I finally calmed down as the spells I knew surfaced in my mind, one by one. Without hesitating, I cast all three of my “Heal Serious Wounds” spells on my master, then followed with the resurrection incantation.

“Master! Please wake up...” I pleaded, tears falling from my glowing red eyes onto the old mage’s head, but it was all in vain. The destructive spell I had cast was far too strong. I had intended to tear the boy to pieces, and if it hadn’t been for the protective enchantments on my master, his body would’ve been nothing but shreds. Now, his body was slowly disintegrating. Each healing spell I cast was instantly nullified by the lingering effects of the malevolent magic, at best only delaying the inevitable disintegration.

The old mage’s body began to break apart, starting from his chest, slowly, but surely, turning into a mixture of blood and bone. His face, the face that had been by my side for fifteen years, dissolved in my hands, vanishing entirely... I could do nothing but watch, powerless to stop it.

I stood up, looking around at the ruined palace, then down at my hands, sticky with red and white substances, mixed with strands of hair...

My master was gone. Completely, irrevocably gone. One of the most esteemed mages of the Tower of Sages had perished at my hands. I had killed him! Destroyed him utterly. I had taken my revenge, killed that old bastard, and shattered his kingdom... but in doing so, I had killed my master... Everything felt so unreal, like a dream... A nightmare... Yes, it must be a dream!

Of course! How could someone like me summon “It”? A mere novice mage, only twenty-something years old, who had only been practicing magic for fifteen years—how could I possibly have called upon “It” and received such terrifying power? Even the greatest mages had failed to summon “It.” The Tower of Sages was filled with records of powerful sorcerers who had tried to tap into “Its” source of power, only to fail miserably. Yet I, someone who had barely left the academy, had managed to summon “It” and easily obtained such strength... How could that be? Taking revenge so easily, toppling a kingdom, slaying my enemy, the king, fulfilling the oath I swore at my mother’s grave... And I had even fought my master face to face... and killed him... utterly destroyed him...

No! This has to be a dream, a simple nightmare, one of many a young mage might experience in a shabby inn. There’s no way I could have fought my master, let alone killed him. In this moment, I realized there was something more important to me than revenge. Without him, what was the point of vengeance?

Wake up. Wake up now. Everything that needed to happen has happened. Now wake up, return to the path of the mage who is training to become the court wizard and fulfill your plan for revenge...

Suddenly, a column collapsed nearby with a deafening crash, snapping me back to reality. I pinched my face hard, desperate to wake from this nightmare, but all I got was a sharp pain, nothing more. This was all real! I looked again at my hands, the bloodstains glaringly vivid, confirming the horrific truth of what I had done.

This is real... It’s undeniable... I killed my master... I killed him... Wait... No, it was an accident. I didn’t mean to kill him. I never wanted to kill him... not once. He was the one person I would’ve given my life to protect... How could I possibly want to kill him? He ran into the spell’s range on his own... The spell wasn’t even meant to hit him... It was his fault... not mine...

A spark of madness flickered in my mind.

“He struck first. I acted in self-defense... I only became a necromancer to borrow the power of darkness. I would never align myself with it... I haven’t done anything wrong. I was only avenging my mother... The old bastard killed her, and I merely sought justice... I did nothing wrong... nothing...”

A sob broke through my reverie. The child was crying, holding his mother’s severed head in his arms. The boy turned to look at me, and his gaze made me take a step back.

“You killed my mother... you murderer!” he screamed, his cries piercing.

A wave of dizziness suddenly overwhelmed me, causing me to sway on my feet. What am I doing? I killed his mother right before his eyes... just as the old bastard had done to me.

The boy’s gaze bore into me, filled with such hatred that I couldn’t help but retreat. Though he was just a powerless child, someone I could kill with a simple spell, I was still afraid... Afraid of what? Afraid of this boy?

I turned to flee, desperate to escape this place. The old bastard was dead; there was no reason to stay any longer.

“Fulfill your pact!” a voice echoed deep within my soul, a terrifying voice—it was “Its” voice. “It” had appeared, or perhaps “It” had been watching all along. A chilling thought crept into my mind—maybe “It” had never left me, not since the moment we made our pact.

“My pact? But I’ve fulfilled it. I’ve taken my revenge,” I stammered, terrified.

“No! Do not forget, you swore to exact the most ruthless vengeance. Your pact is far from complete.”

In an instant, my body lost control. I turned around, walking toward that child! This wasn’t my will—it was its doing! It could control my body! I could see, I could feel, but I was powerless, like a puppet on strings...

I watched, fully aware, as my hands lifted the child, and then I heard my mouth begin to utter incantations.

“Wait… this child has nothing to do with my plans for revenge. His father is already dead. Killing him now would be meaningless…”

I struggled with all my might, but it was futile. It was far too strong. No matter what I did, I couldn’t stop the spell!

“No! He’s just a child, he understands nothing…”

(The great calamity became a story passed down by bards for many years, a disaster that nearly destroyed the northern kingdom of Darak. Under the command of a malevolent necromancer, the undead horde overran the city of Darak, bringing the mighty northern human kingdom to the brink of ruin. One-third of the city's inhabitants perished in the catastrophe. At the last moment, the most powerful wizard of the Sage Tower, the great scholar and hero, Archmage Doru, sacrificed his life to defeat the necromancer. Both were destroyed in the ensuing struggle, and the undead army collapsed without its source of power, sparing the remaining humans. A surviving guard from the palace ruins recounted the story to those who lived, and two years later, when the city was rebuilt, a statue of Doru was erected to honor the great wizard forever.)

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A wave of warmth coursed through my body, restoring some of my awareness and bringing sensation back to my once-numb limbs. But with it came an unbearable pain, sharper than before!

“He’s waking up… he’s waking up…” A chorus of voices rang in my ears as my eyes fluttered open. The surroundings gradually came into focus, emerging from a blur.

“Where am I?” I forced the words out, though barely.

“It’s alright…” A small voice reached my ears. “Finally, you’re safe. It’s all my fault… I was too careless. By the time I found you, you were already frozen stiff… I thought…”

The voice trembled with emotion, barely holding back tears.

“Your Highness, it’s over… Please, return to rest. We’ll take care of Mr. Ryder!” another voice urged.

“But—”

“If you stay any longer, His Majesty will blame us! Besides, Mr. Ryder needs quiet and rest now. Your presence will only hinder his recovery.”

I heard the soft sound of footsteps retreating—she had left, that bothersome girl. The intricate carvings on the ceiling above told me I was in a luxurious place—likely within a palace! How many days had I been unconscious? From the mountain to the city would take a week or two on foot, but I doubted I could have lasted even a week in that state. I must be in some noble’s residence outside the city…

Exhaustion overwhelmed me again, a force too powerful to resist, mingling with the pain in my body. My eyes, already barely open, shut once more.

“How remarkable… He actually defeated Raith… It’s hard to believe! He’s so young and already possesses such immense power!”

“Indeed… If I hadn’t seen Raith’s body with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it. Such a young, handsome wizard! Ha, I’m almost smitten myself.”

“You’re married, remember… Ha! Regret tying the knot so early now, do you?”

“Ha-ha… Don’t be ridiculous! Do you really think he’d look at you if you weren’t? Don’t flatter yourself!”

The chatter of maids echoed in my ears as they gossiped about me. But their words were insignificant. My consciousness slowly faded again, sinking back into sleep.

…

I remained in that room for four days, only able to walk on the fifth. My injuries were severe. Even with the healer casting at least seven spells on me daily, it still took until the fifth day for me to get out of bed. It was rather amusing—in a time of national crisis, when even novice apprentices were sent to the frontlines, these nobles still had healers at their beck and call.

This place was one of the satellite towns surrounding the city of Martilin, the closest settlement to the mountain. To guard against Raith’s assault, the town was equipped with a highly efficient communication system—fast horses, signal fires, the works. That’s why the girl was able to find help so quickly. I was truly lucky to have survived… but perhaps Raith was the luckier one…

The people here treated me with great courtesy. The maids, for their part, were constantly throwing flirtatious glances my way. To them, I was a hero. And surely, awaiting me were high honors and rewards. Yet my time here wouldn’t last long. As I recovered, I knew the princess and I would soon return to the city, where the king was planning a grand ceremony in my honor. For this nation, it was indeed a momentous occasion. The evil necromancer, who had posed such a grave threat, had been slain by a foreign hero. That was all they needed to know—no one, not even the princess, knew the truth of the final battle. No one knew I was a necromancer myself.

…

The grand entrance ceremony was over—what an exhausting affair! I waved continuously, looking down at the sea of people, the flowers, the nearly frenzied shouts of adoration. I couldn’t help but wonder, with some irony, how they would react if they knew I was a necromancer! The thought amused me bitterly.

Now the king was delivering a rousing speech in the square. The gist of it was easy to guess—something about the inevitable defeat of evil and the triumph of justice. I sat on the balustrade of a palace corridor, feeling only weariness. A deep, bone-deep weariness, physical and mental, without clear cause.

“Are you alright?” The girl’s voice startled me. I hadn’t noticed her approach. She gazed at me with concern.

“Stop pestering me!” I snapped, only to remember where I was and who she was. “No… I mean, I’m fine, Your Highness.” I glanced around, relieved to find no one nearby.

Why was I so irritated with her? She had done nothing wrong. She had saved me, pulled me from the snow. Yet she didn’t understand that sometimes, living was its own burden. If I had perished alongside Raith on that frozen peak…

The clank of metal boots interrupted my thoughts. A figure in armor approached. I recognized him—it was Ethan.

“Your Highness, the maids are looking for you. Please, return to your quarters. You must be exhausted from the journey. Rest is important,” he said, bowing, though his gaze remained fixed on the girl. His stern eyes didn’t reflect the respect of a servant for his princess—they were commanding, leaving no room for argument.

“But… alright…” she protested weakly, but in the end, she obediently turned and left.

“Mr. Ryder!” Ethan addressed me once she was gone. “I have a matter to discuss with you.”

“Go ahead,” I replied indifferently. I could already guess what he wanted to say.

“The king sent me. It’s about that promise.” Ethan paused, his tone becoming more serious. “You’re aware the king has only this one daughter left. She is the sole heir to the throne.”

I remained silent, listening to him continue.

“However, there is no precedent in our kingdom for a woman to rule as queen. His Majesty is well aware of this. Therefore, the princess’s husband will be the next king—the King of Martilin! And she will become queen.”

I turned to look at him. His expression was serious, but in the depths of his eyes, I could see the flames of ambition and desire burning fiercely. Unlike Raith’s wild, unchecked madness, Ethan’s flames were controlled, hidden deep within.

I turned away again.

“You are undoubtedly a powerful wizard,” he went on. “You are the most fitting candidate to be the court mage of Martilin—of course, that is if you wish to accept. But as for whether you are suited to be a king… that remains to be seen.”

“But the king made a public promise to wed the princess to whoever defeated Raith,” I interrupted coldly. “So you want me to willingly forfeit that right.”

My tone was flat, detached. Did this promise mean anything to me? As a necromancer, did I really desire to become a king? A court mage? I wouldn’t even remain in this kingdom for long. As soon as my wounds healed, I would resume my journey—my aimless journey.

“Rest assured, Mr. Ryder,” Ethan said hastily. “His Majesty merely wishes to better understand your character before—”

“I understand. I’ll agree to it.”

“…” He froze for a moment, clearly not expecting things to go so smoothly.

“I agree. I will relinquish that right. I know I am not suited to be a king. For the future of this kingdom, I’ll forfeit the claim.” I stood and faced him as I spoke. For a brief moment, joy flashed across his face before quickly vanishing.

“Thank you, Mr. Ryder. I’ll report to His Majesty at once!” He bowed deeply and left. I sat down again, closing my eyes. I was tired. Truly, deeply tired.

Why was I still traveling? Why did I roam the continent, chasing dreams from my past? This was once my vision of the most perfect life—a mage whose footsteps stretch across the entire land. Ah, what an alluring thought! Soaring freely through the skies like a kite, skimming across the heavens without stirring the clouds... When I grow old, I’ll sit by the hearth and regale the children gathered around me with tales of my youth, of the wonders I witnessed during my travels. How I once yearned for such a life, and now that I have it, why can I still not find true joy?

No, I am happy, unbound and free. Perhaps I am so immersed in happiness that I can no longer feel it. Yes, it must be that. All that once was has long faded away, and now, I am a bird of joy, flying with no constraints.