The room was illuminated only by a single candle that seemed to struggle against the ever-growing weight of the darkness surrounding it. This was no normal darkness either, but a force with real weight behind it.
Though David wasn't actively trying to suffocate the light, his mere presence now had such an effect. After advancing to Archmage, his body had become one with his essence. The changes went deeper than that, though. In a sense, it was no exaggeration to say that he had become like a shadow himself.
He took a step toward the flickering light, then another. Slowly, he approached his nemesis. With every step, he could feel the resistance growing stronger. The closer he got to the light, the harder it became to remain immaterial.
Finally, when there were roughly four and a half steps left between them, he faltered, returning to a being of flesh and blood. It was another failure, and yet he wasn't disheartened. He had gotten a bit closer once again. A tiny step closer to the ultimate goal of any Archmage.
Elementalization.
The act of becoming one with their element, in both mind and matter. Mages capable of this could not even be hurt by physical means anymore, their bodies dispersing like wind or fire or water, or in his case, shadow. They would then rematerialize exactly as they had been, minus any injuries.
This was a state usually reserved for the most gifted of Mages, a privilege for those with a perfect affinity. But even those like David, who possessed only a greater affinity, could reach such a state with enough time and practice.
For them, this would be the milestone that would separate the chaff from the hay.
As a newly advanced Archmage, David was well aware that he was still years or even decades away from reaching such a state, if he would ever manage it at all, but his motivation was higher than ever.
In recent months, he had grown faster than ever before in his life. No, that wasn't quite right. His unusual growth had started ever since he had begun following the young lord...
David paused. Technically, he should not be calling Ezekiel his 'young lord' anymore. The boy had long since become a full successor and had even begun to outshine his late mentor in some regards.
It could be argued that David still had the right to address Ezekiel as such, simply due to the fact that he remained his superior on the path of a Mage. Or due to the seniority between them. Or even due to the long years of service under his belt. But David knew his refusal to change his address had nothing to do with any of these reasons.
It was simply his stubborn way of keeping Maximillian's legacy alive.
David sighed deeply, almost blowing out the struggling candle by accident.
He knew better than anyone how useless such sentimentality was, and how this ongoing defiance could only hurt him in the long run. He had just admitted it himself, after all. The growth he had experienced over the past years under Ezekiel had been nothing short of miraculous. It was, without exaggeration, as if he had been reborn.
Not as David, the uptight butler of the Hohenheim estate, but as David the Archmage.
But maybe, due to his actions, there now seemed to be a cleft between himself and his young lord. Maybe that was the reason why he didn't know many of the secrets his young lord kept closest to his chest.
Even the existance of their new commander, the Mind Spirit called Akasha, had been something he had not been informed about in advance. And even now, there was something going on behind the scenes. Some undercurrent that had gripped the Alexandria ever since their last battle.
During that battle, Ezekiel had actually taken to the field, and from all reports, one thing had become abundantly clear since then. Ezekiel was a complete monster on the battlefield.
David had not wanted to believe it when he first heard the snake people talk among themselves. The stories had been far too exaggerated, but when even their Pureblood leader, Zelkara, began to confirm it all, David had not been able to ignore the rumors anymore.
The woman seemed to be an absolute sycophant when it came to Ezekiel, but there was one thing that she held in even higher regard still, and that was achievements in battle. She was very meticulous about this, and had often even become rough with her own subordinates when she caught them bragging about unearned valor.
Even so, the rumors were simply too shocking:
Dozens of Mages killed in minutes...
An unstoppable wave that carved through enemy fortifications like water through a sieve...
A Casting speed that did not even give the opponent time to dodge...
Blood that flowed as if it had a will of its own...
And finally, another Geistreich dead at his feet...
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That last one, David had seen with his own eyes when he had rushed to protect his young lord after the conclusion of the battle. The sight was still seared into his mind. Three dead beasts, crushed like insects, and a lifeless girl lying between them. Meanwhile, his young lord stood there without so much as a scratch on him.
David had recognized the girl, too.
Helena Geistreich had once been hailed as a genius in her own right, one of the leaders of her generation. But that had been over two decades ago. With the emperor's resources, her growth since then could not have been slow. And yet...
She had been slain by his young lord all the same. And from all appearances, without the chance to put up much of a fight.
These were not the feats of a Grand Mage. If David didn't know any better, he would have guessed that Ezekiel was a secret Archmage hiding his strength. An Archmage before twenty. But even that would be a less terrifying prospect than the idea that he possessed such strength before reaching that level.
Who was it exactly that said mixed affinity users were inferior? It certainly didn't seem that way when looking at his young lord...
David took a deep breath to steady his thoughts.
Something had definitely happened during Ezekiel's encounter with Helena, something that had prompted a profound change in his young lord.
His eyes became fixed on the single source of flame in his room, the very candle he used for practice, as his thoughts began to wander.
This light; it was the very antithesis of his Shadows, and yet also its origin. And just so, his loyalty to the old House von Hohenheim was both the source of Ezekiel's trust in him and the reason he was kept at arm's length.
But David could feel it. It had already begun. More and more powerful figures were appearing around Ezekiel. At first, it had only been him, but now there were over a dozen Archmages on board the Alexandria. That number now also included Cassius Leafless and his fearsome Titan wife.
Naturally, not all of them were really Ezekiel's people, at least not yet. But his ability to attract and command figures of this caliber was a sign that the times were changing. David, who had once felt incredibly secure in his position, suddenly realized that he might not be as irreplaceable as he once believed.
That elven girl, Irisen, would likely swear loyalty in a heartbeat if Ezekiel asked her now. And what about that healer, Raileh? Though she appeared as haughty and obstinate as ever, that arrogance remained only a front when dealing with Ezekiel. More than once, David had caught her staring when she believed nobody was watching. Her eyes followed him in a way that left no doubt about her obedience.
David rubbed his stubbled chin. Both of them, if taken in, would be utterly loyal to Ezekiel, not the House von Hohenheim, and certainly not the memories of a past that had long since turned to dust...
Would he still be needed in such a future? Would he still have a place?
David found himself growing surprisingly restless at these thoughts. It was rather laughable. He knew better than anyone that Ezekiel had never discarded anyone without good reason, and sometimes even tried to hold on to people who clearly didn't deserve it.
But that didn't mean that all could enjoy his favor equally.
So far, he had been one of the main beneficiaries of Ezekiel's efforts. His mission with the dwarves had been tailor-made to strengthen him in a way David still didn't fully understand to this day. And then, to facilitate his advancement, Ezekiel had allowed him to consume priceless dwarven brews that let him experience the life of another.
These were among the main contributing factors that had allowed David to become the man he was today. About that, he had no illusions. He knew himself too well to deny it. His talent alone would never have brought him this far. Years upon years of remaining stuck had made that abundantly clear.
His gaze sharpened again, locking firmly onto the single source of light in his room. However, instead of a candle, what he now saw before him was something entirely different.
He saw a crossroads of light and shadow.
He could choose to remain passive, slowly fading from memory as the years went by. Or he could choose to take a risk, to step into the light. It meant to commit fully to this new life and leave behind what once was.
Despite turning the thought over in his mind for the better part of the night, David still couldn't come to a decision. Ultimately, the only thing he could come up with was to meet with Ezekiel directly. He had a feeling that all would become clear once he spoke to his young lord.
Feeling much lighter in his heart, David focused on the candle one last time, and with nothing more than a flick of his mind, the fire was fully engulfed by darkness before being suffocated a moment later.
At the same time, his body had already passed through the crack under the door and into the hallway.
The artificial light of the Alexandria burned bright even at night, but it wasn't enough to stop an Archmage like him from darting between the sparse shadows. He didn't need to do this, had no reason to hide, but David had made it a habit to only show his face when necessary.
This had been part of his upbringing all those years ago. The legacy of a family he had long since forsaken. Even so, he wasn't too proud to cling to lessons that still served him now. And recently, he had once again realized how crucial it was to remain hidden until the right moment.
David paused at an intersection, allowing two excitedly chattering boys to pass. They were both of half-elven descent, no older than nine or ten. Likely both recently orphaned, though it didn't show in their demeanor at all. David listened to them recite the latest tale of the battle, of the victories they had achieved over the evil Legion.
His lips curled slightly when he heard them mention his own name alongside the likes of the colossal woman and the snake army.
After they passed, he slid alongside the railing, rising higher and higher until, finally, he found himself before the path that led to the highest floor, where Ezekiel's private chambers lay.
This was a place not even he was allowed to enter without prior notice. Aside from the snake people and Zelkara, nobody had that privilege.
Just when David was preparing to step outside the shadows and take his proper form, he heard the sound of footsteps coming from above.
Out of curiosity, he remained hidden.
The steps grew louder, and finally, the person descending came into view. Blonde hair, sharp eyes, and a posture that seemed both relaxed and battle-ready at the same time.
Leo took the last step down the stairway, then paused. His eyes slowly scanned the area around him, as if he had noticed something. However, even when looking right at the spot where David was hiding, his gaze didn't linger. Clearly, he had not detected him.
But somehow, the boy still seemed to sense that something was off.
"...Who's there?"