Inside the dark mist, the wind clashed and merged, forming torrents that distorted the perception of Forus and Lord Phasma. Light sparked every time their strikes met, igniting flashes of multi-coloured light.
With the constant threats from the outside, namely Ocelia and Abicel, Lord Phasma needed to divide his concentration while fighting Forus. Although their battle was equal in the surface, Lord Phasma was slowly losing his control over the initiative.
"Young man, I admit that I've underestimated you and your madness. However, if we continued to fight to the death, then your lover might regret this moment." After a period of silence, Lord Phasma finally gave in to the situation and began to negotiate.
To his expectation, Forus did not slow his assault and further increased the intensity. His fist burned ever so brightly with the dark flame, overflowing with the rotten scent. Although he would inflict more self-harm to himself, Forus was willing to end the fight faster when his opponent was desperate.
"This body is failing me, and it is going to crumble soon. You know it, don't you? However, my fragmented soul would be unharmed, and I can still find more body to possess. Why don't we make a deal, to erase our enmity and past grudge?" The Avidas' body was falling apart, but Lord Phasma instead became calmer and calmer, showing no sign of panic.
"What kind of deal would you offer, and how can I make sure that you're sincere?" Forus forced Lord Phasma to retreat with his black flame and calmly spoke. Although their distant had widened, it was so small that he could close the gap at any time if he perceived any abnormality.
The oath witnessed by the World Will required preparation and time, which was not possible to conduct during the chaotic battlefield. Even if they could bypass the process, it would generate too much attention that would attract other powerhouses.
The power of the World Will they could summon would depend on their sorcery power, as well as other factors. If an old, fragmented undying monster and a reincarnated soul were to convoke the World Will, the consequence would be unimaginable.
"I have no way to prove, but what I request would not cost you anything. How about this? Just let this body go, and I'll tell you about the information regarding the Taboo Existences." Lord Phasma smiled and lowered his stance, showing openings and weak points to reveal his determination and sincerity.
Despite his act of willingness, Forus did not mistake his harmless outer appearance for his surrender. Although his body could not control the full power of his undying soul, with the capability of the great sage from the past, he was sure to have trump cards upon trump cards, plans upon plans to get out of this unharmed.
"To tell the truth, if I've known that you're one of the Taboo Existences, I would never try to make an enemy out of you. Although good bodies were hard to find, I would be foolish to wander into the dark secrets of the Sorcerer World." While speaking, Lord Phasma created layers after layers of isolation, preventing everything from leaking out, as well as exhausting every mean to hide from something omnipresent.
Forus knew that he had encountered a secret not worth mentioning, and did nothing but observed the blackening of the fogs and the isolation of his connection between Ocelia and him.
"Taboo Existences, from what the legends had described, was a group of the exotic beings. They came in various forms and powers, wielding power that defied rules of the Sorcerer World. Their arrival meant cataclysm and destruction." Recalling the expression of his master when he told him this great secret, Lord Phasma paled as his body shivered in panic.
"Their origins remained unknown, and their limits remained unchallenged. Only the overlords of the era could access such information. However, they all had one thing in common, which was their sudden disappearance after bringing rains of chaos upon the Sorcerer World." A subtle quake echoed from the inside. As Forus concentrated, he sensed an invisible force clashing onto the black fog, trying to break in from the outside isolation barrier.
"As master once said, 'No matter how. Do not get entangled with these terrible monsters.'. To be exact, you might not be the Taboo Existence, but, against the one in a million chance, I would never tread the line carelessly." Channelling his power to slow down the collapse of the isolation barrier, Lord Phasma began to sweat.
"Then, why this name?" Knowing that time was running out, Forus decided to express his scepticism.
"No one knows. There was no mention of the term's origin, as well as any records of the specific Taboo Existences. For all intent and purpose, Taboo Existences had always been here since the dawn of sorcerers." Looking upwards, Lord Phasma watched as the layers of sorcery power disintegrated under the invisible force.
Forus wasted no time and leapt towards Lord Phasma, bursting in black flame as he resumed his assault. However, to his surprise, Lord Phasma sent his channelling power towards him, creating a blinding light that confused the flow of Elements.
The bright ray of flares penetrated the black fogs, dispersing the isolation barrier and exposed the inner secret. As soon as something happened, Ocelia and Abicel got up and stood guard the centre of the battlefield.
As long as there was any trace of Lord Phasma, the two would risk their lives and fight to the death. However, to their hope and dream, the only standing figure was Forus, who stationed stiffly. The black flame on his body had already extinguished, revealing his exposed flesh and bones.
Without any sound and trace, Lord Phasma had used the previously accumulated sorcery energy to activate his secret arrangement and teleported towards a mysterious location.
"Taboo Existence... What am I?" Muttering to himself, Forus let the two girls approached him and tended his wounds. Although Ocelia was touching his body with her smooth hands, Forus was submerging himself under the last sentence before Lord Phasma's departure.
"As a friendly reminder, I sense something within your maiden's body. It gives off a sense of suffocation that even I fear. Maybe it is fate, but she must have a long history before this life of hers. The connection you two have, I hope you'll treasure it." Not only did Lord Phasma knew about their Knot of Love, but he also sensed something that Forus did not.
"Abicel, what would you do from now on?" Ocelia's speech broke off the silence, and Forus snapped back into the real world. He gazed at the now-non-human maiden and saw her alluring greenish skin.
The fragrance of nature and flowers engulfed his senses as he noticed that the vines and leaves were hovering around him. They brushed past his wounds and flesh, covering them with green glows that regrew his body. The cooling breezes were massaging his ached body.
"Ocelia, please don't tease me. Of course, I would depend on you again." Abicel chuckled as she extended her hand towards Ocelia, and in return, the young mistress softly grasped at it.
Abicel bent down and gently kissed Ocelia's hand, expressing her willingness to serve the young mistress. As she had involved in the demise of both Glacies and Avidas, the Ninguis Family would not let her go. The best option now was to defect to the Coruscare Family.
"Ladies, let us hurry out of this area. I've got a bad feeling about this." As he began to walk, Ocelia hurried to his side and supported him. With her help, he slowly made his way into the wildness, followed by the nature fairy.
On the way, the chatter only came from Ocelia and Abicel, whose body had transformed into a non-human. They exchanged knowledge about sorcery and general topics, ranging from the art of swordsmanship to alchemy to the subject of love and marriage.
As Ocelia was helping Abicel to hide her unique body, she would talk about Forus to Abicel, and asked her about her experience regarding love and men. Unfortunately, Abicel had never fallen in love and could only speculate.
Forus listened to the sound of their gossip and fell into deep thoughts. The echoing of Lord Phasma's words kept lingering inside his mind, and he could not pinpoint his worry. However, to his extraordinary perception, the sense of foreboding was raising in every passing second.
"Forus." As he was dozing off, a pair of hand warped around his body and met at his chest, forming a lock that bound him with the maiden behind him.
A surprised expression flashed before dying down, Forus smiled and turned his head back and touched her pink cheek with his dried lip. A second extended towards eternity as the familiar sensation stirred his memory, beckoning him towards the blurred figure whose appearance and name he began to forget.
Inside the two hollowed abysses, lines of pure emotions manifested, running down towards the depth of the world, and it dropped from his face onto the hands that held him together.
Although her action invoked his past, he also felt joy mixed within grief. The long, smooth hair dropped onto his arm, sliding down and leaned onto his frame, with her head that rested upon his shoulder.
Forus caressed her face for a while, feeling as if the world stopped and paid its attention at them. The birds chipped and sang, echoing the tranquil of nature. The wind invited leaves and flowers to a dance ball, moving according to the rhythm of love and life.
"May nature blesses you, my dear Ocelia." A childish voice echoed from behind the playful couple. They turned their attention towards the origin of the speech. They saw a nature fairy sitting on a branch of a tree, watching their lovely act with interested.
"With this, we are even, and please, love me more." Ocelia kissed her lover on the cheek and smiled as she snuck something into Forus' hand. Finally, she walked away, hiding her flushed expression from Forus. Abicel saw all of it and chuckled.
"Love, huh? It would be nice to have someone whom you can lean on." Abicel sighed as she descended towards Ocelia. She never forgot to tease her new friend, as well as her mistress.
Playing with the Underworld Copper Coin in his hand, Forus quietly kept it inside his pocket. Although he tried to refuse the gift, Ocelia did not allow for any explanation and kissed him while handing over the treasure.
"What a cunning girl. She's like your opposite." Listening to the girl talk, Forus shook his head and put his depressing thoughts at the back of his mind.
In front of the trio, the outpost began to show up in their vision, as they had been traversing the wildness for a while, they had already replenished their sorcery energy. However, without any great miracle of breakthrough or legendary potions, Forus' body would not heal within a short time.
Before they could notify the guards of the outpost, an invisible pressure suddenly descended onto the surrounding. It suppressed Elements and the flow of sorcery energy within their body, locking them from using their spells.
Not only them, but the unseen power had enveloped the entire Fleeting Emotions Ruin. The barrier that disabled any movement of Elements and sorcery energy was a nightmare to all sorcerers. At this moment, the esteemed sorcerers turned into ordinary mortals with a somewhat stronger physique.
At the boundary of the suppressing barrier, space distorted and wrapped, breaking apart and revealing the void beyond the physical realm. From the blackness, figures strolled out and stationed in an intimidating formation.
They all wore a brown robe with a mountain-like symbol on their clothes, curved with precision and care, every detail would reflect their superior quality.
However, there was one who stood above the rest, holding a black scroll in one hand.
His existence attracted the attention of all brown-robed men. They would bow before him with great respect. Without any introduction, the air around him constantly screamed that he was one of the influential people within the operation.
"By the decree of the Mountain Emperor, we hereby declare. None shall cross over the boundary of the restriction." His emotionless voice echoed across the mountain, filling the air with his supreme sorcery mastery of the peak second-ranked sorcery.
