(1444, Kantara, Cyprus) (20 Oct)

The lifeless body of the stronghold master lay sprawled before me. A strange stillness hung in the air, gripping not only me but also the guards who surrounded me. Their faces were etched with shock, their hands trembling as if they had seen a ghost. In the middle of all that, I stood frozen, my body disconnected from my will.

The power of Vercilius surged with me too much and it had taken more from me than I had thought. My limbs felt heavy, and my mind struggled to regain its focus. The price of wielding such power was becoming very high– my body was not following my commands.

Suddenly, as if jolted back to reality, the guards snapped out of their fear. Their spears raised in unison, they charged towards me. Time seemed to slow as I assessed the situation. With a mere sideways glance, I counted their numbers – one, two, three... too many to face head-on.

Summoning the last ounce of energy within me, I kicked the ground using transformation magic, the cobblestone ground beneath me responded, reshaping into an array of deadly spears. I commanded them to shoot upward, impaling the guards and pinning them against the ceiling like macabre trophies.

Blood slowly dripped from the ceiling and finally, the guards' futile struggles had ceased. My body dropped to the ground and started to shake violently. Each seizure felt like a lightning bolt coursing through me, leaving me helpless and at the mercy of my own uncontrollable limbs.

Soon a faint noise reached my ears, like distant thunder. A colossal figure descended from the sky, landing at the tower's peak. Their words were faint, And then, a sharp sting pierced my right arm, and slowly, the violent tremors began to halt, returning my body to its normal state.

As my consciousness gradually returned, I found myself staring into the eyes of Lieutenant Ifrit. His outstretched hand offered me support, and I grasped it, allowing him to help me to my feet.

"That was unbelievable, Aries. You accomplished something even our dragon slayers couldn't. I hope you've gained some self-confidence now."

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My lips parted, but my mind was a whirlwind of emotions and sensations, rendering me speechless and overwhelmed.

"Don't push yourself too hard," Ifrit advised,

He quickly tapped on his comm device to relay a message

"Yeah, Vercilius is fine and stable. But it seems we should aim to avoid causing him any more trouble. Send the first aid team with my division. Ifrit out!"

My legs trembled beneath me as I sank back to the ground, struggling to regain my balance. I managed to settle into a sitting position, though my body still felt like it was teetering on the edge of collapse. The toll of using Vercilius's power excessively had always been a challenge, bringing about these painful aftereffects. Waves of pain surged through my body, each sensation like a blade digging into my gut. I clenched my teeth and tried to maintain a façade of resilience, but my face revealed the true extent of my suffering.

"Hey, hey, come on! Aries? What's happening to you?" Ifrit's concern was evident as he addressed me.

I struggled to respond, torn between my desire to explain and my awareness that Ifrit wasn't privy to my condition. Instead, I managed to muster a weak thumbs-up sign, attempting to reassure him despite the agony I was enduring. Soon, the dragon slayer and a team of doctors, holding in their sturdy armor, joined us on the scene.

My armor was carefully removed by the medical team. With the armor off, the extent of my injuries became more apparent. Several bullets had managed to breach my armor, embedding themselves in my abdominal area. Thankfully, they hadn't penetrated too deeply, but they had left their mark. Burn marks marred my chest area, remnants of the explosive spell that was used on me. As the doctors applied ointment to my skin, a sharp stinging sensation followed, making me wince.

As the bandaging process began, I felt a wave of relief wash over me, knowing that the worst was over for now. Just then, Deniz appeared on the scene, offering a cheerful "hi" sign before taking a seat beside me.

"You're in pretty rough shape, but you pulled through in the end," Deniz remarked

"Honestly, I was taken aback by Miss Hayes's announcement. Looks like you really did become the hero you always wanted to be."

I managed a weak smile in response. "Yeah, yeah. It's been a while since we caught up too."

He chuckled softly. "Remember those good old days on the island? We got up to so many shenanigans that we could never run out of stories to tell."

"Absolutely," I agreed, a touch of nostalgia in my voice. "The good old island days, when we weren't sleep-deprived, dehydrated, covered in wounds, sailing in the middle of the sea. But you know, I've always wondered when all of this actually began."

Deniz raised an eyebrow, a playful grin forming. "Don't you remember? It all started that day when we were playing detective in the forest."

"Oh, right! That time," I recalled with a hint of amusement.