Tower of Paradise

Maintaining it required every ounce of my focus. Combined spells were as potent as they were unstable, capable of unleashing violent reactions if mana control wavered during their fusion. They demanded not only advanced theoretical and practical knowledge but also rigorous precautions to avoid irreparable damage to myself and everything around me.

As I sustained the spell, I heard Alma declare with an indifferent voice:

—It’s over —her words echoed in the chamber with chilling finality—. You had great potential, I won’t deny it. But like a gazelle that comes to the lion when its time is up, you came to me.

Alice could only groan in response. Her body, once graceful and powerful, now lay broken by the pain of the intense battle. I saw her try to muster the strength to rise, but Alma placed her foot on her chest, pinning her to the ground like an insect.

—Don’t resist —Alma continued with a slight mocking tone that ignited rage within me—. Stay there, and I’ll make sure to end this quickly and painlessly. After all, I may be a Terragno, but I’m not a heartless monster like you humans.

As she spoke with disdain, particles of darkness surrounded by a purplish aura began to gather in front of her outstretched hand. They slowly coalesced, forming a sphere of pure, malevolent energy that pulsed with power. Tendrils of purple lightning crackled around it, warping and distorting the air as if reality itself protested such a manifestation of corrupt energy.

I had my target in sight, but it wasn’t Alma. My plan hinged on a factor I had observed during our confrontation, a weakness that wasn’t physical but emotional.

—Alma, you’re right! —I shouted with all my strength, ensuring she heard me, that she turned her attention to me even for a moment—. We humans will do anything to survive!

The oxygen-enriched atmosphere I had created through a wind spell allowed for more complete and efficient combustion. The white fire burning in my hands grew exponentially, shining with blinding intensity. With the last of my strength, I unleashed my final spell.

[Level 2 Combined Spell: White Fire]

As Alma struggled to comprehend my words, I sharply turned my outstretched palms toward the orange-haired boy standing in the distance. Zephyr, who had been savoring Alice’s imminent defeat with morbid delight, suddenly found himself the fixed target of my enhanced spell.

I had bet everything on this attack and the master plan already in motion. The spell had drained most of my body’s mana, leaving me with barely enough for another confrontation. In a fraction of a second, an enormous white flame hurtled toward Zephyr. I saw his expression contort with fear as he realized what was happening.

—Huh? —he gasped in disbelief, his eyes widening at the impending death.

—No! —A heart-wrenching howl escaped Alma’s lips, as if her very soul were being consumed by the flames.

I saw her mind process the situation at supernatural speed. Time itself seemed to slow as Alma deliberated between continuing her attack on Alice or saving Zephyr. As much as she wanted to eliminate her opponent, her body reacted on instinct. The sphere of darkness materializing in front of her hand collapsed as Alma abandoned her position to intercept my attack.

The massive white fireball streaked through the air at incredible speed, leaving a trail of crackling white flames in its wake. Alma threw herself into its path, sacrificing her own safety for the boy’s.

The impact was brutal. The white flame struck Alma’s face directly, exploding with a deafening roar that shook the structure’s foundations. It wasn’t enough to kill her—I never intended it to—but the blast left her temporarily disoriented:

disoriented. I saw smoke rising from her skull as she staggered, her vision impaired and senses dazed.

I didn’t waste a second. I used my last mana reserves to generate brief fire bursts under my feet. Each detonation propelled me forward like an arrow released from a taut bow. Zephyr watched in terror as I approached him at superhuman speed.

Before he could react or try to flee, I appeared before him. The boy tried to scream as I wrapped my arm around him and pinned him against my body. Quickly, I drew the dagger I kept hidden—as every prudent mage knows mana can run out at the worst moment—and pressed it against his neck.

Within seconds, Alma recovered from the explosion. I saw her shake her head and turn sharply toward Zephyr’s stifled cry. Her eyes widened, not with the fury she had shown during the fight, but with genuine terror that confirmed my theory.

—Don’t test me —I warned, forcing myself to press the dagger more firmly against the boy’s delicate skin. A small drop of blood welled under the blade, shining like a ruby against his pale skin.

What I was doing repulsed me. I wasn’t the kind of person who threatened children or used hostages to gain an advantage. But desperate circumstances called for desperate measures. If I wanted to live, if I wanted to see my friends again, I had to get my hands dirty in the worst way possible.

—Bastard! —Alma roared with the fury of a caged lion—. Have you no shame? You’re a kid, and you’re holding another as a hostage! Where’s your humanity?

Though her words dripped with hatred, Alma stopped dead in her tracks. She didn’t dare take another step toward me.

I had realized something crucial: there was no greater weakness than love, nor greater power than exploiting it. It was a bitter lesson, but necessary in our situation. It could drive you to triumph over any adversity, but it could also be used against you. And when your enemies used it, it became a fatal flaw.

Why did Alma go to such lengths to protect Zephyr when she didn’t even need him to survive? It made no sense from a purely logical perspective. A being as powerful as her shouldn’t depend on a human child, let alone risk her life for him.

Not only that, but Zephyr seemed emotionally dependent on Alma, calling her “mom” and trusting her blindly. Even Alma, a Terragno, showed deep attachment to the boy, as if she truly considered him family.

In the end, the only possible explanation was that Alma had formed a profound bond with Zephyr, despite his human nature. It sounded absurd, contradicting everything we knew about monsters and their races, but it was the only theory that explained their strange relationship.

And now, that bond had become my ticket to victory.