Deciding to ignore these small pries in his current state, Arion swiftly ran toward the statue, his glowing fist radiating with intense light.
With a powerful punch, he struck the statue, his blow landing with such ferocity that it not only punctured the stone deeply but also triggered an explosion of white light that engulfed the surrounding area.
The statue crumbled into dust, leaving nothing but a faint shimmer in the air.
However, the moment his fist made contact with the statue, Arion's vision blurred, and he found himself transported to a dark, eerie cave.
The air was thick with the stench of decay, and the ground was littered with countless corpses.
Humans, elves, beastmen, and even mythical creatures like unicorns were among the lifeless bodies strewn across the cavern floor.
In the center of the cave stood a grotesque, pale-white creature, its body riddled with open wounds that oozed pus and blood. The creature moved with a sickening purpose, roughly tossing the corpses into a silvery pool that shimmered like liquid mercury.
Arion watched in horror as the bodies melted like butter upon touching the pool, dissolving into the strange liquid. "Well, that's disgusting," he muttered to himself, trying not to gag.
Before he could process what the hell he was seeing, his vision snapped back to the present.
The statue was gone, reduced to nothing but dust. The explosion of white light had dissipated, leaving Arion standing in the aftermath of his own handiwork.
Unbeknownst to him, a woman had been watching the entire scene from a distance.
…
This woman, who appeared to be in her twenties but was far older than she looked, was none other than the headmaster of the academy.
She had been away during the city's ceremony, summoned by her former superior to address troubling reports of increased activity from the followers of the Void Serpent. As one of the strongest Weavers in the kingdom, her presence had been deemed essential.
After a grueling journey, she finally returned to the academy that very night.
Upon her arrival, she wasted no time calling a meeting with the teachers to discuss the progress of the students and their futures, particularly those who had demonstrated blessings from Ether.
The meeting had just concluded when chaos erupted. Out of nowhere, countless Void Spawns descended upon the academy, their numbers so overwhelming that even the headmaster found herself struggling to contain them.
Prioritizing the female dormitory, which was closest to the meeting hall, she led a group of teachers and guards in a desperate effort to stabilize the situation.
The male dormitory, being farther away, weighed heavily on her mind, but she had no choice but to focus on the immediate threat.
The Void Spawns were relentless and felt like there was no end to them – and even with her immense power, the battle was grueling.
Just as she was done and prepared to head toward the male dormitory, a man appeared, blocking her path.
He was one of the Chosen Serpents, a cunning and ruthless adversary. Their battle was fierce and unrelenting, with the man deliberately stalling her at every turn. Despite her best efforts, he managed to kill two teachers and a guard during their fight.
Their clash dragged on, each of them matching the other's strength.
Whenever she used magic to enhance her abilities, the man countered with his own. The prolonged use of such powerful magic began to take its toll on both of them, their movements slowing as exhaustion set in.
As the fight continued, a sense of dread suddenly crept over her.
She recalled the horrifying tales of the Chosen Serpents' atrocities, including a ritual that sacrificed entire cities to the Void Serpent.
The ritual's core was a serpent stone statue, and if it wasn't destroyed in time, everyone in the vicinity – Void Spawns included – would be sacrificed, leaving only the Chosen Serpent alive.
"Let me guess," she said, panting as she parried another attack. "You're planning to sacrifice everyone here to your creepy snake god?"
The man chuckled darkly. "Bingo. And you, my dear, are the guest of honor."
"Flattered," she deadpanned, then gritted her teeth. "But I think I'll pass."
Determined to stop him, she fought harder, but their strength was too evenly matched.
Every time she gained the upper hand – he countered with a move of his own. The battle dragged on, and with each passing moment, her anxiety grew. She had to find a way to end this, and fast.
…
As the fight continued between the female headmaster, Arabella Finch, and the man known as the Chosen Serpent, an unexpected turn of events unfolded.
Abruptly, the man left in a hurry amidst the chaos of battle. This sudden departure left Arabella feeling confused and wary. She hesitated, wondering if he had devised another cunning plan to attack those behind her, just as he had done before.
Minutes passed, and the man still did not return.
Concerned about the ritual that might still be in progress, Arabella decided to follow his trace using her magic.
She hurriedly made her way toward the location where Arion and the man were engaged in combat. As she approached, she watched in awe as a figure enveloped in a red aura and wearing a red mask delivered a powerful punch to the man in the black cloak, striking and piercing him squarely in the stomach.
And then, to her astonishment, she noticed that the man in a red aura emitted a strange smoke from the countless wounds on him, which began to close gradually within seconds. She recognized it as a form of regeneration magic, one that was incredibly complex in its formula, method, and system.
Even she had taken a considerable amount of time to master such advanced magic.
"What is that red aura?" she thought.
Her eyes were then drawn to the glowing white hand that radiated immense pressure.
It reminded her of a vast aura from a spell she had once witnessed her teacher perform, but she sensed that the method of using this particular spell possibly was even more intricate.
Arabella continued to observe as the man deftly maneuvered through the cries of the Void Spawn, who had once again awakened and were attempting to attack him.
He dodged their assaults with ease, and soon after, he reached a statue that crumbled under the force of his attack.
Above them, an invisible glass-like barrier appeared to be in a state of cracking, producing bizarre sounds reminiscent of shattering glass. The cracks spread rapidly across the sky like spider webs, eventually cascading down to the ground. The sight was mesmerizing, resembling a shower of twinkling black gems or stars scattered across the night sky, only to vanish into thin air moments later.
As the man became engulfed by the Void Spawn, Arabella felt a surge of determination. Without a second thought, she rushed forward, intent on helping him.
…