Chapter 15: Confrontation of Fate Defied
Three months had passed since Theloseus began teaching Seven. Every element had been demonstrated and explained in detail, except Darkness. Even with all of the lectures and hands-on training, the only Signature Seven grasped was Earth. Every spar, every meditation, and every second that passed, Seven used Earth Mana.
"If your goal is to be the best at Earth Mana, then you need to learn how to move it with precision. So when I throw this at you–" Theloseus and Seven were currently in a spar. Theloseus conjured a wind spear and threw it at Seven, who responded by covering his arm in the stone he had picked up for the spar.
Seven had learned that Earth was very manipulatable, even a fist sized rock could be spread thin like a layer of armor for any appendage he thought of. The spear bounced off of his arm and dissipated, returning to its basic elemental form.
"Good, blocking is the most basic form, once mastered, you can defend forever, but, if you face someone with a higher tier of mastery than your own–" Fire erupted from around Theloseus, at first the fire was a large untamed raging wall behind him, the heat scorched the ground around him and could be felt on Seven's entire front body. In the next moment the fire compacted into three marble sized spheres in Theloseus' palm.
"My suggestion is to dodge or counter, blocking this is not possible at your level " Theloseus warned as he flicked one sphere at Seven. Seven compacted the rock onto his palm and went to catch the marble of fire, but his instincts kicked in at the last second and he dove to the ground.
The marble flew past and hit a tree behind him, upon impact, the marble exploded into the same raging fire that was compacted earlier. The explosion caused a rumble as the vibration passed through the tree's roots underground. Water followed as Theloseus put it out before any damage happened.
"That's an advanced form of Fire Magic, Flame Bullet Bomb. If you had caught it, your rock would have turned molten and you'd have lost that hand. To face Fire Magic at that level, your Earth Magic has to be a minimum of two levels more advanced than the caster's. Earth is greater than Wind, Wind is greater than Water, Water is greater than Fire and Fire is greater than Earth." Theloseus began his lecture on the cycle.
"Master, not to interrupt, but I think I just got a hint on something." Seven stood up, his eyes had the fire of revelation that Theloseus had seen many times throughout Seven's explosive growth the past three months.
"Very well, demonstrate " Theloseus readied himself with his own Earthen armor, summoned directly from the ground and covering his whole body. Every time Seven had a revelation, it was always something extraordinary and dangerously effective. Seven breathed out, closed his eyes and emptied his mind. He felt the ground under him and connected with it. The ground rumbled, lightly at first, but then violently began shaking.
The trees shook, leaves fell, cracks formed along the ground. But Seven wasn't done, he focused the energy and directed it at Theloseus. The cracks widened and shot towards Theloseus, at the end a spike launched upwards just short of Theloseus. Seven sighed and the rumble stopped.
"That's as far as I can connect with the Earth around me I guess." Seven leaned against the warm wet tree that Theloseus had nearly scorched. Theloseus was stunned, his eyes held the look of someone who had witnessed something impossible.
"How did you discover that? Albeit it was much weaker, that was still the peak of Earth Magic, Quake. Your connection with Earth is profoundly ridiculous, not bad Seven " Theloseus dismissed the Earthen armor, which promptly crumbled and fell as a pile of dirt and rock around him, yet not a speck of dust remained on Theloseus' pristine robes.
"When the explosion echoed its vibration through the roots of this tree, I felt as if I sent my own Mana through it, I could achieve something greater." Seven admitted, but he looked unsatisfied with the results.
"I'll suggest something to you, since it's you I know it'll be effective. As an Earth Spirit, I have a unique compatibility with the element. Use Quake in small amounts continuously. We call them 'Tremors'. Mini Quakes if you will. The more you use it and focus on the vibrations through the Earth, the more your perception of it increases. It'll increase your range from fifteen feet to nearly a hundred yards easily. Don't be disappointed, be proud, almost nobody will reach the peak of the Quake in their lifetime." Theloseus advised and praised.
"Can you explain why I, an Enhancer, can use something like Quake in the first place, Master?" Seven sat down under the tree and prepared for a lecture.
"Absolutely. Enhancers, as you know, Enhance themselves or an object. But, as mastery increases, even the Earth can become a conduit in which they can utilize. Immiters can use a similar version of Quake called Spire. But it only affects the ground in which they visualize. Enhancers feel the Earth they are using and direct the idea." Theloseus explained while raising up a spire of Earth and then contrasted with the same Quake Seven just used to compare both.
"If you're wondering which is better, it depends on the situation. Quake is far more destructive and deadly, and has insane precision and force. Spire is faster and more versatile. If two users of Earth faced off, one Enhancer and one Immiter, then mastery is the deciding factor." Theloseus even read Seven's next question before he was interrupted with it.
"I think I understand, I'll start implementing Tremors in my daily training." Seven stood up and began walking back towards the hut. His training was scheduled from sun up to sun down, and the sun was beginning to set and darkness was creeping steadily through the thick forest.
"As you should. I expect some growth tomorrow. Get a good rest this time, I can't have you tired again because you spent your night training." Theloseus walked over to his hollowed out tree, which was now a well furnished hut with a door and window. Seven bowed to his master and began his walk back. Something felt different in the creeping shadows as he did.
"It approaches." Something whispered a warning, causing Seven to grab three large rocks and forming a torso armor, just as a shadowy ball impacted his chest. It was heavy and sinister, yet it seemed less lethal and more of an attention grabber, lightly mixed with a hint of a light heart.
"Who's there?" Seven called out then immediately regretted it as it sounded so clichè. The sound of footsteps crushed dead leaves from the left, and a shadow envelope figure walked out.
"You found something great, didn't you Seven?" A hauntingly familiar voice spoke, Seven blood froze as he recognized the voice.
"M–Melrod?" Seven's voice was a whisper, but layered with fear, joy, and confusion. The shadows around Melrod faded away to reveal his best friend, only his face was paler, his eyes were sunken and dark circles were present. What chilled Seven the most, was the smoky scleras and ember glowing pupils.
"Everyone believes you're dead. Everything was hellish, destroyed by you never returning. But I knew… I knew " Melrod stepped closer, the ground around him decayed, the air went stale and still. The forest went quite, not in reverence, but in terror, as if an unavoidable predator had made its presence known.
"Dead? Why? For what reason would I be believed dead?" Seven began questioning, he stepped towards Melrod as well. He knew something was off, in an unnerving way, but it was his best friend.
"Dante, he lied. He told the world you died… even me." Melrod looked into Seven's eyes, his eyes felt like decay and shadows, two things that had no feeling were felt, and that's what made Seven freeze in place.
"What happened to you? How are you wielding Mana? Melrod… this isn't you.' Seven took a step back instinctively. Melrod took note of it, his head slightly tilted as if he was listening to something.
"I can see that now, no need to tell me." Melrod responded not to Seven, but something only he could hear.
"What is speaking to you? Why is this happening? Am I dreaming?" Seven desperately was searching for a lie to exploit, but the situation was real, even though he wanted to not be.
"Why didn't you come home? Why didn't you send a letter? If you had, we could have continued our adventures. Our family would never have broken from grief. Dante would never have had to lie. This is your fault, Seven. It's all your fault." Melrod's face twisted with grief and rage. Seven's heart twisted with a pang of guilt and sadness.
"I didn't know–"
"Didn't want to know." Melrod interjected, his voice was increasingly becoming hollow, as if he was losing the last of himself.
"That's not fair, Melrod! I was taken here, I learned of all these wonderful things, albeit they were confusing and foreign, but it's great things. It'll help, I can fight against the unfairness and tyrannical rule of Silver City with it!" Seven exclaimed without shouting, tears had filled his eyes, he felt like he was watching the only family he knew fade away into something he didn't know.
"Do you think it was fair to run off with these Elves? Did you think it was fair to let me feel like I lost the one I loved most? No! It wasn't fair! But it's okay now, I see why. You found something better, using us as a stepping stone in the process." Melrod replied, his voice dropped with venom in each exclamation.
"I did not use you as a stepp–"
"You did! Of course you did. Why would you think of us, when you were learning to harness this potential you've always had hidden inside you? Well, turns out I did too. The shadows empower me, my emotions burn for me to use! I've seen all I need, the defensive posture you have, the step back you took! Tells me all I needed to know. Seeing me, your voice cracked with confusion, as if seeing me was more of a shock than something to rejoice over. You destroyed my world, now I'll destroy yours!" Melrod began circling Seven as his voice rose, the shadows darkened, a three foot thick fog entered and obscured the ground and surroundings.
The air shivered with a deep chill. Melrod stopped and raised his hand up, the fog swirled, the shadows coiled around him, enshrouding him in a cloaked armor of black, a shadowed crown formed on his head and a cracked, torn Zero was vivid on his left arm in a deep yet bright violent purple.
Before Melrod could do anything, a beam of bright light shot past Seven and hit Melrod solidly in the chest. The shadows recoiled, briefly exposing Melrod before it coiled around him again.
"How did something consumed by Miasma reach this sacred place?" Theloseus stepped up next to Seven and asked, his tone was breathless and fearful. Seven looked at Theloseus with worry and concern.
"What is Miasma?" Seven's tears were flowing even though he couldn't feel them. Even though his heart was broken, he looked only numbly confused.
"It's what the Cosmos gifted me. I am the one who must stop you from destroying the world with your heretical actions." Melrod spoke, but it wasn't Melrod's voice anymore. It was cold, dissonant and hollow.
"Miasma is evil, it is everything Mana can't be. Death, decay, shadow, rot. And he is saturated in the darkest Miasma I've ever had the displeasure to see." Theloseus trembled, something Seven had never seen him do.
"Mel, did you say Cosmos? The Cosmos did this to you? Why? My Heretical actions? I did this for everyone!" Seven yelled at the cloaked shadowy figure, his tears streamed down his face as he cried out.
"You did this for you. I'll be back Seven. I'll be back stronger than you'll ever be. And my name isn't Melrod anymore, I've abandoned those titles, you can call me, 'Zero'." With that final statement, Melrod, now Zero, left. As if his only intention was to announce his name and accusations. Seven fell to his knees, the earth armor shattered as his heart did and he cried. The sound echoed in the forest, his pain felt by everything, yet nothing could comfort him.