The gift, or what was meant to be a gift, began to burn away, losing it's color and splendor in every second that it was consumed by fire.
It was a statue, one which had glamorous colors and a well shapn design. One could tell it was very well made from the appearance alone. The statue was of a man, the man was wearing a very decent attire, though most had been consumed by the flames, it resembled a suit.
The colors were already bleaching off, and most of it's body parts had been engulfed, but there was no doubt about it... This was a figure that greatly resembled Richard.
It had been hand-made, well designed and intricately created.
"Only one person this guy knows would have the skill meant to create this stuff, as well as the intentions... And that's Ciara!" Richard's doppelganger smiled.
He snapped his fingers, and the flames stopped, leaving nothing left of the figure, but ash. The ashes were blown by an unknown force, scattering throughout the room.
"And not only that, it appears to be made by Tier 3 magic. Interesting, to think she has reached such a level. Now I see why they want her."
The man licked his lips in excitement as he made to exit his office.
"How exciting! I can't wait... Ciara... you'll be mine now... I hope you entertain me well!"
Shutting the door with a loud bang, Richard's lookalike left the office, laughing maniacally to himself.
"Kuahahahahahahahaha!!!"
The time was nearing already!
***********
Time quickly flew and night slowly crept in. Ciara,who had been summoning the courage to do something about the whole thing, suddenly found the resolve to do so at that time.
"If I don't go now... it might get too late!"
She had thought hard about who to go to. Should she try reaching Trevor Netherlore? No, he was in charge of her Foundational Stage. Plus, she didn't know him for very long and her trust in him wasn't airtight. If someone like Richard could have gotten such a transformation, Ciara didn't hold out much hope for Trevor.
Plus, to reach him, she would have to pass Richard's office, a risky move for Ciara.
There was only one person she trusted enough to have her back, strong enough to hold his own against Richard, and readily available for her...
"I have to see Galand!"
Quickly dressing up, Ciara rushed out of her room, dashing through the hallways in haste. She left her dorms and went the opposite way she would have gone for classes.
'If I take a longer route, I'll be able to bypass the Foundational Lecture area, and head toward the Advanced Stage Lecture site directly... that's where Galand is teaching!'
Quickening her pace with magic, Ciara moved through the darkness, enduring she had cloaked herself with Tier 3 magic just in case.
'I don't know where Noir currently is, he's not allowed on school grounds. Lorna could help, but I don't want to drag her into this. Galand is my best bet right now!'
In some minutes, she would get to her location. Ciara was a little short on breath due to carelessly inhaling the cold air of the night, but nonw of that mattered.
Or so she thought.
>SHIIIINNNNNNGGGGGG< A bright light suddenly shone, causing Ciara's entire body to vibrate as she felt the pressure.
I'm reaction to the strange sensation she felt, the desperate girl looked around her and saw lines of magic, in a seemingly circular fashion surround her, and in an instant, it blinded her eyes.
"Ahh!" Ciara yelled in pain.
She was forced to stop due to the sudden assualt, rubbing her eyes in the process.
"Ahh, how predictable..." A voice suddenly echoed in the darkness, driving a sharp sensation into Ciara's being.
The irritation on her eyes slowly faded, causing her to slowly open them and view the person who spoke.
Her eyes bulged, and her mouth dropped wide open. With trembling, she mumbled unintelligible words, viewing the man before her.
"I knew it had to be you. It's a good thing I decided to act early. Where do you think you're going to this late at night, Ciara?" The strange man added.
"R-Richard...?" Ciara could only say, though she knew the man before her wasn't in any way similar to her teacher and friend.
They only looked exactly the same.
"W-what are you doing here? Why are you-??" She struggled to speak, stuttering in the process.
"Pfft, please Ciara. There's no use pretending. It's plain obvious that you saw what happened in the dark spot. You were on your way to report me to your guard mage, weren't you? How very predictable, Ciara." Richard's lookalike laughed in amusement.
Ciara began to feel it slowly, the fear she had pushed down in order to seek out Galand. Her heart started to thump loudly, racing at an unprecedented speed.
"Now then, I'll be collecting you. It's a little too early, but I don't have much of a choice now, do I?" Richard's doppelganger smiled, moving closer to Ciara.
'No... No, don't give in. I can't give in now!' Ciara gritted her teeth, quickly pulling herself together.
Upon closer inspection, the man appeared to be greatly underestimating her. He probably didn't know about her mastery over magic of the 3rd Tier. She could use that to her advantage.
'I only have one window, I have to do this... Now!'
In an instant, Ciara shrouded herself in blue light, using every enhancemet she could in order to raise her speed and physical ability. She dashed to the side, intending on dodging Richard and bypassing him in order to continue her race to the destination she was so close to.
"[Sylph's Mist]" She chanted as well, causing everywhere to be filled with thick fog.
She increased her momentum and dashed away from Richard's grasp,
>WHOOOSH<
Instantly, she reached behind him and moved toward her goal while hoping her little okescreen would buy her some time.
'Good. At this rate, I'll be able to-"
pαпdα-ňᴏνê|·сóМ As she ran, Ciara suddenly hit an invisible wall, causing her entire body to experience shock.
"Ahhhh!" She screamed, her body pushed back by the electrocuting barrier she couldn't see.
"W-what?!" She wheezed, groaning in pain.
Her eyes caught something, making her feel an even greater amount of fear creep into her. Cackles of orange light radiating from the place she had just hit.
There was no doubt about it... It was a magic barrier.
"B-but how...? Since when did he-?!" Her quivering voice tried asking.
"Oh? It looks like you've finally figured it out."
Ciara shuddered as soon as she heard the familiar voice coming from behind her. Her body instinctively moved on its own, causing her face to slowly tilt toward the direction of her foe.
"This entire area is sealed off die to my Tier 6 magic barrier. There's no way you can escape, and norhing that happens in this space will get leaked out." The voice added.
The [Sylph's Mist] which was supposed to be thick enough to buy Ciara a few minutes of escape dissipated within seconds after she cast it, revealing the grinning man at the center of the little remnant of fog.
"Did you really think Tier 3 Magic could do anything to me?" Richard's lookalike smiled.
Ciara's thought were jumbled, and slowly tears began forming in her eyes. She was at her wit's end, with no other alternative to yield to.
"That's right. I wasn't underestimating you, but you've been overestimating yourself this whole time. I'm not like the weak students you fight with, you know?"
The man was right. Ciara had been blinded with her feeling of superiority among her fellow students all along. Now that she faced someone with more power, she was nothing in his presence.
"Yes, you know it don't you... that you're weak!" He taunted even more.
"I'm... weak...?!" Ciara repeated his words as she slowly drowned in despair.
She couldn't argue with the man, and her body suddenly gave out strength. Her bulging eyes brought out tears, and her entire body was trembling as the shady man free near.
"Oh, how exquisite. The look you have on your face right now, as despair slowly creeps in... It's so delightful. Show me more, Ciara! I want to see more of the hopelessness that dwells in those eyes!"
The man's sick laughter and distorted facial expression made him look nothing like Richard. The ugliness of his detestible grin and obsessive glare made Ciara's body and mind go numb.
She had tried to avoid it, but she couldn't. Just as it had occured a few months ago, it would happen again... and she was powerless to stop it.
"Looks like I can finally get my sweet sweet reward. Everything so far has been a pain, but I've been granted early reprieve. Thank you, Ciara. You've shortened the wait for me..." The man smiled, drawing nearer to her.
"It's time to reap my harvest!"
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