Chapter 62 - 10: You're Not... John?
"He\'s unconscious?! What\'s more, he\'s chanting!?"
By the time he had said that, John had already finished his chant.
"Advanced Earth Magic: Quagmire"
The solid earth under the shadow mage\'s feet turned soft, and his legs got sucked in, once they were, it regressed back to solid state and his legs were completely stuck underground.
As the man struggled to get out, John had started chanting once again. The dark clouds got closer and closer to one another.
[What\'s going on...? He\'s supposed to be out of magic... How can he do this!?] Thought the man as he began punching the ground to break it.
But it was no use, John had reinforced that ground and made it much harder than it should be. Once John had finished chanting, the sound of thunder could be heard.
"Saint Class Thunder Magic: Wrath of the thunder dragon." Muttered John.
A split second later, Lightning came crashing down at the speed of light on the man. He had formed a Dark Shield Above his head, but the lighting passed through it and hit him directly. He was completely evaporated.
After that, John turned around and took a look at Serena and Ariel, with his eyes still closed, he began to chant, and a pure light was being emitted from his hand. He placed his hands slightly over the necks as he said.
"Saint Class Holy Magic: Sacred Heal"
In seconds, the strangulation marks on their necks disappeared, and they woke up.
Seeing this, a small smile was formed on John\'s face.
"Mn... John..? John!" Shouted Ariel as she jumped to hug him.
Ariel gave John a big hug, with his eyes still closed, John simply smiled at Ariel.
"Ariel, get away from him," Said Serena.
"What?" Asked Ariel.
"Get Away from him! That\'s not John!"
Ariel looked over at John and finally noticed, His eyes were closed and the air about him was different.
Ariel let go of the hug as she asked, "You\'re John, right?"
As she asked that, John turned around as if he had noticed something and began muttering.
"John is chanting? Ariel Get back!" Said Serena.
Ariel slowly walked back towards Serena as she looked at him.
"Cancel." Said John once he finished his chants.
Serena and Ariel both realised that John\'s voice wasn\'t the same as usual. It sounded like someone else was talking...
Shortly after that, the man rose from the ground a few feet away from them.
"So you noticed me..." Said the man as he was forced out of the ground.
His face was no longer being covered by a cloak, and he was wearing light clothes. His arm and face seemed to have been recently burned.
"What did you do to John!?" Shouted Serena.
"What did I do to him..? Haha... Look at what he did to me! My face... I\'ll kill him... No... I\'ll slowly torture you two in front of him... and..."
The man suddenly stopped talking and began to chant. John simply watched.
"Advanced Dark Magic: Dark Lances" Said the man once his chant was finished.
The man propelled these 2 lances straight at the three kids.
John muttered 5 short words, and the lances dispersed midair before it reached them. Once the man saw that he began chanting again.
"Dark Domai-"
"Cancel,"
The man had finally realised the difference in their strength.
"Even if I can\'t kill you, they will... Once I tell them about you three, they\'ll torture you until you tell them..." He said that as his body slowly sunk into the ground.
Once he was finished he was gone, or so it seemed
"John, he hasn\'t left yet. His body simply entered his own shadow. I noticed it when he snuck up behind us..." Said Serena.
John, who heard what she said, turned around and smiled at her with his eyes closed as he muttered something and said "Stop."
While Serena and Ariel were both confused and what he meant by that. John began to chant again, and this time he said "Cancel"
Around 15 meters away from them, a man rose up from the ground, he stood completely still.
Serena and Ariel both realised what had happened.
[He already knew? Since when could John do this? What\'s going on..?] Thought Serena.
Ariel and Serena just watched as John slowly approached the man. With each step, the man was filled with more and more dread. The man desperately tried to get away, but not even his voice would come out
[W-What is this...? Why can\'t I move..? What\'s going on..? I must be dreaming... Kids... A mere Kid would do this to me..?] Thought the man as John got closer and closer.
Eventually gone was only a few steps from him.
"W-Wait!" Said the man.
[I can talk!?]
"You, who I had spared, why did you try once more to attack?" Asked John.
"L-Let me apologise, I\'m sorry! I didn\'t want to hurt them, I had no choice! I didn\'t voluntarily take this job, I was forced to! I\'m sorry! I promise I won\'t tell anyone anything, so please!" Said the man.
[This feeling of humiliation... Me? Begging to be spared..? Me? To a mere kid..? When I\'m free, I\'ll indulge in screams of anyone precious to you... I\'ll watch you suffer, over until I eventually kill you]
John started chanting one final time.
[W-What is he doing?] Thought the man as his bones trembled in fear.
"W-Wait! We can talk about this! I\'m Sorry! I swear I\'ll never do anything again!"
"Forbidden Lost Magic: Black Hole"
A distortion was formed in the space next to the man, and the air in the area started getting sucked into it. The distortion was taking the form of a ball and began to suck the man into it.
"A-AAAHHH!!" Shouted the man as his body was sucked into the black hole.
"Close." Said John after no trace of the man remained.
Ariel and Serena, who saw that, felt slightly terrified as they watched it all happen.
With his eyes still closed, John turned around and walked over to Serena and Ariel. Once he reached them, they stepped away from him.
"Where is John?" Asked Serena as she lifted up her staff
"Thank you for saving us... But give him back..." Said Ariel who began to gather air in front of her with her staff.
With his eyes still closed, he gave them a small smile, and collapsed onto the ground.