Chapter 118: A malevolent being
"We first years even have a club dedicated to you. Your performance in soccer and in the carnival, we watched everything. And on top of that, you\'re the school\'s most handsome man ever," she gushed, her admiration shining through in her words.
"A club!" he exclaimed.
\'Damn!\'
As she spoke, Jaegar found it increasingly difficult to process the idea that he had fans among the students, students who held him in such high regard.
Aware that the encounter was becoming increasingly overwhelming, Jaegar decided to gracefully conclude the conversation. "Okay, it was nice meeting you, but it\'s getting late. You should go back," he suggested, his tone gentle yet firm.
The girl nodded in response, her enthusiasm tempered by his practical advice. She listened attentively to his words and heeded his suggestion.
In the wake of his unexpected encounter in the dining room, Jaegar returned to his dorm room, his thoughts a swirling maelstrom of disbelief and intrigue. The conversation with the enthusiastic girl had left him feeling taken aback. It was all known to him, the idea of people admiring him. He had never done anything until now to get any rewards or praise from anyone. He did only what he wanted.
As he settled into his room, minutes ticked by, and the night\'s serenity descended upon the academy.
It was a tranquil moment, a stark contrast to the tumultuous emotions that had stirred within Jaegar earlier. He found himself drawn to the window, gazing out at the moonlit campus. It was a familiar sight, yet it felt different tonight as if the air held a whisper of anticipation.
Then, as if summoned by the winds of fate, a shadowy figure appeared on the horizon. It was an indistinct silhouette, soaring at an unimaginable speed through the night sky towards the academy. The figure\'s movement was swift and precise, a proof of the power it held.
Jaegar who was at the window, sensed the being\'s presence. He looked to the sides and towards the sky. The presence was getting stronger by the minute and it was becoming more evident to him.
A sense of foreboding washed over Jaegar, his instincts kicking in.
There was something inherently dangerous about this presence, something that surpassed any foe he had ever encountered. The aura emanating from this mysterious entity sent shivers down his spine, a cold premonition of impending danger.
As Jaegar\'s senses sharpened, he discerned a few more presences, their energy pulsating with an intensity that matched the mysterious entity. The air grew heavy with anticipation, and Jaegar\'s heart raced as he realized that whatever was approaching carried an equal, if not greater, threat than the former shadow figure.
There were multiple sources of power converging upon him, each one possessing a potency he had seldom encountered. The later presence was a few miles behind the former, and the intensity of their intent was unmistakably directed at him.
Swift as a fleeting thought, Jaegar abandoned his room and quickly summoned all his energy.
Jaegar\'s heart raced as he bolted from his room, propelled by an instinctual caution that surged through his veins. Within a second, he burst through the window and out of the room, feeling the cool night air rush around him as he floated in midair above the dorm.
In the ominous stillness of the night, he saw it—an obscure dot in the distance, rapidly approaching.
Within the span of a breath, that inconspicuous dot transformed into a fully realized human figure, as if the night itself had given birth to this enigmatic being.
Before Jaegar could even comprehend the unfolding events, the figure had reached him with preternatural speed, seizing him with a grasp like iron. It was a surreal and disorienting experience; one moment he was free, and the next he was caught in the unyielding clutches of his captor.
In a disorienting blur, they soared skyward, ascending over the expanse of the academy grounds.
The night breeze rushed past Jaegar, ruffling his hair as he dangled, suspended in the air, helplessly ensnared by the sinister figure.
He fought against the vice-like grip, his body contorting in futile attempts to break free.
But it was as if his very essence was bound by unseen chains, preventing him from tapping into his magical abilities or unleashing the potent bloodline powers that he had cultivated over the years.
It was a cruel irony—he was rendered powerless in the face of this formidable adversary.
As they touched down in the heart of the looming woods, a sense of trepidation enveloped Jaegar. His captor halted, holding him aloft by the neck. This malevolent figure stood at least two meters tall, their presence commanding the night as they hovered menacingly.
The figure was veiled in an intricate ensemble that hinted at arcane knowledge and dark magic. A long robe, adorned with cryptic symbols, draped over their form, concealing their face beneath the hood.
A single, ominous slit in the middle of the hood allowed only a glimpse of their eyes, which glinted with an eerie, malevolent light.
The figure\'s voice, resonating with an unmistakable aura of dark magic, pierced the silence. "Well, well, well, what a powerful young man you have become," they intoned, their words bearing the weight of foreboding destiny.
Jaegar\'s struggle continued, his chest heaving as he attempted to break free from the oppressive hold.
Desperation fueled his efforts, but it was a futile battle against a force that seemed beyond mortal comprehension.
The figure\'s grin only widened, as if relishing Jaegar\'s helplessness. It was a chilling tableau—a powerful and malevolent entity holding an aspiring young wizard captive in the dead of night, in a dark forest shrouded in mystery and malice.
The cryptic words hung in the air, laden with a foreboding sense of destiny. Jaegar\'s breaths came in rapid succession as he grappled with the realization that he was trapped and vulnerable.
However, just when hope seemed elusive, a sudden interruption shattered the stillness of the woods.
From the distant horizon, a colossal swan emerged, its wings spanning a vast expanse of the night sky. It carried within it a small tea house, an ethereal structure perched atop its elegant form.
Two figures emerged from the tea house, propelled towards the mysterious entity.
With a fierce movement, they launched themselves into the night, their silhouettes streaking through the darkness toward the figure who held Jaegar captive.
One of them unleashed a potent spell, a brilliant burst of energy that streaked toward the malevolent figure, seeking to divert their attention and disrupt their grip on Jaegar.
Meanwhile, the other figure approached Jaegar, catching him with a gentle yet firm hold and cradling him in their protective arms.
With a voice as soothing as a lullaby, she spoke, "Are you all right, child?"
Jaegar, still reeling from the shock of his capture and the unexpected turn of events, could only nod in response, his eyes reflecting doubt and confusion.
Amidst the eerie stillness of the forest, the tense standoff took an unexpected turn.
The figure holding Jaegar captive was revealed to be a female elf, standing at an imposing 8.5 feet in height, her form elegant and commanding. She was garbed in attire that mirrored her grace and sophistication. A white top with full sleeves that had slits from the waist down and white leather pants with golden lines adorned them, accentuating her slender figure.
Her long, flowing silver hair cascaded down her back, shimmering in the dappled moonlight. A sword sheathed in a scabbard was hanging from her waist by a belt. The hilt of the sword was intricately carved with elven symbols, hinting at its significance.
Opposite the mysterious figure, another elf had appeared, and Jaegar\'s recognition was immediate.
Their distinct pointy ears and ethereal beauty marked them as elves, and it was a testimony to their eldritch abilities that they had arrived so swiftly in the heart of the woods.
As the enigmatic figure ceased their aggression, a subtle shift in the atmosphere hinted at a history between the two opposing parties.
The mysterious hooded figure addressed them with a tone that held both familiarity and tension. "Well, if it isn\'t the royal siblings, what has brought you here, Your Majesty?" he inquired, his voice laced with a mixture of intrigue and veiled threat.
"Wi\'thas, I can ask you the same," Felaern replied, his voice unwavering.
Jaegar realized that the elf known as Felaern stood opposite Wi\'thas, his expression a mirror of his regal lineage.
Wi\'thas\'s presence seemed to have stirred something deep within him, and he confronted him with steadfast determination.
Wi\'thas responded with a dark, chilling laugh. "I came to meet the offspring," he proclaimed, his words laden with sinister implications.
"Felaern, you shouldn\'t get in the way of me," he said, grinning, and his eyes turned to the one holding Jaegar, licked his lips and added, "your sister, Daratrine, is as beautiful as the last time I saw her."