Update 31
The Puny Opponents.
Apni low geographical position aur jhadiyo ki overgrowth ki wajah se Mist Basin hamesha hi ek white fog mei cover rehta tha.. Waise toh yeh white fog puri tarah se harmless tha par vo visibility ko greatly effect karta tha. Is wajah se Mist Basin kisi ke liye bhi ek achha hiding spot tha.
City ke humters yaa phir Mage Warriors bhi Mist Basin ke andar zyada area mei nahi gaye hue the. Agar koi bhi enemy us area mei enter karta toh har tarah ke mission ko stop kiya jata tha.
Yeh jagah kaafi mysterious aur dangerous thi.
Ek carriage slowly ek narrow path se aage badhte jaa raha tha. Jaise jaise carriage forest mei aage badh raha tha waise waise path aur bhi narrow hota jaa raha tha.
Jab carriage ek crater se cross hua tab uske wheel ka ek axel loose ho kar nikal gaya. Is wajah se vo carriage wahi par ruk gaya ttha.
“My lord ab ham aage nahi badh sakte hai.”
Yeh baat coachman ne aage jo fog tha usse dekhte hue kahi thi. Vo fog aage itna dense hote jaa raha tha ke us coachman ko kuch bhi pata nahi chal paa raha tha kea age slop hai yaa phir pothole. Ab tak ke journey mei sirf ek hi wheel niklaa hai yahi sab se badi baat thi.
Lekin us coachman ko yeh pata nahi tha ke aaj uska aakhri din hai.
Tabhi carriage mei se ek dark green light beam apne raaste mei jo bhi aa raha tha usse ignore karte hue aage badh gayi. Is sinister beam ke effect mei carriage aur uske aaspas ke 15ft ka area absolutely clear ho gaya tha.
Agle hi pal vo coachman, carriage aur vo horses disintegrate ho gaye lekin isse pehle ke vo puri tarah se dust ban kar ud jaate unhe dekh kar aisa lag raha tha jaise unke liye time ruk sa gaya ho.
Us jagah par sirf ek hi living being khada tha jisne ek dark green colour ka cloak pehna hua tha. Saath hi uske haat mei ek white crystal laga hua ek silver staff tha aur usse dekh kar pata chal raha tha ke vo ek magician hai.
Yeh koi aur nahi balki magician Bell hi tha.
Bell ke face par apne samne jo hua usse dekh kar ek painful look tha. Usne us jagah jaha par kuch der pehle carriage khada tha usse dekh kar kaha.
“Mujhe maaf karna mere dost.”
Kuch der baad us white crystal ke tip par ek thick white miasma form hua. Bell ne apne staff ko aage kiya aur us mist ne kuch hi der mei ek face ka shape liya.
“Mujhe apne master ke paas lekar chalo.”
Bell jab yeh keh raha tha tab uske aawaz kaafi week thi. Bell ab old ho gaya tha aur death ki shadow apne paas aate hue vo har pal feel kar paa raha tha. Issi wajah se Bell ne apne lifespan ko badhane ke liye Dark Magic ko use karne ka decision liya tha.
Bell ka knowledge Dark Magic mei fundamental level par tha. Lekin apne research mei usse Dark Magic kaafi fascinating laga tha.
Exactly kaha jaaye toh Bell ko is sab ke baremei ek person se pata chala tha. Bell ke comparison us person ka knowledge Dark Magic mei kaafi zyada tha, specially undead magic mei. Is liye vo Bell ke liye ek mentor ki tarah tha. Issi wajah se Bell ki Dark Magic mei growth bhi kaafi badh gayi thi.
Kuch der pehle jo green light beam cast hui thi vo ek forbidden magic “Shattering” spell thi. Yeh ek level 3 ki spell thi par ismei Dark Magic ke use hone ki wajah se kisi bhi ordinary elemental spell se kaafi zyada offensive power thi.
Vo white face Bell ko raasta dikhane lag gaya aur Bell bhi uske piche piche chala gaya. Vo face kaafi fast travel kar raha tha, itna fast ke Bell ko khud ke upar levitation spell ko cast karna pada tha taaki vo us face ke speed ko match kar sake.
Kuch 19 miles travel karne ke baad vo thick forest slowly open hota chala gaya aur ab samne ek huge open jagah dikhne lagi thi. Waha par ek small lake tha jismei jaafi ajeeb sa black water tha jisse dekh kar aisa lag raha tha ke vo koi hell ka gate ho. Us lake ke side par ek giant rock tha jo 90ft se zyada wide th aur long bhi. Ussi rock par ek black Mage Tower khada tha jo pure forest se bhi zyada heighted dikh raha tha.
Is mage tower ka architecture Magic Academy ke mage tower se kaafi different tha. Is mage tower ko ferocious beasts ke statues se heavily decorate kiya hua tha. Jaise howling wolfs, scorpions, aur venomous snakes. Is mage tower ke hare l floor par aise 6 statues bane hue the.
Bell yeh dekh kar ek pal ke liye dar gaya tha. Even ek strong level 6 magician ki soul ki strength possess karne ke baad bhi vo khud ko Dark Magic mei ek beginner manta tha.
Vo white face Bell ko us narrow path par guide karte hue us mage tower ke entrance tak lekar aa gaya tha. Bell ke waha pohochte hi us mage tower ka gate open hua aur uske piche ek black hood pehna hua magician khada tha aur uske aaspas 2 green flames dance karte hue ud rahi thi. Dekhne se aisa lag raha tha ke vo Bell ko hi waha par expect kar raha tha.
“Bell mein ne jitna socha tha tum usse bhi pehle aa gaye.”
Yeh baat us black hood pehne hue person ne kahi thi.
Wahi Bell apni saanso ko control karne mei laga hua tha. Uski yeh condition hi bata rahi thi ke vo ab kaafi old hota jaa raha hai aur uske andar ab pehle jaisi baat nahi rahi. Even magic use karne ke baad bhi isk journey ne uske bod par kaafi toll dala hua tha.
“Shade mera secret sab ko pata chal gaya hai. Upar se mera time bhi jaise end hone aaya hai, please mujhe bhi Realm of Eternal Life mei le chalo.”
Yeh keh kar Bell phir se zor zor se saans lene laga.
“Tumhara secret pata chal gaya hai ? means tum abhi bhaag rahe ho. Kya tum sure ho ke tumhare piche koi nahi aa raha hai.”
Shade is baat se bilkul bhi khush nahi tha. After all vo abhi bhi Swarndesh mei tha aur easily danger ko expose ho sakta tha.
Is par Bell ne halke se kaha.
“Mein ne jaan bhuj kar unhe yaha laya hai. Unmei se ek level 4-5 ki battle mage hai aur uske saath kuch students hai. Shayad sirf wahi hai jinhe mere baremei pata hai. Is mage tower ka use kar ke tum unhe easily maar sakte ho yeh toh tumhare liye kaafi easy hai. Un sabhi ko maar do aur hamara yeh secret kisi ko bhi pata nahi chal payega.”
Bell kaafi sharp minded person tha. Jab Derris khud se academy se bahar gaya tha tabhi se Bell academy mei aane jaane walo par nazar rakhe hue tha. Jab usne dekha ke Raj injured Derris ko lekar Hera ke saath Dean ke mage tower ki taraf jaa raha hai tab usse pata chal gaya tha ke uske yaha se nikalne ka time aa gaya hai.
Bell ko even yeh bhi pata tha ke Dean Magic Academy mei nahi hai. Upar se Magic Academy mei aur bhi level 6 magicians aur Mage Warriors the. Is liye vo sirf waha se bhaag hi sakta tha.
Waise toh Bell south mei hi jana chahta tha par jab usse pata chala ke ek level 4-5 battle mage aur kuch students uska picha kar rahe hai toh usne apne mind ko change kar liya.
“Level 4-5 battle mage aur kuch students ? tumhe hamare opponent ke exact strength ke baremei batana hoga.”
Shade ko uncertainty ke saath deal karna bilkul bhi pasand nahi tha.
“Inmei se jisne Derris ko injured kiya hai vo shayad 18-19 years ka hai. Usne shayad Flame Blast ko use kiya tha Derris ke against battle karte hue. Par mujhe doubt hai ke usne kisi magic item ka use kiya hoga itni strong spell ko cast karne ke liye. Iska matlab vo ek level 4 magician se bhi weak hai aur baki sabhi students bhi uske hi level ke aaspas hai. Is liye tumhe zyada sochne ki zarurat nahi hai, kyo ?”
Bell ne Raj aur uske friends ko kabhi bhi ek major problem ki perspective se nahi dekha tha.
Bell ne apne life ke 50 years diye the magic research karne ke liye. Uske paas kaafi saari supreme skills the. Upar se uske paas battle experience bhi jo uski age ke life experience se hi aata tha. Is liye Bell apne grandson ki age ke ladke se dar jata hai toh yeh sach mei kaafi strange baat ho sakti thi.
Wahi Shade ne yeh sunkar ek gehri saans chodi.
Kisi bhi Mage yaa phir Mage Warrior ke liye uska age ek indicator ki tarah tha. Even agar koi Mage yaa phir Mage Warrior apne early age mei hi high level par pohoch bhi jata hai toh bhi usse ek experience Mage yaa phir Mage Warrior jitni respect jo usse weak bhi ho sakta hai vo nahi mil sakti thi.
Ek old magician ke paas uske experience ki wajah se kaafi supreme skills ho sakte the. Aagar 2 same age ke mages ek dusre ke saath battle karne lag gaye toh jiska experience battles mei sab se zyada hoga uske jitney ke chances zyada the.
Shade ne Bell ko dekha aur kaha.
“Well ab jab baat aisi hai toh jaldi andar aa jao. Mein ne pehle hi sab kuch ready kar ke rakha hua hai. Tum jaldi hi immortality paa sakte ho.”
Yeh keh kar Shade Bell ko mage tower ke andar lekar gaya.
Bell ek gehri saans li aur apne humanity ko jaise bye keh kar us sinister mage tower ke andar chala gaya.
Andar ke haal mei saaman naa ke barabar tha. Jo chize us hall ke andar sab se pehle nazar mei aati thi vo tha ek pond jiske andar ek grease liquid tha aur uske andar se bubbles nikal rahe the. Jaise hi vo bubbles burst hote unke andar se ek dark green miasma release hota tha.
“Yeh hai Pool of Immortality. Iske essence ko absorb karne ke baad tum eternal life ko paa sakte ho. Is sab ke bich tum ek deep sleep state mei honge aur tum defenceless ho jaoge. Par tumhe zyada sochne ki zarurat nahi hai. Tumhare piche lage hue us battle mage aur uske students ko mein dekhta hu.”
Shade Bell ko us pond ke work ke baremei explain kar raha tha.
Wahi Bell ab apni ki hui is choice ke baremei sochne laga tha. Vo pond definitely curse magic se cast kiya hua tha. Kya Bell sach mei apne 50 years ke sabhi kaamo ko aise hi bye kehna chahta tha ?
Lekin tabhi vo phir se weak feel karne lag gaya. Last ke kuch weeks se yeh kaafi zyada hone lag gaya tha.
“Mere paas koi bhi choice nahi hai. Bhagwan mere is paap ke liye mujhe maaf karna.”
Yeh keh kar jaise hi Bell us pond ke andar gaya waise hi usmei aur bhi bubbles banne lag gaye.
Pond mei jo liquid tha vo abhi bhi kaafi calm tha. Shade samne aa kar us pond ko guard karne lag gaya. Even uske aaspas dance karne wali vo 2 green flames bhi kahi par gayab ho gayi.
Kuch der baad phir se us pond mei bubbles banna start hue. Wahi us mage tower ke aaspas ek peculiar movement hone lag gayi thi.
Suddenly Shade ki aankho mei ek green glow aaane lag gaya aur uski aankho mei se wahi dancing green flames nikal kar bahar aayi.
“Yeh kisi living being ki scent hai. Yeh sabhi soch rahe hai ke jaise aaye the waise hi yaha se jaa payenge. Par aisa kabhi nahi hoga.”
Yeh baat Shade ne apne aap se kahi thi.
Is mage tower ki help se Shade apne spell casting ki range ko 6000fts tak badha sakta tha. Wahi mage tower ke aaspas ka 300fts ka area uske absolute territory ko show karta tha.
Agar koi us boundary ko cross karne ki bhul karta hai toh Shade usse dar kya hota hai yeh dikha sakta tha.
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