Maris stood over Nyx, her chest heaving with effort as she raised her hand, ready to finish her off. Nyxy on the ground, bloodied and battered, unable to defend herself. But just as Maris prepared tond the final blow, something strange happened.


    A thick, ck substance began to swirl around Nyx''s body, like tendrils of shadow wrapping around her. Maris froze, her instincts warning her that something was terribly wrong. The ck mass enveloped Nyxpletely, covering her from head to toe.


    "Stop." Lucan said.


    But the ck mass ignored hismand, slipping away into nothingness as if it had never existed. Maris immediately activated her scan ability, her eyes glowing as she searched the area. There was nothing. No trace of Nyx, no hint of the ck substance, as though it had never been there.


    Frowning, she expanded her scan, stretching it to cover the entire region. She found nothing.


    "She''s…gone?" Maris muttered. How could Nyx disappear sopletely? It was as if she had never been there at all.


    Just as Maris was deep in thought, a gurgling sound broke the silence. She whipped around to see Lucan coughing violently, blood sttering the ground in front of him. Her eyes widened in horror as she noticed his throat—it had turned ck.


    "Lucan-sama!" Maris rushed to his side, her hands glowing with healing magic as she ced them on his throat. "Hold on! I''ll fix this!"


    Lucan''s body shuddered as her magic flowed into him. The bleeding stopped, and his breathing steadied, but the ckness on his throat remained. Maris frowned, her magic probing deeper, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t heal the ck marks.


    "What…what is this?" she whispered, her voice trembling with confusion and worry.


    Lucan shook his head slowly, raising a hand to signal her to stop. He pointed toward their home, his eyes filled with understanding. He knew what had happened, even if Maris didn''t.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    She nodded, supporting him as they made their way back home. The walk was long, and Maris''s mind raced, trying to understand the situation. What had that ck substance been? What happened to Lucan''s thorat? Why couldn''t she heal him? And how did he became Evil Magician?


    When they finally reached home, Lucan settled into a chair, his breath stillbored. He reached for a notebook and a quill, and Maris watched as he began to write with a steady hand.


    "I became a ck Magician. The ability I wield, the one that lets memand reality with my words, has a cost."


    Maris''s heart sank as she read his words.


    "For too long, I''ve used this power. Against weaker foes, there''s no price. But against someone like Nyx—one of the most powerful beings in existence—the bacsh is inevitable."


    Lucan paused, coughing slightly before continuing to write.


    "I''ve overused it. The strain is too much. My voice, the source of my power, is damaged. I won''t be able to speak for months. Maybe longer."


    Maris gripped the edges of the notebook, her hands trembling. She nced at Lucan, who gave her a reassuring smile, as if to say he didn''t regret anything.


    She blinked away tears. "You became an Evil Magician to protect me…didn''t you?"


    Lucan nodded silently, his expression softening as he gazed at her. He be Evil Magician to make himself strong enough to live in this world without fear. But it''s okay if Maris think that way.


    Your adventure continues at empire


    Maris stood up, resolute. "Rest. I''ll take care of everything else that left to take care."


    Lucan watched her leave, and then fell into deep thought. That ck substance. It also had power of Evil Magician, might the third Evil Magician. Lucan knew that Nyx is still out there, alive and now Nyx and second Evil Magician seemed join the force.


    Lucan has used his Word''s ability too much that it didn''t effect on the Second Evil Magician, and of course, the main reason that Second Evil Magician is way too strong, stronger than Nyx, and Maris.


    However, if it stronger than Nyx and Maris, then why didn''t it attack then and just leave?


    Lucan knew that something going to happen and it would bad. He sighed, he knew he had to do something.


    ---


    Maris traveled swiftly, making her way to the ce where the Dark Fairy Queen, Lilith, was sealed. The ancient magic binding Lilith was still intact, but Maris could sense it would be broke apart in few centuries.


    Without hesitation, Maris reinforced the seal,yering it with her own magic, ensuring it wouldst for hundred centuries.


    "This should keep you contained, Lilith," she murmured to herself. Then she looked around and found no trace of Fairly Queen Elysia. She sighed, praying that Fairy Queen Elysia find peace.


    Then she left, Maris turned her attention to her next task. Nyx had vanished, and no matter how much she searched, Maris couldn''t find her. And the Holy Phoenix Iris, too, was nowhere to be found. Despite her best efforts, both had disappeared without a trace.


    Frustration simmered in her chest, but she pushed it aside. "I''ll deal with themter," she whispered.


    Next, Maris headed toward the ce where Reshmi and Bing were waiting. She found Bing was ice crystal like shape cocoon.


    Maris could break this cocoon and kill Bing but then Bing would be back to egg form, and might used by anyone since Dragon World is destroyed.


    So, Maris decided to seal Bing, locking Bing away for centuries.


    When she was done, she turned to Reshmi. "Thank you," she said simply. Reshmi gave her a solemn nod in return, understanding.


    With her tasksplete, Maris made her way back home, where Lucan was waiting. As she walked, her mind reyed the events of the past few days—the battles, the near losses, and the strange disappearance of Nyx. Despite it all, Maris felt a sense of calm knowing that Lucan was safe.


    When she finally arrived home, Maris walked in quietly, finding Lucan sitting by the window, looking out at the sunset. She smiled softly as she approached him.