Note: The following chapters are purely for entertainment and are not related to the traditional Greek myths. The backstories and events are fictionalized.
The news of Melanthius Shadowbane’s death spread like wildfire, reaching even those from Merlin’s past. In the shadowed streets of a wizard city, a man wandered aimlessly, his wand tapping out a rhythm as he hummed a dreadful tune. Turning a corner, he paused to relieve himself against a wall. As he zipped up his pants, a rustling sound and faint muttering caught his attention. He glanced over and saw a woman, her back to him, scribbling frantic words on the wall. Words like “Shadowbane,” “My child,” and “My husband” were scrawled in haste. Her hair, slithering like serpents, hissed in agitation.
Curious, the man approached her cautiously. “Uh…hello?” he called out, watching as she continued to draw.
Her eyes glazed over, as if lost in a trance. “Lalala… Paying tribute to my dead son and husband…” she murmured, tilting her head unnervingly back and forth.
The man squinted, noticing the names written on the wall. His eyes widened. “Shadowbane? Well, they’re better off dead anyway, both of ‘em,” he sneered, laughing loudly. But as he did, a flash of lightning lit up the dark sky, and the woman’s gaze turned toward him—her face contorted with fury. Her snake-like hair writhed violently.
The man’s laugh died in his throat as terror gripped him. Before he could react, her snakes leapt from her hair, biting and tearing at his face, devouring him in a horrific, silent frenzy.
Back in Auroria. “No,” Shenelle said firmly, her tone unyielding as she stood in the room with Aegis, Caius, Sera, and Lumi. “Absolutely not.”
“But why?!” Lumi whined, her voice filled with frustration. “Mr. Aegis said we’re going to a wizard city for winter break!”
Shenelle shot her a sharp look, a silent warning. “You know wizards aren’t meant to be known. It’s dangerous.”
Aegis chuckled, wiping his brow. “Are your kids really that curious about wizards? With Merlin Shadowbane’s legacy, I get why you’d keep it hush-hush, but things are a little better than you think. That’s why I moved my son out of that mess.”
“It’s a place called Mossrock,” Dontai chimed in, hefting his bag. “They’re very welcoming to tourists—especially non-wizards.” He didn’t realize that the very people he was speaking to were wizards themselves.
Aegis turned to Shenelle, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “You sure you don’t want to come along? There’s plenty to do. While the kids explore, we can show them some sights. Dontai can take them around too.”
Shenelle paused, her gaze shifting from Aegis to her children, who were eagerly watching her, pleading with their eyes. She stroked her chin thoughtfully, weighing the decision.
“Hmmm… Alright,” she said, her tone softening slightly. “But you promise to behave?”
Her children nodded anxiously in unison, eager for the adventure ahead.
Meanwhile, within the confines of the magisterium, the nine wizards gathered around the circle table. Titian lounged casually on a couch, his smirk evident. “There have been reports of deaths around a certain wizard town. The name ‘Shadowbane’ has followed in their wake,” he announced with a knowing glance.
Gail, sipping his drink, nodded thoughtfully. “We all know who’s behind it. The real challenge is finding the slippery one.”
Titian shook his head slightly, swirling his wine. “Old Medusa was once the heart and soul of a vibrant, forgotten kingdom. She was a healer and enchantress renowned for her beauty, a vision of grace that could calm the most turbulent hearts. Her long, flowing hair, dark as the midnight sky, mesmerized all who saw it, and her eyes radiated warmth, capable of healing even the deepest wounds.” Titian’s voice softened, as if recalling the lost splendor. “Her beauty wasn’t just skin-deep—it was woven into her very essence. A rare gift of empathy allowed her to understand the souls of those around her, making her beloved by people from all walks of life, and trusted by royalty.”
The room fell silent for a moment as he took another sip. “But as her fame spread, so did the envy of those who couldn’t match her allure. One such envious sorceress, consumed by jealousy, cursed Medusa with an enchantment so cruel it transformed her into a creature of nightmare. What was once her crowning glory—the silken hair—became a nest of venomous serpents, each one hissing in rage at the slightest touch. Her once gentle gaze turned lethal, capable of turning anyone who dared look into her eyes to stone. A beautiful soul turned into a monster, all for the sake of pride and power.”
Christopher sighed, clearly frustrated. “She’s causing chaos. If this continues, we could lose decades of magical progress. Should we intervene?”
Titian’s gaze sharpened, a flicker of something dangerous in his eyes. “No. We know of her connection to Merlin’s mentor, Baba Yaga, as well. What most don’t know is that Medusa and Merlin’s paths crossed long before his fall, and now… it seems Medusa believes Melanthius to be her son.” He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. “I want to see how this plays out. If Medusa and Baba Yaga cross paths…” Titian paused, conjuring a ball of white fire in his palm. Inside it, two figures formed—vague, shifting outlines of two women. He closed his hand, and the figures vanished into the ether. “I want to see what happens when the past catches up with the present.”
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The air in the room thickened with the weight of his words.
As winter break approached, Aegis, Shenelle, and their group gathered at a hidden, forgotten courtyard in the heart of Solstice City. The ground beneath their feet was lined with ancient stones, cracked and worn with time. Aegis stood at the center of the group, a confident yet subtle glint in his eyes.
“This is the way,” he said, looking at each of them. “Mossrock is only accessible to those who know the old ways. It’s hidden from most eyes, even wizards.”
Shenelle, who had been quiet up until now, raised an eyebrow. “Old ways?”
Aegis grinned and nodded. “It’s a little different from standard travel. You’ll see.” He held up his hand, and the air around him shimmered with magic. The ground beneath them began to pulse with a rhythmic, magical energy. Aegis stepped forward, placing his hand on a peculiar stone pedestal in the center of the courtyard. As his fingers brushed the ancient symbols etched into its surface, the stone emitted a soft hum.
Lumi’s eyes widened. “Is this a… portal?”
Aegis nodded, pulling a small, worn compass from his pocket. “Not a traditional one. We’ll be using this.” He handed the compass to Sera, who held it gingerly, feeling its weight. A silver needle inside began to spin wildly before slowing, pointing toward an invisible direction.
“Now, we each need to hold hands,” Aegis instructed. “Hold on tightly to the person next to you.”
The group complied, and the ground beneath them began to rumble as Aegis spoke a few ancient words. Slowly, a golden shimmer began to rise in the air before them, swirling and twisting like smoke, but with the power of something far older.
“We step through together,” Aegis said, looking each person in the eye, “and the magic will pull us to Mossrock. The city’s hidden away for a reason. We must make the journey together.”
One by one, they stepped into the shimmering vortex of energy, feeling it pull them in, much like a gust of wind tugging at their very beings. The world around them began to warp and distort as they spun in a whirl of light, the sensation both exhilarating and disorienting. The air turned heavy, thick with the weight of centuries-old magic, and for a moment, they were lost in the ever-shifting kaleidoscope of colors and energies.
As the dizzying spin slowed, they felt their feet hit solid ground again. The light dimmed, and they blinked, suddenly standing in a bustling, vibrant marketplace under a sky tinged with the hues of dusk. The stone buildings of Mossrock loomed before them, twisting and stretching like something from a forgotten dream.
“Well, that was… new,” Sera said, looking around with wide eyes.
Aegis chuckled. “Welcome to Mossrock. It’s a city that only reveals itself to those who know how to see it. A little unconventional, but it gets the job done.”
“Wow, it’s been ages since I last stepped into a wizard city,” Shenelle murmured, her voice almost wistful. Dontai turned to her with a raised brow. “What was that?” he asked, his curiosity piqued. Shenelle’s eyes widened as she quickly covered her mouth. “Oh, nothing,” she said hurriedly, brushing past him and following Aegis, her expression carefully neutral.
Lumi approached a stand, her eyes lighting up as she admired the assortment of intricately crafted wands on display. “Whoa! Wands! This would be so much better than using our hands for magic,” she whispered excitedly to Caius and Sera, who nodded in agreement. Sera, unable to resist, reached out for one of the wands.
“Sera! Don’t touch that!” Shenelle’s sharp voice cut through the moment as she quickly stepped in, grabbing Sera’s hand before she could pick it up.
“What’s your problem?! I’m just trying to look!” Sera snapped, glaring at her.
“You don’t understand, do you?” Shenelle said firmly, pulling Sera aside. “You’re wizards! And even among wizards, there’s mistrust and resentment because of the lies spread about our kind. If they find out what you are, it could put us all in danger.” Her tone was serious, almost pleading.
“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” Sera huffed, yanking her arm away. “You’re always ruining our fun.” Without another word, she stormed off, leaving Shenelle standing there, her fist clenched tightly at her side as she looked down, struggling to keep her emotions in check.
“Trouble in paradise?” Aegis teased as he approached Shenelle, noticing her frustration. “You handled that well, though. Manascares—non-wizards with magical techniques, like you and your kids, of course—shouldn’t be messing with wizard wands anyway.” He smiled, still blissfully unaware of their true identities.
Shenelle exhaled deeply, trying to calm herself as she fanned her face with trembling hands. “I need something to do,” she muttered, her voice shaky.
Aegis grinned and clapped his hands together. “I’ve got just the thing! Wizards love this activity.”
Moments later, they found themselves at a lively wizard bowling alley. The enchanted lanes shimmered with faintly glowing runes, and the bowling balls floated slightly above the ground before being thrown. Shenelle stepped up to the lane, rolling her ball with precision. It barreled down the shimmering path and knocked all the pins down with a satisfying crash.
“Whoa! That’s your 10th strike in a row, Mom!” Lumi cheered excitedly, her face beaming with pride. Shenelle smiled softly as she rubbed her wrist, a small spark of joy breaking through her earlier tension.
Sera casually picked up an extra-large bowling ball, holding it with ease as if it weighed nothing. Dontai noticed and hurried over, a concerned look on his face.
“Whoa, are you sure you want to use such a heavy ball? Let me help you with that,” he offered, reaching for it.
With a shrug, Sera handed it over, dropping the ball into his hands. The moment it left her grip, Dontai buckled under its immense weight, falling to his knees with a loud thud.
“H-How… is this so heavy?” Dontai groaned, struggling to hold it steady. Sera smirked, crossing her arms.
Sera giggled as she effortlessly lifted the heavy ball from Dontai’s hands, causing him to stumble back in surprise. “I see,” Dontai muttered, dusting off his knees before grabbing a bowling ball of his own. “You three are stronger than you look.”
He rolled the ball down the lane with practiced ease, grinning as it hit a strike. “So, where’d you say you’re from again?”
Without even glancing at the pins, Sera casually rolled her ball and landed a perfect strike. “Oh, we’re from a lot of places. Don’t worry about it,” she said nonchalantly, picking up another ball and spinning it on her fingers as if it weighed nothing.
Dontai raised an eyebrow, visibly impressed. “You bowl as well as a wizard,” he remarked, rolling another ball and knocking down a handful of pins.
Sera suddenly tensed, realizing she might be showing too much skill. She grabbed a ball and deliberately rolled it into the gutter.
Dontai winced as he watched the ball veer off course. “Oh… never mind,” he said awkwardly, shaking his head.