"What?! This is bad! The Commander is not in his right mind!"

"Someone use Curse Break to the Commander!"

"Hey! We need to end this quickly!"

"I can't! Curse Break doesn't work!"

"Kill the Fiends quickly, and the charm will be removed!"

With urgency, the Dark Magicians delved into the forbidden depths of their Arcane Path, invoking spells that should never be used unless extremely necessary.

Morgath's Veil, a spell that cloaked the caster in darkness, rendering them invisible to the naked eye, and existing in a different fabric of reality, was summoned by the stealthiest among them.

He continued to move unhindered as he rushed to one of the Demonic Fiends. In exchange for this spell, he could tell that his eyes were slowly losing their vision! He had to act quickly! He needed to eliminate at least one of the Fiends!

Erebus' Chains, ethereal bindings that could hold even the mightiest of demons, were conjured by those with the strength to wield such power. It was also rumored that these chains could supposedly bind even the Angels that the Archbishops could summon!

They were certainly going all out after Shirley started with her Forbidden Spell.

This series of Forbidden Spells didn't ended yet!

Argonyx's Echo, a spell that amplified the caster's voice into a sonic blast, was unleashed, its reverberations shattering the Fiends' concentration. It also directly attacks and shatters the soul of its target! Covering your ears won't stop this attack from hurting you at all!

And from the backlines, a group of the youngest of the magicians from Vermont Academy were also trying to work together and cast a Forbidden Spell!

Dalton, Leonore, Warren, Aubrey, Roswell, and Jodyeach with their unique talents and aspirationsstood in a tight circle, their palms pressed together, fingers interwoven.

"Just balance your energy We can't make too many mistakes." Aubrey, with her stern eyes, glanced at her companions.

"Yes Just give the signal once everyone's ready." Dalton added.

"We'll just do what we've practiced many times together." Roswell said as he took a deep breath.

The others were silent as they were trying to gather enough Dark Energy to match with the other members.

They were Vale's acquaintances or friends, bound by shared memories of late-night study sessions and various activities in the halls of the academy.

Anyway, the six of them were here as mere supports since their youth was deemed unfit for the frontlines. But fate had other plans.

The past year had transformed them as their talents were seen by those high-ranking Dark Mages.

Under the stern tutelage of the Vermont Clan, they had delved into the forbidden grimoires, deciphering cryptic incantations that echoed with the weight of centuries.

"This is still an Ancient Dark Spell We might summon a wrong being if we make a mistake Don't get pressured and stay calm." Aubrey finally said as she confirmed that everyone was ready.

Apparently, she had become the leader of this small group because she had an affinity for the Forbidden Dark Art for some reason.

Her nimble fingers traced the sigils etched into her skinthe price she willingly paid for power.

Soon, they began their ritual to cast a Forbidden Spell.

It was called the Dark Spirit Lord's Grasp.

The spell required a group of three more Dark Practitioners to work in unity, melding their essences, and Aubrey had the most difficult task: she had to feel the pulse of her companions' magic intertwining with hers.

Dalton soon recited the opening verse, his voice trembling a bit, but it wasn't a big deal.

Leonore, with her wild mane of hair, added the second stanza, channeling the tempests that raged within her.

Warren, the one with the highest Spirit Strands among them, infused the Forbidden Spell with several Life Strands he had collected

Roswell whispered the binding Ancient Words, drawing upon the Spiritual Force that flowed through their veins.

Finally, Jody, combined her Dreamscape Magic with ritual. It was a fragile bridge between realmsto anchor the spectral hand they sought to summon.

As the incantation reached its end, the ground trembled.

Aubrey's veins burned with the borrowed energy, her vision blurring as the veil between worlds thinned.

The circle they formed glowed, it was the radiance of forbidden light!

And then, it happenedthe Dark Spirit Lord's Grasp materialized.

There were three more Dark Fiends who were actively fighting the Dark Magicians, and they didn't notice something that tore through the ground!

A spectral hand, elongated fingers tipped with claws, emerged from the very earth.

Its aura was icy as the temperature dropped, as if it drew sustenance from the souls of the dead

Aubrey's breath fastened as she felt the weight of Forbidden Spell pressing down upon her. Luckily, the pressure was something she could spread with the others, so she was able to have a stable breath.

The Fiends, momentarily distracted by the unexpected assault, turned their attention to the spectral hand.

It reached for them The fingers they saw were curling like talons, seeking to clutch their essence!

Graaahh~

The Fiends felt the threat from this Forbidden Spell as they poured most of their malevolent energy into destroying it!

But the young magicians held firm, their collective will binding the Dark Spirit Lord's Grasp to complete its purpose.

Aubrey's heart raced.

She glimpsed Eldrin, still ensnared by the Fiends, and knew they had but one chance. They may not succeed right now, but they're definitely buying the time needed for the others to attack the Fiends with stronger Spells!

"Now!" She cried, and the spectral hand burst with power.

It seized a Fiend, its grip unyielding, and began to drain its malevolence!

The young Dark Magicians wavered, their strength waning, but they held on.

"Ugh Just hold on"

Aubrey's vision blurred, and she wondered if they had unleashed a force beyond their control. Yet, in that moment, she felt a connection to the Dark Spirit Lorda thread of understanding that transcended words.

The Forbidden Spell, or the Dark Spirit Lord's Grasp, was not merely a weapon they summoned; it was as if it wanted to reclaim what the Fiends had stolen from it!

"This"

As the Fiend withered, its essence absorbed by the spectral hand, the other Fiends faltered.

Thud!

At this time, the young magicians collapsed, their breaths ragged. They were all weakened, but they weren't in a critical state... With some rest and potions, they would surely recover their strength.

Aubrey's last thought before darkness claimed her was of Vale

her friendtogether with Chad and Maya She missed her friends and couldn't help but worry about their current situation now that the Abyss Realm had invaded.

***

With the opportunity shown to them by the young Arcanists, the rest of the Dark Mages didn't waste it. They cast their Spells and continued with the battle!ss

Together, they fought the remaining Demonic Fiends!

The whole stronghold was filled with the thick scent of death and dark energy.

Whom~

The Fiends, caught off guard by the sudden onslaught of ancient magic, wavered under the relentless assault!s

As the battle raged, the Dark Arcanists' resolve hardened. They would not let their territory fall to these abominations!

Soon, the Fiends were devoured by the Forbidden Spells until none of them remained!

Eldrin also recovered his senses because of this and as soon as he woke up, he realized that many of the Dark Magicians were weakened or in a terrible state. He was even able to see that some of them were showing signs of being possessed by the madness brought by the Darkness!

"Not good"

He immediately realized that something had gone wrong with him, and his people were forced to use their forbidden spells! Because of that, they were now suffering from the backlash!

"Hurry! Bring all the Dark Alchemists! They're all suffering from the repercussions caused by using Forbidden Spells!" Eldrin shouted as he immediately went to the young Dark Arcanists, who also had signs of using Forbidden Spells.

They were still too young and had weaker resistance from such a spell, so he couldn't help but feel worried about them.

***

In the meantime, not too far from the stronghold, a figure was watching the battle from the start to its end.

As the last of the Demon Fiends crumbled under the relentless assault of the Dark Arcanists, a shadow stirred at the periphery of the battlefield

The Demon Saint had observed the entire conflict

His eyes, crimson as freshly spilled blood, narrowed as he surveyed the aftermath.

"Those are incredible Dark Spells They're more interesting than those Priests and Holy Knights" The Demon Saint muttered as he recalled the exciting battle.

Nonetheless, he still couldn't help but feel disappointed.

The Fiends, his own creations, lay defeatedthere was surely a bitter taste of failure on his forked tongue.

"Hmmm What to do"

The Demon Saint's wings, leathery and tattered, rustled as he contemplated his next move. He had been tempted to descend upon the stronghold, to crush the weakened Dark Arcanists beneath his wrath.

But then, a ripple of awareness brushed against his sensesthe unmistakable presence of the Order of the Evanescent Vessels.