Chapter 5: Corruption Crystal and the Discovery of Holy Water

The river roared as Lito's team arrived at its banks, the water churning with an unnatural green hue. The stench of corrupted mana clung to the air like rot. Truth adjusted her goggles, her iron dragon tail flicking in irritation. "The contamination here is worse than I feared," she muttered, kneeling by the edge and dipping a tool into the current.

Lito crouched beside her, eyes glowing faintly from the artifact ring on his finger. "Those veins of corruption… they're spreading upstream."

Nia stomped over, her red hair tied messily behind her as usual, and kicked at a jagged green crystal jutting from the mud. Sparks erupted on contact. "So some bastard's poisoning our water? Great. Let me find them and toast them till they beg."

Luna, calm as ever, stood a few steps behind them, her moonlight dagger drawn. Her eyes scanned the surroundings as she murmured, "We need samples. Truth?"

Truth pulled a vial from her belt and dipped it into the murky water. As soon as the liquid touched the glass, it hissed and bubbled violently. Jagged green crystals began to form at the bottom.

"Fascinating," she breathed. "These crystals are functioning as conduits. They're converting pure magic into corrosive energy. Someone's weaponized corruption."

"Lovely," Nia muttered, folding her arms. "Magical sewage."

Truth continued, her voice tight with worry. "This isn't decay or rot. It's engineered. This... this is alchemy twisted beyond reason."

Luna knelt beside the river, her silver staff shimmering as she chanted a quiet incantation. A thread of lunar energy extended from the staff to the river—and dissipated instantly.

She frowned. "It resists purification. And… it feels familiar."

Before anyone could respond, a low snarl rolled through the trees. Three corrupted wolves slinked out from the shadows, their eyes glowing with the same sickly green light.

"Company," Luna said calmly.

"Dibs," Nia declared, twirling her fire-forged scythe with a flourish.

"Wait!" Lito stepped forward. His artifact ring pulsed. "Remember, they're victims too. We purify, not destroy."

Nia groaned dramatically. "Can I at least knock out a few teeth first?"

The wolves pounced. Nia lunged, flames spiraling around her blade. "Scorching Waltz!" She sent a precise arc of fire toward the beasts, forcing the lead wolf to retreat with a howling whimper.

Luna followed, her staff glowing bright. "Tidal Bindings!" Streams of water formed into spiraling ribbons that snared the second wolf mid-leap.

Truth moved like clockwork. She mixed reagents in a small glass orb and hurled it at the third wolf. The vial shattered, releasing a fog of alchemical mist that lit up the wolf's corrupted veins.

"Now, Lito!"

Lito focused his energy. The Light artifact responded to his intent, releasing a purifying pulse into the mist. The glowing crystals embedded in the wolf's flesh shattered into dust. The creature collapsed, breathing heavily—but free of corruption.

All three wolves lay still, alive and docile. Truth examined the crystals forming at the bottom of her sample vial.

"The corruption here is intense… but it's not the source. It's being fed from somewhere else."

Lito unfolded a worn map. "If we follow the river upstream, we might find whoever did this."

The group hiked along the river until they reached a waterfall cascading into a deep basin. Behind it, a narrow crevice pulsed with a faint, eerie green light.

Nia grinned. "Looks like someone left us a creepy little invitation."

"Oh good," Truth mumbled. "A haunted cave. My favorite."

Inside, the cavern stretched high above them like a cathedral, its walls lined with towering corruption crystals that pulsed with ominous blue-green light. But at the center of the cave, a pool of water shimmered like liquid moonlight.

Truth gasped. "That resonance… it's holy water. Untouched. A primal counterforce to the corruption."

A slow, mocking clap echoed around them.

From the shadows emerged a figure draped in emerald robes, face obscured by a twisted crystal mask. His staff radiated corrupted energy.

"How touching," the figure sneered. "The heroes of Eden come to play alchemist and priest. But you're far too late."

Lito stepped forward, narrowing his eyes. "Who are you? Why corrupt the river?"

"Why? Because stagnation is death. Your kingdom clings to purity like it's sacred. But evolution... evolution demands sacrifice."

He slammed the staff to the ground. The crystals pulsed.

"I don't care about your holy puddle. I came to *erase you*."

Tendrils of corrupted energy lashed out toward the group.

"Scatter!" Lito shouted.

They dove behind nearby rock formations as shards of corruption exploded around them.

"Seriously?!" Nia yelled. "We're not even allowed to admire ancient springs without getting attacked by alchemy psychos anymore?"

Luna raised a shield of moonlight, blocking the next wave. "I thought villains usually went for the treasure first."

"Clearly," Truth muttered, ducking another blast, "this one skipped Strategy Class."

"SILENCE!" the masked figure bellowed.

Nia spun her scythe. "Make me!"

She leapt through the chaos, flames swirling around her. The scythe collided with the enemy's staff in a burst of light.

"You will drown in Eden's sins!" the villain hissed.

"I don't even know how to swim!" Nia retorted.

The villain surged power into his staff. Luna chanted, raising her artifact high. Moonlight burst from the cavern's ceiling, illuminating her form.

"Rise, Tides of Clarity!"

Water erupted from the holy pool and spiraled upward, forming a vortex of silvery power. The tendrils of corruption twisted and writhed as they were drawn into the vortex.

"Contain him!" Lito shouted.

Truth hurled a vial into the water spiral. It burst, spreading a mist of blue chemical tracer that illuminated the corruption.

"Now, Nia!"

"Gladly!" Nia spun again. "Scorching Waltz!"

Her flames ignited into phoenix-shaped wings, slamming into the vortex. Steam hissed, obscuring vision.

"Air, Lito!" Truth called.

Lito summoned a wind current, directing the smoke into a ball and sealing it inside a containment bottle. Truth grabbed it, eyes gleaming.

"That'll be useful later."

As the steam faded, the corruption receded. The masked villain staggered backward, crystals on his body shattering.

His mask cracked, revealing an elven face twisted by decay and ambition.

"You... can't... stop evolution..."

With a final, pained cry, he turned to ash.

---

Silence returned to the cavern.

Truth knelt at the edge of the holy water. "This isn't just a cure. This pool is ancient. These caverns were once part of Eden's alchemical heritage. This is the source of the original High Potions."

Lito looked out over the water. "We could use it. Not just to heal, but to power our kingdom."

Luna nodded. "The energy from this pool could run our Light Artifacts. We wouldn't need to rely on external mana supplies."

Truth's eyes lit up. "Yes! It's a perfect conductor. I could set up purification channels. I'll need resources, time, and at least three more interns."

"Interns?" Nia said. "You mean victims."

Truth ignored her. "If I can bottle even a portion, we can recreate Eden's old High Potions. Sell them. Power trade."

Nia leaned against her scythe, uncharacteristically subdued. "That elf... he thought this corruption was the future. How many others think like that?"

Lito placed a hand on her shoulder. "Then we save them. Like we saved the wolves."

---

By the time they returned to Eden, plans had been set:

- Truth would remain at the holy pool site to conduct long-term research, extract holy water, and recreate the famed High Potions.

- Nia was assigned to oversee the water wheel generator construction, ensuring it safely transferred the pool's energy into the kingdom's power grid.

- Luna returned with Lito to Eden, resting after the fierce battle and preparing for political negotiations.

The future shimmered like the holy spring: bright, sacred, and hard-won.

To Be Continued...