She heaved an exhausted sigh. That caster's battle had left her mana reserves almost depleted.
Hopefully she could still manage to finish this little excursion, find the prince and go back home to Marjorana.
Briar was fond of adventures and he had even had journeyed across the other kingdoms on his own.
So Atropa knew that he could somehow take care of himself even without her help.
She just hope that she would be able to find him soon and get out of this place.
"Well done!" an applause resounded. Atropa was suddenly on guard.
"You defeated your opponent. However, you have failed to destroy its phylactery. It meant that the lich will still come back in another form." The voice commented.
Atropa then turned her attention towards the voice. But still the owner remained invisible.
So the girl tried to look around to find the source. However, as she allowed her gaze to travel the chamber, she was taken aback.
Gone was the well-lit room. In its stead was a chamber shrouded in darkness.
Save for Atropa's amulet and the remnants of the spells, there were no other source of light.
The dome with that marvelous glass ceiling had vanished. And all that was left were the ruins.
"So it was an illusion after all." She muttered as she tried to find the fae.
However, she could not see the fae still, thus, she concentrated her mana and closed her eyes.
She felt the mana radiate within her and then she allowed her mana to spread in the surroundings.
At first there was no reaction but as the ripples of mana reached the entire chamber, she finally detected a life source.
The corner of her lips turned upward as she produced a mana ball.
"You better show yourself before I lose my patience." She threatened. "I have some questions for you and I need honest answers."
"Like I will show myself to a child of man." The fae scoffed.
Atropa seemed to have snapped. Her eyes glow fiery red as she clenched her teeth.
She cancelled out the mana ball. One mana ball does not seem that intimidating for the fae.
In that case, Atropa needs to be really threatening, which means she needs to use that.
Raising her hand, she produced several reddish pentagrams. Out from them, tongues of flames appeared.
"Do you honestly think. I do not know where you are hiding? You better come out now before I incinerate the whole place." Atropa threatened.
When the fae did not show herself, the witch had launched one of the flames towards one of the biggest crevice.
"Kyaaa!" the fae screamed. "Fine I will come out! Just don't attack me."
Atropa clenched her fist and the pentagrams had disappeared. She then waited for the fae to show herself.
In order to not be played and deceived by the fae again, Atropa did not lower her guard.
When finally, the fae had emerged from her hiding, the witch was definitely taken by surprise.
"You're so small…" Atropa muttered as she scrutinized the palm-sized being with butterfly-like wings.
"Of course, I am small! I am a pixie… You are so mean!" the fae cried out childishly.
"Would you mind telling me why you made those undead attack me?" the witch asked as if she was talking to a toddler.
When the fae refused to answer, Atropa produced a fire ball in her hand.
"Stop that! Fine! I will tell you." The fae's eyes widened before she finally fluttered near the girl.
The she crossly answered. "We did not command those witless things to attack you. Those had been left here for some reasons."
"Our lady had just wanted you to clean them up." The fae haughtily added as she flipped her golden hair. "It is quite rare for people like you to come and successfully infiltrate our place without dying."
"So now that we have cleaned this place from impurities, what would you make us do?" Atropa continued her interrogation.
The fae answered. "Cleaning the corruption was a test given by the lady fada. If you succeed, you will be able to meet her."
"I think I was able to defeat the lich, so do I get to meet your lady?" Atropa asked.
The fae would like to refuse but a woman's voice resonated through the chamber. "Persetta, take our esteemed guest to me."
Persetta had no choice but to obey. She grumbled as she led the way. "I cannot believe such a lowly being would have the privilege to meet Lady Persia."
Though a bit apprehensive, Atropa followed the tiny being.
"We are here." Persetta declared after a few minutes of navigating through the darkened halls.
Atropa stopped in front of a heavy double door with ornate carvings. The door depicted faes of light and the blessing they bestowed to several people.
When the door opened, light flooded in and temporarily blinded her. She raised her hand to shield her eyes.
Just then she felt a push behind her back which made her stumble forward. Atropa lost her balance and almost fell face flat on the floor.
But she managed to regain her balance in time.
As her eyes adjusted, she was surprised to find herself in a well-lit chamber.
Behind that door was like another world.
The area was filled with plants and flowering shrubs. Creepers had found themselves intertwining with the columns that support the ceiling.
The place where Atropa had found herself was similar to a throne room. Only that it was ruined with age.
Trees and plants had already invaded most of the space and moon beams filtered through the some of the windows.
There was not much furniture saved for a throne at the center. Then, a few paces away was an altar which held a bejeweled dagger in place.
Atropa could feel some sort of throbbing from the dagger. The girl narrowed her eyes at the item.
But her focus was taken by a female silhouette which seemed to be guarding the altar. It was blurry at first but it gradually became clear.
Four pairs of incandescent wings had grabbed Atropa's attention first. When the light slowly receded, her form had become vivid.
The woman has elongated ears and golden hair that cascades down her frame. Her eyes were golden and were filled with mirth.
"So you are the one calling me." She said in a trance as if she was talking to the apparition.
"Why? What do you want from me?" she asked while walking towards the dagger.
But she suddenly stopped short when she felt the presence of other beings in the chamber.