Chapter 21: Hollow Cavern
Dry lands with no plants, not even hints of grass. It has a vast landscape, however, the horizon seems to be unending unless one can see through total darkness. It was indeed a dungeon unfit to house the living, even the monsters themselves. The very first dungeon created by a human.
|The Hollow Cavern|
Inside the dungeon, Alice has been diminishing her mana output to elude Anastasia's detection. After all, she doesn't need to put much effort anymore as her final resort has been unleashed. Further, her current mana output is close to zero after displaying such prowess. With laboured breathing, she thought to herself: 'I did it…all the fruits of my labor and sacrifices are not for naught. No one could ever do what I did! Now, it's time I put it to the test and kill the strongest witch known in Telmaris!'
"If this is your final resort to defeat me…then I shall answer in kind."
Anastasia lets go of the ring, leaving it hanging in her neck. It seems like she does not wish to use the ring just yet.
"I cannot afford to call Master Zep from something I could have done by myself."
Her obsidian-like hands began to shine like a bright diamond. Her spell incantation was fast enough to complete a chant, though no one could hear her, not even Alice, as she only whispers her incantations. Majestic and gorgeous, yet frightening, those are the words that would perfectly fit when someone sees her current form. The light that originates from her hand shines brighter and gets more luminous as time passes by, ultimately swallowing almost the entirety of the dungeon. All of the monsters then were revealed by the said luminous light.
"What- what the hell is this kind of magic!?"
Alice reacted whilst wondering what would be Anastasia's play.
"Unfortunately for you, the type of battlefield you chose is the best fit for a witch such as myself."
Anastasia then joined her hands together and raised them.
"Find chilling darkness in this blinding light…"
The monsters charging towards her, which have been soaking with the light, are slowly turning into a solid, dark, ice statue. There are no exceptions, even the golems that Alice said are almost immune to magic.
"....."
"That…! That was an instant petrifying spell with a huge area of effect! Impossible! It's not even a magic within humanity's grasp! What kind of a monster are you!?"
Anastasia breathes out a lot of air after the spell is done. She then opens her eyes once again, donning her usual expressionless and cold front.
"My, it seems like you're not caught up in the light. I wonder where you're hiding in this supposed flat expanse."
In the background, Alice grits her teeth, waiting for her monsters to somehow free themselves from being frostbitten, but alas, it just does not seem to be possible.
"No…there's no way I'll accept this. How are you able to cultivate such a spell!?"
Alice cannot accept the fact that all the fruits of her labor are being squished flat in just a matter of seconds by someone who she thinks doesn't put effort to anything, solely depending on natural born talent without research and hardwork.
But that's where she was completely wrong.
"I myself am a curse."
Anastasia proclaims, making Alice speechless.
"What I wield are not spells, nor magic. I wield the curses born within me."
"What…are you talking about…?"
What Anastasia has always been wielding is not just magic that came naturally from one's mana.
The spell she has casted was an example of a Cursed Magic that is able to go through resistance of normal magic, thus rendering the golem's aversion to magic useless. Though it was also a double-edged sword as she cannot choose who to spare which makes it also a dangerous spell for her allies.
With a diminutive trace of mana, Anastasia was finally able to trace Alice's position. Her scarlet eyes turn towards a faraway wall, which she then throws a couple of dark ice spikes with, resulting in it to be destroyed.
'Ngh!! Even just for a bit, my mana leaked and already gave away my position!?'
Behind the wall was another vast landscape, although this time, it has water and rock formations.
"Anything you want to say before this ends?"
In just a matter of time, Anastasia has made her way through the entrance. Though Alice is still not in plain sight, she is certain where she could be.
"I refuse to have it end like this…I know…I shall continue after this, I will perfect my monsters to the point that they won't even be affected by any types of magic!"
"There is no such perfect monster. However, with that said–"
Anastasia's obsidian hands then point towards Alice's hidden position.
"-you won't be getting any more chances."
Alice then laughs as if she still hasn't given up hope.
"No, not yet!! I still have it, my trump card!"
She finally gives up hiding and playing defense as she leaks out all of her remaining mana along with the mana of the petrified monsters, giving it into a ring that she possesses. A dark ring, shaped like the head of a cat.
"My first and most loyal pet. The strongest I have in my arsenal, not even a group of prism ranked hunters could hope to stand against! I'll give you all my mana, defeat this witch in front of me!!!"
Anastasia squints. The danger she felt as the plethora of mana converged inside the ring is nothing to be sneezed at anymore. It's as if her intuition is telling her that she needs to stop this or else she will have a difficult challenge ahead. With that realization, Anastasia hurled several spikes of solid dark ice towards Alice.
"Too late witch!! Come to me, take your final form!
BAM!
A huge explosion occurred as the spikes hit something after Alice's proclamation of summoning her trump card.
"Lo and behold your end-!"
"....."