081 - Resonance

The old Alchemist froze, the threads of Animus withering from his fingertips, his face twisted into a look of pure confusion staring at Magnus. The others fared no better - each of them felt as if a bucket of ice water had been thrown over them.

A profound silence reigned for a moment within the wood, only Magnus moved; in the middle of the clearing he appeared to all the world as a sandy haired youth, strong shoulders, a sturdy build; nothing particular or outstanding, no different to any peasant that could be found on a thousand different worlds.

One thought resounded like a peal of thunder in a clear sky: how can the Celestial know our names? How can he know who the Magister is? How can he know the names of the Martial Court cultivators?

A thousand suspicions arose in their minds all at once, a thousand horrific thoughts that Magnus could read their minds, that they were like open books to him - his plain face and plain appearance making him seem all the more devilish in the hearts of the seven.

Pontius was the first to have realized the strangeness of this place - that the forest was no longer an illusory place - as soon as he utilized the mountain sigil Domitia and Valerius knew it for certain; this was no longer the Ether - that indescribably odd sensation, that undeniable truth that their sweat, the goosebumps on their flesh - it wasn't just something they'd imagined.

"Magister!" Domitia cried out. "We have to go!"

"The Celestials marked, Magister!"

"Magister!"

"How does he know our names? Pontius, hey!" Dong-Geun cried out fearfully.

The air around Magnus crackled with blue electric arcs as the last vestiges of Pontius mountain sigil collapsed - its breaking brought Pontius back to reality - Magnus advanced over the collapsing strands of Animus straight at them. No strands of Vigour, no incantations; the youth fixed him with a malevolent glare, singling out the old Alchemist amongst all the others.

Pontius snapped out of his funk, his hands crackled with power, thick strands of blue electric Animus filling the space around him. In a flash a circle imprinted itself on the ground, several blazing glyphs formed into a larger sigil of many concentric circles.

"Attack! Attack!" Pontius roared, his sigils shooting straight at Magnus. "Don't just stand there, damn your eyes! Suppress the Celestial!"

Domitia and Valerius unleashed their abilities; dozens of glyphs and sigils poured onto Magnus' head. The white mist churned and boiled - eruptions of earth and leaves burst up with every new impact.

"Maintain the sigils! This is only a single Celestial - focus your attacks!"

Sung Hu formed a blade of Mens, shimmering yellow aura thick around the two Martial Court Cultivators. Prince Dong-Geun steadied himself against a tree trunk, in his eyes and around his throat several glittering sparks gathered, his veins bulging unnaturally.

"STOP!" Dong-Geun yelled, his aura mixing with the Alchemists Animus and crashing into Magnus.

Sung Hu cut through the air, his blade smashing down with the force of a lightning bolt.

Baqir and Zaynab begun a fierce chant, their voices faltering - the air around them trembled, but nothing happened - no sword, no beam of energy - the powers they had displayed within the Ether entirely useless.

Baqir and Zaynab coughed up a mouthful of blood, the gold flecks within their eyes dimming - they were the first to run; before Magnus had even advanced more than a few steps; vanishing with alacrity between the trees from where they'd come.

All sorts of colourful lights flashed and smashed into Magnus - the branches of the many trees bent and creaked losing hundreds of leaves.

Magnus advanced; the Alchemists sigils bursting against his skin, the sword of Mens breaking like a dry twig - all the force managed only to halt him for a moment - no matter what the Alchemists or others did, Magnus advanced.

Under the rainbow of flashing colours and lights Magnus felt his flesh and skin burst and crack, a boiling heat enveloping from every possible angle, an immense weight pressing down - more than he'd ever felt before, like a gigantic mountain crushing down on his head and shoulder. It wasn't enough - not nearly enough to stop him, not nearly enough to prevent him from putting one foot in front of another.

He'd walked for a month on the verge of death, going towards an uncertain future - this was nothing. The Alchemists, their robes and spells . . nothing else mattered - strong! I am strong!

Between him and the invaders was no more than a dozen paces; under the intense barrage he'd been slowed tremendously, but not enough!

"STOP!" Dong-Geun roared, his face a mask of terror. "STOP, STOP, STOP!" His commands fiercely

"Magister! We don't have any potions! Please!" Valerius and Domitia cowered behind Pontius, every ounce of force exhausted, their arms and fingers trembling.

"Attack!" Pontius roared, lashing out again and again.

"Magister . . "

Sung Hu took a position in front of Dong-Geun, both retreated to a side never once taking their eyes off Magnus.

Alone - Pontius, his red robes flying back - the old Alchemist, his eyes like two black stones, deep black circles beneath his eyes. Magnus reached the defensive circle, Domitia and Valerius fled into the swirling mist, Sung Hu lashed out a final time, taking Dong-Geun and falling back.

Magnus smashed the outer circle, a blaze of blue collapsing against his fist - a single step and he was right before the old Alchemist, hands outstretched.

His fingers grabbed Pontius shoulders, digging into the flesh, his knees buckling.

"AHHH!" Pontius screamed, sending blasts of Animus directly at Magnus.

"Alchemist . . Ahaha! Kneel!" Magnus pushed, forcing Pontius the ground. “You don’t remember me, do you?”

“AHH! Celestial scum! Damn your eyes, die! Die! Die!” Pontius struggled desperately, helpless in Magnus firm grip - still he managed to release dozens of strands of Animus from his fingers, each one like a needle digging into Magnus back but unable to break his skin.

“Tsk. Not even listening to what I have to say. Eh? All your friends have run away.” Magnus easily wrapped one hand around the old Alchemists throat. “I guess you’ll be the first one to go! Don’t worry, don’t worry - soon, soon enough I’ll send your little Festus with you to the afterworld!”

“Wait!”

Before Magnus could crush the life out of Pontius a voice echoed out through the whole forest, a hand fell upon Magnus’ shoulder. Next to him in the grove stood another man - a second Magnus!

“Wait! Do not kill him.” The second Magnus looked exactly like Magnus in every way, only his eyes were entirely gold.

“Not kill?”

“No . . Devour!”