Split Souls Swindax 2

There was a thick fog everywhere. Blood stained the ground, with many dead bodies lying on the ground. There was no survivor except for a boy, who seemed to be fifteen years old. His face had a streak of blood and his face was filled with despair and anger. He was holding a girl in his arms tightly. His whole body was shaking slightly and his lips were trembling slightly too. Some distance away, a creature that looks like a monster was standing, staring at them, seemingly as if it was going to attack them soon.

"Want some help?" Suddenly, a voice spoke.

A pair of black strapped sandals stepped into the boy's view. He did not look up but said, "Help?"

"I can give you a more powerful sword, free of charge."

".....I just want to kill that damn monster," he bit his lips hard.

A sword fell down and landed right in front of him. Without hestitation, he took the sword and stood up, putting the girl down gently first. He did not look at the person who gave him the sword and just rushed towards the monster. With excellent sword skills, he slashed the monster into half in just a few seconds. The monster did not even have any time to react.

After killing it, he finally looked back to the person who gave him the sword.

"Who are you? Why are you helping me?"He looked at the girl standing there.

She smiled. Her eyes were shining golden. "Isn't that sword awesome? Normal sword couldn't even slash that thing. Aren't you going to thank me?"

"Who are you? What is your motive in helping me?"

She stopped smiling suddenly. Her eyes started to turn an eerie red. The boy was so shocked he walked one step backwards. He felt fear despite himself, knowing instinctively that she was dangerous.

"Better treasure that sword, I will send someone to keep an eye on you, young man." And then, she walked off. The fog thickened until he could not see her back anymore.

The boy rushed to the girl on the ground. "Esmeralda! I killed that monster! I have taken revenge for you! Esmeralda!" There was only silence that greet him. He could not contain his grief anymore and cried out "Esmeralda!"


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Inside a room, many tiny fires floated around the whole room. The walls were painted in purple colour. Two men in casual clothes were in conversation.

"There is still no news of Rosephine?"

"Werq is now searching for her."

"We have to find her quickly. The book is in her hands."

"We got a clue to her whereabouts. Someone called Swindax seemed to have summoned her."

"Who is that?"

"We have no idea right now. Werq is now searching for her and Rosephine."

"Don't forget to tell those guys to put those cursed books in their right places. The ceremony will start soon."

"But the book Rosephine is holding to....."

"The cursed books are more then enough to get things going. We will definitely find the book later on."

"Seems that things are going to get interesting." A man was standing at the door, smiling.

"Aren't you looking after things in Fernalia? Why are you back so soon?"

"Looks like someone unveiled our plans. I was exposed." He shrugged. "Can't go back anymore. The tower is now guarded."

"What? Who can see what we are planning?"

The man at the door shrugged again. "I only know that someone has found the book."

"What? Now the book has been taken too? What shall we so now? We can't start the ceremony with one more book less! At least seven books were needed to start the "Crystal"."

The other man looked thoughtful. "There seems to be someone extraordinary in that school. Find who it is, Damon, and try to get the book from that school. It will be much easier to get it there than Acagi."

"As you wish, Master," the man at the door bowed and left.

"Burg, tell the spy we planted in Acagi to come back. The barrier around the books is getting stronger. There is no chance of him getting the book out from the barrier."

"Yes, High Master."

"Master! Master! Something has happened!" Suddenly, someone shouted as he rushed into the door.

***************************************
Dinax awoke to see a white ceiling, filled with green vine creeping from the window and surrounded the ceiling.

"Where am I?" she thought.

"Dinax! You woke up!" Pauline's face appeared above Dinax.

"Are you feeling better? You have been unconscious for two days," Jose asked in concern.

Dinax sat up and shook her head. "I feel like a hammer hit my head. Where am I? I only remember I fainted after the book incident."

"This is the headmaster's personal room in the tower. She saw that you had fainted in order to help her so she allowed you to rest here," Jose replied.

"Is it?" Dinax fell silent. For a short moment of glimpse in her "dream", she thought she saw the cursed books glowing dark blue.

"Anything wrong?" Pauline asked, seeing her concerned face.

"Nothing. I just hope it's my wrong feeling."

******************
"What's wrong?" The man, High Master, seen before asked.

"The books! The books...they are glowing in different lands!" A servant said fervously.

"Glowing? But the ceremony hasn't started yet!" Burg asked in confusion.

"The people holding to the books were confused too. They also seemed to be unable to hold onto the books with their bare hands even with gloves. Their hands will corrupt and wrinkled into bones in seconds. They are all asking for assistance!"

"Looks like something has started." The High Master said thoughtfully.

At this moment, far away from the High master and Werq, a girl with two braids was standing in a deserted town with a huge brown dog beside her. A beige book in her hand was glowing with a black light.

"I see that Swindax has fully merged with the books. I have to pass this book to Dinax as soon as possible. Please go faster, Tin."

Tin, the dog, barked in consent.

On another land, the girl with the parasol held onto a book that was glowing black in her hand.

"What's wrong with it, Lelia?" the man accompanying her asked.

"Well, well, well. Looks like master Swindax has merged her power with the books. I wonder if Master Dinax can withhold and still control her who has that much power." She smiled.

That man tightened his grip onto his sword hilt, the red diamond on it seemed to shine a bit.

Back to the tower, Dinax felt a weird flow of power surging through her body. Sensing Dinax's uncomfortable feeling, Jose asked, "Are you alright, Dinax? You are shivering."

Pauline said after seeing that Jose was right, "Is it an after-effect of the book? I just know we shouldn't let you touch that book!"

Dinax did not reply them. She had to use every inch of willpower to suppress the power before it overtook her. It seemed to want to swallow her into darkness.

Ms Poppy, the headmaster, suddenly came in at that moment.

"Dinax, the cursed book has started glowing green and some kind of force has started to gather around it. Have you any idea what happened? There seemed to be some barrier around it too. Nobody could touch it including me."

Dinax shivered even badly. Her arms were around her body. An ominous black aura surrounded her. One of her eye turned into red.

"What happened?" Ms Poppy asked in shock.

"Dinax!" Pauline called out.

"This is exactly the same as last time! We better go out!" Jose advised as she tugged Pauline and Ms Poppy out.

"What?" Ms Poppy asked in confusion.

The black aura thickened and started to surround the room.

Outside the room, Pauline turned to Jose and asked anxiously, "Why is it happening here? She didn't search for the books! Is it an after-effect? What do we do now?"

Jose turned towards Ms Poppy, "Can you help us out, Ms Poppy? Can you put out a barrier around Dinax and use a spell to contain her innate power?"

Ms Poppy understand what Jose meant. She nodded.

"I don't think a spell will help with this strong power but I have a magic crystal that will help." She then pulled out a small blue crystal from air.

Ms Poppy walked into the room and the blue crystal vibrated strongly. The black aura seemed to be attracted by the crystal and started moving towards it slowly. Ms Poppy cast a barrier around Dinax and threw the crystal into the air. The crystal stopped in mid-air and the aura all get sucked into it. The room was clear in a few seconds. Dinax, lying on the bed, closed her eyes and fainted onto the bed. Her eye had turned to a normal black.

"Dinax, are you alright?" Pauline rushed into the room, followed closely be Jose.

"She is just asleep," Ms Poppy, who had checked Dinax, reassured her.

"Thank you, Ms Poppy," Jose said.

"I gather that black aura is Swindax's power?" Ms Poppy said.

"I guess so, Ms Poppy. Dinax said that black aura was due to Swindax being affected by the cursed books," Pauline answered.

"If the case of the glowing by the book is linked to that black aura, something terrible must have happened," Ms Poppy said. "I'll call a friend and have her to come over and check the book and Dinax's condition."

In Acagi, Jason quickly rushed to the headquarter in charge of protecting the book.

"Sir! Sir! The book! It's glowing suddenly!' Jason said anxiously.

"Glowing?"

"Yes! Apparently the one found in Fernalia was also glowing and emitting a strange magic force around it."

"Fernalia? Where Dinax was studying?"

"Yes, isn't that a coincidence?"

"Was it her who found that book and contacted us?"

"Dinax find that book but it was the headmaster who contacted us," Jason answered.

The man Jason was speaking to rubbed his chin with a calm expression. "Contact Dinax as soon as possible and order her to gather the books. I have a feeling she is connected to this incident."

"Yes, sir."

About one hour later, Dinax awoke again.

"It's about time! Are you better now?" Pauline asked, standing beside her.

Dinax sat up. She touched something hard in her hand. "What is this?"

"A magic crystal. Ms Poppy said you must hold it until you can control Swindax's power again. It helps to suppress strong innate magic."

"I see," Dinax surveyed the crystal. It was shiny, like diamond, with a blue and black colours within it. Dinax then felt weird. "Where is Jose? Has she gone home? Why hasn'y you gone home too?"

"There was a call for you from Acagi. Jose went to gather what it is about and then fill you in later. We are going home only when we see that you are fine. Ms Poppy allows this too."

"Thank you," Dinax said softly.

Pauline smiled. "That is what's friends are for."

Jose finally returned. "Dinax, you are awoke. Good, there is an important instruction for you from Acagi."

"Jose, what does they want?" Pauline asked on behalf of Dinax.

"They knew about the books glowing and they wanted you to tell them the whereabouts of the books as well as assist them in finding the book."

"I know that will happen sooner or later," Dinax said and sighed. She got out of the bed. "I'll tell them about their locations now. Where is my Tike?'

"Here, I was keeping it for you," Jose gave it to her.

"Are you sure you can get up?" Pauline asked.

"No problem. I feel better with the crystal around."

Dinax sent a short message to the headquarter in Acagi on the whereabouts of the books. She did not need to try to sense where they are again. For some strange reason, she felt strongly linked to the books and had a general feeling where they are. They were still in the same places.

"Done. I guess I had better set off now," Dinax said, closing her Tike.

"So soon? It's already close to night! Can't you set off in the morning?" Pauline asked in surprise.

"It's fine. I had a feeling one of the books is calling out to me. I want to get to it as soon as possible."

Pauline and Jose were silent to it.

In the headmaster's office, a group of students wearing black colour jackets were gathered around, Ms Poppy in front of them.

"I have summarised you on what to do, any questions?" Ms Poppy asked.

"No, Ms Poppy."

"Good. Remember that although you all are separated into two groups, one to transport the book inside the crate to Acagi, another group to assist in finding the books, but you should support one another in times of crisis along the way, understand? After reaching Acagi, go and assist the other group too."

"Yes, Ms Poppy."

"Everyone, go and prepare for the long journey. You will all set off tomorrow. This will be counted as a tough training for your magic. Marks will be given accordingly."

Everyone left.

"I hope everything will go smoothly. Otherwise, this world would be full of chaos," Ms Poppy thought to herself.



End of Chapter two.