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Authors Note:
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Hello readers! Very special chapter coming at y'all! I wanted to give a shout out to GoingMerry69 for all the votes and comments this chapter is for you :)
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Onto the chapter:
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"Leo! You stay with Asta, Cap is coming right now I see him. I'm going to the West you keep going this way and stay safe!"
Leopold frowned but nodded,
"Alright! Until next time,"
Xander smiled and hugged him,
"I'm proud of you, kid,"
Leopold smiled brightly at him and turned to Asta,
"Come on! Let's get going!"
Asta nodded,
"Right! Let's go!"
As he separated from them, Xander's gaze shifted down to his deck of cards. One of them glowed faintly. The Queen of Hearts. Xander's brow furrowed.
"What are you showing me?"
He released it, and it took off, glowing brighter as it flew left. Without another thought, he sprinted after it, weaving through narrow alleys, leaping over debris, and striking down the undead that lurked in his path. Each step was swift and fluid, his mind racing with anticipation and the uneasy feeling that this was more than just a random draw.
After winding through a maze of broken buildings, Xander came to a sudden halt. His heart pounded as he sensed a dark mana presence nearby, one that felt disturbingly familiar. His cards began to float around him, circling protectively as he raised his gaze. The Queen of Hearts ceased its glow, and there, standing in the shadows, was a figure cloaked in darkness.
"Who are you?"
The figure tilted its head, and a chill ran down Xander's spine as a voice he recognized spoke, laced with malice.
"I am Shallow. I am your worst nightmare, Clover Scum!"
Xander's heart dropped as he recognized the tone, the cadence of that voice,
"M...Mynx?"
The figure's head tilted further.
"I just told you my name is Shallow. This is why the Diamond Kingdom is better, we are smarter than you,"
Xander's voice grew louder, a mixture of anger and desperation,
"NO! You are Mynx! You gotta be! I know your voice!"
A dark chuckle escaped Shallow's lips as she raised her hand, which was enveloped in swirling shadows.
"Then you are distracted. Distractions lead to death."
Xander gritted his teeth,
"I'm not distracted. And I'm not giving up on you."
Shallow laughed,
"You are a fool then,"
In an instant, she lunged forward, shadows converging into sharp spikes aimed straight at Xander's chest. He reacted instinctively, sending the Queen of Hearts forward. The card flared with red energy, creating a barrier that deflected the spikes with a resounding clash. The impact sent him skidding back, but he held firm, eyes blazing.
"Card Magic: Diamond Fortress!"
He was encircled in a barrier of his cards as Shallow growled,
"Fool,"
"Shadow Magic: Blade of Solitude!"
A dark blade formed in her hand, pulsing with an eerie glow. She grinned, pacing around his barrier like a predator circling prey.
"You think you're safe in that little cage, Clover pest? You're nothing but a mouse caught in a trap."
With a swift strike, her blade connected with the barrier, shadows rippling across the surface, causing cracks to form. Xander gritted his teeth, a sense of urgency building within him. He had to reach her, to remind her of who she was.
Taking out his Jack of Spades, he gripped it tightly, his face determined.
"Card Magic: Jack of Trades!"
A surge of energy burst forth, sending Shallow stumbling back. She recovered quickly, but Xander stood his ground, determination burning in his gaze.
"I won't let you escape! I need my mentor back!"
Shallow growled as she stalked closer to him,
"There is no Mynx! I am Shallow! The greatest Mage from the Diamond Kingdom! You are a NOBODY!"
"Shadow Magic: Ensnaring Abyss!"
The ground beneath Xander darkened as shadowy tendrils erupted, reaching for him. He tried to leap back, but one of them caught his ankle, a jolt of pain shooting up his leg as he felt the shadows constrict around him.
"Card Magic: Heart's Loyalty!"
He sliced through the tendrils with his cards. He managed to free himself and leaped onto an enlarged card, hovering in the air.
"It's over, Shallow!"
A sinister laugh echoed from below.
"It's not over until I say it is! Shadow Magic: Lament of the Age!"
Dark energy gathered around her, and before Xander could react, a crushing force sent him plummeting to the ground. He landed hard, the impact jarring his body, a sharp pain radiating from his ribs.
Shallow approached, her steps slow and deliberate. She knelt beside him, her shadowy blade poised above his chest.
"You lost, Clover boy."
Xander's breathing was shallow, his vision blurred, but he managed to look up at her.
"Please... show me your face... just once, before..."
Shallow shook her head,
"No."
She stood, raising her blade for the final strike.
"Any last words?"
Xander closed his eyes,
"I'm sorry...Leo, Cap, Mereo...I failed you three I'm sorry."
She raised her blade for the final strike but was stopped by a sudden excruciating pain that filled her heart,
"AH!!!!!"
The shadows began to recede, her true, blue eyes flashing beneath the veil of darkness. Xander's eyes flew open as he recognized that familiar shade.
"Mynx?"
"MAKE IT STOP!"
And Xander blinked, and she was gone. Xander tried standing but collapsed,
"NO! MYNX!"
He looked up and saw a light in the skies. Something must have happened to cause Mynx so much pain that the control over her mind broke enough for her eyes to shine. Xander screamed as his memories with Mynx came back to him. When he stopped, he realized one thing: only one person he knew could be why the mind control broke for one minute. After all, a twin's bond is the strongest one.
"Fuegoleon."
YOU ARE READING
The Vice Captain of the Crimson Lions
AdventureWhat if there was a Magic Knight with Cosmic Magic? Who is she to the Vermillion Family? What is her story? Mynx was orphaned as a baby, abandoned by her family right outside of a familiar village. The only difference is that a certain eldest siste...
