Kapitel 29: Chapter 29: Midsummer break - Week 2 Flame of the north
As the group arrived in Luke's hometown, they took some time to visit his family and catch up on old times. They shared stories and enjoyed a few laughs before setting off towards Ignis.
The journey was not an easy one, with the heat becoming almost unbearable as they crossed the mountains and neared the border. Everyone was sweating profusely, except for Azazelith, whose demonic physiology allowed her to process heat much more easily.
As they approached a small town about a day away from the outpost, Arin and Azazelith found a room to share and were comfortable being intimate with each other. Luke and Kira, on the other hand, shared a room but were both extremely nervous and acted awkwardly around each other.
The group spent some time in the small town, resting and stocking up on supplies before continuing on to the outpost. They avoided heavy patrols by the Ignis military and their magitek constructs, sneaking past unnoticed.
During their journey, they discussed their plan of attack and how to approach the outpost. They knew that they would be facing tough resistance, but they were determined to activate the outpost and connect it back to the main complex.
As Arin walked up to the outpost gates, he could feel the eyes of the Ignis military on him. He took a deep breath and approached the nearest soldier, who stood rigidly at attention.
"Excuse me," Arin said, trying to sound as official as possible. "I would like to speak with your commanding officer."
The soldier looked him up and down, then nodded, motioning for Arin to follow him. The rest of the group followed closely behind, their hands hovering over their weapons.
As they were escorted through the outpost, they couldn't help but notice the stark contrast to the dilapidated ruins of the Nocturna outpost. The Ignis outpost was immaculate, with soldiers marching in perfect unison and everything in pristine condition.
Finally, they were brought to a large tent where a man in a decorated uniform sat behind a desk. He looked up as they entered, his eyes immediately falling on Arin.
"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, his voice sharp and commanding.
Arin stood tall and tried to exude confidence. "I am Arin, a member of the Order of the Rune Bearers. We have come to activate the outpost."
The man raised an eyebrow. "And why should we allow that?"
Arin took a deep breath, ready to explain. But before he could speak, Azazelith stepped forward, her eyes flashing with a fire that made the soldiers take a step back.
"Because if you don't, we will do it anyway," she said, her voice cold and intimidating.
The commander looked at Azazelith with anger in his eyes, "How dare you speak that way to a superior officer! You will be taken into custody and held for trial for your insolence."
Arin stepped forward, "That's not how this is going to work. Either you let us in and we leave this place, or my group and I will evict you forcibly."
The commander scoffed, "You and what army? You're just a bunch of kids."
Arin didn't waste any more time, he raised his hand and began to cast a spell. The rest of the group readied themselves for battle, as they knew that things were about to get messy.
The commander was quick to react, drawing his sword and summoning a group of mages to his side. Spells began to fly as both sides clashed in the small courtyard of the outpost.
Luke and Kira worked together, casting spells to keep the mages at bay while Azazelith took on the soldiers with her demonsteel sword. Arin, however, went straight for the commander, casting powerful spells and dodging his attacks.
The battle was intense, with spells and weapons clashing in a symphony of chaos. But in the end, Arin managed to land a devastating blow on the commander, defeating him.
As Arin approached the rune, he could feel the power emanating from it. He placed his hand on the rune and focused his energy on activating it. Suddenly, the room began to shake, and the rune started to glow brightly. As the transformation took place, the dilapidated walls began to grow and expand, the broken floors mended themselves, and the entire outpost began to look fortified.
The rest of the group looked on in awe as they watched the outpost transform before their very eyes. Luke was the first to break the silence. "I can't believe how different this place looks now. It's like it's come back to life." Kira nodded in agreement, and Azazelith was fascinated by the intricate details of the new architecture.
As the transformation came to an end, a portal appeared in the middle of the main room. Nethranor explained to the group that the portal was a direct link back to the central complex. "This outpost will now be fully connected to the complex and will act as another line of defense against any threats from the Order of Shadows," he said.
Arin turned to the group and let out a sigh of relief. "That was a tough battle, but we did it. Now we can head back to the complex and prepare for whatever comes next." The group nodded in agreement and made their way towards the portal.
As they stepped through the portal, they found themselves back in the main hall of the complex. Arin and the group made their way over to Nethranor to report on their successful activation of the Ignis outpost.
Nethranor congratulated them on a job well done, and the group discussed their next steps. They knew that the Order of Shadows was a persistent threat, and they needed to stay vigilant.
As they continued to talk, they noticed that the Ancient Rune Tome was glowing again. Nethranor approached the tome and examined it closely. "It seems that the tome has been activated once more. There must be another room in the complex that has been unlocked."
Arin and the group were intrigued and asked if they could go explore it. Nethranor nodded in approval, and the group set off to find the newly unlocked room.
As Nethranor led the group to the new room, they noticed that it was heavily guarded by a magical barrier. Nethranor waved his hand, and the barrier dissipated, allowing the group to enter.
The new room was unlike any they had seen before. It was massive, with a circular table in the center that could seat dozens of people. The walls were lined with shelves filled with ancient tomes and scrolls, and there were maps of the continent covering every inch of the walls.
"This is the War Room," Nethranor explained. "It's where we plan our strategies and coordinate with other Rune Bearers across the continent. With the activation of the outposts, we can now respond to threats quickly and effectively."
The group was in awe of the room and couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility and duty to protect the continent.
As they walked around the room, Nethranor explained the various features and technologies within it, including the communications system that allowed them to speak with other Rune Bearers and the ability to track the movements of the Order of Shadows.
Arin couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in what they had accomplished. He knew that there was still much work to be done, but with the new resources and technologies at their disposal, he was confident that they could stop the Order of Shadows and protect the people of the continent.
The group spent the rest of the day familiarizing themselves with the new room and discussing their plans for the future. They knew that they had a daunting task ahead of them, but with their skills and determination, they were ready to face whatever challenges came their way. Arin began to stumble and then fell and began to convulse.
Azazelith felt her heart sink as she watched Arin collapse onto the ground, waves of demonic energy pulsing out of him. She knew she had to act fast, so she scooped him up and teleported to the demon realm, hoping that her father could help.
As soon as they arrived, Demon King Azazel appeared before them. He could see the state that Arin was in and knew exactly what was happening. "It seems that your life bond has evolved, my dear," he said to Azazelith. "And it's causing Arin's magical source to be slowly converted into a demonic one."
Azazelith was shocked. She had no idea that their bond could have such a strong effect on Arin. She looked down at him, worry etched on her face.
The Demon King continued, "The best thing we can do for him now is to convert him into a demon/human hybrid. It will slow down his conversion and give us time to figure out a more permanent solution."
Azazelith nodded, knowing that she had to trust her father. "Will it hurt him?" she asked, her voice trembling.
The Demon King placed a hand on her shoulder. "It will be uncomfortable, but I assure you, he will be okay."
The Demon King chuckled. "Don't thank me yet. You know we talked about Arin being your consort or husband eventually? This just sped up the process a bit," he said with a smirk.
Azazelith blushed, but she knew that there was truth in his words.
As Demon King Azazel began the ritual to convert Arin into a Demon/Human hybrid, the atmosphere in the room became tense. The group watched as the king chanted ancient demonic spells, with his magic filling the room and enveloping Arin. Suddenly, both Arin's and Azazelith's Familiar runes began to glow, signifying that something unexpected was happening.
Azazelith, who was standing nearby, collapsed to the ground, unconscious. The group quickly gathered around her, concerned for her well-being. As the ritual continued, Arin's body began to contort and twist, with his limbs elongating and his features taking on a more demonic appearance. The transformation was intense, and Arin appeared to be in great pain, writhing on the table as the ritual progressed.
Eventually, the ritual came to an end, and Arin was now a Demon/Human hybrid. He had the physical properties of a full-fledged demon, with sharp claws, fangs, and crimson eyes. His magic had traces of demonic energy, making it stronger and more powerful than ever before. The transformation had also aged him, now resembling 17 or 18 years old. Little did the group know that today would have been his 15th birthday but he was fundamentally changed and aged older, and the ritual had unknowingly triggered this side effect.
But there was something else that had occurred. The ancient summoning rune that had brought Arin and Azazelith together had evolved even further into the ancient level rune of Twin Souls. Nethranor explained that this rune intertwined the souls of both parties beyond that of a life bond. They were now literally two souls fused into one, then split into two mirrors. Azazelith was now recognized as the last Rune Bearer and could do anything Arin could do, and vice versa. They were now literal mates forever, with a bond like no one else could ever imagine.
As the group processed what had just occurred, they realized the full extent of Arin's transformation and the new bond between him and Azazelith. They had become something more than just friends or life partners; they were now two halves of one whole, destined to be together forever.
Azazelith eventually regained consciousness to see Arin in his fully demonic self running his hands through her hair, and the group celebrated Arin's new transformation and the ancient level rune of Twin Souls. The complex was filled with an atmosphere of love and happiness, as they all celebrated the union of Arin and Azazelith and the bonds they had formed. It was a new beginning for the group, with their strongest bond yet formed between two people who were now one.
Azazelith and Arin stood in the training room of the demon realm, watching as Azazel began to explain the spell to them.
"The spell is called 'Face of a Thousand Faces'," she said, her voice low and smooth. "It allows you to change your appearance to anything you desire, as long as it's within the realm of possibility. This is useful for situations where you don't want to be recognized."
Azazelith looked skeptical. "How can we change our appearance so drastically? Won't people still recognize us?"
Azazel chuckled. "The spell is powerful, my dear. With it, you can change everything about yourself, from your hair color to your eye shape. You can even change your voice and your body type if you wish. It's all a matter of concentration."
Arin nodded in agreement. "And it's necessary for us to learn this spell if we want to go back to our old lives. I can't go see my family looking like this."
Azazelith's expression softened. "You're right. It's important for us to have some semblance of a normal life."
Azazel began to demonstrate the spell, her body shimmering and changing shape as she did. Within moments, she had transformed into a tall, statuesque woman with long, flowing hair and bright green eyes.
"Wow," Arin said in awe. "That's amazing."
Azazelith grinned. "Yeah, let's give it a try."
The two of them concentrated on the spell, their bodies shimmering as they changed. When they were done, they looked completely different. Arin had changed his hair from white to black, and his eyes from red to blue. Azazelith had changed her hair from pink to blonde, and her eyes from purple to green.
Arin and Azazelith smiled at each other, pleased with the results. "We're going to blend in perfectly," Azazelith said.
Arin nodded. "Yeah, we'll be able to go back to school and not cause a scene. Thanks for teaching us this, Azazel."
Azazel smiled. "Of course, my loves. It's important for you to have this skill. Now, go and practice. You'll get better with time."
And with that, Arin and Azazelith left the training room, excited to try out their new spell.
Arin and Azazelith had just finished practicing the Face of a Thousand Faces spell when Arin brought up their impending return to school. "Azazelith, we have to hurry back to school so you can take your entrance exams and get sorted," he said.
Azazelith nodded in agreement, "Yes, you're right. We can't afford to be late for that. I need to show them what I'm capable of."
The two of them quickly gathered their things and teleported back to Aurora, the Order of the Rune Bearer's central complex. They made their way to the entrance exams, where Azazelith was met with a number of curious and skeptical looks.
The first part of the exam was designed to test Azazelith's magical source energy. As the demon princess, her magical source was incredibly vast and powerful, and she was able to easily pass the test. The second part of the exam was to demonstrate the types of magic she could use. Azazelith was able to showcase a wide variety of magic, including fire, water, earth, light and even demonic magic.
In the end, Azazelith was sorted into Phoenix Hall, one of the most prestigious halls in the school. As they were leaving the sorting ceremony, Arin's sister, Sam, approached them. "Hey, Azazelith," she said, "I heard you got sorted into Phoenix Hall. That's amazing! I'll take you under my wing and show you the ropes."
Azazelith smiled gratefully at Sam, feeling lucky to have her as a mentor. "Thank you so much, Sam. I really appreciate it," she replied.
Arin watched the exchange with a sense of pride and contentment. He was happy that Azazelith was fitting in well and that his sister was there to support her. As they walked back to their dormitory, he couldn't help but feel excited for the adventures and challenges that lay ahead.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein