Chapter 6: Dark Magicians
1241 Words
Darius watched from the rooftop as a group of men shattered the academy’s magic shield with eerie precision. Beside them stood a red-haired woman, someone he recognized immediately.
So that’s why they brought in a new Potions professor. It's because the past professor is busy with something else.
His fingers twitched at his sides. The barrier had never been breached before—not once in the academy’s history. Whoever these people were, they had a plan. A coordinated attack.
He hoped Ilony was inside her dorm, away from this chaos.
But she wasn’t.
Darius clenched his jaw. Dammit, Ilony. His concern twisted into fear. He knew better than anyone what would happen if she pushed herself too far. That cursed heart of hers—was both a shield and a ticking bomb. He had witnessed the truth when they were children, the moment her terrifying power had awakened.
He forced himself to exhale. She’s stronger now. She has to be.
From his vantage point, he saw Ava running toward Ilony. Relief washed over him. At least she wasn’t alone.
Still, something felt off.
Darius narrowed his eyes and descended from the rooftop, his shadow magic carrying him soundlessly into the forest surrounding the academy. His gut told him to stay hidden—to observe.
Then, a flicker of movement caught his eye.
At the edge of the academy grounds, just beyond the broken barrier, a group of cloaked figures whispered amongst themselves. Darius melted into the shadows, pressing himself against the nearest tree, listening.
“She struggled with her magic.” One of them muttered.
“She’s not as strong as we thought. We need to report back.”
Another scoffed. “That prophecy must have been a sham.”
Silence.
Then, a sharp voice cut through the murmur. “Fool. You doubt our master’s premonition? We were sent here for a reason. If it’s not her, then someone within this academy is the one we seek. We will find them.”
Darius’s fists curled. So they were after Ilony.
He was about to follow them when—
A scream.
Ilony’s name.
Darius didn’t think. His body moved on instinct. His magic swallowed him whole, and in the next moment, he was standing at the edge of the training grounds.
Ilony was on the ground.
Unmoving.
Ava knelt beside her, shaking her shoulders desperately. Panic was clear in her wide, teary eyes.
“I-Ilony?” Ava’s voice wavered. “Please, wake up. You’re scaring me.”
Darius wasted no time. He stepped forward, scooped Ilony into his arms, and turned toward the academy.
Ava blinked up at him, stunned. “W-Wait, Darius—where are you—?”
“The infirmary,” he said shortly.
Ava hesitated, then nodded, quickly following behind.
Darius didn’t look back. Didn’t slow down.
Because Ilony was too still in his arms.
And he knew better than anyone—if she didn’t wake up soon, she might never wake up at all.
The infirmary smell like herbs and magic. The moment they arrived, the nurses rushed to take Ilony, laying her down on one of the beds.
“She’s in severe magic exhaustion,” one of the healers murmured. “But something else is…”
Her voice trailed off as she placed a glowing hand over Ilony’s chest.
A beat.
Then her face paled.
“Her heart—”
Darius was already moving. He grabbed the nurse’s wrist, his eyes dark. “Don’t touch it.”
The nurse flinched, confused. “But—”
“Just heal the magic exhaustion,” he cut in, voice like ice. “Anything else, and you’ll make it worse.”
The nurse hesitated, then slowly nodded. With a flick of her wrist, the magic shifted, focusing on replenishing Ilony’s drained energy.
Ava hovered beside the bed, wringing her hands. “Why did she push herself so hard?”
Darius didn’t answer. He just stared at Ilony’s unconscious form.
She looked peaceful.
Like she wasn’t trapped in the nightmare of her own magic.
He wanted to tell Ava that Ilony had always pushed herself too hard. That deep down, some part of her was still trying to prove something—to someone who wasn’t even watching.
After hours..
Ilony’s breathing had steadied. The soft glow of healing magic had faded, leaving her pale but stable. The nurses stepped back, murmuring amongst themselves.
“She should be fine after some rest,” one of them assured Ava.
Ava exhaled shakily. Her fingers curled into the fabric of her sleeves as she glanced at Ilony’s sleeping form. Relief flooded her chest, but the tension in her shoulders didn’t ease. Something about all of this felt wrong.
Still, she had no choice but to leave. She needed to report everything to the professors.
Ava turned to Darius. “Stay with her.”
Darius didn’t respond at first, only watching Ilony in silence. Then, with a slow nod, he sat down beside the bed.
Ava hesitated, her lips pressing together. There was something unreadable in his expression, something distant. But there was no time to dwell on it.
She wiped at her eyes before turning away. “I’ll be back soon.”
As she stepped out of the infirmary, she cast one last look over her shoulder. Ilony lay motionless, Darius seated beside her, his expression unreadable.
Then the door shut behind her.
Silence.
Darius leaned back in his chair, exhaling.
She was still the same.
Even after all these years, even after everything—Ilony still threw herself into danger without hesitation. Fighting S-class monsters like it was nothing. Pushing herself beyond her limits. As if she didn’t care what happened to her.
As if she still had something to prove.
Darius’s gaze softened slightly as he studied her. Even like this—drained, vulnerable—she still looked the same. Long black hair spread across the pillow. Dark lashes resting against her pale cheeks. Her small face peaceful in sleep, as if she weren’t constantly throwing herself into chaos.
She was still beautiful.
Still the same stubborn girl.
His hands curled into fists.
She would never remember.
The truth, their past—none of it existed to her anymore. And he had no right to remind her.
All he could do was stay in the shadows. Watch from a distance. Pretend they had only met a week ago. His heart ached even more.
Ilony… please wake up.
He leaned in slightly, his fingers twitching at his sides.
Don’t make me worry like this again.
For a moment, he allowed himself to be close, to watch the gentle rise and fall of her breathing, to let himself remember—
Then—
The infirmary door swung open.
Ava froze in the doorway, her eyes widening.
Darius straightened immediately, face unreadable. He stood as if nothing had happened, his usual cold expression slipping back into place.
Ava stared at him suspiciously, glancing between him and Ilony.
Darius met her gaze evenly. Then, his voice calm, he said, “Don’t mention this to anyone.”
Ava opened her mouth as if to protest—but then she stopped. Something about the way he said it, the quiet weight in his tone, made her hesitate.
Finally, she sighed. “Fine.”
Darius simply nodded, turning his attention back to Ilony.
Ava watched her for a moment longer before stepping outside.
The room fell into silence once more
- Writer
