The Black Swan

Chapter 24: Someone like you

Jaeyu strikes at him, drawing his attention away from Yoonie. A disgruntled look on his face, he parried Jaeyu's blade with his own arm, the blade sinking deep into his forearm down to the bone. Jaeyu watched with eyes widened as the evildoer felt no pain; showing no emotion.

And quickly enough, he hurled Jaeyu's body away with one swift motion. A magical force so strong that Jaeyu failed to brace himself for it. Yoonie could hear his body crashing against the ground - an aftermath she would not like to think about.

Before she could get up, the Blood Magician redirected his attention to her - grasping hold of her body with his conscious will.

Streams flowed within her - a sudden awareness of the substance that kept her alive coming to her senses. Now, they were fighting against her will. Something indescribable about the evil sorcerer's ability to manipulate blood made her insides awry. It felt... weird. Like there were many valves being controlled by someone other than herself, which made her surrender all physical hold of her own body.

He slammed her body to the ground. Yoonie grimaced as she choked on her own blood, feeling the red viscous fluid coming out from her lungs. As he strolled carefreely over to Yoonie's side, there was a war waging on between them, just inside Yoonie's body. Yoonie was channeling her Imperium to purge the outsider out of her senses. She was trying to fight against his magical power - it was the only thing keeping her down. Gritting her teeth, she forces her energy to well up and leap at him but all it could do was—

Her eyelids dropped. Everything went black.
———
{Wake up, Yoonie.}

She woke to the darkness. Even with eyes wide open, the entire world reduced to naught - imperceptible, unseeable. Then, she could feel her irises burning as she recalled those words iterated by some unknown force surrounding her. Its presence was there - with her - but Yoonie couldn't exactly pinpoint where it came from.

{The world will never be any brighter...}

Just as she thought this was the end of her, a sudden awareness of her material form and the world around her returned. She felt her mind illuminating as a new well of energy remained untapped. It was everywhere, even in places where the light was cast on. Then, she recalled being subdued by the Blood Magician - her life must be in so much danger.

{...for this darkness is part and parcel of life.}

The voice kept speaking, but Yoonie could not be bothered with Him. She needed to fight.

I have to get up. Now.

Expanding her senses, she claws for power surrounding her, fuelling her resolve to emerge from her supine position. Nearly attacking at the figure beside her, she stopped herself, realising the familiar colours of white in the robes he wore. Impeccable and clean they were, even amidst the ever-storming weather. The sleeves of his robes bore vermillion patterns and stripes.

"Sir Daniel," Yoonie muttered aloud, recognising who he was. The Lava Magician - one of the Advisors in The Queen's Shield, only second to High Lady Eunbi and Sakura. A faint smile emerged on his face as he stood his ground, slightly relieved that Yoonie had come to. His arrival might have been one reason why Yoonie was left unscathed, seeing as he stood between her and the Blood Magician. But she knew...

The opponent they faced was seen clutching his side, kneeling on the ground. Yoonie glanced about, spotting several burns and molten rock on the battlefield. There was a battle that ensued here, with Daniel giving not holding back with his destructive nature of a power. A pained look appeared on the enemy's face. Daniel, on the other hand, was completely ungrazed from their dealings.