Chương 8: Chapter 8: Dead End
Chapter 8: Dead End
A sudden surge of energy propelled the Enforcer backward.
"Draken Lightning!" Lucifer's voice resonated, heavy, deep, and frigid as he pointed his wand at the Enforcer. His crimson eyes grew even more intense as sparks of red lightning emanated from the wand, the same wand that bore a few lingering cracks.
A ferocious chain of lightning transformed into the likeness of a draconic creature – a colossal Lightning dragon – obliterating the Enforcer and carving through its surroundings, sending him flying almost a hundred metres. The air crackled with electrifying energy, and the trees that bore witness to the collision were utterly annihilated. One after another, the Enforcer collided with five trees, the immense maw of the Dragon pushing relentlessly onward.
BOOM!
The spell's explosive conclusion echoed with a resounding blast, the lingering effects of the chain lightning nearly shattering the Enforcer into fragments.
Daniel, a witness to this astounding display of magic, stood stunned. Such a magnificent spellcasting and raw power were a rare sight even for him.
"My God, Lucifer..." Daniel's voice trembled as he tore his gaze away from the site of the explosion and turned his attention to Lucifer. His heart sank as he noticed Lucifer bleeding profusely. Lucifer's eyes had involuntarily closed, his body slowly descending to the ground.
"No!" Daniel's voice cracked with desperation as he sprang to his feet, rushing to Lucifer's side. The scene before him was grim: a substantial cavity in Lucifer's abdomen, the wound situated just below his chest and slightly above his waist, a gaping hole inflicted by the scythe's blade.
He drew his wand, casting the sole healing spell he was familiar with - "Hextor!"
It was a feeble mending incantation, meant to hasten recovery and seal wounds. Yet, despite his efforts, there appeared to be no significant change.
Nevertheless, Daniel did notice that the pool of blood beneath him was somehow receding, as if the blood was being drawn back into Lucifer's body. Whether it was a smile or concern, Daniel couldn't discern the expression etched on his face, for he could not fathom the unfolding phenomenon.
The injuries on Lucifer's body remained unaltered, prompting worry as the appropriate sentiment.
Furthermore, he could no longer use the spell on Lucifer, as a faint cracking sound, reminiscent of breaking branches, echoed through the air, demanding his attention!
The enforcer, now devoid of its left arm, both legs, and even its skull, charged forward with the scythe clutched in its right hand.
"You-" Instantly, Daniel aimed his wand at the Enforcer, poised to cast a spell reminiscent of his previous attempt, but another voice took control.
"Enigsha!" echoed an ancient yet resonant voice from behind. Daniel, whose focus was locked ahead, witnessed a pentagram materializing in front of the Enforcer.
Advancing forward, the enforcer traversed the pentagram, aglow with a faint yellow light, only to halt abruptly and collapse to the ground.
Perplexed, Daniel shifted his gaze behind him, where he encountered an elderly, somewhat portly man. Draped in a shawl that covered his left side - from shoulder to arm - he clutched a wand in his right hand. He wore an antiquated yet elegant brown shirt.
Before he could fully comprehend the situation, a few words involuntarily escaped Daniel's lips, "Sir Noah?"
The figure before him was indeed the Master Wizard, Crystopher Noah, who turned his gaze toward Daniel and the bloodied Lucifer.
'The only one that can save Lucifer right now, is him!'
"Sir! Please, heal him!", Daniel cried.
After one final glance at the fallen Enforcer, he directed his wand at Lucifer and chanted, "Reminus Axurous Healcanto."
A pentagram materialized, encircling Daniel and Lucifer in a brilliant green radiance, emanating potent healing energies.
Remarkably, the wounds on Lucifer's body began to close under the influence of the spell's remarkable strength. Even the residual pool of blood on the ground became immaculate, devoid of impurities, and flowed back into Lucifer.
Unscathed himself, Daniel found a sense of solace within the pentagram, as if a gentle warmth had embraced his heart.
He mused to himself, 'So this is the might of a Master Wizard...', his eyes widening in awe as he released a sigh of amazement.
'Ah, thankfully he's alive...'
'And with Sir Noah here, if we do find a method to break the curse, then I wouldn't mind considering Lucifer a decent human,' Daniel thought, pressing both palms against his face, his mind inevitably conjuring an image of Vineca.
'But what about her?'
'If he remains, then... she'll just...,' he clenched his fist, both hands now shielding his face, struggling with the thoughts that swirled within him.
Fury began to surge within him, an overwhelming torrent of emotion. But before his thoughts could spiral further, Noah's voice cut through the tumult, a cautionary note that resonated deeply: "Be careful, for at times, thoughts can inflict more harm than a Devil."
Upon hearing this, Daniel chuckled with a simple acknowledgment, replying, "Yes."
"Is it dead, however?" Daniel inquired, his finger gesturing toward the Enforcer.
Noah approached the Enforcer, examining it closely to ascertain its demise.
The flame that had once blazed within the enforcer, symbolizing its heart, had now been extinguished, marking its unequivocal end. Yet, rather than merely affirming its death, Noah remarked, "Intriguing..."
His gaze then shifted to Lucifer, who lay in peaceful slumber, fully healed and free from peril.
With a curious tone, he said, "A fascinating young man. Even without my intervention, the enforcer would have met its demise within a minute."
"Sir, in reality, we—" Daniel attempted to interject.
However, interrupting, Noah strode towards Daniel, urgency in his steps, and declared, "This place is perilous. The shadowed woods are no playground for children. Return from whence you came."
"No, sir! Wait, we require your help!" Daniel's voice escalated, his desperation palpable.
"Help?" Noah regarded Daniel with a steady gaze, his eyes reflecting sincerity.
"Allow me to guess, is it related to the Devil's Curse?" he inquired.
"Yes, actu—" Daniel began to explain, only to be met with Noah's unwillingness to listen. The Master Wizard started to stride away swiftly from the scene.
"Sir! Please, wait!" Daniel's cries persisted, yet Noah remained unyielding.
Seeing how he wasn't ready to listen, Daniel did the unthinkable.
"Aqualus!" In a swift motion, Daniel conjured a water sphere, directing it toward Noah.
The sphere struck a tree directly before Noah, arresting his progress.
"You!?"
"How dare you launch an attack at me, boy?!" Noah's voice grew sharper, his eyes reddening with offense.
In a near-instant response, Daniel bowed deeply, lowering his wand as he implored, "Sir, I beg your pardon for this audacity of mine. But I request you, at least spare a moment for my friend."
"He has fallen victim to the curse and is in dire need of aid."
"Nothing novel. Countless individuals are afflicted. It's beyond my control," Noah dismissed, his intention to depart evident.
Daniel, who had attacked once, wouldn't think twice to attack once again, for he snapped after hearing that!
"You, old man!"
"Enough with your sour mind! Extend your help already!"
Noah clenched his teeth at the exclamation, pivoting back toward Daniel. Anger etched across his features, the creases of his skin now accentuated by the visible strain of his blood vessels.
"Child, show some respect. I am a Master Wizard!"
"So what?"
"You haven't earned any respect!"
"Even after breaking free from the curse, you fled society! Concealing yourself within this dank forest!"
"Do-"
"Do you even know the situation of the outside world!?"
"Countless lives are being claimed by the curse. People who strive to resist wickedness, they are dying! And even more falling victim to the Devil Worshippers' cruelty..."
"Yet here you linger, concealed within this forest."
"Hiding…"
"Why!?"
Noah remained silent, absorbing Daniel's impassioned words. He gazed intently at the wand that remained nestled within his right hand.
A moment of hushed stillness enveloped them, only to be punctured by Daniel's earnest plea, "Please..."
"Anything. A little help…"
With a sigh and a tightened grip on his wand, Noah relented, "Bring him to my house. It's treacherous in these woods."
A smile illuminating his face, Daniel rose to his feet, carefully lifting Lucifer.
He contemplated employing Fecto, the levitation spell, yet was taken aback by the unexpected lightness of Lucifer. The sight of the protruding bones beneath Lucifer's skin served as a poignant reminder of the hardships he must have endured.
In close pursuit of Noah, Daniel traversed the forest's undergrowth. To his astonishment, his gaze wandered ceaselessly, yet no menacing beasts, creatures, or monsters came into view.
He inquired, "Sir, wasn't this forest renowned for its perilous nature? That it was dangerous and filled with monsters?"
Noah replied with a simple affirmation, "Indeed, perilous creatures do inhabit these parts."
"But, sir, I see none."
Noah's laughter resonated through the air, a tinge of amusement accompanying his words, "Ha! Be grateful, for had you spotted any, you'd not live long enough to utter their names."
"Heh. Must be your wonders…", Daniel chuckled as well, forgetting that he had disrespected the Master Wizard few moment prior.
With that cautionary remark, Noah advanced a few more steps before pausing in front of a gigantic Peepal tree. He extended his wand, gesturing with a wave. What had initially appeared to be a colossal tree promptly transformed into a dwelling, its hefty branches parting to create an opening—a semi-domed entrance to his abode.
Daniel observed in wonder as this enchanting magic unfolded before his eyes. Following Noah, he ventured through the luminous yellow passage emanating from within the tree's interior.
The instant they crossed the threshold into the tree's hollow, it felt as though they had entered an entirely new realm. Sofas and chairs adorned the space, while lengthy shelves sagged beneath the weight of countless books. Jars containing enigmatic items lined other shelves.
Noah progressed, placing his wand upon a table before taking a seat in a nearby chair. He instructed, "Lay him to rest here."
Gently, Daniel settled Lucifer onto the sofa, taking a seat beside his slumbering friend.
Daniel stared at the entrance which slowly closed, then shifting his gaze towards Noah and saying, "Sir, help?"
"Yes, tell me, how long has your friend been afflicted by the curse?" Noah inquired, kind of sweating.
"I'm not sure, don't know," Daniel responded with a shake of his head, thinking that Noah simply felt it to be too hot and was thus sweating.
"I-"
"Ahem."
Noah's eyebrows raised in surprise, "You don't know?"
"No, sir. I only recently met him," Daniel explained.
"And became friends?", Noah interestingly asked.
"Haha, you know how it is for us boys. Even if we don't call each other that, we can still be friends."
"Indeed…", Noah smiled initially, which soon faded.
He then pondered, tapping his chin before delving further, "What percentage of the curse has taken hold?"
After a couple of blinks and a gulp, Daniel replied, "Around forty percent."
"Forty?!" Noah's voice pitched higher in disbelief.
"Hmm, that's quite severe... he must have been affected for about a year," Daniel responded, knowing that revealing the true curse percent might result in their prompt dismissal from Noah's presence. Thus, he chose to fabricate the information, lie for Lucifer.
Leaning back in his chair, Noah contemplated the matter. Daniel seized the opportunity to query, "Sir, could you perhaps share how you managed to break your own curse?"
Noah shook his head, a solemn expression accompanying his words, "I did break the curse, but it came at a cost, my boy."
"A cost?" Daniel inquired, puzzled. He stood and approached, positioning himself nearby for a more comfortable exchange.
As Noah removed the shawl that concealed his left hand, Daniel's astonishment peaked. Instead of a conventional human limb, an arm sculpted from desiccated wood remained—a functional appendage, albeit visually altered.
"Sir! Is this...?" Daniel's amazement was palpable.
"Yes. This is the price I paid," Noah confirmed.
Upon witnessing this transformation, Daniel's lips curved into a smile, a blend of reassurance and determination evident in his gaze.
"Sir, this is amazing! Marvelous!"
"Huh? What!?", Noah was taken aback.
"If one can endure losing an arm or two, they would readily do so to get rid of the curse!" Daniel's words flowed earnestly.
This disclosure provided Daniel with an ideal opening. He wouldn't be led astray, and he was even prepared to make a comparable sacrifice if need be.
Noah let out a dismissive scoff, remarking, "It's not that simple."
"I was fortunate, my child."
"The cost was my entire body transforming into a tree. However, luck favored me as my knowledge of curses allowed me to retard its advance."
"It began with a single finger, but as you can see, it has now encompassed my entire arm."
With a trace of melancholy, he added, "I have no more than two years... that's all the time I possess."
A heavy sense of realization settled over Daniel. He lowered himself into a chair positioned across from Noah, his gaze drifting downward as he absorbed this revelation.
"But sir what exactly happened?"
"How were you able to break the curse?"
"What exactly did you-", Daniel's words were abruptly interrupted by a sudden tremor that rumbled through the ground.
"Huh?"
Items within jars and various wooden articles began to tumble from their places, cascading to the ground one after another.
"What!? What in the hell is happening?" Daniel's voice rose, bewildered by the unexpected disturbance.
"No..." Noah's expression darkened as he swiftly retrieved his fallen wand.
"Sir?" Daniel's confusion was palpable as he regarded Noah's tense countenance, his gaze darting about.
"The enforcers..."
That was enough to let Daniel know what was happening.
He gazed outside, via the small creaks opened in the gigantic roof, not too high and there, he saw around ten Enforcers, each clutching a menacing scythe, their eyes aglow with a fiery crimson hue.
"A hundred.", Noah's words fell in Daniel's ears, silence looming over as the roof was ripped open, the Enforcers surrounding them.
"…"
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