Dark Mage - Volume 1 - Chapter 10

“Ooh-ahhhk!.”

Accompanying a roar, a horrible scream was emitted.  An unknown person fell in place and his white beard was soaked with blood.  The old man wearing a fanciful outfit died after letting out a short scream.  His whole chest had been shattered and the mark that identified the person’s rank was barely able to be seen.  The crest was an engraving of seven flame cluster. It was evidence that the owner of the engraving was the current Belhazel church’s archbishop.

Ku-ru-ru-roong. (TLN: sound of building being demolished)

With a thick cloud of smoke, the stone columns inside the temple crumbled.  They were beautiful stone pillars that even 4 people could barely get their arms around, but they all fell lifelessly.  It was once a very beautiful temple.   However, this place had long since turned into an eyesore.  The beautiful stained glass were already broken into pieces. All the priests were lying on the floor and their bodies were cooling off rapidly.  On top of everything, there was a blanket of light green fog.  Inside the fog, one could still hear the roar.  The destruction started from the horribly broken door and the destruction continued on into the temple.

Ooh-ji-jik. (TLN: grinding noise)

It sounded like a bone of a human was being ground up.  Accompanying the scream, someone showed up from inside the light green cloud.

Stinking cloud.

Even after the archbishop had used his high level magic when his life was about to end, the opponent had not taken any damage.  The person who had entered was a lad with an icy expression.  He had bright red hair that was enough to hurt one’s eyes and he was a very striking lad.  He was the existence who drove the archbishop into death. It was a situation where he was stepping on the archbishop’s corpse who was killed with a curse.  The lad looked around his surrounding before he lowered his head.  His eyes took in the archbishop’s corpse that he had killed moments before with his hands. His lips moved in a subtle manner while a sound that was mixed with ridicule came out.

“Of course the humans’ strength have become very weak.  The Belhazel church’s archbishop has only this much skill…”

From behind, several shadows appeared.

“Still we cannot think light of the humans’ latent energy.  Humans are weak individually, but as a whole, they cannot be considered weak.”

The crimson-haired lad’s eyes suddenly showed a fierce light.  He turned his burning gaze towards the person who just spoke.

“Please, please forgive me.  The lowly existence just…”

The existence that was flowing with cold sweat, and bowing his head was not a human.  He possessed green colored skin and he had a small but robust build. He was from orc race, and he must have lived a long time.  This was evident by his very wrinkled skin.  He was a very old orc.  Normally amongst the orcs, it was very hard to come across an aged orc.  It was like capturing a star from the sky to see a orc age gracefully since the orcs were very war-like.  There was only one occasion when one saw an aged orc.  He must have enough divine power to suppress the young orcs.  Therefore, this orc was an Orc Lord that possessed that divine power.  However, even his divine powers couldn’t even compare to the crimson-haired youth.

“You know you are a lowly being yet you make such reckless remarks in front of me?”

The aged orc was dripping with cold sweat as he was angrily berated.  In truth, he wasn’t a being that you could call lowly. Right now they were hiding in the south of the Felucia mountain range after losing strength, but he used to be a monarch that could take reins of ten thousand orcs with just his hand gesture.
His name was Ryuek, the Conqueror of the Setting Sun.  He may be hiding in the Felucia mountain range, but when he was young, there were no other orcs that could suppress him and take over his boss status.  Even so he wasn’t able to move around underneath the thumb of this lad that was in front of his eyes. This was par for the course, since this lad’s identity was an existence that was the strongest and grandest in the entire Truvania continent.

“This foolish one has offended the great existence.  Please punish me.”

His repeated apology must have calmed his heart since the lad retracted his gaze.  Then he turned his body and walked towards the central region of the shrine.  The orc’s monarch Quack(TLN: it’s Quee-ack i’ll just say quack) and the personal bodyguards were finally able to feel relief inside.

‘Damn it, what are should I do?  I did it even when I knew his temper…  I must be crazy.’

Ryuek, who was hurriedly following the lad, saw the sprawled out corpse of archbishop Efficross.  Suddenly a glaze of euphoria came over Ryuek’s eyes.

“Bastard! It serves you right.”

The identity of the corpse was a direct disciple of the archbishop that had harassed the orcs during the conquest war. Ryuek didn’t hesitate to raise his great axe.  The orc race was known to be the reincarnation of revenge so he couldn’t forgive the dead corpse.

Suhl-kung.  (TLN: chopping noise)

With a dull sound of destruction, the neck of Efficorss separated.  Since it was a dead corpse not much blood spilled.  He told his body-guard to collect the decapitated head before Ryuek sped up to follow the lad.

The central region of the shrine was structured to be a secret structure.  It was a small space that was surrounded my 1 meter thick steel walls.  There were all kind of protection magic hanging around the secret location.  The reason being the most important treasure of the humans were inside. Mainly, it was the human’s Tablet of Oath.  It was a priceless treasure that humans cannot live without.  Moreover, it also contained the orc’s stolen Tablet of Oath inside.  The lad. who was looking at the room. sneered.

“There are a lot of tricks laid out.”

The magicians that were touted as the strongest amongst humans were hand-picked and they had, with long hours and painstaking effort, laid down various type of protection magic.  They put double and triple layers of safety devices, but in the eyes of the lad, it was just petty tricks.  The reason was the lad was an existence called a dragon that could control magic.

“Unlock.”

The protection magic that had protected the secret room through the years was easily disarmed with one word.  The one meter thick steel wall was powerless in front of the lad.  He aimed a hellfire towards the thick steel wall and it easily bore through it.  The treasure that was well-hidden inside was finally revealed to the lad.  He walked into the secret room.  Every three square meters held a big iron cage.  Of course it also had several anti-theft methods, but it couldn’t overcome the lad’s hand gesture.

Clank.

After the protection magic unravelled, the iron cage opened.  The lad slowly extended his hand towards the inside of the iron cage.

“This is the humans’ Tablet of Oath.”

The lad held up a jewel that was emitting a bright orange light.  It was the size of a child’s fist
and it was a beautiful jewel with indescribable light.  It differed from the legend that tied this Tablet of Oath to the rise and fall of a race, because it was very beautiful.  However, there wasn’t even a little bit of unrest in the lad’s eyes.  He had enough of this kind of jewels piled up like a mountain in his lair…  He put the Tablet of Oath deep within his bosom.

“I have completed Chronos-nim’s command.  The humans’ Oath of Tablet will never appear in this world again. Forever…”

At that moment, he heard a desperate voice from behind.

“Belkis-nim.  There isn’t much time left.  Countless number of soldiers from the human army has surrounded the shrine and they are trying to enter.  We are using all our forces to block them, but we are too few in numbers… Looking at the situation, the orcs’ troop located at the outer perimeter will be annihilated.”

The one who showed up was the black-haired lad who had conversed with Shrekheimer.  His icy countenance hadn’t changed but several places on his cloth were ripped.  It showed that his battle with Shrekheimer must have been difficult.

“R, really?”

Ryuek’s expression changed completely after hearing the report that all of his underlings had  perished.  Even though he knew it would have been hard for them to survive, they were annihilated…  However even seeing their desperate attitude, the red-headed youth was not fazed at all.

“You idiots.  What happens if Chronos-nim finds out?  We are the so-called dragons and wouldn’t it be unspeakable for us to be chased by mere humans?”

The black haired youth made an obstinate face.

“The humans from this place are very tenacious.  Even if you kill them, they keep coming back without caring about dying.”

The red headed youth that was called Belkis nodded his head.

“It should be that way.  Their Tablet of Oath is in danger… Ok. I’ll prepare a Spatial Relocation so call everyone here.”

“Understood.”

After the black dragon turned  his back, Belkis let out a long sight.  He glanced at the floor once and he waved his had lightly.  Afterwards, a strange shaped magic formation revealed itself on the shrine’s floor.  The magic formation started glowing brightly after receiving mana from the red headed youth.  At that moment, Ryuek’s shaky voice came into the youth’s ear.

“Great being, we.. We…”

After he turned his head, he was the nervous Ryuek’s figure.  For a moment, Belkis’ eyes were filled with anger.

“We brought some useless bastards.  You couldn’t even endure a little before being annihilated…”

“We have done our best.  We brought our greatest warriors from each tribe…”

“Shut the hell up.”

Ryuek lowered his after Belkis’ roar.  After watching this figure for a moemnt, Belkis quietly reached his hand towards the box.

Sue-uk. (TLN: Sliding noise or sound of something being taken out)

His hand revealed a gem emitting a brilliant light that was comparable to the earlier one.  As if to complain about not seeing the sun for a long period of time, the gem shone exceptionally bright. Without turning his head, Belkis lazily opened his mouth.

“Is this your Tablet of Oath?”

“Oh. Oh.”

The carelessly lifted face of Ryuek shook violently.  Before he could realize it, the wrinkled face was flowing with tears.
It has been 50 years since the despicable humans’ hero Crossen stole the Tablet of Oath.  This day was identical to the time when the honorable orc race had submitted to despair.  The had yearned and searched for their Tablet of Oath and now it had appeared in front of him this spring.
They had sacrificed immeasurable numbers of warriors to recover this.  They had received help from the dragons but after seeing their Oath of Tablet, Ryuek was speechless.  However, the cold voice of Belkis was delivered into his ear.

“As promised, we will return this. However there is a catch.”

Ryuek turned his head.  His expression indicated that he would agree to any terms presented.  However the term presented to the orcs were too harsh to accept.

“As payment, orcs will have to serve the dragons for a thousand years.”

“T, that is…”

Ryuek couldn’t string together words so he stuttered.  It was an unthinkable tribulation to the orcs that they had to server under the dragons for a thousand years.  Behind the Ryuek’s eyes, murderous intent emanated after hearing the dragon’s words.  It was a pure rage against the humans that drove his race into this situation.

“I intend to put you guys as a vanguard in punishing the humans.  We will unite all the races on the Crotria continent and dry the humans’ seed.  After getting rid of the existence called humans, we are thinking about establishing a new order.  What do you guys think about this idea?”

He didn’t have to think any longer.  Wasn’t it Ryuek’s dream to take revenge against the humans?  Ryuek ground his teeth while shaking his head in assent.

“We will accept the terms presented by the Great One.”

“Good.”

This was how the alliance formed between the two races who would decide the fate of the humans.  After awhile, 7 dragons in the form of humans entered the shrine.  Their whole bodies were covered with dust, but none of their numbers were lost.  They were gathered on top of the magic formation when their ears heard Belkis’ thunderous voice.  The human knights, who were outside of the shrine, also heard it clearly.

“My name is Belkis.  I have received orders from the might Dragon Lord Chronos-nim.  I will leave easily right now.  However in 10 years, we will return again.  After we have completed preparation to punish the humans…”

Pah-ah-aht. (TLN: flash.)

The magic formation rapidly emitted light.  The pillar of light surrounded Belkis, Ryuek and the dragons instantly.  The light that illuminated the shrine’s interior disappeared in a moments.  With the Oath of Tablet…  Afterwards, fully equipped knights spilled into this location.

“T, This…”

However, the only thing that was waiting for them was an empty box in the secret room with the lid wide open.  After seeing this, the despondent knights started dropping their weapons one by one. Unlike 50 years ago, their Oath of Tablet had been stolen.