Chapter 237: A Matter of Life and Death

Wafts of vampire stench and the acrid smell of burning from treants entered Morgiana's nostrils, barely rousing her to consciousness.

A profound weakness enveloped Morgiana, making even the act of opening her eyes an arduous task.

She decided not to open her eyes.

Morgiana felt her hands bound behind her back and her ankles tied with vine tendrils imbued with powerful magic. She was tied to a contraption and being dragged along by something.

Feeling the magic within her, the lake spirit witch realized her mana was completely stagnant within her body. Her once profound magic had become a heavy burden, and her attempts to mobilize it were futile.

Regret crept into Morgiana. She realized she had placed too much trust in the treants.

Though these malicious creatures indeed had a mutual aid pact with Britannia, Morgiana acknowledged her actions had been too rash. She should not have come alone.

But she was accustomed to solitude; Morgiana always acted alone, often requiring the king to send out a large number of knights to search for her when needed.

If only she had agreed to bring Ryan along!

"The Lake Spirit Witch is the first chosen of the lake's false deity and its spokesperson in the mortal realm. Is this really safe? Just a few tendrils to bind her?" The voice of the vampire Manfred came from one side: "Perhaps I should sever her hands?"

"The ancient treant sap can paralyze forest dragons. We've injected the fairy witch with more than triple the amount, ensuring she won't be able to use her magic or move normally for months, maybe even years," Treant shadow spirit Theresa cackled sharply.

"No need for that long. In a few days, the lake's false deity will have to find a new spokesperson, that is if she still has the energy to do so," Manfred said hoarsely.

Morgiana's heart sank further into despair. Desperately struggling, she realized even with all her strength, her wrists did not move an inch. She felt an overwhelming fatigue, and just breathing seemed to exhaust all her strength.

She tried to open her eyes, not blinded as she expected. A new moon hung in the sky, and she was being carried forward by a group of noble treants.

Her golden belt was gone, along with the sword blessed by the lake fairy. Morgiana observed her surroundings; the dim forest indicated they had not left the Charlon Forest.

What to do? The lake spirit witch thought desperately of ways to save herself.

Her communication stone was destroyed, and her potion chalice taken by the vampires. Now, weaponless, magicless, and powerless, she couldn't signal for help.

Thus, Morgiana tried to pray.

To no avail, something was blocked. Without her abundant magic, Morgiana couldn't contact the lake fairy, and Manfred seemed to have placed some restrictions on her.

Deep despair.

Morgiana pretended to be asleep, looking for a chance to escape. There were occasional hunters or thieves in the Charlon Forest, and sometimes even crusading knights, as they would visit the "Isle of Lilies" within the forest for pilgrimage, where the first Holy Grail knights met the lake fairy.

This was the only chance Morgiana saw for escape, as weak as she was, she couldn't escape on her own.

Disappointment struck when, after hours of walking, they encountered no one.

Instead, upon arrival, Morgiana felt herself thrown to the ground, coughing and gasping. She struggled to rise, only to be lifted by the collar.

"Cough, cough~" Morgiana gasped in pain, her hands dangling, her neck bent backward, exposing her swan-like neck.

"We need to conduct a ritual, I hope you will cooperate, dear Lake Spirit Witch," Manfred smiled, revealing pale teeth, the cursed blade reflecting moonlight.

"Despicable midnight scum… wanting to get… I only have one answer, never…" Morgiana struggled weakly, her fingertips barely trembling.

"A perfect ritual, dear Lake Spirit Witch, you will join us, becoming one of us, and you will experience the joy of bloodsucking," Manfred's bald head reflected the moonlight, and his words pierced Morgiana's heart like a sharp spear.

"…No, you can't do this!" Morgiana visibly shook, a fall from being the lake fairy's chosen to a bloodsucking vampire would be a disgrace and a collapse of faith.

Manfred released his grip, and Morgiana fell before him, unbothered. He then addressed Theresa, "We've arrived; you may leave."

"…Understood." Theresa glanced at Morgiana, then at her noble treants, nodding in acknowledgment. Their deal with the vampires was complete; it was time for them to leave.

Before leaving, Theresa cast a covert glance at Morgiana, now dirty and covered in mud and leaves. The treant's twisted and malicious face briefly showed a hint of sadness, guilt for her actions.

But remembering her plan, Theresa felt betraying Morgiana was justified, blaming the damnable wood elves for disrupting the balance in Aisoloron. Having witnessed their atrocities and provocations over thousands of years, the furious and sorrowful Theresa could no longer empathize.

Her only desire was to eradicate all wood elves from Aisoloron, returning the forest under treant control. For this goal, she was willing to sacrifice everything.

After the treants left, only Morgiana and Manfred remained.

Morgiana, with her beautiful golden hair dirtied, lay on a ground between trees, near an altar filled with decay and necrotic energy, adorned with bones, treasures, embroidered pillows, and lavish decorations showcasing vampire extravagance.

"Is this your purpose, Manfred von Carstein? I curse you!" Morgiana uttered a venomous curse, but Manfred seemed unaffected: "Your curse might have worked at your peak."

The infamous vampire count Manfred von Carstein, from the Empire, rose from Sylvannia during the "Three Emperors' Civil War." The most notable vampire family was the Carstein family, with its leader Vlad seizing the elector count position of Sylvannia, turning it into a land of horror, a home for the undead.

Vlad Carstein, the family's most famous leader, came close to defeating the Empire, but the elector counts united against him, cleansing Sylvannia.

During the Carstein family's internal struggle for dominance, Manfred bided his time, practicing necromancy and masquerading as a human noble.

Seeking advanced necromantic knowledge, he traveled to Necohara, mastering all secrets of necromancy. Returning to Sylvannia, he became the new vampire leader.

After the Battle of Hel Fenn, the Empire defeated Manfred and his undead legion again. Yet, vampires are hard to kill for good, and Morgiana, with her lake-colored eyes, knew this terrifying vampire had returned.

The Lake Spirit Witch was placed on the altar, bound at wrists and ankles, pondering escape plans and seeking truths: "Capturing me is pointless. Lake Spirit Witches have died in battle before, but as long as the Lady exists, a new Lake Spirit Witch will be reborn. Your plan cannot succeed!"

"Perhaps you seek more truths from me, but I'm merely a part of resurrecting our master. Ark

han, the master's loyal dog, hasn't shared more with me," Manfred casually replied to Morgiana, then took out one of the nine books of Nagash, starting a spell.

Despite being captured, Morgiana still possessed the lake fairy's blessed magic. Manfred couldn't directly transform her into a vampire without harming himself.

He began to drain Morgiana's magic, casting a sixth-level spell, Life Siphon.

"Ah~" Morgiana's uncontrollable magic drained from her body, her cries of pain distorting her beautiful face as her magic was siphoned, partly dissipating in the air, partly transforming into necromantic magic. Manfred relished the power flowing from the Lake Spirit Witch, growing stronger.

What to do? In agony, Morgiana strived to think clearly, her time running short. Once drained of magic, she'd receive the "Blood Kiss" and become a vampire.

As her magic dwindled to nothing, dawn approached.

Morgiana suddenly felt a burning sensation on her lower abdomen.

Ryan's seal, a silver heart with open wings and a sword, glowed brightly.

Overwhelmed, Morgiana closed her eyes, feeling the seal's burning energy. Inside, Ryan's light blue magical power still circulated, unaffected by the treant's ancient sap.

Manfred's Life Siphon triggered the seal's defense, activating it!

With her last strength, Morgiana tapped into Ryan's magic.

Ryan! Lend me your strength.

I need you!

The seal opened, its energy flowing into Morgiana. Though minimal, it was enough for the Lake Spirit Witch, of Holy Domain rank, to cast a spell.

"Wrath of the Forest!"

Thorns and branches erupted, binding Manfred and halting Life Siphon. The pain of interrupted spellcasting caused Manfred to clutch his head in agony.

Instinctively, Manfred hurled his sword, "Desecrator," at Morgiana.

"Uh!" Morgiana's cry followed.

The dissipating green energy exploded, creating a dense fog.

"Damn! Damn! Damn! This damned woman had one last bit of magic!" Manfred roared in fury. His powerful necromantic magic shattered the binding plants and fog, revealing only a bloodstain on the altar, Morgiana gone.

"Ah!" Manfred screamed in madness. The Lake Spirit Witch had escaped?

As a powerful necromancer, Manfred sensed Morgiana's teleportation direction. Given her condition, her teleportation couldn't have gone far.

Pursue!

Manfred grabbed Desecrator, chasing Morgiana's direction.

...

In reality, Morgiana hadn't gone far, landing about 1200 meters from the altar, collapsing at the roots of a large tree, magic drained.

Overcome by exhaustion and weakness, Morgiana couldn't stand. Clutching her left waist, where a long wound bled, she barely missed her vitals.

"Lady, my lady, I… Morgiana might not serve you any longer." Barely standing, she murmured: "Ryan… maybe I should have listened to you…"

To be continued. What fate awaits the Lake Spirit Witch?

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