The King's Beloved

"What is he doing?" the City Lord asked Ducis. "You can't transfer the effect of magic from one body to another".

"Ideally, yes. But that doesn't apply to Elliot. He can even transfer his life energy without locking lips with the other person".

"What? That's impossible".

"Tell that to Rania. He transferred some of his life energy to her".

"Huh?! Why would he waste his precious life energy to save a human?"

Ducis frowned. "I kept on telling you not to underestimate them and you don't listen. You're really still very young for a guardian. Now don't blame me when you receive the consequences of your foolishness".

"I really don't understand," the City Lord furrowed. "And now he's transferring the effect of my incense magic to his body. He'll be the one suffering if that happens. And if he can't control himself, he'll fail this trial and be stuck here forever. Why must he sacrifice himself just to save that puny mortal? Who is she?"

"Let the Supreme answer your questions".

Meanwhile, Elliot succeeded in transferring the magic's effect onto his own body. As he expected, it backlashed on him. Now, he's the one feeling feverish and weak and breathing heavily. His body dropped on the bed and his limbs started twitching. 

In return, Rania's energy came back and her fever was gone in an instant.

"Elliot!" Rania yelled out to him. "Why did you do that? You didn't need to -" Tears fell from her eyes. She felt so sorry for him and guilty and helpless. She hated that she couldn't do anything for him. "I'm the one who's supposed to - not you". Rania sobbed.

"I'll be fine … hah ... I'm a Magi and I have … a stronger body and constitution than you do," Elliot replied, barely making out words from his mouth. "I just … need to rest for now".

"Hmf! Acting so tough now when you shouldn't have done that in the first place". The City Lord's voice echoed in the room once more. "Truly, a woman is man's greatest weakness".

At these words, Rania clenched her fist and her heart fumed in anger. She couldn't help but disagree with all the ridiculousness she was hearing.

"You would have passed the trial if you left this woman and carried on to your journey. Finding the temple is what matters. Once you do, then you can all go back to where you came from. But now, here you are, falling prey to the very thing you shouldn't be falling for. Tsk" the City Lord's voice reflected utter disappointment.

"What kind of guardian is this? Why is he acting like this? Thinking like this?" Rania asked herself, trying to make reason out of the City Lord's actions. "Why does his views seem … wrong? I understand if he's testing Elliot with self control but -" then, an idea suddenly crossed her mind. "I see … if it's self control, then Elliot already passed the trial. It's just that … this guardian …"

Rania stood up from her seat. Holy anger burned inside her heart. She walked towards the balcony, faced the night sky and shouted with all her might.

"O' Guardian who rules this realm, I command you … Stop this trial at once!"

CRACK … CRAAAAACK!!!

Like glasses shattering, the whole City of Tenebris burst into thousands of pieces …

Like a mask that had been torn off, the real face of Tenebris was shown …

And it was nothing luminous or fancy …

It was a chasm of utter darkness.

Then, Rania's real body woke up. Upon opening her eyes, she found Elliot beside her and Luna on the other, lying on the ground, inside the magic circle they stepped into. They thought it transported them into another place when in fact, it merely made them sleep and fall into an illusion.

Rania got up and looked around her surroundings until she saw the Basilisk in her dream, standing a few meters away from them. With her blood still boiling within her, she walked closer to the Basilisk. Her eyes reflected no fear, nor did her feet waver or became paralyzed even if she looked straight at the giant snake's golden eyes.

"How?" the Basilisk turned to Rania. "How in the world did you manage to break my perfect illusion?" 

"I know who you are now," Rania's eyes flared and her voice reverberated around the chasm. "You are the Guardian of Self Control yet you yourself failed to master your own domain. Now, you have overstepped your boundaries and made the candidate suffer".

The Basilisk's eyes widened in disbelief. For how could a mere human have figured it all out? How did she know who he was? And how could she stand before him, staring into his eyes, and not be paralyzed? 

"And who are you to decide -" the Basilisk got furious. He slithered towards Rania, ready to lounge at her any moment now.

But the Supreme was with Rania. Her body began to glow so bright that the whole darkness in the chasm faded away. 

"By the name of the Supreme, I judge this trial over! Elliot has passed the test!"

At these words, the magic circle entrapping Elliot and Luna broke into pieces. 

"And as for you," Rania's eyes continued to burn and the whole place echoed her zealous voice. "Unless your master bids you, you will not be able to use your powers into your own accord! Like how you mercilessly controlled others, you will be controlled in return!"

Suddenly, golden chains sprang forth from the ground, encircling the whole body of the Basilisk and engraving itself unto its scales.

"What is happening?!" the Basilisk writhed in agony.

"The Supreme has spoken! You have forgotten the true essence of the trials. Now, give your blessings to the Lord's Anointed! You will be his servant, and he will be your master!"

"Why would the Supreme -" the Basilisk was about to ask when he noticed Rania's dress. "A white … pandora dress?" His eyes widened in disbelief once more. "A … human?"

Memories came flooding in his mind.

The very first Oracle, standing in the midst of a million Magi. With her angelic voice, she shouted, a prophecy from the Most High.

"Make way! Make way! 

The dragon roars for our savior has come!

With dress as pure as white,

and eyes burning yet calm.

Favoured by the Supreme, she stands

A maiden that is not one of us will save us…"

And finally putting everything together, the Basilisk transformed back into the City Lord's form.

"The Favoured One …," he mumbled as he looked at Rania, then he turned his head to Elliot, "and the Anointed One … I see, I understand now. I accept the Supreme's judgement".

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