invade Sasan. AZRAEL or the Armies of the Zenith and Renegades from the Angelic Everlasting Legion."
"How did they fall so easily?" I asked.
"Zalam, is the Magi of the Void. She can appear anywhere and conceal her aura if needed. She was omniscient once, but her powers are growing weaker, so she relies on vessels to be her eyes while she recovers lost power. She too has dwelt in this world for a while too and she used her knowledge of Djinn and Magic to train her armed forces to fight against Metal Vessel users and Magicians."
That's just horrifying. The world will be doomed if they just took over the place.
"They have the technology, the techniques, and the weapons. How can we stop them?"
Holly frowned and shook her head.
"I have no answer yet. I need to recover my "eyes" first. But be wary of them, Zalam has a terrifying secret project with the Djinns."
The transmission ended before I could ask for more. Sighing I put back my Eye of Rukh and decided to head to class.
2 Days Later.
I needed some alone time after a plethora of words and incantations I had to remember for next class. I flew on my magic carpet and looked out into the ocean. I just wanted the sound of the wind and ocean to relieve me from the ramblings of Myers, Irene, and Doron. I delighted myself in a book about Life Magic. While most Life Magic books mostly involved bringing vegetation to life, I wanted to study more into Life Magic involving more with humans.
I spent nearly an hour on just reading it and most of it was about Healing Magic on wounds, diseases, and aging. Slowing down aging was one of the hardest spells in Life Magic on humans. If done wrong, the aging of the person could accelerate at a faster rate. Even if Light Magic is my strongest focus, my Life Magic can possibly even best my Light Magic.
"Mind if I intrude for a bit, Emiline?" a gentle voice said.
I thought it was a female voice with a slight masculine accent. I turned my head and saw a gentle-eyed man in some sort of woodsman attire, with his chest mostly seen. It's Yunan, the Wandering Magi.
"You're Yunan! Why are you here?" I asked.
"Holly asked me to meet you here. I like the place where you isolate yourself; I'm not too fond of large crowds."
I wonder how he met Holly? Did she teleport to his location?
"So, what do you need?" I asked.
He put his staff on my head and I suddenly saw a brilliant white light envelop my eyes.
Here I was, floating in the middle of a white expanse. Suddenly, a young woman appeared before me.
She had long golden hair with green vines wrapping her arms. She's clad in a white sleeveless dress with flowery motifs colored green around the rims of her skirt. Her eyes were closed and she held a golden staff with a sprout at the end. She opened her eyes, revealing her bright green irises. She smiled as she looked at me.
"Hello, my proxy," she said calmly and motherly,"I am Anima, the Magi of Life."
"So you're Anima? How come you weren't able to contact me earlier?" I asked.
"When we chose our hosts, Zalam, who wanted no distractions in her plot, sealed all of us from bonding with our progenitors. Because of this, we were unable to grant our progenitors their respective powers."
"How were you able to help me heal Franklin and Amihiha?" I asked.
"Zalam's seal is weakening, and through your willpower, you managed to temporarily break the seal and use my powers. The seal can regenerate itself and makes sure it absorbs us before mending fully. Now I'm able to help thanks to the Magi of Light banishing the shadows."
The whole area turned dark, much to my surprise. Anima raised her hands and showed me the abyss.
"This is what your mind looked like when it imprisoned me," the white expanse absorbed the darkness, returning the scene to normal,"But thanks to Yunan using his Light to counter the shadows, I'm now set free."
She formed a door that showed a vast library. She beckoned me to follow her into the door.
"Where is this?"
"This is the Grand Library in Alma Torran. Even if I can grant you my full powers right now, I must teach you how to use a special power exclusive to my proxy..."
"Wait!" we both stopped walking,"What of my real body? Am I a spirit right now?"
She nodded, confirming that I was in some sort of astral projection.
"Your body will be fine, you can only enter in here as a Spirit."
She started to walk, but noticed I wasn't walking when she reached the door. She turned her head to me with a concerned look on her face.
"What else troubles you, Emiline?"
With a deep breath (not sure if I have to; I feel like I'm still human), I spoke.
"Of all people, why did you choose me? Out of all the people, you chose me. Why?" not that I'm ashamed of it, but I was just curious.
She walked up to me and put a loving palm on my hair.
"Emiline, I..."
3rd Person View
Reality
"If you wish to have the power to face against Zalam, you too must quickly realize your powers..." Yunan said to Emiline's unconscious body with gentle sternness.
A fluttering was heard from beside him. Holly and her husband, May entered the scene. They both had stern faces and looked at the unconscious Emiline with an air of concern. Yunan smiled gently at them as she held the limp body of Emiline.
"She'll be fine, I'll take care of her," Yunan said.
"Thank you, Yunan. Keep her safe while we try to locate Theo,"
Yunan frowned and shook his head as he covered his face with the brim of his hat.
"I'm afraid you have to be wary..."
Theo, now 14 is limping with gritted teeth. His eyes were dilated as he continuously lead a marching group of skeletons and zombies. A dark and purple aura has surrounded him. Theo, embodying death, wilted nearby grass and trees in his wake. Using his powers over the dead, he formed a bony double-bladed sword as a symbol of dominance and fear. A fusion of white and black rukh followed him, but he was still alone.
"Theo... Ever since that day, the Magi of Death has now become nothing more than a plague,"
"It's ironic, Franklin tells me that Theo would usually call him a living virus just for not washing his hands once..."
"Because of this state, none of his friends and King Vessels literally cannot touch him. If he were to be in contact with a living being, they would decay," Yunan said with a frown,"If you wish to bring him to his senses, I know one person who can help him. No. 6 more people who can help him come to his senses."
The mysterious wandering Magi returned to his signature gentle smile. A surge of white Rukh started to flourish both husband and wife. The rukh flew into the horizon. A certain black and green clad man with a serpentine lady reached out their hands and let the Rukh perch on them. The flock flew farther into the horizon.
Battleship Superbia
"Wow, I never knew I would see an actual flying battleship..."
A barrier surrounded the ship, increasing the air resistance of the ship so it could move faster as well as allow the crews to guard the deck of this flying battleship.
A group of AZRAEL soldiers were knocked out from the steel cheek of an axe. The carrier of the axe donned a gladiator-like battle armor: a heavy breastplate with a heavily armored left spaulder. His wrists are wrapped in white bandages and he still wore a pair of blue jeans, now with golden greaves and black boots. His muscly body is splattered with battle scars. Carson Glenford is his name, and from a series of unfortunate events, he was imprisoned and separated from his friends. Now, he has escaped by summoning his Metal Vessel with his foot
"Are you okay, Mariam?" he asked the girl hiding behind a turret.
The girl revealed herself. She looked like Kassim, her older brother, but with more feminine features. Because of time and horrid experiments, she now looks older and more monstrous. Her purple eyes have now turned blood red. Her slightly tanned skin, received from the hot sun of Balbadd, is now pale white. She has grown taller; nearly as tall as Kassim himself. She wore a sleeveless dress with the skirt reaching up to her middle thighs, resembling some sort of qipao/cheongsam. She was shaking with fear and holding an assault rifle pilfered from a foot soldier.
"I'm fine, thank you, Carson."
A gunshot was heard in the distance, causing the young teen to cower in fear. The sound of metal denting was heard and in front of her, Carson held his axe blade as a shield on his right hand and a rather long one-edged blade. In a blink, the pro-lacrosse player charged at the soldier with horrifying speed and bashed him with his shield. Though the armor slightly dented, the man inside was fazed. With quick reflexes, Carson's axe blade/shield split in half, revealing a straight scabbard inside. He inserted his blade in the sheath and put the AZRAEL soldier between the blades as if he was a screw being held by a wrench.
"Mariam!"
He swung to his left and tossed him at Mariam. She quickly unloaded a taser pistol from a pilfered holster she strapped on her bare left thigh and discharged a huge burst of paralyzing and concussive electricity at him, causing the helpless soldier to be knocked into the floor and paralyzed. The tall man with the axe walked to Mariam and gently patted her head. Mariam muttered a small moan from mere contact.
"You did a good job, Mariam. You're quite a toughie," he commented. His axe/sword and shield shifted back into a lacrosse stick.
"Thank you," she said with a cute blush as she smiled warmly,"But it's so weird. I'm alive, but I died when I was really young."
She looked at her matured hands which extended to a full-on body scan. When she looked at her chest, it was larger than her flat ones. Looking at this, she hid her chest out of pure embarrassment through a self-embrace.
"Something just grew on my chest. Am I an adult, Carson?" she said with a scared expression.
Carson scanned Mariam, who now has a body of a curvy fifteen year old. Her breasts are supple and her limbs were slender, but her curves remained... curvy. The man can't help but just blush from the mere natural beauty of this lady.
"You still look kind of young, and I'm not so sure what you meant when you died when you were really young. Are you like a zombie or something?"
"Zombie?"
He facepalmed from her response. Not because she didn't know what it was, but it was also because he remembered that the term zombie hasn't been widespread in this area. He groaned with a hoarse sound.
"Is something wrong, Carson?" she asked, concerned about his face in one palm.
"Well, you said you died, but you're somewhat alive, right?"
The teen nodded.
"Well, how did you die?"
"Illness..." she said, now with a somber tone whilst looking away into the wind.
"Ah," Carson nodded,"Well a zombie is a person who has come back from the dead."
"Really? I want my brother to be a zombie so we can play games together!" she was now filled with zeal once again; a childish zeal.
Carson didn't share her same reaction. He walked to the bridge of the ship, with Mariam suddenly following and telling him about her previous "life". The man listened intently and captured every word as if info were water, and he, a sponge. He didn't hear the full story, due to the time constraint of the staircase; they already reached the top. When they entered the bridge, a voice was heard through the ceiling.
"Due to the main captain's disappearance as well as all of the crew being knocked out, you shall lead the ship, Carson Glenford."
While Mariam was startled from a voice coming out of nowhere, Carson wasn't as startled as the younger lady. He simply raised a brow from how a voice knew his name in an instant. He would ask how, but right now, he didn't care.
"Disappearance?"
He looked out the bridge window over looking the deck of the ship. The mess of various knocked out soldiers were now suddenly gone as if they were pixie dust. Carson looked around in case they would ambush her and him.
"The crew and the captain has transported themselves back to base. Unfortunately, they destroyed the teleportation link that leads the ship to the base."
Carson sighed but at least knew that his enemy wasn't a generic comic book villain. While the enemy disappeared, a ship that's his to command has appeared.
"Well, that really doesn't matter right now. Computer, as the cap of this ship, I'd like you to track down Natasha Lyra and fly to him... unless I need to drive there."
The robotic voice replied:"Do not worry, Captains give orders, and I shall comply with every word you say."
The ship still continued its flight, though the direction it continued in was different.
Carson looked out the window and saw a faint reflection of himself. He noted that through rigorous training and various hardships, he has actually grown to a man despite being 16. He noticed that he started to grow a short beard. His hair was cut short a few weeks ago, now a small spiky faux hawk. His blonde hair has now darkened, giving it a brownish tone. Ever since he trained at Remana, he has fought battles to survive, financially, and physically. He also saw the faint reflection of Mariam, causing him to smile calmly. Her innocence and her child-like personality felt somewhat... refreshing to him. It's been all fight to grow stronger for the last year and yes, he has seen kids in Remana, but a teenage girl with a mind of a 10 year old and is possibly a zombie felt new.
"Hey, Mr Carson, do you mind if I helped you fight? I want to learn more about this contraption called a gun."
The teen smiled warmly and put his lacrosse stick on his shoulder; a gentle grin on his face. She not only marveled at his coolness, but the Rukh that suddenly came from the horizon and perching on both of their shoulders. Some of the Rukh danced around them before heading out into the sea expanse. Well, he only knew how to hold handguns through airsoft gun battles, paintball battles, and laser tag.
"I don't mind."
Sindria
Because of the fall of Sasan, Darius Leoxses took a temporary stay in Sindria, lodged in Sinbad's palace. Sinbad stood up from his desk and stared at Darius eye-to-eye.
"Darius, because of the fall of your Kingdom from these strange alien forces, we must hold the Summit now."
The Knight King nodded to this. Sinbad unveiled a map from behind a banner, with a drawing of a lone island with strange stone carvings.
"I believe that this meeting shall be imminent, Sinbad?" Darius asked.
"Right you are, Darius."
The purple-haired king had a tense face. Consternation started to seep into him, but he didn't allow it to take him. He has heard of Darius's stories about the invaders. Giant automatons, repeating cannons, and what's worse: Anti-Djinn and Anti-Magic units. All the nations had to hear of this quickly, or else this could potentially be the end of them all.
A/N: Here's another update. Sorry it was slightly late. I had to get ready for my 3-day outing.
Well, the only thing I can say is that because of the string of events that is mentioned that includes Team CNTMP, I decided to revive ApoTheosis from its Hiatus, though, I ain't typing for 3 days after this updates because I'm going somewhere.
Since Apotheosis is coming back from Hiatus, I may have late updates with Abra Cadaver.
Review if you wish.
Regarding reviews, I'm actually glad I got constructive reviews. I don't mind if I get a bunch of reviews just only saying "Please continue". I guess a number of people who say something like that show that they are enamored with the story.
Peace and love from your Forlernfreund.