Dark Magus Returns

Chapter 1632: Make A Change

When Londo and Kelly first heard what Harvey had demanded of the Dark Guild, both of them felt their stomachs twist. They had already suspected, long before this moment, that Harvey had crossed far beyond any acceptable line, but hearing him openly order the massacre of the Underside shattered whatever excuse either of them had tried to cling onto.

For a long time, Kelly had been uneasy with Harvey’s "vision." His methods had never sat right with her. She recalled nights where she would lie awake, staring at the dark ceiling of her room in the Guild base, wondering if she was the one who was wrong. Everyone else seemed so sure. Everyone else followed Harvey with this strange, unwavering loyalty. Maybe she was just too soft. Maybe she didn’t understand what sacrifices were necessary to reach a better world.

After all, even the Dark Magus, Raze himself, had never openly opposed Harvey’s increasingly extreme decisions. Harvey constantly used that as proof: "If the Dark Magus disagreed, he would have stopped me." That sentence had echoed in Kelly’s mind more times than she could count.

But this... this was a step so far beyond reason that no amount of self-doubt could excuse it.

Those from the Underside weren’t combatants. They weren’t soldiers. Many were people she saw daily, families, young children, elderly individuals clinging to survival. Some reminded her painfully of her mother: trapped, tricked, powerless against the world unless someone fought for them. People who had endured enough suffering already.

Why should they be sacrificed instead of others?

Her chest tightened. Something inside her snapped, and the fear that always kept her quiet finally broke apart. She tried shouting at the Dark Mages near her, telling them Harvey was wrong, that they couldn’t do this, but none of them listened. Their eyes glowed with fanatical resolve, as if Harvey’s announcement had washed away any lingering moral hesitation.

So Kelly did the only thing left.

She attacked them.

A Dark Mage raised his palm, gathering energy to strike her down, but Kelly’s instincts kicked in. She fired first, dark energy exploding through the corridor and slamming him backwards. Panic and clarity surged together. She couldn’t save everyone, but she could at least stop some of them.

Her heart raced as she fought, and amid the chaos, she wasn’t alone for long.

Londo appeared, one of the few other members who had shown worry quietly before. He, too, had refused to follow Harvey’s madness. When they crossed paths, neither needed to explain anything. One look was enough. They fought side by side without hesitation.

Then Sophie, the small black cat who had been wandering between factions since the beginning of this mess, leaped gracefully onto Kelly’s shoulder as if declaring her allegiance as well. Kelly felt a weird sense of comfort. It was almost funny, of all the Dark Guild members, the cat was the only one she truly trusted.

The three of them rushed toward the nearest shelter, pushing their way through the tunnels. Kelly felt sick at what they might find, Harvey’s message had already urged others to begin the slaughter. If they were even a few minutes late...

But they made it.

Just in time to help Alen.

Kelly and Londo launched attacks to save him, their spells intercepting the Dark Pulses aimed at his chest. Alen turned in shock, and that was when their plan fell into place. They needed to act fast, before the Guild members regrouped, before more innocents were harmed.

So they stood in front of the gathered Dark Guild members, all of whom were closing in on the shelter, and they renounced the Guild.

Kelly ripped off her Dark robe and threw it on the ground. Londo did the same. Sophie hissed, tail puffed, as if delivering the final punctuation mark. The effect was immediate.

The crowd froze.

More Dark Guild members arrived from the tunnels, but every single one stopped short at the sight of the two defectors standing defiantly before the shelter entrance.

"What is going on? Why have we stopped attacking?" one of them demanded, voice confused and rising with anxiety.

"They just said they’re no longer part of the Dark Guild," another reminded him. "So what? We should kill them, too!"

A nearby Dark Mage lifted his hand, energy swirling as he prepared a spell, until someone grabbed his wrist and shoved it downward.

"Wait," the man said urgently. "Don’t you recognize them? She’s one of the Night Callers, one of the founders of the Dark Guild. And he’s a Void Binder, one of our strongest specialists."

A ripple of unease passed through the crowd.

"These aren’t just anyone. The fact they’d abandon the Guild... it means something. Maybe Harvey made that announcement on his own. Maybe the Dark Magus never ordered this."

Silence spread.

For a moment, hope flickered in Kelly’s chest. Maybe more would listen. Maybe the whole Guild wasn’t lost.

But then another Dark Mage stepped forward, his voice trembling with emotion.

"But Harvey is the true leader! He’s the one who carried us when the Dark Magus disappeared! He built the Guild we have today. He knows what sacrifices we need for a better future!"

His hands clenched.

"We can’t stop just because some people got cold feet!"

Kelly felt heat rise in her chest, anger, fear, despair.

"What are you talking about?!" she shouted, stepping forward. Her voice cracked with emotion. "Harvey forced most of you into Dark Magic! Don’t you remember how he manipulated your lives? How he ruined them?"

Some of the Guild members flinched.

"Even if that’s not true for all of you," she continued, "how can you kill innocent people, children, families, just because Harvey says it’s necessary? How does that make the world better?!"

Her voice echoed against the stone walls.

"The world can improve, but not like this. It doesn’t have to be this way!"

Londo stepped forward as well, fists clenched.

"And I know some of you are scared," he said. "You’re afraid of what others in the Guild will think. You’re afraid of Harvey. But listen, Raze, the real Dark Magus, would never want this."

Murmurs spread.

"There’s a reason the Dark Magus never built a Guild before," Londo continued. "He always worked alone. He never wanted something like this. A Dark Guild like ours was never meant to exist."

He took a deep breath, then raised his voice.

"If you don’t want to go through with this... if Harvey’s orders feel wrong to you... then join us. Throw away your robes, and we will protect you. Kelly and I will stand with you. We’ll fight beside you. And we’ll help you make things right."

Kelly looked out over the crowd, terrified faces, conflicted eyes, clenched jaws.

People who desperately wanted someone else to make the decision for them.

People who wanted permission to stop.

"If you want to save yourselves," Kelly said softly, "and save the Underside... choose now."

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