Alackster dusted his hands, the fading tattoo completely gone from his skin.
"Well, well... impressive." He said as he looked at the three siblings covered in blood all over. "I guess it's time I strike back. How rude of me if I won without showing you a fragment of my own magic."
On instinct, Acheron, Arthur, and Jamie raised their hands to form a barrier around themselves.
Alackster's expression changed to a more serious one as he began to chant his spell. "Lyfte ic þe in balwen ac forhienan se wideor!"
The wind above them started condensing, swirling violently as it gathered weight. A massive sphere of air condensed into a miniature planet-like form, spinning violently in the sky. Trees around them were ripped from their roots, pulled towards the condensed air.
Alackster created two more spheres, increasing their mass two times the original one.
"For you who stole my grimoire and you who dare challenge me!" He directed the two massive ones at Acheron and Arthur. The smaller sphere was sent directly at Jamie.
"Be buried in your shame..." He released the spheres which went charging at the three Anaxagoras with insane speed. His intention had changed now. He wanted to kill them!
Then, like judgment from heaven.
Boom! Boom!! Boom!!!
All three spheres landed on each target easily. The impact shook the entire field, dust covering everyone's vision.
Everywhere had become a sandstorm.
The students watching from the 〈Runic Plate〉 all went silent. It seemed, from their angle, like the fight had ended.
Shortly after, most of the smoke had cleared up and from behind, two figures could be seen.
Jamie and Arthur stood side by side, their eyes glowed with different colors. Jamie's turned red while Arthur's turned golden.
[The Dual Guardians have ascended!]
[Effect: Any hostile spell within a five-mile radius will be nullified!]
[Targeting threat...]
[Threat locked in!]
A holographic screen appeared in front of the twins. Acheron pushed herself from the rubble. She could see the screens floating in front of her siblings, but no one else could, not even Jamie and Arthur.
The twins turned their attention towards Alackster at the same time. Their movements were in perfect sync as they walked slowly towards him.
...
[Main Hall, Arcane Collegium...]
The large hall was packed with students, every eye glued to the 〈Runic Plate〉 as cheers and gasps resounded throughout the area.
Arlo Pelegaya walked through the hallway, towards the direction from where he heard cheering. On his way, he saw most of the professors resting in their own lobbies.
He stepped into the main hall and saw popcorn flying about, everyone cheering for both sides to win.
His eyes found the screen and spotted Jamie. He suddenly felt a sense of attraction towards her red eyes. She looked so beautiful!
Squish! Squish!
Arlo felt two soft, big ball-like things press against his back.
"Wha...!" He turned his head in a daze. Behind him was an orange-haired girl with yellow eyelashes. She rested herself casually on his back.
'Is this some sort of prank?' Arlo thought to himself as he pretended not to notice her. Then the screen changed to Acheron struggling to push a boulder off her knee.
"Seems like Ache is having a hard time." Dalia said with a carefree tone. She released herself, stretching her arms.
She looked at Arlo with a warm smile. "Let's go find a seat. I know a spot at the front that's still free... wanna come?"
'This is the guy Acheron said I should keep company... he looks fragile... too fragile.' Dalia thought to herself.
Arlo stared at her for a moment. 'Why would she ask me that?! Me of all people?' He thought about saying no but found himself nodding, raising his arms to grab hers.
Dalia giggled and grabbed his arm fully, hugging it to her chest. Arlo's cheeks turned red, but he didn't show it.
They pulled through the crowd, pushing and shoving past the guys who kept throwing their popcorn up.
...
Aurelia observed and monitored everything going on as the battle progressed. However, seeing this strange magic Jamie and Arthur were using piqued her interest. They did not exert any mana, but they had this... condensed aura around them. It felt... dangerous to go near. Aurelia felt the chills the Guardians gave off, and it terrified her even as strong as she was.
Alackster clapped his hands slowly. "Not bad, not bad." A grin spread across his face. "It seems I have to get serious too."
He raised his right hand towards them. "Axta la viesta!"
The air around his palm shimmered as mana gathered.
But nothing happened.
He repeated the same chant again, with even more force this time. "Axta la viesta!"
"..."
'What?' Panic skimmed across his face. He had never witnessed such a scenario where a mage couldn't use arcane energy to perform magic spells. How was he going to battle?
Acheron smirked, holding her ribs. "Checkmate, jackass," she said loudly, taunting him.
Alackster's head turned towards her, his hands twisting into fists, boiling with rage. "What have you done to me?!" He launched himself at her.
As his feet left the ground, while he was still in motion, Arthur appeared in front of him at insane speed, watching with boredom as he grabbed Alackster by his face and flung him towards Jamie.
The impact alone almost shattered his skull, breaking more than ten bones in his body.
Jamie caught him with a kick to the gut, launching him upwards.
"Gak!" Blood burst out from Alackster's mouth as he gradually fell unconscious in the air. His vision had almost blurred out.
Jamie caught him in the air, throwing him at least fifteen miles back.
Alackster's body flew in the air like a rag doll, slamming through tree branches all the way until he hit a huge rock.
Crash!
His body slowly slid down the rock as he whispered a healing spell to himself, forcing himself to stay conscious.
...
The whole hall went into deep silence. Some of their jaws dropped as they witnessed probably the best fight of their whole lives.
...
Acheron collapsed on the ground, giving herself a few moments to breathe before she stood up again.
The light in Jamie and Arthur's eyes vanished. As they regained consciousness of their bodies, they lost it again due to fatigue, falling down on the ground.
Acheron bent down to lean her siblings against the wall.
...
A random student from his seat placed his hand on his mouth. "Damn, was Acheron always that hot?"
"For real... I'd crack her in any position... even that one!"
"Keep dreaming."
...
After resting her siblings, she walked all the way to the rock where Alackster had fallen.
There she saw his collapsed body. She cast a spell to materialize one of her sacred arrows into her hand.
Shink!
She leaned in closer to Alackster's body, aiming to drive the arrow into his chest.
As she began, Alackster's eyes shot open. He stretched his hand towards her and began casting. Acheron had all the time to dodge or even stop him, but she didn't want to. This was the final stage of her plan.
"Erm ni tsutes!"
Slice!
A wind blade tore through Acheron's stomach. A hole opened in her abdomen, blood dripping from the top to the bottom.
Alackster smirked through broken teeth. "You lowly pea... cough!" He wasn't fully healed yet.
Acheron looked down at her stomach. Blood poured out in thick streams, soaking through her clothes. Her eyes began to feel dizzy. Her body wanted to shut down as the pain was too much.
She couldn't shout, couldn't use her arms to cover it up. She rested on the tree opposite the rock.
In her solitude, she smiled.
Her lips moved slowly.
"Listen to the melody I write in grief, born of stormy days and peaceful nights." Her voice was barely a whisper. "This pain cannot be overcome, for it is eternal."
"Pain is forever. The moment I died, pain became nothing. Pain became me. A cursed world, deemed to suffer. I am sorry. From love's deepest sorrow, I am truly sorry... cough!"
She was reciting the chant of the ✮ Song of Ophelia ✮. She would stop and then continue, forcing herself to finish the spell.
"Shira... Boshamon... cross the paths between life and death. Let them feel what I felt. Let them suffer as I did... a mind shattered beyond repair... like mine..." As soon as she finished chanting, her body couldn't hold on anymore and she fell unconscious.
Alackster had cast a healing spell on himself while she chanted. His hands glowed with restorative magic. Wounds began closing, bones started mending. His broken ribs shifted back into place with audible pops.
He stood up slowly, testing his right hand.
'I still am not fully healed, but I can at least do this much.' He thought to himself, pointing his hand at Acheron's unconscious body.
A sphere formed in his hand, aiming for Acheron's heart.
"You did well to push me this far... Acheron Anaxagoras. But that was all you did...!" The sphere grew larger and larger.