Reincarnated as the Lady Prodigy

Fifty-Two

The Centurions 3

Alarkson, as an ancient dragon learned to adapt to the reality that humans for him are simply children regardless of how old they are. The concept of time is nonexistent for someone like him or rather for four of them.

However, how long was it? At what age was he when someone mindlessly attacks him?

Alarkson couldn't remember because of various reasons but it's mainly because, one, those who attack him ended up suffering ten times the attack given to him, attacks which did not scratch a single scale of his, secondly, he was far too uninterested to care who attacked him. It would take years for him if he counts how many tried to take him down.

Humans who attacked him in the past were creative. They did countless means in hopes of taking at least one of his scales, which are fruitless anyway. He experienced attacks physically, magically, mentally, and more but not once did someone attacked him this way.

Alarkson scoff. "Using dreams to manipulate my emotions and make me do their bidding," He said looking at the familiar-looking room. "How bold that woman was."

As expected, it did not take more than ten seconds for the door to open and revealed his Mistress' face with a small on her face. It was the usual smile, if Alarkson did not know any better he would believe that in front of her is really his Mistress.

"Alarkson, have you been waiting for a long time?" His fake Mistress asked.

He stared at her for a couple of seconds before he decided what his next step would be.

'I shall give her a moment of my precious time then.' Alarkson decided although forced. He would like to see what that woman is up her sleeves using his Mistress' face.

He quickly got on knees to pay respect - which his real Mistress Jozine would never allow.

"I pay respect to my Master," He greeted head low.

"That's enough, Alarkson, just have a seat."

"Yes, Master," Alarkson replied.

He would never address the woman in front of him the same way he addresses his Mistress Jozine.

This woman in front of him who wears the face of his Mistress, the room they are in which is the complete opposite of the bloody battlefield outside the city's walls, his Mistress' room – its replica – these are all product of a magic called Deviant Dream Magic. It has the same principle as Dream Magic but it's twice as powerful, sometimes even more.

While Dream magic is viewed positively, Deviant Dream magic is viewed with skepticism even back when Alarkson was a little younger – about several hundred years ago. Dream magic is viewed in a good light because it helps people recover their vitality by providing them with good dreams, the person's most inner desire – whether good or bad – will be shown as that person's dream, but aside from this reason, the very important factor why Dream magic is perceived as 'good' is because it does not invade a person's memories. It simply shows a dream of what that person wants to see or experience, and there is no more than that. It is literally a dream where once the person falls asleep, the magic is over, in some cases, it is even forgotten by the dreamers. Some people do not notice the magic has been placed on them.

On the other hand, Deviant Dream is similar but opposite, similar to Dream magic that can illustrate people's desires, however, unlike Dream magic which needs the person to be asleep, it can be cast while awake, thus, it often leads to confusion since the person is conscious, but the very basis of why Deviant Dream magic is viewed in a negative light is because it dives unto the person's memories, through this process, the dream will then initiated, however, in this case, the dream itself can be manipulated because of the records taken from the memories, the dream can be altered, sometimes from real memories. That is why instead of calling it a dream, it is better to assume that once a person is under the influence of Deviant Dream magic, it is no longer a dream but an illusion.

Alarkson glance at his Mistress but looked down again. Alarkson is an ancient dragon, as such this type of magic might be powerful but in his eyes, it is but a child's play. One that he hopes to be interesting but he knows not.

Still, he will play along. He would like to know how that woman will manipulate his Mistress in this illusion, however, he will make sure that whatever disrespect is shown to him and his Mistress Jozine will be paid twice or more in real life.

"Say Alarkson, I have been troubled lately."

Alarkson's lips curved a smile. Aha, the woman manipulating his Mistress – was her name Amanda? Oh, it is!

The woman named Amanda who appeared out of nowhere when he thought he was done cleaning up the monsters suddenly introduced itself to him after she deliberately coerced him into being hers. Ah, now that he's reminded of that shameless woman, he can't help his goosebumps from rising. That woman looked at him as if he was her meal. When he flatly rejected her the people around him all suddenly dropped to the ground, the next thing he knew he is inside his Mistress' room.

"Why Master? Is something bearing weight in your mind?" He replied playing along with her.

"Oh, indeed I am! You know me well, Alarkson..."

It was unnerving how the woman in front of her looked exactly like his Mistress.

'Ah, she did read through my memories.'

Memories of which he purposely manipulated. There is no way he would expose himself or his Mistress in danger. His memories lie in the void...

And those who have seen the void can never go back.

He bowed to her, "Please Master, do not hesitate to tell me your worries. I am your most loyal retainer, it is my duty to help you in many ways if you so desire. Order me, and whatever it is Master, I shall obey."

"Really...?"

With Alarkson's face looking down, his expression darkened. It was obvious. When the illusion of his Mistress spoke just now, he heard the malice and anticipation on her voice, he also heard the hint of Amanda's voice she tried too hard to cover.

Alarkson decided then, Amanda must be taken to the void.

"It is my oath to Master,"

He added and waited for her response.

After a couple of seconds, the illusion of his Mistress replied.

"If that is the case... I want the duke and the marquess' head... Alarkson."

Alarkson grew rigid.

How dare... how dare she twist her Mistress' words!!!

Deviant Dream magic. One of the requirements needed to activate a very powerful spell of this magic is an uncertain and vulnerable mind.

It twists the memories of the person and changes their belief into what the casters want.

This magic is very effective for those who are suffering mentally and those who have a weak mind.

But, he is Alarkson, an ancient dragon.

"Mhm," he responded then raised his head to look straight into the illusion's eyes. What he sees is beyond his Mistress' illusion, it was Amanda's eyes. "For twisting the important commands given to me by my Mistress. You, woman named Amanda..." as Alarkson's magic surged through, the dream – illusion that covered him disappeared like a blown fog in a hazy forest. In front of him is a trembling Amanda, around there are the people who fought with him laid on the ground, some who were alive are now dead, it was obvious. They killed themselves. Some are still struggling and fighting off Amanda's magic.

When Alarkson turned in Blake's direction, what seemed like a cocoon of darkness is covering him.

Blake, too, is protected by the void.

With Alarkson's apathetic eyes, he gazes at Amanda.

"The void welcomes you, Amanda,"

Above Amanda's head and below her formed two magic circles, those magic circles then turned dark, and suddenly the space c***k, like an open door, the magic circles turned into huge bottomless darkness, from that dark space, the darkness above Amanda's head descended multiple hands and grabbed her upper body, beneath her also rose multiple hands that grabber her lower body. In opposite directions, they grab Amanda, by doing so, the opposite cracks of darkness stretch until from her head and foot, the darkness swallowed her slowly as her body disappeared. The cracked space with endless darkness on the other side slowly closed, before it did, a small dark hand waved its hand on him.

Alarkson chuckles. Ah, he missed the void. He's certain the void misses him too, after all, he is the Ancient Void Dragon.

The ruler of the endless abyss of lost drifters.

He glanced at his surroundings and lifted Amanda's spell, he then chanted the spell for Dream magic for those who are still alive.

Alarkson felt pity for the people who died while he was 'playing along' with Amanda. He would take them to the void if it was him from the past, however, he decided not to and simply blessed the deceased.

Alarkson sat on the ground then looked up to the sky wondering when the slumbered gods will awaken.

He hates the gods. He despised them, the four of them did, because of them, they lost their Mistress.

'If only they kept their wars to themselves...'

-

Her name was Zaire Levi, it was the name known only to a few, those who grew up with her in the slums, those who she worked with when she was busy trying to work for a living, finally, it’s a name her best friend, Kyla said to be cool.

When she became an informant, her life was always in danger but it helped her earn money, though she often acted as if she was broke, her money existed. She couldn't live a life flaunting her wealth though, if she did, she would not last a day alive.

She earned money solely to help the person who helped her the most. Zaire believed in the concept of giving back what was given to her.

She was on the brink of death after running away from the politician whose career she f****d up when she released all the skeletons in his closet. The type of secret that one would keep buried on the deepest ground, of course, she was still able to dig it and showed it to the world. Because of that, her head was wanted, thus she almost died. But then, Kyla saved her. She was only fifteen then, she was a little arrogant because she was able to mess that shitty politician’s life. Ah, it was the first time she almost got a meet and greet with death.

She continued being an informant her sole purpose was to earn loads of money to pay back Kyla, whose life is in a jumbled mess than hers. Yeah, it was cliche but who cares, she was saved when she almost died, who cares what other people think. Try almost dying then be saved if you can still think that way.

Kyla became her best friend after all that has happened, she was also the last person she waited earnestly until she suddenly became Jozine. Zaire never met Kyla after she gave her a box of her favorite chicken afterward.

It crossed her mind some time ago that maybe, just maybe, Kyla betrayed her. She gave her location away to those who were hunting her down but she quickly shrugged the idea off.

Kyla trusted her and she trusted Kyla. Now that she has become Jozine, regardless of what Kyla did, it does not matter. For her, it’s better that she doesn't know what Kyla did.

It was her decision because she is no longer on Earth... So then, why?

Why is Kyla in front of her?

Eating fried chicken at that.

What the heck is going on?

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To be continued...