The gap between those hills is about a mile, and thus the field is vast accordingly. However, by no means does it look natural. It’s as if someone had paved the plain ground. That fact alone makes the area look haunting. Some travelers come by occasionally, telling stories of it later when they get back home. Usually, they speak of the field as ‘god’s landing’ or something like that.
Here and there, some grass is growing through the gaps between the stone pavements, but not even a single tree has taken root on the plain. Only grass dares to grow there. What lurks beneath the paved field is the end of the world.
It’s the Titan.
Some say the Titan was created to protect the land by eradicating all life, giving a second chance for the world. However, the truth is far worse, and only they know it.
There are no recordings of the beginning when the Titan came to be. The earliest records of the world reach about eight thousand years back in time. Back then the Shadows were already active, the watchers of the Titan’s Prison. Nowadays, no one knows the origin of Shadows or the whole motive behind assigning Shadows to watch over the Titan. They just serve as scouts and scholars who live in utter loneliness to study the destroyer.
It’s a mystery as to why the Elementi support Shadows. They provide them with extended lifespans. That way, the Shadows don’t need replacements too often, as they are just mere humans assigned to their posts. Each hill surrounding the plains has a Shadow of its own, a Watchpost, as they call them. They aren’t some huts on top of the hills, but rather, they are underground research labs. Though they may be underground, they are built so that there is at least one window in each Watchpost from whence the Sun’s light can illuminate the interior.
In a Northwestern Watchpost, a Shadow called Ion sits at his table. He often travels down to the plain to research. After all, the Titan isn’t inactive. Because of it, there are earthquakes every now and then as the Titan tries to move within its prison.
Today, he is spending his time while researching inside instead of on the field. He is comparing the Titan’s past movement to recently witnessed movements. So far, he has concluded the Titan has begun moving in its prison more often, but not aggressively. It’s like the Titan is trying to be more gentle every time it moves nowadays. Ion is trying to figure out why.
All the information I’m getting may not help us with the end time at all. Sometimes, I wonder if I should give up and just do the minimum necessities of a Shadow.
The thing is, he has nothing else to do, so of course, he will focus on researching. That is his purpose as a Shadow anyway. Also, Shadows aren’t just humans whose lives have been extended by the Elementi. They are Mages who possess destructive powers of Arcana. They can obliterate structures, use Arcane Weapons, and much more.
While the legend of the greatest Mage to ever walk the land gives the impression that every Mage can create world-shattering spells and such, in reality, however, Mages aren’t that powerful. While magic can be used without restraint, it needs advanced thinking, unlike the Elementi powers. Elementalists just need to state their intention to the Elementi, and the spell will take form. Mages, however, need to think thoroughly how the spell can come to be. Laws of physics are the only shackles limiting Mages.
This particular Shadow has learned a spell only the greatest Mage of the legend has managed to cast without being obliterated, and that is Teleportation. Of course, without a doubt, there are others, too, but there are no recordings of such Mages. The ‘casting’ of spells doesn’t include incantation like priests do with their divine miracles. Rather, what Mages need to do is just thinking. The problem is, a spell such as Teleportation takes several seconds to be executed, for a Mage has to build the ‘blueprint’ from scratch in their mind, and also add the locations, distances, and heights to that. One cannot Teleport into an object to cause a gruesome death, but what is possible, however, is being obliterated by the spell itself. One mistake in the blueprint and the caster blows up, causing a spray of blood.
And precisely because of that, Ion doesn’t like to use that spell. In fact, he never wanted to learn the spell, but it was forced upon him. He is a Shadow, and if the Titan breaks from its prison, he must spread the word as fast as possible, and Teleportation is the best option. Not just that, he’s practiced it enough to be able to execute it within a second.
This Shadow is serious about his duty. He has learned several other spells that might help him during the end time. One of those spells is another one of the legendary Mage’s spells. It was named ‘Limiter Release’ by that Mage. While it sounds like a spell that causes the caster to gain insane amounts of power, it’s not quite that.
What it does is letting the caster gain full use of their brain, which means they’ll gain access to the whole brain. Basically, that’d make anyone a superhuman. The only downside is that no one is used to having full control over oneself’s mind, which means that it’s overwhelming to maintain for too long. It usually causes the Mage to go unconscious.
As to how a Mage can make use of it, casting a spell shouldn’t prove too tricky once the brain power has vastly increased. Casting Teleport ten times in a second should be a piece of cake.
One more notable spell Ion has learned is ‘Ender.’ The spell is purely meant for long-range shooting. It has no destructive power, just overwhelming velocity, precision, and penetration power. The size is smaller than an arrow’s. In other words, the caster summons an Arcane Weapon to shoot projectiles with pinpoint accuracy.
They say the greatest Mage, Uthon, managed to kill a powerful Demoni from three miles away with that spell. Some legends say it took a few shots before the Demoni was hit, and some legends exaggerate he’d hit the mark in one go, and right between the eyes.
But since Ion is a Shadow, he knows the truth behind the legend. After all, Uthon was a Shadow, too. His handwritten records are well preserved among the Shadows. The truth behind Uthon isn’t as magnificent as it sounds.
By the time it’s evening, Ion puts his research neatly in order before going to bed. He removes his top, showing his not-so muscular body. Due to constant trips to the plain, he hasn’t grown fat, but neither has he any muscles he can brag about.
Once he is fully prepared to sleep, someone knocks the door. It can’t be his personal supplier. He already got his supplies this month. It could be another Shadow, of course, but that’s unlikely. It’s late, after all. There is the possibility of it being a traveler, but Ion has yet to experience a day when someone comes by.
“Who is it?” Ion demands.
Silence follows for a moment.
“Just a young girl who got lost. I saw some lights up this hill, so I decided to come here and ask for help.”
Ah, I left the lamp outside? Ion laments. Interacting with other people isn’t prohibited, but he can’t show his research to anyone else other than the Shadows. If he hadn’t left the lamp outside, he wouldn’t have to deal with the girl.
“You should be able to see lights of a nearby village if you stand on top of the hill and look North. Go there.”
“Damn it, can’t you just let me in?” The girl sounds annoyed and impatient suddenly.
“No way. Don’t you know what this place is?”
“Of course I know! Now let me in! I don’t feel like being alone out here!”
“No go.”
“Damn... I’m coming in then!”
And the door is forced open by the girl. The hinges break as she kicks the door open. Yes, a young girl kicks a door in. Ion is shaken. Never did he think a mere human child could possess such strength. Nay, that girl isn’t a human! That wound... a stalagmite? Crystal? Is she, undead?
While Ion is alarmed and ready to escape by Teleportation, the girl with the crystal stuck in her head takes a look around. “Oh, it’s quite comfortable in here.”
“What are you...!?”
“Me? Oh well, I’m something very complicated. I guess I’m something like a, uh, problem child? And to answer
your next question before you utter it like an idiot, I came here to tell you that this Titan you’ve been watching for so long is gonna go on a rampage tomorrow.”
“...Eh?”
“Don’t sound so stupid. You even look like an idiot. You’ve even prepared yourself to Teleport! Meh, I won’t eat you, you know? Actually, I can do that, if you seriously can’t hold back your primal lust after seeing me, though I doubt anyone would have me. After all, I look like some undead monster, don’t I?”
“...Eh!?”
“Seriously, calm down. I promise all I’ll do is just stand, sit, and talk.”
Ion is left dumbfounded for a moment. With all the knowledge he possesses, he can’t figure out what’s happening. “How do you know?”
“As to how the Titan is going to break free? Because he is going to do that. It’s obvious.”
“Who is he?”
“Umm, no idea... yet. I’m here for two purposes: to stop him, and to learn what he is. In short, he is a being like me, I guess. So if you can’t comprehend me, you won’t comprehend him.”
Ion has a grasp of the context. So far, her words have been pointing in one direction; some unknown powers are at play. If this thing that looks like a girl indeed exists and speaks honestly, then Ion may have to reconsider if the Titan is the worst threat out there, hearing that there’s a being that can free the Titan at any point.
“Can we stop him?”
“Stop him? Hah! That’s what I’ve been trying for quite a while now, but so far I haven’t succeeded at it. Tell me, Shadow, how are we going to stop something you nor I can comprehend?”
“We don’t.”
“Exactly. So can you please listen to my plan for a while so that we may proceed to disrupt him?”
“If it’s to save our world, I’m all ears.” He can’t trust the demonic girl just yet. He needs to hear her out before making a decision.
“Good. So, you have two options from where to begin. Either leave now, and you’ll have some time to think of your future actions, or you can wait here and watch the Titan rise and then leave with your arse on fire. Let’s start the plan with your decision.”
He takes a moment to think. If the Titan is truly rising, then leaving now would be ideal when it comes to warning the world. By staying, he can confirm the rising of the Titan, and thus inform the world of the imminent threat while being totally certain. Also, he’d get a chance to see the Titan in action. He’s seen it in Prison under the plain, but only partly, as it’s dangerous to go too near it in the underground observation chamber.
“Are you certain the Titan is going to rise?”
“Okay, fuck it. You stay here and wait until tomorrow, okay? I’ll come to pick you up once you’ve thought it over. Be sure to take a good look at the Titan. You won’t die unless you go down to the field. Just stay home, okay?”
Ion sighs. “Whatever.”
“Good boy. And by the way, you should wear some shirt. That body of yours is nothing to be proud of. No muscles, just a belly button and nipples.”
“You...!”
“See ya!” And in the blink of an eye, the girl, whose head keeps bleeding eternally due to the crystal stuck to her head, disappears as if she never were in Ion’s house, leaving him flustered.
“Am I seeing things?”
***
The whole night has been a mess; Ion hasn’t been able to sleep due to her warning. Even now, as the Sun is rising, Ion watches the plains keenly from his window. His heart is pounding in fear, for what might happen today may very well spell the end of this world.
It won’t rise from its Prison, it just can’t, not now! Ion hopes against the fate that is about to come true. The Sun keeps rising on the horizon, but nothing is happening. Ion can only wait. He tried to research in the meantime, but found himself staring at the window instead. He can’t ignore this no matter what. It can’t be the end of the world just yet!
Once it’s long past midday, a sudden earthquake shakes Ion’s home. His heart starts pounding even harder, for his fears are coming true. It can’t be, it can’t be, it can’t be...!
Containers fall and shatter, papers are getting jumbled, and Ion is on the floor. As soon as the quake calms slightly, he rushes outside to see it more clearly. He climbs on top of the hill as fast as he can, and the view before him makes his heart waver.
“It can’t be...”
The Titan’s arm has broken through the ceiling of the prison, which is the field in front of Ion. The arm reaches the clouds, blotting out the Sun. It’s a dark, shadowy limb, slender and eerie. Ion’s eyes are wide open in horror.
“I told you. Now, shall we go?” A girl behind him says.
“Why!? Why did he release the Titan!?”
“Ion, I have no idea as to why, so can we just go?”
“Why must the world end now!?”
“Okay, forget it. I’m taking you with force.”
And thus the view before Ion changes to something he’s never seen before.
***
“Ugh, where did she take me to?”
An intense headache strikes Ion. Holding his head, he takes a look around. He is in a dark, cold room where the floor is made of stone. After further inspecting, he finds out that even the walls are made of stone. There are two sources of light. One is the moonlight shining through a small window with iron bars, and the other source is a door. Under the small gap underneath it, dim light emanates.
“Am I a prisoner...?” Ion is panicking. There’s no telling what’s going to happen. Magical prisons can easily restrict a Mage from using Arcana.
Ion hasn’t been unconscious at any point. He knows what it’s like to Teleport, and he can tell he wasn’t captured; he was sent there by the act of Teleportation, which means if he is in prison, none of the guards knows about him, unless they were expecting Ion to appear in there.
He stands up, walking over to the door—only to trip halfway. Something is lying on the floor. He examines the thing after swearing in his mind. As a side note, he doesn’t like swearing, but now that the destroyer of the world has awakened, his mental state is a mess.
A woman!?
A young woman is lying on the floor, seemingly asleep. Or so Ion thinks. When she opens her eyes, his heart starts racing out of fear. What if she screams? The guards will rush to check on what’s going on.
“Shh!” Ion hushes her.
“Uh-huh.” The woman turns her back to him like she didn’t care. Ion gathers she has a death sentence awaiting her.
“Can you tell me where I am?”
“...”
Her judgment must be really harsh. Ion ignores her for now. He needs to escape, and fast. Hmm, the iron bars are most likely protected with Arcane Shield. Breaking them with a mere spell may not be a good idea. The counter-attack mechanism of the Shield is strong enough to kill me in the blink of an eye. Well, I guess I need to double-check that anyway.
He walks over to the window, touching one of the bars with his index finger. Strange, I can’t sense any Arcana.
“I heard something odd. A man’s voice, I tell ya!” Some old guard blabbers in the hallway.
“I’ll go check. If Louir escapes, our heads will fly tomorrow.”
“Wait, is it that serious?”
“Of course! She’s the suspect for the mass murder in the tavern.”
“Didn’t know‘bout that.”
Damn it, they heard me even though I was careful?
Ion casts a spell in haste. He knows the risks of doing it in prison, but it’s his only chance. Usually, prisons are empowered with a field that stuns the caster upon crafting a spell, that is, if it’s enhanced with Arcana.
However, his Cloaking spell works without any backfire. Smiling, he sits on the floor, ready to welcome the guard happily. Back in his homeland, every prison has a Mage maintaining an Arcane Field to keep the imprisoned Mages in check. It’s common sense. But apparently, he is somewhere far, as the security appears lacking.
The door opens, though only partly, as there is a chain holding it close. “I don’t see anything out of the norm. Louir is lying on the floor just like she was an hour ago.”
Once the door closes, the older guard replies, “If she’s the suspect for the mass murder, have you got any idea as to how she did it? Mind’s Realm is an Elementalist tavern, after all.”
“Seriously, what were you doing for the past twenty hours? They found Marks of the Void in the tavern.”
“They did WHAT?”
“Exactly. The first Elementalist to use the Void Elementi in centuries, that’s what they suspect Louir of.”
Marks of the Void, also known as the Eyes of Dead. Each and every time a living being is killed by the Void Elementi, a revenant of the slain life will linger on the site of its death for several days. A revenant looks like an evil eye, size that of a fist.
What they found in the tavern, however, was something that could trigger scopophobia. The whole place was filled with eyes that kept staring at Louir, until a few brave guards dared to step into the horrifying sea of guts and Marks of the Void.
The leaders of the nation are thinking of burning the building for good. So far, no one is against it. It’s the opposite, actually. They call it the haunted inn now. Citizens avoid the place as much as they can. It has turned into an object of fear.
So, this woman here is Louir, and she’s suspected of mass murder? What is this ‘Void’ thing they talk about?
Puzzled, Ion dispels the Cloaking and looks outside to see if he can Teleport somewhere. All he needs is line of sight, or very precise imagination.
There’s a field nearby I can see from here. I could try Teleporting there. But then again, am I ready to Teleport? Teleporting is somewhat scary since it can backfire. The worst case scenario is that he disintegrates, and a new copy of himself takes his place in the targeted area of Teleportation. Of course, theoretically Ion would live, but not the ‘original’ Ion. Then there is the possibility of turning into a pool of blood as well. On a successful cast, however, nothing unwanted happens.
Apocalyptic Life (Era Series Book 2) Page 3
