Under The Grim Dark Sky

Chapter 2: Villainous Enemy

The bartender extended his arm, expressing dissatisfaction. "This isn't enough," he said.

The girl approached him and threw a punch, retorting, "If it's not sufficient, then just keep quiet." The people inside the bar were astonished by her actions.

The person she punched happened to be a well-known bounty hunter, but the situation didn't end there. Some rogues outside the bar joined in, throwing a chair at her face. Unable to dodge in time, she took the hit, causing her nose to bleed. Wiping away the blood, she braced herself as the rogues continued their assault.

However, this time, she managed to dodge their attacks. The bartender's refusal and the appearance of these unknown rogues only reinforced her belief that she was on a bounty mission.

"Come on! Get her!" one of the rogues shouted, rallying the others. Unfazed by her bloody nose, she harnessed her elemental powers.

Using the blood on her face, she created flames and unleashed them like a wild creature, causing panic and screams among the bystanders. Although she felt remorseful for the chaos she had unleashed upon this city, she had no choice.

The fight reached a stalemate after a while. Exhausted and having caused significant trouble, she could no longer continue the battle. Her mana, the source of her power, had been depleted rapidly.

As she tried to catch her breath, a golden ring talisman appeared around her, immobilizing her. She couldn't move or use her powers anymore. Her remaining mana was drained completely, and just as she was about to lose consciousness, a man appeared before her.

"We're sorry, Aster of Cluster Dome," he said, her head moving slightly due to the conflicting sounds that troubled her.

Felix woke up, he found himself cursing, causing even the nurse to consider transferring him to a psychiatric ward. But before he could give in to his frustration, a voice of a woman, likely in her twenties, spoke through the skull that was connected to him.

"We have successfully removed Aster from your life. Lin is most likely leading the execution, but where are you now?" The voice was abruptly cut off. The man, irritated by the interruption, slammed his head against the hospital wall. He couldn't decide whether to laugh or get angry.

"He clearly knows nothing to begin with. Otherwise, he would have searched for the girl's whereabouts. But how the hell did she get involved in our problem?!" He glanced at the clock, recalling that he had jumped out of the window at noon.

The nurse cautiously placed the bill on the table, fearing his outburst. However, he simply rolled his eyes at her actions, and she quickly scurried out of the room.

He needed to escape as quickly as possible. But it seemed impossible. There were no windows, and he had no way to exit without being noticed. Escaping through the window was not new to him, but it wouldn't work this time. He needed to find a solution before dealing with the consequences of his actions and explaining everything to the young master.

Avoiding further trouble, he cast a spell that posed no harm. A shadow swiftly moved around, searching for an unguarded exit. In less than a minute, the shadow found one, taking note of a sleeping guard. He and his master, hidden within the shadow, flew away unnoticed.

Using another spell, he made himself invisible for an extended period. They didn't stop at his master's condo but instead found themselves in an abandoned place where the girl had tortured. He had no intention of saving whoever they had captured, and he couldn't fathom why he had come here in the first place.

In the place he ventured, a chilling atmosphere engulfed the surroundings, accentuated by a sinister presence. The air was thick with the cawing of crows and the haunting sight of scattered skulls, creating an eerie backdrop to the macabre scene that unfolded before him. Lifeless bodies lay strewn about, their presence serving as a grim testament to the horrors that had transpired. The tortured landscape was awash with pools of crimson, both outside and within the confines of a ghastly chamber.

As he took each cautious step, the anguished cries and desperate screams reverberated through the air, reaching his ears like twisted melodies of torment. His searching gaze eventually fell upon a figure-a girl, unconscious and suspended in the air, her fragile hands outstretched, revealing an intricate seal etched upon her skin.

As if driven by an unseen force, Felix found himself drawn towards the unconscious girl, his steps guided by an instinct he couldn't fully comprehend. As he approached her, his shadow stretched out before him, enveloping her form and radiating an otherworldly aura. With a swift and purposeful motion, he extended his hand and grasped her delicate frame, freeing her from the ethereal bindings that held her captive.

A voice trembled from the shadows, barely audible amidst the tension that hung in the air. "Master, we had no choice but to seal her powers. We were aware of your imminent arrival, but we feared the consequences. We apologize for our actions, but we thought-"

Before the speaker could finish his sentence, he was abruptly lifted off the ground, his words choked by an invisible force that emanated from Felix's commanding shadow. The air thickened with an eerie silence, broken only by the faint sound of gasping breaths, as the hapless individual struggled futilely against his airborne predicament.

With a piercing gaze that betrayed a mixture of anger and determination, Felix held the insubordinate figure suspended, a testament to his formidable power. The room seemed to tremble in anticipation, aware of the dire consequences that awaited the offender who dared challenge his authority.

"I am the one destined to end her life, so do not dare interfere," Felix's piercing blue eyes darkened, their intensity magnified as his gaze fixated on Lin. Suspended in mid-air, Lin struggled for breath, his gasps echoing in the tense atmosphere.

A surge of unsettling power emanated from Felix, enveloping him like a shroud of ominous energy. His voice resonated with an eerie calmness, carrying an undeniable air of authority and determination. The weight of his words hung heavily in the air, a chilling reminder of the fate that awaited Lin.

Harnessing the depths of his mana, Felix summoned the arcane forces within him, channeling their immense power to execute a teleportation spell. In a flash of ethereal energy, he and the girl known as Aster vanished from their previous location and reappeared within the confines of the condo.

As they materialized, their surroundings shifted dramatically-a luxurious and serene condominium. The air now carried a sense of tranquility, the cacophony of screams replaced by the gentle hum of silence.

The condo exuded an opulence befitting its residents, adorned with newly-fixed lavish furnishings, intricate tapestries, and ornate sculptures. Sunlight poured in through floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm glow that illuminated the elegant space. The atmosphere whispered of comfort and security, providing respite from the terrors that lurked beyond its walls.

Gazing upon the still form of the unconscious girl. He sighed, a sound heavy with the weight of his responsibilities. Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, he settled himself onto his favored swivel chair.

His fingers reached out to the pen resting on the nearby table, their touch light and deft. As he picked it up, a mischievous smirk tugged at the corners of his lips, betraying a hint of his enigmatic nature. With a flick of his wrist, he set the pen spinning, a playful gesture that reflected his underlying confidence and a touch of whimsy.

The pen's twirling motion mirrored the spinning thoughts in his mind, each rotation representing a flicker of inspiration or a puzzle piece.

The smirk on his face hinted at an underlying determination.