Raze's darkness was different from the darkness they had seen so far. Rather than it being the darkest acts that they themselves had committed, instead it was the worst of what had happened to him.
Since they hadn't seen any of it through his own actions and memories, it almost appeared as if this person was cursed.
From a young age until he had grown older, it was no wonder he had a strong thirst for revenge and had a darkened heart.
If they had seen the things that led up to the darkest moment-his wife losing her memories just before, gaining them back, and in the end, his wife informing one of the nemesis that had gotten her killed-they would have had an undeniable rage in them.
The thing was, the memories didn't stop there as it moved to another image. Raze looked older than before, his hair was completely snow white.
It looked like they were in the underground world of Alterian once again. Over his shoulder, he was carrying a taller man with short black hair, whose body was completely frail.
There were small cuts all over his body, and he looked malnourished. Eventually, Raze, going past a drawn curtain, went into one of the many buildings that had next to nothing.
When entering, several rats scurried away, moving to the side. It was hard to call what they had entered a house, especially since it was rare to even have a stable place in the underground world of Alterian.
Eventually, Raze placed the man down on the ground.
"Jake, what did they do to you? How did you end up like this? Tell me?" Raze asked.Jake's eyes were sunken, his chest had deeply sunken in, almost as if a bowling ball had crushed it.
Raze knew that this was a sign of illegal substance abuse. It was when one's mana heart was collapsing in on itself, and other than an 8 or 9-star mage that specialized in Light Magic, it was impossible to save an individual.
"Raze... don't be saddened," Jake weakly said. "Haven't both of us been through so much already? Didn't we know the risks when we got involved with all of this?"
"Risks, these were all my risks!" Raze shouted back.
While here in this moment with his friend, Raze had started to think back to how the two of them had met.
This was not a memory that was intended to be shown by the Dark Faction founder's magic power, but instead his deep thoughts in this moment had overridden it, taking the clock back and allowing everyone to see what had occurred.
At the time, Raze had already lost his wife, and he had been hell bent on his revenge. Using the books he had taken from the central mage academy.
He believed learning Dark Magic was his only way to get back at the powerful mages that had ruined his life.
When seeing that the Grand Magus had been established, Raze had done research into the links between the Green Mage Pharmacy Company, run by Gizin, and the link to Idore and the rest.
It was quite clear that the two were working together and had Trubin in their back pocket as well.
He couldn't rush these things he needed to bide his time. Yet, there was a moment-a moment not too far gone for Raze just yet he hadn't completely sunken into the pit of darkness as there was a small light that had somewhat pulled him out.
This light was the man known as Jake Dove. The only friend that Raze had made after losing his wife.
It was a coincidental meeting. Often, Raze would walk the streets of Alterian, the same paths and walks that he would often take with his wife.
Although Raze had next to no income, it was easy for him to do odd jobs that only a high-level mage could do.
Although they had to be more on the black market side-jobs that he hadn't considered doing before he had lost his wife.
Some of them were even as far as getting rid of a few people. Although Raze had yet to go this far, he was able to capture individuals and deliver them to whoever needed to do who knew what.
He didn't delve further into the matter. At the same time, it allowed him to test his Dark Magic powers as well.
The jobs started small and continued to rise in vulgarity, and even Raze had his limits. On days like this when his head was too filled with what he had done or what could happen, he would go for a walk and remember his wife Sabrina instead.
During the walk, while passing by a bakery shop, it was there the tall man known as Jake Dove had exited out of the shop.
"Professor Cromwell?" Jake asked.
Hearing his second name, it was the first in a long time and had immediately caused Raze to turn his head.
He looked at the young man who was dressed sharply, with a nice outfit and short hair, yet he couldn't recognize him.
"Ah, it's been a long time so I doubt you would recognize me. My name's Jake Dove, I was a student of yours at the academy."
"Your lessons on Wind Magic and theory were truly the best. You were my favorite professor, so when I saw you I just had to say hi."
"Ah right, Jake Dove, you do look different," Raze said, his words were the truth.
He remembered Jake Dove because he was one of his hardest and most talented working students in the class. The thing was, he had mostly forgotten his golden days as professor
back at the academy.
Because it was what had eventually led him to the domino effect.
"Professor, you taught me so much. I told myself that if I ever saw you, that I needed to treat
you for a drink," Jake said. "So please, let's have a talk over a drink."
Raze thought about it for a while. He wanted to say no, but his mind was riddled with
unwanted thoughts.
It would have been nice to just talk with a student about magic for a change.
"Okay... but I don't drink alcohol anymore," Raze answered.
There was a big smile on Jake's face as he led the way to a nearby shop.
Thinking back at it now, Raze wished he had never accepted that offer, for the sake of Jake
himself.
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