Emery and Urix rushed through the dark stone corridors of the citadel. The echoes of their footsteps bounced off the cool, damp stone, creating a rhythm of urgency as they hurried to their destination. They were lead into a large, dimly lit hall where the air was thick with the scent of antiseptics and magical energy.
The sight that greeted Emery was alarming yet oddly familiar. In the center of the hall, a female commander lay on a hastily prepared table. Her ashen complexion contrasted starkly against the stark white of the makeshift bedding. Hovering around her were three magus, each engrossed in their tasks. One was operating a device that hummed with magic, its multiple arms moving in a controlled dance as it probed and examined the unconscious woman. Another, a young man with beads of sweat trickling down his face, was casting water-based healing spells in a constant rhythmic pattern, his hands glowing with a soothing azure light.
The leader of the trio, an older woman with greying hair tied back in a stern bun, looked up as Emery and Urix entered. Her eyes, hardened by years of experience and countless battles, analyzed them with a scrutinizing gaze. "Do you have the weapon that caused this?" she demanded, her voice echoing ominously in the cavernous room.
Emery's heart sank. The poisoned dagger that had been lodged in the commander's body had disintegrated when he pulled it out, its corrosive nature turning it to dust in his hands. The realization struck him then, like a brutal slap of harsh reality. Knowledge of the weapon and the specific poison it carried could have greatly aided in the treatment of the wounded commander.
His silence was answer enough for the elder magus. A curse slipped past her lips, an acid-laced tirade against the elves that reverberated around the chamber, her anger simmering in the chilly air.
"Urghh!! Those elf bastrad!!" she cursed before turning back to the dying commander.
Magus Urix swiftly joined and called upon Emery "You come help too" he ordered.
The former instructor hands shone with a brilliant white light as he summoned his [Sacred Pulse], a light healing spell known for its immense restorative capabilities. Simultaneously, Emery reached out with his nature magic, casting [Nature Blessing]. Their spells, though of different elements, entwined seamlessly, creating a vibrant aura of rejuvenation around the commander's frail form.
Like a harmonious symphony, their magics worked in unison to stem the relentless tide of poison that was ravaging the commander's body. In the meantime, Master Flemming meticulously extracted the residual poison with her small blades, occasionally applying a thick green paste into the wounds.
However, as minutes turned into an hour, their progress was minimal. The stubborn toxin clung to her life-force, relentlessly attacking her from within. Her skin, once vibrant and robust, began to dry out and crack, resembling a barren desert devoid of life.
Master Flemming, shoulders slumped in fatigue and disappointment, finally ceased her efforts. She looked towards the others, her gaze pleading for a miracle. Emery, despite his extensive knowledge in nature magic and healing, was helpless. His spell, [Rebirth], though capable of miraculous feats of healing, was not potent enough to heal a Magus, let alone a full moon like the commander.
As silence fell upon the room, Master Flemming spoke again, "Let's make sure the soul is intact."
This time, the spell she casted was different. It wasn't meant to heal the body, but to reach out and touch the soul within. Emery watched as her figure wavered before slipping into a trance-like state. Her consciousness was no longer present in the room, but within the commander, fighting a battle of a different sort.
Moments later, as if released from an invisible grip, a spirit soul emerged from the commander's lifeless body. It hovered around, casting an ethereal glow around her figure. "I am sorry, Commander, I tried my best," she whispered to the spirit, a palpable tone of regret in her voice.
"New guy, you come follow me," Master Flemming said, her gaze meeting Emery's. With a silent nod, Emery followed her, trailed by Urix, deeper into the facility.
The path they trod was enigmatic, lined by stone walls and guarded by several magus of varying ranks. The stern-looking bald man standing before a hefty door, a Full Moon Magus of immense magical prowess. Upon seeing the spirit soul accompanying Master Flemming, he didn't hesitate to open the door for them.
Inside, Emery was met with a sight that would be forever etched in his memory. The room was dominated by two gargantuan glass containers, their surfaces swirling with spirit souls. The ethereal glow they emitted painted the room in eerie hues of blue and white.
"This place is where we keep the fallen," Master Flemming explained solemnly. As she approached the container to her left, Emery could make out about eighty souls swirling within. Her voice, a melancholic whisper, filled the room, "You can join the others, Commander." And with a gentle motion of her hand, she released the spirit soul of the Commander into the container, which was then assimilated by the multitude of other souls.
Then she moved to the container on the right. This one contained a visibly fewer number of souls, only around thirty, but their turbulent movements starkly contrasted the serene swirls of the first container. A closer look made Emery realize the difference - these were the souls of dark elves. "And here is where we keep our enemies," Master Flemming declared, her voice echoing in the room.
Afterward, the old woman let out a sigh, seemingly drained. She turned to Urix, saying, "Urix, I am tired, you can brief the new guy yourself."
With that, Urix gently guided Emery away from the chamber. When they finally found themselves outside, Emery couldn't hold back his questions any longer. "What is going on here, senior?" He asked Urix, hoping for answers to the myriad of mysteries he'd been plunged into.
Instead of immediately answering Emery's question, Urix merely gestured for him to follow and began leading him out of the room. They weaved through a labyrinth of stone passageways until they emerged onto a staircase, one that curled upwards and spanned countless floors, all the way to the tallest peak of the citadel.
As they ascended, Emery's gaze was drawn to the vast landscape unfurling beneath them. It was a harsh panorama of desolate, blackened rocks, a wasteland punctuated here and there by strange, monstrous creatures.
Reaching the top, Urix gestured out towards one part of the horizon. Emery, with his heightened senses, could see about 200 miles away an imposing structure. It was identical to the one they were currently standing in - a second citadel. "That," Urix began, his voice heavy, "is the enemy Citadel. The dark elves reside there. We have been killing each other since we ended up in this cursed place."
The words hung in the air, thick and heavy like the tension that pervaded the citadel. Emery was left grappling with his thoughts, trying to understand this strange, terrifying prison they called the Demon's Pit.
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