Next Mage
34.Deal

~Marilla's

POV

Oliver was busy sorting out the Spirit mages.

There were only five left, and each were talking with each other in hushed, worried voices.

"Okay, please calm down," Oliver exclaimed. "Since most of the dorms have been rebuilt, and there aren't...that many mages left--" --at this Oliver winced a little--"--each of you will have your own dorms, which we will keep closely guarded. U- understood?"

The Spirit mages nodded uncertainly. I spotted Pax looking anxiously at his hands, as if he suspected the Ragnarok was already in control of him. Aureole came over to the group and tried to comfort him, sounding just as distressed. I exchanged a look with Oliver. This wasn't going so well. I sighed and turned to the rest of the mages, who were whispering in shocked voices. I bit my lip.

Emma, Laila and Elvira were still missing. According to Oliver, Elvira knew how to open the portal as well, and should've come to Myragon even if we left without her.

Oh, Emma, please be safe, I thought nervously, fiddling with a lock of hair that was hanging in front of my eyes. I tried not to think to far into the situation, but it didn't work. Laila and Elvira are both Spirit mages...what if they were taken over by the Ragnarok and captured Emma or something? I thought alarmingly. Even worse....what if they...killed her?! I shook my head, clenching my teeth to keep myself from crying. Tears pricked at the back of my eyes anyway. No way. That wouldn't happen, I tried, and failed, to reassure myself.

A warm hand was placed on my shoulder, and I jumped. I turned around to come face-to-face with Kuro. A worried expression was painted on his face. I smiled weakly at him, then blinked. Then I heard a strange choking sound. But as soon as I opened my eyes again...

Kuro's eyes were red.

~Narrator

Kuro's body suddenly jerked violently, his throat seeming to close up as he gasped for air and let out a strangled cry.

Then he was silent.

The Ragnarok opened it's crimson-colored eyes, shuddering in delight at the scent of human blood. In front of it was a girl, her brown eyes wide in shock and despair.

The Ragnarok grinned as it took in it's surroundings. Trees, slightly singed grass, budding flowers, a few mages, and last but not least, a tall building that looked like it was in the middle of construction. A small part of the building was blackened, as if burnt by a large fire. The Ragnarok licked it's lips.

The Academy.

The Ragnarok had never been outside it's fortress, so it had never seen the Academy in person, except for when it took over it's servants' bodies. But now...

The Academy looked weak and insignificant, as if it had lost all it's glory when the Ragnarok's servants had set it on fire. The Ragnarok's smile grew wider, and it turned back to the girl.

She was calling for help now, her voice frightened and panicked. The Ragnarok breathed in the scent of her fear.

That's right, girl. Fear me! The Ragnarok growled into her mind.

It had been in her mind before. It recognized the same sweet aroma of her thoughts. The girl turned her eyes towards the Ragnarok once more in fear before attempting to run towards her friends, who were running towards her. The Ragnarok recognized one of them; it was the blonde boy whose mind was so miserable and broken.

The Ragnarok smirked and shot out its hand, or rather, the boy Kuro's hand and latched on to the girl's wrist. She cried out just as her friends reached her. The Ragnarok squeezed her wrist until she drew blood.

"Kuro! Snap out of it!" One of the mages exclaimed, her black eyes wide and her tanned skin paling.

"Kuro, stop!" Another cried. The girl shook her head, tears flinging out from her eyes.

"It's no use, James! That's not Kuro anymore! That's....that's the Ragnarok!" She cried. The Ragnarok nodded serenely, reaching into the boy James' mind.

The girl's right, you know, the Ragnarok taunted mischievously. James' thoughts turned from infatuated with the brown-eyed girl, Marilla, to fearing for his life.

"NO! Get out of my brain!" He shouted, holding his head. At that moment, the annoying but sad blonde boy appeared and began to tug at the Ragnarok's arm. The Ragnarok sniffed in disgust and held on to Marilla's wrist.

A few other mages appeared, shouting and reaching out to help the blonde boy. The Ragnarok struggled for a few moments, then let go as half a dozen mages pulled on it's arm.

Ugh, the Ragnarok thought disgustedly. This body is too weak. There must be some other mages...

The Ragnarok scanned the area, then noticed a small horde of about five Spirit mages huddling in one corner. Fearful expressions were plastered on their faces. The Ragnarok narrowed its eyes at the mages. Which one... Aha.

As swiftly as it had taken over Kuro's body, the Ragnarok leaped into the body of another mage.

~ Oliver's POV

Kuro fell, his eyes returning to it's usual black and rolling back into his head in dead faint. Marilla stood, gasping, holding her bleeding arm in shock.

James, Hanako and the other mages were panting tiredly.

Then there was a shout.

Oh no, I thought as I whipped around to head in the direction where the sound came from. One of the older Spirit mages, a man named Zen was tackling Pax to the ground.

A surge of adrenaline shot throughout my body like an arrow as I rushed over to my friend.

"Pax!" I shouted as I strained to push Zen's burly body off Pax's lean, small one. Zen turned towards me and gnashed his teeth, his eyes an alarming red. I bit down my fear and pulled on Zen's arm.

There was a thundering of steps behind me as my friends arrived to help.

"No! Pax!" Aureole screeched. She arrived and began to conjure strong gusts of wind in an attempt to push Zen off her one remaining brother.

Marilla, James and Hanako came next.

"Copy me!" Marilla exclaimed to Hanako, creating a large bubble. Hanako nodded uncertainly and conjured up another bubble, this time smaller. Marilla split her bubble of water into dozens over tiny bubbles, turned them into shards of ice, and rained them down on Zen's body. Hanako copied her.

"Sorry!" She exclaimed. Zen grunted and slowly rose up from Pax's body. Aureole rushed over to her brother.

I stared confusedly as Zen stood silently, eyes still red, but not attacking. Then he opened his mouth.

"I have your friends," he said, voice smirking, looking directly at Marilla with his red eyes. Marilla's face immediately became pale, but it took a moment for me to catch on.

Emma, Laila and Elvira, I realized.

"Yes," Zen said triumphantly.

"Wh-what have you done with Emma?!" Marilla questioned, eyes blazing. Everyone turned to gaze fearfully at Zen.

"Nothing," he smirked. "But. I will kill her, unless you agree to do as I say,"

Marilla's expression became hollow at the word kill. She turned towards me, eyes pleading, and we exchanged a look. I nodded, and Marilla's expression became one of determination, her usually warm brown eyes cold and hard. "Okay then. Let's make a deal."