DRAGONBORN SORCERER

"O Goddess of Creation, heed my wish. Let this darkness perish by the grace of your brilliance. Thousand Candle!!"

As someone enchanted those spells, the room where Skyler was trapped, filled with several shiny orbs, floating around the room.

From the gash on Skyler's head, it was still painful for him to see adequately. However he manage to take a glimpse around him— still in blood bathed eyes.

He was wrapped from head to toe in unyielding chains, and his body was pinned against the cold wall.

It appeared to be a butcher's shop— or maybe a slaughterhouse as it seemed. The hanging meat, left to dry, and the rotten smell of coagulated blood, proved either way. The decaying skins and skeletons of beasts, were piled hazardously in the corner of the room.

When Skyler gazed upon Sylphy, it started to clear his mind little by little. She looked at him maliciously; so as her associates— total eight in number— stood behind her. Their motives wasn't clear yet it froze his blood.

'Sylphy? Is that… Mark, and Luna too?' He thought, breathing heavily, 'So all of them…behind this? But why?'

"Sylphy, what's the meaning of all this, huh?" He stammered, his voice trembled with desperation, "Didn't you said I'm the 'chosen one', then why this cruelty. I don't understand."

"My my, Skyler. Hold your horses." She said, still smiling maliciously while holding a dagger, "Seems like you've mistaken the term 'Chosen One'. It wasn't because you're special or anything. It's because you are chosen to be sacrificed for greater good."

His heart sank into despair. The words crashed over him like the tidal waves.

"What? What're you saying? Weren't you all celebrating when you discovered that I'm a Stage-5 Mage? Was it all a lie?"

"Kya-haa-haa-haa." Luna burst into laugh, sharp and cruel, "Look at that pathetic face! So innocent! So clueless! He never even saw the trap Sylphy led him into. Kya-haa-haa-haa."

The others joined her in laughing. Sylphy's lips curled as failed to hold her own laughter. The room was echoing in their laugh as Skyler looked at them agonizingly.

"Trap?" he shouted, "What the heck are you talking about? Everything was a trap?"

"Silence!." Sylphy's hand lashed out, striking him hard across his face, "There's no room for you to complain nor do you have any right to question our judgment."

Pain exploded though his cheeks. But the humiliation hurt deeper.

"Jeez! Sylphy, don't be such harsh." The woman who chanted the words earlier told her, "I think we should let him know what's going on. Wouldn't it be more fun that way? Hee-hee."

"Now that I think about it, it'll be more fun that way." She placed her boot on Skyler's shoulder, pushing him further into the wall "Now listen carefully, Mr Chosen One. I won't repeat myself."

Skyler's breath came shallow as he couldn't help himself but to stare at her curiously, suffering the misery that'd been brought upon him.

********************

The explanation of the twisted reality came with brutal cruelty. In this world, those who were born with mana were known as faithful vessels of the Goddess of Creation, destined to wield magical abilities to save the humankind from the ferocious monsters or breasts; thus also received a gift from her— a blessing or a way to harness the mana within them.

It was known as 'Grace' of the Goddess, and also represented someone's class affinity— which path most likely to be suited for them. While the mana determined their 'Stage', the 'Grace' determined their class.

When Skyler set his foot inside the Clan, Sylphy who happened to posses 'Appraisal' skill, saw right through him, uncovering the truth behind him. It was shocking yet interesting to her.

Skyler who possessed mana equivalent to a Stage-5 mage, lacked the 'Grace'. And since he didn't have one, it was impossible for him to unleash mana— a total useless

If he didn't have mana, it wouldn't matter whether he possessed 'Grace' or not. But since that wasn't the case, his very existence was an insult towards the faith they had upon the goddess. After all, to their eyes, he was a flaw Divine Order.

However, there was only a sole purpose that required him. It was rather a horrific one— terrifying more than any hellish torture. Skyler was left in awe as Sylphy explained.

"That's right. You can be of use to us only in a single way. And that is to serve your heart as the core of the barrier that protects the Nation of Zelpher."

'What?' he was taken aback, 'What's she babbling about? Grace? Blessings? My heart? Core of protection barrier. What's these all about?'

"Tell me Sylphy." He murmured, spitting out blood, "The 'Grace' you speak of, is it something that your goddess bestow upon all the mana users?"

She smirked, savoring his desperation.

"Aside from some exceptional like you, yes. The goddess bestow her 'Graces' upon every mana users. I myself posses multiple graces. Why do think I'm the manager of our division? It's because I'm worthy and acknowledged by the Goddess of Creation herself. Haa-haa-haa."

The malice sound of her laughing filled the room as it echoed in Skyler's ears.

He had been betrayed once again. This time, however, not only did he get betrayed by the people of this world, but also by the very divine who created this world. The realisation hit him hard.

"If you knew all the things from the beginning, why put such an act as to evaluate me? Why make me believe I'm special— a chosen one or whatever? If you'd like, you could've just killed me right on the spot. Explain me why?"

"Because there's no thrill in breaking something that's already been broken?" She replied coldly, "When I saw you, you were already a wreck, entirely empty, hopeless. There was no fun in breaking your spirit that way. That's why we gave you hope, let you believe there's still light in the end of the miserable tunnel. And then….." she leaned close, touching Skyler's blood on his cheek, she said, "Then we snatched it away. Haa-haa-haa-haa."

" That's why everyone was so nice to me?" He screamed, feeling mad about the fact, "I never imagined there would be this kind humans who treat others that way. You should be ashamed of yourselves."

"Shut up!." She punched on his face, "You shouldn't be speaking which is shameful and which isn't. like I said there's no room for you to complain. If anything, you should rejoice. Your heart is quite useful to us."

Apparently, the people who lacked the 'Grace' to unleash mana had a complex body function. All the mana possessed by them remained trapped inside their hearts which can be used as a core to supply mana to the "protection barrier" around their entire nation. That why they wrapped him only to take his heart out.

The horror intensified as they began preparation for the ritual. They intended to curve his heart out— not for hatred or vengeance but for utility. His mana-filled heart would empower the barrier around their nation for almost two or three decades.

"Now, before we proceed, I'd like you to give you a lesson for mocking me earlier." Sylphy looked at him coldly, "Luna, the hammer, please."

"Yes ma'am." She grinned, handing her the hammer.

"Let's start with your filthy mouth." Sylphy said, her eyes gleaming with sadistic delight.

The hammer came down, shattering his jaw with a sickening crack. Skyler's scream tore through the room. The second blow dislocated the other side of his jaw, leaving his mouth wide open, pouring blood mixed with tears as he chocked his own misery.

It was unbearable. He would've died from the pain if it wasn't the healer who moved forward, eased down the pain a bit only to prolong his torment.

Sylphy's laughter echoed through the room; a pure malice.

"Cry all you can, Skyler. This is just a beginning."