The Protagonists All Love Me

Chapter 18 The Villainous Archmage

Looking wearily into the blue sky, obsidian eyes drooped filled with boredom, lying on the upper  branches in a forbidden area sanctioned off by the high priest.

Archmage Elijah glanced at the ruins of the old temple. All what was left was the large circular stone floor and a bunch of loose bricks, dirty and covered in Ivy. A reminder of how the empire came to being.

Staying here without permission, he didn't particularly care because there was no one around here to catch him. Known in the continent for being the most powerful and coldblooded mage, an eccentric obsessed with everything to do with mana.

He had something: Genius, that not even the academy could satisfy him. Chewing on a blade of grass when he felt surging waves of mana of the different elements at play.

'Since when were there such gifted people in the magic arts?' Invited by the Emperor to work as an Imperial mage.

Opening his eyes he saw a large wave of water crashing down over the temple ruins, cleansing and purifying the greyed rock covered in scum.

A girl from where the waves erupted appeared, white hair that trailed behind her, whatever she touched froze under her feet. Looking around at the surroundings her soaked body outlined her curves, like a ice spirit wandering around the human world.

Curiosity got the best of Elijah as he slipped down the tree his black mage robes tangled in his feet, overgrown black locks swaying as he levitated to the ground.

Feeling thirsty she approached the small basin at the centre of the ruins and didn't notice when but Metria, the crystal snake had wound it's reduced body around her arm.

It's thick blue body clinging tightly to the fabric of her slender arm, it's forked tongue planting kisses on the inside of her palm.

"You forced a contract on me!" She shouted resting her hands on the basin, having no plans to drink unsure of whether it's actually clean or not.

Opening its mouth she saw its pointed snake teeth, Eira not afraid because knowing that it's impossible for a spirit to purposely endanger their master, she frowned as it suddenly bit into her palm and blood seeped out into the basin.

It didn't hurt when the spirit did it and healed almost instantly, looking into the basin the blood sat on top of the water like oil.

'Is it not water?' Reaching out to touch it when she turned her face away squinting, blinded by the bright white light as a similar feeling of being stabbed in her heart made her stagger.

"Ugh." Touching her chest she panted, strobe light like a sword entered into her heart able to feel it piercing through her back. Absorbing into her body little by little, a hand pulled on her wrist sighing with relief when the pain stopped.

"Who are you?" Gripping her wrist tightly, black eyes narrowed. "Why can you absorb raw divine power?"

Her ears pounded as she could just about hear what the person was saying, looking up her pure eyes refocused on the cursed black eyes that she thought were the most normal thing she'd seen so far.

His leather gloves clenched around her white hand, looking at the beauty up close watching droplets of water perch softly on her eyelashes.

Steadying her breath a huge burst of light erupted out from the basin and into the sky, everyone in the continent being able to see it from afar.

"Let go of me!" She shouted apprehensively.

Water overflowing out of the basin flooded the area around them, Eira trying to get rid of the strangers hold on her, he clasped her hand to realise that it was freezing cold.

A gold outline of a circle appeared on her forehead, wind blowing pushed him back a little as the sky greyed within a blink of an eye.

Dark magic swirled around Elijah teleporting so he met her face to face, grabbing her throat with just enough strength to make her stop moving.

Glaring at him fiercely an amused smile played on his lips, snow gently falling down from the sky. Catching him off guard by swiping her clenched fist upwards.

Throwing a fistful of ice crystals into his face, he released her coughing a little, running in the opposite direction only to bump her head into a hard chest.

"What?!" She shouted temperamentally rubbing her neck with reddened eyes. Elijah Looking back at her with a smirk.

"Are you going to cry?" He asked excitedly at the mysterious girl who looked like a frightened rabbit.

Speechless she huffed with a deep frown and clicked her teeth.  "No..."

Hugging her into his arms, she felt her clothes begin to dry petting her wet hair thoughtfully. "That's right, good girls don't cry." Picking up strands of her silky hair and rubbing it between his fingers.

'Let's not be surprised anymore.'

Stroking her cheek gently with warm hands, she watched him bow his head to kiss her cheek. A red flush appearing on her face, raising her eyebrows in shock.

'Will I die of a heart attack one day?'

"Is this the legendary creation magic Mrs Saviour?" His dark eyes swirling with purple, hugging her shoulders intimately.

Amazed how he was absorbing some of her leaking divine energy, that was healing old internal wounds from the treacherous research he conducted on himself.

'They must have hidden you well, little rabbit.'

***

"I'm Elijah Mystic, til we meet again my sweet pet."
Watching as a black hole appeared that seemed to suck him inwards, the black robes covered in snow finally leaving to her satisfaction.

'A secondary villain!'

Feeling traumatised her dilated eyes blinked as she then slapped her face again, trying to stop herself from thinking too much.

"Should I escape?" Leaving random footprints in the white carpet of snow.

Not hearing the approaching footsteps as the high priest Harrington, followed by a series of knights with swords came behind her.

"Lady Eira!" He shouted bewildered looking at the gold sphere on her forehead, faintly able to see the blue mist wrapped around her arm. 

'Like hell I'd be able to do that.'