Sovereign of the Ashes

“I’ll tell you, but you have to leave us alone, and also spare us some water and food.”

A cough and a voice suddenly came from behind Sein.

Turning around, Sein noticed that Marlon, the intermediate initiate who had been lying in a nearby dune depression, attempted to rise.

Marlon appeared weak, with a pale complexion and dry lips. He was clearly in no condition to fight.

Nevertheless, he had a wand in his clutch, which seemed to contain a relatively potent intermediate magic spell.

“I know your mana is running low already, Sein. It hasn’t been that long since you were promoted to an intermediate initiate,” Marlon stated.

“Leave us alone, and spare us some food and water. If you agree, I will tell you everything we know,” he insisted once more.

Marlon’s display of strength surprised Sein, though it was evident that Marlon’s primary focus was on the fallen Stenson.

The depth of their feelings for each other was clear.

Stenson had sacrificed his own blood to save Marlon, and now Marlon was primarily concerned with Stenson’s well-being.

The emotional connection between these two male black magic initiates went beyond mere friendship.

Observing their willingness to risk their lives for each other left Sein with a strange feeling. It almost seemed like he was the antagonist in this situation!

Taking a deep breath, Sein turned around and sneered at Marlon.

“Go ahead, try to unleash that spell from your wand and see if it can harm me. I can guarantee you though, Stenson will meet his end with my fireball first!”

“You, on the other hand, will face the same fate under my Acid Wand. I’m sure you’ve heard of this advanced magic item of mine,” Sein said calmly.

Sein’s threat seemed to work on Marlon, as Marlon’s face grew even paler.

In contrast, Stenson reacted even more intensely.

He appeared unshaken by Sein’s fireball spell aimed at his neck.

The hissing sound of flesh being seared filled the air, yet Stenson made a resolute effort to rise to his feet.

Stenson’s resilience was astounding, leaving Sein to doubt whether a Minor Fireball spell could actually kill him.

After all, this man had previously withstood two intermediate magic spells with nothing more than his flesh and blood as a shield!

Sein had never encountered such a formidable opponent without the protection of a magic shield.

As the minor fireball in his hand expanded with Sein’s mana, the scent of burning filled the air.

Just when Sein was about to unleash the deadly spell, Marlon, who stood on the opposite side, chose to give in.

”NO!” Marlon exclaimed, dropping his magic wand. He ran toward Stenson and Sein, stumbling a few times on the way.

Sein briefly contemplated whether to unleash the spell in his wand at the intermediate senior initiate, but ultimately decided to lower his wand.

He realized Marlon posed no threat. Voluntarily giving up his wand was a clear sign of surrender.

Taking a step back, Sein made room for the two individuals in front of him.

After all, they were essentially neighbors. Despite the earlier hostile encounter, Sein was in no rush to eliminate them both.

Furthermore, they were the only living beings he had encountered since arriving in the Sand World.

Sein considered that engaging in a conversation or even battling alongside them might be a better option than venturing alone through the desert.

Marlon reached Stenson’s side and cradled his head in his arms, whispering softly to the heavily wounded giant.

Stenson’s immense form had reverted back to its original size of two meters.

The black robe he wore was now in tatters, exposing the well-defined muscles that hinted at the formidable strength he possessed in his prime.

The intimate exchange between the two men left goosebumps on Sein’s skin.

Stenson could barely form coherent words as his consciousness wavered in and out, leaving Marlon to do most of the talking in soft murmurs.

Through Marlon’s murmurs, Sein pieced together the story of two underpowered black magic initiates who had survived in Mystralora City for twenty-two years.

Stenson’s formidable strength as a senior initiate was not the result of rigorous training but rather experimental modifications performed by a full-fledged black mage.

Despite Stenson’s physical strength, Marlon seemed to be the dominant one in their relationship. After all, Stenson was all brawn and no brains.

The depth of their emotional bond was no less than the connection Sein shared with Leena.

Sein found it quite surprising to encounter such a devoted couple, considering they hailed from Mystralora City, a place known for deceit and darkness.

Their devotion for each other quickly melted Sein’s icy demeanor.

Seeing that the two men were no longer a threat, Sein allowed the fireball spell in his hand to extinguish but kept his Acid Wand at the ready, should it be needed to maintain control of the situation.

“Alright, tell me everything,” Sein demanded.

“Where are the senior initiates and Quasi Mages who entered this Sand World earlier? How did you two run into each other?” he continued his questioning.

Despite his weakened state, Marlon managed to provide answers to Sein’s questions. Under Sein’s watchful gaze, he slowly revealed all the information he possessed.

***

Marlon explained to Sein that he had entered the space-time rift in the same batch as Sein, but arrived in the Sand World almost seven days ahead of him.

He had spent two nights in this strange world. Through Marlon, Sein also learned that each day in the Sand World corresponded to fifteen regular days in the Magus World.

When asked about the location of the senior initiates and Quasi Mages, Marlon pointed to a certain direction and replied, “It should be in that direction, Stenson told me that it would take us about ten more days of walking to reach them.”

The direction he indicated matched the reaction of the two elemental beads in Sein’s possession.

This reassured Sein that he had been heading in the correct direction all along.

According to Marlon, he and Stenson had managed to run into each other because they could always sense each other’s presence.

Initially, this kind of intuition was unique to Stenson, likely a result of the black mage who had transformed him.

Over time, Marlon had developed a similar intuition.

As soon as Marlon arrived in the Sand World, Stenson had ignored the warnings and efforts of the other senior initiates and Quasi Mages to stop him in the camp. He ventured into the desert to search for Marlon.

Despite being a senior initiate, Stenson’s lack of preparation for the desert journey nearly led to his demise along with Marlon.