Chapter 49: The Cause of It

Chapter 49: The Cause of It
The tension in the air hadn’t left.

Even after the earth dragon collapsed, even after its red eyes faded and the corrupted crystal turned to dust, Isolde still felt something—something off. Her shoulders hadn’t relaxed. Her sword, though heavy in her hand, remained at her side, fingers still curled around the hilt.

She turned to her brothers.

“Before you came here,” she asked, “what did you see?”

Sedin and Ravi exchanged a glance. The joy from earlier was gone, replaced by tight expressions and furrowed brows. The two brothers looked at each other, contemplating whether or not they'll speak but in the end they knew that they need to because they knew that they cannot hide anything from their sister.

Ravi answered first. “We encountered other monsters—beasts that shouldn’t have been here. Wolves, lesser wyverns, and even some shadow beasts.”

“Nothing new,” Isolde replied as if that is not the answer that she is waiting for.

“They were all corrupted,” Sedin added grimly. “Same red eyes. Same dark aura.”

Isolde’s eyes widened.

“They were attacking the other examinees,” Ravi said. “Dozens of them. Some students were already injured when we got there.”

“What did you do?” she asked quickly.

Sedin exhaled sharply. “We told them to defend themselves, hide if needed, and wait for rescue.”

“Wait for rescue?!” Isolde raised her voice, the worry creeping in. “You just left them?”

“Isolde,” Ravi stepped forward. “We didn’t have a choice. Our priority was you. You were facing an Earth Dragon alone.”

She bit her lip. She knew they were right. But she still couldn’t shake the guilt pressing down on her chest.

“They need help,” she said. “Now.”

Without waiting for their reply, Isolde reached into her pouch and took out a blue vial, uncorked it, and drank it down in one go. It was her last mana potion, to be honest she still got a lot of mana left but at the same time she needed to feel refreshed because who knows how long the fight will held on and right now, she and her brothers are the only ones who can clear this dungeon and save the othe students.Then she grabbed a green one and drank that too—her muscles slowly relaxing, the aching in her arms easing.

“I’m heading there,” she said firmly. “You can come or not. But I won’t let anyone die here.”

Sedin didn’t even argue. “We’re with you.”

The three of them moved quickly through the forest.

\-

The ground was still scarred from the dragon’s rampage—large cracks, broken trees, and mana residue littered the path. As they pushed farther into the dungeon, faint cries reached their ears—shouts, spell blasts, the unmistakable clash of blades.

It didn’t take long to find the students.

A group of them had barricaded themselves inside a natural alcove—sharp rocks formed a wall on one side, and a cliffside curved around the back. But the opening in front was unguarded, and three large monsters—corrupted rock apes—were pounding away at the defenses.

Inside, Isolde could see students. Some were unconscious. Others were shaking. One boy was trying to cast a fire spell, but his arms trembled so badly that the flame flickered and vanished.

“We’re going in,” Sedin said. “Ravi, left side. I’ll take right. Isolde, take center?”

She nodded. “Let’s go.”

They split apart and launched their attacks.

Isolde ran straight into the opening, her sword glowing once again with a flame-infused enchantment. She leapt over a pile of rubble and slashed upward, hitting the nearest ape under the jaw. Its head snapped back, roaring in pain. It swung wildly, but she ducked and countered with a wind slice that cut through its arm.

Behind her, Ravi cast a barrier around the students. “Everyone stay inside!” he barked.

The students jumped in surprise but obeyed.

Sedin was already clashing with another ape, his sword movements precise and fast. Every strike knocked the creature off balance, forcing it back step by step. His cold expression didn’t waver, even when the beast shrieked.

Isolde landed another hit, then spun around to avoid a falling boulder.

She channeled more mana into her blade and yelled, “Ignite!”

Flames burst from her sword, engulfing the corrupted creature’s chest. It shrieked, staggered backward, and collapsed to the ground.

“Down!” she shouted, and the students cheered faintly from their shelter.

The other two monsters tried to retreat, but it was too late. Sedin finished his off with a heavy strike that shattered its skull. Ravi summoned a whirlwind of air blades that sliced the last one from behind.

Silence followed.

For a moment, all they heard were ragged breaths and the quiet sobs of a few injured students.

Isolde approached the group slowly. “Are any of you gravely injured?”

“No… nothing fatal,” a girl whispered. “But we were running low on potions.”

Sedin passed one of his spare vials to the girl while Ravi checked on the unconscious.

“We’ll guide you to a safe area,” Isolde said. “There’s a clearing not far from here where you can wait for the faculty to get you.”

“Thank you…” another student whispered.

"How long will the teachers get us?" One asked in fear but because her brothers didn't say anything about how long will the rescue take, she wasn't able to give her a definite answer. Instead, she simply said that they are safe now that they are here.

Isolde went back to her brothers side and eliminated any remaining monsters around them and when all of the monsters in the area are gone, the three looked at each other and immediately decided to move onto the next place But before they could even take a full step away—

A pressure fell upon them.

Sudden. Suffocating.

Isolde’s breath hitched. Her grip on her sword tightened. Her eyes darted to her brothers, who were just as still.

“What… is that?” Ravi muttered.

The sky above the forest darkened unnaturally.

A wind passed through—sharp, cold, and not natural.

Elisa, the fairy, suddenly hovered near Isolde’s shoulder again, her wings fluttering furiously. “Something’s coming. I—I don’t know what it is.”

Sedin narrowed his eyes. “It’s stronger than the dragon.”

“Stronger?” Isolde repeated.

The ground rumbled.

The same rumble from before, but this time it wasn’t caused by a beast clawing its way out of the earth.

It was something darker.

Isolde turned to the students. “Move. Hide now.”

They didn’t hesitate. They scrambled toward the back of the alcove as Ravi cast another barrier.

Elisa floated higher, glowing brighter to create light in the quickly darkening area. “I can’t sense it clearly… but the mana—it’s warped. No… no, not warped. Twisted.”

Then, out of the shadows between the trees, something emerged.

Not a monster. Not a dragon.

A figure. Cloaked in black, face hidden beneath a hood, and covered in armor with glowing red runes. The figure didn’t speak but even if it didn't its presence alone made the trees bend slightly away from it, as if the forest itself refused to touch it.

The Ansirad siblings are very much familiar with such a person and they have always wanted their complete disappearance from the society.

Sedin stepped forward. “We’ll handle this,” he said as aura once again coated his blade. Isolde knew that the reason why Sedin wants her to stay out of the fight is to simply protect her. Who knows if the Lucifer and its people knew who she is and what she is hiding - but regardless since she is an Ansirad, the youngest of them that simply makes her an easy target.

However, she won't allow herself to just watch. The moment she learned magic and held a blade she made a vow that she will fight the people who actually made her life and the life of her love ones miserable.

Isolde’s voice was quiet but steady. “No. We all do. I always wanted to fight with a dark mage with everything that I have learned from dad"