Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

The air was thick with tension, every breath laden with the oppressive weight of the Mastermind's domain. Seraphelis's eyes were fixed on the menacing figure hovering above them, her very presence radiating a power that gnawed at the edges of his composure. His grip on the body he carried tightened.

Suddenly, Cedric's voice pierced the suffocating silence.

"No!" he screamed, his shout raw with desperation.

Seraphelis's head snapped toward the sound, his heart lurching at the sight before him.

Aurelius, still weak and covered in protective cloth, was being pulled from Cedric's grasp by an invisible force, his body sliding through the air like a puppet on strings. Cedric lunged for him, but it was futile. His hands passed through empty air, and his expression twisted in horror.

"Master!" Aurelius's voice was strained, hoarse, as if the force pulling him was suffocating him.

Ceil gasped as Rhea's limp form began to lift from her arms, her body floating weightlessly, drawn toward the same unseen force. The dead girl Seraphelis had been carrying was also being pulled away, her lifeless body drifting upward, as if claimed by the domain itself.

"Tch." Seraphelis's jaw tightened in frustration, his eyes narrowing with grim resolve. With a sharp motion, he extended his hand, and darkness erupted from him in an instant.

Tendrils of pure darkness shot out from his body, writhing like serpents, stretching toward Aurelius, Rhea, and the other girl. The tendrils snaked through the air, curling around the three figures, securing them before they could disappear.

For a brief moment, it seemed like he had succeeded. But then a cold, mocking laugh echoed through the domain.

Evangeline, the Mastermind, floated higher, her form dark and spectral, a haunting presence against the blood-red sky. She raised one hand lazily, as if amused by Seraphelis's efforts.

"Is that all you can do?" she sneered.

With a flick of her wrist, a black figure emerged from the swirling shadows behind her. It moved with unnatural speed, a blur of dark energy, and before Seraphelis could react, the figure's arm sliced through the tendrils of darkness with ruthless precision.

The tendrils severed, writhing violently in the air before disintegrating into nothingness.

"No!" Cedric shouted again, his voice breaking as Aurelius, Rhea, and the girl were ripped away, vanishing into thin air alongside Evangeline.

Seraphelis's eyes burned with fury as he shot a glare at the Mastermind. She smiled darkly, her expression one of cold triumph.

"Wait till I finish my masterpiece," she said, her voice dripping with malice. Then, with a single gesture, she and the three captives disappeared into the stormy sky, leaving only a ripple of dark energy in their wake.

Seraphelis clenched his fists, his entire body tensing as he willed himself into motion. Without hesitation, he pushed off the ground, summoning his power to take flight after her. His form blurred, shadows twisting around him as he rocketed upward, intent on catching Evangeline before she could escape.

But before he could make any progress, four figures materialized from the shadows ahead of him, blocking his path.

They were the three perfect monstrous abominations of the Mastermind. The Evil Eye Ghoulz, The Phantom Lady and Mini Mad Giant.

Among them stood Abby, the loyal Arkot, now twisted by the same malevolent energy that warped the abominations. Its once fierce, cool form was now distorted, its foor darkened, eyes glowing with the same sickly hue. It prowled in front of the abominations, guarding them as they advanced toward Seraphelis.

Seraphelis skidded to a halt in mid-air, his gaze narrowing as he assessed the situation. His frustration simmered just below the surface, but his instincts took over.

The creatures, these twisted versions of Evangeline's creations, were clearly meant to stall him. She was already gone, and if he wasted any more time, Aurelius and the others would be lost.

Seraphelis gritted his teeth. He couldn't afford to be delayed. Not now.

"Damn it," he growled under his breath. His eyes flicked over the abominations, trying to calculate the quickest way to tear through them.

If he wanted to use his own Domain, he could take two of them efficiently, but if he took more than two, he would be evenly matched and couldn't rescue the targets.

He also wondered what happened to the instructors who were fighting against Ghoulz and Mini Titan.

Were they defeated?

Did they die?

Or they were also sucked into here?

What about that boy who took them here?

He wanted to check, but, he couldn't use his mind's eye in another individual's domain.

'Damn it. It would've been over if my sister were here...' he thought bitterly. He clenched his fist, retreating a few kilometers back as the abominations maintained their relentless advance, their twisted forms looming ominously in the distorted landscape. It was clear that they had no intention of attacking.

They were only here to restrict him, to keep him from chasing after Evangeline and his disciple.

Suddenly, a faint voice cut through the oppressive silence from far below.

Seraphelis's sharp eyes immediately darted downward.

There, standing in the shadow of a ruined building, was the boy—Adrian.

A momentary sense of surprise flickered through Seraphelis's hardened exterior. The boy was still alive.

Without hesitation, Seraphelis disappeared from the air, vanishing into the surrounding shadows like smoke. In the blink of an eye, he re-emerged beside Adrian, his form materializing from the darkness.

Adrian looked up at him, his expression calm, his eyes sharp with purpose.

"Open your domain," Adrian said without preamble, his voice steady and resolute. "Take those two abominations in it."

Seraphelis's frown deepened.

The boy's words were bold, but his instincts told him this wasn't just reckless courage. There was something behind those words, a confidence that made Seraphelis pause. But the weight of the situation still hung over him like a stormcloud.

"It's too risky," Seraphelis snapped, his voice low, but tense. "If I open my domain here, I can take them, but who will stop 'her'? Who will rescue my disciple?" His gaze bore into Adrian, trying to gauge the boy's intentions. "I can't leave this fight to chance."

Adrian's eyes gleamed, unfazed by Seraphelis's intensity. He took a slow breath, his voice calm, but urgent. "Do what I say, or you'll lose your disciple, and this city will be in ruin."

Seraphelis blinked, his mind spinning as the boy's words sank in. The weight behind them was undeniable. He didn't know how Adrian knew what he knew, but there was no time to question it.

The stakes were too high.

For a moment, the two stared at each other in silence, the world around them seeming to hold its breath.

Seraphelis's mind raced. If Adrian had a plan—no matter how crazy it seemed—it might be their only chance. He couldn't afford to waste time arguing, and something about the boy's certainty resonated with him.

"Tch," Seraphelis finally muttered under his breath, his expression hardening with reluctant resolve. "This better work, boy."

Adrian's gaze remained steady, unwavering.

Seraphelis closed his eyes briefly, summoning his energy. The darkness around them stirred, shifting like a living entity, as if responding to his will. Slowly, tendrils of shadow spread out, thickening as they enveloped the air around him. His domain began to unfurl, expanding outwards, a thick cloak of darkness that seemed to devour the light itself.

Adrian watched carefully, his fingers twitching subtly as he prepared for the next move.

The abominations in the distance seemed to sense the shift in energy, their monstrous forms tensing as Seraphelis's domain spread toward them.

With one last glance at Adrian, Seraphelis fully released his power, the force of his domain washing over the battlefield like an inescapable tide of shadow. The two nearest abominations, the Evil Eye Ghoulz and the Mini Mad Giant, were immediately caught in the blackened storm. The pressure of Seraphelis's power crushed down on them, his tendrils latching onto their twisted forms.

The Domain, The Eclipse Veil swallowed not only those two but also Phantom Lady in one go.

Seraphelis was gambling.

Gambling on Adrian's words...