LUCIL

England | Parliament for National Security

Tense silence fills the room. Everywhere on the walls hang detailed plans showing the outlines of Berlin. Twenty soldiers stand at attention - ten women, ten men, all wearing tidy brown uniforms, each armed with a machine gun.

Suddenly, the heavy door opens, and all eyes focus on the man entering. An aura of authority accompanies his steps. He only has one eye remaining—the left—which glows with an eerie, icy blue. Although he wears the same uniform as everyone else present, the soldiers salute him respectfully and reverently.

Without saying a word, he strides toward the briefing room. Arriving there, he takes hold of the board and turns it around. Immediately, the soldiers' voices echo together through the room:

"Welcome, Master Mage Joul!"

With a brief nod, Joul acknowledges their greeting. His deep voice now clearly and powerfully pierces through the tense atmosphere.

"Gentlemen, we will attack. Our primary target is..."

His gaze grows harder, his voice deeper and more threatening.

"Lucil, the Rose Mage!"

A female soldier raises her hand immediately. Her long blonde hair shines as she energetically lifts her weapon into the air.

"He's just a mage! That shouldn't be a problem. One good sniper and bam."

Murmurs of agreement spread among the soldiers.

Yet Joul slightly shakes his head while his voice becomes warningly and forcefully.

"Lucil is no ordinary mage. He fights with two swords and is exceptionally agile. He teleports, causes gigantic detonations and wields the most powerful illusions known to us."

Another soldier timidly raises his hand. Joul gives him a short nod, allowing him to speak.

"Nevertheless - one shot -"

"He has a dragon as an avatar," Joul sharply interrupts him. "Moreover, he possesses an extraordinarily powerful shield. Lucil always approaches his opponents first. Stay alert! As soon as he gets into close combat, he is among the strongest fighters in this world."

"Yes, nevertheless, he cannot alone -"

"The last time, as tried to drop a bomb on him …", Joul interrupts him with a thunderous voice, "... i still had both eyes - and Arazaha was still a settlement and not a graveyard."

Instantly, the soldiers fall silent. The seriousness of the situation is now noticeably tangible.

Joul's gaze silently sweeps through the ranks, before he concludes decisively and unyieldingly:

"Lucil must be eliminated. As long as he lives, the devastation will be immeasurable. He and his tower must fall."

After Joul's words fade away, a chill runs down the soldiers' spines, as if they'd just personally looked into the eyes of the devil himself.

Once again, Joul raises his deep, cutting voice:

"The highest priority is the elimination of Lucil. Accordingly, all circle battalions have agreed - including the Anti-Magic Battalion."

The soldiers exchange intimidated, almost uncertain glances.

The blonde female soldier hesitantly asks, "All?"

Joul nods shortly, serious and uncompromising. "All!"

Battlefield | Berlin | Domain of the Tower

Before them the palace rises - enormous, dark, wrapped in an aura of sinister magic. In the front garden, endless rows of magnificent roses bloom. But beneath these roses lie hundreds of fallen soldiers, scattered across the ground. Each corpse gets overgrown by roses, which slowly sprout from their bodies. Some of the dead disappear entirely into the overgrown tangle of roses.

All soldiers have fallen - except for one man. Joul stands alone, frozen in shock and trauma.

Opposite of him stands a man in a deep red coat, holding two swords tightly in his hands. A long scarf flutters around his silhouette. His gaze meets Joul's remaining eye.

"LUCIL!", yells Joul desperately and furiously at once.

Lucil calmly slides both of his swords back into the Sword sheaths on his back. Slowly, he wraps his scarf around his right arm, while all around there is no sign of corpses bleeding - instead, rose petals sprout from their wounds, until their bodies finally completely transform into violet roses and dissolve.

With icy calmness, Lucil speaks:

"Those who play stupid games win stupid prizes."

He looks warningly, almost pitiful at Joul.

"Joul, I warned you. No one touches this domicile."

But Joul looks up to him. He rises with determination, drops his now useless weapon to the ground, cracks his knuckles menacingly. Instantly, blazing blue streams surround him.

Lucil then slowly closes his eyes. From the distance, the harrowing howl of a dragon echoes.

One step, Lucil vanished - the next moment, a tremendous impact.

Before Joul can realise what just happened, Lucil is already back in his previous position.

Without any word, he turns and makes his way toward the castle.

Joul looks confused at first what has happened then he looks down at his own body. Where a devastating strike should have left a gaping wound, now instead slowly his limbs crumble into rose petals.

Lucil's voice rings out once more - clear and cold:

"Endless Blossom - Mage Sacrifice."

As soon as Lucil spoke the words, more corpses across the battlefield began to dissolve into countless, magnificent roses.

"Silver will save us.. !", Joul gasped in despair.

"Then I will die with him - and erase these extremes from this world.", Lucil responded calmly, yet with firm resolve.

He slowly raises his hand and snaps his fingers.

A mighty storm of rose petals swirls up behind him. From within it, a colossal dragon majestically manifests.

Without another word, Lucil returns to the interior of the tower.

LuSilfer - the dragon - rises thunderously above the palace and breathes down a wave of destructive violet flames, which consume Joul once and for all.

Rose Temple

Lucil and the Shadow clash with devastating force.

A massive shockwave erupts. The ground vibrates and shatters; earth and chunks of stone are spinning chaotically around through the air. Black, menacing mist suddenly spreads out rapidly.

Lucil quickly pushes himself backward, leaving deep grooves in the ground and lands safely a few meters away. He takes a deep breath to refocus.

"Rose Environment - Movement 4 - Swarming Petals", Lucil says calmly with determination.

At that moment, his eyes begin to glow with intense light, as do the chains that adorn him. Massive, thorny vines burst explosively from the ground and quickly cover nearly the whole area. The vines spread at an unstoppable pace, while countless roses bloom rampantly in every direction.

The Shadow casually snaps his fingers.

"Behemoth.", a distorted, monstrous voice echoes out.

The black mist around him thickens immediately. All the roses near him wither at once and crumble into dust. From the shadows. rises a gigantic, horrifying creature, its appearance could come from nightmares - four massive, monstrous legs stomp impatiently against the ground.

For a brief moment, Lucil lets his guard down - a tiny instant, a barely noticeable distraction.

Suddenly, the shadow stands right in front of him; from its arm, a glowering sword forms in a flash, ready to strike. Lucil reacts instinctively, just barely managing to block the blow, his hand gripping his opponent's wrist tightly.

But at that exact moment, the Behemoth is already charging toward him from the side. Its thundering steps leave deep cracks in the ground, and the earth trembles ominously.

"Rose - Shif -"

Lucil doesn't make it in time. With brutal, merciless force, the Behemoth slams into him from the side. Yet Lucil remains rooted in place unmoving, rock solid.

His body withstands the impact, but his arms tear under the immense pressure. Instead of blood, softly swirling rose petals flow from the open wounds into the air.

"Rose Switch.", Lucil stoically with a cold, emotionless voice.

In a blink of an eye, he vanishes - leaving both the Shadow and Behemoth striking nothing but air. The Shadow's sword crashes with a metallic sound into the ground and the Behemoth loses all control.

A breath later, the earth shatters entirely, forming a massive crater several meters deep. The dark mist continues to spread, annihilate mercilessly every remaining rose.

"You're not an illusion... You're taking the trial too.", the Shadow speaks, surprised.

"Your illusions are useless.", Lucil replies flatly.

A deep, amused laugh rings out. The Shadow snaps his fingers once more.

The black mist slowly withdraws and finally reveals the true face of the opponent:

A man steps forward - sharp brown eyes beneath a black fedora, a three-day beard, giving him a refined yet threatening presence. He wears a sleek black suit, his hands adorn mysterious magical circles, from the center of which the symbol of the Behemoth gleams darkly.

 "Lucil - Rose Mage.", Lucil fixes him alertly.

"Kragalta - Shadow Mage.", the man responds with respect, still menacingly.

"It will be my honor, Shadow Mage. I've rarely seen such power.", Lucil nods slightly with acknowledgement.

"A mage focused on close combat and illusions - very rare. But only one can leave this trial with their Avatar.", Kragalta returns a dark smile.

"The other one dies.", Lucil responds coldly and with determination.

Without warning, Kragalta takes a deep breath. A dense, destructive black smoke pours from his body and envelops him completely. A sharp snap follows.

"Dunmeer!", calls Kragalta out powerfully.

Around them, a realm of deep, endless darkness forms instantly. Lucil remains calm, breaths steady in and out.

"Dunmeer…", he murmurs, while his long hair suddenly begins to glow brilliantly.

He raises his hand and begins chanting in a quiet, resolute voice.

"My blood is the beginning—

 Petals forming from it—

 A flower blossoms—

 And the rose builds—"

His voice rises - loud, powerful, and terrifying.

"BLOOD BREAK!"

Lucil's veins begin to glow intensely, pulsing with radiant light. His amulets shine ominously, and thick smoke rises from his body, which effortlessly represses the surrounding dark mist.

 "What… is that?", instinctively Kragalta steps back, his voice filled with shock and disbelief.

The black fog focuses more and more on Lucil's figure - but nothing happens.

"No, then this has to hold!" Kragalta growls in determination.

"Dunmeer – Onyxia!"

From absolute darkness, Kragalta forms a sword, black and invisible like the night itself. In a flash, he appears behind Lucil, ready to drive the blade deep into his body. But Lucil's reflexes are faster - a precise, powerful left hook crashes into Kragalta's stomach, sending him flying several meters through the air with unimaginable force.

Kragalta catches his breath with difficulty, looking around frantically and searches for his opponent desperately. Suddenly, he glances upward - just in time to realise Lucil's devastating dropkick.

Kragalta reacts reflexively, raises his arms defensively and blocks the attack.

"Dunmeer – Infinitum Abyss!", he shouts in that exact moment.

The black mist instantly envelops Lucil like living chains and flings him violently to the hard ground. Countless deep-black, violet-tinged chains wrap tightly around Lucil's body, pinning him to the ground.

Kragalta sees his opportunity. Regaining his composure, he victoriously steps back, while his breath remains heavy and sweat becomes visible on his brow.

"Dunmeer – REINFINITUM BEHEMOTH!", he speaks again with a sinister grin.

The monstrous creature reappears, ready to crush Lucil once and for all. It charges unstoppable and brutally forward straight toward Lucil, who remains bound by the dark chains.

Lucil calls out, resolute but calm.

"LuSilfer!"

"Pointless!", returns Kragalta mockingly, almost triumphant.

The Behemoth crashes into Lucil, the chains grow longer. An endless charge from the Behemoth. Slowly, its horns begin to pierce into Lucil.

Lucil's gaze suddenly becomes calm and confident, his voice cool, almost bored.

"Kragalta - I thought I'd have to trigger it later."

Kragalta stops abruptly, unease overtakes him.

"You're bluffing!" he snaps. "This domain devours everything."

The dark chains around Lucil tighten further, an ominous cracking sound fills the air and draws ever closer to his body. Yet instead of panic, Lucil calmly spreads his arms wide.

A massive explosion suddenly shatters the air, the dark chains are violently blown apart in all directions. Before Kragalta can react, Lucil strikes the charging Behemoth with indescribable force and hurls it with ruthless power straight into Kragalta, who is swept away by the sheer impact as well.

Casually, Lucil cracks his knuckles as he begins to walk toward his enemy.

"You've beaten so many", Lucil says coldly. "But didn't you notice something?"

Only now does Kragalta realize the truthful weight, the terrifying presence of Lucil.

"It has just begun. So don't play all your cards too soon - or it'll end faster than you think.", raises Lucil his voice in warning.

Lucil raises one hand, presses it together, and makes a targeted throwing motion toward Kragalta.

Kragalta breathes heavily, exhausted and tense. Suddenly, a single drop of blood appears beside him.

Lucil speaks calmly and with certainty.

"Rose Arise – Step 2 – Switch."

Immediately, the drop of blood blossoms into a magnificent rose, but in the same moment, the flower teleports to Lucil's previous Position - while Lucil appears right beside Kragalta, already in the middle of a powerful strike.

Kragalta can barely react, Lucil's fist strikes his cheek with deafening force. The impact echoes through the air with a grinding, snapping crack, like the lash of a whip.The shadow mage is hurled back several meters by the force, stumbling helplessly.

Kragalta's jaw hangs loose and dislocated; he coughs blood, but instead of red liquid, rose petals pour from his mouth.

Lucil lifts his hand casually and speaks mercyless as he snaps his fingers:

"Detonate!"

Violent explosions suddenly erupt from Kragalta's mouth, expanding the bleeding wounds, which transform into rose petals again. Each new rose again detonates instantly, a destructive chain reaction unfolding mercilessly.

Lucil's gaze meets Kragalta's eyes. In that brief moment, Kragalta sees true fear in Lucil's merciless, cold eyes.

A scream, filled with fear and despair, escapes him as the unstoppable chain reaction consumes his body.

Kragalta calls out desperately into the darkness:

"Behemoth!"

But as he turns to face his creature, he realizes with horror that it doesn't respond - something is wrong.

"Did you just really realize it now? It's been one-on-one for a while already.", Lucil's cold voice speaks calmly from behind him.

At Lucil's position only remains a blood-soaked rose, before he silently vanishes into the darkness.

Explosions continue mercilessly ripping through Kragalta's body. Each detonation pushes him further toward the edge of despair. Suddenly, he hears Lucil whisper quietly.

"Rose Switch."

At that moment, Lucil appears directly beside Kragalta, whose body is already soaked in cold sweat from fear and pain.

Lucil's voice gets deep and threatening.

"It's time to break this domain."

Kragalta breathes shallowly and fearfully as Lucil holds something out to him - heavy, hairy, disturbingly familiar. Hesitantly, he looks down, and his eyes widen in pure horror.

Lucil's eyes glow with icy light as Kragalta realizes what he's holding:

It is the severed head of his Behemoth, its lifeless eyes now replaced by white roses. From the monstrous body behind Lucil, countless white rose petals pour forth.

Lucil speaks with cold clarity.

"Destiny Rose – Base Zero."

In that instant, the petals rise and spiral high into the air, exploding in a massive, thunderous cascade. The detonations echo endlessly, striking the dark domain without mercy until, finally, a great rift tears open. The illusion shatters, and they are back in the original temple.

Kragalta drops the heavy head of Behemoth to the ground staggering. As he backs away trembling, the creature behind Lucil disintegrates completely into a storm of endless rose petals.

Overwhelmed by despair, Kragalta draws his dark blade with trembling hands. In Lucil, he now sees his death - only now does he understand the true, monstrous power of his opponent.

Lucil looks at him indifferently, asking coldly.

"What are you still fighting for? Your potential avatar is already dead."

Suddenly, tears pour from Kragalta's eyes. Memories flood him: An image of a small, innocent creature that once rested safely in his arms. The pain turns into pure, unrestrained hatred.

"HE WAS MY BEST FRIEND! YOU DID - ! NO! AARGH!!, screams Kragalta with grief and fury.

Lucil cuts him off sharply and coldly.

"Those who are ready to kill, should always be ready to die."

Kragalta breathes heavily, staring deep into Lucil's relentless eyes and cries out in desperation.

"DUNMEER – ABSOLUTION!"

Lucil responds without emotion.

"So, you're willing to sacrifice everything. Good -"

His gaze narrows, and he continues, now with grave seriousness.

"Then I'll take you seriously and introduce myself officially -"

Slowly, he raises his left hand and pulls the rose pendant, carving a deep cut into it. Blood drips heavily onto the Ground and transforms into swirling rose petals that steadily and ominously form into a blade. A majestic, blood-red sword slowly and powerfully takes shape from his own blood.

He raises the weapon resolutely in his right hand. Kragalta watches silently as the pain suddenly eases - the destructive explosions stop on his body.

Lucil's voice now rings out solemn and ominous:

"People call me Lucil, the Rose Mage with the Rose Dragon. But I'm also known as - ####."

Kragalta shudders deeply, cold chills run through him. In Lucil's presence, he suddenly feels the presence of a merciless executioner. In a final moment of clarity, he removes his fedora with respect and bows deeply before Lucil.

"The living myth..."

Kragalta's emotions boil over. One last glance falls upon the mortal remains of his beloved Behemoth - pain, fury, and boundless grief tear him about. Then his eyes shift back to Lucil, filled with hatred and at the same time deep admiration for his power.

Despite everything, he bravely faces his final challenge. With iron determination, he holds back his emotions to fully focus on his final, decisive spell.

"As a mage - don't hold back", Kragalta demands coldly.

His voice doesn't tremble as he grips his dark blade tightly. Dark clouds gather menacingly around him, the space thickens, and the atmosphere grows heavy and ominous.

Lucil raises his blood-red sword, approaching with calm, unstoppable steps. With every step, a menacing red mist follows him, and his eyes shine with a sinister, fearsome glow.

Their eyes meet - Kragalta shrouded in annihilating black mist, stands face to face with the most powerful rose mage, Lucil.

Then, in a single heartbeat - a devastating collision.