Overthink

"...Our goddess Malina.. Guide us home..." Joseph cast a spell to return to Vouna. The combined magic of teleportation and Broken compass led them to a place where the key to the next Gate of South was located. Not mountains, forests, hills, or palaces. This time they arrived at the ruins of a city.

Yes, the ruins of the first capital of the Vouna kingdom are a city called Galiterro. Thousands of years ago, the Vouna civilization was considered the most advanced. Trade, administration, to the development of education are all centered there. Multi-storey buildings with harmonious designs are stacked and separated from roads from highways to narrow alleys.

Currently, only the ruins of buildings in the form of walls that have been shattered to pieces. Some have even been overgrown with moss, vines and large trees such as banyan trees with thick hanging roots. Houses, restaurants, stations, post offices to school buildings that have been destroyed, the entire dead city is quiet and eerie even during the day. Those who had just arrived there somehow felt goosebumps.

“Are you sure it was your magic and the Broken Compass that brought us here Demigod?” asked Adryan who felt uncomfortable. His Beast instinct said something unpleasant in that place.

"Ehm.. Yes, I don't like this place myself.." Joseph replied while looking at the remnants of the glory of the city of Galiterro which has now been destroyed.

"... The arrow is pointing that way .." Andrew said, pointing at the direction of his compass arrow.

"Let's follow it..."

They also walked in the direction of the arrow, along the former road made of stone and clay. They followed the thousand years old path until they arrived at the hidden location of the Gate of South key.

"Wait? What's that? Like.. a blazing fire.." Peter saw something from a distance, something that blazed like fire, only pitch black..

"And the arrow of the Broken Compass pointed right on it..." Andrew said, still holding his magic compass.

Ryota's nose twitched as he sniffed, Adryan's ears perked up at the sound of the flames. The eternal flame that had been raging there for the past 2,000 years, to be precise when the Gate of South war broke out.

"You know what fire is Joseph?"

"Yeah..

it's not a common flame. For some reason the fire was never extinguished even though we have tried various ways to extinguish it. Starting by simple way from pouring water to using a purifying spell. 2,000 years ago this was the capital of our empire, the city of Galiterro..

In the past.. During the war, many of our people were affected by the Magia Gate of South and fought to the death.. The remaining among us fled to this capital because there was a magic barrier installed and it was much safer than surviving in other cities. On the way to the capital, a group of refugees rescued a Shapeshifter who was dying of a curse.

But upon arriving at Galiterro, the Shapeshifter blew his own soul here. In fact, we just saved him. The explosion created a fire of darkness that engulfed the entire city. Many of the war refugees were eventually killed because of it.. And the flame became a warning to us who are the true enemies of the dark .. " Joseph explained while still looking at the eternal fire. Since arriving at the ruins of Galiterro for some reason he has become quieter. Past events that seemed to warn him not to just trust the other 8 clans.

Most would surely wonder how someone from Mavr Lykos who was clearly across the ocean could arrive at Vouna which was in the central continent of the Arc Chaestra. The answer is simple, because he is a Shapeshifter. In the midst of the war the Shapeshifter who was devoured by the curse transformed into an eagle and flew through the ocean until he arrived at the land of Vouna. After flying away in a cursed body, he fell lying on the side of the road. According to Joseph's story, a group of refugees from out of town rescued him and took him to the capital Galiterro to get help. But unexpectedly, when he arrived at the refuge, the Shapeshifter exploded his soul and killed dozens of people there and destroyed the city.

"Is that so? Because of this you think my existence is different from the others? Hahaha don't tell me you also believe in the words "don't trust a Shape shifter.. they can 'change' anytime..." right..?? Damian asked with a grinning smile. Being considered as evil wasn't the first time he was a Shapeshifter.

Joseph smiled bitterly. He didn't know what Damian was thinking.

"Well whatever.. We've discussed it before at Asteria right? What happened during the war we know... Shouldn't we now forget the past and move forward? We're working together to save the world, you know..

Rising from adversity.. Enduring the pain.. Running, reaching the goal.. O darkness we adore..." Damian cast a spell and activated his magic. His fangs and fingernails slowly extended. His body was surrounded by Shapeshifter's signature Magia, purple Magia. A pair of eyes also glowed purplish following the color of his Magia. His robes were tossed by the great wind from his active magic.

Purple Magia is dark representative. It is not darkness that leads to misguidance or gloom, but the darkness that balances the universe. Night as a counterweight to day, black as a counterweight to white, even light requires darkness in its existence. That was the role of the Shapeshifter clan among the 9 Kingdoms.

Black flames equal to eternal flames blazed on Damian's body. The fire formed the shadow of a wolf. A wolf that seemed to jumping and howling to the moon. After wrapping himself up Damian stepped into the eternal flames. As if receiving an offering, the fire grew bigger and hotter.

Wrrhh.... Zrrrhh.... The terrifying-looking fire also made the 8 kings stay away. Even Ryota the holder of the fire element who first saw the black fire, was worried because he didn't know anything about the fire other than its black colour.

"What is Damian doing there?" Nathanael wondered while covering his face with his pair of wings, worried.

"..taking the key to the Gate of South.. I don't understand how but it seems he knows very well the magic he is using.." Andrew replied while analyzing the spells and magic that Damian used.

After a few minutes Damian stepped back together with the 2,000 year old black flames extinguished. Certainly not with his empty hands, a key decorated with Diamond he managed to get.

"This eternal flame is not extinguished because this is where the Alicorn left the key to the Gate of South.. You used a purification spell to extinguish it? Of course it won't go out because the Alicorn used a heaven spell to keep it burning.. That's why I broke the spell with my Magia, now? This fire is really extinguished right? I can get the key easily" Damian who was still clad in black flames explained briefly how he took the key to the Gate of South.

"The nickname Spirit of Darkness wasn't directed at me for no reason.

The flames and purple Magia blazing on Damian's body slowly extinguished. His fangs and nails became normal again as well as his eyeballs. He returned to his usual appearance.

"Over the past hundreds of years.. we have learned to control darkness. not the other way around.. in this world where there is light there must be shadow. There is day and night.. darkness in us is something that must exist and be balanced.. If I am indeed an evil why did I bother looking for 9 keys with you guys in the first place?” Damian added again who then threw the key at Joseph.

The Father of Demigod sighed as he thought about his current feelings. He also admitted that what Andrew and Erick discussed at Asteria was right. It's been 2,000 years since 9 clans have been enemies, wouldn't starting a friendship be a good start for Arc Chaestra's life?

He glanced at Damian, the Spirit of Darkness was now joking with Peter and Andrew. Erick the Dragon was also having a light chat with Nathanael and Cyrus while Adryan and Ryota were talking to each other in their language. His gaze then turned to the blue sky, which at that time was bright. The wind gently brushed against the ruins in Gali terro, caressing the cheek of the Father of Demigod who was troubled by his own feelings.

".. A new start, huh?"