“Nothing shines for you,” I put my hand on Aran's shoulder. “Now KEEP WASHING THE FUCKING WALLS!” Fucking fireball!

***

I'm on the stairs. I'm covered in sweat and suffocating. I was again summoned to the tower of the Gods... only now I'm standing in front of the door with the sign "Amedeo - God of Death". And the funny thing is, Albertine's room is opposite.

There is only disappointment in my heart. Amedeo killed us again, and all because of me. How many times do I and my friends have to die for my power to awaken? What the hell am I doing wrong?!

Alester, come on in.

No sooner had I knocked than they called me. Do the Gods have cameras built in somewhere?

Opening the door, I went in. His room is luxurious, everything is decorated with paintings, Persian carpets. The golden statues of the Griffins were pleasing to the eye. Social life in all its glory.

God was sitting at a wide table, covered with papers and seals. He didn't have the usual snake smile on his face. Why did I feel uneasy. Fingertips pricked on hands.

“Alester, tomorrow is your last chance to awaken the power. Amedeo sat down in a luxurious armchair. If you can't, we'll send you home with your team.

My heart sank. For a couple of seconds, I couldn't even speak. But when he got together he said:

- What about my team?

“You are the leader of the team, which means everyone will pay the price. How else? God chuckled. - Now - to the exit. And get ready, against you I will put the strongest Renegade.

Before I could look back, I was standing on the stairs. Behind the door slammed loudly. Now cold sweat is running down my back. Hands were trembling...

What should I do?..

***

Cold morning. The sun has just begun to show its rays, illuminating the earth.

All the cadets gathered at the first range to watch, because this is the last day of training. Last day to awaken your magic...

Aran, Vanya, Eva and I prepared for the inevitable. Yesterday, when I returned to the hostel, I told them what awaits us because of me ... Nobody condemned me. They just accepted everything I said with a smile.

The renegade that Amedeo had set against us was already on the field. He looked no different from ordinary walking corpses. But there was something about him… just what?

“Beginning,” Amedeo waved his hand.

“We act the same as always,” I said to my comrades.

Like the wind we approached the Renegade. They habitually attacked with quick blows of swords. The Renegade was a little faster than his predecessors, and stood out in a few other ways. Water flowed in his hands, turning into blades. I heard about it. God can control the magic in the body. But… other than blades, that's all he can do. Easy win.

As soon as my team and I started attacking again, we heard:

— Stop!

The renegade froze in place. The blades in his hands disappeared, turned into two puddles. The dead man did not move. Amedeo embraced the Renegade with his black flame. He waved his hand, and at his command, the Renegade flew into the wall, punching a hole in the training ground.

The gray-haired man was clearly dissatisfied… That's all. Because of me, everyone will be expelled, what have I done ...

~~~

Gritting my teeth, I cursed myself for my weakness and for not being able to awaken magic. But… okay me. I messed up the future of Aran, Eva and Vanya... There is no excuse for this...

"It's okay," Aran patted me on the shoulder.

“We tried, it’s already good,” Vanya nodded.

"Life won't end there," Eve chuckled bitterly. “Damn… that’s embarrassing…”

While I stood like a pillar and cursed myself, Amedeo walked towards us with a light step ... In his eyes I saw a thirst for blood, the same one when he killed us in training. But why?!

A cold wind picked up. Just a colossal black flame came out from the body of the God of Death. God's energy was felt on a subconscious level. His eyes glowed blood red. Black flames surrounded us, taking the shape of a dome.

What was going on outside no one could see because of the black veil.

“Amedeo, what are you…

I didn’t even have time to finish, as the black flame of Amedeo flew to Vanya, but he managed to dodge with the help of magic, turning into a mouse, and the flame passed from above.

“Not bad, Ivan,” God smiled like a snake. “But… it won't work anymore. After all… you will all die today. Only one person is to blame for everything, ”Amedeo began to walk around, burning us with his eyes. “The fault lies with Alester alone!”

- What?! What have I done, why...

- I will kill all your friends and I will not return their souls, and only YOU will be to blame for everything. You disgust me. I despise you,” the God of death put an end to our conversation and stood in front of us.

What got into him?! Is he joking?! So right?! No... this is not a joke. He really was going to kill us. Forever and ever... My hands are trembling, my legs are petrified. But I won't let my comrades down! Not now!

“Everyone use magic, he’s not joking!” I yelled at the top of my lungs to my comrades. - Aran, strike from the far one, Eva - too! Vanya, we are close, first with swords, then you know who to become.

Without question, everyone began to follow my commands.

"That won't help," Amedeo chuckled.

God covered himself in black flames. The air seemed to grow heavier, became stale. This is his power… power that the average person cannot understand. The legs didn't want to move. And then I smacked myself in the face. The pain brought me to my senses.

I pulled the sword out of its scabbard, Vanya too, with one jerk we got to the God of Death and at the same time began to cut him. But the black flame did not allow us to break through. Amedeo stood motionless, as if nothing had happened.

Aran and Eva managed to take positions on the sides, they began shelling, but how long it will last is another question. I gestured to Vanya to act and ran away from them. For now... I'll be a burden.

Vanya began to glow. Bright scarlet beams wrapped around his body, and at that moment I saw how the human silhouette began to change. Its neck lengthened, arms and legs became more massive, claws appeared, and two wings grew on its back.

The light disappeared in an instant. And we all saw a scarlet humanoid dragon. Vanya trained for a long time, and it turned out ... He spent hours researching photographs of lizards and creating in his head the image of a man like a dragon. I was so sincerely glad, but this is not the time to rejoice. The enemy is not defeated!

“Destroy it with one attack!” I yelled at the top of my lungs.

Vanya took a flame into his lungs, liquid golden fire ran from his mouth. Aran collected a fireball in his hand, which increased in size. Eve slashed her vein, blood wrapped around her finger, which she pointed at God. It looked like a pistol.

- Dragon roar!!!

- Fire ball!!!

- Blood shot!

From three sides, magic flew into Amedeo. I covered my eyes from the flash. I kept hoping that everything would work out. But when I opened my eyes, I saw an unharmed God and indifference to these attacks in his expression…

Raising two hands with spears of black flame, Amedeo waved. The black fire turned into raging waves that repelled the attacks. The flame instantly solidified, as if it had become a stone, right in front of Aran, Vanya and Eva.

He stopped! Huge waves of black flames froze in front of my friends. He did not continue the attack. I knew it, it was all just another workout.

Just as I wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, thin spikes flew out of the black waves. They pierced the bodies of my comrades. Blood poured out, and wheezing filled the dome.

- N-e-e-t!!!

 No… no… it can't be…” I said in a trembling voice.

The flames again turned into a gaseous form and surrounded the god of death, who was approaching me step by step.

"They're dying, Alester, and it's all your fault," Amedeo barked irritably.

- WHAT AM I FAULTY? I yelled.

You are the weak link and cannot protect anyone. If you're a Godslayer and I'm a God, why do you think I'm doing this? Through my dome you can’t see what’s going on inside, somehow I’ll get out in front of Albertina, I’ll say that it was an accident, I didn’t manage to return souls during training, it happens to everyone. But I'll give you a chance, their souls will not depart for another world for about another six minutes. If you can defeat me, I will return them. Or will you lay down your life for your comrades? The choice is yours.

What should I do? I can't beat him no matter what. What should I do?! What should I do?! What should I do?!

I slowly began to go crazy with hopelessness, Amedeo just looked at me with some pity. Like I'm a worm in his eyes.

“Well, will you fight for your subordinates… or death?”

I couldn't say a word. From impotence, he fell to his knees before the God of Death. Here it is, my end... my comrades must not die because of me. So the answer is obvious...

"Death," I whispered softly.

“Then,” a huge spherical black flame materialized in Amedeo’s palm, “die!!!

The god of death raised his hand, the ball increased in size. I felt hot… felt my inevitable demise.

Amedeo waved his hand, black fiery death flew at me. The world seemed to freeze in my eyes. Everything got so slow. It got so damn quiet until a voice spoke in my head.

-You are pathetic…

I looked for my savior. But he was not there, and time still passed slowly. Who is it?

— Who am I? It doesn't matter. There is only one question, and it is the most important. Will you let yourself be killed?

If I had the power… then things would be different. Desperation gnawed at my head. I no longer understood what was happening.

“Strength, yes… understandable. If you crave it so much… then open your eyes, you pitiful creature.

Time accelerated in an instant, I felt that I could move, and that the world around me came to life.

The fireball hit me directly, but I didn’t get hurt and didn’t feel the heat of hell, on the contrary, I suddenly felt incredibly cold… I felt the power inside me. She literally tore me apart, I was capable of anything.

A blizzard of ice flew around me, it protected my body. This means… My element is Ice!

“Unbelievable, you have awakened,” Amedeo laughed.

We have to come up with something. Think! Think! I do not have much time!

“Magic is something from the head. Everything that I imagine, at best, is embodied. Something like this, ”I recalled the words of Eva in training.

Imagination is the key to a successful magician.

I looked at the floor. Pointed at him with his hand. A picture was drawn in my head. And I decided to try. After all, I had no choice.

- A spike of ice!!! I screamed like a mad animal.

A spike of ice rose from the ground with great speed, throwing Amedeo into the distance. It seems that the god of death was at a loss, he did not expect that I could at least do something.

I need a weapon. Weapon!!!

The image of a sword familiar to me began to be drawn in my head. I felt power flowing into my palm, it was cold and hard to control. But I subjugated the magic and, squeezing my palm, I felt a hard surface. A sword of ice materialized out of thin air.

“Excellent,” Amedeo began to laugh madly, “show what you are capable of, man !!!

A black spear materialized in the Death God's hand.

- Let's! Attack!!!

I accepted the challenge. With a quick jerk I got to Amedeo, and he to me. God threw a spear at me, I successfully repelled the attack, and the blizzard still protected me.

We met, I attacked him with quick sweeping blows. Our weapons entered the clinch, and the confrontation between the magic and the energy of God began. From the part where the swords touched, sparks began. Amedeo's energy was, of course, stronger than my magic, and I was pushed back.

Stepping closer, I cut sideways, Amedeo parried my attack, breaking my sword.

Don't get lost, don't panic, you will win, only victory and nothing else.

Jumping away from the God of Death, I started running around him. Introduced a spear, it immediately appeared in my hand. He began to throw them at Amedeo, not stopping and still moving in a circle. God fought off the spears and could not take a step, it is clear that he is getting a little tired.

Throwing the spear at the same time, I quickly charged towards him like a lynx. This was the last attempt, I knew my comrades didn't have long to go.

With a quick blow, when Amedeo deflected my spear, I cut off his right hand. He shot a spike of ice at him, which pierced through his stomach, and nailed him to the barrier.