The Phantom's Gambit-Chapter 47: Gathering storm

Following the Mage’s address, the student leaders of each faction and those that had managed to rank up during the last tournament, were instructed to remain behind, a privilege typically reserved for those of higher rank.

It was a first for Otto as well as his members, who had never been summoned for a private audience with the Mages due to his humble ranking.

His frown deepened, however, as he noticed that the leaders from the other faction, despite lacking A or B rankings, or C and D like himself, were also requested to stay. The apparent discrepancy in treatment only served to further pique Otto’s irritation.

As the crowd of students dispersed, the room grew quieter, with only the soft murmur of conversations between the council members and the students. Void groaned inwardly, his plans foiled once again.

He had hoped to slip away with the rest of the students with the little time he had in being in control and pay a visit to Miss Wilmort in her office, but with Octavius’s presence growing stronger by the minute, he knew that was no longer an option.

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Octavius, on the other hand, was preoccupied with a different matter altogether. His eyes scanned the room, locking onto two familiar faces - individuals who had been present on the fateful night of his eighteenth birthday when his sister had met her untimely demise.

A calculated glint crept into his eyes as he began to weave a web of strategy, intent on extracting the truth from them. But first, he needed to gain their trust.

Nearby, Marilyn engaged Otto in a hushed conversation, her brow furrowed with concern. "I don’t get why the seniors aren’t here. Don’t you think it’s weird that they’re sending us into battle without proper training?"

Otto’s expression mirrored her unease as they pondered the implications.

And he wasn’t sure how to do that, with how much they dreaded being near the Architect faction.

Meanwhile, Erick attempted to make small talk with Nadia, his smile charming but his intentions far from genuine. He sought to manipulate her, to bend her to his will, and he knew that winning her trust was the first step in achieving his goal.

Despite Erick’s concerted efforts to engage Nadia in conversation, she remained resolutely unresponsive, neither acknowledging his presence nor deigning to reply to his attempts at small talk.

Her gaze, instead, remained fixed on the unfolding scene before her, where Amy had approached Edwin/Octavius and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. As Octavius turned to face her, a warm smile spreading across his features, Nadia’s brow furrowed in evident consternation.

Erick’s eyes darted to the object of Nadia’s fascination, and his expression darkened as he realized she was utterly entranced by Octavius.

A scoff of incredulity escaped his lips as he began to speak, "You know, it’s hardly becoming to swoon over a guy like that—"

But his words were left hanging in the air as Nadia abruptly turned away from him, her eyes still fixed on Octavius as she began to make her way towards him.

Erick’s face twisted in a scowl as he watched her depart, his rhetorical question hanging in the air like a challenge. "What’s so special about him?"

He turned to scan the surrounding area, ensuring that no one had witnessed the humiliating snub he had just received. Satisfied that he had been spared the indignity of public embarrassment, Erick couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of his stomach.

Why did no one seem to want his company? Didn’t they recognize his superior ranking and the potential benefits of aligning themselves with him?

The thought rankled, leaving a sour taste in his mouth.

"Again, I want to congratulate you all for a job well done during the tournament," the Chief Mage began, his voice commanding the attention of the gathered students.

"However, the reason we asked you to wait behind is that we have a matter of great importance to discuss with you. You have already been addressed as student leaders and top performers in the recent tournament. Now, we wish to share with you a critical aspect of our current situation, and show you the gravity of the situation."

With a flick of his wrist, the Chief Mage teleported the group to a desolate, battle-scarred landscape. The air was heavy with the acrid smell of smoke and charred flesh.

Before them lay a scene of utter devastation: bodies, or what remained of them, were being burned on massive pyres, the flames consuming the little that was left. The ground was scorched and blackened, and the few trees that still stood were twisted and gnarled, as if they had been tortured by some unseen force.

"This is what we’re up against," the Chief Mage declared, his voice grim. "The dark forces that seek to destroy our world will stop at nothing. They will consume everything in their path, leaving nothing but destruction and despair in their wake."

As the group took in the horrific scene, they were teleported once more, this time to a section of the academy where ancient artifacts were kept. The shelves were lined with strange and exotic items, each one imbued with powerful magic.

However, as the Architect mage, Emery, looked around, he noticed that most of the artifacts on display belonged to other factions, and seemed to hold little significance for him or his faction.

The Chief Mage led them to a dungeon deep beneath the academy, where a group of twisted, corrupted creatures were being held. They were unlike anything the students had ever seen before - their bodies were distorted, their skin hanging loose like decaying flesh.

"These are the Devourers," the Chief Mage explained. "Magic bearers who sought out dark magic and were consumed by it. They are now nothing more than vessels for the darkness, driven solely by a hunger for destruction and chaos."

"It is imperative that we take down these creatures before it’s too late. The late Headmaster, God rest his soul, sought too much power and paid the ultimate price. We cannot afford to make the same mistake."

Octavius’s eyes flashed with rage at the Chief Mage’s words, but Void quickly reasserted control, preventing him from acting out and blowing their cover.

After taking them to the dungeon they were dismissed to their respective place with a portal.

Octavius had finally shattered free from the stasis dust’s binding effects, but he had yet to reassert control over their shared body. Void’s presence was the only thing restraining him from storming back to the academy, demanding answers, and exacting vengeance on those who had betrayed him.

However, he knew that would be suicidal. The academy’s forces would overwhelm him in an instant. For now, he had to bide his time, seething with impotent rage as he waited for the perfect moment to strike.

"And when I’m done," Octavius thought to himself. "The dark one would be the least of their worries."