Fitran opened a gigantic door that creaked slowly, revealing a world full of wonders—a breathtaking library. Stepping inside, he was immediately greeted by a breathtaking sight: billions of books neatly arranged on towering shelves, rising like an infinite tower of knowledge. Soft light from lamps hanging from the ceiling illuminated this grand library, creating a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere, as if each book narrated its own tales, waiting to be read and explored further.
"Finally, I'm back," Fitran said, his eyes filled with hope as he noticed his right hand suddenly glowing with a golden light. "It seems I no longer need to worry about Rinoa," he added, feeling the burden in his heart begin to lift.
"Doppelgänger magic, Shadow Reflection," breathed a captivating demon woman, her voice soft as silk, as she stepped forward to greet Fitran with a smile full of enigmas. Her eyes sparkled like polished obsidian, reflecting the flickering light around them, and an aura of shadow energy twirled around the tips of her fingers, signaling the power she possessed.
Behind the darkness lies a terrifying power—Doppelgänger magic, which creates a perfect replica of its owner. This shadow not only copies the physical form, but it can also fight and act independently of the creator's will. Legends suggest that the use of this magic can cause the shadow reflection to become a self-sufficient entity with its own purpose and will, leading to a loss of control for the sorcerer and difficulties in distinguishing the original from the imitation, much like the complexities of human relationships.
"I have recorded new notes," said Mammon as he meticulously jotted down information in an old framed book, its pages cream-colored with slightly yellowed edges. He slipped a silver-tipped pen between his fingers, as if waiting to unveil the secrets of the unseen world. "You can create more than one shadow," he continued, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, as if he were exploring the limitless possibilities born from the magic's power.
The magic of Mammon possesses the ability to absorb everything new—be it knowledge, untouched magic, or forgotten history. Its mystical energy flows like an unbroken river, exploring every possible corner, creating bridges between what exists and what may yet come to be.
"I was surprised when someone suddenly appeared in this library," Mammon said, his voice echoing softly among the neatly organized bookshelves. "Who would have thought that this famous Paladin has now turned into a thief," he continued, his eyes sparkling as he discovered the irony in this seemingly impossible situation.
"I came here to make an offer," Fitran said, his voice calm yet tinged with tension.
"An offer," Mammon repeated, a humorous laughter resonating among the grand bookshelves.
"But you truly are mysterious; I can't read your thoughts, your actions, or even the power you wield," Mammon continued, his expression reflecting deep confusion. "This is a bit of an insult to me as the guardian of this forbidden library."
"There shouldn't be any more books added to this library," said Mammon, soaring gracefully between the towering shelves, gently returning a recently revised book to the 110th floor. The soft breeze generated by his wings rustled the neatly arranged pages, creating a subtle melody that blended with the stillness of the dust-laden room filled with history.
"It's related to the magic you wish to develop," Fitran stated, his voice echoing in the silent space. "The magic I'm referring to is zombification," he continued, trying to capture Mammon's attention with an urgent tone.
"What?" Mammon replied, his voice tinged with deep disappointment.
"The knowledge about zombification should have been completed," Mammon said, gripping a black book that lay on the 30th floor, brushing off the dust clinging to its cover.
"You don't know its name yet. Every magic should have a name," Fitran remarked seriously, his eyes glimmering with knowledge. "You can trust me; I cannot lie here. If you wish, I can explain it right now," Fitran added, his voice becoming more assertive and confident.
"Consider it as a point to ponder for the contract," Fitran attempted to entice Mammon.
"Then explain," Mammon replied, "If you're lying here, I will kill you," he added.
In the forbidden library, there exists an indescribable wonder. Each time someone shares a new tale, a mysterious book suddenly appears before the storyteller, its pages trembling lightly as if welcoming the story being born. However, if someone dares to lie, the atmosphere shifts dramatically. In an instant, the book will not emerge; instead, a book containing the truth will appear, unraveling deceit and providing precise explanations.
"Alright, I will begin," Fitran declared with a firm voice, his eyes shining with hope, as if ready to unveil the secrets held within his mind.
One of the lost magics is zombification, a dark sorcery that possesses the power to physically resurrect the dead. Humans trapped in this state are referred to as zombies, becoming will-less slaves who obey every command of the caster. The creator of this spell is Vlad, a prince from one of the kingdoms on Earth. Haunted by his curiosity about immortality, Vlad pondered, "What is the purpose of living in this world if time is the separator?" This obsession led him to horrific acts: killing everyone around him in brutal ways, stabbing them from the rectum to penetrate through the mouth, then leaving the corpses to dry under the sunlight. The blood that flowed and soaked the ground was collected to perform his dark resurrection ritual.
In the midst of that darkness, Vlad mastered the fundamentals of the resurrection process, earning himself the title of necromancer. Necromancer refers to a black sorcerer capable of communicating with the souls of the dead trapped in catastrophe. Driven by hatred, rage, and vengeance, Vlad easily summoned them back to the world. These spirits were placed into the bodies that had been pierced, recalling the lives that were lost. Remarkably, Vlad succeeded on his first attempt, creating a creature from the darkness.
The army of zombies he created consisted of several tiers, each with its own unique and frightening characteristics. The first tier, known as the Revenant, is a zombie that remains nothing but bones, yet is clad in what was once magnificent armor and wielding a sharp sword. The remnants of flesh tell the tale of the anger and vengeance burning within their souls, especially towards the blue-blooded elite who oppressed them during their lives.
The second-tier zombie, Nachzehrer, exhibits traits more akin to wild beasts. They crawl with daggers, unable to stand upright, and seem fixated on devouring all living creatures in their path. In life, these beings were known for their greed, lusting for not only riches but also women and food. Dubbed as brain eaters, they first consume the brains of their victims, and with each bite, they gradually absorb the traits and memories of the individuals they have consumed. The more wicked the character of their prey, the stronger and faster these zombies become. Peace has vanished, and only darkness envelops them as they hunt in the silence of the night.
Tier three zombies, Strigoi, are creatures born from the souls of men or women who have never married. After being reborn as zombies, they relentlessly seek out living beings, whether animals or humans, to engage in physical encounters. This process results in their victims contracting a virus, leading to a fate similar to their own. Despite their transformation, the appearance of Strigoi still resembles that of normal humans, adding a mysterious aura and a sense of sorrow to their existence.
Tier four zombies, Gjenganger, are souls that have known only suffering throughout their lives, trapped by pain and forced to lie in bed. However, once they rise as zombies, they do more than merely spiral in their torment—they begin to spread dangerous infectious diseases to all living creatures they encounter, creating a domino effect of death everywhere.
Level five zombies, Draugr, are derived from the souls of nobles whose lives were filled with feelings of envy and hatred towards other nobles in a struggle for wealth, women, and fame. This burning ambition led them to engage in theft from the common people, symbolizing the class divide. Upon rising as zombies, Draugr not only resemble Nachzehrer, but also possess the power to wield magic, threatening and destroying everything in their path with newfound arrogance, reflecting the social injustices that have long permeated history.
Level six zombies are terrifying spirit zombies that possess the bodies of other humans. As a result, they seem to become insane, forced to commit acts of suicide, murder children, and even cause the death of unborn babies in their mothers' wombs. This type of zombie goes by various names in different cultures, such as Vetala, Jiang Shi, or Pontianak, each carrying unique nuances of darkness and culture.
The seventh-level zombie, known as Gashadokuro, shares similarities with the Revenant, but it is horrifyingly larger, reaching a size 15 times that of a typical Revenant. Its towering shadow is crowned with a skull-like head, earning it the title of the skeleton king. Wielding the gleaming sword Honjo Masamune, Gashadokuro becomes a symbol of unimaginable terror.
The eighth-level zombie, the most powerful ever created by Vlad, is called Izanami. Once a stunning princess, she was cursed and shunned by everyone, including her husband, Izanagi. In a cruel act, Izanagi abandoned her and sealed her within a catastrophe. However, once the seal was successfully broken, the evil spirit took her body as a vessel for Izanami, transforming it into a being stronger and more terrifying than ever before.
In a brutal assault, Vlad and his army of zombies invaded the entire land of Earth with devastating speed and power. In a short span of just one day, nearly half of all the nations on Earth collapsed into horrifying ruin. Sensing the impending threat, the remnants of Earth's nations were forced to grasp at hope and seek assistance from the Gamma nation. At that time, the Earth was in the midst of a revolution; a period when humans began to exploit the riches from the minerals hidden within the earth. The Gamma nation, fueled by a resurgence of fighting spirit, quickly agreed to the plea for help. Led by their formidable queen, they launched a direct assault on Vlad's power center, located in the dark land of Transylvania.
The raging war left immense destruction in its wake, but ultimately, the Gamma nation emerged as the resounding victors. Amidst the chaos, Vlad managed to escape with Izanami, hiding away in a remote and secure place, shielded from prying eyes. They would wait until the opportune moment arrived, regardless of how much time it took—whether it was a year, ten years, hundreds of years, thousands of years, or even millions of years. Vlad himself was an immortal being, akin to a living corpse, and known by all as Dracula, the legendary figure biding his time for a chance to return.
Nine years have passed since the fall of the Gamma nation, and in the stillness of time, Vlad finally decided it was time to emerge from his hiding place. It has been nearly 400 years since his humiliating defeat at the hands of the Gamma. As he stepped out, the scene that awaited him was vastly different from the one he had known during his reign. Now, the ruins of the once-magnificent city were shrouded in shadows of sorrow and despair. He understood that acting recklessly at this moment would only lead to his downfall once again.
Therefore, to execute his plan, Vlad disguised himself as a handsome widower, hoping to charm a powerful queen. With his allure, he successfully captured the queen's heart, thereby dominating everything within the kingdom. Together with Izanami, they resurrected a terrifying army of zombies, ready to wreak havoc on a world that had cast him aside.
However, the darkness surrounding Vlad's presence did not go unnoticed. Sensing the malevolent aura threatening them, Queen Iris commanded the entire Gaia nation to wage war against Vlad. Under the command of Hector Alfrenzo and with the highest command appointed to the young paladin, Fitran Fate, they prepared to confront the resurrected evil.
A fierce war raged in Castlevania, Vlad's last stronghold. Amidst the battlefield drenched in blood, he stood alone, surrounded by a thousand towering troops. The only one left to challenge him was Fitran Fate, after Hector Alfrenzo fell in a brutal fight. With fiery courage, Fitran prepared for his final confrontation against Vlad. Drawing his gleaming sword Excaliburn, he plunged it into Vlad's heart, fully aware that despite Vlad's reputation as an immortal being, the absence of vital organs like his heart or brain would ultimately lead to his demise.
News of Fitran Fate's victory over Vlad the Dracula quickly spread across the world, heralding the dawn of a new legend to be remembered forever. Several months after the war ended, Fitran hosted a grand party at his castle, where all guests were required to wear extravagant and mysterious masks. Amidst the crowd and the shimmering lights, his gaze fell upon a beautiful woman sitting alone, isolated in the throng. Enchanted by her beauty, Fitran approached her with steady, confident steps,
"Will you dance with me?" he asked softly, his voice drifting in the magical stillness of the night.
Upon returning to the mysterious forbidden library, Fitran was enveloped by a deep magical aura. A beautiful quill, crafted from phoenix feathers and shimmering with an array of colors in the dim light, continued to inscribe magical words onto a blank book that floated in the air. The words glided forth as if guided by an invisible, gentle hand, dancing around Fitran and weaving a tapestry of stories waiting to be revealed, as though all the knowledge and power of the world were interconnected through an unseen delicate thread.
"I think telling the story of the masquerade party is just as appealing as the smell of rotten cheese at a feast. So, let's save that story for another time!" Fitran remarked.
"Fitran!" Mammon exclaimed joyfully, his voice echoing throughout the forbidden library, as if breaking the silence that cloaked the place, awakening various books and secrets that had long been buried.
"I never expected to gain knowledge about lost magic," Mammon said, his eyes sparkling as if the light of a thousand stars radiated within him. "This is far more impressive than a thousand fictional novels by Jacob," he continued, his voice resonating with unparalleled enthusiasm, as if the secrets of the world that were once buried were now wide open before him.
The Lost Magic refers to ancient sorcery that has long been extinct due to its immense power and danger. It is documented in invaluable ancient manuscripts, carefully passed down through generations. Time Magic enables manipulation of time but poses risks that could shatter reality entirely. Creation Magic allows for the creation of something from nothing, yet it is difficult to control and can be fatal. True Dark Magic brutally erases all traces of existence, rendering it forgettable to anyone. Soul Magic can control souls, but its perilous nature led to its prohibition for the safety of wizards and other beings. Absolute Transformation Magic permanently alters the form of something, and its reckless use has caused this magic to become extinct, serving as a reminder of the severe consequences one must bear.
"No wonder Elbert's artificial zombies are so weak," Mammon said, his voice filled with despair, his eyes betraying unspoken anger. "It turns out that all the secrets of the formula are in Vlad-Chan's hands. Why did he never tell me about this?" he continued, his face sullen, as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders, his heart trembling between a deep frustration and anger.
"After Vlad-Chan's departure, all the knowledge and wealth of information that man possessed shifted to Fitran," Mammon stated, emphasizing each word. "Fitran is truly greedy, as if he intends to hold the entire world in his greedy hands."
Fitran let out a thin, cynical laugh, reflecting both satisfaction and the insatiable greed that surged within him.
"Then, will you accept me?" Fitran offered.
"Agreed," Mammon replied immediately.
"What is your wish regarding the contract?" Mammon continued.
"I want you to release all your contracts with others without exception. You belong to me," Fitran stated greedily.
Mammon laughed, a resonant sound tinged with a demonic quality, revealing his dark side through a wide smile that displayed his sharp teeth.
"This is the second time I've met someone like you, aside from my master," Mammon said, his eyes sparkling with curiosity and challenge.
"Very well, I will cancel all my contracts with the others and will follow you until I am truly bored," he continued confidently, even though deep down, he knew that Fitran would never allow him to feel boredom.
With all contracts canceled, they lost the safety assurance provided by Mammon, a figure known for his terrifying power.
"I don't need someone useless," Mammon said with certainty, his cold voice echoing like thunder that shattered the silence.
In this situation, Fitran could easily execute his plan to eliminate Elbert, as if he were merely pursuing his prey in a hunting game that was already won before it began.