Legacy of the Dark Sage

Sigma stood outside the back courtyard of the training ground building. Cold sweat trickled down his back as he stared at the huge purple half-sphere that has now expanded outside the training room.

As someone who examined the destroyed defensive array of the Tower of Conclave, Sigma was well aware of the horror of that purple half-sphere. He was sure that even with his improved magic attack, he would not defend against it.

If he had not run out, he might have already been 'swallowed' by that sphere.

'That rascal!' Sigma clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. 'Suddenly using this sphere. Did he plan on getting rid of me?'

He wanted to teach the boy a lesson, but he did not really plan on killing him. Although he did summon those magic blasters, he was sure the boy would be able to withstand its concentrated magic attack. The boy was a Regis, after all. Not to mention he was the son of that hateful man. Besides, Sigma was going to use 50% of the magic blaster's output only. Just enough to wound the boy.

"Sigma! What just happened?"

A woman's voice asked from behind.

Sigma's brow creased as he turned and saw Malia and Avrum with a few soldiers running toward him.

He belatedly remembered that the infirmary where Malia and Avrum were was located at the northwest tower, right beside the training ground. Since the training ground did not have a wall, it was easy for them to come over after hearing the noise.

"Chairman Malia," Sigma nodded his head slightly in greetings.

However, Malia was no longer looking at him but at the purple half-sphere protruding at one of the training rooms.

"This-!" She exclaimed in fright.

Avrum and the soldiers were also staring at the purple half-sphere, and almost all of the soldiers trembled at the sight.

"I-It's that man's magic!" One soldier exclaimed and nearly collapsed on the ground.

"D-Did he return?" Another one screamed in fright.

"No! H-He's going to destroy the place again!"

Soldier after soldier exclaimed. Most of them were really traumatized by Kyran and his magic.

'This is not good,' Malia thought and immediately turned to face them.

After hearing the explosion coming from the training ground, she had brought them with her and Avrum to investigate. She did not expect that the explosion had something to do with Kyran and Sigma. These soldiers all thought the person who attacked the Tower of Conclave was currently locked up, and it would not be good for them if they found out it was not the case.

Malia moved at once and took out a bottle of pink powder from under her robes. She opened it and sprinkled the powder on the soldiers.

A light-green array appeared on the ground where the soldiers stood, and the pink powder immediately spread within the array.

The moment the soldiers inhaled the powder, their eyes lost their focus.

"Return to your post. There is nothing to see here," Malia told them.

"Yes, Chairman Malie." The soldiers answered in unison with a deadpan expression. They immediately turned and left the courtyard.

Malia sighed and released her array before turning her attention back on Sigma.

"Sigma! What have you done?" She demanded.

Avrum, who was standing on the side, also shook his head. He looked at Sigma with an amused expression and said, "You disobeyed the Lord of the Tower."

Sigma glared at Avrum before turning at Malia with a frown.

"Why did you think it was me who have done something?"

"Because 'he' will not use his magic if he is not threatened," Malia replied matter-of-factly.

"Humph," Sigma crossed his arms. "That boy needed to be taught a lesson. How would I know that he would rampantly use his magic?"

"Rampantly?" Malia asked in disbelief. "You probably did something that would force him to do so!"

Sigma opened his mouth to retort, but before he could say anything, Avrum's exclamation interrupted them.

"Oh! Wow."

The two stopped and turned to look at Avrum.

"Look at the sphere," Avrum told them when he felt their eyes on him.

The two immediately turned their attention back at the purple half-sphere and saw that it had started to shrink. To their surprise, the wall of the building where the half-sphere had reached was not destroyed.

"What...?" Sigma said in confusion. His frown deepened as he watched the sphere disappeared back inside the building.

The only destroyed part of the building was the hole Sigma created to escape.

Avrum grinned in amazement.

"He can actually control the things his magic will destroy?"

"This is..." Malia was speechless.

She had read the reports and heard the soldiers explained what happened during the attack.

The way they spoke of Kyran was as if he was a walking calamity. Where he went, there would only be destruction. That was why the scene in front of them was really unexpected.

Hugh did say that there was one time where Kyran did not destroy the surrounding area. Nor did his magic 'swallowed' the soldiers and mages around. But as far as Malia remembered, the sphere Kyran had summoned that time was semi-transparent, not solid purple. Hugh even said that it might even be a domain.

"Avrum, let the Lord of the Tower know what happened here. Sigma, you're coming with me," Malia said and went straight to the hole in the building without waiting for their reply.

====================

Inside the building, Kyran was on his knees. His complexion had gotten pale, and he was breathing heavily. Beads of sweat trickled down the side of his face.

It had been a while since the last time he released that pure unrestrained magic sphere. However, what exhausted him was not the amount of magic he used but how he tried to control what his magic would eliminate.

Kyran only wanted the man to keep his distance as well as removed the arrays suspended around him.

The idea of releasing the unrestrained version of his magic came to him after noticing the man avoided touching his magic. From the man's reaction, Kyran realized that although the man could break his void scales, he could not defend against his magic.

Of course, Kyran would not try if he was not confident that he could succeed in controlling it. Still, he had not expected that doing so was physically and mentally exhausting.

"Kyran?"

A woman's voice interrupted Kyran's thoughts.

He saw an older woman with grayish wavy hair wearing a white robe with green accents that also complimented her green eyes appeared on the hole from the wall.

'Another council member?' Kyran wondered and cautiously looked at her as she entered the room.

"My name is Malia, and I am the Chairman of the Alchemist Association." The woman named Malia started. "You probably do not remember me, but we met before."

Kyran frowned slightly. He was confident with his memory, but he did not remember this woman, nor did he had the feeling of meeting her before.

However, he did not react and simply looked at her.

From the hole, the man entered the room again.

The moment Kyran saw him, he immediately summoned his purple rings on his right hand.

Malia seeing his reaction spoke at once, "It is okay. He will not attack you."

Kyran looked back at Malia but did not release his magic.

"He is Sigma, the President of the Blacksmith Order. Just like me, we are part of the Conclave Honorary Council," she said.

The man named Sigma frowned, "Why did you introduce me? He doesn't have to know who I am."

"Quiet you," Malia hissed at him. Then she turned her attention back to Kyran and said, "Whatever he has done, let me apologize."

Kyran could not help but feel puzzled at Malia's action. Clearly, she had a higher position than Sigma. But why did she have to act polite around him?

He actually did not mind Sigma's action. On the contrary, he was grateful that he was able to understand the extent of his improvement.

"You don't have to apologize for him," Kyran told her. He then looked at Sigma, who was looking at him.

"We're not done," he told him.

Sigma grinned at once, and his fighting spirit surged at once, "Yes. We're not."

Malia looked at Kyran in disbelief and immediately said, "Please. Do not be hasty. You just recovered and even now you are already hurt. I am an alchemist, let me check your wounds and-."

"I appreciate your concern but I'll deal with my own battles," Kyran interrupted her.

"Good. I changed my mind about you. Although a little," Sigma said as light-brown magic arrays appeared on his gauntlets once again.

Malia turned to him in alarm, "Sigma!"

Taking a deep breath, Kyran ignored the pain on his arm and changed into a fighting stance before facing Sigma.

"Come," he said.

Sigma sneered and rammed his fists together preparing to attack.

However.

"You should listen when you're told to!" Malia yelled as a light-green magic array appeared on the floor where Sigma stood.

"Chairman Malia!" Sigma exclaimed at once as several vines shot out from the array and tangled around his legs.

'What?' Kyran was surprised.