Earth's Greatest Magus

1882 Dread

As Emery fixated on the gaping crack in the crystal, it felt as though he were peering into the very depths of an abyss, and an unnerving sensation washed over him. The aura emanating from the fissure was nothing short of terrifying, causing him to tremble involuntarily. It was Cthulhu's voice that snapped him out of his trance.

<The aura... It's the scourge... it's stored there!>

"Scourge!? what is that?!" Emery questioned, his curiosity mixed with a growing sense of dread.

Cthulhu did not respond immediately. Instead, Emery sensed an undercurrent of amusement in its presence before it finally spoke again. "<Its been a while... this is good... wait... no, this is bad.>"

Frustration welled up within Emery as he demanded, "Dammit, Cthulhu, what is it?"

His attention was torn away from the ominous crack as a dark energy began to ooze from it, infecting the crystal. Panic surged through Loriel Starwind and the high elves as they continued their fervent chanting, their desperation evident in Loriel's voice as she shouted,

"We must not let it out!"

The dark magus, however, had other intentions. "No, you won't!" they exclaimed, attempting to bombard the crystal alongside the high elves.

Emery's gaze swept over the desperate battlefield where a hundred elves had been pushed to the brink of despair. Their determination was palpable as they resorted to self-sacrifice, using their bodies as shields to protect the fragile crystal or launching suicidal attacks against the relentless dark magus. The sheer magnitude of their resolve was awe-inspiring.

The chamber was a tempestuous battleground where powerful spells clashed and the very elements themselves seemed to obey the will of the combatants. Massive wind spells roared to life, sending dark magus hurtling backward, while combined ice spells conjured immense fortresses of frost to shield the elven ranks. Lightning arrows crackled through the chamber, their flashes illuminating the chaos with every release.

The elves fought valiantly to prevent any attack from damaging the crystal, but the cost was steep. Their numbers dwindled rapidly. In just ten minutes, the battle had already claimed a hundred elven casualties. In stark contrast, the dark magus still stood strong, their ranks numbering seventy, and the five most powerful among them remained unscathed.

Despite the elves' relentless efforts, Emery couldn't help but notice a grim development. The infection-like energy emanating from the crack in the crystal continued to spread, albeit at a slow pace. It was a race against time, and the outcome hung in the balance as the battle raged on in this chamber of elemental chaos.

In a critical moment of the battle, another contingent of elves arrived on the scene, approximately two hundred strong, and they bore the unmistakable mark of the dark elves. Among their ranks, Emery recognized prominent figures: Morvain Duskmire, one of the dark elf monarchs, and two Khan, one of whom was Ba Taaar, the very one who had harbored a deep desire to kill him. The top-ranking dark elf, D'Mal, also stood among them.

The sudden appearance of these dark elves initially brought a glimmer of hope to the surviving high elves. Their expressions, however, quickly shifted from relief to shock as they watched in disbelief. The dark elves had sided with the dark magus and were now attacking their fellow elves.

"Morvain!! What is the meaning of this!!" Loriel's voice rang out with anger and betrayal.

The dark elf monarch, responded with a chuckle that dripped with cynicism. "You were just too arrogant not to see this coming," he taunted.

"Morvain! You insolent fool!!" Loriel shouted, her fury and disappointment evident in her voice. The arrival of the dark elves had not only escalated the battle but had also thrown the high elves into a state of confusion and disbelief.

The insubordination and betrayal occurring within the ranks of the elves were an anomaly in their usually unified and harmonious society. Emery couldn't help but recognize the gravity of the situation had far exceeded his initial assessments. The sudden arrival of these two hundred dark elves had tempted him to join forces with the high elves in a bid to restore balance to the conflict. However, their sheer numbers and the rapid tilt of the battle in favor of the dark magus and their newfound dark elf allies made that decision increasingly perilous.

As the pivotal moment approached, Emery observed something that caught his attention. Loriel, the high priestess, finally left her formation and as she flew up, she abruptly broke an unusual-looking necklace adorning her neck. With its destruction, a palpable surge of power coursed through her, enveloping her in an oppressive aura that seemed to emanate from her very being.

"That's the power of a domain!"

Emery and all the magus recognized the immense energy at play. It was even beyond anything a typical grand magus could wield, and it bore an energy signature distinct from Loriel's own. It was as if she were being possessed by another soul.

The sensation eerily reminiscent Emery of the events at the Magus tournament where a high elf's soul had inhabited Mahinder the monk—it was a soul belonging to a supreme being.

The sudden emergence of Loriel's power sent a chilling wave through the entire chamber. With a mere gesture, she wielded her newfound abilities with deadly precision. A dozen dark elves found themselves transformed into ice crystals, their forms shattered into crystalline dust in an instant.

The display of her formidable power struck fear into the hearts of the dark elves who had sided with the dark magus. In response, many of them began to retreat, alarmed by the overwhelming force they now faced. However, the dark magus themselves remained resolute, undeterred by the sudden shift in the battle's dynamics.

"I see the Eldamar does come prepared," the leader of the dark magus remarked with a sly smile. He added, "But it won't hinder our resolve."

In response, Loriel's voice resounded with an otherworldly echo. "Then die!" she proclaimed, her words carrying an undeniable weight of authority and power.

The relentless battle raged on, with the five powerful dark magus launching a coordinated assault against Loriel. Despite their concerted efforts, their attacks fell short, as Loriel wielded her newfound powers to crush them one by one. In a matter of minutes, two of the dark magus found themselves transformed into ice and subsequently shattered.

However, the dark magus had not been without a plan. While their attempts to overpower Loriel individually had failed, they succeeded in restraining the high priestess for a critical moment. This brief window of opportunity allowed the dark elves to break through the high elves' formations and draw closer to the crystal.

Sensing the threat. Loriel's desperate cry filled the chamber. "No!!"