Chapter 19 – Return

Redius in top condition escaped from the epicentre of the forest. His master’s voice continued to ring in his head.

“Redius… I’m sure you have by now noticed the change within yourself…”

“It seems like beings on a high affinity towards the elements… will also mimic the element’s traits…”

“Be extremely careful… do not lose yourself…” 

Redius mind pondered on his master’s word. His mind flashed back to what he could vaguely remember happened as he lost himself to despair, anger and helplessness. The darkness took over him… 

He shook himself out of it, he was never going to let that happen again. He had to find a way to control the power. Not let the power control him. But first, he needed to get back into the city. Back to the guild.

He stopped as he stood just outside the reaches of the epicentre. The weight of his shoulders seemingly lifted from the pressure from it. He turned his head as he looked back. 

What could be inside the very centre? He thought. With his current power up, he would be able to kill a 2nd stage initiate, and even fight on par with a 3rd stage initiate. Though killing and fighting are very different things. Something… something way more powerful was inside, he was sure of it.

But now was not the time, as he switched back and headed outward.

By Ji’s estimate, he had left for 2 months. That was the time it took him to regain his consciousness, heal and train. He kept travelling in the direction towards the outer rim of the forest, to his surprise, he reached it without seeing any members of the major families.

He swiftly avoided group or single adventurers training, but noticed no sign of the families. Maybe they retreated? He thought as he continued his way.

After some time, he was nearing the edge of the forest when he saw the first signs of the major families. Right outside the forest, they had set up camp in the direction of the city. Preventing and checking anyone of a match to Redius.

He scanned the families quickly, it seemed like the Ip family sent a lot more people, then it was the Plenio family and lastly only a few for the Losrenos family.

Redius chuckled under his breath as he analysed what was before him. As if that would stop Redius from sneaking in, even when he was a 2nd stage disciple, a 2nd stage initiate couldn’t detect him with his dark elements. Now that he was in his 3rd stage, there was no chance of that happening. 

But Redius wasn’t just going to go back without a present or two. He waited until nightfall and as one with the shadows, sneaked into the Ip family camp.

The camp was big, hosting a number of young man taking the chance to train in the outer rims of the forest. Redius stood in the shadows as he expanded his sense field. It covered half the area of the camp reveal around a hundred people. 

Young masters, maids and guards. He quickly found his way into a camp with a single man sleeping. The man was of 2nd 

stage disciple knight.

Even with Redius standing over him, he did not realize at all. Soon, Redius reached out his hand above him. He was trying his new theory, his new spell.

Dark energy gathered faintly on Redius hand as he slowly placed it on the man’s head. His eyes immediately shot open and wanted to turn, only to be met with resistant. Dark tendrils had bound him on his bed. Suddenly his eyes were in shock as he could feel his aura emptying from his centre towards his forehead then towards the hand on his forehead. 

Someone was sucking out his power!

Within an hour, the man laid lifeless on the bed, a little shrivelled up as Redius looked at his hands with wonder. It was a trait of darkness to absorb all, but he didn’t realize it could directly absorb people’s powers too. He had a hunch that it could from the fight with the sabretooth, but it still came as a surprise to him.

He could feel a different energy inside him, he stored it carefully for the time to turn it into his own. He had to be very careful as having a foreign energy inside him could ruin him internally. 

With Redius’ new found skill, he quickly moved about in the camp, taking the lives of more than 20 disciple classes and their energy with them. After, he headed towards the city, but stopped just outside of it. Once again, the Ip family had heavily reinforced the checking point of the city gate. He had to sneak in at night again.

Redius searched around as he found a small area just outside of the city with caravans of merchants and people trying to enter into the city. He sneaked around as he found a spot under a tree.

He began to digest and turn the powers into his own, but not before setting several barriers around him. It wasn’t unusual for people to train in places like this, as priority into the city was assigned by the money you paid, if you didn’t want to pay as much, you entered the city near nightfall. So mercenaries or guards would train during that time. If anyone intentionally disturbed them, as it could be dangerous to disturb one in cognia, it would create animosity for that person from everyone. It was an unwritten rule.

The sun was falling as night began and Redius opened his eyes. His power had risen but not as much as he thought it would. The fact was that the energy he absorbed, was not pure enough as his own. Therefore he had to purify the energy, which meant about 90% of which was gotten rid of after purifying it. He breathed a sigh, it looks like the ability wasn’t that useful after all, since it also took him quite some time to do the purifying.

What Redius didn’t know, was that because of his immense natural affinity towards the elements, his elemental purity was much higher than anyone else. That was why his power was greater than the people of his class. A greater purity, meant a better command and higher concentration of power. So let’s say using 1 magic power, someone could do 10 damage. But Redius’ 1 magic power, was equal to a normal person’s 5. It meant that he was doing 5x the damage. 

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Finally, Redius got up with his dark elements surrounding him, and like a ghost, disappeared with the caravans into the city. 

At the same time, news had reached the Ip family.

20 or so bodies lay in the great hall of the household as the top brass of the family looked uneasy. The head furrowed his brows as he looked at the scene before him.

“The four children just died… And now this?!” His voice raised in anger. The four children who Redius encased in ice had just passed away a couple of days ago. Without help from the caster or a magician, they were helpless. Redius had made the ice special to contract should a fire aura melt the ice. That was why it was so frustrating for the family. But now this?

As the meditro of the family examined the body, his eyes widened in shock. His head quickly turned towards the Head of the family.

“I’ve never seen anything like it…” He said in shock. “Its…its as if they were drained. Sucked dry…” He finished as a silence filled the hall. They were getting a lot of surprises recently…

“Sucked…dry... drained?...” His eyes lit up as he remembered something. “Everyone dismiss. None of this is to be leaked. Otherwise family punishment goes.” He said as he waved his hand to dismiss the other.

“Raso.” He said to which a glimmer suddenly appeared in front of him. The head of the intelligence of the Ip family, if 

Redius was here, he would be surprised. It was another knight of an initiate class. 

“Investigate the other families. See if they have any deaths like ours…”

“Are we suspecting them of being the attacker sir?” he replied.

“No… they do not have this much power… but…” he trailed as he left his sentence unfinished. “I have to confirm something. Go.” To which the other nodded and left.

The Head quickly went into the hill behind the household, a place where only the Head of the family could enter. Atop the hill was a cave with several high levelled barriers around it. He took out a badge and entered. After walking through tunnels after tunnels, a room lit up by candle light appeared in front of him.

“Father.” He greeted.

“Why have you come here?...” an old raspy voice replied from the man sitting down with his eyes closed. He looked as if he would slowly deteriorate into a skeleton and then into a bunch of ashes.

For major families, the previous Heads were protectors of the family as they rivalled each other from the other families in power. Only in extreme circumstances did they appear or could be called upon. 

“There were more deaths in the family father.” He explained.

The old head’s eyes opened and a glint of fire burned in his eyes. The last time he came out was because he simply had a bad premonition. That the attacker was a bad sign of the Ip family. 

“Its not him father.” The Head derailed his father’s thoughts. “Or at least… I don’t think so.”

“What do you mean?”

“The bodies… were drained….” He stopped. “I remember faintly as a kid that aunt Mira mentioned something about that didn’t she?”

As soon as he finished speaking the old head’s expression had turned.

“… drained… drained… could it be?...” he muttered again and again.

“F…father?...” 

“Bring me the body immediately.” The old head suddenly bellowed. The Head quickly left and returned soon after carrying multiple bodies.

The old Head bent down and silently examined the 5 lifeless bodies. Fear and worry grew more and more prominent on his face as he passed each body. Finally he sat up, looking like he aged decades.

“Father?...” The head worried at the sight. What could it be that it was this bad?

“Send word to every member of the family, return to the city. A high punishment will be sent to those who cause trouble outside. Hold down their pride and foolishness.” The old head relayed a few orders. “If this is what it is… it could bring doom to not just our family… but the entire city… or even…” He did not finish his sentence. The last sentence left the Head wild eyed. What could possibly be so bad?!

“What… What is it father?” He asked curiously only to see him shake his head.

“Now’s not the time. We must act quickly. I’m going to contact your aunt Mira. Hopefully she is free to come by…” 

Aunt Mira?! A powerful knight that joined a clan called the Risham clan in the far northern reaches.  Clans were much more powerful than the major families here. They were elite forces that could be joined by talented individuals. Even talented members of the 3 major families would die to join these clans. Having not contacted her for so long, this situation is desperate enough to contact a clan?! 

Sweat poured from his face as he thought about the situation.

“And also, bring a body to the magician’s tower. They’ll understand.” The old head said in a tired voice. As if the last half an hour had taken up years of his life.

“The magician’s headquarters?” Why? The Head thought.

“Yes… they… are much more powerful than you think.” To which he briefed another heavy sigh. “Go.”

And the Head left to carry out his orders. 

The old Head looked up, his gaze seemingly piercing into the sky. Only he knew what was going on.

A storm was coming. 

*Author's note - Sorry about the double chapter, thought I hadn't posted that one :P