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Chapter 136 - Chapter 136 - Failure

As Mistress Hellyne and Master Tavrin discussed their plan, Von's thoughts continued to race with worry and guilt. He couldn't shake the feeling of being responsible for unleashing this dangerous artifact upon the world, and now it fell to him to help rectify the situation.

As if sensing his turmoil, Mistress Hellyne turned and knelt down to address him directly, her expression softening with understanding. "Von, I understand that you may be feeling responsible for what has transpired," she began, her voice gentle yet firm. "But don't let yourself worry too much about it. You are young and it's important to remember, mistakes are a natural part of learning and growth. What matters now is addressing the situation then moving forward."

Von nodded, his gaze meeting hers as he absorbed her words. He knew that dwelling on his past actions wouldn't change the present, but he couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency to make things right. A thought came to mind. What if he used temporal crafting to manipulate the sword into what it could be in the future? Or fixing the problem, he could cleanse it with time magic by resetting it back to its unimbued state.

Before he could suggest this, Mistress Hellyne started outlining the specifics of their plan. They would utilize her unique abilities and knowledge of demon lore to contain Marshfang's vampiric influence, while the other mages and smiths would provide support and assistance as needed.

As Mistress Hellyne and the other mages outlined their plan, Von listened intently, his mind racing with ideas and possibilities. He knew temporal crafting could be a risky endeavor, but if done correctly, it might offer a solution to the problem at hand. However, he also understood the inherent dangers involved in tampering with time magic, and he hesitated to suggest such a drastic measure without fully considering the consequences.

As the discussion continued, Von weighed the risks and benefits of using temporal crafting to cleanse Marshfang of its vampiric influence. On one hand, it could potentially restore the sword to its original state, free from the dark magic threatening to consume everyone around it. On the other hand, any misstep in the temporal manipulation could have disastrous consequences, altering the fabric of reality in unforeseen ways.

So far, he thought he should leave the attempt to the elders present. Despite being an archmage himself and an 'elder' to the school, he didn't have the experience the others had accumulated over their lifetime. Having power without experience seemed to be worse than having experience with no power at all. This would be another life lesson, one unfortunately taught to him by himself and his mistake.

Mistress Hellyne and the others declared their readiness. One of the silver-robed mages would use protective magics to defend against the bursts of energy while Hellyne would run in ahead of her to use her own demonic abilities to neutralize the harmful effects of the sword. The others, including Oren, would use their auras to bolster hers to speed the process while Grimdon would open the forge door long enough for everyone to enter, then close it behind them to keep the pulses contained within the forge.

With their plan in place, the group prepared to set it into motion, each member taking up their designated roles with a sense of purpose and determination. Von watched as Mistress Hellyne and the other mages readied themselves, their expressions focused on the task at hand. Despite his own reservations about his lack of experience, he felt a surge of admiration for their courage and resolve.

As they made their final preparations, Von couldn't shake the feeling of unease gnawing at the edges of his mind. He knew that the outcome of their endeavor was far from certain, and the risks involved were substantial. Yet, he also understood, sometimes, in order to achieve something truly meaningful, one must be willing to take bold risks and face the unknown head-on.

With a deep breath, Von pushed aside his doubts and fears, steeling himself for the task ahead. He knew that he may not have the experience of the elders, but he was determined to do whatever he could to support their efforts and help ensure the success of their mission.

As Grimdon opened the forge door, the group stepped inside, their resolve unwavering in the face of the looming threat. With each pulse of energy from Marshfang, they pressed forward, their movements synchronized and purposeful. Mistress Hellyne led the way, with her demonic abilities ready to protect her while the protective mage, Jonathon, shielded them from harm as they advanced towards the source of the green pulses of magic.

As they reached the sword, Von felt a surge of adrenaline course through his veins, his heart pounding with anticipation. With a collective effort, they unleashed their combined powers, channeling them into bolstering Hellyne's aura while she Marshfang in an attempt to cleanse it of its vampiric influence. The air crackled with both positive energy and green pulses as they worked, the very fabric of reality seeming to ripple and warp around them.

For a moment, it felt as though time itself had stopped, suspended in a state of flux as they poured their energies into the sword. Unexpectedly, with a final surge of power, a great green pulse larger than the others swept forth from the sword pushing the final silk sheet from on top of it. The barrier surrounding the mages and Von shatter as though it were brittle clay. The auras and essences being used to bolster Mistress Hellyne were suddenly pulled from the quarter-demon as the dark green light completely enveloped her. 

As the green pulse surged forth from Marshfang, Von and the other mages watched in horror as the protective barrier shattered like glass, leaving them exposed to the full force of the dark energy emanating from the sword. They could only look on helplessly as Mistress Hellyne was engulfed by the green light, her aura floundering rapidly against the vampiric influence of the sword took hold. The mages' horror turned into their worst nightmare as Hellyne dropped to the floor, her aura fading from around her.

 With a sinking feeling in his chest, Von realized that their attempt to cleanse Marshfang had only made things worse. The dark magic within the sword seemed to be growing stronger by the moment, feeding off the very essence of those who had attempted to contain it.

They turned toward the door, each of them feeling weaker for having been hit by the pulse, but before they could flee to the door, a second pulse engulfed them in a dark green cocoon sappy their auras to a bare minimum. As the second pulse swept through the forge, enveloping them in its dark embrace, Von felt his own aura being sapped away, leaving him feeling weak and vulnerable. He struggled to maintain his footing as the green light filled the room, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

Then with a third pulse, the entire room glowed with the deep green forcing the door to swung open leaving Grimdon wide-eyed as the glow overtook him and the few others in the shop. Each of them felt their bodies grow week and made a conscious effort to minimize the effects of falling.

With the front door open, the green light burst into the street in a cone emanating from the smithy and entering the city of Sungrove. The streets of Sungrove were bathed in the sickly green glow causing those who were unfortunate enough to be caught in its path to feel their strength draining away with each passing moment. Panic began to spread as people stumbled and fell, their bodies weakened by the malevolent energy that emanated from the forge.

Each person who was touched by the light felt weaker, but was uncertain why, but only those close along the street were weakened to the point of falling. The remainder managed to keep their feet and move hastily away from the shop knowing of backfires from magic item creation.

With a sense of urgency, Von realized someone needed to act quickly to contain the spreading darkness and stop the rampage of Marshfang. Despite feeling weakened by the malevolent energy, he knew they couldn't afford to stand idly by while Sungrove fell under its grip. With grim determination, he looked around trying to find some way of stopping the vile pulses only to find he was the only person moving.

Feeling the weight of responsibility pressing down upon him, Von steeled himself against the waves of dark energy emanating from Marshfang. With each pulse, he felt his strength wane, but he refused to succumb to despair. Clenching his fists, he summoned the last vestiges of his willpower and determination.

As he reached the door, another pulse of dark energy surged forth from Marshfang, threatening to engulf him in its malevolent embrace. With a fierce resolve, Von grabbed hold of the door and bracing himself against the onslaught of the sickly green light pulled with what little strength he had remaining preventing the pulse from further spilling out into the streets of Sungrove.

As he lay on the floor, weakened by the pulse yet still grasping the door to keep it closed, Von heard the familiar sound of his system.