Curse of Lysertis

Adam remained unconscious for the rest of the day and the entire night. By morning, he opened his eyes and saw Tereza standing before him. She placed a plate and a glass of water on the nearby table.

"Wake up, weirdo," Tereza said gently.

"How long was I out?" Adam asked, rubbing his eye.

"All night."

"Damn. The first day."

"Clearly didn't go so well, did it?"

"Are you kidding? It was the best day of my life."

"Have you lost your mind? They beat you like a training dummy. Why would that be the best day of your life?" Tereza asked, clearly bewildered.

"I broke my record," Adam declared solemnly, then went on: "I've been studying here for six years. Usually, I'd get beaten up a week or two after classes started. Last year, it happened on the third day. But yesterday, I beat that record."

"Wow, Adam, I've always found you incredible. Well, nothing to be done now. You're healthy, so go eat and then get to class. Lessons start in an hour."

Tereza turned and headed off in the opposite direction. Adam began to eat. The food was so good that he practically inhaled it, stuffing his cheeks. Once he finished, he put on his school uniform, combed his hair, and set off to his classes.

Adam walked down the corridor. All around him, students were busy with their own affairs, hardly paying him any mind. He arrived at his classroom, opened the door, and stepped inside. The noise in the room stopped at once. Adam calmly made his way to his seat and sat down. At that moment, every student followed him with their eyes—some with anger, some with mockery, and others with indifference.

Adam closed his eyes and simply sat there, waiting for Professor Berendor. He completely tuned out the noise in the classroom. Most of the students were discussing the previous day's incident involving him.

"What a bastard. Four students got expelled because of him, and he acts like nothing happened. Freak," came Adèle's voice from a few rows in front of Adam. Her friends shot him disgusted looks, then turned away.

"I don't want to sound pessimistic, but it seems like they don't like you much around here," said Fubuki's voice next to Adam.

"Gah! Fubuki, for crying out loud! How many times are you going to scare me?" Adam yelped.

"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to. I thought you saw me and just didn't say hi," Fubuki replied with a smile.

At that moment, the door to the classroom swung open, and Professor Berendor strode in.

"All right, everyone quiet. I'm not about to greet you or wish you luck this school year. I couldn't care less."

One student cupped a hand over his mouth so Berendor wouldn't hear, and whispered to the classmate beside him:

"He's as polite as ever, that Bendy."

The classmate stifled a laugh.

However, neither of them noticed that the professor was already standing right behind them. He grabbed them both by the ears.

"I said quiet, and you disobeyed. You're both in trouble. Come to my office after class."

The rest of the students looked on with some trepidation. They knew that Professor Berendor's punishments were harsh, each worse than the last. The professor returned to the front of the room and began his lecture:

"Today's topic: The Top Five Strongest. But first, a question: does anyone know anything about the Top Five Strongest?"

Few students raised their hands, but among them was Shun.

"Yes, Shun. Go on."

"The Top Five Strongest are usually listed in reverse order. The one in fifth place is the weakest of the five, and the one in first place is the strongest."

"Excellent, Shun. Can you name them?"

"Yes, of course. Fifth is Umgadi. Fourth is Zeigel. Third is Liksaris. Second is Ilirion. And first is Lysertis."

"Well done. I wouldn't expect any less from you."

As Shun listed each name, those very names appeared one by one on the board.

"Let's begin in order. You already know their names, so now let's examine their histories in terms of their influence and contributions to the magical sphere—each one of them. We'll start with Umgadi. This mage received his basic education at the Lunar Light Magical Academy, a place known for its controversial reputation: a significant number of students don't complete their studies, and some go on to become criminals. Umgadi was among both groups. Eventually, he shifted his focus to seafaring, becoming a pirate. His fleet became infamous as the most fearsome in royal waters, and Umgadi's name became synonymous with terror for monarchs."

His exploits drew the attention of the then-Archmage, Eridan. Their confrontation took everyone by surprise: nobody expected a mage who hadn't completed formal education to defeat an Archmage. Yet the battle's outcome favored Umgadi. This incident led to a reassessment of his status: the High Magical Court acknowledged his power and placed him among the strongest mages, thereby deposing Eridan. After that, almost no one dared to challenge Umgadi, significantly shifting the power dynamics in the magical community. It was then that the title of "Archmage" lost its place among the highest elite.

A mage willing to challenge Umgadi did eventually emerge: Ilirion, who at the time wasn't yet part of this elite, though the magical world already knew of his strength. Their conflict wasn't your typical duel. It was a large-scale magical slaughter that lasted several days and caused drastic geographical changes—part of the continent broke off and formed a separate island. That was where Umgadi met his final defeat.

A day after the battle ended, a massive surge of cursed mana occurred on the island, rendering it uninhabitable. All attempts to explore it ended in the disappearance of expedition teams, making the island one of the most mysterious and dangerous places in the magical world.

The story of Umgadi piqued the students' genuine curiosity. At the same time, they strove to give the lecture their full attention, aware of Professor Berendor's strict approach to discipline.

"Let's move on to discussing Zeigel," the professor continued. "She's an outstanding representative of our academy. Even during her training, Zeigel displayed exceptional abilities and was recognized as the top student in her class. Her portrait adorns our academy's Wall of Honor, a testament to her remarkable accomplishments. Specializing in the art of swordsmanship, she reached an unrivaled level of skill, earning the title of 'Valkyrie.'"

That title came from her spectacular performance during the trials, in which she far outpaced every other challenger. Following official recognition by the High Magical Court, her status as Valkyrie was further solidified when she single-handedly defeated a dragon that threatened the city of Firenholm. This feat guaranteed her a place among the strongest mages in our world.

"And, as befits all Valkyries before her, she ascended the throne. Her status as Queen of Eldoria only adds to her list of achievements. We won't delve too deeply into politics here, but it's worth noting that her position helped ease international tensions, thanks to her connections with our academy. Also, you should know that Zeigel is Shun's cousin."

This information sparked lively interest throughout the classroom, and all eyes turned to Shun. He, however, remained utterly unruffled.

Fubuki leaned over to Adam and remarked: "Shun's pretty impressive, isn't he? And the queen's brother, too," he added with a wink.

"Oh, cut it out!" Adam replied irritably. "He's already lucky enough to come from a rich family—now this on top of it."

Meanwhile, the general buzz in the room died down when Professor Berendor demanded silence:— "Attention! We shall continue."

Turning a page in his book, he resumed the lecture. The students did the same with their textbooks.

"Now, let's move on to Liksaris—perhaps the most intriguing member of this list. In the past, he held the position of Archmage, but his pursuit of immortality led him to become an unholy Lich King.

Liksaris's past is shrouded in mystery. We know that he was self-taught, having never finished a formal magical education. His potential first came to light during the Battle of Ferenc, after which he was noticed by Archmage Fait, who offered him training. Two years later, Fait died under unexplained circumstances, and Liksaris, as his closest disciple, assumed the role of Archmage.

After this, Liksaris essentially vanished from public life, throwing himself completely into his studies in the Archmage's laboratory. For two decades, no one saw him, although he regularly received deliveries of food and clothing.

When the 'Eastern War' broke out, Liksaris did not intervene at first. Concern grew when he stopped accepting deliveries altogether. Representatives of the magical department who entered the laboratory found him in a wretched state: clad in black rags, his face wrapped in bandages. In the ensuing confrontation, all members of the department and the peacekeepers lost their lives—except for one maid who had been bringing him food and clothing for those twenty years—while Liksaris disappeared without a trace.

Later, they discovered an extremely potent poison in the laboratory, presumably used by him to eliminate Fait. In that same place, he made a breakthrough that allowed him to achieve immortality through necromancy.

Attempts to capture him proved futile: he either destroyed his pursuers or skillfully vanished. During the 'Eastern War,' Liksaris used his powers not to bring about peace, but to test his newfound abilities. He summoned an army of the undead, which obliterated two opposing armies. This act only solidified his fearsome reputation.

Moreover, Liksaris revived the necromantic movement, which continues to pose a threat to this day. These events took place 400 years ago. Our current director, William, fought him and emerged victorious, after which Liksaris disappeared. However, given his cunning, there is reason to believe he's still weaving his schemes. The peacekeepers and the Archmage keep a vigilant watch on the situation."

The professor finished his account, and Adam raised his hand:

"Sir, if our director is so powerful that he managed to defeat Liksaris, why isn't he on this list?"

"A good question. Director William intentionally declined a place on the list. Formally, he's not counted among the strongest, but in my view, he is the most formidable mage around today. Perhaps Ilirion could rival him, but among us mere mortals, William is unquestionably peerless. Does that answer your question?"

"Yes, sir."

"Excellent. Now sit down. Let's continue. The next one on our list is Ilirion. This mage, who has lived for over a thousand years, still appears youthful—no older than thirty. Very little is known about him. He occupies the second spot among the strongest because he's fought the most dangerous, powerful mages and monsters, with the exception of Zeigel (she joined the list more recently), and he's only ever lost to one.

"Historians claim that Licertis humiliated Ilirion during their battle, forcing him to flee in fear. That defeat became Ilirion's motivation to prove his might—both to himself and to everyone else. He defeated every opponent who crossed his path or challenged him, but he never got the chance to face Licertis again in a rematch, as Licertis had already been sealed away by then."

"Ilirion didn't stop there. He kept fighting anyone he deemed worthy. His last known battle was against Umgadi. After that, no one ever saw him again. But if you thought that was all, you'd be mistaken. About six hundred years ago, he traveled to the Dragon Frontier, challenged the Dragon King—and emerged victorious. He became the first human to be recognized as the King of Dragons. Even Licertis never accomplished that (though Licertis never attempted it). Despite that title, Ilirion remained in the Dragon Frontier, appearing in human settlements only rarely. And as I mentioned, he disappeared soon after. Nobody knows whether he's still alive, but one thing is certain: we can only thank Magnus that Ilirion, with such immense power, chooses not to use it against us. If you ever encounter him—assuming he is still alive—the only thing you can do is pray. He's capable of taking your head off with a single flick of his hand."

After these words, total silence descended on the auditorium, suddenly broken by the ringing of the clock, startling the students.

"Relax—it's just the clock. That's one hour of our lecture gone. We have half an hour left to discuss the final individual," said Berendor, flipping through the pages of his book.

"Last on the list is Licertis, the most dangerous being in the history of our world. I'm tired of talking, so would anyone like to tell us about him? There'll be a bonus on the semester exam for it."

Some students raised their hands, but it was no surprise that Shun offered himself as a candidate.

"All right, Shun, go ahead," Berendor said.

However, from the middle of the room, another voice spoke up:

"I can talk about it!" Adam exclaimed, raising his hand.

"Adam? It's rare for you to volunteer. Very well, come up," the professor said approvingly, gesturing toward the board.

Adam stood and walked to the front.

"Look, there goes the bastard! Trying to redeem his father's name, freak?" jeers came from different corners of the classroom.

Berendor immediately shut it down:

"If you think I'm going to tolerate that kind of talk, you're mistaken. Quite the opposite—you'll be punished. Professor Sharlota needs helpers for greenhouse work. You'll be weeding them in any weather. Come see me after class."

The professor's stern demeanor filled the room with apprehension.

"Thank you, Professor. May I begin?" Adam asked.

"Yes, of course. Go ahead."

"Lysertis is a figure shrouded in mystery. I found very little information about him in our library. No one knows who he truly was, but it's known that he lived a thousand years ago. His power remains largely unstudied, and many claim it's limitless. He could obliterate entire nations—and did. The Empire of Eternus was wiped off the map at his mere whim.

Lysertis proved to be a threat the magical world had never encountered before. Because of him, all countries were forced to set aside their conflicts and unite to seal him away. It took the combined forces of a three-thousand-strong army of mages from that era. It was a genuine war—and a war against just one individual. Only eleven of them survived, completing the sealing ritual. Now, they stand as stone knights, guarding the seal. Above the place where that seal resides, the Moro Academy was built. After the incident eleven years ago, Archmage William reinforced the defenses by creating a magical barrier around the academy, so no one from outside could infiltrate and break the seal."

"Yet your father almost ruined it," someone shouted. He wormed his way into the professors' trust and nearly caused a catastrophe. Isn't that right? Did I miss anything?" — one of the students remarked.

"Quiet!" Berendor snapped.

"One more word, and you'll be expelled."

The auditorium fell silent.

"Well done, Adam. I've always said you're a capable young man, but you often slack off. Today, you've earned a bonus on your grade," Berendor said, clapping his hands.

Adam returned to his seat, ignoring the hateful stares of his classmates, and sat down.