TBATE: Black Will

Seeing the futility of his attack, he withdrew his black tendrils and absorbed all the surrounding dark energy around him, which seemed endless, spreading in all directions. Leaving behind emptiness, this energy gathered inside him again, as if preparing for a new strike.

— Lesser child. How do you know about Agrona? — his voice turned cold and menacing, but there was a glimmer of interest in his eyes. — This continent could not have known about Alacrya, let alone Agrona.

I exhaled in relief, understanding that my suspicions were confirmed: he could not penetrate my thoughts, unlike what had happened with Arthur and Sylvie. This gave me a significant advantage in the conversation to follow.

— Let's keep that a little secret, — I winked at him, regaining confidence as the barrier was restored. — If you're so eager to know, you'll have to be a bit more... cooperative.

His face twisted with irritation, and even through the barrier, I felt his growing discontent.

— Know your place, lesser! — his voice was full of contempt, but I could already see cracks in his arrogance. — Even if you have become a vessel for the Great me, do not get conceited.

— And this from an asura trapped in the body of a child, — I said, maintaining a cold sneer. — How humiliating that must be for such a "great" being!

His eyes blazed with fury.

— Silence! I had no choice; you were the most suitable among the lessers I encountered along the way, — he crossed his arms over his chest, holding back his irritation. — I swear on my life, I will kill that Cadell.

— So, a Scythe killed you?! — I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. If Dicathen had Lances—the elite protectors of the continent—then Alacrya had its own equivalent titles: Scythes and Servants. These ranks brought their bearers universal fame and honor among the Alacryans, and everyone aspired to reach such heights. However, the difference in power between the Lances, Scythes, and Servants was enormous.

A Servant, though an elite warrior, surpassed ordinary mages of Dicathen and even some Lances in strength, but they still fell short of the best Lances like Arthur and Varay. Nevertheless, a Scythe was a warrior on an entirely different level—their power exceeded that of both Servants and Lances several times over. These fighters were true killing machines, perfectly suited for war and the most dangerous missions.

If a Lance could fight on equal terms or even be surpassed in strength by a Servant, then a Scythe was a force that no Lance could match. And Cadell was the strongest of the Scythes, being almost like Agrona's right-hand man. 

— Tch, Cadell — he muttered irritably, lost in memories. 

— One of Agrona's Scythes, you say? And how weak must you be as an asura if even a Scythe managed to kill you? 

His face contorted with rage, but his response surprised me. 

— You're mistaken, boy. The Scythe only finished me off when I was weakened after a battle with the Wraiths, — his voice was filled with hatred and bitterness. Everything became clearer now. Besides the Scythes, Agrona also commanded the Wraiths—an elite unit so powerful that they could defeat even an asura. I remembered how the Wraiths had nearly beaten Arthur to death until he got literally fired up. He only managed to defeat them thanks to the Rune of Destruction. 

— So, the Wraiths, — I murmured, scratching my chin as I scrutinized the demon. If Cadell truly killed him in Dicathen, it could mean that he was also heading toward the wounded Sylvie. But what about Arthur? 

A slight fear crept into my heart at the thought of Arthur. I hoped he was alive. I really hoped so. Without an all-powerful hero, this war seemed too terrifying and unpredictable. I didn't want to be at the center of this chaos alone. After all, even a god had asked not to change this world's events too drastically. 

— Why did you run from Agrona? — Another question that intrigued me arose, as it made no sense for him to flee here at that specific time. Although, I could assume that Agrona decided to kill the next Sovereign while pursuing Sylvie. 

The demon didn't answer, which started to irritate me. I couldn't afford to make guesses; I needed facts. 

— You did ask how I knew about the other continent, — I began, trying to maintain composure. — I know the future. As you've probably noticed, I know about the Servants, the Scythes. I also know about you Sovereigns and even the Djinns. And most importantly, I know about other asuras… like Sylvia. 

Hearing that name, his eyes widened for a moment. It was more than just a reaction—his fear and surprise were evident. So, it was indeed connected to the dragon Sylvia. 

— So, did you run because of Sylvia? — I guessed, watching his reaction intently. The demon remained silent again, only fueling my irritation. 

— Damn it, you're starting to piss me off with your silence, — I muttered through clenched teeth. 

Dark energy around him trembled, as if he, too, could feel the tension in the air.

 — Lesser, you don't understand, — he finally said, his voice low and menacing. — This isn't just an escape. I was part of a plan you can't even begin to comprehend. Sylvia… she was the key. I felt my interest intensify. 

— What plan? What do you mean? — I asked, trying to sound more confident than I felt. 

He smirked slightly, as if the amusement confused him. 

— I don't know how you know all this. But what you've said is only the tip of the iceberg. Soon, this body will be mine anyway, and your consciousness will merge with mine. So, there's no point in continuing this conversation.

My blood boiled with anger, but I tried to remain calm.

 — You think you'll just take control like that? I won't let you. If necessary, I won't even develop the core. 

The asura merely chuckled, as if he found something amusing in my words. 

— You won't. You will have to grow stronger. If you don't want to be vulnerable, you will inevitably reach the white core. Only the strong can claim the life they desire, — the asura said, smirking as though he was completely confident in his assumptions. — And by trying to fight the asura within you, you're only hastening your own demise. You don't know what you're dealing with. 

His words only stoked my rage, refusing to believe in his myriad threats. Whoever he was, demon or god, damn it, I wouldn't give him my body—the body that had been given a second chance. 

— I think you're wrong. In the end, you're the one who will die, — I said, shaking my head and showing an irritated scowl. — If my previous words didn't make you open up, then here's another one. Your plan with Sylvia, whether it succeeds or not, if it involves the destruction of everything connected to this world, then congratulations—your plan worked, and everyone died by the hands of Agrona and Kezess. Who knows when you'll take over this body. But know that I won't give you a single chance until it all happens… And in the end, you'll die with me.

My last attempt sounded like a lie, but it carried more determination than fear. All those words were lies, as I had only read eleven volumes and had no idea how the story would end. Still, I wasn't going to give up, and even if it meant fighting this demon, I would do everything in my power to maintain my will. Why else would I have been given a second chance at life in this desired world? If my body was to be taken…

Suddenly, I felt my consciousness begin to fade, like a light slowly dimming. The darkness around me thickened, and I realized I was returning to my physical body. I knew the asura would be waiting for our next meeting, and much would depend on that conversation. He was a mass of antimagic, and now I understood that my wall was not just mana, but my life energy separating mana from antimana.

At the moment the darkness began to disperse, I felt pain returning, piercing every cell of my body. I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. Everything I had learned had to become my weapon. I needed to prepare for the next battle, learn more about the asura's plans and his connection to Sylvia.

As soon as my eyes opened, I found myself in an unfamiliar room. It was the princess's bedroom. Next to me, with her head resting on my legs, was Tess. Seeing her sleeping like that reminded me of how I escorted her home after rescuing her from the slavers.

Soon, my grandfather entered and sat on the other side of the bed, not bothering to wake his dozing granddaughter.

— How are you feeling, kid? — His lips curled into a faint smile.

— I should be asking you that, Grandfather. I saw you being flung by the black wave, and even Tess was thrown back.

He let out an embarrassed chuckle. 

— Honestly, I didn't expect such power. That black wave seemed to drain all the mana out of me and dried up my core to the point where there wasn't a drop of mana left. The same thing happened to Tess.

Those words made me worry about them. A sudden depletion of mana reserves could affect their condition…

— Oh, don't make that face, kid. We're fine. Tess recovered on the first day, and it took me a bit longer—two days at most, — he waved off my concern, trying to dispel my worries. But his words alarmed me. Two days.

— How many days have passed?

— Three days, — the old man replied calmly, as if it were nothing unusual. — I'm curious about the will of the beast you possess, given its power. And what is this strange force that drained mana from people?

— Antimagic, — I said, recalling an old conversation with a god. It seemed that this asura had significant potential in this area. If I wasn't mistaken, the Basilisk race had an affinity for decay magic, and perhaps antimagic was a branch of that. — I've gained some understanding, if you can call it that. I even know whose will resides within me. Are you familiar with basilisks?

— Oh heavens, a basilisk tamer, — he rasped, his eyes wide with bewilderment as he looked at me. — Hahaha, damn it. A basilisk tamer! That explains the power. Basilisks are as rare as dragons. You're a lucky one, Luci.

— Yeah, — I responded wistfully. This power was still beyond my reach, and it was unlikely that Virion knew how to solve this issue—it was up to me. — Old man, I also experienced visions when I confronted the will of the beast.

His laughter, filled with joy, faded as my tone turned serious. While Tessia was still asleep, I decided to share some information about the future with him. Although I lied about the visions, revealing certain aspects of the future would be advantageous.

— Big changes are coming soon. In a few months, there will be a gathering of the three races under the guise of a tournament, right? You know that well enough. But that's not the main point. Old man, are you aware of the existence of another continent?

A heavy silence filled the room, and Virion's face froze in shock. He started muttering to himself, and the only words I could make out were "possibly" and "never."

— And this continent is hostile. The basilisk came from there. According to the beast's memories, the mages there are many times stronger than ours. Even stronger than those who've reached the white core. And I don't recall you mentioning anyone in Elenoir who has reached the white core. Are there any now?

— That's impossible, — the old man muttered, his jaw clenched. He couldn't believe that there were mages more powerful than those with a white core.

— I'm not asking you to believe it, but I hope you'll take precautions when the existence of the other continent is confirmed. — As I finished, I noticed Tess's eyelids twitching. She had heard?

Tess opened her eyes and, looking at us sleepily, blinked a few times, which looked quite funny. But then, realizing suddenly, she shouted:

— LUCI! — she squealed joyfully and threw herself around my neck. The weight made my sore body ache even more, and a groan of pain escaped me. Virion rose from his chair and looked at me seriously.

— Luci, I don't know what visions came to you, but I'm grateful you shared them. — He ran a hand over his head and ruffled my hair. — However, this must stay a secret to avoid unnecessary commotion.

I nodded, understanding the seriousness of the conversation.

— What's going on, Grandpa? What did you tell Grandpa, Luci? — she asked, hanging onto my neck as she referred to our discussion. We just shook our heads, leaving Tess with her questions. — Ugh… it's not fair to keep secrets from me!

She puffed out her cheeks, and I flicked her on the forehead, unable to bear the pain from her weight on my neck any longer.

— Ow! … That hurt! — she finally let go of me, grabbing her forehead as tears welled up in her eyes. — Why?!

— For all the good things. — Sitting on the bed, I smiled and patted her head. She puffed her cheeks even more and huffed, still rubbing her forehead. But she didn't move away as I continued to pat her head.

P.s: If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 15+ at patreon.com/c/Lucius01

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