Chapter 9: 7.5 [the truth untold]

I started, confused by her cryptic reply. “Show…me?” 

“Mm-hmm,” Terasia said without a hint of doubt. “Ah, but before we do, please give me a moment. I gotta concentrate for a second to cast this fickle spell.” 

I hadn’t had the time to react when she tapped her foot lightly on the floor, stirring the air around us. A powerful fey breeze swelled and swept through the train carriage. In an instant, the rest of the passengers on board vanished into thin air—as if their existence had been completely erased. 

But very soon I realised, with a chilling clarity, that it wasn’t just the passengers in our carriage who had mysteriously disappeared. The entire train was now devoid of anyone other than me and Terasia. 

A dreadful feeling was just beginning to set in when I suddenly noticed the ring of arcane symbols that had encircled Terasia. Each symbol held a unique series of lines, curves and shapes within it, intertwining together to form intricate patterns—patterns, I sensed, that were imbued with a power so mysterious and primordial it seemed to have originated from the depths of the universe itself. 

This…this could not be any more different from the magic she had used earlier to heal me. It was, quite literally, the difference between Heaven and Hell. The raw potency, the sheer inconceivable power that she unleashed without batting an eye completely and utterly transcended any form of magic I had known in my past life. 

On second thought, the pulsing patterns in the symbols seemed vaguely recognisable to me. There was only one magical race in the entirety of Eltshion which harnessed the mystical power of such abstract patterns in their magic—power absolutely forbidden to be witnessed or used by any other races. 

The faeries. 

But Terasia’s magic was different; it lacked the sibylline qualities faerie magic was renowned for. Not to mention, it was practically impossible for faeries to wield elven magic and vice versa—the magic of the faeries and elves were fundamentally incompatible with each other. 

While I was puzzling over the glaring inconsistencies, Terasia had begun to recite an incantation to activate the spell. Each word that she spoke was slow and measured, as if their very intonations carried the weight of the universe.  

I couldn’t understand the arcane language being chanted through her lips at first. It was neither the whispery invocations of the faeries, nor the solemn and precise incantations of the elves. Then, when she began to immerse herself deeper into her incantation, the realisation finally dawned on me. 

Black magic. This incantation was the language of the demons. 

That perfectly explains why Terasia’s magic, though mighty and all-encompassing, required her to use a complex incantation for something as simple as a basic healing spell. Black magic, unlike the magic that the other magical races possessed, has no specific quality inherent to it. It is equivalent to the wild card of magic—with the correct amount of precision and skill, a user can theoretically replicate and wield all other types of magic using their corresponding incantations in black magic. 

The limitless potential of black magic was precisely the reason why the demons sought after it in the first place—and why they were subsequently exiled. The other magical races correctly feared that the demons would abuse it to take over the world. 

However, black magic is known to be extremely volatile and dangerous; more often than not, it ends up corrupting the very user trying to control it. Black magic, after all, was rumoured to be what turned the original hearts of demons into soulless cores. Only a select few demons could summon and wield black magic as they wished without suffering any repercussions.

In fact, I could only think of one possible individual, within the entirety of the demon race, who could be on par with Terasia. 

A regal black dress shimmering in the breeze like silky ripples across a dark moonlit lake. Wavy black hair framing her exquisite face like a dark halo. Slitted, icy aquamarine eyes that bore into my very soul.

The air around us crackled. The lights inside the carriage began to flicker and the train shook with an unnatural force. The symbols at her feet, rippling with unbridled energy, glowed a brilliant ethereal light as her incantation neared its completion. 

The next moment, a flash of white momentarily blinded me. I instinctively flinched and blinked to clear the spots from my vision. 

We were still on the train. But as my gaze fell on the figure standing face to face with me, I noticed Terasia’s appearance had completely changed. A beautiful flowing dress, made of the purest black, had replaced her school uniform. Her raven-black hair cascaded over her shoulders in the most entrancing manner. Her lovely aquamarine eyes met mine with a demure yet teasing gleam. 

No, she wasn’t Terasia anymore. 

You’re the only one defending the city, Hero. 

I know who this girl is. 

What is there left to fight for? 

You are reading story Failed Hero’s Second Chance in a Magicless World at novel35.com

I remember. 

Shall we dance, my hero?

She is…

“…Lukterasia,” I whispered, my voice suddenly cracking with raw emotion. “You are the Demon Lord of Eltshion, aren’t you?” 

A smile danced on her rosy lips, a smile that encapsulated pure happiness and solace; a smile which seemed to say, I have finally found you. 

“And you are the reincarnation of the Hero of Eltshion,” Lukterasia said softly. “Stefania.”

We exchanged looks without saying a word, allowing a moment of silence to hang between us as the train snaked through the raging storm. 

At first glance, we were two old rivals, meeting again on a different battlefield after an unfathomably long time. But I knew it wasn’t just rivalry that sparked in the electric air between us—there existed a spark of something unspoken, something so profound and deep that only the two of us could grasp. The unwavering look in Lukterasia’s eyes told me, more than ever, that she felt the same way as I did.

I stilled my breathing and keenly attuned my senses to my surroundings. The steady rhythm of the train’s wheels sliding over the wet rails, combined with the sounds of raindrops pitter-pattering against the roof and windows, blended together seamlessly to create a rich and soothing melody. Lightning danced across the bleak sky in forked arcs of blazing white energy, accompanied by violent crashes of thunder that rattled the train windows. 

But that was all I could sense. Everything else that should be present—the dense buildings, the myriad streets and the ubiquitous lights of the city—had simply vanished. As if there was an invisible veil separating us from the rest of the world. 

It was identical to that day, I realised, when we met on the bastille roof in a time-frozen realm. In this perpetual tempest-tossed world, only I and Terasia existed. 

I focused my eyes on her again, wondering if she could read my mind just as she did before. 

You’re now in a reality which I created out of dimensional magic, she answered my unspoken question without moving her lips. Here, I can manipulate the time and space that you perceive as I wish. This is why you can hear my voice speaking in your head right now, whilst I can hear your thoughts. 

Dimensional magic…I remember coming across it in a faerie grimoire once. If I recall its vague description correctly, it is an ancient arcane magic used by the faeries to peer into “secrets of the universe”, thereby acquiring the prophetic wisdom that they were renowned for. 

The faerie race uses dimensional magic to visualise the possible futures of the universe, Terasia explained. I simply took their existing magic one step further and refined it by myself to allow for the creation of entire dimensions. 

She put it in such a calm and nonchalant manner—as though it was merely something she did on a whim—that betrayed her extraordinary mastery of the arcane arts. Hell, this is the very first time I have heard of someone refining magic to unlock a new higher-tier ability. Just how vast and expansive is Lukterasia’s knowledge and proficiency in magic? 

You praise me too much, she said in a shy and somewhat embarrassed voice. Other than magic, my physical and mental abilities are far inferior to yours.

But in the end, I still lost that battle to you, didn’t I? 

I only managed to defeat you by relying on my magic, she admitted. All is fair in love and war, as the saying goes. 

I raised a wry smile at her words. “Love and war”?

There was a daring, delightfully coy twinkle in her eyes in response to my teasing question. Without a word, she conjured up a sheathed sword and slid it towards me, her eyes inviting me to pick it up. 

Will you indulge me in a dance, Stefania?

You can find story with these keywords: Failed Hero’s Second Chance in a Magicless World, Read Failed Hero’s Second Chance in a Magicless World, Failed Hero’s Second Chance in a Magicless World novel, Failed Hero’s Second Chance in a Magicless World book, Failed Hero’s Second Chance in a Magicless World story, Failed Hero’s Second Chance in a Magicless World full, Failed Hero’s Second Chance in a Magicless World Latest Chapter