Chapter 753 - 754

Sirius opens his eyes, unable to believe what he's seeing. The mirror in front of them reveals Yaliana, the same woman he and Ivan had seen before. She's wearing the aristocratic clothing from a hundred years ago, her expression is gloomy, but there are notable differences.

Her skin has become pale, an unhealthy white, her eyes are a strange blood-red, and her long tongue is protruding. Most shockingly, there's a black horn on her head, not very long but unmistakably a symbol of a demon.

"Demon!" Elena gasps, realizing that this is the darkest form of dark magic, something that had vanished long ago. Anxious, she grips Sirius's arm tightly with her left hand and leans toward him.

She forces herself to keep her eyes open, taking in the bizarre sight of the ugly Skeleton Head and the sinister demon-woman in the mirror.

Sirius, too, is staring at their adversaries, clutching his wand. He tries Apparating secretly, but it seems to have no effect.

"Ah, it's you, the Beauxbatons teacher, and the young wizard you brought with you," Yaliana says nonchalantly. "Quite disappointing, really. I thought you might have some magic to explain this woman's powers."

"You're a real demon," Sirius says.

"Please mind your language, living one. These are demons I've raised, and I am their master," the Skeleton Head interjects, shouting with a sharp voice. "Though I was enjoying recalling my past, since Yaliana has arrived, your lives should come to an end. My treasure, kill them. I must taste the blood of that witch. I'm eager!"

"If you wish," Yaliana responds. She stretches out a finger, her bright red nail glinting. She points it at Sirius and Elena, and the shackles hanging from above come crashing down.

The shackles swoop down like venomous snakes, closing in on them with deadly intent. Sirius uses his wand to send spells flying, knocking away the shackles. He and Elena manage to crawl out from the bone pile. Sirius's injuries have healed, though he still feels some discomfort, it won't hinder his ability to fight.

Both of them keep fending off the shackles, with Elena performing admirably, showing the skills of a seasoned Auror. Sirius even employs Transfiguration spells, a magic Ivan often used, though with limited success.

The shackles continue to descend endlessly, and a strange forcefield envelops them. Their magic reserves start to deplete, and their movements slow down.

Sirius is unsure how long they can hold out. The two demons on the other side seem in no hurry to finish them off. Yaliana is laughing maniacally, while the Skeleton Head is rambling on and on, spewing insane words. They're clearly toying with them, deriving pleasure from their suffering.

In the secret room, after realizing that Sirius and Elena are in danger, Ivan attempts to leave quickly, but Schwella blocks his path.

"Your companions have entered that room, becoming prey to the demon," Schwella calmly informs him. "But don't worry, they won't come to harm suddenly. We have time. According to tradition, the demon enjoys torturing its victims before enjoying their despair and screams. If you want to rescue them, you can only help me. Only then will I know how to destroy the demon and succeed."

"Go on," Ivan urges. "How do I enter the mirror world where the demon resides?"

"Only with the demon's approval can one enter its mirror," Schwella replies. "I have no way of achieving that. But we have an opportunity. That's one of the reasons I hope you can help me now. You must offer the demon your blood as a Demon's blood, destroy this totem with it, and keep the magic that I once preserved here. This will deprive the castle's natural protection, and the demon will not be able to resist swallowing them. While it consumes the souls trapped in the mirror, we will enter together and find the Demon Altar to destroy it."

"Wait, will I also turn into a soul?" Ivan asks.

"Yes, you will. As long as you wear this tribal amulet around your neck, your ancestors' souls will assist you," Schwella points to the owl hanging above. "It will transform you into a special energy form, somewhat similar to a soul, enough to enter the mirror world with us."

To transform into an energy form resembling a soul is a concept Ivan has never encountered before. It seems to be a unique ability tied to Shamanic magic. In wizarding magic, achieving such a state usually involves dark magic associated with souls, and the process is irreversible.

"Tell me your decision, wizard," Schwella says calmly. "Escape or fight. If we fail, we will be consumed by the demon and become part of its strength. But in any case, this nightmare will finally come to an end."

"I promise," Ivan says with determination. He has weighed the options carefully, and Schwella's plan seems to be the only viable one at the moment. The only unknown is whether they can defeat the formidable demon.

Staying here and worrying won't change anything. He chooses to face this challenge head-on, ready for the battle ahead. Under Schwella's watchful gaze, he steps forward to take down the totem hanging above the owl. The magic power flows into him, surrounding his body, and he undergoes a transformation, turning into the energy form of an owl in an instant.

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As Evan transforms into an owl, a mysterious force from the Shamanic totem surges through the ancient, dark castle. The owl ghost that roams the castle's halls finds that the magical restraints on them have disappeared. Their bodies rapidly change shape, and they regain their intelligence, letting out joyful cries as they revel in the broken corridors covered in spider webs. If anyone were to witness this scene, they would surely be frightened, for the old castle has become a realm of ghosts.

Deep underground, in the sinister chamber filled with corpses, Sirius and Elena, who had been battling incessantly, suddenly realize that the chains have stopped and fallen to the ground. Now swaying wildly, the Skeleton Head emits a mournful, shrill wail that conveys a twisted sense of delight. Elena, gasping for breath, leans on Sirius, her physical strength completely drained. The perilous battle has pushed them to their limits, and they can barely continue to fend off their foes.

"It's not clear," Sirius replies, shaking his head and tightly gripping his wand. He watches the two monsters on the other side, who appear to be ecstatic for some reason. He can't comprehend what has happened.

He begins to think of Evan; it must be something Evan did that caused this transformation. However, the words spoken by the two demons on the other side shatter the hope that had just risen in Sirius's heart.

"You felt that damn power vanish, and nothing can imprison us anymore!" the Skeleton Head exclaims with manic glee. "My treasure, you must return to this world immediately and become more powerful than before."

"Indeed, it was that young wizard," Yaliana chimes in, excitedly approaching the mirror. Her long tongue licks her lips as she breathes heavily. "I've been waiting for this day for more than 500 years. Finally, I'm free!"

"Yes, he destroyed that woman's magic as I instructed," she continues, her excitement palpable. "He sprinkled the blood of demons onto that totem. I knew he would succeed."

Elena's gaze never leaves the mirror, and she watches the unfolding events with a mixture of shock and horror. "Sirius, we have to destroy that mirror quickly. Attack it with your most powerful magic, or else we're done for. It won't spare us."

A red vortex appears on the giant mirror's surface, slowly revolving and gaining speed, creating a powerful suction force. Sirius watches in astonishment as a soul is drawn from the Skeleton Head.

Before he can fully grasp what's happening, more and more souls are pulled into the mirror. They wail and try to escape or resist, but it's futile. Soon, the entire room is filled with a swirling array of souls, all suspended in the air.

Sirius and Elena stand atop the pile of bones, their faces drained of color as they witness this shocking scene. After several minutes, a translucent, small owl lands on Sirius's shoulder and blinks at him.

"Evan," Sirius mutters, recognizing the form instantly. He can't fathom how or why Evan has transformed into an owl ghost. The small, cat-headed creature flaps its wings, not waiting for Sirius to say anything, and flies straight toward the mirror at the end of the room. In an instant, it and the other souls in the mirror vanish without a trace.

"No, no!" Sirius cries out, grabbing Elena's hand and running as fast as possible. But all the souls have been drawn into the mirror, which now emits a strange red light, and nothing seems to be happening anymore. Evan, Yaliana, the Skeleton Head—all the ghosts have disappeared.

In the sinister chamber deep below, Evan successfully enters the mirror. It's a chaotic world filled with dark mist, and the atmosphere feels incredibly oppressive. They hover midair and witness the souls being rapidly absorbed into a red Demon Altar.

Before the altar stands a woman in demon form, filled with ecstasy—it's Yaliana. Evan gazes into her eyes, filled with blood-red streaks, lacking pupils. The black horn on her head, the symbol of the demon, grows slowly, becoming thicker, longer, and more significant as her power increases. The strength of the souls sucked into the Demon Altar is being devoured by her.

In front of her, a once-handsome wizard kneels, uttering repulsive and disgusting words without end.