Alex knew for a fact that he wasn't one to panic, fear, or feel tense. Maybe it was because he was strong to the point that nothing could faze him, or maybe it was something else entirely. Regardless, those emotions didn't exist in his dictionary.
Even when he fought Seraphine and Tessa, he had been caught off guard, but fear? No, that wasn't something he experienced.
But for some reason...
A purple glint flashed in Arin's eyes as he stared deeply into Alex's. In the same instant, he whispered two words.
The words sent an inexplicable chill down Alex's spine, catching him off guard.
What is this feeling? Alex thought, his eyes wide in shock. Am I... tense? How? Why? This... This can't be.
His thoughts raced as he struggled to comprehend what was happening. Yet, despite his growing unease, he remained focused, never letting Arin out of his sight.
Is it some kind of spell? Alex wondered, scanning the area. But nothing is happening. Everything seems... the same.
Before he could analyze further, the scenery around him changed abruptly.
"Huh? Where am I?" Alex muttered, his voice tinged with confusion.
The lush forest was gone, replaced by a barren, rocky terrain. Towering stones loomed in the distance, the sky ominously dark with swirling clouds streaked with purple lightning. The howling wind whipped around him, carrying an eerie sound and making his blue hair flutter wildly.
"Where am I?" Alex repeated, this time with a hint of panic, as he turned, searching for anyone or anything familiar.
He was certain the cloaked figure was behind this.
'Darkness magic?' he speculated, gazing at the chaotic sky. 'No... I know how Darkness Magic works. This is something else.'
His thoughts trailed off as realization struck.
This happened the moment he said, "Death's Whisper."
Needing answers, Alex attempted to summon his Mana, only to discover something horrifying.
"I can't use Magic here?!" he exclaimed. "Damn it! How am I supposed to cast that Spell now? It's the only way out of here, but... now I'm powerless."
Clicking his tongue in frustration, Alex began moving forward, cautiously observing his surroundings.
"Could it be some kind of Magic I've never seen before?" he wondered aloud. "And where the hell is he?"
Suddenly, dissonant voices erupted in his mind.
"Die! Die... you murderer!"
"Ahhh!" Alex screamed, clutching his head in agony. "What is this? Who's speaking?"
The sharp pain intensified as the voices multiplied, overlapping and growing louder.
"You liar! You deceived us! You... killed us!"
He fell to his knees, gripping his head tighter as the loud voices echoed relentlessly.
Then, as quickly as they had come, the voices stopped.
Alex cautiously opened his eyes, breathing heavily.
The familiar sight of the forest greeted him, yet he instantly felt something was off. He turned toward where the cloaked figure had stood moments ago, but he was gone.
Hearing a faint flutter of someone's cloak above, Alex looked up just in time to see Arin's right leg descending toward him like a meteor.
Reacting instinctively, Alex raised his right arm and activated a defensive Earth spell. A layer of rock enveloped his arm just as Arin's kick connected.
The rocky shield shattered instantly under the force of Arin's attack, sending Alex flying. Activating a Wind spell mid-air, he managed to slow his descent and land on his feet.
What Alex didn't know was that his time in that strange, desolate space had only lasted a second in the real world.
'The spell actually works,' Arin thought, observing Alex who was staring at him.
Arin's new Chaos-element spell, Death's Whisper, was the cause. Once the Spell is activated, it sends out whispers of Chaos that corrupt the minds of those who he deems as his targets.
These whispers leads to temporary insanity, hallucinations, or a breakdown in their willpower.
The main use of this Spell is to actually weaken strong-willed opponents, manipulate groups, or cause Chaos in a crowd.
'And according to the system, the Spell targets their thoughts or uses memories from their past against them,' Arin though, still amazed by what the Spell could do.
Since the day Arin got the Spell, he knew that it was a powerful and useful Spell, especially when facing multiple enemies.
Though, he still didn't know the side effects, but he hoped that the effect of his title would reduce whatever side effects using the Spell would bring.
Arin glanced at where Tessa was resting, but she was no longer there.
'Good,' he thought. 'Now it's just me and him.'
"What the hell did you do to me?!" Alex demanded, his anger palpable.
Arin's cloak fluttered as he tilted his head slightly, his tone calm. "You asked for my name before. You haven't gotten that answer yet, and now you're asking another question. One at a time, don't you think?"
Alex chuckled darkly, standing upright. "Let me guess. You think I'm weak because your allies managed to land a few hits? Sorry to disappoint you, but you've messed with the wrong person."
"I know," Arin replied nonchalantly, taking a step forward.
As he moved, he bent down to pick up Alex's sword, which had fallen to the ground earlier. At the same time, a second sword with a black hilt appeared on his other hand.
Dual-wielding now, Arin gripped the blades tightly, his eyes never leaving Alex. 'I'll have to rely on my enhanced physical abilities as a Progenitor Vampire... That's how I'll be able to keep up.'
Meanwhile, Alex summoned a golden staff, its surface gleaming with radiant light. A mesmerizing orb rested at its tip, exuding an Aura of immense power.
'I won't hesitate to use my Magic anymore,' Alex thought as he he gripped the staff, ready to attack. 'He seems to know something he's not suppose to know, so... I won't let him leave here alive.'
At the same time, Arin crouched as the both of them observed each other, ready to strike at any time.
The tension between them was high, but the outcome of the battle would soon be known, because....