Chapter 10: Uncertain Future

<Seraphina's POV>

With intense pain, Seraphina woke up while screaming. As she opened her eyes she found herself in a small prison with her neck and limbs shackled. Outside the iron bars stood the old man, Mord.

"Finally up! The trial will be held the day after tomorrow. The meal is here and that's all. Don't expect it tomorrow as well, we just need you alive"

With a sneer the old man threw a plate of rice on the ground and turned back and went away. Seraphina felt a surge of rage and despair as she watched Mord leave.

She wondered what had happened to Ethan. They had been together for years. She hoped he was still alive, that he had somehow escaped or been rescued. She hoped he would come back for her, that he would save her from this hell.

She looked around her cell, hoping to find a way out, but there was none. The only thing she could see was the dark ocean and the occasional shadow of a fish or a shark. She felt suffocated and trapped, as if she had been buried alive.

She wondered what would happen to her at the trial. She had read some books at the council of witches, Eldoria, that the apostles of God were fanatical and merciless, that they hated the witches and anyone who practiced wizardry as it went against the laws of world.

She tried to think of something else, something that would give her some strength or courage, but she could not. She had no friends or family to support her, no allies or comrades to help her. She had spent her life defying the rules and norms of society, following her own path and will. She had been proud and independent, but now she realized that it had been lonely and risky. She had nothing to rely on, nothing to fight for.

She felt a tear roll down her cheek, mixing with the salt water. She closed her eyes and prayed for a miracle, but she knew it would not come. She was alone and doomed, waiting for the end.

She lay on the cold stone floor, staring at the tiny window that barely let in any light. She had lost track of time. She had lost hope of ever seeing the light of day again. She felt nothing but emptiness and despair, as if her soul had been ripped out of her. Yet, she only wished for Ethan to be safe.

Seraphina felt a jolt of pain as two guards grabbed her by the arms and dragged her out of her cell. She had been given no food or water for the past day, and she felt weak and dizzy. She barely registered the surroundings as they took her to a large metal elevator that descended deeper into the ocean.

She wondered where they were taking her, but she had a bad feeling about it. She had heard Mord mention something about a trial, but she had no idea what that meant. She doubted it would be fair or just, considering who her captors were.

She tried to resist, to pull away from the guards, but they were too strong and rough. They tightened their grip on her, making her wince. She felt blood dripping from her wrists, where the shackles had cut into her skin. She felt bruises and cuts all over her body, where they had beaten and tortured her. She felt a burning sensation in her chest, where they had branded her with a cross, marking her as a witch.

She wanted to scream, to curse, to fight back, but she knew it was useless. She had no power here, no magic, no allies. She was at their mercy, and they had none.

The elevator stopped with a loud clang, and the doors opened. The guards pushed her out, making her stumble and fall. She looked up and saw a large circular room with a high ceiling. She was surrounded by 5 pillars with unique design and color. On them was 5 figures. 3 of them were dark and barely visible, as if they weren't physically here. Out of the other 2 she recognized one of them was Mord, who looked smug and satisfied. The other one was covered from head to toe, wearing a white mask with a lotus pattern.

"WHERE IS HE? !" Seraphina glared at Mord.

"You should worry about yourself first." With a flick of finger from Mord, four pillars rose above the ground from Seraphina's four sides. Chains came out of them and grabbed Seraphina. She tried to resist but it was useless. With another flick the pillars went into the ground again.

"Let the trial begin"

Seraphina felt a surge of fear and despair as she realized this could be the end.

She closed her eyes and prayed for a miracle, but she knew it would not come.

She was alone and doomed, waiting for the end.

But then she heard a sound that made her open her eyes again.

A sound that made her heart skip a beat.

A sound that made her feel something she had not felt in a long time.

Hope.

It was the sound of the elevator door opening again.

And out of it came someone she had not expected to see.

Someone she had longed to see.

Ethan.

Ethan's arrival was unexpected and surreal. Seraphina's heart raced as she saw him step out of the elevator, his presence bringing a ray of light to her seemingly hopeless situation.

"Ethan?" Her voice trembled with a mix of disbelief and relief.

Ethan's eyes met hers, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. He looked different, more determined and confident than before. The twin swords he carried were a testament to his newfound strength.

"Mord, release her," Ethan's voice was calm but commanding.

Mord looked at the man with the white lotus mask.

"This is your problem, Mord. Handle it." The masked man kept staring at Ethan while saying that.

A tension-laden silence enveloped the room, broken only by the sound of Ethan's slow, deliberate footsteps as he advanced towards Mord. It was a confrontation fueled by vengeance and a thirst for justice. Seraphina watched, her heart pounding, as the two adversaries locked eyes, the air charged with impending conflict.

With a surge of fury, Ethan lunged at Mord. Mord barely managed to raise his guard in time, and the clash of metal echoed throughout the chamber as their swords collided. Sparks flew, a testament to the intensity of their battle.

Seraphina, still bound by chains, could only watch helplessly as the fight raged on. She felt a mixture of anxiety and anticipation, her fate hanging in the balance as the combatants struggled for dominance. But something was different about Ethan – an inner strength that radiated from him, empowering his every move.

Utilizing his newfound mastery over his demonic powers, Ethan infused his sword with a dark, ethereal energy. The blade glowed with an eerie light as he struck at Mord with renewed ferocity. The clash of demonic and conventional power was palpable, and the advantage began to shift in Ethan's favor.

Mord's defenses began to crumble under Ethan's relentless assault. Each strike, imbued with the potency of demonic energy, wore down Mord's resistance. Seraphina could see the desperation in Mord's eyes as he struggled to hold his ground.

Ethan's final blow was swift and calculated. With a powerful slash, he shattered Mord's defense and disarmed him. The impact sent Mord crashing to the ground, defeated and defenseless.

Soon the result was very clear. Mord was on the ground grasping for air and Ethan was standing barely tired.

But just as Ethan raised his sword for the finishing blow, the man with the white lotus mask suddenly appeared in front of Ethan blocking his sword with a book.

"That's enough," he admonished, his voice a chilling command.

A tense silence settled over the room as Ethan and the masked man locked eyes. The masked man then raised his left hand and as if Ethan was being pulled from behind suddenly was thrown behind at the wall beside the elevator he came from.

Ethan was shocked as he didn't feel anything coming out from that man's hand yet he was pushed back.

The next moment the masked man looked at Mord, suddenly Mord's head burst out scattering blood everywhere. The scene was enough to send shivers down Seraphina's spine.

"We don't need anyone useless like you?" The masked man then again looked at Ethan.

"I heard about you. So how did you know about this place?"

Ethan ignored the question and readied his twin swords to leap towards him.

"Don't think about it. It's useless. You have no right to belong here yet you are causing so much chaos. We are merely delivering justice."

"To hell with your justice"

Ethan dashed towards the man with his swords clad with demonic energy. The man opened the book in his hand and suddenly Ethan crashed into an invisible wall repelling him.

"!!!"

Ethan was surprised again. He couldn't figure out this man's powers.

"I told you, its useless."

Ethan, realizing the situation he's in, closed his eyes and started to focus.

"Closing eyes in a fight? How arrogant!"

The man again raised his left hand and three golden orbs appeared each sides of Ethan. As the man grasped his hands close the orbs rushed at Ethan. Just as they came close to Ethan, they exploded.

"Is this how the security of this place is?" The masked man looked back at the figures that were still standing on the pillars.

One of the figures pointed his hand behind the masked man making him turn his head. The place that exploded had black smoke. Not just any black smoke but this smoke contained demonic energy.

Suddenly a black figure leapt from the smoke. The masked man reflexively gestured his hand creating another invisible barrier but to his surprise, the barrier was simply shattered. Just as the black figure was about to grab the masked man's neck he was again pushed back by an unknown force. But it grabbed hold of the floor to prevent crashing into the wall behind.

This black figure was Ethan. His hair was completely red and both of his eyes have turned and markings appeared on his face. He aimed his hand at Mord and black tendrils pierced him absorbing Mord into himself.

Seraphina, still chained was shocked by this as well. Ethan who fought demons his entire life was no like one of them.

The black figures on the pillars were looking at each other in shock. However, the masked man remained where he was. His reaction couldn't be seen through his mask.

Ethan raised his hands and the twin swords in his hands vanished in red smoke. Instead black fluid like substance covered his entire hand making a shape of blade as he stretched his right arm. He again leapt at the masked man, this time the masked man didn't repel Ethan. Ethan aimed to pierce the man's heart with his hand which is shaped like blade but was blocked by a barrier.

The man opened his book again swords emerged from his behind began to come at Ethan one by one. Ethan took a step back and put his left arm in front of him and black fluids came from his hands making a shield.

He was now sure of two things, there was timing for his repel attack and he couldn't cast anything without opening his book first.

After blocking the relentless attack with his shield, spikes began to from from the shield and it was aimed at the masked man. Seeing this, the masked man tried opening his book but he was surprised as he couldn't do it. He also realized he couldn't move his feet.

He immediately realized what was restraining him and looked at the prisoner.

"!!!" The masked man was shocked to see that one of her arm was freed.

The spikes began to attack the masked man. The masked man used his book the physically deflect each of the spikes. His speed was so fast that he stood there unfazed.

After the attack Ethan was breathing hard. He couldn't understand his opponent. He managed to free one of Seraphina's arm by sending some of his black substance to the chains but no matter what he did, he couldn't push back this man.

Suddenly a rumbling noise echoed through the room. The pillars one by one began to fall as the black figures disappeared one by one.

"To destroy those with just this much, you have tremendous potential Mr. Magnus."

The masked man spoke of a name that no one except Ethan and Seraphina knew. Ethan's name in his past life.

"Wha-"

The masked man didn't let Ethan finish his sentence. "Drink this, it was made by one of your kind" The masked man threw a bottle that he took out from his cloths and threw it to Seraphina. He flicked his hand and the chains started to disintegrate.

Seraphina grabbed the bottle. It contained a purple fluid in it that radiated pure arcane energy. She saw many things in her life but it was her first time to see arcane energy in the form of a fluid.

"Go back to where you belong" The masked man swiped with his hands and Ethan who was standing was thrown in front of Seraphina.

"Come on drink it quickly if you want to live. They will be here soon"

"Who are they?" Ethan asked the masked man but he simply ignored his question.

Seraphina thinking this could be a chance decided to gulp on the potion and suddenly she felt pain in her heart and her body started to emanate arcane energy.

"I was told it only lasts a few minutes, so do your witch stuff and get out of here"

Seraphina nodded and started to cast her ritual. Circles containing runes and patterns began to appear one by one around them.

Suddenly a spear came from inside the elevator door breaking the door in the process but it was blocked by the invisible barrier of the masked man. The spear still pierced the barrier a bit. The door was then burst open. A figure appeared from within.

Her brown skin exuding a radiant glow under the ambient light. Adorned in resplendent armor that seemed forged from celestial materials, she wore an eagle-themed helmet with gemstone eyes that held an air of watchful wisdom. Her iridescent golden eyes shimmered with cosmic secrets, and cascading strands of liquid gold hair flowed down her shoulders.

She stretched her arm and the spear returned to her. "What's wrong with you?"

The masked man didn't say anything. Instead he attacked her. The woman easily deflected his attacks with her spear.

Ethan who was watching the scene couldn't sit still and tried to join the fight. The masked man the aimed his hand at Ethan and Seraphina and a barrier was created surrounding them.

"I knew there was a traitor but to think it would be you. Protecting a Vorathal and witch of all things!" The woman launched her counter attack. The man tried his best to defend it.

Suddenly a sword appeared from behind and stabbed the masked man.

"You disappoint me. Mother would be upset if she heard of this."

Another figure appeared behind the masked man. He was covered in black rags from top to bottom. He pulled out the sword from the mask man's chest making him fall to the ground. The masked man still maintained the barrier around Ethan and Seraphina.

Just as Seraphina finished casting, the woman in armor jumped at them and pierced the barrier with bare hand and tried to rip it apart. The man in black cloths stomped on the masked man's hand with which he was casting the barrier.

Soon a pillar of light appeared and repelled the woman in armor from the barrier.

Ethan looked at the masked man one last time. He couldn't understand why he did this. He was anxious as well as to what lay ahead of them. Soon the light disappeared, taking Ethan and Seraphina along with it.