Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 1542: No Survivors (Part 1)

Alen, Mordain, and Varkos had never trusted the Dark Guild. Even as they worked alongside them, the unease was always there, lingering in every glance and every exchange. To them, the Dark Guild was not a partner, not truly. They were an ally forced upon them by circumstance, bound together by the weight of a larger, more dangerous goal.

For soldiers of the military, trust was not given lightly. It was earned on the battlefield, forged in the fire of combat and the bonds formed by fighting shoulder to shoulder against a common enemy. That was how soldiers grew closer, through shared wounds and shared victories.

And in the recent clash with the Cerebus Guild, the Dark Guild and Mordain’s forces had stood together. They had endured the same attacks, faced the same deadly spells, and spilled blood side by side. For that brief moment, after the taste of victory lingered in the air, Mordain had allowed himself to lower his guard.

It was only for an instant. But that instant had cost him his life.

Already exhausted from the battle, drained by the constant strain of fighting against powerful mages, Mordain had not seen Harvey’s strike coming. He had believed, perhaps foolishly, that their shared struggle had meant something. That fighting together might have earned him a sliver of respect, a brief recognition of brotherhood.

But Harvey did not think that way. For the Dark Guild, the bonds of battle meant nothing. To them, Mordain was not an ally, he was an obstacle. And when Harvey’s hand pierced through him with effortless cruelty, Mordain realized too late the truth: the bond had only ever mattered to one side.

His body hit the ground with a heavy thud. The sound echoed across the factory floor, drawing the attention of the military personnel around him. Most of them were still locked in combat or too stunned by the chaos to react. A few turned their heads just in time to see their commander fall, their faces twisting from confusion to rage.

Those few who tried to raise their hands, preparing to unleash spells in retaliation, never got the chance. Harvey, his hand free now, fired a pulse of dark energy straight through their hearts, ending their lives in an instant.

Then he gave the order.

"Members of the Dark Guild, eliminate everyone who is not a member of the Dark Guild!"

His voice was sharp, cutting through the noise of battle like a blade.

From the moment each member had joined, the Dark Guild had drilled the same things into them, over and over again. Every day they were reminded of the oppression they had suffered. Every day they were told of their enemies, of the injustice of the world, of the need to fight for their cause. Every day they were reminded of their ultimate goal.

So when Harvey spoke, they did not hesitate. Not for a second.

They turned on the soldiers at once, their attacks swift and merciless.

Again, the element of surprise was on their side.

Spells of dark energy burst from their hands, colliding with men and women who had once stood beside them against the Cerebus Guild. The military personnel, though seasoned and hardened by countless battles, were caught off guard. They fought back, blocking where they could, countering with bursts of flame and wind, but their numbers were already too few.

And they had been weakened. Every single soldier had poured their strength into the earlier clash. Their reserves of energy were low, their stamina stretched thin. Worse still, their greatest strength, Mordain himself, was gone. Without him, they lacked the leadership and raw power to stand toe to toe with the Dark Guild.

One by one, they fell.

Screams echoed in the factory as dark pulses tore through chests, limbs, and skulls. Flames sputtered out, barriers cracked, and soon the floor was littered with the bodies of military mages who had fought until the very end.

It was not a clean victory for the Dark Guild. Fifteen of their own had perished in the bloody conflict. But Harvey did not care. To him, to them, it was another step forward. Another victory, another moment to claim that they were growing stronger. Those who had survived now carried the pride of having slaughtered Alterian’s military.

When the last soldier had fallen, Harvey’s voice rose above the silence.

"Everyone here will remain silent," he commanded. "You will not speak a word of this, to anyone. Not to the other members of the Dark Guild. Not even to the Dark Magus himself. This is for him. For his sake. For our goal!"

The room fell quiet. The silence itself was an answer, the soldiers of the Dark Guild bowing their heads in obedience.

Harvey’s eyes scanned the room, sharp and unyielding. "Dispose of the bodies of our own. Leave no trace of them behind. As for the military personnel, we will return their bodies to their allies. But before that, make sure every last one of them is truly dead."

At his order, the work began.

Dark Mages knelt by their fallen allies, their hands glowing with tendrils of black mist as they disintegrated the corpses, leaving nothing but empty space where bodies had once lain. The bodies of the Cerebus Guild were dragged to the center of the room, piled together like discarded tools, awaiting whatever fate Harvey had in mind.

Meanwhile, vehicles were brought in to carry the military dead. Yet before the bodies could be moved, the Dark Guild combed through them.

Some soldiers still clung to life, groaning in pain, too weak to move. A swift pulse of dark energy to the skull ended their suffering in seconds.

Others tried to crawl away, blood pooling behind them as they forced their battered bodies forward. But rays of black energy cut them down before they made it more than a few feet.

There would be no survivors.

Among those carrying out the grim work was a man named Londo. Unlike the others, his movements were hesitant, his heart not fully in the task. His hand trembled as he checked the pulse of a dying soldier. His mind was far away, racing with questions.

What is going on? Londo thought. The Dread Magister doesn’t want to inform the Dark Magus of what happened? Why? It’s as if he doesn’t trust the Dark Magus at all... maybe... maybe he doesn’t even believe in him.

Londo’s throat tightened. He had spent time with Raze, time that had given him a very different perspective. He had seen things, spoken to him directly. And because of that, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Harvey’s secrecy would only bring disaster.

Maybe I should tell Raze, he thought. But if I do... what will it mean for the Dark Guild? Will it destroy them? Will it ruin everything, make it impossible for the Dark Magus to complete his task?

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