I left Serena at Celine's for the entire night, electing to grab necessities from Nivara. Knowing mages, they probably talked about magic the entire night.
Those obsessive types... If I had stayed, my brain probably would've melted.
The hut was quiet when I arrived except for the soft murmur of voices inside. I knocked gently, balancing the sack of supplies on my hip. When no one answered, I pushed the door open and found Serena and Celine sitting opposite each other at the old wooden table. Scrolls and tomes lay scattered between them, glowing faintly in the dim light of the room.
Celine's crimson eyes gleamed with motherly patience, her voice smooth and gentle. "Now, tell me again what happens when the barrier's mana flow is disrupted at the anchor points."
Serena, her brow furrowed in concentration, traced a diagram with her finger on a parchment. "The entire structure collapses. But in this spell, the mana flow is self-repairing. That's the mutation that you speak of, I'm assuming. The disruptions mend themselves faster than they can unravel, which makes it…" She sighed heavily. "Impossible."
Celine chuckled softly, leaning back in her chair. "Impossible? Perhaps. But impossible, more often than not, means no one has found the solution yet."
I set the supplies down quietly, not wanting to interrupt, though my curiosity got the better of me.
"Is this the same barrier spell we've been working on?" I asked, drawing their attention.
Celine nodded. "Indeed. Serena was just telling me how hopeless it seems to untangle."
I raised an eyebrow. "Really? After seeing you fiddle with The Fortress, I thought that this would've been a piece of cake for you."
Serena shot me a look, part frustration, part embarrassment. "Non-mages don't get to comment," she pouted. I guess my teasing was too much for her.
"I've been looking at this with Celine for the entire night! This spell is ancient and the craftsmanship is leagues beyond anything I've seen before. I don't even know where to start."
Celine tapped a finger against her chin thoughtfully. "Ancient, yes. But also a relic of stagnation. Human mages should've refined magic over the centuries. Tell me, Serena, what kind of magic did you specialize in during your studies?"
Serena hesitated for a moment, then straightened in her chair. "Defense magic. I've been studying it since I was a child."
Celine's crimson gaze sharpened with interest. "Defense magic? Why?"
A faint blush crept into Serena's cheeks, her hand subconsciously reaching for her ear. "When I was young, I was… different. My appearance made me a target for bullies and every day was painful. But then one day, a passing mage saw me being harassed. He blocked their attacks with a barrier spell—effortlessly. From that moment, I decided I wanted to learn to protect others the way he protected me."
Her voice grew quieter, tinged with bitterness. "But my family never approved. They're militaristic, focused on attack spells and combat. To them, my research was a waste of time. Defense magic, they said, was already advanced enough to block most attacks."
Celine's gaze softened, and warmth exuded from her as she gently ran her fingers through Serena's hair. "Pay no mind to their ignorance, child," she murmured, her voice steady yet filled with a quiet conviction. "They are blind to the truth. I remember the birth of defense magic—its very inception. It wasn't just a tool; it became the cornerstone of every mage's survival, the barrier that holds firm when all else crumbles. If you have dedicated your life to mastering such an art, then believe me, you possess the strength to unravel this spell."
Serena frowned, shaking her head. "Thank you for your praise, Miss Orien. But that same mastery is the reason why I know dispelling this is impossible. I can see the layers of complexity. It's like trying to unweave a tapestry without cutting the threads."
Celine smiled gently and turned her gaze to me. "Tell me, Serena. Do you also think it's impossible for a man with no mana to rule a city left to the dogs and grow strong enough to slay monsters most would flee from?"
Serena blinked, caught off guard. She glanced at me, her eyes searching. "Adrian's a musclehead who deals with things head on," she admitted.
"Hey, I'm right here," I quipped.
"But I guess he wasn't always that way. He worked hard to get to where he is. So… no, I can't say it's impossible. To do so is to deny his very existence."
"Precisely." Celine leaned forward, her voice firm yet encouraging. "Just as he is living proof that hard work and determination can defy the odds, in my eyes, so are you. From the moment you entered this hut, you subconsciously treated the barrier like any other spell. It wasn't until I told you how intricate it was that you began to be intimidated by it. The only thing holding you back now is your own doubts."
Serena's expression didn't shift. In fact, she furrowed her brow even deeper. Despite Celine's encouraging words, she was unconvinced as she pored over the scrolls again.
Celine gave me an exasperated gaze, silently urging me to say a word to her.
I sighed in resignation, but before I could utter a word, a loud and ostentatious voice rang through the door.
"Oi! Whoever's in there, step outside right now!"
The three of us turned toward the door. Looking through the window, we were greeted by the sight of an adventurer swaggering toward the hut. He was dressed in gaudy, expensive armor that looked more for show than function, and he carried a large, obnoxious sword strapped to his back. With him were three others, ready for a skirmish.
"I've been tasked by the adventurers' guild to slay the vampire that lives here," he announced, puffing out his chest. "Celine the Blood Hound, this is the day you die!"
Celine sighed, her expression shifting to one of irritation. "Oh, wonderful. Another self-important fool who thinks he can kill me."
Serena glanced at me, her staff already summoned in her hand. I stuck my head through the window, trying to keep my voice calm. "I'm Lord Adrian Lysvalen of the Nivara Frontier! Adventurer, please, there's no need for this. I'm sure I can talk to the Adventurers' Guild and settle this peacefully."
"Quiet!" the adventurer snapped, drawing his sword with a dramatic flourish. "I saw the reward for that old hag. Even if you're the lord of the city, I won't let you stop me."
Celine chuckled darkly, her crimson eyes glowing faintly. "Did he just call me an old hag?"
Fuck.
"Hey Celine, let me handle this," I said as I reached for my sword, heart steady despite the chaos, but she stopped me with a calm voice.
"No, Adrian. Let your fiancée handle it."
I turned to face her, frowning. "Serena?"
"Yes," she replied simply. Then with a flick of her wrist, Serena was cast outside, her form suddenly appearing in the clearing like a displaced specter. The door behind her slammed shut with a hum of magic, locking me within.
"What are you doing? She's a research mage. She's not used to battle!"
"Magic isn't something you only study," Celine said, her eyes half-lidded, her smile faint. "Her mind needs to expand and battle is one of the many avenues that can do that."
Outside, Serena spun, banging her fist against the door. "Celine! Let me back in!"
The vampire's voice echoed in her mind, soft and insistent. "No. Face them, little one. This is your trial to solve."
Turning back toward the adventurers, Serena gripped her staff. A tremor ran through her hands. The leader laughed, his voice sharp and condescending.
"What's this? They send a girl with a twig to face us?" His party chuckled.
The mage among them stepped forward, amusement flickering in his eyes. "This won't take long," he said, his staff glowing faintly as he began a chant. Sparks of electricity danced along its surface before he unleashed a bolt of lightning.
The sky roared with his power, the air searing as the bolt struck true. Dust and smoke billowed, obscuring Serena entirely.
Then, silence.
As the dust settled, Serena stood, unscathed. Tiny, ethereal shields floated in the air around her, glimmering with faint blue light. They shimmered as though alive, their presence calm and unyielding.
The mage took an uneasy step back, his confidence faltering. "What...?"
Serena tilted her head, her voice calm but laced with a curious edge. "Was that Fulgur?" she asked, her fear eclipsed by something far more disarming—genuine intrigue. "I was certain its power was far greater than that the last time I saw it. Was I mistaken?"
She gestured, and the shields shifted subtly, forming an intricate pattern around her. The rogue dashed forward, knives glinting under the moonlight, his footfalls silent. Without even looking at him, the shields shifted, tilting at angles that deflected the blows effortlessly.
The swordsman charged next, his heavy blade cleaving through the air. Sparks flew as his strike met one of her barriers head-on, his momentum halted entirely.
The mage, desperate now, began another chant, weaving fire into his hands. Serena raised her staff, her voice calm as she whispered her own incantation.
"Refract."
The fireball hurtled toward her, blazing with destructive intent, but the moment it struck the shield, it fractured into radiant shards of flame. Each fragment veered off in an arc, spiraling back toward the caster and his companions. The explosions erupted at their feet, engulfing the area in searing heat and smoke. The mage yelped as the force knocked him off balance, his scorched robes billowing as he tumbled to the ground in a dazed sprawl.
The leader roared in frustration, slamming his sword into the ground. "Enough of this!" He lunged at Serena, his sword glowing with enchantment.
For a moment, Serena hesitated. Her shields wavered slightly as his power bore down on her. But then she remembered Celine's words: "The only thing holding you back now is your own doubts."
With a flick of her wrist, she poured her mana into the shields, amplifying their strength. The leader's blade struck, but it was as though he'd hit a wall of steel. The impact reverberated, throwing him off balance.
Taking a deep breath, Serena pointed her staff at the ground. Blue light rippled outward in a circle, the air shimmering with energy.
"This ends now," she said softly.
The light expanded, swallowing the clearing in a gentle radiance. The adventurers froze, as cages if translucent energy locked them in, their weapons dropping to their sides. The leader plopped to the ground, his bravado fading as he looked at her, suddenly aware of the power she held.
The rogue muttered, "What the fuck is she…?"
Serena lowered her staff, her shoulders relaxing. "Save your breath," she said with a sly smirk. "After all, you have a lot of explaining to do to your lord."
When the door to the hut reopened, Celine was smiling. I, however, rushed to meet her.
"Hey, are you ok?" I said, examining her for injuries.
"Calm down, Lord Adrian," she chuckled. "As you can see, I'm fine."
I then turned my gaze towards the adventurers, "Attacking a noble is punishable by death you know?" I said, letting every word weigh heavy on them. "But you know what, I'll be merciful and lighten the punishment."
They gulped unconsciously.
"What a worrywart," the Celine said gently, as she pulled me back. "As you can see, she's more than capable. She just needed to put that theory into practice."
Serena looked down at her hands, the faint remnants of her mana still tingling in her fingertips. "I think... I know how to get you out of here now, Miss Orien."
Celine chuckled. "Do you now? Well, maybe throwing you to the wolves is the best method in teaching you then."
Serena replied with her own wry chuckle. "Please, do be gentler with me in the future."