Nightblade (Darkest night)

Chapter 243: Powerful benefactor

In the distance, enormous stone monoliths stood arranged in a perfect circle, their ancient surfaces weathered by time and carved with countless glowing runes.

The towering blocks radiated an oppressive, primordial aura that demanded reverence.

Strangely enough, the granite enclosure exuded a hallowed feeling.

At their centre lay a massive runic circle etched into the ground.

Intricate symbols spread outward in overlapping layers, pulsing faintly in sync with silver light.

For a moment, it seemed as though silver ichor was flowing through the ground, moving in sync with an invisible pulse.

Luke, the heartbeat of an unseen deity.

. Energy hummed through the air, low and resonant, causing the earth beneath their feet to tremble ever so slightly.

Without hesitation, Merlin strode forward.

His dark, long coat billowed behind him as he crossed the boundary of the formation, taking calm and measured footsteps despite the overwhelming pressure radiating from the circle.

Reaching its centre, he came to a halt.

The entire place emanated an aura of power, er and currents of energy continuously permeated the air in concentric waves that rippled outward.

At the centre of the circle, Merlin’s already powerful aura underwent a qualitative change.

The instant he stopped, the runes flared to life. Silver light surged through the ancient markings in blinding streams, and the entire formation awakened with a thunderous. hum His silver eyes became transformed into pyres of silver fire.

Wild currents of electricity exploded from his body in violent arcs, tearing through the air with deafening cracks.

Serpentine bolts coiled around him like living things, scorching the ground black wherever they touched. The atmosphere became heavy and unstable, charged with enough power to make every strand of her hair stand on end.

Emily gasped, her eyes widening in surprise.

A violent wall of pressure slammed into her without warning, forcing her to stagger back several feet as the wind whipped furiously around the circle.

She instinctively raised her arms to shield herself, squeezing her eyes shut against the blinding flashes as sparks lashed across the room like raging silver whips.

She slowly opened her eyes, staring at the man hovering in the air before her.

At this point, Merlin resembled a spirit more than a man.

When he spoke, his voice came out as a whisper, but it carried enough power to freeze her in place for several moments.

"While you may not know this, now that I’ve taken you on as an apprentice, there will be several people interested in you."

He fully turned towards her, spreading his arms in a welcoming gesture.

A faint smile touched his lips, his entire demeanor taking on a calm and even, inviting presence.

Even then, beneath it, an indescribable sense of power lingered that made the simple motion feel almost regal.

Emily felt the overwhelming urge to bo,w but desperately fought it, steeling her will and focusing on the radiant figure.

"Because of that, you’ll become a target. There will be those who will want to test for themselves against all odds, to prove if you’re worthy. They’ll want to see what makes to tick..."

Merlin’s entire body became writhed in electricity until he resembled a living lightning rod.

The sheer force radiating from him distorted the atmosphere, turning the world into a storm of blinding silver light and roaring energy.

Emily instinctively raised an arm to shield her eyes, her hair whipping violently in the raging winds. Even through the dazzling flashes, she could still make out his figure standing at the centre of the storm like somebody deific, a calamity of wind and destruction.

High above them, the illusory sun vanished as towering storm clouds surged across the sky like a dark tidal wave, and with them, a dreadful sense of foreboding.

Within moments, the light from the illusory sun was completely blotted out, plunging the world into an eerie gloom.

"I’ve lived for thousands of years as a child. And in that time, I’ve seen kingdoms and empires rise and fall."

The air hummed with undeniable power around them. The hairs on Emily’s body stood on end.

He gestured nonchalantly around them.

"As a result, many crave the knowledge that I have," Merlin said somberly, ly then chuckled in amusement, the sound mixing with the wild crackling energy around him.

"Or that they think I’ve. "

The world has changed from the time when I was a boy. When I was your age. Back then, the Talented were even fewer than they are today. They were revered almost like deities for their gifts."

Emily frowned, her eyes narrowing in contemplation.

"When were you a boy?"

Merlin threw her a furtive glance, the violent current around him slowly dissipating.g

"It’s been centuries since then. "

Merlin casually raised a hand, and the light around them began to twist and bend at his command.

Shimmering streams of silver radiance flowed across the ground before condensing into small translucent figures formed entirely from light.

The tiny apparitions moved slowly across the earth like echoes of the distant past replaying before their eyes.

And then—before Emily’s eyes, armies marched, banners waved, and distant cities of light rose and fell within the glowing illusion.

A cacophony of unbridled violence and chaos of epic proportions slowly unfolded before her eyes.

"You must understand why I’m showing you this. I do not take this apprenticeship of ours, you and I, lightly. I’ll need you to trust me. That is why I’m emailing this to you."

The currents of power around him surged even more violently.

"Should you ever choose to betray my trust

..."

He abruptly went silent, then gestured to the light, which manifested ghostly apparitions around them.

"Listen carefully."

The scene before them changed to a hologram of the land, rather than the continent on which they now stood.

"This was before the people now known as the Brotherhood of Shadows went to war against the Talented."

He sighed, his expression becoming pensive

"My master..." he began

"Wait, what?! Your master?"

Emily stared at him in shock.

Merlin chuckled in amusement at her reaction.

"Yes, I once had a master as well. In fact, some of this is an inheritance from her."