"Beth! Save me!!"
A desperate cry tore through the mist-laden forest, its echoes clinging to the damp air of the pre-dawn darkness. The night wind carried the scent of wet leaves, and beneath its whispering hush, a ragged breath lurked unseen.
"Tch, so annoying." Beth rolled her eyes, irritation flickering across her face. Her dark, ash-gray bangs swayed slightly in the breeze, and her shoulder-length hair danced with the movement. Hovering midair on her broomstick, she twirled her wand between her fingers, its tip pulsing with an eerie blue glow.
"Aether Magic #31—Azure Thunder."
Bolts of blue lightning erupted like furious serpents, slicing through the night. The crackling energy streaked past the trembling young man, slamming into the griffon that had lunged at him. A deafening roar shattered the silence as a burst of sparks illuminated the clearing. Then, just as swiftly as it had begun, the forest of Mistwood fell into a breathless stillness—save for the smoldering embers that crackled against the scorched earth.
Beth dismounted her broom with effortless grace, her boots landing softly against the dirt. Dust curled around her ankles as she crossed her arms, fixing the young man with a gaze as sharp as a dagger.
"Gred! Just how much trouble are you planning to cause us?! The ceremony is about to start! If you don't hurry back, you'll miss it entirely!" She exhaled sharply, her frustration tipping over into raised volume. "Didn't you say you wanted to meet Princess Seraphina more than anything?"
"Hah… 'more than anything' is a bit much~" Gred scratched the back of his head, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. A telltale red crept up his cheeks. "I heard there's treasure hidden in this forest, so I figured I'd check it out. I can't go back empty-handed, right?" He puffed out his chest, exuding a confidence that was, quite frankly, undeserved.
"This is Mistwood! And you're just an ordinary human who doesn't even know basic magic! If you keep going deeper, you'll get yourself killed!" Beth snapped, her brows knitting together.
But before she could say more, Gred was already striding off, his pace light and carefree as if he were simply out for a morning stroll.
"Relax! You're here to protect me, aren't you?" He waved a hand dismissively over his shoulder, his voice infuriatingly cheerful. "With a powerful witch like you around, what's there to worry about?"
"Ugh, honestly… you've been reckless ever since we were kids." Beth sighed in exasperation. She flicked her wand absentmindedly as she followed him, and her broomstick obediently floated along beside her.
The deeper they ventured, the darker the forest became. The thick canopy swallowed the moonlight, leaving only the cold, creeping embrace of shadows. The air grew heavy, and an unnatural silence settled over them—the kind that made the skin crawl, as if the whole world was holding its breath.
Then, the darkness became absolute.
Beth slowed her steps, her grip tightening around her wand.
"Grant light and sever the void. Bind, firefly moth—blaze, thornflame. Let there be order in the abyss. Mundane #2, Luminiball!"
As her chant came to an end, she raised her wand high. A brilliant orb of light bloomed from its tip, golden radiance pushing back the encroaching dark.
"Is it a full incantation…?" Gred blinked in mild surprise.
"Yes. The spell requires a larger source of light." Beth replied coolly.
"So… do you know every incantation by heart?"
"Of course. Even if a spell isn't castable, knowing the incantation is basic knowledge for a sorcerer." Her tone was matter-of-fact, as if reciting an unshakable truth.
"Uh-huh… and exactly how many spells are there?" Gred asked, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
"If you mean Arcane Codex spells, there are seventeen major branches, totaling one thousand eight hundred and seventy-one spells."
Gred's jaw nearly dropped. "Damn… I can barely remember a three-line chant."
Beth ignored his remark, her sharp eyes scanning their surroundings. Then, her voice dropped to a murmur. "Something's wrong… Where are the animals? The insects? It's too quiet."
Her gaze locked onto something ahead.
"Look over there."
A tower. Small and ancient, its black stone walls were choked with moss and ivy. Time had forgotten it, yet faint traces of light seeped through the cracks in its heavy doors.
Beth stepped forward, placing her palm against the door. It didn't budge. Frowning, she pushed harder—still nothing.
"Not a standard arcane lock… This is magic I've never seen before." She muttered, suspicion threading through her voice.
Gred stepped beside her, running his fingers along the intricate carvings. The moment he did, the pendant around his neck pulsed with a soft, golden glow.
The door shuddered.
With a deep, soundless groan, it swung open, revealing a yawning tunnel of pitch-black descent.
Beth inhaled sharply. "Impossible…" She turned to Gred, eyes widening in disbelief, then back to the dark void beyond the threshold.
"Haha! The treasure's clearly right here!" Gred shouted excitedly, his eyes gleaming with thrill. Without hesitation, he rushed into the passage, sprinting into the depths of the darkness.
Beth stood still, not immediately stopping him. She furrowed her brow, lost in thought for a moment, then quickened her pace to follow.
The two continued down the staircase until they saw a faint flicker of firelight in the darkness. As they stepped into the room, they found themselves surrounded by walls that resembled a cave, the stone uneven and rough. Seven magical lanterns floated from the ceiling, casting a dim light. Despite this, the room still felt shrouded in shadows.
In the center of the room stood a stone pedestal, upon which rested a hand-shaped sculpture, its palm tightly clenched around something, as if guarding a precious item. Surrounding it were seven stone statues, each one exuding an eerie, unsettling presence.
Beth cautiously approached, but Gred couldn't wait. He hurried forward and made his way straight to the strange hand sculpture on the pedestal.
"This hand's definitely holding something... hmm... whatever it is, it's gotta be a priceless treasure!" Gred exclaimed, excitement in his voice.
Beth didn't respond. Instead, she raised her wand, and a beam of light illuminated one of the statues.
"Hellfire, with thorns and wings of torment... This is the fallen god of pride, Lucifer..."
She shifted the light to another statue.
"Surrounded by a mountain of corpses, with wars raging endlessly... This is the bloodthirsty and wrathful god of war, Ares..."
The light moved once again, casting its glow on another statue.
"Holding the forbidden fruit, symbolizing lust and downfall; this is Aphrodite and Asmodeus..." Beth murmured softly.
"Wait a moment..." Gred's voice suddenly became animated. "I think I can see what it's holding! It... it's a necklace!"
"Perfect!" He clapped his hands, eyes gleaming with joy. "I plan to give it as a gift to Princess Seraphina—"
Before Gred could finish, the seven statues around them began to crack. These fragments disintegrated into fine gray dust and debris; however, the ashes did not fall to the ground as expected. Instead, they swirled in the air, forming seven distinct currents that flowed toward the object held by the stone hand in the center of the room. The stone hand, which had been tightly clenched, began to slowly open, its fingers extending to reveal the item it had been guarding.