There's Something Wrong With You, My Lord!
Chapter 195: The Brightest Flame (1)

Chapter 195: The Brightest Flame (1)

Luis’ heart pounded as he looked at the tower or pagoda hovering over Nicol’s body. Well, to be more precise, those structures come to Luis’ mind when looking at the five layers of lucent circles of varying sizes. But in reality, they are five magic circles cast on top of each other, giving the impression of a five-story pagoda.

"But how could Xagrien make it when he was just a one-circle mage before they left for the Shane Greenwoods? And he was just a new mage back then?"

Luis asked out loud due to shock. Xagrien being able to create five magic circles should mean one thing: he now has five mana circles around his heart—good, stable, and functioning mana circles on top of that.

He knew that mages who had just formed mana circles needed time to stabilize their power so there would be no accidents of mana overload when trying to use magic. According to his Inheritance, Lord Gwendolyn, the sole magic genius among the moon elf lords, took at least two months to stabilize each mana circle he formed. The time is considered short if everything is peaceful and no crazy events are happening, but this isn’t the case right now!

Xagrien formed five mana circles in under a month’s time, and he could use magic as grand as this!

"Why do you look so surprised, Moon Elf Lord? That youngster over there has the blood of dragons," a calm, gentlemanly voice sounded on his side. It was Xerxes, who still donned his black cloak and hood.

Luis fails to notice the man because Xerxes’ body is already technically a lump of energy; meanwhile, he is too immersed in looking at Xagrien’s work.

"Is that explanation enough to justify this outlandish change, Xerxes? That is skipping multiple levels! When did this happen? What if-" Luis paused his last words, fearing that he would cause a jinx. It’s not like he can do that, but he can’t even say that Xagrien may be harmed in the end because of this sudden power-up.

"Moon Elf Lord, you must know that Xagrien’s body was special in some way," Xerxes told Luis with certainty. Xagrien didn’t tell him anything, but considering the bond between the two, there was no way the Moon Elf Lord would be left in the dark.

"You don’t need to worry about anything bad happening because he is meant to use magic. Xagrien is born for this."

Luis was stoned after Xerxes’ words. Xagrien has been having problems curing his injuries because his body does not accept potions made from natural ingredients. No matter how concentrated the nature’s energy that those potions have, all of it simply doesn’t work.

Luis looked at Xagrien, who is now coated with purple mana.

This is the reason for all that. Xagrien’s body was meant for magic.

Xerxes, on the other hand, watched Xagrien completing his magic. It was a wonder that in this lifetime, he met another person whose physique is beloved by mana. Xagrien is indeed the son of that man.

"True enough, blood cannot lie."

"His training after his return is focused on magic. I trained him in the dragon’s way. That is why he quickly absorbed the mana needed to create the mana circles.

’But I didn’t expect him to be that fast,’ Xerxes added in his mind.

Luis calmed himself down and internally scolded himself. Why am I so sensitive these days? There is no way that something terrible will happen to Xagrien and Nicol under his watch.

"Okay, and mind telling me now what kind of magic Xagrien is using? Oh, and why is it that this is the only time that I got to see five magic circles in casting magic?" The Moon Elf Lord asked. He had seen Xagrien, Nero, and Xerxes use magic, but he never saw them use magic with two or more magic circles.

Is this a new magic technique from the dragons? It looked kind of badass.

"I am not certain myself, but I do have an idea," Xerxes said and continued watching Xagrien.

Luis wanted to ask what it was, but he was still maintaining the form of the circular sanctuary he had built with the life energy. At this time, Xagrien exposed the use of the five magic circles.

It released a beam from above, looking like a solid light cannon was fired from above.

"This is from a different angle, but this is oddly like..." Luis trailed off. Unlike his other subordinates, he has recollections of memories when this magic is being cast on them.

"It’s a downgraded compound magic circle that uses hypnosis and illusion magic." Xerxes worded the analysis that he was holding back before.

The compound magic circle that he created was impossible even for supreme mages of humankind who already had twelve mana circles as it needed the purest mana and, at the same time, a tremendous amount just to cast it once. This magic is something that no human could pull off, as it is only possible for mages with at least thirteen mana circles, someone whose level is close to a lord.

But there is someone here who dared to play around the magic that Xerxes personally made during the peak of his strength.

He is speechless and clueless about what to feel. It was a bruise to his ego as a dragon that the magic he crafted was debunked and dismantled this way. But Xagrien’s ingenuity also pleases him as someone who taught the man in the past days.

"I don’t know what kind of parenting Mori did, but Xerxes surely got his resourcefulness from his mother."

"You sounded like a proud stage father."

The man made a helpless smile; he wished that too.

Xerxes looked at the light that engulfed Xagrien and Nicol and felt something was amiss. "Wait, I think I am mistaken."

Luis was jolted from his sitting in the lotus position. "Are they okay?"

"Xagrien is doing excellent. It just..."

’I was wrong thinking that Xagrien downgraded my magic. He went beyond that."

In the core of the blinding light, Xagrien was stooping to touch the forehead of the sleeping head priest. Since layers of mana protected him, and [Aegis] was enchanted on his body, he didn’t have qualms about touching the scorching skin of Nicol.

"Nicol is finally under the mental illusion," he murmured, "It is time to send him the message."

The magic spell that Xagrien made was different at some points. If Xerxes’ compound magic was obstinate and impossible even for the caster to meddle with the illusion that their target has, Xagrien’s, on the other hand, enables him to alter and communicate with their consciousness by micro-controlling the mana to convey his messages.

He got this idea from Luis, who always focuses on manipulating the bits and pieces of nature’s energy and his fascinating stories about technology. It caught his attention how small amounts of lightning power could convey messages and create images.

Xagrien’s magic that contains the coded orders from his lover delicately entered Nicol’s head.

The light has finally disappeared, and Xagrien casually retreated to where Luis was. He saw Xerxes standing beside his sitting mate and politely nodded.

"I am done," Xagrien said to Luis. He kneeled on one knee in front of his lover with a confident -bordering on being smug- smile on his face.

"You didn’t do anything overboard?" The Moon Elf Lord was inclined to ask after seeing that grin on his lover’s lips.

"I set his illusion in a way that is easy for him to break," Xagrien explained.

"All that is left is for Nicol to come around."

Hearing this, Luis breathed a sigh of relief and slightly slouched his body.

"Be careful," Xagrien attentively supported his mate from leaning forward and moved to the back. He sat back to back to Luis, "Use my back as your backrest if you are tired."

In Xagrien’s head, he felt a strong need to prevent Luis from folding his tummy.

On the other hand, Luis feels a fluttering feeling in his heart. That pleasurable thumping that Xagrien made him feel since day one.

’Oh. My. Goodness. My man is so thoughtful,’ Luis thought while combing his long hair.

Xerxes, who was standing on the side, inwardly cursed, ’What is up with these two mates?’.

Because of their honey-drenched exchange, he forgot the question he had in mind!

~~~

The cold downpour trickled on Nicol’s tanned skin, sending shivers down his spine and every bone. It was an oddly familiar feeling, a very unpleasant one, so he hurriedly opened his eyes.

"What the, why am I here?" Nicol voiced out in total disbelief. He sat up and craned his neck to see his surroundings.

The place he was in had blood-red soil, and the trees around him had a distinct orange trunk that glistened to the moisture from the pouring rain. There is a heavy metallic smell around him that he hated since he was young.

No, that is not quite right. The smell is not what Nicol hated most, but the place itself because it houses all his childhood nightmares.

"Nicol, my son," An apathetic voice sounded from his back. "Why did you kill your flames? Didn’t I tell you to practice your stamina and intensity of your fire as long as the rain is falling and your body is wet? Did you see my punishment for you as a joke now? You’re not allowed to stop until you’re the most powerful firepower moon elf!"