Tell me what you think, or even if you found reading this was just annoying~ Spoiler: Fufufu~ I don't think Bad Storm would like being mentioned here “Stay away from him!” Sheou roars as leaps from the audience seats into the arena. Her black and white maid’s garments steam against her body and transform into scales as large black and red wings sprout from her back. She reaches out and pulls both Dharc and Dark Magician Girl to herself, shielding them from a falling meteor dragon with her own back. “Sheou!” Tinkhec and Lorpar jump forward, assuming their red and green dragons forms to better protect their aunt from the various black dragons. ****** All around, the city’s guardians step forward to fight off the invasion. Dark Magician himself leaps into the sky, and with a burst of black magic, sends a massive dragon away. Then while preparing another spell, he turns back to the High Priestess of Prophecy. “Return to the tower! Secure it and prioritize evacuating the people!” To Aleister and Madam Verre, he says, “A sigil has spread across the ground and now a black stone floats in the sky. Uncover the connection!” Dark Magician says nothing to Endymion or Selene. They have long since left their seats to engage with and repel the invading black dragons. With that he turns to the dragon maids protecting Dharc and his apprentice. A pink dragonoid is treating the earlier dragon’s wounds. For some reason, some of the youths who were spectating are gathering around there as well. This in turn is leading to even more people to gather instead of fleeing the arena. He descends to them while striking down another black dragon. “Return to your human forms, least someone mistake you for one of them.” “Master!” His apprentice calls out to him. The Dark Magician Girl doesn’t hurry to his side, but instead shouts orders to her group of magician girls to help protect the gathering spectators. She was merely informing him she is ready to receive any orders he might have for her, and one is already presenting itself. The gathering spectators need to be brought into order. The youths in particular, instead of letting themselves be protected, are releasing their own spells at the black dragons. While there is some coordination among them, their attacks are too scattered and weak to be of any real help. “Organize this crowd!” “Understood!” That many of them are willing to listen to her helps, but he is pleased at her swift actions. The fierce match she just had with Dharc has left her battered and exhausted, yet she shows no sign of faltering. She is a disciple he can take pride in. Dark Magician then turns to the dragon maids. A black haired dragonoid dressed in a traditional black and white maid’s uniform is being supported by a pink haired dragonoid. She is most likely the black and white dragon from earlier and also seems to be the oldest of them all. He approaches her and asks, “Do you know anything about this? I don’t care how slight, tell me.” Sheou, introducing herself, says, “The cursed dragon clan.” She winces from pain as she talks, but the issue is too important for her to not share what she knows. Gritting her teeth, she forces herself to say, “They are an evil clan of dragons from the 2nd era. Their sealing was at the dawn of the 3rd era. All we remember of them is that they brought death and destruction everywhere they went.” Dark Magician frowns at the information. Humanity was only just starting to appear during the 3rd era, and that was at its twilight. All that is really known of the 3rd era is that it was the age of great beasts like the dragons, of creatures more than capable of razing nations single handedly. ****** Peacock cuts down a black wyven as it lunges at Dharc. Her friend has been standing in place staring at the black gem up in the sky ever since she joined him. No matter how close he comes to a dragon’s talon comes to his face, he doesn’t flinch, but it isn’t bravery. He is so absorbed in staring at the gem he is ignoring everything. She doesn’t know what he’s doing, but his unwavering expression reassures her trust in him. She tightens her grip over her katana and cuts down another black dragon. She then leaps into the air and besects the head of a black flare dragon attacking the Dark Magician Girl from behind. While her priority is protecting her friend Dharc whom she owes an unpayable debt, the Dark Magician Girl is the key to their present survival. Another she keeps her eye on is Milla the Temporal Magician. She seems to have joined the group on the arena specifically to help protect them. Dark magic explodes behind Peacock, erradicating a dragon trying to take her by surprise. Glancing up, she finds Dark Magician Girl winking at her with a smile. Knowing someone is watching her back fills her with great relief. The two exchange silent nods and continue their desperate struggle against the black dragons. ****** Dharc’s expression doesn’t waver as he continues to trying analyze the black gem. The crimson light radiating from it like a halo is dark magic Each time it pulsates, more black dragons appear. According to Spirit of Flames, the pulses are heartbeats and those dragons aren’t actual dragons. The will carried by those heartbeats is granting life to the magic being released. Then, gripping his staff, he flings himself forward. He thrusts himself before Sheou, raises his free hand, and invokes, “Mirror Force!” Not only is the bomb dragon about to explode on her repealed, its explosion is redirected at the other black dragons. He then waves his hand to the side, crying out, “Swords of Revealing Light!” All around them, shimmering swords of light appear. They stop the black dragons from getting closer, their blinding shine burning them whenever they try. Those within the domain of swords roar out in pain, weakened by the light and easy targets for everyone else. ****** Milla is taken aback by Dharc’s display of magic. Mirror Force is a favorite spell of her mother’s. While Dark Magician Girl and Sheou are organizing everyone to use that opportunity to escape, she is overwhelmed by what she just saw. The way Dharc invoked that spell was the same way her mother always does. She could practically see her outline and hear her voice when he used it, starting all the way from when he tossed himself forward and flung out his arm. As she helps escort the gathered members of the audience from the arena, she finds herself running alongside Dharc. The questions she has for him burn with an intensity that rivals the midday sun. Her most pressing question, for him at that moment, regards his spellcraft. He was able to restrain the dark dragons by casting a single spell of light attribute, while her mother, the world’s greatest magician of the light attribute, is only managing to hold her own. “How did you do that? Wait, where are you… pay attention!” Dharc doesn’t answer. He doesn’t even notice her calls, completely lost in his own head. If not because Milla keeps catching him, he would have long since crashed into something or fallen over. Eventually, at her repeated callings, he turns his head towards her. After staring at her for a few moments, the fog clears from his eyes. He frowns, and after a few more seconds, says “Milla?” “What is wrong with you? Do you have any idea how many times you almost got separated from us!? Were you at least thinking about this spell? You better have at least figured som… What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Dharc’s expression is filled with sorrow and regret by the time Milla stops telling him off. Unable to bear looking at her any longer, he looks ahead and speaks so as to distract himself from his pain. “You’ve noticed, right? The pulses have been getting stronger. That stone is going to–” The sound of glass cracking fills echoes from the sky. It is the same sound that rings out whenever a magical seal is overpowered. Everyone stops to instinctively look at the black gem, discovering it has been enveloped by a crimson glow and is emitting a black fog of condensed magic. Even the black dragons stop, they cease their attacks and land, prostrating themselves before what is to come. A booming roar knocks everyone off their feet. Hazy wings sprout from the gem along with a vicious dragon’s head. Piercing through the fog as it looks around are a pair of crimson eyes. The presence this new dragon carries makes looking away impossible. Slowly, its body slowly begins to take shape. Its head, wings, chest and legs are all embedded with blood red gemstones. “Dark Magic Attack!” A burst of dark energy smashes into the dragon’s face. The Dark Magician flies forward, enveloping himself in dark magic as he prepares a second spell. His assault awakens everyone from their shock. As the people begin to run again, screams fill the air. The black dragons, too, are resuming their onslaught. As Milla climbs back onto her feet, she notices Dharc is missing. Looking left and right, she calls out to him. “Dharc? Dharc, where are you?” She sees many people trying to regain their bearings, but she doesn’t catch a single sign of the black haired magician or his ragged cloak anywhere. She does catch the attention of a pink haired dragonoid instead. Fear and worry fills her face as she hurries up to Milla. “Did something happen to Dharc? Where is he?” “I don’t know, he vanished.” The dragonoid turns pale from fright. Then, upon sniffing the air, points to the left and says, “He went this way.” Without another word, she sets off after him. Milla, shocked at the sight, hurries after her. “Stop, where are you going!?” She cannot let two people wander off from the group on their own towards certain death. ****** Dharc runs for the Grand Spellbook Tower. He wastes no time on the black dragons tearing into the city around him. He will blast them with bursts of light magic should they get in his way, but for the most part he leaves them to the residents of the city. 1st era:creation (supreme creator) (The great creator, shaped the world and cosmos) 2nd era: gods, archfiend, spirit lords (things that can create life) 3rd era: great beasts, dragons, leviathan, giant thunder birds, world trees 4th era: civilization