Kapitel 20: Contract

"Ah, so you're the one who's managed to survive," the figure's voice echoed, not just in Raven's ears, but in her very mind. The sound was rich, smooth, but with an edge of something ancient and dangerous. "I must say, I am impressed. To fall from that height and live."

Raven's heart raced, and she took a cautious step back. "What... are you?"

The creature tilted her head, her eyes flashing with a hint of amusement. "What am I? I suppose I should introduce myself. I am Vaelora." The name rippled through the air, resonating like a dark chord, filling the room with a weight of pure power. Raven felt a wave of nausea wash over her, as if the very utterance of the name was enough to twist her soul. "But you may know me better as Mavis. The one who has been pulling the strings, the one who caused this."

Raven staggered back again, her hands reaching out to steady herself. Vaelora—no, Mavis—was the one who had caused the dungeon's collapse? She couldn't believe it. It was too much. Her mind was reeling, trying to piece together the fragments of reality.

"The dungeon... the collapse... it was you?" Raven whispered, her voice shaky. She could barely process the words, let alone comprehend the sheer magnitude of the situation. "But why?"

Mavis's smile deepened, and she took a step forward, her wings unfurling slightly. "I was once a great and powerful being. But as with all great beings, my fate was sealed by treachery. Betrayed, cast down, my power sealed away... until now."

Her gaze turned toward the mana crystals, their pulses flickering in the dark. "I've been waiting, building my strength slowly, gathering mana... and now, I've finally returned to my full power. All thanks to these," she said, her tone dripping with satisfaction. "You see, the mana here—the very mana that the students use to train—was once the source of my strength. This dungeon... this place... it was built on the very foundations of my power. And now, I have claimed it back."

Raven took a shaky breath, the weight of Mavis's words sinking in. She had been the one behind everything—the destruction, the collapse, the chaos. All of it. And now, the dragon stood before her, fully restored to her true form, her true power.

Raven clenched her fists, gritting her teeth against the pain that threatened to consume her. "So, you're the one who destroyed the dungeon... You're the one who caused all of this."

Mavis's eyes narrowed, her smile sharpening into something dangerous. "Destroyed? No. I merely... reshaped things. This was all necessary for my return. A small price to pay for my freedom." She stepped forward, her wings flicking with an unsettling grace. "You, girl, are fortunate to be alive. I've already claimed what I needed from this place. The rest of you were... just in my way."

Raven's breath hitched in her throat. "You... You're going to kill us all."

Mavis let out a soft, throaty laugh. "Not kill you, no. Not yet. I've already extracted enough power to reawaken, and now..." Her pink eyes glimmered with something almost playful. "I need one more thing. You see, your soul has touched upon my true name. Vaelora. Those who hear it without strength of will risk losing their very essence."

Raven's blood ran cold. It was as if the air itself turned to ice. She felt a sickening pull at her chest, like something was digging into her very soul, dragging her closer to the abyss. She could feel it, the weight of the name, pressing down on her like an invisible hand.

"You... You bastard," Raven gasped, her body trembling as her knees buckled beneath her. The name had already begun to take effect, and Raven could feel her strength, her very existence, slowly slipping away.

In the blink of an eye—no, not even in a blink of an eye—Raven didn't see Mavis move at all. One moment, she was standing weakly, her body trembling with exhaustion, and the next, her back was slammed against the cold stone wall. A powerful, inhuman hand was wrapped tightly around her throat, its claws digging into her skin, threatening to tear her apart. Raven gasped for air, but her lungs refused to cooperate.

"You're running out of time, Raven," Mavis's voice was calm, almost too calm, as her cold pink eyes locked onto Raven's. "Slowly, your soul will shatter under the weight of my name. But I can help you." The dragon's lips curved into a cruel smile, the dangerous glint in her eyes growing sharper. "I can save you. In return, you must do something for me."

Raven's vision was swimming. She could feel the unbearable pull on her soul as if Mavis's true name was slowly dragging her into oblivion. She could barely breathe, barely think. Her body was on the verge of giving in, of succumbing to the crushing force of Vaelora's presence. But still, her mind clung to one thought, Survive. Survive for Celia.

Her voice was barely a rasp. "And what... is it you want?"

Mavis leaned in closer, her breath like ice against Raven's face. "It would be a shame if I told you straight out, wouldn't it? So, I'll leave you with a choice. Accept my offer, or die a painful, agonizing death." Mavis's grin widened. "If you choose death, your sister will live a life without you. And this second life of yours? It will vanish, leaving you nothing but a memory."

Raven's breath caught. "H-how do you know about my past... about my... soul?"

Mavis's eyes gleamed with cruel knowledge. "How could I not? I have your soul fragments. They're scattered throughout this dungeon, little pieces of you, of your precious memories. How else could I have known about your tragic little reincarnation? How else could I have known you so well?" Her voice dropped to a whisper, sending a shiver through Raven's spine. "I've seen every piece of your life, Raven. The choices you've made, the sacrifices you've endured. And now..." Her lips brushed against Raven's ear, sending a wave of cold dread through her. "Now you have a choice. Life or death."

Raven's heart pounded in her chest, the agony of her soul splitting in two. There was a moment of temptation—the desire to just give in, to stop the pain, to let the weight of everything crush her. But even as that thought flickered, a deeper desire flared in her. She wanted to live. She wanted to experience this life—this second chance—no matter how painful, no matter the cost.

She swallowed the bitterness in her throat, gritting her teeth against the agony, and croaked, "Fine. I'll help you."

Mavis's smile deepened, satisfaction curling in her gaze like a serpent's coil. "That's what I like to hear."

Without another word, the air around them shimmered, and a bright red contract materialized in front of Raven's eyes. The glow was blinding, pulsing with dark, ancient power. Raven's heart raced as the words of the contract etched themselves into her mind, each syllable carrying the weight of irrevocable fate.

"In the name of Vaelora, I honor this contract," Mavis's voice resonated like the sound of a thousand chains, each word dripping with ancient malice. "In return for allowing the latter to live, they shall help me achieve my goal, the eradication of my own kind. Should they fail to fulfill their part, they will die. And to make this contract fair... During times of need, I will aid them."

Raven's vision blurred as the words burned into her mind. She felt the gravity of the contract pressing down on her, the weight of the promise she was about to make. Every part of her screamed against it—against binding herself to this creature, to this ancient force—but the pain, the desperation, the pull of her soul was too much.

"Now," Mavis's voice was low, like the murmur of a predator stalking its prey, "say your name, Raven."

Raven's throat tightened, but she managed to choke out the words, each one feeling like it was tearing away at her very being. "I, Raven, accept the contract."

As soon as the words left her lips, Mavis's hand shifted, pressing against Raven's chest with terrifying force. Raven gasped as she felt something surge through her body—something raw and untamed. It was as if Mavis's power was pouring directly into her, not just healing her physical wounds, but restoring her, bringing her soul back together. The fragmented pieces that had been torn apart in the fall, that had been shattered by the crushing pressure of Vaelora's true name, suddenly clicked back into place.

The colors around her—once drained of vibrancy—returned to their normal hue. Raven could feel the warmth of life coursing through her veins again. She felt her strength returning, like a fire rekindling inside her. Her wounds, the pain that had ravaged her body, began to melt away. It was as if everything that had torn her apart was being repaired in an instant.

"You're welcome," Mavis purred, stepping back with a satisfied look on her face. "I healed you too. You should be grateful, little mortal."

Raven gasped in disbelief. It was as if she had been reborn. The injuries, the agony, everything was gone. She felt stronger than before, her senses heightened, and her body almost alive with power.

But as the last remnants of her pain faded, a new weight settled in her chest. The contract, the binding, the promise she had just made—it felt like an anchor, something that tied her to Mavis's will. And deep down, Raven knew the cost. She had made a deal with a monster. A powerful one. And there would be consequences.

But for now, at least, she was alive. Her soul was intact. Her body was whole. And she had one goal now.

To survive.

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