The waves crashed softly against the pale shore of Eucliosis Island, carrying with them a humid, eerie breeze. The sky above was dimly overcast, as if the island itself refused to let sunlight enter. The students of Arcane Academy, along with Teach, stepped onto the sand with a mixture of awe and confusion.
Show blinked twice.
"Okay… I thought islands were supposed to look pretty."
Raelyn smirked. "This one looks like it hasn't smiled in centuries."
The atmosphere was thick—almost unnaturally heavy. Every step felt like they were walking deeper into forgotten history. Even the air tasted different, tinged with ancient mana.
Karen rubbed her arms. "This place… gives me chills."
Lina nodded. "Same. It's like something is watching us."
Show laughed loudly.
"Relax, it's just the wind—HEY!"
Karen immediately smacked the back of his head.
"Can you NOT joke in creepy places?!"
Hibiki giggled. "That's what you get."
Show pouted, rubbing the spot. "Ow… abusive friends."
But even his joke couldn't fully lighten the tension.
As they walked deeper inland, the ground slowly shifted from sandy soil to cracked, dry stone. Strange patterns were carved into the rocks—spirals, lines, and symbols none of them recognized.
Raelyn kept glancing around.
"Show… you feel it too, right?"
Show nodded grimly.
"Yeah. Someone… or something… is releasing mana. And it's not small."
Their footsteps echoed until they entered a wide, open field. Rows of strange stone pillars stretched out in multiple directions like a bizarre graveyard. The stones were worn, chipped, and partially sunken into the earth.
Drake frowned. "What are these?"
Teach starred at them longer than anyone. His eyebrows furrowed deeply.
He walked toward the nearest stone and placed his hand upon it.
"…Something is off."
He whispered an incantation.
"Unfoldium."
A faint glow rippled over the stone surface, and something invisible shattered like glass. A magical barrier had been hiding the truth beneath.
Teach's eyes went wide.
"No… no way…"
He screamed, "EVERYONE! Come here!! NOW!"
The students hurried over.
Show reached first and froze.
"W–What…?"
Because the stone wasn't a stone.
It was a grave marker.
And carved into it was a chilling word:
DEAD.
Followed by a name.
Lina gasped.
"All of them…?"
One by one, Teach began removing the magic cover from the surrounding pillars.
Every single one bore the same marking.
DEAD.
Presto trembled. "But… why hide graves?"
Lyra whispered, voice shaky.
"These people… they weren't supposed to be remembered."
The rows of stones suddenly felt suffocating, as if the dead themselves were silently screaming.
But then Presto pointed at two stones far from the others, separated like outcasts among outcasts.
"Well Teach… those two."
Teach went closer, repeating the spell.
"Unfoldium."
The barrier vanished.
Two names emerged:
Dead Vowlar Eclipson
Dead Liliet Eclipson
Raelyn felt his heart sink.
"Eclipson… like the Eclipsion Ruins…"
Hibiki whispered,
"A family name?"
Show shook his head.
"Whatever happened here… it wasn't normal."
They didn't stay any longer. Their uneasiness grew too strong, and they formed a tight group as they headed back toward the forest.
Discussing quietly, Cyrus suddenly paused mid-sentence.
His eyes widened.
"Everyone… get behind me."
A chilling wind ripped past them.
Then—
FWOOOSH!!
A storm of magical arrows erupted from the treeline, aimed directly at them.
Raelyn reacted instantly.
"Lumious Protecto!"
A dome of radiant light snapped into existence around them, the arrows shattering harmlessly upon contact.
Show shouted, "HEY! WHO'S THERE?!"
A voice responded from the shadows:
"A bunch of noisy intruders trespassing on our territory."
Show narrowed his eyes.
" Whats with that voice…"
The bushes rustled.
Branches snapped.
And slowly, several figures stepped into view. Leading them was a tall figure with wild, beast-like eyes and crimson stripes on his arms. He is not a human, but a beast!
Commander Horzest of the Dark Order
His grin widened.
"Well, well… so finally we meet , Show."
The rest emerged behind him:
Team Horoxium
Quillios – Spirit Art: Quilverring Arrows
The archer who had launched the magical barrage.
Ryan – Metal Magic
Covered in steel plates.
Corvella – Mesmerize Magic
Eyes glowing purple.
Melina – Shadow Pawn Magic
Living shadows crawled around her feet.
Arzip – Stone Conjuring Magic
Rocks floated around him.
Deksin – Enchant Magic
A sly, grinning spell-enhancer.
Karen whispered, trembling,
"Why… why is Dark Order here…?"
Horzest's voice echoed like a growl.
"We came to finish what we started. And this island belongs to the Dark Order now."
Show stepped forward, fists flaring with heat.
"You'll have to get through us."
Horzest licked his lips.
"Oh, don't worry. We planned to."
Quillios raised his bow, spirits swirling at the arrowhead.
Ryan's armor clanked as he stepped forward.
Corvella's eyes glowed ominously.
Melina drew shadow soldiers from her own darkness.
Arzip shaped the earth beneath his feet.
Deksin enchanted the wind with runes.
Horzest roared,
"TEAM HOROXIUM—ATTACK!!"
The students braced themselves, magic igniting.
Show's eyes burned.
Raelyn's aura exploded.
Drake summoned icy winds.
Hibiki reinforced the gust.
Cyrus, Criss, and Akito stepped up.
Karen, Lina, Lyra, and Lily formed backup support.
The battlefield trembled.
The Redent Arc's true beginning had arrived.
To be continued.
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