Cedric approached Elena with the same cruel intent he had displayed while murdering James. His eyes gleamed with a sadistic hunger that said he was going to enjoy tormenting and killing her.

But as Cedric raised his sword, ready to deliver the killing blow, Adrian seized the opportunity he'd been waiting for.

The paralysis had lifted some moments ago, but Adrian had been acting as though he was still under its effects.

With a burst of strength, fueled by rage and determination, he lunged towards Cedric, his intent clear – to end Cedric once and for all.

The sudden burst of movement startled Cedric, who barely had time to react before Adrian was upon him. He was too startled to incant any spells or muster any defenses.

In that crucial moment, just as Adrian prepared to strike, the ground around him transformed, taking on a life of its own.

Thick tendrils of earth erupted from the ground and coiled around Adrian, constricting his movements and holding him firmly in place.

It was one of Cedric's two guards who had intervened, a Mage with impressive earth-manipulating abilities. His quick thinking and protective action had saved Cedric from an almost certain strike.

Cedric, slightly shaken by the sudden turn of events, hissed, "You're a persistent one, little brother.

His cold gaze met Adrian's, filled with a dangerous mix of anxiousness and irritation.

Cedric's face twisted into a sadistic grin, his eyes dancing with cruel delight. He reveled in Adrian's helplessness as he gloated, "But this is also good. You can see your friend's death from a much closer range now. "

With that, Cedric raised his sword high and then thrust it down with brutal force.

The blade sliced through the air and then through Elena, who let out a heart-wrenching scream of agony as she was brutally impaled by the weapon.

“GAAGGHHHH!!”

The pain was excruciating, and Elena's screams echoed through the chaotic battlefield, cutting through the sounds of battle and despair.

“I didn’t even harm your vital organs. Do you know why? I want you to scream a few more times,” Cedric sneered, a wicked gleam in his eyes as he stared down at the dying Elena.

He proceeded to stab her again and again, the brutal assault causing blood to spurt from her body, staining the ground beneath.

Adrian and Clara remained completely silent at this moment as they witnessed the death of their dear comrade.

Their gaze showed their intense anger towards Cedric, who seemed completely inhuman to the two.

Clara shouted at this particular moment, “…I will make you pay! I will…make you pay the price for that!”

Cedric's amusement only grew. "How are you going to do that?" he taunted.

With nothing but determination and pure willpower, Clara forced her injured body to rise, her staff emanating an eerie purple light.

Cedric’s eyes narrowed as he saw that purple light. He felt a faint bit of danger from this.

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Clara began to mutter incantations, and as she did, her dark black hair turned white, and her youthful visage aged into that of a wrinkled old woman.

The transformation was eerie, and Cedric's eyes narrowed in recognition.

"You are using a Forbidden Spell, amplifying its power with your life force. But even with your sacrifice, you can't bridge the gap between our ranks. I am a Sixth Order Mage..."

"Forbidden Spell: Soul Eater Curse," Clara uttered with an entirely different voice.

Cedric's eyes widened in disbelief. "Soul Magic?! No way. It has been lost for centuries!"

His two guards rushed forward, attempting to shield him from the beam of purple light heading his way, but Clara was unfazed.

"It's impossible to intercept Soul Magic like that," she calmly remarked.

The beam of purple light hit Cedric squarely, and the effect was immediate. His expression contorted in agony as if a thousand fiery needles were stabbing into his very soul. His limbs quivered, and his movements slowed.

“AARHHGGGHHHHHHAAAAA!” He let out a startling scream of pain.

Struggling to regain his composure, Cedric managed to choke out, "What have you done, you witch?!”

Clara explained to him calmly, "From this moment on, every time you dare to use your precious magic, you will feel this pain. Every spell you cast, every incantation you utter, will make you experience torment beyond your imagination. Oh wait…I misspoke. Even if you don’t cast a spell or use your magic, you will still feel bursts of pain at random moments. This Curse will remind you of this day and the consequences of your actions, every single time."

Cedric's eyes, still filled with the shock of the soul-wrenching pain, were now tainted with fear. The aura of arrogance that had surrounded him had vanished, replaced by the harsh reality of his predicament.

“Take it back! Dispel the curse on young master!” One of Cedric’s guards shouted at Clara.

Clara, however, merely sneered in response. "I can dispel it, but I never will."

Before anyone could react, Clara drew a dagger and drove it into her own throat with horrifying determination.

Her life extinguished before their eyes, leaving them all dumbfounded. She had been their only hope to remove the cursed affliction from Cedric.

Cedric's agonized screams pierced the air as he stared at the lifeless form of Clara. He gave an order, filled with venom and fury. "Retrieve that woman's corpse! I will personally dismember it and feed it to the dogs!”

But just as his guards were about to retrieve the corpse, a smoke bomb detonated near them, obscuring their vision and filling the entire area with thick, dark smoke.

"It's an ambush! Protect Young Master Cedric!" one of the guards shouted. They hastily erected defensive barriers, vigilant against an impending attack.

As the smoke dissipated, Cedric's gaze darted around, but Adrian had vanished. The earth tendrils that held him had been severed, and the bodies of Adrian's comrades were also nowhere to be found.

"GOD DAMNIT!" Cedric bellowed in frustration as he realized Adrian had slipped away. Moreover, Adrian had even taken away the corpses of his comrades, which prevented Cedric from mutilating those corpses in an attempt to satisfy his frustration.

~~

In the midst of the chaos, Adrian's savior happened to be none other than his former mentor, Roland.

"Well, it seems like we're safe here," Roland observed as they stood near his house. Thanks to the mayhem caused by the explosions and the demon raid, this area was currently deserted.

"So, what's going on? Why was that Lacroix brat tormenting you and your friends? I want the whole story," Roland inquired with genuine curiosity, gently laying down the lifeless forms of James and Elena.

Adrian lowered Clara's lifeless body and regarded Roland with a complex expression. His past had caught up to him in the most devastating way.

Adrian hesitated for a moment, the weight of his experiences pressing on him as he prepared to recount the grim tale.

"It's a family matter, Roland. Cedric is one of my older brothers. A pompous and cruel one at that. I was cast out of the Lacroix family because they thought I was too weak," he began, his voice tinged with bitterness.

Roland's brows furrowed, and he leaned in, giving Adrian his full attention.

“You are an heir of the Lacroix Family?!” Rolan exclaimed in disbelief.

Adrian’s expression became dark as he spoke, "I am no longer an heir. I was banished from the family after they discovered that I had no magic.”

Roland's eyes widened in understanding. He knew all too well about the Lacroix family's reputation.

Adrian continued, his voice shaking with a mix of anger and sorrow.

"Cedric... he used to torment me when I lived there. He blamed me for our family's disgrace. And today, he saw me and my friends fighting against demons. I don’t know why, but he attacked us. He killed my friends in front of me because he wanted to torment me. He wanted to break me completely.”

Roland listened intently, his face growing graver with every word. He could sense the pain and anger in Adrian's voice as he spoke about their fallen comrades, their struggle, and the torment inflicted by Cedric Lacroix.

When Adrian finished, Roland's aged features were etched with sympathy and understanding. He patted Adrian on the shoulder, offering some measure of comfort.

"We're going to make them pay for this, lad," Roland said firmly, his eyes reflecting the determination that had once made him Adrian's mentor.

"But first, let's give our fallen comrades the farewell they deserve."

Together, they began the solemn task of preparing their friends for a proper farewell.

It was a good thing that Cedric’s guards were quickly dealing with all the demons or else Adrian and Roland would have been forced to fight against the demons at this moment.

The sun was setting, casting an orange and pink glow across the city of Talbryn. The aftermath of the demon attack left the streets in disarray, but the citizens were resilient, working together to rebuild what was lost.

After burying the corpses of his friends, Adrian found himself in Roland's modest home. As the evening shadows lengthened, Roland led Adrian to the stable where he'd prepared a horse.

Adrian looked at Roland, his eyes filled with gratitude.

"I don't know how to thank you for everything you've done, Roland. You saved my life, and I'll never forget that."

Roland smiled, patting Adrian on the back.

"Kid, you don't have to thank me. You were a good student, and you've got your whole life ahead of you. Make it count and make our training worth it. Go out there and make a name for yourself, Adrian."

Adrian nodded, his determination shining in his eyes. With a final handshake and a silent promise, he mounted the horse and spurred it forward. The horse galloped away from the city, carrying Adrian into the unknown.