9 Lightning Struck

The air atop the Ivory Peak pulsed with power. The magic circle Zorenn drew on the flat ground glowed a bright blue along with her eyes. Space itself seemed to twist as Zorenn chanted something in a language Rohann and Yurem were unfamiliar with.

The air pulsed with mana in a specific pattern and rhythm that was so consistent and strong that a non-wizard like Rohann felt it.

As a dragon, Yurem felt it much more. His instincts screamed at him to be careful. Yurem unknowingly stepped a few paces back to feel safer, but he still kept his eyes straight because of his promise to keep his two friends safe.

Zorenn eventually stopped chanting when the pulsing mana in the air reached its peak strength. She paused for a moment and turned her head to the side.

Rohann felt Zorenn's gaze and turned his head to face her. "Whatever you're gonna feel… don't fight it. Let go." Zorenn said with a grin before raising a hand. Everything seemed to halt in a pause as if all the focus in the world turned to the hand Zorenn raised.

A few moments of tension passed until… Zorenn snapped her fingers.

Zorenn and Rohann were suddenly each engulfed by a golden flame. The magic circle on the ground turned gold as well. The air that was filled with rich mana pulsed with even more power. The pulse spread to every direction with a force that seemed to shake the mountain itself. The force made Yurem raise his hands to brace himself against the strong pulsing rhythm.

The golden flames that engulfed Zorenn and Rohann burned brightly. The flames were bright enough to give the illusion that the sun had risen early.

'Are they safe?...' Yurem asked in his mind.

The bright golden flames prevented him from seeing what was happening to Rohann and Zorenn. He was very much worried, but he chose to stay in place.

Yurem kept calm and checked the magic circle on the ground to see it glowing a bright gold color as well.

'Not red… This is within Zorenn's expectations. This is her magic working.' Yurem concluded.

The golden flame and the strong magical pulse continued for a few minutes.

Inside one of the golden flames, Rohann was experiencing first hand the miraculous magic that Zorenn invented. He stood in place as the golden flame consumed him.

'Huh… Am I really on fire?'

Rohann looked around this golden world he suddenly found himself in and observed wisps that traveled upwards in a similar manner that flames do.

'I think I am… Wow. I don't feel hot! I was prepared to experience hell on earth, but damn! This actually feels nice!' Rohann mused as he raised his hands in front of him.

Both his hands were burning away. He looked at the rest of his body and discovered that his whole body was burning away as well. The armor he wore was long gone as well as his storage ring that contained most of his equipment.

'I guess this is the part where Zorenn's magic will incorporate our bodies to our souls…'

Rohann held no fear and instead chose to closely observe what was happening to him as if he's just watching another person's body burn and not his. Minutes passed and Rohann started to slowly feel… formless.

'Huh. I can't see any part of my body now. Did I burn completely? I shouldn't have eyes right now, but I feel as if… I can see more than I ever did before.'

Rohann marveled at the feeling he was experiencing right now. He felt… free.

'This is such… a… nice feeling…'

Rohann wanted to enjoy the feeling of being formless more, but the magic ritual Zorenn created said otherwise.

The consciousness of Rohann was attacked by a strong sense of drowsiness that aimed to make him sleep soundly.

Rohann felt this attack but he didn't try to resist. He remembered the words of Zorenn.

'Whatever you're gonna feel… don't fight it. Let go.'

And so, Rohann let go. He enjoyed and savored the feeling of being formless as much as he could before sleep completely took his consciousness.

Outside the golden flame, Yurem kept a close watch on the magic ritual that was happening.

As time went on, the powerful waves that were undulating from the magic circle gradually became calmer. It didn't give the impression of being weakened, but rather reaching some kind of stability.

Eventually, the waves that were shaking the air and the mountain were replaced by a calm pulsing rhythm. Yurem felt the steady beat of the rhythm and closely linked it to…

'A heartbeat. Two heartbeats. This… what is this?'

Yurem was astounded at everything that has happened so far. The ritual that was happening in front of his eyes was indeed an application of different high level magic researched by the Supreme Sorciere herself.

With the steady heartbeat pulsing of mana, the bright golden flames shrinked. Despite becoming smaller, the two golden flames still shined brightly as ever.

The two flames that can fit in a man's palm floated in their respective positions. Yurem realized that Rohann and Zorenn were gone and were replaced by these two flames.

'The soulification process is complete… still gold. Damn, this is nerve wracking!'

Yurem still kept an eye on the magic circle on the ground. The moment it turns red, he will know.

The loyal dragon friend of Rohann and Zorenn focused all of his attention to the magic ritual happening in front of him. Perhaps because of this, Yurem was not able to notice the dark clouds that were mysteriously gathering above them that seemed to have come out of nowhere.

The two glass containers that also had a position inside the magic circle suddenly glowed in a dim gold color. Strands of thick and visible mana formed inside the glass containers. The strands of mana weaved and twisted as if trying to create a complex tapestry.

Yurem watched as the strands of mana started to look like veins that slowly grew human organs within the glass containers. Minutes passed and the process was complete. Inside the glass containers were two floating human figures.

The human figures were formless and faceless. It looked more like a brightly glowing golden figure that was shaped to look like a human.

'How much effort did Zorenn need to give to have even thought of this? No one else in this world even attempted to dream about the miracle I'm seeing right now…' Yurem gasped at the complexity and ridiculously ingenious command of Zorenn over mana.

When the creation of the human figures within the glass containers finished, the two golden flames that were on another part of the magic circle suddenly disappeared. Yurem saw this and returned his gaze to the glass containers.

The human figures that were formed suddenly swirled and congregated towards where its heart would be if it was human. There, Yurem saw the golden flame burn. It was as if the golden flames were absorbing the human figures made of mana.

'This is it… the climax. After this, the gold flames will build a body that looks like flesh around itself. Then, Rohann and Zorenn will truly be reborn.'

Yurem was excited to see the final phase of the magic ritual. However, it was at this moment that he sensed something was wrong. Yurem looked up and saw the dark clouds that had gathered above him.

'What? The skies were clear as far as the eye could see when we started! Is this an attack?'

Yurem tensed up and sharpened his senses to check his surroundings. His senses reached out so far that he was able to observe the whole mountain range of where the Ivory Peak was located.

'No one… Is this really a natural phenomenon? Nature can be so… strange.'

Yurem concluded that there was no enemy trying to attack them. Still, these dark clouds that were gradually building a strong rumble irked him. Something about it felt… off.

'Hmm. I really don't like how those clouds look. Better disperse them now. I feel a lightning storm coming.'

Yurem flew up and changed to his dragon form. He was about to flap his wings and create wind currents that would disperse the dark clouds when the sound of thunder rang out.

The thunder was so deafening that Yurem himself felt disoriented. He was able to quickly regain his bearings, only to see white lightning spreading within the dark clouds.

'White… lightning?'

Yurem has seen white lightning before, but the lightning within the clouds felt different somehow. His instincts as a dragon screamed at him to run far away as he possibly could.

Instead of following his instincts, Yurem chose to stay and try to disperse the dark clouds.The fear he felt only served to strengthen this decision.

"GRAAAAA!"

Yurem roared as he sent a blast of wind with the powerful flap of his wings. The wind blast was nearing the dark clouds when… lightning struck.

The white lightning flashed at an incredible speed that was faster than anything Yurem has ever seen. The white lightning seemed to have negated his wind blast as tendrils of white lightning spread in random patterns in midair.

Yurem was hit by the main pillar of white lightning square in the chest. He was sent flying downwards from the painful strike but he managed to regain his bearings.

Rohann and Zorenn are utterly defenseless at the moment and it was up to Yurem to make sure that the environment on the Ivory Peak remained safe for the ritual.

Yurem flew up to return to his previous position. He still wanted to disperse the lightning clouds. The lightning strike he suffered did not manage to discourage him.

If Rohann and Zorenn were to see the state of Yurem right now, they would be extremely worried. Unbeknownst to Yurem, his body looked transparent right now. After the white lightning struck him, Yurem's body became see-through like a ghost.

Yurem did not notice his current state and ignorance is a bliss. He rushed towards the dark clouds to try and disperse it all from within.

"GRAAAAAAAAA!"

Before he even reached the clouds, lightning struck him once again. Only this time, it affected him differently.

When the lightning struck the transparent and ghostlike Yurem, a shocking sight happened. Instead of being pushed back, Yurem shattered into a thousand pieces like a glass that fell from a height.

The glistening shards that were once the mighty dragon Yurem rained down towards the magic circle where Rohann and Zorenn were currently forming a body.

The dark clouds that gathered above were merciless and continued to strike lightning downwards. With no one left to protect the magic circle, the lightning struck again and again as if a mighty being was raining down his rage…

An hour later, nothing was left of the Ivory Peak. This day shall be forever remembered by the world. The two strongest beings in the world were suddenly never heard from again as if they vanished into thin air.