Chapter 43: Real Light Magic
Adam, wearing Eric’s body like a suit, didn’t stop. He continued walking slowly, steadily, towards the shimmering blue energy barrier that now protected the Baron, the mage, and the remaining soldiers.
His empty white eyes, with their pinpricks of bright light, were fixed on the mage standing just inside the dome, the one who had cast the protective spell.
The Baron, momentarily distracted by his son Lucas being thrown against the far wall, finally tore his horrified gaze away from Lucas and looked back at the approaching figure.
He saw the eyes – those chillingly empty white eyes – and felt a wave of fear wash over him, colder than any winter wind.
"Third Prince!" the Baron stammered, confusion mixing with terror. "What... what happened to you? Your eyes!"
Adam didn’t even glance at the Baron. His focus remained entirely on the mage. The mage himself looked terrified now.
As a magic user, he could sense the overwhelming, ancient power radiating from the figure walking towards him far better than the soldiers could. It felt like staring into an abyss.
But then, a desperate sort of confidence flickered across the mage’s face. He clutched the now-empty scroll tightly.
"Whatever you are," the mage called out, trying to sound brave despite the tremor in his voice, "whatever demon has possessed the Prince’s body... you cannot break this barrier!" He gestured towards the shimmering blue dome.
"This is a Light Barrier! Forged from pure protective energy! The moment you touch it, creature of darkness, its light will purify you! It will burn you away!" He seemed to be trying to convince himself as much as Adam.
Adam kept walking, his pace unhurried. He reached the edge of the crackling blue barrier. He stopped directly in front of the mage, only the shimmering energy separating them.