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Flame of Equinox

] surged to life, the flickering heat of life and death in perfect balance, coiling around the mark like a predator scenting blood. The flame bit into it, searing and corroding, eating away at the magic\'s essence as if it were nothing more than kindling.

The boy staggered, a look of shock breaking through his rage as the mark pulsed, weakened, its dark power faltering. Across the room, the Shrouded Whisperer\'s face twisted in horror, his eyes widening in disbelief. "What… what\'s happening?" he demanded, his voice a low, panicked rasp.

But I didn\'t give him a moment to recover. In a heartbeat, I closed the distance, my blade aimed directly at him, poised to end this once and for all. The Whisperer\'s panic shifted to desperation, and in a flash, he raised a hand, dark energy swirling around his fingers.

"Get away, bastard!"

Before I could strike, his magic burst forth, and the world around me twisted, warping and bending like a fevered dream.

\'Tsk….Annoying.\'

I blinked, and suddenly, I was standing in a vast, empty space, surrounded by darkness and flickering shadows that danced, mocking, as if they were alive. Illusions wrapped around me, filling the air with disorienting visions, each one shifting, taunting, trying to claw its way into my mind.

\'Illusions again.\'

For an instant, my vision blurred, the world swaying as the weight of his spell pressed down on me. But I recognized this feeling—the suffocating pressure, the disjointed reality. It was no different from that moment in the vault, the illusion crafted to ensnare, to confuse.

But I had broken through then, and I would do it now.

With a sharp inhale, I steadied my mind, reaching deep within to the

[Flame of Equinox],

feeling its steady burn in my core. The flame surged, cutting through the shadows, burning away the illusion with each pulse. The darkness faltered, cracking like glass, and I saw the edges of reality splintering.

One clean slash and the world shattered around me, the shadows dissolving into nothing as the illusion crumbled. I stepped back into reality, my gaze locking onto the Whisperer, his face pale with terror.

"Again! How can you do it?"

I could see his widened eyes.

"You think mere illusions can stop me?"

The Whisperer\'s face contorted in panic as he stumbled backward, his voice a desperate shriek. "What are you doing? Come here!" His command echoed through the room, and, like clockwork, the boy—who had been staring in stunned confusion, his hand drifting to the fading mark on his neck—suddenly snapped back to attention. His eyes sharpened, the glint of obedience returning as he positioned himself defensively in front of his master, his body glowing faintly with the magic that held him bound.

From my right, I sensed movement as well. The girl, her mark pulsing with dark energy, was coming toward me, her expression one of strained resistance.

"Lucavion!"

I heard Valeria\'s warning, and though not needed it was appreciated.

The mark\'s glow tightened its grip on the girl\'s neck, forcing her forward, each step controlled by the Whisperer\'s sinister will.

I smirked, my hand steady on my blade as I prepared for her approach.

Perfect.

She was coming to me herself, giving me a clear shot at her mark.

The girl lunged, but I was faster. My blade flashed, cutting through the air, aimed straight for the pulsing mark on her neck. But this time, she twisted at the last moment, moving to shield her slave mark from my strike.

Clever girl—though I could sense it wasn\'t entirely her doing. The Whisperer\'s hold on her was still too strong, his command forcing her to protect her binding even if she didn\'t fully understand why.

Yet it wouldn\'t matter. I channeled my mana, the [Flame of Equinox] extending from the edge of my blade like an ethereal arc. My sword grazed her skin, and the flame surged forward, piercing through the dark magic with lethal precision, corroding the slave mark with a ferocious burn.

The girl staggered back, her body shaking as the mark dissolved, freeing her from the Whisperer\'s control. She blinked, dazed, her expression shifting from fury to something far more vulnerable as her mind cleared. She was free.

But I knew this wasn\'t over—not with the Whisperer standing there, his eyes darting between the two siblings, frantically calculating his next move. This man, after all, had manipulated them with more than just slave marks. He\'d lied to them, woven a story of hostages and captivity, convincing them their families were under his control, held hostage in some hidden village.

The Whisperer\'s lips twisted into a grimace, his panic bleeding into rage. "You think you can just… just undo everything I\'ve built here?" His voice was shrill, teetering on the edge of hysteria.

"I think you\'ll find your grip wasn\'t as strong as you thought," I replied, my voice icy.

He stumbled back further, shouting commands to the boy, trying to summon his last line of defense. "Riken! Remember what\'s at stake! If you don\'t protect me, your family—"

The boy, still trembling, met my gaze with a glint of defiance breaking through his confusion.

\'Indeed not easy.\'

I kind of expected this reaction, so I did not mind.

"Grrr….."

I could see mana rising from the kid\'s body, as he was about to transform.

"That is right! Protect me or else your whole vil-"

As the Whisperer\'s voice rose, trying to whip the boy into obedience through fear, I decided I\'d heard enough.

"Protect you?" I cut in, my tone cold, slicing through his words. "You\'re going to need something better than lies to control him now."

The Whisperer glared at me, but I didn\'t give him a chance to retort. My gaze shifted to the boy, his body trembling as the mana surged within him, his instincts driving him toward transformation, to protect, to survive.

"Riken," I said, my voice calm, steady. "Everything he\'s told you about your village, about your family… it\'s a lie."

The boy\'s eyes flickered, his defiance mixed with confusion, as if he wanted to believe me but couldn\'t quite let go of the fear the Whisperer had woven so carefully into his mind.

"Don\'t listen to him!" the Whisperer hissed, his voice laced with desperation. "You know what I showed you—the people in your village, they\'re still waiting for you, counting on you to obey!"

But I shook my head, my gaze never leaving Riken\'s. "What he showed you was an illusion," I said, my voice low, cutting through the Whisperer\'s lies with quiet force. "Your family, your village… they were sold long ago. Everything you saw, everything you\'ve fought for—was nothing more than his magic, binding you with false hope."

The boy\'s transformation stilled, his form wavering as he processed my words. His hands clenched, his body shaking with a mixture of shock and rage.

"Liar!" the Whisperer spat, his face twisting in fury. "He\'s lying to you, Riken! Don\'t let him trick you!"

I took a step forward, ignoring the Whisperer\'s frantic words. "Think about it, Riken. Everything he\'s told you… the way he\'s used you and your sister. Has he ever shown you proof? Have you ever been allowed to see them, to speak to them freely?"

Riken\'s fists tightened, his gaze dropping to the floor as his mind churned. I could see the doubt spreading, his defiance sharpening into something new, something dangerous—for the Whisperer, at least.

"Riken," I continued, my tone softening, "he\'s only ever shown you what he wanted you to see. A few images, some sounds—crafted illusions to keep you bound to his will. All for the sake of keeping you as a weapon, nothing more."

The boy\'s eyes snapped up, fury blazing through the haze of confusion. He turned to the Whisperer, his hands trembling, not with fear, but with pure, unfiltered rage.

"Why? Why should I trust you?"

"That is indeed a good question."

I couldn\'t help but smile at that.

Trust.

It was indeed not something that could be easily given by those who had gotten a beating from this world at such a young age.

I knew that feeling well.

But, it can get much more worse than that.

Knowing the fact that, all the time that you have put in as an effort…..just for a lie…..

"Mune. Does the name ring any bells?"

That is why.

I will not let these kids experience the same.