KINGDOM OF MAGIC

Zero Magic

Everyone stood in silence as the orcs' and high orcs fell one by one, as though there was no life in them on the first place. Smoke filled the air as their skin decomposed rather fast. They were at a loss for words. A student, looking at everything that has happened, turned around to the others and tears fell from his eyes.

"We won."

Consequentially, cries of victory erupted with the student at it's centre. Almost everyone began hugging and crying on each other's shoulders. It doesn't mean there were no casualties though. Some students were injured, but nothing fatal. The lessened casualties was due to Zora manipulating everyone's shadows.

Meanwhile... Castro, still standing in the air with glowing crimson red eyes, began breathing heavily. With blood flowing from his head, eyes and mouth, he released his sword and started falling to the ground.

"Huh? Oh... I'm falling..." Castro's eyes were growing weak, gradually closing by the second.

"At least I, at the very least, was able to protect my friends. On the plus side, I finally got my true magic..."

"I'm losing blood... It's cold" He muttered as he got closer to the ground.

"I guess this is it..." He closed his eyes finally as he was about to hit the ground, but was stopped by a black mass that finally encased him in a ball.

"Castro..." Jolie looked at Castro with so much worry in her eyes. Xero came to comfort her by hugging her. she just clinged to Xero, shedding tears silently.

"He's alive, I can assure you he's alive... I'm sure of it!" Xero said assertively.

Healing magic users gathered round Castro and began treating his wounds...

~Never knew you'd be here sooner...~

Castro opened his eyes, only to find himself in a red world. A thick black fog was rising from what seemed to be an abyss as Castro was standing in the air. A pair of red eyes and a distorted mouth appeared in the fog, giving off an eerie feeling.

"Who are you?" Castro said, feeling instinctual fear.

~Congrats on attaining true power. Though you needed a little push. You're welcome.~

"I said, who are you?!" Castro said, fear being drilled into his system now...

~Everything will be explained in due time. But for now, just know...~

The rising thick fog blew more violently, gradually coalescing until it resembled the figure of a human. The figure stretched its hand towards Castro as it looked into his eyes. Castro saw a familiar image and got shocked senseless.

~... I am you.~

"What's this power all about? And why was Gallus's magic unable to affect me?"

~Your magic is called Zero magic...~

"Does that mean I negated his magic?" Castro said, interrupting the figure.

~ No. What you actually did was revert his magic back to mana, though the effect is also known as erasure or negation~

"Oh." Castro said, finally understanding the concept.

"What else can I do with this power?" Castro asked

~ You'll have to learn that yourself...~

The figure paused midway.

~ Time to wake up, kid...~

The figure snaps its fingers as Castro disappeared from it's sight. It laughed lightly, then burst out in laughter.

~ His body will soon be mine! ~

∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

Castro opened his eyes groggily, like he was forced to. Everything was blurry and he could only make out shapes and figures. Voices whispered around him.

"Look, he's waking up."

"I thought he was dead though..."

"Oh, shut up!"

Castro finally saw everyone clearly. Xero and Jolie were standing beside him with worry in their eyes. Behind them were the students. He struggled to sit up on the bed after feeling a sharp pain on his hand, he looked at his left arm where he saw bandages. He then remembered the chain that Gallus had used to stab his left arm.

Looks like they healed my leg and chest wounds completely, so it's normal that they wouldn't bandage it again... Castro thought.

Zora walked into the room where Castro and the students were. Seeing that Castro had already woken up, a smile appeared on his face

"You did well." He nodded, looking at Castro. "We all did well! We beat Gallus and the orcs!"

"I bet the chefs are going to cook up a storm for us!" Alexander said, already salivating.

"Chefs? I thought all the citizens were evacuated." Castro said, wearing a confused face.

"Oh, yeah, we forgot to mention... You were out for two days." Jolie said with an awkward smile. She had left out that information. She also felt a little disappointed in herself, if everyone forgot to say this certainly not her!

"Two whole days! And no one said anything about it?!

"Even Zora forgot about it... Am I that unimportant?" Castro said, feeling a bit depressed.

Jolie let out a chuckle, which soon made everyone burst out in laughter. Castro looked at them, feeling downcast.

"It's not funny!" Castro retorted.

"It is! How could the person who said our lives be unimportant?" Lisa said, wearing a warm smile.

Castro realized his flawed statement. He fell silent for a while, tilting his head downwards. He realized everyone here was truly grateful to him for saving them. Tears fell from his eyes as he clenched his fist, he wiped his tears with the blanket he was laid with and looked at Lisa.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Castro smiled.

I never really saw how cute he really is. Lisa thought, her face reddening.

∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

Later in the evening, a banquet of some sort was thrown in the dining hall. Almost every student was salivating at the sight of the food in front of them, save for Xero and Zora. Shockingly, jolie was not exempted from this display of hunger. Then, Zora appeared in the dining hall with a glass in his hand.

"Today, we celebrate. Not only because we won the battle, but because we have refined ourselves into better mages, both in skill and character."

Zora paused and cleared his throat.

"Do remember that your magic knights contest, or examination to make it formal, is in three days. Do ensure that you practice daily before then. Cheers!"

"Cheers!!!!" Everyone responded as they ate to their heart's content.

Later on, as everyone else was celebrating, Castro left the gathering and went outside to the verandah. Usually, a person would rest on the balustrade, but Castro sat on it, gazing into the surrounding forest and the paved roads, and later into the night sky with the moon high above.

Xero and Jolie, noticing Castro's absence, left the large hall and looked for him. It wasn't long before the found him sitting on the verandah's balustrade.

"It's dangerous to sit there, you know?" Xero said, walking towards him and lightly patting his back.

Jolie stood there, silent.

"I'm tired of being saved... I want to save others for a change." Castro lamented.

"Good choice of words for a guy who saved Rein kingdom." Jolie said sarcastically, breaking the awkward silence of the last statement.

"You saved everyone, and you say you're tired of being saved?"

"I-I still made everyone worry..." Castro lampooned outwardly.

"One step at a time dude, one step at a time." Xero looked at Castro, who was facing the night sky.

Castro sighed and his sober countenance faded into a faint smile.

"One day, I'll be able to save without needing to be saved. That is, if you're not willing to give up on our bet." Castro stretched out his hand to Xero

"Wouldn't give it up for the world." Xero shook Castro's hand.