"Alright, then…"
Now that I had my satchel, I could use my tools to search for the Arcana I was looking for.
Since I knew it was with the madman that tortured the Kraken and its people, I could be sure that finding one would mean locating the other.
'I'll be killing two birds with one stone. Let's end this swiftly, then.'
However, there was one thing I could not foresee. It was a surprise that shook me down to every bone in my body.
'N-no way…'
The moment I put on my goggles and utilized the map to locate the Arcana and cluster of Nether, I found it in the location I never expected.
"No!"
~WHOOOOOOOSSSSSSHHHH!~
My heart pounded in my chest as I navigated through the swirling currents, my sense of urgency spurring me forward.
'It's the Goblin village!'
I had only been away for a short while, but now it was the epicenter of a significant Nether concentration.
That was impossible. Unless…
'The madman is there!'
Fear for Gobtia and her father gnawed at my stomach, turning it into a hollow pit. The open water seemed to stretch on for miles, mocking my desperate need for speed.
But as a Mage, I had resources.
"[Nether Warp]!" I chanted, the ambient Nether snapping to my command, wrapping around me.
In an instant, I was propelled forward, the scenery blurring past me as I moved at a speed that would have been impossible before.
The moment I emerged from the sea and closed in on my target location, the ominous atmosphere of the village hit me.
The once cheerful place was now eerily silent. Goblins who were usually laughing and chatting were now standing lifelessly, their eyes vacant.
They seemed to be under some kind of control.
"Damnit…" My heart sank.
And there he was. In the center of the village square, a man stood clad in a white lab coat, his hair a disheveled mess.
His eyes glowed with an unnatural light, an unhinged grin etched across his face.
The madman.
"I see the Kraken has found a new pet," he sneered, his gaze finding mine. He held up his hand, an orb pulsating with Nether energy.
The Orb seemed to contain the Arcana I was searching for. [The Emperor].
"It's quite pitiful, really, how it sent you here thinking you could defeat me."
My blood boiled, my hands curling into fists at my sides. "You've done enough harm. It ends here."
"Is that so?" he laughed, an eerie, cold sound that echoed off the silent village houses. His gaze swept across the entranced villagers.
"Well then, I do hope you're prepared for a fight. But that would be unwise… for your sake."
"You're crazy." I sharply retorted, watching him shake his head vehemently.
Clearly he didn't agree with my perception of him. The madman just stood there, a twisted smirk playing on his lips.
"You see, I'm a man of science, a seeker of truth."
His eyes, a chilling mirror reflecting my horrified gaze, held a flicker of madness. "And truth is only found through experimentation."
His grip tightened on the orb of Nether energy, and I watched in silence as he gestured to the entranced Goblins around us.
"Either you do as I ask, or their lives are forfeit. It's quite simple, really."
My heart pounded in my chest, my fists clenching at my sides.
'His goal is ultimately to capture the Kraken. He'll most likely utilize me me to get to it. Even then, I can't be sure of the safety of the villagers.'
I stared at him, defiance burning bright in my gaze. I would not let this man control me.
"You must think me naive," I began, my voice steady despite the whirlwind of fear and anger swirling within me. "You stand here, threatening innocent lives, and you expect me to just comply? To just bow down and obey?"
His laughter echoed off the silent village houses, a cold, chilling sound. "Well, you could try and fight me, but I assure you, the outcome will be the same."
I took a deep breath, my gaze hardening.
'He's probably right. The problem right now is that I'm exhausted. After fighting the Kraken, I've used up most of my energy and stamina. Plus, the Dark Waters had denser Nether energy, compared to this place.'
Still, I knew accepting his proposal would lead me nowhere too.
In the end, I was walking on thin ice. Depending on the cards I played, and how I went about this, everything could come crumbling down.
'I'll have to be very smart about this…'
Narrowing my gaze on the madman, and also spreading my senses to all the Goblins he had under his control, I prepared myself for my big move.
"So what will it be, young man?" I heard the madman ask.
However, deciding not to waste any time with a proper response, I initiated my move.
~WHOOSH!~
Determination thrummed in my veins as I sprang into action, calculating my every move with strategic precision.
The madman was strong, I could sense it in the overwhelming aura of Nether energy around him.
I had to prioritize the safety of the Goblins, and fast.
"[Grand Dome]," I called, focusing the energy within my core and radiating it outwards.
The spell was like a ripple in a pond, expanding out to form a barrier around the village, my attempt to ensure the madman did not call for reinforcements, or control the Goblins to leave my area of influence.
I didn't stop there. As the madman snarled, his frustration palpable, I turned my attention to the villagers themselves.
"[Restful Slumber]," I chanted, casting the next spell.
I felt the flow of my Nether connect with the villagers. One by one, they slumped, their bodies relaxed as a deep, dreamless sleep took hold.
Finally, I turned my attention back to the madman, a protective aura enveloping the unconscious Goblins. The last step of my strategy was to keep them safe from any stray energy bursts during the upcoming fight.
"Fortress Shield!" I invoked the third spell, the words ringing out in the silent night.
A dome of shimmering Nether energy sprung up around the villagers, encasing them in a protective bubble.
'With this, I should be able to fight freely.'
As for the reason why my opponent couldn't make as much as a single move during my preparation was due to me using Spellcraft to affect his position, allowing the earth he stood on to glue him in place, while also causing the air around him to press heavily on him.
Adding to the fact that my combination of Spells was almost instant, it was an inevitable victory on my end.
Then, turning to the madman, I let the determination blazing in my eyes speak for me.
"Your hostages are off the table," I declared, squeezing the little Nether left from my cores.
"Now, it's just you and me."
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[A/N]
Thanks for reading!
