Fierce winds whip against our skin as we travel on Tumbly's back. The mountainous landscape recedes below us. I frantically stare ahead looking for any signs of a fight.
Flame of the South trembles violently. Someone must be using a huge amount of dark magic!
"Don't worry. Your brother is powerful. He won't fall that easily."
Lady Somme hugs me tightly. Even though I can feel her perfect figure pressing against my back I can't focus on her right now. Still, I appreciate her comforting words. I nod lightly while keeping my eyes towards the front.
Tumbly soars at a breakneck speed. Soon I find the source of the dark magic. It comes from within an old stronghold. This place is not unknown to us. But according to the information we have, it should already lie in ruins.
Yet someone apparently patched up its walls enough, so they offered some protection. They even manned the walls with battle ready soldiers. I don't even need to think about it. It can only be the Twenstar Kingdom!
I spot our own soldiers climbing the mountain, still some distance from the stronghold. But... my brother is not among them!
"How can this be..."
My voice shakes. Lady Somme holds me tightly as she points towards an enormous, dark sphere suspended above the stronghold, saying with a grave tone:
"He... should be in there."
I shudder. Just looking at the sphere, its sinister, black surface moving continuously, causes my blood to grow cold. Fortunately a warm energy comes from Flame of the South, aiding me to recover swiftly.
Yet my heart keeps fluttering. The very presence of the sphere seems to taint the mana in its surroundings. I can also feel Lady Somme moving uneasily behind my back.
My mind races as I analyse the scene. Dozens of mages are working together to uphold the sphere. Since they know that our soldiers are on the way they should be confident to achieve whatever purpose they are working on before they get overrun.
"Thus, I need to save him!"
"I will help you!"
I nod gently, squeezing my beloved's hand as I prepare myself.
"I will attack this sphere directly. You ride on Tumbly's back and harass those mages. Alright?"
"Of course."
"Thank you."
I don't know how I am deserving of Lady Somme. Would any other woman agree so readily in her stead?
I caress the hands around my waist again before slowly loosening them and standing up. My eyes find Lady Somme's. My gentle expression delivers a million words. For a moment I get lost in her eyes profound as the night sky. Only thanks to her reminder do I manage to extract myself.
My expression turns stern as I look below. Tumbly sails high above the dark sphere. From here the mages look like ants. Yet these ants working together managed to trap a lion. But the lion is not alone!
I grit my teeth as I jump from Tumbly's back diving headfirst towards the black sphere. I put Flame of the South before me releasing the suppression on it.
Flames immediately blaze with unprecedented fierceness. The soldiers on the floor point towards the sky, shocked by the meteor which had suddenly appeared.
In their view the sky has become died in orange flames. They immediately call for reinforcements. More mages come out of the dilapidated stronghold. Some rush to reinforce the black sphere while others try to attack me.
Ridiculous! Without casting for some time what attacks could they conjure? All of them disappear as soon as they touch the flames surrounding me.
The brightly shining fire roars in my ears as I become faster and faster. Soon they collide with the dark sphere. For a moment it is engulfed in flames, hiding the sinister dark magic.
The tip of my sword presses against the dark sphere's surface. In my eyes I clearly see the constantly moving surface. My sword advances slowly. I gather all my strength, shouting loudly, giving it a final push:
"BREAK!"
Finally, the sphere's surface breaks with a crisp sound like glass. The mages on the ground spit out blood, enduring a heavy backlash. They give it their all to somehow prevent the sphere from falling apart.
Unfortunately, they succeed. I am still not strong enough...
The sphere doesn't break apart and instead swallows me as well. Before I know it, I am trapped in a dark world. Everywhere around me swims a terrifying dark magic. I have never experienced something like this.
An unsettling feeling clings to my bones. It takes me a second to figure out what its purpose is. It seems this strange... aura... has the effect of suppressing all magic other than dark magic.
Even Flame of the South seems affected, but it resists fiercely. The flames slowly form a thin layer around my body, spending some light in this dark world.
Suddenly I feel the air stir to my right. It can only be my brother! It takes me a second to figure out how to move without a solid ground under my feet.
But I realize that under the strange rules here, the dark air solidifies under my feet when I intend to step on it. Thus, I swiftly rush towards my brother.
Soon I come across some boulders floating around. I know it must be the handiwork of the crown prince. He has always been incredibly gifted in the four elements!
Hurry up! One step after another. A moment later the black fog before me gets lifted and I finally find the crown prince!
Suddenly a sword made from ice shoots at my face. I barely manage to deflect it.
"Brother, it's me!"
My words echo in the dark world and the attacks about to rain down on me stop abruptly. The stern voice of my brother reaches my ears:
"Endal?! What are you doing here?"
"I came to your rescue!"
"This is too dangerous! Why didn't you stay outside?"
"I tried to destroy this magic from outside but... failed. Yet there is no need to worry. Someone is taking care of the mages as we speak. But say, how did you end up here?"
"It was a tr... careful!"
A chill runs down my spine as I feel an intense danger. However, the trembling Flame of the South warns me early. Reacting quickly, I turn around and deflect the inconspicuous tip of a dagger piercing out of the dark fog.
Instantly after colliding with me the dagger retreats. The fog churns making it look as if everything was but an illusion.
"What was this?"
"We are not alone. An assassin is stalking in the shadows. I guess he originally wanted to wait until I used up my magic, but your arrival made him impatient."
I squint my eyes, briefly scanning the surroundings. My brother stands on a platform made out of ice. Towards its edges it is constantly being corroded by the dark fog only to be replenished by his magic.
If this goes on for too long my brother would indeed use up his mana, leaving him greatly weakened. It was the right decision to come here. Now we only need to delay until the mages outside fall.
I take a few steps away from the darkness, raising my sword in vigilance. The world falls silent. Only the breathing of me and my brother could be heard.
Suddenly something shoots out of the fog. To my left! I instantly strike with my sword. However, I don't get the feeling of hitting anything. An illusion?
My instincts scream. Something comes for my back. I hear the sound of freezing water as a barrier of ice protects me. With a crisp sound the ice shatters, sizzling as it is directly turned into steam by the flames surrounding me.
I move my head noticing movement out of the corner of my eyes.
"Careful!"
A dark figure jumps out of the fog, shooting towards the crown prince. He raises the shield in his hand, stably deflecting another dagger. With a stomp of his foot ice grows around the assassin's legs.
But that snake moves elusively like a shadow. Before the ice can catch him, he is already on the other side of my brother.
"Die!"
I shout hoarsely as I feel the deep connection with Flame of the South. With a swing of my arms flames separate from the blade, reaching the assassin in almost an instant.
Obviously, he wasn't prepared for my attack. The assassin lets out a pained shout before stifling it instantly. He lunges back into the dark fog with flames burning from his neck down his back.
"Good job!"
I only nod as my brother praises me. Now is not the time to lose vigilance. We keep our eyes on the darkness waiting for any movement.
The seconds tick by. I am not anxious. Time is on our side.
Finally, the assassin launches another assault. Yet he retreats after a short exchange. This repeats for a few times. But the gaps between the attacks are narrowing. He must be getting impatient, nervous. Soon the assassin will make a mistake. And this will be when I take his head!