Chapter 9
Levi stood in the middle of the snow-covered field, his expression calm as his cloak billowed slightly in the wind. The twenty-four night creatures stalked forward, their grotesque forms illuminated by the crackling fire behind him. Without turning to his companions, Levi lifted a hand and murmured, "Oh magic, grant me enhanced speed and sharpen my reflexes."
A golden glow surrounded him, fading into his skin as his movements became fluid, effortless—like a shadow dancing in the wind. His sharp eyes flickered over the approaching beasts, analyzing their forms, their weaknesses, their intent.
The first creature lunged. A towering monstrosity with six arms, jagged claws, and a face split into three separate maws lined with razor-sharp teeth. Its movement was erratic, limbs striking from different angles at once. Levi's body blurred as he sidestepped the onslaught, pivoting on his heel. He raised a hand, palm facing the monster. "Oh magic, burn away my foes."
A jet of searing fire erupted from his fingertips, coiling like a serpent before engulfing the creature whole. The flames clung to its body unnaturally, seeping into its flesh. The night creature let out a shriek, its multiple mouths screaming in disharmony as its body convulsed. Its charred frame collapsed into the snow, blackened bones crumbling into ash. The second beast, a quadrupedal abomination covered in barbed quills, hurled itself at Levi, spikes launching toward him like a deadly rain. His hand flicked, and the air around him distorted.
"Oh magic, shield me from harm." An invisible barrier materialized in an instant, the quills shattering upon impact before falling harmlessly to the ground. The creature barely had time to react before Levi extended a hand. "Oh magic, pierce my enemy."
A spear of ice materialized, crystalline and deadly. It shot forward with such speed that the creature didn't have time to dodge. The spear punctured its skull, exiting through the other side in a spray of black ichor. The beast collapsed, spasming once before falling still.
A third monster, a bloated, slug-like entity with gaping, lamprey-like maws covering its torso, exhaled a putrid mist that corroded everything it touched. Trees in the distance wilted, the snow sizzled and dissolved. Levi breathed evenly, then whispered: "Oh magic, carry the wind to me."
A powerful gust swirled around him, the mist dispersing before it could reach him. As the slug reared back to spew more, Levi extended both hands. "Oh magic, unleash your storm." Electricity crackled in the air before a lance of white-hot lightning shot from his palms, piercing straight into the monster's slimy hide. The night creature convulsed violently, its body turning rigid as arcs of energy danced across its skin. Smoke poured from its gaping mouths before its bloated form exploded, splattering the snow with sizzling chunks of flesh.
The fourth and fifth creatures attacked in unison. One, a gaunt, skeletal being with elongated fingers ending in curved talons, the other a quadruped with bat-like wings and a scorpion's tail. The winged one took to the air, circling above Levi while its skeletal companion lunged from below.
Levi shifted his foot slightly, calculating. The skeletal creature's claws lashed forward, aiming for his throat. He tilted his head just enough to let them pass harmlessly, then murmured: "Oh magic, let the ground shatter." The earth beneath the creature split apart, jagged stone spikes erupting violently. They impaled the monster from below, piercing through its ribcage and pinning it in place as dark liquid oozed from its wounds.
Above him, the winged beast screeched before diving, its barbed tail arcing forward to skewer him from above. Levi's eyes flicked up. "Oh magic, sever the sky." A crescent blade of wind shot from his fingertips. It cleaved through the air with a whisper before slicing through the creature's wings. The monster let out a choked cry as it spiraled down, crashing headfirst into the spikes that had impaled its companion.
One after another, the night creatures charged, each met with calculated efficiency. A six-legged beast covered in armored plating fell to a burst of molten rock that melted through its shell. A monstrous centipede with glowing runes on its carapace was frozen solid before Levi shattered it with a mere tap of his finger. A nightmarish, eyeless horror with a mouth stretching across its torso was ripped apart by invisible force, its body twisting unnaturally before tearing asunder.
Each spell was precise, each counter executed without waste. Levi's face remained impassive as bodies fell around him. Blood stained the snow, steam rose where the ice melted from his fire, and jagged rock formations bore the scars of his magic.
The last night creature, a towering beast with a misshapen humanoid form, roared in defiance. Its muscles bulged, veins pulsating with dark energy. It raised its arms high, prepared to bring them down and crush Levi where he stood. Levi exhaled softly, his breath visible in the cold air. He lifted a hand and spoke his final spell of the night: "Oh magic, collapse the heavens."
The sky rumbled. A massive column of pure force plummeted from above, slamming into the creature with crushing weight. The impact sent a shockwave rippling outward, snow and debris scattering in every direction. The night creature's bones shattered instantly, its body driven deep into the earth before it was completely obliterated, leaving nothing but a smoldering crater.
Levi lowered his hand. The battlefield was silent save for the crackling fire behind him. Twenty-four night creatures lay dead, their twisted forms scattered across the snow, he looked at the corpses, with a detatched expression, he wasnt angry in the slightest, no, such creatures could not encite such strong emotion from him, so He turned, glancing at his companions. Trevor and Sypha stared in stunned silence, while Alucard offered a small, knowing smile. Levi dusted off his cloak and walked back toward the fire. He sat down, picking up his guitar. "Now, where was I?" he mused before strumming the next note.
"Were you some sort of specially trained sorcerer of a secret family?" Trevor asked as Levi sighed. "No, nothing like that. Just someone who suddenly had magic and wanted to grow stronger in order to survive," he said as he looked at the fire that burned despite the strong wind. "Who knows, maybe one day I'll get to explore the seas of stars," he chuckled as he looked up. The sky, without pollution, was crystal clear. Gazing into the night sky, Levi was content for some reason as Trevor and Sypha looked at each other, confused.