I couldn't tell if it was my nerves or the weight of the world surrounding me, but my heartbeat increases with every step we descend. Every step makes me feel like I am walking towards something greater. Something better.
The walls of the cave look fairly scary and mysterious.
It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. It almost felt like it was sucking me into its world. Our footsteps echoed in the cave as we continued to descend further and further. The steps just kept going making it much harder to breath.
Eventually, we arrive at a landing area.
I take my last step and stand on the makeshift platform. All around me are various rock formations within the cave. Some bats are present, flying around, their wings fluttering in the eerie atmosphere. I look up the stairs and see a tiny beam of light passing through onto the platform.
The space allows enough light for us to see the platform and ourselves properly, but not enough for us to see our entire environment.
The air is cooler and thicker than where the major base was located. I feel the powerful dark magic within me wanting to be released. It seems like this place belonged to darkness. This place is meant for magic. It feels terrifying yet exciting. I look at Maura with a shocked and confused face, as I have so many questions.
Before I could say anything, she explains, "Mana crystals fill this place, enabling you to draw more mana to enhance your magic. This allows you to focus on your technique rather than mana output."
"So what exactly are we going to do here?", I ask slowly as I look around.
"You already know the basics, brother. Elemental magic, how it's connected to everything, and how it's fueled by emotions and your control over it. What he didn't tell you is, to master dark magic, you need to master the emotion tied to it.", Maura says in a serious tone. "The emotion for darkness is despair.", she says, almost in an icy whisper.
"Despair?", I repeat back to her as I feel a shiver go down my spine.
"Yes. Dark magic draws its strength from the deepest parts of your soul. It takes the most vulnerable parts of your identity and all of your life events where you felt the most despair. Regardless of what that fear is, it thrives on your fear and fear of others. It knows the mistakes you made, the guilt you feel, the insecurities you try to push down."
"The more you run from it, the more it will make you weak," Maura says coldly.
"However, if you learn to face your mistakes, to face your insecurities, to face who you are as a person, the good and the bad, then you will unlock true power you never would have imagined is possible.", Maura says in a slightly happier tone.
"That is why you must understand your magic completely. Only you will know how to master your despair and fears. Just know fears don't make you weak, they can make you strong. It is all about perspective. Think about it this way, our ancestors."
"When they didn't have magic and had to survive among the magical beasts, how did they do it? They weren't physically the strongest or fastest, but their human perseverance to work together and survive made human society what it is today," Maura says proudly.
"Through humanity's hard work over generations and with the discovery of magic, we developed daily uses for elemental magic and the rare kinds of magic. Not all humans can wield dark magic, but all humans have the potential to if they learn how to overcome their mind and body."
"I know you can wield it well once you know how to train properly."
"It sounds too dangerous.", I say, as I look in awe.
"It is dangerous but if you face your darkness with all you have, you will control it.", Maura says as she flicks her wand in the air summoning large tendrils made of shadows from the ground to wrap around her arms.
"The only limit you have is your imagination.", she says, looking at me dead serious.
"Dark magic isn't only about power, either. It's about manipulating your environment and adapting to it. You can use it to teleport.", Maura says to me as she teleports through a shadow on the wall. "You can also use it to summon weapons.", she says, summoning two long swords made of dark energy.
"I heard from Justin you used a scythe made of dark energy. That is impressive. I don't know why your mind picked a scythe out of nowhere. However, it is a sign your heart wants to kill your current self and reinvent yourself into someone better.", Maura says enthusiastically.
"The possibilities with magic, especially dark magic, are endless."
"The only bad thing is that light magic in terms of raw power is on the same footing as dark magic.", she says to me while shaking her head.
"How do I practice controlling dark magic, though? How do I know when I am ready?", I ask curiously.
Maura looks at me with more of a slight smile on her face now. She says to me, "Only you will know when you are truly ready. In terms of practice, just think about the moments you were lowest and find out your insecurities."
"Once you get better at accepting those things as a part of you and dealing with them, then you are already stronger than anybody I know."
"I see," I respond to her, still slightly confused by her answer. One of the HLH guards came down the stairs to tell us Zephyr and Leena were waking up.
I will ask her another time, I tell myself as we start climbing the stairs. Facing my demons, I hope to face the world.
I will need to completely reinvent myself if I want to destroy every Eradicator.