Primordial Heir: Nine Stars

Silence fell over the battlefield as the orc crumpled to the ground, defeated. The Knight stood panting, adrenaline coursing through his veins, while the mage lowered his hands, the remnants of magic fading into the air. They exchanged a look of triumph, the bond forged in battle stronger than ever.

”Together, we are unstoppable,” the Knight said, a grin spreading across his face.

The mage nodded, a smile breaking through his usual composure. ”Let’s keep moving. We have more to face.”

The Knight then offered him a bottle of water. The mage hesitated for a moment, sensing something amiss, but thirst overcame his caution, and he took a swig. As the liquid slid down his throat, he felt an unsettling warmth spreading through his body, an echo of dread whispering in the back of his mind.

Suddenly, realization struck him like a bolt of lightning—he was being poisoned. Panic surged through him as he spat the remaining water from his mouth, but it was too late; the poison had already begun its dark work, coursing through his veins and sapping his strength.

”Why?” he gasped, turning to the Knight, the man who had fought by his side, now transformed into a stranger.

The Knight chuckled, a wild glint of madness flickering in his eyes. ”Nothing personal. You just have to die.”

The betrayal struck like a dagger to the heart. Rage and despair battled within the mage as he felt himself weakening, the world around him beginning to blur. With death looming near, he decided to risk everything—perhaps he could take down the traitor with him, though the thought felt increasingly unlikely.

Summoning his fading strength, he raised his wand, determination igniting within him despite the haze clouding his mind. He began conjuring spells connected to his law, weaving the arcane energy with a fervor fueled by desperation. Bolts of energy shot forth, crackling with power as they sought their target.

The Knight, now a twisted reflection of the ally he once was, merely smiled as he dodged each attack with ease, his movements fluid and taunting. The mage’s spells exploded against the ground, sending up clouds of dirt and debris, but none found their mark.

”Is that all you’ve got?” the Knight sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. ”You should have known better than to trust me.”

Ignoring the taunts, the mage focused on the remnants of his power, channeling everything he had left. He envisioned the spells coalescing into a final, desperate attack—a surge of energy that could disrupt the very fabric of the battlefield. With a deep breath, he unleashed the spell, a brilliant flash of light erupting from his wand, illuminating the darkened woods.

The energy surged forward, a wave of raw magic that threatened to engulf everything in its path. The Knight’s expression faltered for a brief moment, surprise flickering across his face as he realized the magnitude of the mage’s final effort.

But as the light surged closer, the mage felt his strength fading, his consciousness teetering on the edge. He could only hope that this act of defiance would be enough to take the traitor down with him.

In that fleeting moment, their eyes met one last time. While the Knight’s gaze held madness, the mage’s was filled with resolve, a testament to his unshakeable resolve.

And then, as the spell collided with the Knight, the world around them exploded in a blinding flash, shattering the silence of the battlefield.

The male mage hoped against hope that he had struck the traitor down, but as the light faded, his heart sank. The figure before him was no longer the Knight he had known. What stood there was a grotesque transformation, a monstrous shadow of what had once been his teammate and classmate.

”Demonized human?” he uttered in terror, his voice barely a whisper.

The Knight had undergone a horrifying metamorphosis, now resembling a giant human scarab. His body was encased in an earthen carapace, a hard shell that shimmered with a dark, unnatural hue. Jagged edges lined the surface, creating a menacing silhouette that glinted ominously in the dim light. The grotesque armor seemed to pulse with a life of its own, as if the very earth had conspired to forge this abomination.

The Knight’s limbs were thick and powerful, each movement exuding an unsettling grace despite their bulk. A pair of elongated, razor-sharp claws extended from his hands, capable of rending flesh with a single swipe. His face, once familiar, was now obscured by a hideous mask-like structure, with glowing eyes that burned with a fierce, malevolent light.

A thick, segmented tail extended from his lower back, swaying with a predatory rhythm. It thrashed behind him, a weapon in its own right, tipped with a sharp spike that glimmered with the promise of pain. The entire form radiated an aura of overwhelming power, an impenetrable fortress of darkness that sent chills down the mage’s spine.

The demonized Knight laughed, a sound that echoed with a chilling resonance as he began to stride toward the mage. Each step reverberated through the ground like the tolling of a death knell, the weight of his presence heavy in the air. The mage felt the remnants of his previous spell coursing through his body, a painful reminder of his vulnerability.

As the grotesque figure approached, the mage knew he was at the mercy of this monstrous reflection of his former ally. The bond they once shared had been twisted into something dark and unrecognizable, leaving only fear and despair in its wake.

And despair was something demonized human fed on.

The demonized Knight lifted his former comrade effortlessly to eye level, his grip like iron around the mage’s throat. The mage, already in a fragile state from injuries and now poisoned, felt his defenses crumble.

’’!”

Panic surged within him, a primal fear that gripped him tightly, squeezing the breath from his lungs.

As he locked eyes with the demonized Knight, a wave of terror washed over him. It was not just the sight of the grotesque transformation before him; it was the realization that the man he once trusted had become an embodiment of his worst nightmares, the most feared and hated existence in the world. The glowing eyes of the Knight radiated malice, and it felt as if they were piercing through him, stripping away any remaining courage.

Bad ump! Bad ump!

The mage’s heart raced, pounding against his chest like a drum heralding doom. Each beat echoed his dread, a reminder of his vulnerability. He could feel the cold sweat trickling down his back, his limbs trembling as the overwhelming fear seeped into his bones. His mind raced with frantic thoughts—thoughts of betrayal, of hopelessness, and of impending death. He could almost taste the bitterness of despair on his tongue, a foul reminder of the fate that awaited him.

The demonized Knight reveled in the mage’s fear, feeding off it like a dark energy that enhanced his own power. Every tremor of the mage’s body, every flicker of terror in his eyes, only fueled the Knight’s twisted delight. It was as if the emotion itself was a feast, nourishing the dark entity that had taken residence within his former ally. The Knight’s laughter rang out, a cruel melody that danced through the air, echoing the mage’s deepest fears and amplifying them to an unbearable pitch.

In that moment, the mage felt utterly alone, surrounded by shadows that closed in around him. The bond that had once united them now felt like a distant memory, replaced by a suffocating darkness that threatened to consume him whole.

”K-kill me!” he uttered with difficulty, the words barely escaping his lips.

”With pleasure,” the demonized Knight responded, a sinister satisfaction in his voice as he crushed the mage’s neck. It shattered with a sickening ease, as if it were nothing more than a fragile twig.

He let the lifeless body fall to the ground, the finality of the act hanging heavy in the air. Just as he was about to turn away, something stirred within him. He hesitated for a moment, a flicker of the humanity he once possessed struggling to surface. With a swift motion, he snapped his scaly, thick fingers to command the Law of Earth.

The ground trembled and split open beneath them, a gaping maw that swallowed the dead mage whole. It was a final act of respect, a tribute to the fleeting bond they had shared, even if it was brief. This gesture was not born of pity, but a recognition of the fleeting moments of camaraderie that had existed between them, a reminder of the man he had once been before darkness consumed him.

’’Time to join the other for the main dish.’’ he muttered before crushing a black stone just like the demonized lizardman, he was covered in black light before vanishing. This special stone could let them teleported to a specific location and it didn’t take a genius to understand where they are aiming for, the zone were the cadets of the special class are located. Killing a few would deal a several damage to this side as the cadets from that class would undoubtedly become the backbone later.

Two more cases like this happened elsewhere, making the number of demonized humans to increase to four to perform this suicide attack. Everything was for the great being.