The spectacle above them is very strange and terrifying.
All the Elves in the palace left no matter what they were doing.
They all came out to witness the origin of this commotion.
How surprised they were when they saw their prince fighting in the air.
The opponent he was fighting looked similar to Laston so they were even more confused.
Why did Aerchon fight against Laston?
Then not far from the fight between the two of them there was also another fight no less surprising.
It's Saeldir. The Elves clearly recognized his Magical aura and the swords that floated around his body.
But who was Saeldir fighting against?
The figure wore a black robe and a black mask covered the lower half of his face.
His head was covered by a black cloth. All of that made him unrecognizable.
The Elves could only see a dark purple Magical aura emitting from his body.
"(What should we do?)" One of the Elf guards asked the leader.
The leader doesn't know what decision to make.
Now their prince is fighting against Laston. Both of them were figures who had very high positions in this palace.
The leader of the Elf guard didn't know who exactly he should protect, and who he should fight against.
However, there is another fight going on up there. If he couldn't decide to stand for either Aerchon or Laston, they didn't have that predicament for the fight between Saeldir and the black-robed figure.
"(We are helping Archmage Saeldir,)" the leader of the Elf guard said.
All the Elf guards drew their weapons. After that, they started flying towards the fight between Saeldir and the Dark Elf.
On the other hand, Saeldir was fighting facing the opposite direction from where the Elf guards were coming to help him.
So he didn't realize that they were going toward them.
However, the Dark Elf noticed them. Even when he was fighting cross-arms with Saeldir, the Dark Elf could still count how many Elf guards were charging toward them.
'Ten of them? That is a sufficient amount.'
From behind the mask he was wearing, the Dark Elf grinned.
At first, he felt quite desperate because he realized how strong Saeldir was.
He began to realize that not running away while there was still time was a wrong decision.
But, now an idea crossed his head.
The idea is something very dark and devious. Something that would save him from this unfortunate situation.
Saeldir really couldn't see his enemy's face.
But he could feel a strange feeling coursing through his body.
A chill run down his spine. As if something bad - really bad - was going to happen.
As an Archmage, an Elf who mastered a wider range of Magic than ordinary Elves, Saeldir also had a sharper sense of foreseeing than them.
It feels like, he can almost see a glimpse of the future.
Even though his ability hasn't reached that great in seeing the future, the foundation of that ability is already within Saeldir.
At this moment, when the battle with the Dark Elf had grown more intense, he felt this premonition.
For a split second, Saeldir could see the Dark Elf's eyes glancing over his shoulder.
But that hunch always came a split second later than it should have.
The window of time given by that premonition until Saeldir could react was only a hair's breadth.
That won't be enough to stop what comes next.
The Dark Elf suddenly turned into a thick puff of smoke.
Saeldir's view was immediately blocked by the thick smoke.
Saeldir immediately spread his Magic aura to dispel the black smoke.
As soon as the black smoke cleared, the Dark Elf also disappeared.
Saeldir spread his gaze in all directions to find him. Until finally he managed to find him.
The Dark Elf was dashing towards the group of Elf guards who were flying towards him.
Saeldir didn't know what the Dark Elf would do. But it would definitely end badly for the Elf guards.
Saeldir immediately took action and shot toward them.
Unfortunately, the Dark Elf had already taken out a black orb and hurled it at them.
Saeldir wondered with a feeling of dread running through his heart.
The orb exploded in front of the Elf guards. Black smoke that looked very thick - and somehow looked alive - was spreading toward them.
After doing that, suddenly the Dark Elf turned his body towards Saeldir.
Saeldir, who was flying closer to them, was surprised by the Dark Elf's sudden action.
A dagger shot towards Saeldir from the Dark Elf's hand as soon as he turned around.
But luckily Saeldir had already created an invisible Magic Shield around his body.
A sound like metal hitting metal was made when the dagger collided with Saeldir's invisible Magic Shield.
However, the Dark Elf didn't look disappointed. Instead, he looked delighted.
Saeldir could see from the wrinkles around his eyes that he was smiling. Or maybe a big grin behind that mask.
Saeldir stretched his hand toward the Dark Elf and his sword flew toward him.
The Dark Elf parried his sword.
"(It's too late. You can't save them,)" the Dark Elf said.
Saeldir who heard his words flinched. He immediately turned his gaze towards the Elf guards.
All that black smoke entered their bodies. From the mouth, nose, and eyes.
It had been going on for a few seconds so that Saeldir could only see when all the smoke had entered their body completely.
The Elf guards fell silent and lowered their heads. A moment later they looked up and opened their eyes.
However, the result of the black smoke was really terrible.
The Elf guards are no longer themselves. But a completely different monstrous figure.
The Elf guards opened their mouths like drunkards.
Their saliva dripped down. Blood was pouring out of their ears, nose, eyes, and other orifices on their bodies.
It was as if all the blood vessels in their body burst in an instant.