Chronicles of the Red Sovereign

The teachers stationed at the main surveillance base at the edge of the island were panicking. Approximately two hours prior their means of observing the students was cut off. The familiars used to follow the students and give a real-time feed of the students’ movements were out of reach and there was only static in their magic monitors.

“Locate the students immediately and have them recalled!” ordered the Dean of the Magic Arts Department, Lucy Belliona. “Send word to the Headmaster and the Minister of Education!”

Teleportation formations were starting up but all of them suddenly died down and everything went slightly darker.

From the outside, a dome-shaped barrier could be seen encompassing the entire island, trapping everyone and everything inside it. It also ensures that no outside forces could enter.

Orders were immediately issued and the mages started trying to find a way to break the barrier that suddenly trapped them.

All of a sudden, two students emerged from the edge of the woods; Linda and her partner, a fire mage named Lance.

“Professors! A demon! A demon is in the island!”

“What?!”

“Stop talking nonsense Miss Chrishni!”

“That is not a good joke!”

A few more responses were released but Linda stood by her ground.

“Student Linda, Student Lance, I need both of you to calm down.” Kayla Tresde said and faced her students. “Now tell me what happened.”

Linda immediately narrated the events that led her and Lance to flee. They were hunting green wolves when a huge monster suddenly showed up. The two of them tried to take down the monster but their magic had no effect and they were both on the verge of being killed by the monster.

“Freya and Luna came and saved us.” Linda said, ending her story.

“Then where are they?” Kayla asked.

“That’s the thing professor. Luna Hysi was dragged by something and Freya got dragged with her.” Lance answered, panicked. “They’re in the demon’s clutches!”

“How did you know it was a demon?”

“Because Freya said so!”

All of a sudden, bluish-white lights shimmered in front of Professor Tresde and it slowly formed into words. She could only widen her eyes in shock at the words written in the Magic Message with the name Luna as the sender.

“I have a bad feeling about this.”

***

Back in Azte City, Archduchess Zaira paused from her work when a Magic Message from Luna materialized in front of her. Luna was able to send it before the barrier was erected around the island. Written in it was the same message Kayla Tresde received.

[A lesser demon appeared in Mt. Tala Island. Freya and I are in the middle of battling it. Something’s up. –Luna]

It was brief but straight to point, it was so like Luna. The archduchess immediately got up and marched towards the emperor’s office. She knocked three times and once she received the order of coming in she strode inside the office fearlessly. Zaira saw the emperor talking to the chancellor.

“Your majesty is Phirius in Mt. Tala Island?” she asked immediately.

“Phirius? No. She’s in dragon valley since it’s their mating season. It’s the reason I agreed on making Mt. Tala Island the venue for the Magic Art Department’s final exams.”

“We have a problem. A demon was spotted inside the island.”

“WHAT?!”

“Prime Minister, please do not say outrageous words!” exclaimed the chancellor who did not looked convinced but afraid nonetheless.

“No, I’m not joking.” she said seriously. “We need to send people to Mt. Tala Island immediately!”

“Are you sure about this?” Emperor Ivan asked, his face a mixture of worry and shock.

“Yes.”

“Then I will give you the authority to mobilize our forces.”

“Yes your majesty!”

***

“<Icicle>!”

I shot a series of icicles towards the demon. The wind picked up that increased the icicles’ speed. I looked at Freya who nodded at me and we both lunged at the demon. Half of the icicles struck the demon but it did not seem to be effective and the demon was still pretty much out for our blood.

Other than the size, the demon also had thick skin and other than the blow Freya delivered a while ago, our attacks didn’t do much. Not to mention the colossal club on its hand causes shockwaves every time it struck the ground.

I used ice like a ramp and shot towards the demon with my swords in hand.

I managed to land a blow using my energy coated swords and I felt Freya pull the chain and I was pulled back to where she was, and then I used a fireball to hit its open wound. We landed a few meters away from the demon but it suddenly let out a deafening shriek.

-Oh no!

That shriek was a signal to call for its comrades. All sorts of monsters that moves in packs always use it.

“Freya! We have to call it now before its comrades get here!”

“What?!”

Of course, I was debating on what kind of attack I should use to kill the demon before we get swarmed. Our fight probably already went for quite some time and I could see Freya already depleting her magical energy. She had been using strong spells ever since we realized we couldn’t run away from the demon. I was in the same boat as well.

-I can’t dawdle here any longer. I am so sorry about this Professor Tresde. I know how valuable this chain is.

I called upon my fox fire and started melting the chain that connected me and Freya. Meanwhile Freya kept barraging the demon with her wind spells. The chain did not melt immediately, as expected of an enchanted one. Even though Freya and I had been working well together the past three days, it was apparent that we couldn’t deal with the demon the way we were. For me and Freya to efficiently move and defeat the demon, we needed to act separately, not within two meters of each other.

“Are you done yet? My magic won’t last!”

The chain finally melted and I shouted; “Done! Use your wind to send me up!”

I encased the demon with energy, restricting its movements, and then coated my own swords with energy, making them sharper. I could feel wind gather on my feet and I shot up the sky. I did not go far though since I hit a barrier, probably the reason why everything seems darker than usual, but it was fine.

-Here comes nothing.

I gathered energy around my legs and shot off towards the demon, my swords ready to pierce as I shot like an arrow.

“<Death Blade>!”

I could hear and feel my swords cut the tough flesh. I pushed through until I reached the ground.

“<Wind Barrage>!”

I immediately went out of the way and Freya’s spell landed on the demon, toppling it down. Freya was suddenly beside me, her right eye eerily glowing with a green pentagram on it.

-A magic eye?

“This one has three hearts. Do something before it regenerates!” she exclaimed.

I immediately pulled her away and once we were in a considerable distance, she suddenly placed one of her palms over my right eye. To my surprise, I did not see darkness, instead, I saw the demon’s body and what was more, I could see three spots on its chest emitting a dark purple light; the hearts. I snapped my fingers and the demon was immediately engulfed in bluish-white flame, my <Fox Fire>. I controlled the flames, making it pool over the location of the hearts, and then, I made explosion destroying the three hearts altogether.

Demons have more than one heart, which was the reason they were hard to kill. The stronger the demon, the more hearts they possessed.

Freya pulled out her palm and I saw her other palm cover her eye that had the pentagram. I marveled at what just happened. Freya had a magic eye and she can share its vision to someone else.

Flames dances in the background and Freya’s body suddenly slumped forward and I managed to catch her before she hit the ground. I figured her power was depleted. With Freya in tow, and our opponent dead, I decided to return to the teachers’ base camp.