Chapter 2: The legend
1044 Words
Logan’s brows furrowed in confusion.
“The exile of Caelus? Like the god in the legend?”
He had heard of the famous legend of Caelus, a fallen god, who was banished to earth for his wrongdoings.
The Kingdom of Nexus thrived because of its powerful army of mages, and these powers came from the gods who watch over the land. There had been many speculations about fallen gods, but merchants used their names to brand their products to get sales.
“Don't mind the name, it's just a healing potion I picked up.”
“How much did it cost?”
“Two hundred silver coins.”
“What?!” Logan's jaw hit the floor. That was enough to get a small house in the village he was from.
Von waved him off. “See it as a parting gift. I'm going to be transferred to a battlefield soon, they need more healers.”
“Oh.” Logan regained his composure, his heart sinking at the thought of her leaving. “I didn't know.”
Von smiled at him. She had taken a liking to Logan because he reminded her of her younger brother. Her brother had unfortunately died of a deadly illness, and soon after she gained her healing powers, so she was dedicated to using it to help others.
“I’ll miss you brat.” she ruffled his hair and was shocked he didn't pull away. This warmed her heart.
Logan's eyes stung with unshed tears. The gesture caught him off-guard and he hadn't fully processed the fact that she was leaving. Now he would truly be alone.
He appreciated the gift, but it was too expensive. He felt she would be better off using it on a more formidable mage instead of wasting it on him.
“I can't accept this.” Logan tried to give her back the potion, but Von evaded him, using her magic to push him out the door. “Hey!” he resisted, but Von only blew him a goodbye kiss.
“Stay out of trouble while I'm away brat.” the door closed shut, and before Logan could reach for it again, the bell echoed around the hall.
The day had come to an end, and Logan had managed to stay out of trouble till the sunset. Now he made his way back to his dorm, grateful for the dim glow of the moon to light his path. He couldn’t help but think of Miss Von, hoping she would be alright wherever she’s transferred to. He hated to admit it, but he would miss her.
As he turned a corner, he stilled as he stumbled upon a group of students huddled together, their eyes glowing with an eerie light. Logan gasped, realizing they were performing forbidden spells, their magic swirling around them like a vortex.
He couldn’t believe his eyes, forbidden spells could cause expulsion and even an arrest, but here they were indulging in it like it was nothing. He had to get out of there, and fast.
Logan tried to slip away unnoticed, but it was just then the spell got out of control, and a stray blast of magic struck him, sending him crashing to the ground.
The students' eyes widened in horror as they realized what they had done. "Oh no, oh no, oh no," one of them whispered, backing away from Logan who laid a limb on the ground.
They knew they had to report this to someone. Afraid of getting caught, they reached out to Aira Flynn.
Aira listened to their frantic tale, her expression unreadable. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it," she assured them, her voice dripping with sweetness.
But as soon as the students were out of sight, Aira's demeanor changed. She sneered at Logan's unconscious form, her eyes flashing with contempt.
"You're nothing but a weakling, Logan," she spat, kicking him in the stomach. "You're not even saving."
With a flick of her wrist, Aira sent Logan's body flying into an abandoned ditch on the outskirts of the academy. She watched with a satisfied smile as he landed with a thud, his body broken and battered.
"It's too bad though, now I have to find a new toy," she whispered, turning to walk away. “You were beginning to bore me anyway.”
As Aira disappeared into the darkness, Logan lay there, his breathing shallow. He had heard everything Aira said, and now he wondered why she hated him so much. Or was it just her nature as a sadist?
Was it his crime to be born weak? Had the gods finally forsaken him?
Tears rolled down his cheeks, his chest tightening with regret. Logan wanted to succumb to his fate, knowing his death wouldn't mean much to anyone, but then Miss Von’s smile flashed in his mind.
‘Take this if you get hurt again.’
The potion. He recalled.
With the little strength he had left, he reached into his robe to retrieve it, hoping it would at least keep him alive till someone found him.
He fumbled for the bottle,
but he was shocked to see that it had transformed into a precious stone that glowed with an otherworldly energy.
Despite his confusion, Logan
knew he had to act fast. He swallowed the stone whole.
****
Logan jolted up with a gasp. His chest heaved, and he was stunned to find himself in his bed.
“What? Was that all a dream?”
It could be a dream. He thought he could vividly remember the unimaginable pain and Aira's sickening voice. But as he looked down at himself, he saw that he was completely unarmed.
“The hell?”
Was the potion that powerful? Even still, it didn't explain how he ended up in bed.
"Greetings, Logan,"
Logan froze, his heart skipping a beat.
A foreign voice just echoed in his mind, its tone low and commanding.
"I am Caelus, a fallen god. And you, Logan, are now my vessel."
Logan's eyes widened in shock as the voice continued to speak, its words dripping with power and menace.
And as he lay there, frozen in awe, the voice in his head began to laugh, the sound echoing through Logan's mind like thunder.
- Writer
