The Hybrid Mage

Act 1: Ch.35 - Spare a Life & Gain Might

I let out a satisfied sigh as my feet touched the ground. It was as if I had never left. The fort was still practically half destroyed, the guy I previously lay on the ground looking up at me with curiosity and an underlying fear in his bronze eyes. Cassandra stood up from one knee as I landed.

"Void?" She asked; I could see by the expression on her face she already knew the answer.

"What do you think?" I replied smugly, relishing her look of grief before angry tears began to stream from her eyes.

"Damn it," She breathed shakily as she seemingly materialised a small vile in her hand filled with a fizzing red liquid. "When you hit me, I knew exactly where you stood. Void's smart, very smart, but he's too rash and can't read a situation for the life of him. Couldn't even get one word out to warn him before he went straight after you. I knew that side of him was going to be the death of him one day. Yeah, I'm going to kill you."

She popped off the cork and chugged down the liquid in a second. My eyes widened as it's effect became clear. Like Void, Cassandra before seemed smaller, lower, like her being was out of focus from my view but now she wasn't. She was clear and level with me. She had transcended to my level. I couldn't help but smile.

"Now what kind of concoction was that?" I said, almost laughing in disbelief as Cassandra waved the vile at me with her fingers.

"Ethoidine, present from the head honcho Ada herself," Cassandra explained happily. "Temporarily raises your existence to level out the playing field with a higher opponent. It's got one heck of kick."

The veins around her eyes grew thick, bulging against the thin skin while her crimson eyes glowed and pulsed like a heartbeat. "She got to work on it after you injured Diablo that night; interacting with a Titan Rank should be impossible for a Lion Rank, let alone harming one."

I sniggered to myself at that.

"One of my little quirks that sources from my U.E Cells." I grinned as Cassandra blinked twice, like she had to check if what she heard was real.

"Explain. Right. Now."

I shook my head.

"No, I don't think I will. Not to a crackhead like you. You look high, probably addicted to that Ethoidine stuff

"Then back to plan A." She snarled. "Obey me and come forth!"

When I still lived in the C.F.R I made it my mission to memorise the workings of the C.F.R military including the ranking positions and who stood in them. Cassandra Cosmos, Major General of the Ghost Division, one of three divisions in the corps led by Uncle Leo. Despite being unable to enter into a Capere Form, Cassandra was an extremely accomplished member of the Cosmos Family, a soldier through and through with an undying loyalty to the family and feared by most as Undead Cass. A name she earned due to her Unique Skill that replaced the need for a Capere Form. A Unique Skill that allowed her to resurrect those she killed and turn them into her own personal soldiers. The Unique Skill Wraith Army that allowed her to command an army of the dead.

Her words echoed as if she was in a canyon; a moment later wisps of neon yellow flame flickered behind her as they began to grow and change in shape and size. A moment later the flames were encompassed by black smoke that formed the shape of glowing black and yellow smoke like soldiers. They carried a variety of melee weapons and were dressed in tight lightly armoured clothes with hoods over their heads, dark fabric covered most of their faces so that their only glowing neon yellow eyes could be seen. An army that almost filled the entirety of the fort behind Cassandra stood ready for battle. Their bodies tense and their eyes fixed on me as murderous intent oozed off of them like a suffocating gas.