Chapter 6: Depths of Darkness ~ Darma Melanie

“Now then class, let’s remind ourselves. What are the six main elements of Magus?”

“Um, Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Light and Dark.” A young teenager replied.

“Excellent. Now, can anyone tell me what the three main methods of wielding Magus are?”

“Methods? I didn’t know there were methods.”

“You look a little confused, I thought I taught this already. Very well, I suppose I can briefly summarise.

The three methods of wielding Magus are: Armour, Movement and Zoning. These terms were coined by the first researchers of Magus, back when Nexus City was just an empty, flat crater with facilities erected along its outskirts.

Armour refers to wielding Magus for protection and to enhance one’s physical abilities. Movement refers to increasing your speed and precision. Finally, Zoning simply refers to the use of projectiles and other long range combat techniques.

Of course, these methods do not dictate how one fights with Magus, they’re just terms used to differentiate various Magus techniques. Most people aren’t even aware of these principles and apply them without even realising. A bit like knowing how to fight without any formal knowledge of martial arts.”

“So, when I surrounded myself in Dark Magus I was using armour? No wonder those jerks couldn’t touch me, not that it stopped people from thinking I was the bad guy.”

“Assaulting them afterwards didn’t help matters, Lonán.”

“But… they made me so mad… they always picked on me… poking and prodding me to fight them, and then when I finally did, they started crying and I’m the one who got in trouble…”

Miss Melanie sighed. Lonán was but one of many delinquent teenagers in her class. A class specially set up in Nexus City’s Nuan District. The relatively peaceful, middle class suburbs of Nexus, where those who exhibited signs of Dark Magus in their early years were labelled potential criminals and pressured into hiding their power in order to preserve peace in the town.

This unfair stereotype was precisely why, being a Dark Magus User herself, Darma Melanie took on the role of teacher in the Nuan Juvenile Detention Center. To help delinquent children, struggling with their newfound power, so they may learn to control it, preventing them from turning into brutish thugs and hopefully sway public opinion away from the boogeyman they’ve constructed.

But, not every student in her care was as accepting of their powers as Darma was.

“I never asked for any of these stupid powers… I wish I never had them…”

Darma slammed her fist on her desk, startling the other students, before calmly addressing them.

“Don’t say that. Your powers are a gift, not a burden. You just lack discipline. That’s why I’m here. To teach you everything you need to know about Magus, how to wield it and how to control your own darkness.”

“Like that’s even possible.”

“Of course it is, but only if you’re willing to try. Understood?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Excuse me, Miss Melanie.” A Magus Knight meekly entered the room. “My apologies, but your class should have ended five minutes ago.”

“Oh my… it seems I got a little heated. I was just wrapping things up.” She turned to her students. “That’s all for today, class. Please follow the knight back to your cells and I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

As the students emptied out of the room, Darma closed the door behind them and slouched into her chair, staring up at the ceiling.

“Back to solitary confinement. Treated like caged animals, for having powers they barely understand. Even if they were released, the stigma of their criminal record and taboo Magus, will follow them for the rest of their lives, only fueling their negativity. The world has turned them into ticking darkness timebombs, like a self fulfilling prophecy. It’s all a load of bollocks.”

Darma was a half British, half Asian woman, hailing from Shining City in England. She had long black hair in a hime cut and wore a black blazer with a white shirt and black tie, with a long black skirt, leggings and heels. She dressed smart and proper, with her frameless glasses worn at all times, always presenting herself as a professional, except for when she was alone and could freely express her distaste for the world.

“Hey there!” A man called, letting himself into the room. “They said I’d find you here, glad I didn’t miss ya.”

To Darma’s dismay her break had been interrupted by a strange old, black man wearing what looked like rags he found at a charity store. The old man was immediately caught off guard by Darma’s appearance. Nobody had warned him about her glaring mark.

“Woah, what happened to you?”

“Pardon?”

“You got a little something on your face there.”

Darma placed her hand on her right cheek, and ran her fingers across the scar etched across it, from her cheek bone down to her lower jaw.

“I received this years ago, it’s of no concern.”

“Sorry I brought it up, just wasn’t expecting it. Anyway, I was hoping to discuss something with you.”

“Not now. I’m brooding.”

“Oh, is that a Dark Magus thing?”

“No. It’s just how I cope with life.”

“Well, I’d hate to be a bother, but I’d rather deal with this business now. Can you brood later?”

“With all due respect Mr. Quaero, my time would be far better spent preparing for class tomorrow. I should be heading home.”

“What!? You can’t just brush me off! Don’t you know who I-! Wait a sec. You do know who I am?”

“Of course. You’re the world’s leading researcher of Magus. Back when this city was just some government facility, you were the one in charge. It’s thanks to your work, the people of the world have been blessed with the power of Magus.”

“Geez, I was starting to think no one recognised me anymore. Since you’re in a bad mood, I’ll just make this quick. I’m here to make you an offer.”

“An offer? Alright, I’ll hear you out, but only because I’m comfy and refuse to get out of my chair.”

Akachi placed a slip of paper on Darma’s desk. “How’d you like to come work for my Magus Defense Agency?”

“Don’t we already have Magus Knights for that?”

“Yeah, well this is a little different. The Knights only work in the upper class areas. The middle to lower class districts don’t have the resources to pay for their services as often, leaving them defenseless against their ever increasing crime rates.”

“Yes. I imagine the tax increases would be quite the pain in the bum.”

“That’s where we come in. Whether they’re rich or poor, if there’s trouble brewing, we’ll come running.”

“So, we’re hired superheroes?”

“Sounds a little cheesy, but that’s one way of looking at it.”

“And why did you come to me?”

“I’m looking for talented Magus Users. Representatives for each of the six elements and the only one I’m missing is a Dark User, but they’re hard to come by. I don’t think I need to explain why that’s the case.”

“They’re either criminals or keep their existence a secret to avoid being labelled as such.”

“Precisely, but I knew you’d be perfect for the job.”

“Not interested.”

“What?”

“I’m a teacher, not a crime fighter.”

“Oh, contraire. Anyone who can keep a group of superpowered delinquents under control must be quite the powerhouse themselves.”

“I simply use the same disciplinary tactics as any other teacher.”

“Perhaps you could use those tactics to discipline criminals, instead?”

“My job is to help these children learn to control their powers. I’m not going to abandon them to become your hired muscle.”

“But, you gotta look at the bigger picture, here. Those delinquent kids mean nothing compared to this whole giant-ass city.”

“Excuse me!?”

Darma rose from her chair, as her irises suddenly changed from dark brown to pitch black, with striking white highlights and pupils. She glared like a wild animal defending its young.

“I’d rather let this whole city burn than leave those boys to suffer alone in those cold cages. Locked away by a society that refuses to understand them. How dare you call them nothing!”

“I-I didn’t mean it like-!”

“How’s this for the bigger picture!?

If I leave, those boys will have no one to help them! Their hatred and sadness will only worsen, their darkness will fester, eventually evolving into an uncontrollable force of destruction! They’ll turn into the very monsters their imprisonment was supposed to suppress! I am not going to let that happen! I will not abandon them! Is that clear, Akachi!?”

“A-alright! I’m sorry! Please, spare this old heart, it’s going haywire…”

Darma’s eyes returned to normal as she slumped back into her chair.

“Geez…” Akachi sighed. “I knew you were passionate, but I didn’t think you’d be scary. Just so you know, I feel the same way about this city. I can’t stand seeing all the corruption. Having someone like you to help set things straight would be a massive help.”

“Sorry, but you’ll have to find someone else.”

“That’s a real shame, but this ain’t over. I’m not crossing you off my list just yet.”

“Goodbye, Mr. Quaero.”

After waiting for Akachi to leave, Darma finally got out of her chair.

“I suppose I should head home…”

Upon leaving she walked past the cells containing her students. Special padded rooms, designed to keep their destructive powers contained. Though some simply looked dejected as always, she was pleased to see others had taken her advice on meditation to heart. Keeping their emotions and Magus under control.

Still, the sight of her students quarantined from their families, reminded Darma of her own experiences. If it weren’t for the scar etched on her face, she may have ended up just like them.

“I can only imagine their plight.” She thought. ”Trapped in a prison cell, sealed away from the outside world until a higher power deems them safe enough to return to their families. Families that are too terrified of their own child’s power to ever truly accept them. Their lives forever tarnished.”

Such depressing thoughts weighed heavily on Darma’s mind, but this only strengthened her resolve to help her students reclaim their normal life, rather than be treated like wild animals.

Distracted by her mental musings, Darma accidentally bumped into a man heading down the hallway. She fixed her glasses and apologised.

“Oh, pardon me.”

The man was tall, with short black hair, appearing to be around Darma’s age, mid-twenties. He wore a Magus Knight uniform, however instead of the usual burgundy, this man’s outfit was grey, but his most distinguishing feature was the unflinching, disinterested look plastered across his dull face.

“Hold on.” Darma asked. “Who are you?”

“Cassius Yuudai.” He answered in a calm monotone.

“Judging by your uniform, I imagine you’re a high ranking Magus Knight?”

“No.”

“Oh… low ranking?”

“No.”

“Mid-tier?”

“I’m not an official Magus Knight.”

“Then what are you doing here?”

“Visiting.”

“Who?”

“No one specific.”

“I’m sorry, could you answer in full sentences, please?”

“I have fought many battles over the years in order to keep Nexus City safe from danger and these children of darkness may one day become future adversaries. It is for this reason, I wish to speak with them.”

“Don’t go assuming these children are criminals. Their powers are just misunderstood.”

“Don’t assume I said they were. I merely presented the possibility. Please step aside.”

“You’re not planning to do anything to them, are you?”

“No. I simply wish to observe them.”

“In that case, you wouldn’t mind if I came with you?”

“Unacceptable. Your presence would only influence their behaviour, thus proving my visit pointless. I must observe them alone.”

“They’re not rats running a maze, you know.”

“Let him go, Miss Melanie.” A Guard intervened.

“Why?” Darma asked, as Cassius strolled passed.

“Yuudai might have the social skills of a brick wall, but he’s a trusted vigilante. That grey jacket is proof of recognition for his heroic deeds among the authorities. He isn’t here to cause trouble, so just let him do his thing.”

“Should have just said that in the first place, instead of acting so cold.”

“Don’t take it personally. He’s like that with everybody.”

Although Cassius made Darma feel uneasy, she left him in the capable hands of the guards. But, once she got to the exit, Cassius’ presence was like a comforting Summer breeze compared to the sudden chill she received as she passed through the automatic doors of the detention center’s front entrance.

Another strange individual crossed her path. A plain looking man at first glance, but with abnormally pale skin, short white hair and piercing blue eyes. He gave off a repugnant vibe that made Cassius’ personality seem tolerable.

“Bloody hell.” She sighed. “We’re certainly getting a lot of strange visitors today.”

The man ignored Darma and continued on.

“Excuse me! I’m talking to you, sir!”

He turned around, pointing to himself in confusion, with half a sandwich hanging out of his mouth.

“A-are you… eating?”

“Yeah. It’s ham and cheese. Want some?” He held the half eaten sandwich out to Darma.

“Disgusting. This isn’t a cafeteria. Go finish your lunch outside.”

The man promptly shoved the remainder of his lunch into his mouth savouring every bite.

“Was that really necessary?” Darma asked, repulsed.

“What? I was hungry.” He replied, oblivious to his repellent behaviour.

“What could someone like you possibly be doing here?”

“Visiting.”

“Who?”

The man paused to think for a moment. “Hmm… you know… I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

“As a teacher, I have the right to question any strangers claiming to visit my students.”

“Teacher? Don’t you think the guards are more suited for questioning strangers?”

Black tendrils suddenly sprouted from the ground, holding the man in place, as Darma’s eyes turned intense white, just the same as when she confronted Akachi.

“Tell me who you are and what you’re doing here, or I will force you out.”

“Holy crap, lady, you’re scary! You’re not gonna hurt me are you?”

“Answer my questions and we’ll see.”

“Here you go.”

In the blink of an eye, the man appeared in Darma’s face, holding a signed permission slip as proof of entry into the detention center.

Darma leapt back on reflex, not only did she not see him move, she didn’t even feel him escape the grasp of her tendrils. The man looked at her with the same confused expression.

“You okay? This permission slip should do the trick, right?”

She looked over the slip, still on edge. Everything seemed to be in order, except for one glaring detail.

“Your name is: Guy Incognito? Is this a joke?”

“I get that a lot.” He laughed. “If you don’t believe me, check out my ID card.”

The name on the card was, indeed, Guy Incognito.

“You know, most people don’t normally pose for their ID photos.”

“There’s nothing wrong with adding a little flair. So, can I go now?”

“Only because I can’t argue otherwise. But, if you cause any trouble with my students, I will hunt you down.”

She was about to leave before the man made one final remark.

“You should learn to keep your nose out of other people’s business. As if I care about any of these evil little maggots.”

“What was that!?”

By the time she looked back, the man was already gone. Confused and irritated, Darma finally entered her car and drove home.

“What an aggravating day that was. First Akachi’s on my back, then Cassius just barges his way in and now Guy Incognito? What in the world is going on?

Perhaps… it’s nothing. Lots of people visit the detention center, without me even knowing and it’d be foolish if I tried to question all of them. I’m just being paranoid. The guards will handle any problems, should they arise. I just need to relax.”

During class the next day, Darma watched over the students at her desk while they performed Magus exercises. They repeatedly covered parts of their body in black armour to help them react quickly for self defense, while also training their muscle memory into releasing their Magus as a non-destructive force upon being provoked.

However, Lonán struggled with the task, inching away from the others, as if he were ashamed of what he was doing.

“Lonán?” Darma asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Are you having trouble?”

The boy looked away.

“It’s perfectly understandable. You are the youngest of the group, but I can’t help you if you don’t talk. If it’s about your Magus, don’t worry. Everyone is troubled by it at first, but after some time and practise it’ll feel more natural to you.”

“Miss Melanie?” The boy muttered. “Dark Magus… is evil, isn’t it?”

“What? Where’d you get that idea?”

“I just… heard it. Dark Magus comes from your own evil thoughts. That’s why everyone from the Veritati District is so cruel.”

“That’s not exactly…”

“That’s why I’m here! Why we’re all here! We hurt people because we’re evil!”

“Lonán, please calm yourself. You’re disturbing the other students.”

“But, it’s true! You don’t see other Magus users held up in jail! It’s always Dark Users! We’re the bad guys! I don’t wanna use Dark Magus anymore! How do I get rid of it!?”

“LONÁN!”

The room shook as a black aura surrounded Darma, silencing the entire class.

“Maybe I should have stayed in Veritati.” Lonán mumbled, ashamed that he upset his teacher. “At least there, I’ll be with my own kind, instead of wasting everyone’s time here…”

“That’s enough! I will not allow you to convince yourself that you’re some kind of irredeemable monster! Everyone, back to your seats! It’s time I refresh your memory on the true essence of Light and Dark Magus!”

The students returned to their desks, as Darma fixed her glasses, ready to give the lecturing of their life.

“Among the many forms of Magus, Light and Dark have a unique distinction: Their power is heavily influenced by the user’s emotions. Your emotions.

Positive emotions fuel Light Magus and negative emotions fuel Dark Magus. Whether you wield one or the other depends on what kind of emotions you experienced throughout your life, especially during childhood.

This does not mean all Dark Users are evil or even less fortunate than others. A single traumatic experience as a child is all it takes for the pendulum to swing from light to darkness.”

“My powers appeared when my Dad forgot to pick me up from soccer practise.” A student suddenly realised. “I was left all alone on the field when I was six. I was so scared that when my Dad finally showed up I just kinda… exploded.

Ever since, whenever I got anxious my Magus would jut out like spines and hurt people. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong to feel anxious all the time if it ends up hurting people, right?”

“Goodness no. Negative emotions like anxiety, hatred and sadness, aren’t pleasant, but they are a fundamental part of being human. Experiencing them doesn’t make you evil.

Conversely, being a Light Magus User doesn’t automatically mean you are a good person. It is entirely possible to be a Light User and still be a total prat. It’s not about what powers you have, but how you use them.

That is the point of this class, to teach you how to control your emotions and your powers so you can use them to better yourselves.

Don’t let such foolish stereotypes drag you down. The best way to wield Dark Magus is to take the pain and suffering you’ve felt and turn it into your power. Learn to control that power and you’ll be unstoppable!”

“Um… Miss Melanie, you’ve got that scary look in your eyes, again.”

“Oh, my apologies. This world and especially this city is full of people who will try to take advantage of you. Having the power to defend yourself, and by extension others, will help you protect what you most care about. Don’t let the stigma hold you down, be proud of your Dark Magus and show the world that it’s a power that you can be trusted with.”

After taking a deep breath, Darma calmed herself.

“Alright, let’s get back to those exercises, shall we?”

Although Lonán still seemed distracted, the rest of the class went smoothly as the guards escorted the students away at the end of the session.

As Darma left the classroom, she met with a familiar face in the hallway.

“You again!?”

The pale white haired man from yesterday had returned. Sipping a cupped drink through a straw, oblivious as usual.

“What are you doing? And… is that a milkshake?”

“Yeah.” He answered. “Strawberry. Want some?”

“No! What do you want now!?”

“Well… I guess it wouldn’t hurt to tell… but only because you might be of some help.”

“No thank you.”

“Hey, hear me out. Look, you heard of Apathia, right?”

“They’re usually front page news, yes.”

“Good. You see, I heard one of the kids here is actually the son of a high ranking Apathia boss and I was hoping to get some information out of him.”

“So, you’re an investigator? That explains the phony name.”

“Yeah, totally. Private investigator. Since you’re their teacher, I was wondering if you could tell me which one has the Apathia Papa.”

“I have no idea.”

“Oh… well, just give me a list of the kids and their parents and I’m sure I can figure it out.”

“I don’t want you anywhere near my students, you creep.”

Darma left, but after just a few seconds, she immediately turned back and pointed her finger. A black tendril shot out of the door and grabbed the man’s hand, as he attempted to enter the room.

“Hey! What gives!?” The man cried.

“Did I give you permission to enter my classroom?”

“But… my investigation…”

“No. Out.”

“Is there a problem?” A voice asked.

Darma found Cassius Yuudai behind her with the investigator already standing next to him. Shocked, she looked back at the door, only to find her tendril wrapped around nothing, he somehow slipped past her sight again.

“Excuse me, Mr. Yuudai.” The investigator asked. “Could you help me find the son of the Apathia member living here?”

Cassius looked down at the man, stone faced as ever. “I’m only here to talk with the children. I have no interest in your investigation.”

“That’s fine. I’ll just sit in on your conversation. I should be able to deduce who it is by-”

“No. Your presence will only be a hindrance.”

“Hindrance? Come on, I won’t say anything, I swear! Just let me-!”

Cassius reached down to his waist and swiftly pulled out a rapier sword, swiping the blade straight toward the investigator, stopping just shy of his face, silencing him.

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

“Woah! You nearly erased my face with that thing. O-okay, I see how it is. I’ll try again some other time. I-I’ll just be leaving now.”

With his pants thoroughly soiled, the investigator made his exit.

“Thank you, Mr. Yuudai.” Darma sighed. “That man was getting on my nerves, too.”

Cassius said nothing, simply putting his sword away.

“Speaking with my pupils again? Any hints on what today’s topic is?”

“Their future.”

That brief answer was all the time Cassius would allow before continuing down the hall.

It was the end of another bizarre day for Darma, though thankfully less frustrating than the last, but one thing still troubled her. Lonán’s anxiety was worsening and Darma feared if something was not done soon, it could only lead to a breakdown.

The next morning, Darma walked into the Nuan Detention Center only to be greeted by a panicking guard.

“Miss Melanie! You’re here!” He cried, grabbing her shoulders.

“Y-yes, I certainly am.”

“Please forgive us! But, Lonán has escaped!”

“What!? How!?”

“We just checked the security footage. A man with white hair somehow broke into the facility and opened his cell. They spoke for a moment before leaving the building.”

“That bastard! I knew he couldn’t be trusted! How the hell did you let them escape!?”

“We have no idea! If it weren’t for the security footage, there wouldn’t be any evidence of anyone entering the building at all! It all happened right under our noses! I can’t believe I let this happen while he was under my watch!”

“Stop feeling sorry for yourself and tell me where they went!”

“We’re not sure! Last we saw, they left the building and headed to the station! They could be anywhere in the city by now!”

Darma pondered for a moment and remembered Lonán’s sudden outburst from yesterday. “No… he wouldn’t… oh, of course he would…”

“Did you figure something out?”

“In all likelihood, he’s returned to the Veritati District.”

Acting on this realisation, Darma headed back to her car.

“Wait! Miss Melanie! You can’t go to Veritati all by yourself! It’s not safe! We must send a team of Magus Knights to escort you!”

“Gather a team if you want, but I’m leaving now!”

She drove off, heading to the other side of the city, racing along the outer-roads to avoid traffic. As she drove, Darma witnessed first hand the gradual decline in the city’s maintenance.

From the rich suburbs of Nuan, to the dirty, lower class, industrial areas of Millicent and eventually reaching the poverty stricken, crime ridden hellhole that was Veritati, taking up almost the entirety of the northern half of Nexus.

Darma looked over the city. From a distance it seemed peaceful, but with sinister dark clouds hanging overhead. This peace could break the moment any outsiders dared disturb this viper’s nest. She had no idea where to start looking, but she wouldn’t rest until she found Lonán.

As she casually drove around the district, she occasionally drew ire from the citizens. She wasn’t sure how they could tell she wasn’t from around the area, but her black sports car may have given them a clue.

Still, Darma showed no fear and continued onward, but her search came up empty. She spotted no suspicious activity that was related to Lonán, nor the man with white hair. After thirty minutes she pulled up to the side of the road to take a break.

“What am I doing? How am I supposed to find Lonán in such a big city? He could be anywhere.”

There was a sudden knock on the driver’s side, as Darma rolled down the car window. Greeted by a man in a black suit.

“Is there something I can help you with?” Darma asked.

The man showed no hesitation as he reached inside to try and unlock her door. Unfortunately, Darma was in no mood for his games, as a black tendril shot out of her seat and wrapped around the man’s neck, choking him.

“I’d hate to be a bother, sir, but seeing as you’re here, could you help me locate someone?” Darma politely, but firmly asked.

“Shit! I didn’t know you were one of us!”

“What!?” Her tendril tightened. “I’ll ignore that, if you answer my question! Have you seen a man with white hair escorting a teenage boy around here?”

“W-we get a lot of teenage escorts around here.” The man laughed, before the tendril tightened around his throat. “I-I’m sorry… I-I don’t know nothing…!”

“That wasn’t really a no, either.”

The tendril tightened further, cutting off more of the man’s breathing.

“O-okay, okay! I heard the boss’ kid showed up around the western apartment complex this morning! He was dropped off by a dude with white hair! That’s all I know, I swear!”

“I see… thank you.”

She released the man and drove across town, searching for the apartment complex. Upon arriving, her attention was quickly drawn to the abandoned police car by the side of the road, just outside the back alleys.

Darma exited her vehicle and investigated, finding the doors still open. Curious, she headed into the alleyway where she heard a man scream, accompanied by sinister laughter.

Following the sound of the commotion, she peeked around the corner and found a group of five men in suits, egging on a young boy, as a terrified and beaten officer, laid on the ground, frightened for his life.

“Finish him off already, kid!”

“Put him out of his misery!”

Darma confirmed the kid was Lonán and after seeing the hopeless, empty look in his eyes, as if already accepting his fate as an irredeemable monster, she sprang into action.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?” She asserted, arms folded.

The men looked over at the angered woman, as the boy suddenly froze upon hearing her voice.

“What gives? Why’d he stop?”

“Hey, who’s that?”

“Who cares? Just shut her up before she starts screaming again.”

One of the men fired a black orb from his hand, but as it approached Darma, a black tendril shot out of the wall beside her and batted the orb away.

“Disgraceful.” She criticised.

“Bitch, what’d you say to me!? You wanna die!?”

The man launched black tendrils of his own, from both arms, but Darma was unfazed.

A burst of dark energy covered her body in a black aura and her eyes turned striking white, as massive tentacles, thick as oak trees slammed the man’s tendrils into the walls, pinning them down.

“J-Jesus Christ! What is that!?” The man yelled, as the others took notice of Darma’s power, equally startled. Even Lonán snapped out of his trance upon witnessing his teacher’s Magus.

“How weak.” Darma chided. “Not that I’m surprised.”

“Weak!? You kidding!? We’re Apathia! No one’s stronger than us!”

“Be quiet!” Darma ordered.

“Arrogant slut!”

The man’s allies provided backup. They launched their tendrils toward Darma, but a titanic tentacle burst out of the ground in front of her. Its massive girth tightly squeezed inside the alleyway. By comparison, the men’s tendrils were like flimsy noodles, unable to put a dent in the towering appendage.

Darma phased through her tentacle, like she was moving through black ink, appearing in front of it to properly look her opponents in the eyes as she continued chastising them.

“Your darkness is an embarrassment. It’s merely the twisted, selfish desires of monstrous thugs. You’re nothing but hooligans. There’s no suffering, no sadness, no pain. No guilt, shame, depression, loneliness, nothing!

The resolve to carry such mental burdens, without ever losing hope is completely absent! You’ve all given up! You lack the mental fortitude to keep pushing forward in life, even when you’re at your lowest! That is what makes Dark Magus truly powerful! But, I’m wasting my time. As if, conceited mobsters like yourselves could ever understand such moral hardships!”

“So what? You think you’re better than us, because having Dark Magus made you suffer and cry when you were a kid!? You’re the weak one here, you dumb bitch!”

“You doubt me? Then I believe it’s time someone finally gave you boys a reality check. Allow me to show you true darkness.”

The entire alleyway was swallowed by a black void with the men suddenly left alone in an empty, murky abyss, with Darma, Lonán and the officer, nowhere to be seen.

“What is this!? What’s happening!?”

“I ain’t never seen shit like this before!”

“S-shut the fuck up!” Their leader yelled nervously. “Your screaming isn’t helping!”

“Nothing will help you, here.” A voice informed them.

The men looked around with their backs to each other. They stared into the abyss, searching for Darma, but couldn’t find a soul. They kept staring, until eventually, the abyss stared back.

Piercing white eyes blinked into existence from all around them. Glaring with inhuman malice. Soon after, a space in the air ripped open, revealing sharp white fangs underneath their serpentine gaze.

The ethereal snakes drew closer to the men, petrifying them with fear, as the serpent’s mouths widened and their eyes grew larger from anticipation, eagerly awaiting their prey to make a move, but they didn’t. They couldn’t. They were pinned to the spot out of sheer horror.

Just as the monsters were about to pounce, the darkness disappeared and the men returned to the quiet alleyway, like nothing happened.

“Get lost.” Darma ordered.

Having just narrowly escaped the jaws of death, the men ran in terror, hoping to never experience such nightmares again.

“Didn’t even try to fight back. How truly pathetic.”

“W-what did you do?” Lonán asked. “I saw you trap them in a black sphere and then, as soon as it disappeared they ran away!”

“The Depths of Darkness. A power born from a trauma so intense, I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy.”

“If your darkness is that powerful, then you must have suffered a whole lot more than… I’m so sorry! I don’t know what I was thinking!”

Having fully come to his senses, Lonán ran to his teacher for a comforting hug.

Naturally, Miss Melanie hugged in return.

“You don’t need to apologise. Just be thankful I was able to find you when I did, you lucky little bastard. Please, promise me, no matter what people say, you won’t turn out like those awful men. You’ll learn to control your powers and use them to better society, not ruin it further.”

“I-I promise.”

“Hey, uh…” Called the wounded officer. “I hate to spoil the mood, but could you help me out? I’m kinda dying here.”

“Oh, of course.”

Soon the Magus Knights caught up with Darma and escorted the three of them home. The rest of the day continued as normal, but once class was finished and Darma was left alone at her desk, a familiar old man paid a return visit.

“Back again, Mr. Quaero?”

“Sure am.” He waved. “I heard about the trouble you got into this morning.”

“Of course. You do have connections to the authorities after all.”

“Yeah, well, what’s the point of connections if you don’t use them?”

“Trying to recruit me again?”

“Obviously. After hearing about what you did, why wouldn’t I? You’re just about the only Dark Magus User in this city that isn’t some psychotic criminal.”

“I’m sure there are plenty others. You’re just not looking hard enough.”

“Why aren’t you interested in joining my team? I don’t smell, do I?”

“Yes, but that’s not it. I already told you, I’m not abandoning my students. After what happened today, I’ve realised they need me more than ever.”

“Who said you had to?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m setting up shop in my manor, in the Mackenzie District. It’s not too far from here. You could join the crew and still keep your teaching job. I mean, you’re only here three days a week, it’s not like you’re strapped for time.”

“Th-that doesn’t make it any less important, even if it is less work hours than the usual curriculums…”

“Less work hours for a first time teacher. Makes sense.”

“I don’t appreciate people snooping around in my personal life, Akachi.”

“My apologies. I’m just convinced you’d make a great member of the team. The other recruits still haven’t reached their full potential yet, so having someone like you to show them how it’s done would make my life a lot easier.”

“I’m not really hero material.”

“You sure? Because that Lonán kid seemed pretty happy when I asked him about how you saved his ass.”

“Saved him…?”

The thought never even crossed Darma’s mind. To her, there was nothing heroic about protecting her student. She was just doing her job like any teacher should.

“Hang on… do you think… If I saved more people, would it help alleviate the stereotypes? That all Dark Magus Users are bad?”

“Can’t say for certain, but if you need help convincing folk, you’ll have a whole team backing you up.”

“Then perhaps, your job may actually be worth considering. Yes… I think there may be some worth to this venture.”

“Awesome! Now, just sign here and-”

“Under one condition!” Darma suddenly announced, glaring into the old man’s very soul. “My students always come first, Akachi. Is that clear?”

“Y-yeah, crystal. No need to do the creepy eye thing.”

“Good.” Darma smiled. “I look forward to working with you.”