CH. 77.25

"NOOOOOO!", Cried Elviera in shock after realizing what happened to her friends, the green fire were completely covering the hallways intersection where the three elves were standing in, no voices were heard from them.

Nigel was silently staring at the horrible act before his eyes, his heartbeats growing faster and faster, Feika was hissing insanely and looking very afraid while jumping repeatedly over Nigel's arm to alert him.

Elviera after the shock of the dark caster's spell decided to move and just after she took a serious step forward towards the fire, Nigel grabbed her arms firmly, Elviera looked back at Nigel who was silently nodding right and left negatively, a serious warning that she mustn't get close.

"Leave me and get inside the research department, you know every corner well in there, pick a safe place to hide, I will deal with this killer.", Said Elviera angrily, even though the tears on her face, she was looking dead serious on fighting the dark caster, Nigel was feeling the hatred from her but that's suicide.

"You can't take him alone, he's a hell grade dark caster, he can burn both of us in seconds, I have a plan but we need to retreat back inside the research department, he will follow us, I'm sure, just trust me, you won't stand a chance against him.", Said Nigel seriously while pulling Elviera back but immediately she pushed Nigel back.

"I won't run like a coward after he killed my friends, I was trained for this, I already failed in protecting them, don't make it harder on me now, just go away and listen to me for once in this nightmarish day.", Said Elviera in a threatening manner to Nigel who was looking at her in shock.

"What do you think yourself doing against him? Drop this nonsense and let's -.", Said Nigel calmly while taking a couple of steps towards Elviera who was looking at the fire but suddenly, an icicle was shot in front of Nigel and piercing the ground, the sudden spell made Nigel walk back in fear and Feika to hiss angrily while looking at Elviera, Nigel looked at Elviera in surprise to notice that her right hand are shinning blue, she's the one that used that spell clearly, Nigel widened his eyes in shock, the last thing he was expecting from Elviera is to use divine magic on him.

"I'm not joking around, Nigel, get back and don't dare to interfere with my life decisions.", Said Elviera in a threatening tone without looking back at Nigel.

"I-it's not like th-that, okay?", Said Nigel in fear while still standing still, but he wasn't noticing that the icicle at the ground in front of him were spreading ice around it!

"Even if I'm dead, that's not your life, I don't care about what's happening in your life these days, but that shouldn't interfere with me, I don't want to be concerned by your childish attitude anymore, am I making myself clear, young elf?", Said Elviera in a harsh manner without looking to Nigel, Nigel was stunned, he felt a pain in his heart after listening to her, the green fire was calming down and the footsteps started echoing again, the dark caster is getting closer to them now.

"You don't m-mean what you're saying, it's just the pressure around us.", Said Nigel nervously.

"I mean it, you're just slowing me down, hindering my progress behind that silly thing you're calling friendship, grow up, stupid! We were just colleagues, a tiny part from each other's lives.", Said Elviera angrily, Nigel's heartache grew stronger and he didn't even notice that his left hand involuntarily was over his left chest side (over the heart), tears started falling over the cheeks of the young elf, to hear these words from the person you love most can greatly affect anyone.

Suddenly, the ice on the ground started growing high in the form of a strong ice wall reaching the ceiling and both sides of the hallway!

Nigel stepped back in confusion while breathing heavily and finally noticing that this spell is separating him from the other side of the battle that's going to happen between Elviera and the dark caster.

"No!", Said Nigel in fear while taking a step forward and placing his hand over the ice block.

"Not again, she won't have much time now.", Said Nigel while wiping his tears and looking around trying to find a way to help Elviera, Feika herself was on the ground and searching too.

"Not a single crack, her spells are always perfect.", Said Nigel calmly before stepping back.

"Come on, Feika, I need your help.", Said Nigel in a hurry before running back towards the research department while being followed by tiny Feika.

Elviera slightly looked back and noticed Nigel running away, there was a tear on her right cheek.

"Gorwin is probably dead too now, I can't allow more people to die, it was the only way to protect you, Nigel, even if what I said will make you hate me for the rest of your life, that's better than seeing you dead, now please go and hide.", Thought Elviera before wiping her tear and looking towards the fire that nearly disappeared, not a single sign of her friends nor the injectors, Bethra's ember flames consumes anything not even leaving ashes.

Elviera wasn't believing her eyes, they were just standing there, happy after defeating the demons, now they are gone, not even a trace of their presence is around anymore, the smell of death filled the air in the hallway while the dark caster gradually emerged beside the weak fire and looked at Elviera!

She felt his threatening presence, although he was still away from her, she can still fell the danger, the dark energy, the death aura surrounding him, she couldn't even see his face under the hood.

"Well well well, I guess I'm lucky to meet the infamous daughter of the Crestbend family, daughter of Morgan Crestbend.", Said the dark caster in a very calm, cold tone.