The war ended, and the spoils

"Is that so?"

A figure appeared beside the Elemental Behemoth: a black-robed Wizard whose eyes gleamed with mockery. He was the Wizard who had slipped into the fortress earlier and unleashed some kind of Sorcery.

Without giving the Crystal Ice Giant time to react, the black-robed Wizard softly called out.

"Seed of Despair, erupt!"

An invisible ripple spread from him like a signal. Wherever it passed, Black Smoke began pouring from every corner and crevice.

Despair Force!

If Green had been there, he would have shouted at the sight. Its nature was unmistakable: this was something the Ancient Soul School had once used when driven into a corner with no way out.

It was Despair Force born of humans, though this version seemed to have been improved. It gathered the despair of all living things, not just humans.

The blue-white crystal ice ground gradually darkened. Wisps of Black Smoke rose from its cracks, while the bodies of those killed by the battle's aftershocks gave off shadowy figures made of smoke. Each resembled the creature as it had looked before death, but its face brimmed with rage and despair. They spat curses without end, mingling jeers with furious abuse.

A faint black barrier burst from the Wizard's body, enveloping the Elemental Behemoth and the Wizards behind it.

"Don't move! Don't leave the barrier! I can't control those Monsters formed from despair. They'll attack anything alive! This barrier will keep them from sensing you."

The message reached every Wizard on the battlefield as the barrier spread.

"It's our dean! The dean of our Soul School!" cried several delighted black-robed Wizards watching from the rear of the battlefield.

In the Mental Space, surprise flashed across Trak's face, followed by wariness.

"That madman Wolman came to the front lines before World Suppression had even