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Chapter 10
Oz: Are you alright.
Mitile: Lord Oz…
Riquet: Oz...h.
They suddenly frowned, nodding their heads quickly.
I wondered if they were full of relief having finally met with the Oz they had been searching for.
Their eyes were red, and cheeks tear-stained. They must’ve used a lot of courage.
Observing that, Oz quietly let out a sigh.
His fingers drew a shape on their foreheads, and their numerous cuts stained with blood softly closed up.
Mitile: …Ah…
Oz: It is time for you to rest. I will end things.
Sage.
Akira: Yes…!
Surrounded by those frightening monsters that hunted after Mitile and Riquet to the point they were battered, I strongly gripped the hand that was in mine.
Gently, I began to float.
With just my hand in his, no spell or broom, Oz and I floated upwards to the ceiling.
And he raised his staff high.
It was a movement as simple as that, but I could feel goosebumps growing.
The world rumbled.
Something big was going to happen.
Owen: …!
Cain: Owen!? Where’d…
Snow: No good! Everyone, on your brooms now!
White: Or else you’ll be dragged into Oz’s spell!
Chloe: Eh!?
Mitile: B-But…
Riquet: We're out of mana…
Cain: Get on mine! I’ll carry you!
Mitile: Underst…gweh!
Owen: You’re with me. Three on a broom with Cain’s magic won’t get you out quick enough.
If you fall, I won’t catch you. So cling on for your life.
Mitile: Thank…waaaaugh!!
Cain: Thanks, Owen! Alright Riquet, hold on tight!
Riquet: Yes!
Chloe: Lords Snow and White! I’ll take your picture frame then.
Snow & White: Thank you!
Akira: Everyone’s gone!? W-What about, me…
If it was a spell strong enough that they had to leave the grounds, then what would that mean for me who was standing in the middle of it all?
When I started to panic, Oz brought me in close as if to soothe a child.
Oz: Fear not. I won’t let you or anyone die.
Akira: (Ah…the goosebumps are gone. Oz must’ve cast something.)
Just as I calmed down.
Oz: Vox Nox.
A thunderous lighting strike tore the ground apart.
My sight was stolen by a bright white light flashing.
A second delayed, the sound of destruction entered my ears.
Akira: Waaaaaugh!?
Debris larger than a person flew past me like it was a snowflake in the wind.
The world was breaking apart, lightning strike by lightning strike.
Blue flames fell like the stars in the night sky descended.
A snowstorm like the breath of the grim reaper.
The ceiling was cracking, the walls were tearing.
The mausoleum crumbled down in seconds as if it were a bunch of building blocks.
And burned to cinders by chillingly blue flames, the living cucaruccas with it.
Their death throes were cut short, and they became ashes before they could even writhe from the flames. Cold eyes looked down upon their bodies.
Akira: Oz…
Oz: I require a little more of your power.
We must ensure these beasts of their extinction.
The heavens thundered. Over and over and over, obsessive lightning destroyed the hiding spots of the cucaruccas.
Hellfire poured from the skies and incite the blizzards to become more ruthless.
That face of Oz was more cold, beautiful, and terrifying than the hell that spread beneath him.
The merciless destruction he wrought reminded me of his other title.
But this man who was so absolute, remorseless, unsympathetic, was our saviour and vanquisher of evil.
Akira: (...Divine punishment…)
A remarkable flash of light shined.
A thunderous roar that could wake the sun up.
My eyes closed from the shock.
Akira: …? Huh…
When I came to, I was in a snowfield.
The wizards, back in their training clothes, were facing the same direction.
Mitile and Riquet, who were both peering into my face, relaxed their expressions.
Mitile: Master Sage! Good, you’re awake.
Riquet: It seems you lost consciousness during the final blow of Oz’s spells. It must’ve been quite the fright.
Akira: Is that so…but, what about the cucaruccas…
Snow & White: Over there.
The twins pointed to where the other wizards were staring.
When I looked, in the far distance was a plain engulfed in blue flames.
For a moment I wondered what it was, until I realized.
It was the remains of the mausoleum ruins.
Snow: Those flames will eventually be put out by snow. The cucaruccas have been completely extinguished.
White: They won’t be coming back.
Mitile, Riquet, & Akira: …Thank goodness…
The night wind softly blew across the snowfields in the tune of a lullaby.
We let out a breath of relief as Oz slowly approached us.
Riquet immediately nestled up close to him, like a tired kitten.
Oz gently patted that tiny back, and then summoned enough magic sugars to fill a small palm.
He stares at Mitile while blinking away his sleepiness.
I noticed that Mitile was paler than when he had to leave me.
Wondering why he was being looked at, Mitile’s eyes darted elsewhere, his shoulders trembling. Oz grabbed his hand and opened it.
Oz: You used a lot of magic. Eat these sugars.
Mitile: Th..thank you very much. …Does sugar work on mana exhaustion?
Oz: No such miracle medicines exist. It all depends on your heart.
Mitile: I see…
Oz: …When we regrouped, the cucaruccas were already weakened and in pain.
I could smell some kind of potion. Was that you?
Mitile: Y-Yes.
Riquet: It was Mitile’s idea. He thought of spreading pesticide through a tornado.
It was our last resort with the little mana we had left.
Oz: That so…
Watching the young pair of wizards, Oz was silent.
He then turned to each of them, eyes like a fireplace.
Oz: …It was not the training session we had in mind…
But tonight you two exceeded expectations, having fought with bravery and wit while protecting the Sage and yourselves.
…Good job.
Mitile & Riquet: …
Riquet: Yes…
Riquet nodded with tearful eyes.
For a split second, Mitile also frowned, crinkling his eyebrows.
Except he then lifted his face with a dignified look.
Mitile: I did my best!
His cheeks were still pale. His exhaustion from using magic to his limits settled in with every blink.
Even so–he stood with his back straight and tall.
Proud.
As a wizard who managed to survive a frightful night.
Riquet: Still, I wanted to try that training of yours, Oz. I was prepared to give it my all.
Can we still do it, on another day?
Oz: Yeah.
Riquet: Yay. Let’s work hard, Mitile!
Mitile: Huh? I, I think I’m good for awhile…
Oz: Do not fret. It will not be right away.
You must rest and recuperate, and when you restore your spirits we will hold it in a safer location.
Riquet: How long to restore our spirits?
Oz: A year…
Mitile & Riquet: That’s too long!
Feeling at peace with the three that regained their usual banter, I look up at the night sky.
The Great Calamity floated in the sky. Pale and beautiful as it shined its light on the blankets of snow.
As if this was any other peaceful night, with no storms or disasters.
Akira: (...The youngest wizards of the Sage, Mitile and Riquet.)
(And Oz, who cannot use magic at night…)
Next to me I could hear their lively voices brightening up.
In my heart, I earnestly made a wish.
Akira: (Please–)
(May we still safely laugh like this, after our battle with the Great Calamity.)
(May the nights we know come to visit us as always…)
END
