Teliko Mageia: Curse of the Frozen Flame

by A. J. Carbonell

  It was too late. By the time they landed beside the village, it was obliterated. Houses lay in flaming ruins and the ground was littered with rubble, strewn with signs of panic and destruction.

  “This is the work of the Earth Titan. Search for survivors!” Diurus said, and the mages began the grim task of looking for people amidst the ruin.

  “Sir, I think we should return to Celeste and defend it. The Titan might be moving toward there,” Vaan said.

  “Yes, after we inspect the entire village we will return,” Diurus replied.

  After long last, a lone survivor was found, and one of the Fourth Regiment mages called out, summoning Diurus to his side. “Bring him to the valkyrie and tend his wounds,” Diurus ordered. Then they left Eirinea and returned to Celeste.

  “Are you all right?” Jael asked.

  “I think I am,” the survivor replied.

  “I am Jael, this is Vaan and Frekkis. What’s your name?” “My name is Draken,” he said.

  Diurus came to their side and hunched down to inspect Draken’s wounds with a sober look on his face. “How did it happen? How did they destroy your village?”

  “There was only one of them at first. He had a large rock monster with him. He commanded the rock monster to destroy the village. Then suddenly another man came, breathing fire just like a dragon. While the monster destroyed the village, the man with fire magick burned everything he could see…” Draken’s eyes were cloudy. “Everyone died except for me. The village mages tried to fight, but that only brought an ill fate upon them and prolonged their deaths. If it is possible, I want to avenge my family. They were massacred while I was hiding in a nearby tree. I will avenge them! I will bring justice upon my village!” he vowed furiously.

  Vaan winced in sympathy, his own memories shoved deep beneath a stone facade.

  “We all want to avenge our loved ones, but we cannot bring justice into our own hands. Let the Queen decide your fate. Understood?” Diurus said.

  “Please! Let me fight!” Draken insisted.

  “I already told you. The Queen shall decide. Calm yourself!” Diurus answered.

  “Sir, that is enough. Draken is very frustrated. Let him be at the moment,” Jael said.

  Once Draken calmed, he told them of the gruesome details and his own story. Draken was a mage from the village of Eirinea. Eirinea was dubbed the ‘Village of Peace’. All the mages that reside there practised light magick; Draken was the only shadow bearer of his family. Even though his parents prohibited him from learning the dark shadow magick, he continued to pursue it relentlessly. But, he explained, the Shadow magick didn’t hinder him in caring for his family. Not too long afterwards, his parents accepted the fact that their son was highly fascinated by Shadow magick. Draken’s parents with Holy magick at their disposal had cast a protective spell upon him, preventing him from falling victim to Shadow magick’s insanity effects.

  When Eirinea was attacked, Draken’s parents were slaughtered before his very eyes by Zaac. His younger sister also received the same fate as his parents though it had not happened an arm’s reach away. The horror was relentless, and Draken knew he could never be at peace. Because his immense fury against Zaac, he vowed to destroy Zaac with his life.

  When the valkyrie arrived in Celeste, Diurus, Jael and the others intended to stay the night. The imminent threat was real, tension in the air. Impending attack from Malevolentiam. It was no shock when a burst of flame raged up from outside the city gates. Screams and crackles rose, littering the night with morbid, rancid black smoke. Finally the cries were choked as the guards of the town burned into a crisp. Diurus and the others rushed towards the town gate too late to do anything. A man burned in flames and they could only watch him crumble, sobbing to his very last torturous breath, until naught but ash and bone remained. As the civilian’s life ended, Jael’s attention turned from the death to the enemy beyond: another man, but this one forged of inferno, the flame not consuming but fuelling as it wreathed his very limbs.

  “Who is that?” Jael asked. This was no fire magick he knew. Zaac was there too, and it was evident by the lack of antagonism that the fire demon and Zaac were on the same side: Malevolentiam.

  “I do not know,” Diurus answered.

  “Get out of my way,” the flaming man said. “Zaac, you go ahead, I’ll take care of this.”

  “All right, don’t waste too much time,” Zaac replied. He started to walk away. But Draken had caught up to Jael and when he saw Zaac, he rushed him without thought or strategy.

  “Draken! Stop! You can’t face Zaac alone! Not to mention your current state,” Jael called but Draken ignored them.

  “Jael, Vaan, Frekkis. Go and follow Draken, I’ll face this man,” Diurus said.

  “All right, you take care,” Jael replied.

  Diurus strode in with confidence and force. “Let’s see, you must be one of the Titans? Fire Titan, I presume?”

  “There was once a fire demon let loose into the world. He burned everything on his way. He terrorised all the kingdoms in the world. His name was Efreet,” the man replied.

  “Oh, that classic children’s story is it? So you are this… Efreet, eh?” Diurus answered.

  “A child’s story you say? Very well, you shall have a taste of Efreet’s Inferno. I am Adriel. Not Efreet, the Efreet,” he added, and he bowed with class.

  Meanwhile, Draken relentlessly pursued Zaac, along with Jael, Vaan and Frekkis who had no desire to engage, but simply to protect their wounded comrade. “Draken, you are still weak. You cannot defeat Zaac at your state,” Vaan called.

  “Then help me!” Draken replied.

  It was a burning desire Jael himself knew well, and he relented. “Of course, we will not let you fight alone.”

  “Then let’s get him!” He continued to follow Zaac. “Stubborn, isn’t he?” Vaan said.

  Suddenly, Zaac stopped. “Do you really want to face me? My mission is to obliterate the city of Yeska. If you want a piece of me, then go there as quickly as you can.” A sudden ravenous sand storm appeared and engulfed Zaac. By the time it subsided, Zaac had disappeared. Jael and the others rushed back to Celeste to report it Diurus.

  At the same moment, Helena and the whole Third Regiment was investigating at Falakh’s Lair. Carefully, they inspected every corner of the ruined Lair, checking for traps, for clues. Then a sudden clamour was heard. “Helena! Look at this!” Cassandra yelled. Helena rushed to her and saw a shining mysto entrapped in a corner. “Is this… a mysto?” Cassandra asked.

  “I think so, but this is unusual, it’s a cube. I wonder what this is,” Helena answered.

  Cassandra reached towards the unusual mysto. Her arm began to vibrate, and she groaned, then was thrust back by some invisible compelling force, staggering into the wall behind. “Cassandra, are you all right?” Alexa rushed to Cassandra. Cassandra’s lips moved uselessly, her eyes rolled back, and she fell unconscious.

  “Quick! Grab a Kendulix from the valkyrie!” Helena ordered that the mysto be put into the magickal container they brought. Carefully, she extracted the mysto using the tool and contained it. “We will bring this back to Krimmirr for further inspection,” Helena said, and they continued to search for more clues about the Lair. When they found no other leads, they made ready and returned to Krimmirr.

  Back at Celeste, Jael and the others reached the city and saw Diurus engaging Adriel. Diurus held his wind sword called Kazedachi, imbued with the powers of wind magick. Just like Frekkis, Diurus could also use dash magick. He used his keen swordsmanship to cut through his enemies’ veins precisely to paralyse and slowly kill them. Each slash was precise and calculated for optimal efficiency.

  “Diurus, we need to go to the city of Yeska. Zaac is there and is planning to destroy it!” Jael said.

  “Can’t you see I’m occupied? Go and ask for a valkyrie in Krimmirr!” Diurus replied breathlessly, in battle with Adriel. Jael and the others at once contacted Krimmirr and asked for a valkyrie to be se
nt. With such urgency, it was no trouble to have a diverted valkyrie immediately sent for them. Adriel and Diurus’ bout intensified. Adriel cast enormous volumes of flame that obscured his very form, but because of Diurus’ excellent speed, he dodged every attack that Adriel sends to him. Then the valkyrie swooped down for Jael and the others. Jael caught onto the craft and called out, “Diurus! Beat him! Fourth Regiment, be ready for any tricks this guy might have.” Then they made haste for Yeska, in the hopes that yet another tragedy could be diminished if not completely stopped.

  “Magma Tiertia!” Adriel shouted. Magma appeared underneath him, becoming afloat. Red veins of pure concentrated molten heat formed a searing snake that coiled and bubbled and hissed.

  “You can never hit me with your magick. My intense speed is superior,” Diurus said.

  “Are you certain?” Adriel said confidently. Little did Diurus know underneath magma was ready to be discharged from the ground. “Eruption!” he screamed and molten lava was discharged from underneath Diurus. Speed was still his ally and luckily, Diurus dodged the brunt of the attack. His left arm got caught up with the intense lava spewing from the ground but he did not make a sound. “You are quite fast. I admire that,” he said as Diurus’ left arm burned to a useless husk. Without a moment of waste, Diurus slashed Adriel’s left shoulder, leaving his left arm paralysed in ironic satisfaction. Both down one arm, they circled. Adriel internally applauded such precision using only a single arm. One by one, Diurus would paralyse parts of his body, and he grinned in his retreat. “You are a good swordsman. You win,” Adriel said, and he disappeared into thin air, only a plume of wavering heat remaining.

  “Whew. That really scared him,” Diurus said, and he fell down, clutching his left arm to his breast. The Fourth Regiment returned to Krimmirr to report what transgressed.

  Back at Krimmirr, Orevlatef reported the events of Falakh’s Lair to the Queen. “My Queen, I think there is a traitor in this castle!” he said.

  “Why is that?” Queen Jeannah said, shocked.

  “Malevolentiam doesn’t only know we are going to the lair, but they also know what our intentions are. The head of the Efreet told us they cannot be stopped in reviving the mighty Falakh,” Orevlatef explained.

  “It seems like they have the Tablet of Falakh.” “No, it can’t be. If they destroy the seal of Excalla, then it would only take a few days to fully revive Falakh!” Marvel Axelia, the Queen’s personal secretary said. She was the apprentice of Rohan and was known to study the history of magick. “But I doubt Malevolentiam can destroy the seal in such a short span of time.”

  Shortly thereafter, the valkyrie of the Third Regiment arrived and Helena went straight to the Queen’s court to join Orevlatef and the others. “My Queen, we have recovered something unusual, a cube mysto that seems to defends itself,” Helena reported.

  “Bring it to the laboratory and let Gabriela inspect it,” Queen Jeannah said.

  “My Queen, this mysto has the power to attack at its will. Cassandra was knocked unconscious when she tried to grasp it,” Helena explained.

  “Very well. Warn Gabriela about it, but we cannot sit and do nothing,” Queen Jeannah replied. “We all need to wait for Diurus and Jael’s return for the assembly.” And so, they waited for the Fourth Regiment and Jael’s return.

  Hours passed and at long last Diurus came, but to everyone’s surprise, without Jael and party. “Where is Jael?” Helena asked.

  “They are aboard a valkyrie headed to Yeska. Terra is currently attacking the city,” Diurus said.

  “What happened to your arm?” Queen Jeannah asked.

  “I faced the leader of Efreet, the Titan of Fire. I got caught up with his magick attacks but, I managed to paralyse his left arm and he retreated. Celeste is not harmed but the village of Eirinea had been obliterated,” Diurus narrated hastily.

  “All right, that’s enough reporting for now. Let your men explain it to me. You need to heal first,” Queen Jeannah said, and she dismissed Diurus to rest.

  Elsewhere, the fortress of malevolence towered over the lands, biding its time above the distant wastelands and most dangerous corners of the world. Still pinpricks of light made it in through the grey and black stained glass windows, illuminating dried blood on the floor. The Dark Mage waited for word, scheming in the meantime. Adriel entered the terrible throne room and reported the happenings in Celeste. He sighed. This was a frustrating turn of events, and not worth pursuing at the moment. It would only be a waste of resources.

  “Let them be for now. You need to train harder, Adriel, you don’t want those pesky soldiers to defeat you. Don’t you?”

  “Yes master. I will,” Adriel replied.

  “Get Rohan. I need to know more about this Tablet of Falakh,” Dio said.

  It was nightfall when Jael and the others arrived at the city of Yeska. The city was already destroyed. City walls collapsed. Bodies lay in the streets. Lifeless. The stench of death was fresh and heavy here. Jael’s lips pressed together in fury. Whole houses lay obliterated and had they not expected a city they would not have known one once thrived. No sign of life. Still Jael decided to survey the whole city before leaving.

  Something moved in the easternmost corner of the city. Frekkis carefully moved towards it, but the moment it spotted her it faded back into the shadows. It moved in a familiar animalistic way. “Frekkis, be careful!”

  “Jael, is that a panther?”

  “I think so. This panther, it looks familiar. Have we met this before?”

  “Yes it is familiar. Let me think...”

  “Ah! I remember! In Sanhera! This is Aldweihen’s summon!” Jael said.

  “I have a bad feeling about this, Jael–there is an evil presence. We must be careful,” Vaan said. Even as he spoke, shadowy panthers appeared, encircling them. Frekkis howled her loudest and prepared for a vigorous fight. The panthers growled and Jael, Vaan and Draken stood triangulated, prepared for the worst as the panthers circle tightened around them like a noose.

  “Invoke Serpent!”

  The loud shout came from behind a large boulder. A shadowy serpent emerged and rushed toward Jael’s party.

  “Jael! This is the same enormous snake that attacked you in Sanhera! Aldweihen is behind this!” Vaan said. The serpent was large but awkwardly controlled and it struck its head on the ground when they dodged. It did not recoil, but transmuted into a black shadow that vanished when its entire body connected with the ground. Vaan looked around in shock. “Where did it go?”

  Frekkis however was not satisfied, and she suddenly attacked the air to one direction. Her claws struck the body cloaked, invisible, and the snake reappeared.

  “So, this snake can be invisible?” Jael said.

  “Indeed, my shadows can be invisible. So, prepare yourselves.” Aldweihen strode out from behind the huge boulder. “Who do you think I am? I am no friend; I am no family of yours. Malevolentiam will reign supreme!”

  “You are part of Malevolentiam?” Vaan asked.

  “Something wrong with your hearing?” Alden answered, and then he turned into black smoke and then he disappeared. “Invoke Panther!” Alden’s voice was heard, and the growls of panthers from deep within the oblivion haze.

  “Jael, Draken, we need to be vigilant. We cannot see our enemy!” Vaan warned. Suddenly, Frekkis cast Berserker Slash, the white claw strike slashing a panther down, knocking it out.

  “Your wolf has keen senses,” Alden observed.

  “Don’t you recognise us?” Jael asked.

  “I do remember you, in Sanhera. That was a year ago. I never thought of you as dear to me,” Alden said, and he circled around Jael and the others in his shadowy embodiment. “I was ordered by my master to destroy all of you. Prepare for your worst nightmare.” Alden conjured a summon, roaring, “Invoke Wyvern.” A large dragon appeared in the sky with black scales. “I leave you with my dragon, gentlemen.”

  The mighty Wyvern dived toward Jael and the others; Vaan shouted, “
Scatter, everyone!”

  “We can defeat this dragon. I know we can,” Draken said with unwavering confidence.

  The Wyvern exhaled dark fire upon Vaan, who immediately cast Golem Heart. Again the Wyvern flew up in the sky, aiming for Draken next. It dove quickly, breathing fire upon Draken. He was caught up in the flaming breath, and unlike the others had no magick of shielding. The flames licked his body, scorching him and melting his flesh. He screamed, but the flame was not sustained; Draken fell to the ground and Vaan rushed to protect him.

  “Vaan, bring him to a safe distance!” Vaan covered them with Revolut and carried Draken away.

  Flesh was melted to his bones. No blood drawn from the cauterised ashen strikes all over his body. Draken panted, but he did not scream; his eyes were glazed over in shock. “Draken.” Vaan fumbled in his pack for a mysto. “Here.”

  Draken smashed the mysto against his scorched arm, but nothing happened. “It might take a while for the magick to kick in,” Vaan explained, hoping that was true. He stayed alert, standing guard over Draken. Instead they could only watch as Jael and Frekkis battled the Wyvern.

  It landed on the ground, its dark wings trembling with a confident huff, facing Jael and Frekkis. It roared viciously and breathed fire, showcasing its great dominance. “Frekkis, do not be taunted. We can beat this dragon,” Jael said, and he cast Blazia and continued on to cast Kappe Flam. Frekkis quickly cast her Heaven’s Wings, and they prepared for the Wyvern. It rushed toward Jael and Frekkis. With Frekkis’ Heaven’s Wings and Full Swift, she was able to carry Jael and dodge the attack of the Wyvern.