Z Epicenter

After defeating the man in charge of the city's undead, Spirit and Emerald bagan set out west until coming to a halt. They'd almost forgotten about the building's gravedigger. They'd turn around and bar the front door, keeping an eye on him throughout the night to ensure no additional undead attacks occurred. With the threat of a leader gone, it appeared to them that the undead were either no longer present or couldn't perceive them. In any case, thanks to Emerald's mending, the man was still alive but unconscious, and would likely stay for some time. They'd force feed him some water before dawn and start off west, traveling when the undead were at their most vulnerable.

Even after the curse had been lifted from the area, the guildhall referenced in the burial master's narrative of his city's suffering was bothersome. It's still obvious that the curse didn't start here, but rather somewhere to the west. The threat of spread is undeniable now that Spirit had seen how awful it can go. It will ultimately pour out of the Cursed Land's borders if allowed uncontrolled, and then it will be unstoppable. He couldn't allow that and it was fate that he was here at this moment. Grasping he chest he thanked the dragon whose magic was imparted in him. Without it his magic would be less effective. Having the ability to imbue the element of Light into his attacks was a boon to say the least.

Following the road west led to a trail dead and, eventually, to a beautiful guildhall nestled among the gloomy forest. The hall itself was enormous and magnificent, but it seemed ill-suited to the darkness and gloom that surrounded it. Despite its location, the place appeared to be bustling. Because a significant number of mages were currently fighting the dead, the guild must have been vast. According to his observations, around half of the guild members were still alive, uninfected, and fighting against their afflicted guild colleagues. It was evident, however, that they had been fighting for quite some time, long enough for the gravedigger to bury an entire city. Spirit spotted a single mage erecting a barrier around the hall, but owing to strain and recent infection, multiple breaches could be seen on the front, explaining the spread's route.

He would rush up to the magician and take out a Sakuramori Mana Potion. Giving it to him would cause the barrier to close and he would begin to stabilize.

"I'm sorry, but I'm unable to remove your curse at this time. I can only assist you in building up your magical reserves. What can you tell me about what's going on, who's in charge of the undead, and why this curse exists?"

The befuddled but grateful man regained his composure and bolstered his shield spell over the hall.

"As far as I'm aware, it's a man named Desputin, but he now goes by the moniker Master. He was an ace in our guild, but the Guild Master is on vacation and no one knows how to contact him, or is able to. He abruptly turned on us and attacked us with a zombie that bit several of the recruits. His magic was never able to do this before. He's wearing a strange pendant and each time he summons or creates a undead he seems to become more powerful."

Understanding the situation, Spirit would have the mages in the region funnel all the undead through a hole in the barrier that would be erected. He'd repeat what he'd done in the city once they were all in the vicinity. Spirit would lift a finger in front of him, hoping it would be just as effective, and his magic would diverge, casting Flash of Solaria - Red combined with Vanquishing Darkness. As a blast of power erupted throughout the area, light merged with his spell. Ghosts and zombies would instantly perish in the light, but everyone else would be unaffected. One of the gigantic zombies clung to life, but the surviving mage, now ecstatic, killed it for Spirit.

"Everyone! This isn't the time to rejoice. Spirit Painite is my name. I need everyone who is affected to enter this barrier and stay inside. Keep the shield mage alive and well if you're outside. There's no need to panic; there's still time before those who have been bitten change. Everyone else should stay put while I go inside and kill this so-called Master."

Entering the guildhall with Emerald, the opulent hall opened up to reveal a sort of ballroom with a staircase on either side. The acknowledged master of the curse, and hence all the undead, stood at the very top. His skin and wispy hair a ghostly white hang carelessly from an extraordinarily thin frame. In more ways than one, he stood there looking down on Spirit. He laughed like a witch, clapping his hands.

"Welcome. Welcome. I'm not sure who you are, kid. You're probably new to the guild, but you're quite bold. You're going to confront me with a small fluttering lizard? Why don't you invite the person who defeated my undead outside in? I feel the loss of my minions, but no wait, you're the one who put them down, aren't you? I'm sure of it. It had to be you since you stand here close me without succumbing to fear aura. Then you'll be a fantastic prize for me to rebuild my army. The remainder of my previous guild will be infected once you've been infected. Then there's the whole world after!"

Normally, Emerald would find this situation fascinating, but she'd just been accused of being a lizard, so it was time for retaliation. Flying high up above Spirit and to be more level with the master, her wings flashing brightly as she concentrated on her aim. With her eyes glittering she sprayed a shower of gleaming, shimmering liquid at the gaunt magician, which fizzled like bubbling bathwater as she cast Sparkle Beam.

Emerald had only ever seen one person move so quickly, and that person was Spirit. Before her breath assault could reach, the man vaulted over the railing and rushed in, but Spirit was no match for him. Spirit writhed in anguish as the master's claws ripped across his chest as he tried to dodge out of the way. Casting Gloves of the Dragon God and Boots of the Dragon God with Vanquishing Darkness he attempted to regain and match the master's pace, but to his dismay, he was still slower, and he felt the sinking pain of fangs into this flesh. The master was now clinging to his shoulder from behind. Spirit would activate Combat Clairvoyance while he was near, increasing his capacity to sense danger and lowering the master's perception. This provided Spirit the advantage he needed to eventually catch up to his opponent, but only just.

He was surprised to see Spirit's speed grow so much as he turned around and slashed at the master's belly. He, too, would begin to writhe in anguish as a result of the assault. Spirit wasn't sure if the Light Element imbued in his assault would affect him, but he was lucky and it did. While he was not undead, he had enough undeath in him to be deemed one on some level.

Emerald, terrified would use Bubble Barrage. She'd fly as rapidly as she could to Spirit while firing bubbles in the vicinity, her chest bulging. Some landed on Spirit, while others landed on Emerald. Although some of the damage Spirit had sustained had healed, he could still feel the curse's effects. It was slowly eating away at his thoughts. The ongoing wound would never stop if it weren't for Emerald. For the time being, the master danced around the room in time with Spirit. Their blows were parried and blocked by one another. He had to concentrate on defense or risk being clawed once more.

"Make use of the dragon strength Spirit. This isn't a fight you're going to win. He's being a little reserved. His affliction is one of darkness. You are a Cavern Slayer Dragon. Take in the power of his claw and bite. Proper now, both are active, and he's only waiting for the right moment to land both on you. Take a look at how he doesn't get tired like you do. Your breathing is becoming more labored. He plainly identifies with the undead rather than the living. You will enter Dragon Force after absorbing both. You will experience a level of power that you have never experienced before. However, it is not without risk. It will quickly exhaust you. To use that force, you must finish a fight before passing out or canceling it."

It had been a long time since the Magcian within him had communicated with him. As he grew older and more powerful, he retreated into the background, only emerging to guide him through risky satiations like this. Spirit had never heard of dragon force before, but the Magician had never failed to steer him in the wrong direction. Spirit began to breathe in almost instinctively. As he leaned forward with his hands and scooped it into his mouth faster, the dark energy encircling the master's claw and teeth began to funnel. The darkness was being devoured by Spirit as though it were solid. The flavor was fine, but the curse aspect gave it a bitter aftertaste, similar to burnt coffee. As he roared, infused scales appeared on Spirit's body.

Spirit was almost enthralled by the power. He'd never felt so strongly in his entire life. The master was unguarded while he stood there. He was caught aback in the same way that Spirit was. While he still had the chance he'd cast his most powerful spell, The Lightning Dragon's Incarnation and Vanquishing Darkness, while canceling his Gloves of the Lightning Dragon and Boots of the Lightning Dragon. As two horns emerged on the top of his head, lightning began to cover most of his body. The master was aware of what was about to occur and would attempt to intervene. Spirit would activate his spell's attack and teleport behind the master cutting him off in the process. As he stood behind him, back to back, blood flowed from Spirit's claw.

The fact was that Spirit hadn't teleported at all. It just appeared that way to everyone. As he collapsed to the ground, the master grasped his stomach. Spirit's attack was equivalent to a S rank spell, and because it was imbued with the Light Element, it was twice as effective in his estimation. The master couldn't get a breath as he tried to wail. His lungs wouldn't inflate because the injury to his torso was too severe. The effort to summon undead with a death throw was met by dead lips.

Spirit sensed the curse in the area begin to fade away as his opponent sank to the ground. Over the course of a few moments, the magic emanating from the dead man on the ground dissipated, and his own mind felt clear. He'd cancel the dragon force when he felt the magic in his own body begin to fade. It had served his purpose, but he knew deep down that if the master hadn't used the force of darkness, the battle would have ended differently. However, Spirit was now troubled, yet also encouraged. He now had much more motivation to improve his strength.

Spirit and Emerald were greeted with a horrific war sight as they stepped outside. As the remaining guild mages proceeded to help one another up and about, the undead, now dead, were strewn about. The shield wizard from before had broken the barrier and was lying on the ground, gasping in air as if his life depended on it. They felt sorry for all of the magicians. Their guild was now just half-destroyed, and the city adjacent had vanished with life. How long had they been battling the undead for anything like this to happen? The sky began to split as Spirit looked up, as if it were a mirror reflecting a sky had just cracked apart. Magic particles would eventually fall from the fissure, revealing a new sky. Almost immediately, a wise elderly guy would appear.

He was small, very small, with a large nose and stomach to match. He was dressed in an all-red flannel suit with white trim and a belt with keys on it. He'd extend a hand to Spirit after dusting off his clothes.

"Why was there a spell here inhibiting my spatial magic, while gad nabbit? I hadn't been able to return to the area until today. Hey, how are you all doing? Wait, what's going on here...what happened?"

All of the mages in the area began to cry or clutch each other. Those who weren't grieving clutched their fallen colleagues and gazed at the Guild Master, who had finally arrived. Although it would take some time to convey the problem, Spirit did his best. He described how his guild's ace betrayed the guild and unleashed a zombie apocalypse across the land. He told how the surrounding city had been overtaken and turned, with only one survivor remaining. Desputin also appears to have erected a spatial barrier to keep the Guild Master out, locking him in the celestial world, where he was gathering with his celestial spirits for a meeting of the minds.

Emerald and Spirit would do whatever they could to help the guild burry their friends. They initially refused, claiming he wasn't one of them, but the Guild Master quickly put them in their place, claiming he was the one who had saved them. In reality, the Guild Master had broken through the barrier and would have shown up regardless but this fact wasn't known to Spirit and others. With his power, he could have made quick work of the situation, but Spirit saved some lives and prevented others from totally changing.

They'd all say their goodbyes to Spirit and Emerald after they'd helped them. Before allowing them to go, the Guild Master would inform them that he would inform the Magic Council of his actions today and the apocalypse he had stopped.

Casting his Circle of Recall spell, Spirit would take Emerald and return to his house and potion shop for a night of rest and reflection.

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Spirit was met with a card brought by a rather huge summoned owl when he awoke the next morning. The owl poofed into smoke as soon as they acknowledged the message. It revealed his award for assisting in the end of the zombie apocalypse. Spirit was only too delighted to assist, although he remarked to himself that some of the Jewels for the world were insignificant. In reality, it was a lot more. The Magic Council had taken notice of him and was now familiar with his name. He'd gained popularity with the group as a whole. Spirit had no idea that the Council was aware that the plague would not have spread any further. The fact that the Guild Master showed up would have saved the day didn't detract from Spirit's acts in the least. At least not enough to void his recognition.