The Prince Of Magic

...

...

After he was given the Effigy, he was taught how to command it. The instructions that was given to him were simple: use the Effigy to fight in his stead and pass the trial.

And that was what led him to his current situation.

The first few battles had been simple and easy to finish, due to his previous opponents being weak and unsuspecting of his strategies. His Effigy followed his every order to the letter, and the two of them ventured the place that was called the 'Arena'.

The 'Arena' was strange looking. It was a vast area that appeared to be under the sea. The walls and the ground was transparent like see through glass. It gave him the impression of being inside a large aquarium, due to how spacious the Arena was and how deep the bottom the 'sea' seems to be.

But when he reached the end of the Arena, something dangerous had been waiting for him.

What happened after was quite a blur, but he still remembered it quite clearly.

He didn't know what had happened, but when he blinked once, the Arena he had familiarize himself in for a while was now gone. Vanished into thin air, and it was replaced by a new area instead.

It had disconcerted him at first, but he didn't let the change of scenery stop him from moving on.

He and his Effigy had entered into a large chamber with beautiful patterned glass artwork decorated on the white marble ground. Close to the center, there were three circles with odd inscriptions.

Coming from above the center of the room, there was a bright light that was fixated in the middle of the chamber, as if it was acting like a spotlight for the main event.

Interestingly enough, due to how fixated the light was in the center, the far edges of the chamber is dark and barely lit, to the point that he couldn't see pass the edge other than the shapes and figures of something that was placed there.

He couldn't quite put a finger on it, but it was familiar. He just can't see it clearly for what it is.

What caught his attention though, was the Effigy that was kneeling on the ground, head tilted down, unmoving like a marionette that lost its strings.

He stopped, staring at the Effigy with wary eyes.

If his previous foes had been easy for him to defeat, the Effigy kneeling in the center of the chamber must be the 'Boss' of the Arena.

Meaning, that the Effigy might be more powerful than the others that he defeated.

Nervous, he slowly walked to the center, feeling as if his every step was leading him to his doom.

And his instinct was right, the Effigy had been his doom.

Just like his own, the Effigy suddenly came to life and immediately began the battle.

He tried his best to command his Effigy efficiently, but the enemy was difficult to beat. Eventually, his own Effigy was torn apart, broken beyond repair and tossed to the far side of the chamber.

Without any means of protection, he did his best to survive the attacks, but his body was against him and he didn't last any longer than his Effigy did.

Hence, the reason for his current form, bloody and beaten to a pulp, nearly at death's door.

His injuries stung, persisting to gnaw at his consciousness like a vicious rabid animal as he tried his best to keep his body from shutting down.

The Effigy, who was the main cause of his injuries, was standing a few feet away from him, unmoving and unsympathetic to his prone and bleeding form on the cold, marbled floor.

He can even feel the temperature of his body turning cold as each moment passed by. His vision was blurred, but he finally noticed the peculiar shapes around at the edges of the chamber.

His eyes slowly widened as horror began to seep into his mind.

They were bodies. A lot of them.

People of various ages, but most were at his age range and dressed in a similar school attire as him. They too were on the floor. But, unlike him, they remained completely motionless.

Looking into their eyes, he could see that there was no signs of life in them, an easy deduction that they are dead. The stains of blood on their clothing and coming from bodies were telling enough.

The fact that he noticed them lying on the floor near where he was indicates that they too had fallen victim to the deadly Effigy in front of him.

He had tried his best, but the Effigy was too strong, too powerful for him to defeat on his own.

And so he fell, defeated like the rest of them.

He had collapsed near to the three circles with strange symbols drawn within.

Blankly, he watched as small amounts of his blood trickle its way in the deep carvings on the ground, filling up the gaps with his blood.

As if to mock his abysmal fight earlier and then his defeat, he heard a deep male voice echoing throughout the chamber, ringing loudly in his ears.

"Hmm, and here I thought that you would be different. I suppose you are just as the same as the others, whose fate is to end here."

Hearing these damning words, he could not help but curl up slightly in hopelessness and despair.

It would be all too simple, too easy for him to just let go. To not cling to life anymore and let death embrace him. To take away the pain and fear he felt at his current situation.

...

...

... But...

'I can't give up here...' He thought to himself, trying not to cry out from the pain invading his body. 'Not here. Not when I got this far...'

The pain would go away though, and he will no longer feel the terrifying emotion called 'fear' ever again. Maybe death would not be so bad compared to the situation now.

...

...

'No...' He thought angrily, cyan eyes brightened with life once more. Despair and hopelessness no longer present in them. 'I can't... let it end like this!'

He turned his attention to the Effigy, who was slowly moving in his direction in steadily and eerily, similar to an executioner to its escaped prisoner.

So busy was he in his thoughts, he did not notice the circle in the center suddenly began to glow with power, flickering on and off like a light behind him without his awareness.

He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths to calm his pounding heart.

...

...

'I want... I want to live.'

At the realization of his own thought, his eyes opened in surprise at the severity of his emotions.

The d.e.s.i.r.e to live, to survive this dangerous encounter, began to strengthen his conviction more, and that is to survive this terrifying event no matter what.

...

...

"I..." He began, gritting his teeth as he fought the pain and fear.

"I want to live... AND YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET IN THE WAY OF THAT!"

His words began with a growl and ended in a shout as a variety of emotions flowed from the tone of his voice. But, he shouted out the words anyway, to declare his utmost d.e.s.i.r.e to remain amongst the living, uncaring of the fact that the Effigy was getting closer to him.

He was still scared. Scared of the enemy, of the pain, and of death. But, he also knew that by doing nothing would also invite death anyways.

Therefore, he thought it best to try his chances and simply find a way to survive the situation. To try everything he can to live, to fight and survive this dangerous encounter.

'Yeah, it's not over yet as long as I'm alive...' He thought, determined and resolute in his decision.

With a venomous glare at the enemy, he diligently ignored his body's vicious protest to not make any movements as he looked around the area.

He was trying to find if there was a weapon nearby that can help at least keep that damned Effigy at bay to buy some time, but no such luck.

Just as he was about to crawl away from his current position, he suddenly noticed the dual colors of a white and blue light flashing brightly near him.

Turning his gaze around, he saw that the circle in the middle was the source of the bright light.

The strange symbols were glowing with power, humming in a unique energy that felt oddly familiar to him. It gave him a sense of deja-vu, as if he had felt such a sensation before.

Strangely enough, he could put a finger on where or when he had felt exactly.

...

...

... *Thud* ...

An ominous sound made itself known behind him, interrupting his idle musings.

The tiny hairs behind his neck stood up as a shadow of a familiar figure towered over his prone form, causing his breath to hitch as dread took over his heart.

He looked over his shoulder, slowly, gazing upwards as dread rise in his heart.

He saw that the Effigy was now upon him with one of its arms raised up above its head, preparing to strike in for the kill.

But before despair could take over, the light behind him suddenly glowed brighter.

Crackles of unknown energy was heard around the chamber. A storm of energy spread throughout the room and made its entrance like a large explosion.

Time seemed to have stop as he watched the featureless face of the Effigy became illuminated by the bright light. The arm that was raised made its descent in a slow motion.

He squeezed his eyes tight and raised his arms to protect himself from the blow, bracing himself for the pain of death with a grimace.

Then...

... *BAM* ...

A very loud sound was heard from behind.

Bright cyan eyes suddenly opened in surprise and shock, just in time to see the Effigy get thrown to the other side of the chamber like a ragdoll.

He blinked, trying to understand what just occurred in front of him a moment earlier.

'Wh-what the hell just happened...?'

He had seen the Effigy's arm descending on him. He saw it get closer, but there was something that got in the way. There was something that stopped its attack.

... *Clink* ... *Clink* ... *Clink* ...

He flinched.

There was a sound of metal clashing lightly against the floor (the footsteps of someone wearing metal footwear, it seems), cutting him out of his musings.

Then, the said footsteps soon slowly came to a stop.

... which seemed to be directly behind him.

'Haha... F.u.c.k my life...' He cursed, trying his best not to cry tears of blood at his pitiful situation.

He might have to choose the latter, considering as he was already bleeding a lot anyways.

Mechanically, he turned around carefully, and saw... a silver metal and blue cloth(?).

Confused, he turned his gaze upwards.

Then, in that moment, he saw a vision that he would remember for the rest of his life.

Blonde hair tied into a bun, glistening under the light from above. Bright green eyes that reminded him of emeralds. Long blonde lashes. A heart-shaped face. Smooth, pale white skin.

The figure was of small stature, covered in armor that was both elegant yet simplistic in appearance.

She has a beautiful countenance that can easily be mistaken as androgynous, but the lack of Adam's apple implies that the being in front of him is a female.

The air of elegance around her and the light from above gave her an ethereal appearance.

"Are you my master?"

...

...