Chapter 30

Chapter 30

The invisible monster began its merciless walk.

Like a predator, its sight locked on the vulnerable prey— the humans on the ground. They were the easy ones, always lacking in ingenuity and guts. Terror was their maker and ruler. 

Ignoring the screams of its prey, the monster sneered as it found a new group of fresh humans. 

"I am having a bad feeling about this. Where do you think the monster is? It's been awfully quiet. Do you reckon it's scared? We have the numbers against it."

"Dunno. We cannot be complacent. It has already shown its ability to tear through groups easily."

"You are right. I'll pay extra attention."

"Use your ears and heart, the eyes are irrelevant here. All we need to do is buy Sereya Voss some time to work out her sigil."

Slowly, the monster stalked this new group. It had mastered the laws of the hunt, nothing could sense it, especially in its territory. Still, it proceeded with caution. The relationship between predator and prey was always fickle. One could even call it cold. In the blink of an eye, a prey could turn into predator, and predator to prey. The predator who keeps absolute advantage in its hunts is the most fearsome kind to encounter.

The monster knew to avoid errors while hunting. There would be no change of situation during its joyful hunt.

 It lunged for an already frightened prey, biting the young boy's flesh with its fangs. Blood sprayed on the ground and the invisible form of the monster became slightly revealed.

"Ahhh, It's here!! It's here!!! Somebody save me. Somebody, help me. Hel—"

That was as far as the young boy went before the monster clawed his heart and munched on it with a vile smile plastered across its sinister face. However, in the next moment, a dagger pierced through its rough hide. The monster yelled in pain  as it turned to its attackers. Its eyes vibrated tensely, donning an expression it was unfamiliar with— confusion.

How did this bunch of prey track it?

Amongst the group, Wallon's voice echoed in the wind, "Your arrogance has led to your death, monster. Did you really think you can breeze past a group of mystics without suffering any backlash? We may not be able to see you but we can still touch you. Let's have fun together, monster. It's only right we make you feel just as we felt."

The group turned fiery after the first death. Their bodies glowed intensely as they engaged in combat with the invisible monster. Sparks erupted as the group blindly attacked where, hoping to corner the invisible monster. The attacks were successful but their numbers dwindled rapidly as the monster's retaliation increased. As the saying goes, an animal is at its most dangerous when cornered.

Suddenly, pillars of flames emerged from the vicinity, forming a barrier that enclosed the group. The scorching heat radiating from the pillars sent waves towards the group, but they were wildly unaffected by it. Or rather, they were never the target.

A monstrous shriek tore through the air as the heat waves intensified. The monster found itself trapped in some sort of barrier akin to a gigantic boiling pot. Its skin flared and its invisibility began to wane. 

Wallon's voice echoed again. "How do you like it? My good friend Methe sure knows how to cook an excellent barrier. Since you like hiding in territories so much, I figure why not make one for you right here. However, a word of advice, stay away from the pillars and you better hope your survival skills are up to the task because we are coming for you."

The monster dashed towards the flame pillars in an attempt to leave the scorching barrier. Out of nowhere,  the air around it exploded vengefully, sending the monster hurtling back towards the group. It squirmed in pain and went into hiding before the group could track it down.

'Well, I warned it,' Wallon shook his head as he watched this all unfold from his vantage point.

'The plan is looking good so far. Methe's barrier is far more powerful than I expected. For the prime secret art of arcane sigil ❰Prison Warden Helia❱, it sure isn't moderate in style. I will have to watch out for it in case I face it in the further stages of the examination. It is a real nasty one to encounter.'

'Still, the plan is fully in motionnow. The monster is trapped and it is now easier to track. It's concealment magic should be on the verge of breaking, but I don't reckon it will disperse any time soon. We need more pressure. It's go time.'

"Sereya Voss, the plan is going smoothly. Your time has come," Wallon signaled to Sereya who was at his side. 

There was a reason the two nobles were able to reach an alliance that quick. They needed each other. Sereya had great need for the firepower and vast network of the group, while the Wallon wanted Sereya for her uniqueness. In the entire examination, he was willing to bet there was no one with unique abilities like hers.

Sereya clenched her fist firmly and approached the last location the monster was spotted at. "Give me space, guys. Move to the side."

"Lady Sereya, I'm not sure— "

Sereya shook her head and said, "I need space to work this out. Now. Don't get in my way. I can protect myself."

The group distanced themselves from Sereya. They guarded her perimeter silently, letting her work her magic in peace

Sereya Voss closed her eyes as soon as she saw the group leave. Her arcane sigil mark on her back buzzed incessantly.

"I know you are there. There is no need to hide. You want to kill me, right."

As she spoke, Sereya bit her hands, blood seeped out of the tiny wounds. She smiled and swirled her fingers in the air as though she was writing on a canvas.

She whispered, "❰Arcane Sigil:  Serene Lover❱"

Her arcane sigil pulsed as her eyes glowed slightly. However, that was all. There were no changes in her appearances. She appeared mundane, the same person she has always been.

"The path beyond Class-2 is heavily tied to arcane sigils. After awakening, Initate must uncover the truename of their sigils. Once they have grasped the ability to speak their sigil to existence, their abilities drastically improves. From there, evertyhing else is under one cotninous process called the Craft."

"There, Initiate must create an incantation for their sigil. Then, craft a beacon– a set of ritualistic actions tgat stimulates their sigil. Finally, thr Initiate delves into their sigil, unveiling its nature and attaining balance. In return, they are rewarded with secret arts."

Sereya closed and whispered a silent chant. She then cocked her head at the empty air, "In the world of the supernatural, one of the common laws is that prime secret arts of sigils are always the most effective. Initiates our age have only uncovered one or two secret arts, leading to our over-reliance on these prime secret arts."

"Why am I telling you this? Well, that's easy. You see, I'm trying to distract you and throw you off. Plus, my prime secret art demands a state of rest. Now, let's begin…"

"❰Prime Secret:  Fallen Grace of the Serene Angel❱."