Aspiration to the Heavens: Becoming the Supreme Mage Vol 2- Descent of Darkness

Episode 20: Stopping the Beast

*Adela*

Shivers ran up my spine as Lei kept applying pressure on my neck. 

"Let her go!" Iah screamed. He grabbed Lei's hands and tried to pry them from me.

I gasped for air while trying to push Lei's hands away from my neck. "Lei... What's wrong with you? Why are you acting this way?" I choked out. Tears flowed from my eyes as I coughed out blood. At that moment, I could finally sense it. A powerful force was projecting out from within Lei's body. The feeling of that force was akin to that of the demon I had fought against. "Lei... I... I know you're there."

Lei growled like the beast he once was.

Wanikiya leapt in and grabbed Lei's hands. He shook his friend to ease the grip around my neck. "Snap out of it Lei, you're going to kill her."

Lei let go of me. His hands shivered uneasily.

Wanikiya smiled. "Good, now come with us. We'll get you cured from this inflictions."

Lei hand shifts into a claw and used it to grab Wanikiya's neck and pressed them against the skin.

Nahimana summoned several marbles and used them to attack Lei but he blasted them into colorful dust. "Damn it. Unhand him at once or I'll kill you!"

Lei blasted her with a gust of black wind. If it were for Hikaru catching her then she would've been blasted out of the mountain.

Nyima jumped in and punched Lei square in the jaw. He manifested a jaguar's tail and had it wrap around her arm. His tail twisted the arm, causing Nyima to let out a deadly shriek.

Iah growled as he was in the midst of transforming into his dragon form. Earth rose around Lei but a powerful gust turned the boulders into fine sand.

"This is bad," Kun said. He was on the floor alongside Yen. The two were sweating bullets and their eyes were watery.

"Please, save our brother," Yen pleaded before closing her eyes.

What was going on with them? Was it their bond with Lei? No! Lei's consciousness had to have been in danger for them to react like that. If we didn't stop him soon, it was possible his mind would shatter...

"Hey. Wake up!" Hikaru yelled as he knelt beside her. He looked around in desperation. "Damn. Where are the teachers and the others?"

"They must still be searching for Lei elsewhere," An said as he unsheathed his sword. "Come on. If we all work together then we should be able to stop him."

He rushed at Lei but the wall of wind stood in the way. An stopped himself from crashing into a nearby tree as the force of Lei's gusts intensified from F-2 tornado strength to that of F-3. He turned around and saw as the tree he was nearly slammed into was uprooted along with several others.

I rubbed my neck and grimaced as I stopped the trees from slamming into us. Goddess, why did this have to have happened? And to Lei of all people.

Everyone else attacked Lei while I caught my breath. Lei's barrier easily blocked all of their attacks. Even Shiori's magic was no match for Lei's wall of wind this time.

"Where did the brat get this much power from?" Shiori asked as he took a step back. He spun his scythe and narrows his eyes at Lei. "He couldn't have gotten this strong is the few months since we last fought."

"Something is definitely wrong," Ayawamat said as he jumped back. A tree fell behind him as a blade of razor wind cut through it. "His power grew multifold in so little time. I don't even think that he has taken the cultivation pill that we made back in the dragon realm, nor the one Adela gifted him for his birthday."

Lei turned away from them. His turquoise eyes were directed at his best friend. His grip on Wanikiya's neck tightened.

"Let go of him!" Nahimana yelled. She rushed at him and released pulsating beams of light. Wind rushed to shield Lei as if he were its undeniable master.

"Incredible," Orion said, eyes wide.

"Stop it now," Wanikiya yelled. He let out a deathly shriek as Lei's claws punctured his skin, causing drops of crimson blood to ooze out. Just then, for a moment, his eyes let out a slight bluish glow. Before the glow vanished he unleashed a rapid fire flurry of ice. When he was done Lei had almost frozen completely.

"What in the world?" Ayawamat said, eyes wide.

"Lei must've awakened Wanikiya's spirit," Nyima said.

"His spirit?" He gasped. "You mean like that thing Zelde did at the boat?"

"Yes," Zelde said, nodding. "He didn't awaken it fully back then, but this is his spirit, the Great Glacier."

The Wahkanian prince touched the wounds on his neck and struggled to stand up, eventually he fell onto the floor. He glanced up at his ice encased friend before closing his eyes.

Zelde ran over to Lei and melted the ice while Iah knocked him unconscious by striking his pressure points. "There. That should save us some extra trouble," Iah said. He squatted and picked up the now fully defrosted Lei and carried him over his shoulders as if he were a sack of potatoes. "Let's go get him treated."

"That was too..." I touched my head as my vision wavered once more. Everyone seemed but a blur. "Please, take care of Lei for me."

"Adela!" Iah yelled, turning around.

"Hey, are you alright?" Nyima asked, shaking me. Gradually their voices grew fainter as darkness and silence took hold. 

My nightmares were slowly taking hold. But despite it all, I just hoped that Lei would be alright. I couldn't have him die on me. Hopefully, everyone would be able to help him, and keep him safe from those who will fear him.