Dark Magus Returns - Chapter 1628
Chapter 1628: Dark Power Grow
Although Harvey might have already defeated the masked Cerebus member, a deep and suffocating worry weighed on all of their minds. Even if he had managed to overcome one of those monsters, the terrifying possibility remained that Harvey might now be looking for more power. If that was the case, if Harvey truly believed that strength came only from sacrifice, then the simplest path for him would be to head toward the remaining Shelters. That single thought alone made their hearts pound with urgency. They needed to act fast. Faster than fast. They couldn’t afford another massacre.
“Should we split up to cover more ground?” Liam asked, fighting the anxiety tightening around his throat. His system could help search wide areas quickly, and deep down he wanted to sprint ahead, to stop Harvey before something irreversible happened.
But Alen shook his head immediately.
“Harvey is a very dangerous person,” Alen said. His tone was heavy, absolute. “And we don’t know if it’s just one person we’re dealing with or multiple Dark Guild members influenced by him. Remember, the War Magus were strong, people who had survived countless battles, and they still fell to him.”
He looked between Liam and Dame, making sure they truly understood.
“If we separate, there’s a high chance some of you will end up dead. And I don’t want that, not for any of you, and not for any of my men.”
Although Liam and Dame appreciated the sentiment, they exchanged a quick glance. They didn’t fully agree. They believed they could take Harvey on, maybe not defeat him alone, but at least hold him off until the others arrived. Still, they didn’t say it aloud. The situation was too dangerous for pride.
“The Shelters were built all in the same area anyway,” B said, stepping forward, her voice calm but dismissive. “I remember where Beatrix put them clearly. From this one, it’s just an onward path. Harvey would’ve gone through the others in order. No need for us to split up.”
The logic was solid. And with all of them together, Liam, Dame, Safa, Alen, Alen’s unit, and even B, they felt they should at least have the combined power to stand against Harvey and whatever followers he might have.
But that sense of unity lasted only a breath.
Because then a loud announcement erupted through the entire Underside, an announcement that shook the foundations of the cavern city and iced their blood with dread.
“Fear the Unseen, for we are always near!”
The phrase echoed through the metallic corridors and stone passageways, bouncing back with unnatural clarity. It sounded like Harvey’s voice was everywhere at once. The echoes came from every direction, as though dozens of Harvey’s were speaking in unison.
This was no coincidence.
This was the announcement system Harvey had built long ago.
When the Dark Guild base was first established in the Underside, Harvey had personally insisted on creating a system that would allow his voice to be heard for miles. He saw it as a way to “keep order,” though many suspected it was really for instilling fear. Once any one of the speakers was activated with Dark Magic, Harvey’s voice would be projected across all of them. It didn’t matter where he was physically standing.
“This is the Dread Magister speaking,” Harvey’s voice boomed, “addressing all who are part of the Dark Guild!”
Dame immediately threw Liam into the air so he could look around for Harvey’s location. But when Liam reached his peak height, all he saw were speakers, hundreds of them, lined across the ceilings, walls, and metal beams of the Underside. Harvey himself was nowhere.
Harvey’s voice continued, swelling with manipulative passion.
“Our enemies are stronger than we expected, because they have resorted to underhanded tactics! We have learned the cruel ways the Cerebus Guild empowered their Light Magic, methods that make it difficult for our Dark Magic to take effect!”
Liam grit his teeth.
Harvey was twisting the truth.
Turning horror into justification.
“On top of that,” Harvey went on, “members from other guilds have joined the assault, each given items personally provided by the Grand Magus!”
Safa felt sick.
She could hear the unspoken message.
Harvey was preparing to justify a massacre.
“They wish to expel us all and eliminate us immediately,” Harvey declared. “Because they know what we are doing will CHANGE THE WORLD!”
His laughter echoed unnervingly through the speakers, sharp and manic.
“Right now, our Dark Magus is fighting the Grand Magus,” Harvey continued. “And because of the cunning ways the enemy has increased their power, the Dark Magus appears to be struggling!”
Liam’s eyes widened.
Was Harvey watching the battle somehow?
Or was he just assuming?
“But there is an answer for us!” Harvey shouted, voice rising with manic devotion. “The world of Alterian, led by the Grand Magus, has suppressed us for too long! But the truth is this: those of us who choose Dark Magic have ALWAYS been chosen by the world itself!”
The group exchanged horrified looks.
This wasn’t a speech.
This was indoctrination.
“The answer is our Dark Magic,” Harvey proclaimed. “To allow it to grow, to let it reach its true potential!”
Liam’s chest tightened.
He knew what would come next even before Harvey said it.
“Eliminate all of the Underside… and allow your power to grow!”
Safa gasped, hand flying to her mouth.
“The Underside lives will not be in vain!” Harvey cried. “They will be sacrificed for the sake of eliminating this evil standing before us! Their deaths will help us reshape the world!”
His words were heavy, deranged, dripping with conviction.
“This is a pivotal moment in history, and YOU will be part of it!”
The group stood frozen.
Paralyzed by the scale of what Harvey was trying to ignite.
“Besides,” Harvey added with venom, “the only ones who knew of our whereabouts were those living in the Underside. Clearly, since they have NOT joined the Dark Guild, they do not align with our ideals. They may even have chosen to betray us!”
Alen’s face darkened, every muscle in his jaw tightening.
“For the sake of Alterian!” Harvey roared.
“For the sake of EVERYONE living a better life!”
“For the sake of the Dark Magus, ELIMINATE EVERYONE who is not part of the Dark Guild… and let your Dark Power GROW!”