Kilfer and Mirdaff followed Mizervon up to an iron door and it swung open without Mizervon even touching it. They went in, and it was a simple room with gray walls and a circular mat placed on the ground in the middle of the room.

"Come, Kilfer. Sit," Mizervon instructed, pointing at the mat and Kilfer did as told.

"Close your eyes," Mizervon spoke again and Kilfer did so.

In the darkness, he waited for the next instruction to come, but instead, there was a painful feeling surging up his spine, right up to his brain and it ached so much his entire body was numb with pain. Kilfer winced and hoped for Mizervon to tell him that it is alright, but there was no comforting voice. Just the darkness and the pain.

Then, something washed over him, something... peculiar yet filled with power, so strong that his body felt so heavy when the magic rushed through him.

Then, everything stopped. In front of Kilfer was a blank whiteness, and the pain was gone, so was the powerful swelling sensation. Yet he sensed something different, that his body had changed on a larger scale, a scale that he could not imagine. He felt stronger, although not yet infinite, he felt powerful magic rushing through his veins.

Kilfer opened his eyes. In front of him, Mizervon sat, looking at him silently. Mirdaff stood beside him and seemed to be a little shaken.

"What... happened?" Kilfer could barely stutter.

"Your face was turning purple, and your hair became so white as if you... you died at that very instant the magic entered you," Mirdaff spoke.

"So," Mizervon ignored Mirdaff, "You like the feel of your newly acquired powers? Whether you like it or not, the darkness has broken the barriers Bronswig created from his lifeforce. It has already spread through ten cities, with more than a hundred thousand lives lost already. Kilfer, the fate of all depends on you. Go now."

Mizervon snapped his fingers twice, and the surroundings changed. The cold gray walls that surrounded them unfurled like a piece of paper to reveal the skies overhead. The sun was nearly dipping down the horizon,  and they were standing on a platform high above the slope that they could see the entire island itself.

"Go now, Kilfer," Mizervon said, "Fly towards the darkness as fast as you can. Fight them."

Kilfer soared into the sky. It felt effortless, and as he continued further and further into the clouds Mizervon turned back to Mirdaff, "Come, young lad. Let's talk."

***

Mizervon and Mirdaff were back at the Hall of the Seven Kings, and they spoke while Mizervon prepared some dreamwine for both of them.

"You know," Mizervon shrugged, grinning, "White lies have to be told. I did not tell Kilfer about my real abilities. I could fight the darkness, but I simply wanted him to take my place here in the Hall of the Seven Kings, and you shall aid him. He must learn to use his acquired magic, and he must learn to fight the darkness."

"What?" Came Mirdaff's startled reply, "So you could fight? But you said..."

Mizervon chuckled and turned to him, handing him a glass of dreamwine at the same time, "There you go, a glass of dreamwine. You must know that I can't be here forever, and here it is tiring. We see all, hear all, so we would receive all the joy of all the creatures, but bear the pain of all the mortal beings. It is worse than you could ever imagine, but it is important for an overseer to ensure everything is working properly in the realm and it is time for a successor."

Mirdaff nodded. He did not fully understand all Mizervon said, but he decided he would not bother Mizervon anymore. They drank the dreamwine in silence, and Mirdaff let the sweet scent of the wine run through his mouth. Dreamwine was very rare and Mirdaff decided to treasure every moment the wine was in his mouth.

"Can you show me where Kilfer is?" Mirdaff spoke after a long time, suddenly remembering his friend.

"Oh, oh yeah sure," Mizervon was still halfway through a sip of dreamwine, "You must be quite worried for him, aren't you?"

He uttered something, then a blue screen appeared in front of them, forming the image of Kilfer...

***

Kilfer flew higher into the sky.

Flying had never been easier, and he was able to relax during his flight, and with his newly acquired magic he seemed unstoppable, and can see and hear everything a million miles from where he was. Yet, he felt it the moment he tried to feel for the presence of magic, the darkness corrupting his thoughts and blurring his vision, the abominable force that made him shudder.

The landscape changed fast beneath him, and he was soon accustomed to the roaring of the wind and frost-biting temperatures, probably because he had his magic to shield him from the environment he was in. Kilfer could feel the presence of darkness increasing, and he was anxious. Even gaining all the powers from Mizervon, Kilfer was still new to those and did not know how to use it.

Soon, cities came into view beneath him, some glowing with magic and in other cities and villagers he could sense fear in almost every being's hearts. It was clear, that they know about the arrival of the darkness.

And they are preparing.

From the distance near the horizon, a dark mass gathered, spreading through the land like contaminated water. Every plant or animal they touched turned into darkness, like shadows with a lethal touch.

"Kilfer, we meet again. I thought I would never have to see you again!" A voice deep and hollow echoed in his mind. It was coming from the darkest reaches of the darkness, of a figure that had a million countenances, with powers surpassing a thousand wizards and the savagery to spill blood across the lands, and Kilfer remembered. It was the very soulless creature that took her sister's and the Pack's life.

It was the Ghost.

"Long time no see," Kilfer replied in his mind to the Ghost, "You have become stronger."

"So have you, I see. Adopted Mizervon's powers, have you?" The Ghost smirked, "Yet you are untrained, rash and easy to kill."

The Ghost receded from his thoughts. Kilfer glanced back to one of the cities closest to the darkness and decided he would land there.

The land grew larger as he descended, and soon he could see people leaving from the back gate of the city, while there were a few men in aquamarine robes and staffs and wands. When Kilfer was young, he knew of human wizards but never knew he could see one in person, but when he could he noticed he was a wizard himself.

As he was about to land, one of the wizards spotted him and aimed his staff and Kilfer, a ball of light appearing at the tip of his wand, ready to strike.

"What monster are you?" He bellowed as Kilfer landed finally onto the ground, "Show yourself!"

"I am not a monster," Kilfer spoke, slowly revealing the seal of the Pack on his hand, "I am the human leader of the Pack, the descendant of Mizervon the great wizard who succeeded in defeating the dark forces a millennium ago."

"You're... our savior?" The wizard spoke in disbelief, slowly putting his wand down.

"Not quite a savior, but I am here to assist you against the darkness, Kilfer is my name," Kilfer spoke, eyeing the oncoming darkness, "We have no time to waste, the darkness is arriving."

"Marr, the Elder Wizard of Eltbourgh, the city of glass walls at your command," A relieved smile spread over his face, but Kilfer himself might not be as relieved for he was not as strong as the wizards imagined him to be. Everywhere, wizards and soldiers were rushing forward to the city walls with staffs, cannons and magical arrows with them. Yet, Kilfer knew that to deal damage to the darkness, they needed far more weapons than that.

He glanced behind him, where all the buildings of Eltbourgh shimmered with light from the sun, with all the glass walls and dazzling beauty. Yet he knew that soon it would be no more when the darkness arrives. Taking a deep breath, he started walking towards the castle walls.

The waves of darkness rippled forward, cutting through all the green trees and forests, the mists let any living being shrivel into nothingness, stealing its lifeforce. Dead trees and branches and twigs and remnants of buildings from faraway cities that fell to the wrath of the darkness swirled in the misty darkness, toyed around by the unseen powers. The darkness was coming, closing on them every second. There were only two choices -- attack, or stay at the mercy of the darkness.

"What do we do now, Master Kilfer?" Marr spoke beside him, "All the wizards here are under your command."

Kilfer was not really accustomed to how Marr called him but decided not to ponder on it so much. He glanced around and found that none of the weapons were good for an offensive, and he decided it would be better if they tried to hold the city for as long as possible.

"Hold the castle walls. Create the strongest magic barrier possible," Kilfer made his decision.

"What?" Marr did not seem to be too relieved, "We defend... not attack?"

"Yes. We are in no shape to attack now, you will shield all of us while I try to deal some damage. It won't be easy to even defend," Kilfer said, "Oh, and also prepare a portal to evacuate just in case."

"The... preparations will be made," Marr spoke with some reluctance and left. Kilfer glanced back at the horizon where the darkness brewed. He had no choice, for the wizards already proclaimed him to lead the battle, yet they were not prepared, and they had to retreat in the end. The years of war from Mizervon was in his mind, the memories of every victory and every defeat in his mind, and he knew well they could not stand long.

The battle horns sounded, loud and long from both of Kilfer's sides. The battle was just beginning.

In front of the castle walls, magical shields were formed and Kilfer also weaved his own shields, and when the first waves of darkness hit the shields they were repelled, but dark misty faces emerged from the swelling darkness and impaled their teeth in the shields. Kilfer felt the tension tugging on his shield and weakening it, but with Mizervon's magic, he could still hold his own.

The greenish hue of the shields reached up to the skies as little impish figures surged out, like mere shadows yet their scarlet eyes told him otherwise. They held green fire, which was powerful enough to parry magic in combat, and seared their shields with the fire.

"Continue holding the shields! Do we have any offensive weapons? Like magic arrows or something?" Kilfer yelled and someone yelled back, "No, Master Kilfer! We only have shields!"

"Someone, protect me with your shields, I'll need to attack somehow!" Kilfer yelled, and three wizards weaved their shields in front of him. Gathering a wave of his newly acquired magic, Kilfet hurled it down from the clouds and a massive green lightning struck the dark waves, causing them to recoil and from within sharp squealing noises that hurt their ears.

The darkness receded, but as they were relieved Kilfer saw a whole new threat appearing, larger and more fearsome appeared -- a massive figure at least ten times the height and size of the castle walls, wielding a club the glowed an eerie crimson hue. Behind it, the dark waves did not advance, knowing his presence, but Kilfer knew somewhere within, the Ghost was there, slowly weakening them until the final, lethal blow.

The club that the figure wielded swung with a massive force, biting deep into the shields. The blow shook the shields, and Kilfer yelled to the wizards, "Keep the shields, but retreat! Get to another city that is safe through the portals!"

The wizards retreated back, and now there were only the shields to protect him, but he was sure he could destroy the hulking monster. A sword materialized in his hand and he leaped forward, out of the shields, using his magic to propel him further into the air and drew an arc through the air, slicing through the figure's chest. Dodging a quick blow from its club, the creature split into half, spewing black gore everywhere.

Kilfer landed smoothly, but he noticed the darkness advancing again and the shields dissipating fast. Green balls of fire were thrust out of the dark mist at superhuman speeds, and one caught Kilfer, hitting him hard and he would have died without his magic with him.

Kilfer felt the salty fresh blood from between his teeth, and his chest was throbbing with pain. Struggling, he drew another portal and linked to a mental connection with Marr, speaking to him.

"Where did you leave for?"

"A little more than twenty-eight miles South from here, at the city of Diamerkus. Our wizardry superweapons are all there, it will be the perfect city to prepare, " The reply came, fast and hasty.

Kilfer knew where to go to. Finally, with a burst of strength he leaped through the portal, and as the portal closed the darkness raged on, consuming all that remained.

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