NOVEL NEXT Chapter 62
EP.62 Skebal the Ancient Lich (2)
Ding-dong!
Sudden changes always come unexpectedly.
It’s in an instant that the routine of any day shatters.
Apuria Academy.
The cradle of learning located in the Royal Capital is experiencing an unusual chaos. It all started with the fainting of a single student.
During an exam, one student collapsed, vomiting blood. And then, without a trace, disappeared from that spot. It’s clear that some kind of spell was involved in that process.
– “I can’t figure it out.”
– “The method is different. The system is different.”
However, they cannot identify what that spell was.
– “I… cannot track it.”
Despite being a gathering of top mages at Apuria Academy, none of the mages could provide answers regarding the student’s disappearance.
Time flows on.
Time alone continues without knowing anything.
– “Dean Aaron!”
– “Dean!”
The confusion from the disappearance of a single student is already overwhelming, but the incidents do not stop at just one.
– “The department, five students…!”
– “Over here too! The students are having spasms during class…!”
Several students collapsed in addition.
They did not disappear. Instead, they suffered from violent spasms.
– “This is…”
Some professors who confirmed the students’ conditions offered their conclusions. Their voices trembled as they spoke the answer.
– “These are symptoms of magical poisoning.”
Even after saying it, they couldn’t believe it themselves.
The professors voiced their doubts.
– “What in the world is this…!”
Symptoms of magical poisoning in the middle of the Royal Capital?
It is difficult to understand this phenomenon. Events happen in succession that could never have been imagined.
– “Huh?”
And then.
– “L-LOOK OVER THERE!”
The nearby Harmain Forest began to be enveloped by a black veil, and the chaos reached its peak.
– “W-What kind of barrier is that?”
– “A barrier! We have a professor in barrier interpretation! Professor Rempel, what in the world is that!?”
The darkened barrier induces fear just by looking at it. Students recoil. Professors don’t dare to approach recklessly.
But simply not approaching does not solve the problem.
Creak, creak…
The barrier expands.
Its reach increases. It begins to crash towards Apuria like a wave. The speed is alarming.
“…Ah, hahaha.”
As they watched the approaching black wave, one professor bursts into laughter. That laughter seems like that of someone who has lost their mind.
“Everyone, run away.”
Professor Rempel, who specializes in barrier analysis, laughed as he gazed at the barrier.
‘Why is that here of all places?’
The moment Rempel saw the barrier, he instantly realized.
What kind of barrier it was.
It is all too clear what it means for it to appear here.
It couldn’t be unknown; it had to be known.
“Hurry, run away.”
Professor Rempel looks back, staring at the other professors with trembling eyes.
“That’s…”
Anyone who delved into the study of barriers would know that barrier. The barrier was synonymous with a great dilemma.
“That’s the barrier of Skebal, the Ancient Lich.”
Skebal.
The mention of that name drained the color from the professors’ faces. No mage is ignorant of the weight that name carries.
One of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Lord’s Army.
One of the calamities that burned the kingdom in the past.
‘Why is such a being here in Apuria?’
Nobody has an answer to that question.
The confusion only grows. Amid this turmoil, Professor Rempel opened his mouth.
“Move, we need to get further away, we have to get the students to safety…”
Even as he spoke, Rempel never thought he could actually run away.
Creak, creak…
The speed of the approaching barrier is far too fast. No matter how fast they run, escaping from that barrier seems impossible.
“Hurry…”
Professor Rempel’s voice gradually weakens.
“Run away,” his voice is drowned out by the chaos.
Rempel stared hopelessly at the barrier.
The black wave crashes over Apuria.
And then.
“…Huh?”
Professor Rempel, who had been watching the barrier until the end, noticed the sudden anomaly.
On the rooftop of Apuria.
A light burst forth from there.
Flash!
The flicker is instant.
Then, with a crackle, the rooftop begins to split apart. From above, something rises.
‘…Mana?’
Mana convulses on the rooftop.
It is fundamentally different from the raging black wave. The very structure is different. Radiant mana gathers.
The brewing mana clouds the view.
Hidden behind the rising brilliance, the figure standing on the rooftop is obscured.
Only one thing is visible.
The color of the rising mana is ashen.
Smash.
Finally, the ashen mana collides with the black wave.
BOOOOM!
With a thunderous roar, a shockwave shakes Apuria. Trees sway in the raging winds. The ground trembles.
“W-What the heck!”
“What is that noise…!”
The professors who were running stagger.
Some fall over, lying on the ground staring at the point where the shock began.
Crack, crackle!
Their gazes fixate on the research building of Apuria.
The rooftop of the research building, where the barrier was destined to meet first.
“…”
Some stop, while others sit down on the ground in a daze, staring at that place.
The barrier that was approaching Apuria has stopped.
The black wave appears frozen, poised to crash into the research building as if time itself has stopped.
Tick, tick…
Soon, cracks begin to form in that barrier.
Crack, crackle!
The barrier crumbles helplessly.
In its center, a massive hole opens.
Thud.
Someone leaps into it.
Their figure is obscured by the robe they’re wearing, making it impossible to see their shape or face. However, anyone from afar could recognize the symbol woven into that robe.
Originally representing the Ashen Tower.
Now it symbolizes only one person.
Someone recognizes that symbol.
“…Raniel.”
Someone calls that name.
“Raniel, the Ashen Mage.”
2.
Crackle!
“Ugh…!”
As soon as Resti escaped from the Otherworld and returned to reality, she staggered. She barely managed to stand by grabbing onto a nearby tree.
It might be due to the excessive use of mana, but there was a bigger problem.
‘I can’t… breathe…!’
She felt suffocated.
Breathing was difficult.
‘Where am I…?’
Resti scanned her surroundings with trembling eyes. She was in the midst of a forest. What forest could be so hard to breathe in?
Suddenly, a tree caught her eye.
The bark of the tree was unusual.
It was smooth, without any cracks.
The moment she saw it, Resti realized where she was. And why it was hard to breathe.
‘…Harmain Forest!’
A place saturated with mana.
Resti coughed dryly and sank to the ground. Leaning against the tree, she struggled to lift her head.
The Ancient Lich, Skebal had already left.
The spot he vacated was filled with bones.
“…Ugh!”
The bones embedded in the ground emanated a foul odor.
It instinctively disgusted her, causing Resti to retch.
Being in a state where breathing was already difficult, the mana leaking from the bones made it even harder.
“…Ugh.”
Her mind began to feel hazy.
The surrounding scenery appeared distorted due to the saturated mana. Her senses tangled, and her eyes started to redden.
Thud.
Finally, she began to hear hallucinations.
Thud, thud.
The sound of footsteps echoed in her ears.
Despite the fact that no one should be here, the approaching footsteps grew closer.
Thud.
Those footsteps stopped.
Resti looked to where the sound halted. Through her blurry vision, something was visible.
Everything looked distorted and warped, but the figure within her sight was clear.
Ashen hair swayed gently.
She could see delicate, azure eyes.
“………”
The figure silently removed her robe. She draped a mantle-like robe over Resti’s shoulders.
“…Ah.”
At that moment, Resti’s breathing opened up.
Though her body still felt heavy and her senses tangled, at least she could breathe now. Resti spoke the name of the figure standing before her.
“…Professor Rania?”
Rania van Trias.
She knelt, meeting Resti’s gaze. Holding her gaze, she slowly raised her hand.
Tap.
Then, she placed her hand on Resti’s head.
The mana emanating from her hand drove out the magical residue left in Resti’s body.
“You did well.”
A short phrase.
With those simple words, Resti felt her tension dissipate.
Pat pat.
After shaking off her knees and rising, Rania pauses for a moment to glance back at Resti before she moves on.
Then she asked a question.
“Did you see where he went?”
In response to that question, Resti slowly raised her hand and pointed in a direction. The direction Skebal had passed.
Why she did that, she didn’t know.
The opponent was the Ancient Lich, Skebal.
No matter how excellent this professor was, Skebal belonged to a different dimension. He was the embodiment of nightmares for mages.
‘The Ashen Mage, Raniel.’
Only a legendary mage would be able to confront such an overwhelming figure.
‘Surely that must be the case…’
Yet she was pointing towards the direction Skebal had headed without a sliver of doubt.
“Thank you.”
With a faint smile.
Then she continued moving on.
“………”
Resti silently watched her retreating figure.
In a forest where everything was shaking, she stood out distinctly.
3.
The Ancient Lich, Skebal reflects on his life.
Living for centuries is a long time.
Most of the memories have faded, yet there are certainly distant memories that have not.
Such is the case with magic.
Skebal has devoted centuries to the study of magic.
He spent a time that mere mortals cannot even imagine pursuing the truth.
The one labeled as a genius devoted his entire life to magic. Far beyond that, he even continued researching magic after transcending death and becoming undead.
In pursuit of the stars.
In quest of the truth.
Those were the centuries spent solely for himself.
Throughout those hundreds of years, all emotions have been eroded. Joy, sorrow, no feelings are felt any longer.
What has filled his void are just the simplest of emotions.
“Ashen.”
Rage.
“That cursed Ashen.”
Skebal’s bones creak with rage.
The contract has been broken. All five fragments prepared for the altar were shattered.
His plans have gone awry.
Everything has been ruined.
At the center of it all, as always, stands a mage.
“Again, again, again!”
Skebal’s gaze trembles with rage.
This has always been the case.
Five years ago, no, even further back. It all began with the abduction of the Star Child, Stella, born into the royal family.
Seven years ago, Skebal contacted the royal family’s mage.
That contact was not easy. Skebal, breaking through all protections, sacrificed a Life Vessel to corrupt him, turning him into a Betrayer.
The plan was successful.
The corrupted royal mage was powerful. It was simple for him to kidnap the Star Child.
If only there hadn’t been one variable.
If that one mage, who happened to be there at that moment, hadn’t intervened, the plan would have succeeded.
From that time onwards.
From that moment to this day, every single plan crafted by Skebal has been thwarted by a singular mage.
No matter how perfect the plan was.
No matter how much mana was sacrificed, and even utilizing a Life Vessel to cast spells.
That mage was always there to ruin the plans.
“Always.”
Skebal halts his steps.
“Always, you stand at the end of it all.”
He raises his arm.
The bony finger points at the mage standing before Skebal.
The mage has ashen hair.
Skebal feels a surge of anger towards that cursed ashen.
The mage has azure eyes.
In any situation, those unshaken azure eyes provoke hatred within Skebal.
“Hey.”
The mage smiles.
“Long time no see, you bony bastard.”
At the sound of that voice, Skebal feels an uncontrollable impulse. He wants to tear the mage to pieces right there and then.
“Raniel, the Ashen Mage.”
Though the appearance has changed, Skebal instantly recognizes that presence. There’s no way he could fail to recognize.
The mana of ash.
That odious ash is still there.
Of course, Raniel is not the only one possessing ashen mana. Rather, ashen mana can be commonly found on those related to the Ashen Tower.
However.
The one standing before him, suffused with starlight and possessing ashen mana, is none other than Raniel. The mage whose mana flowed with faint starlight.
Crisp.
That starlight feels detestable.
That starlight—which appears to those who get close to the truth—fuels Skebal’s loathing.
“You are always like this.”
Skebal clenches his outstretched hand.
“Always, you appear before me and ruin my plans. Do you understand, Ashen? If it weren’t for you, the Royal Capital would have long since fallen into my hands.”
If the ash had not intervened.
“The Star Child, Stella, would have fallen and become a Saint worshipping the altar of the shadows.”
Things that would have happened are recounted by Skebal one by one.
“The battlefield would have crumbled long ago. There’s no way mere mages, who haven’t even lived a hundred years, could break my barriers. If it weren’t for you, only you…”
So many failures are attributed to him. Too many.
Skebal glares at the ashen figure, his gaze trembling with rage.
“But?”
The ashen figure tilts her head in response.
“What the hell does that matter.”
Then, as always, she nonchalantly shrugs her shoulders.
“If you’re upset, just do better.”
“…What?”
“I’m doing just fine, you know?”
Creak.
The knuckles Skebal pressed together crack ominously.
“Why, Ashen?”
Skebal spoke each word as if biting into it.
“Why do you not fall? I have studied countless things specifically to kill you, to confront you.”
Those bony fingers point at Raniel’s heart.
“Even my god has cursed you. The shadows of the stars have cursed you. Yet why are you alive?”
Pointing to what dwells within her heart, Skebal screams.
“Why!”
Crack, crack!
“Why can you still be unharmed after having borne that curse? Only you were untouched. Only you!”
The sound of bones grinding grows louder.
“I cast another curse because one wasn’t enough. The larva of shadows I was cultivating should have rooted itself in you. But why are you still alive?”
Skebal’s whole body shudders.
The magic he wears reacts with the saturated mana. Sparks fly, crackle with a loud noise, and Skebal shouts.
“Even after bearing that curse!”
Why are you.
“How is it, how could you possibly remain standing as a human?”
I couldn’t do what you can.
“Why!”
The Ancient Lich, having lived for centuries, feels inferior. Inferior to this young mage, who has merely lived half that time.
“………”
Hearing those words quietly, the ashen figure finally opened her mouth.
“Oh…”
She gasps in admiration.
Then she points to herself with her finger.
“Was this your doing, you bastard?”
Sizzle.
A vein bulges on her forehead.