Struggling as a Villain

But how did those cultists find such an exceptional mage, and how did they put her under the vow? Well, that can wait.

"I will warn you once, lady; back off and surrender. You don\'t know what kind of people you are working for." Marcus tried reasoning with her, however, he knew it was futile. The effect of the spell remains strong enough to completely dominate the conscience of a person.

She raised her hand and, with a flick of her wrist, sent a wave of scorching flames barreling toward Marcus.

With practised ease, Marcus raised a hand, and the flames were halted mid-air, suspended inches from his face. The intense heat warped the air, but Marcus remained still, his willpower locking Bella\'s attack in place.

"Elemental magic....and that face looks familiar?" Looking past the wave of flames, Marcus asked, "Are you from the Scarlette clan, perhaps?"

Her response was a twist of her hand, and the flames contorted, becoming a serpent of fire that lunged at him with a fierce hiss.

Marcus\'s counter was swift. His mental interference rippled through the air like an unseen wave, crashing into Bella\'s mind with a crushing force. Her vision blurred, and for a moment, the serpent faltered, flickering like a dying candle.

But Bella wasn\'t so easily subdued. Gritting her teeth, she let out a sharp incantation, forcing the flames to surge forward again, burning even hotter and more unstable.

The flame serpent struck, and Marcus leapt aside, barely avoiding its fangs as it left a smouldering path in the cobblestones. As he regained his stance, he gestured with both hands, and the air around Bella began to warp, shimmering with the force of his mental interference. It was as though reality itself bent at his command, aiming to crush her under the weight of his spell.

She was stuck in her place, surrounded by an invisible cage. Her spell had yet to be subdued, but it was no longer moving, just like the chanter.

Marcus took a step back and was in a dilemma about whether he should keep on weighing over her mind or not. If he pulls back, he might get hurt and if he continues...

\'Sadly, a misguided soul has to perish today...\' Just as the man decided that there was no need for the calamity to exist, a familiar voice called out,

"Wait, headmaster!"

Marcus raised his brows as he looked towards his left from where the red-haired young man was advancing.

Bella was stuck in the middle of her own spell and Marcus\' mental assault that\'s why the man had enough time to spare Richard some.

"Headmaster...please don\'t injure her." As he halted beside the older one, Richard voiced his request. Fortunately he was able to reach on time thanks to Elizabeth, or the way this battle concluded within a minute, Richard might have arrived too late.

His eyes travelled towards the girl whom he could see through the small gaps of the curtain of flames.

....there was no doubt about it. Those eyes, that face, that hair...although there were some changes, he could not be mistaken about her identity.

This girl was undoubtedly his sister.

"Richard, I told you not to leave the island yet you came here just to save this girl? Who is she to you?" Marcus inquired, and was confused how this boy arrived here so suddenly?

Richard had already prepared an answer, "She is my cousin—someone belonging to my mother\'s clan."

Marcus hummed, as he mumbled, "I was right..."

Bella\'s hair and her element were enough evidence to tell that this girl was somehow related to the Scarlette clan.

However, "Don\'t those people only have one heir at a time?" His question caught Richard off guard.

Not many people know about the Scarlette and the other ancient clan, but the man himself was ancient enough to know about the culture and practices of these clans.

He didn\'t think about this beforehand, and now, if he doesn\'t present a good answer here, the Headmaster would surely start suspecting Richard and might end up hurting Bella.

Should he fight Marcus? But that would be foolishness....then what...ah!

"She is an unwanted child, born from an illegitimate relationship. That\'s why she has been kept hidden from the world until now."

Marcus stared at Richard with his brows raised high. He looked back at Bella who had started to move somehow.

Heaving a sigh he informed Richard, "She is under a binding spell. You need to wake her up, or she will continue to resist."

Richard anxiously asked, "What can I do?" He doesn\'t have much idea about the binding spell under which Bella was restricted.

Marcus calmly explained to him, "Just bring her consciousness back, even for a fraction of a second, and I will erase the spell from her mind. And to do that, you have to hit her emotionally with some memories which are quite close to her heart."

Richard nodded to that before he turned his eyes toward Bella once again. Thankfully the man allowed him to save Bella.

"Just give me a minute," Saying so, the redhead made his way towards the girl.

She was barely able to move and the look in her eyes expressed anger and stubbornness—almost like her life goal was to achieve what she was told to.

In these few seconds when he was approaching her, Richard thought of many things he could say to bring her consciousness back.

However, the moment he reached near her and looked at her face from inches apart, his mind went blank.

The flood of emotions and memories assaulted him, and his eyes became moist. Although for him, it has been just a little more than two months since he got separated from her, for Bella, it must have been too long....too lonely.

He slowly held her hand, and from his mouth, only a single word came out,

"Bella."

The name left his lips, and suddenly, she stopped moving. It seemed like Bella was hit by a calming wave as her movement completely halted and those fierce eyes gained tranquility.

Her lips parted and the clouds that blinded her seemed to have dispersed.

Richard didn\'t have to ask the headmaster if she was liberated from the spell since the moment she opened her mouth, he got the assurance.

"Bro....ther...?"

The flames disintegrated into particles and the invisible cage restraining her disappeared.

The duo stared at each other with tears in their eyes and countless emotions swirling within them.

However, what words couldn\'t express, a simple hug can.

Richard parted his hands and instantly pulled the girl into his arms for a tight hug. It felt like an eternity had passed since he had held her like this.

The raging flames of his heart, the anxiety, the fright, the concern...every emotion he held for her felt like melting with that hug.

Bella\'s eyes never stopped producing those hot tears that exposed the feelings she had been bottling up for years now.

She tried everything in her power to meet him again, to see him and to touch him again. To be held by her brother like this, she did whatever a mortal could ever think of. However, none of that worked.

But finally, through some unknown source, she was here...right before her brother. Her brother was here! He was here!

Marcus didn\'t disturb the duo, considering how desperate they looked for each other; rather, he focused on the city outside the palace.

The numerous clones were still killing people and destroying homes. However, if he tried to finish them off the dark cultists would take what they desire.

He had to choose.

"Richard," Marcus made a choice, "You need to find the dark cultists and stop them."

Richard parted with his sister, despite her reluctance before asking the Headmaster, "Can\'t I just go home?"

Marcus chuckled, "Return the favour for saving your cousin?"

Richard heaved a sigh before nodding, "Okay, I will take care of them. But don\'t expect me to not kill those who try attacking me."

Marcus didn\'t reply to that, and soon, his figure disappeared from the previous spot.

Richard looked at Bella before asking, "Can you accompany your brother for a little while before we go home? It won\'t take long."

Bella, with a smile that was in stark contrast to that dangerous visage she wore until a few moments ago, nodded and held his hand.

"Now, no one can separate us."

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A/N:- Well that\'s the reunion but there is more. Thanks for reading.