New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

Astaroth rapidly scanned his opponent, trying to get a good gauge of who he was up against.

Clide Bergar / Adventuring Instructor

Level: 62

Grade: Elite

Race: Human

Class: Battle Master

HP: 231'450/231'450

When Astaroth saw the amount of HP the man had, he sucked in a breath of cold air.

'So tough.'

That was the moment Clide dashed at him, sending his fist forward on a collision course to Astaroth's face. Astaroth barely had enough time to duck out of the way, but wasn't out of the woods.

A knee was rapidly rising toward his stomach, and he wouldn't have time to jump back. He did the only other thing he could, bringing his arms up in a cross in front of his midsection.

The knee hit his arms like a runaway train, sending him sliding back many meters, with the front arm broken from the strength of the blow.

'Shit!' Astaroth cursed in his mind.

"Your king's ambition killed my younger brother. You will pay for his sins," the man seethed, his eyes bloodshot.

"You think I like what king Vhol'drokk is doing?! Why do you think I'm no longer in that country?!"

"Shut up! Your excuses mean nothing to me! I will settle this blood debt today!"

The man charged at Astaroth again, well intent on ending him as revenge. But Astaroth would not go down that easily.

He melded with Luna before summoning Morpheus and White Death. He pulled out one of his daggers with his still-functioning arms and dashed at his opponent.

His speed was now higher than the man's, making the fight suddenly a lot more balanced. Even if Astaroth was barely damaging him, at least he was healing back the damage he had dealt him.

Astaroth was already accumulating the Aether around him as he fought, hell-bent on finishing this fight before his meld ended. His lifesteal healed him back up to full rapidly, but his arm was still broken.

When the timer for his meld reached thirty seconds, Astaroth kicked the man away, and charged up his Moon Beam. He no longer cared if he killed the man, since Clide had been vying for his life, anyway.

But just as he fired the spell, the mana in front of him fluctuated violently, before forming a solid barrier. His Aether-charged Moon Beam collided against the invisible wall, stalling for a few seconds, before crashing through and washing over Clide.

Most of the damage had been absorbed by the barrier though, and what little was left only knocked the Human out. Then someone teleported right in front of Astaroth.

"That was a dangerous attack, young man," the old man reprimanded him, shaking his head.

"G… Guild Master!" Claire exclaimed, before bowing low.

Astaroth became weary at her words. If the guild master intervened, it was already a bad sign.

The old man had a smile on his face as he walked over to Violette. The girl looked at him wearily, her hands gripping her staff tightly.

"Don't you—" before Astaroth could finish his threat, the old man laid a hand on Violette's shoulder and disappeared.

"Violette!"

Not a second later, the man reappeared behind him, and touched his shoulder too, before the surroundings changed. Astaroth was now sitting in a chair in a nice office.

Next to him, Violette was seated in another chair, with her eyes wide. Astaroth turned his head forward, to where the old man was, seated in his own chair.

When Astaroth tried to stand, he was promptly pushed back down on his ass by an invisible force. And then he noticed he was stuck there.

"What do you want?!" Astaroth growled.

"Calm down, young man. What is your name?"

"... Astaroth."

"Good. And you, little girl?"

"My name is Violette," she responded, her voice slightly trembling.

The reason she was trembling was that she was using her mana senses on the man. Contrary to Astaroth, who was too angry and worried to think about it.

And what she was seeing was enough to scare normal people to death. The magic aura this man had around him was large enough to encompass the entire building!

When the old man felt her sense wash over his aura, he retracted it completely.

"Sorry, little one. I didn't know you could feel mana so well. That must have scared you."

Violette was sweating as she gulped.

His aura had vanished in a second, and now her senses showed an ordinary old man. The only person she had met that could completely seal their aura like this was Aberon!

Astaroth was still glowering at the old man when Violette put her hand on his forearm.

"I don't think he wants us any harm…"

"How can you be sure?"

"Because we would already be dead…"

Astaroth looked at her weirdly, before he tried scanning the old man.

Name: ???

Level: ???

Grade: ???

Class: ???

Astaroth gasped. This level of concealment was a testament to how strong this old mage was.

He could even hide his name!

"What do you want of us, then?"

"Nothing, really. I just wanted to take you away before they showed up."

"They? Who are they?"

*Knock Knock Knock*

"Them," the old man responded, still smiling.

The old man waved his hand at them, making them invisible, before they heard a voice through the door.

"Guild master! This is the council. May we come in?"

"Why certainly!" the old man answered, waving his hand again, opening the door by telekinesis.

A stuck-up-looking man entered through the doorway, wearing a set of purple robes with a triangle crest on it. Framing him were two sturdy-looking warriors.

"Hello, Guild Master. I think you know why we are here?"

"I don't believe I do. Pray tell."

"Tch. We felt the release of two powerful magic auras, not mere minutes ago. One of them was yours. Who was the other one?"

"Ahh, yes. I released my magic earlier. One of my instructors was acting out of line, and I needed to set him straight. I did not feel any other presence, though. I'm afraid I know nothing more," the old mage responded with a warm smile.

The younger mage did not seem convinced.

"You know the consequences of lying to the council, right?"

"Young man, I was once part of the council you serve. Don't think you can recite its rules to me." the old mage replied, his smile vanishing, replaced by a death glare.

The younger mage swallowed nervously, before scoffing.

"Hmph! I'll have my eyes on you, old coot!"

After saying his piece, the man and his two bodyguards left, slamming the door behind them.

The old mage waited a few minutes before waving his hand before him again, making Violette and Astaroth reappear.

"Now. Where were we?"