Chapter 17 – The Last Dark Magician

The ruins hummed with an ancient, oppressive energy. As Reyon and his squad stepped cautiously across the moss-covered stones, a sudden tremor shook the ground beneath them. Dust and debris fell from the ruins, and before anyone could react—

BOOM!

A massive stone golem erupted from the ground, its colossal body formed of jagged, ancient rock. Glowing blue inscriptions pulsed across its chest as if channeling the energy of the ruins themselves.

"A Guardian," Sylph muttered, stepping back, her golden hair whipping in the wind.

The golem raised its arms, and intricate runes glowed along its body. The air crackled with mana as it unleashed a barrage of Earth Spears, each projectile sharp enough to pierce solid steel.

Reyon's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Vector Manipulation: Deflect."

With a simple motion of his fingers, he altered the trajectory of the spears, sending them flying off-course, narrowly missing his squad. The golem's empty, glowing eyes locked onto Reyon—recognizing him as the strongest threat.

Sylph took a step forward. "That thing is enchanted! Normal spells won't work easily!"

The golem roared, gathering mana in its stone palms. The earth trembled as a towering Rock Wave surged forward like a tsunami, threatening to swallow everything in its path.

Reyon raised a hand, and magic circles shimmered in the air.

"Vector Expansion: Mana Flow Disruption.(σ)"

As the Rock Wave surged forward, Reyon altered the mana density within the attack, dispersing its energy before it could fully form. The entire spell collapsed into dust before reaching him.

The golem staggered, seemingly confused at how its magic was neutralized so effortlessly. But before it could react, Reyon countered with his own spell.

"Compressed Wind Blades."

Dozens of razor-sharp wind vectors materialized around him, spinning at supersonic speeds. With a flick of his fingers, he launched them at the golem. The air howled as the blades tore into the guardian's rocky form, leaving deep cracks along its body.

But it wasn't enough.

The golem suddenly raised its arms, and the ground lit up with runes.

"Mana Absorption Protocol Activated."

Reyon's eyes widened.

It was draining ambient mana!

The cracks in its body began sealing up, the damaged stone regenerating at an alarming rate.

"Damn, so it has a built-in recovery function?" Reyon muttered.

The golem launched its counterattack, summoning Earthen Chains that shot toward Reyon like vipers, aiming to restrain him.

"Vector Acceleration: Redirection!"

Instead of dodging, Reyon altered the direction of force, making the chains swerve mid-air and slam into the ground harmlessly.

He exhaled, analyzing the situation. It keeps regenerating as long as it has access to mana… I need to sever its energy source.

His fingers curled into a fist.

"Fine, let's end this."

He compressed water mana into a thin, concentrated blade—a Water Blade enhanced by Vector Acceleration.

The air distorted as the water blade became razor-sharp, vibrating at extreme speeds. He dashed forward, dodging another Earth Spear, and in one swift motion—

SLASH!

The blade cut directly through the golem's core, slicing apart the mana-conducting runes engraved inside.

The glowing inscriptions flickered and shattered.

The golem froze, its massive form trembling.

Then, with a final groan, it crumbled into dust.

The squad watched in awe as Reyon landed gracefully, flicking the remnants of water from his hand.

Before he could catch his breath, however—

A slow clap echoed through the ruins.

Reyon's head snapped toward the source. A cloaked figure emerged from the shadows, his presence thick with ominous energy.

The symbol on his cloak sent a chill down Reyon's spine.

It was the mark of the Dark Magicians.

The Conversation with Marcus

Reyon's fingers instinctively twitched, ready to summon his vectors again. "I thought all the Dark Magicians were wiped out," he said coolly. "How are you still alive?"

The cloaked man took a slow step forward, the air around him pulsing with dark mana. "I am Marcus," he said, his voice deep and measured. "One of the last descendants of the Dark Magicians."

Sylph tensed beside Reyon, hand on her sword. "Dark Magicians… the same ones who created Cerberus?"

Marcus let out a quiet chuckle. "Yes. We are the ones responsible for that monstrosity." His voice grew darker. "And the ones nearly annihilated by it."

Reyon frowned. "Then how did you survive?"

Marcus sighed, looking up at the sky as if reminiscing. "A fair question. Tell me, do you truly believe Cerberus remains in the central zone out of mere choice? That it lacks the power to break free and destroy the Elise and Brook Empires?"

Reyon stiffened. He had assumed it was merely territorial—but now that Marcus mentioned it, it didn't make sense. If Cerberus was as powerful as history described, it should have long since conquered the human realms.

"The truth is," Marcus continued, "Cerberus is sealed."

Sylph inhaled sharply. "Sealed? By who?"

Marcus's gaze darkened. "By the same person who saved my people."

Reyon's heart pounded. If Cerberus was already sealed, that meant—

"The seal is weakening, isn't it?" Reyon said suddenly.

Marcus turned his full attention to Reyon, eyes narrowing beneath his hood. "…How do you know that?"

Reyon clenched his fists. Because I lived through it.

"A year from now," he said grimly, "Cerberus will rampage again. And only my grandmother, Min Hee, will have the power to subdue it temporarily. But at great cost."

Marcus exhaled, nodding slowly. "That confirms my worst fears. The seal… won't last much longer."

Sylph's grip on her sword tightened. "Then why did you attack us?"

"To keep you away."

Reyon's eyes narrowed. "From what?"

Marcus took another step forward, his presence growing heavier.

"This place…" he gestured to the ruins, "is where the Ring of Ferica is kept."

Reyon's breath hitched.

The Ring of Ferica.

A legendary artifact—said to amplify a Vector Magician's power beyond limits. But it was also dangerous.

Marcus studied him for a moment before speaking.

"That ring," Marcus said, his tone grave, "can only be wielded by a Vector Magician. And even for them, it is a death sentence."

A heavy silence fell.

Reyon's mind spun.

If the ring was real… then maybe he could gain the power needed to stop Cerberus. To ensure his grandmother didn't sacrifice herself. To change fate itself.