There was also a pitch-black mark on her hand, which was slightly different from Gabriel's. Her black mark was what everyone had seen in the books about the Church of Darkness! This was the world-renowned mark of Dark Mages. 

"Mage of Darkness!" The old man weakly exclaimed. 

The woman only smiled in response. 

The woman was as tall as him. She had beautiful hazel eyes and deep black hair. Her face was also on the slightly paler side. She was dressed in a beautiful black gown that wrapped tightly around her curvy figure. She was also donning a black robe which had a beautiful moon symbol on the back. 

"I really hate the stench of Mages of Light. Don't mind." The woman seductively said as she pulled out the knife from the chest of the old man. "I'm just taking out the trash first!"

The old man dropped to the ground as soon as the knife was pulled out. His eyes lost their shine as he died immediately as if the knife had sucked all his life force for some reason. 

After getting rid of the only Mage of Light in the town, the woman turned around, observing her surroundings. 

"I'm sure this is the place I sensed that strange Dark Aura coming from..."

"Ah, that must be where it came from." She soon noticed a young man lying at the doors, unmoving. 

However, she also appeared to be somewhat confused. Her head tilted sideways as she focused more on the strange symbol on the hands of the young man. It was similar to the Symbol of Darkness in color, yet the design seemed to be different for some reason. 

She started stepping toward the body in the distance with calm yet firm steps. 

"You people killed him?" The woman asked lazily. "You couldn't wait for me to arrive? What a waste; I'm really curious about that Symbol of Darkness. Too bad he's already dead. He can't answer me now."

She casually walked to Gabriel, assuming him to be dead. The mother of Maya stepped deeper inside the house, getting away from the body and the woman who kept getting closer. 

Maya was surprised to see the newly arrived woman. Not only because she was the prettiest woman she had ever seen, but because she was the second Dark Mage she saw in one day! She had thought that Dark Mages were extinct. How was it that two appeared in just one day?

Watching his father be killed so easily, Javin was dazed. It took him a minute to process what had happened. 

As soon as he came out of daze, his face turned red in anger. "You killed my father! I will kill you!"

"Chains of Wind!" Javin roared. 

The dark-haired lady felt invisible shackles around her hand and her feet. 

However, that wasn't all. Javin also chanted another Spell, this time targeting Gabriel. He wasn't sure if Gabriel had actually died or not. In any case, he didn't want to take a chance since Gabriel's return meant his death. He also didn't want the woman to be able to take Gabriel and save him!

"Winds of Destruction!" He roared, using a second spell. 

Sharp wind blades shot toward Gabriel, this time as if wanting to shred his body to pieces. 

As if sensing the danger to Gabriel's life while he was unconscious and unable to protect himself, the Forbidden Book of Necromancy started shining once again, similar to the mark on Gabriel's hands. 

Gabriel's body turned into a speck of light which was absorbed by the Forbidden Book of Necromancy. After taking Gabriel, the book of Necromancy disappeared as if taking him to a safer place where he couldn't be killed. 

The Dark Mage noticed Gabriel's body disappear along with the book, which made her even more confused. A book that could protect its owner from danger? 

Things were becoming more mysterious even for her. First, the strange mark on the man's hand that was similar to the Mark of Darkness yet different. And then, there was the book? She had never heard about a book that could do it. Even the Holy Grimoires weren't supposed to have this function. 

Gabriel was gone, and this infuriated the lady even more. If only she could've studied the book, she might have been able to understand what had happened here, yet that opportunity was taken from her because of this stupid man!

"You!!" The woman glared at Javin even as she was trapped. "You spoiled everything! It's because of you that I lost him!"

"Kill him." She coldly stated. No one knew who she was talking to. 

There was no one here, but as soon as she finished her command, the shadow of Javin appeared to come to life, holding a pitch-black sword! The shadow came out of the ground and used the Sword to stab Javin. The poor man was killed by his own shadows. 

"Shadow Knight?" Maya exclaimed in surprise. "Only high-ranking Mages of Darkness can use them. You..."

"Hmm? You seem to have some knowledge about us. It seems the history books do teach something about us after all. Not bad. I thought they would have wiped everything about us." The dark-haired woman seemed pleased to see that people knew about them even now. "Let me guess. You're studying in the Academy of Elements?"

"Well, it doesn't matter. I'm not here for you. I was here for someone else, and because of that stupid man, that person is gone, and I don't know where! I have no reason to be here now." She started leaving, slightly disappointed. 

"Oh, a friendly reminder. If another Mage wants to attempt to stop me, they can give it a try. But only do that if you're prepared to watch this entire town turn into a graveyard. I'm already in a bad mood today."

She wanted in the center for someone to attack her, but no one took her challenge. 

As soon as the people heard her warning, it was as if they were frozen in place. Even Maya was scared. She could fight Gabriel, who was a new dark mage. He hadn't learned many spells, but even she didn't dare to face an advanced Dark Mage. 

She didn't want to foolishly attack her and end up getting the entire town killed because she knew the woman was capable of it. She was a Dark Mage that was way out of Maya's league. 

The lady shook her head in disappointment. She chanted a spell. "Wings of Damnation."

Two dark wings appeared behind her, made purely of dark energy. The wings appeared similar to the Wings that were used by the Head Priest of the Church of Light, but her wings used a much darker and unholy energy. 

Right before everyone's eyes, the Dark Mage left; however she didn't forget to leave something behind. 

She landed right at the entrance of the town and dropped a talisman, hiding it under a heavy stone. 

"I don't know who that person was, but now I can be sure he wasn't dead. He is sure to return, and the next time, he should be much different. The outcome would be different as well. If I want to find him, this town will be the key," she muttered, gazing at the massive stone. "and I must find him at any cost!"