33 – Rage
~3rd person POV~
*Thud*
The sound of a body falling on the ground. The one that fell on the ground wasn't Magnus. But Leona. She reacted in an instant towards the malevolence sent by Yridian and shielded Magnus. Unfortunately, she took the full force of his swing.
A diagonal wound was carved into her body, her fresh blood splattered and she fell on the ground. “Hubby… run… at least… you should escape…”. And then she went silent.
“Leona!! Rose, quickly, help me heal her!”
As Magnus cried desperately, Rose could only clench her fists.
“I… can't. That wound… can't be healed.”
“What are you saying?”
Not wanting to believe Rose’s words, Magnus started casting healing magic himself. Perhaps Rose didn't have enough mana to heal such a wound. Yridian didn't make any other moves. He watched silently.
Green sparks formed around Leona's body and the magic circle was instantly broken.
“What!?”
“It's pointless. Allow me to enlighten you. My sword is a cursed weapon. Any wound caused by it will temporarily prevent any form of healing or recovery. That woman's fate is sealed.” (Yridian)
Sealed? Are you telling me Leona is going to die?
Magnus was spaced out. He could not comprehend the events happening before him. After facing betrayal, he finally found companions who he could open up to. Unlike Crimson Raid, these people cared for him. And now… he was about to lose someone dear to him?
This is because I am too weak? Is it because I was too confident in my new abilities? Because I was really never expecting to find someone stronger?
Tears started forming in Magnus's eyes.
“You're guard is way to low, mage. Have you finally frozen in the face of death?”
“...”
“Can't even talk anymore? Then there's nothing left to say.”
Yridian raised his sword above his head.
“Farewell.”
*Woosh!*
He swung his sword down. But blood didn't splatter a second time.
“What!?”
The blade was caught by Magnus's bare hand. It should have sliced it right off, but Magnus most likely wrapped his hand in a defensive barrier. And in the next second…
*Bang!*
Yridian found himself being slapped in the face by Magnus's staff. The force behind it was colossal, to the point that Yridian was blown away and sent crashing into the nearest tree. Something like that was unimaginable. Yridian’s constitution and armor were perfect. Magnus should not have the force to even make him flinch.
Yet as Yridian stood up he could see a surge of dark mana coming out of Magnus.
“I won't forgive you…
I absolutely… WON'T FORGIVE YOOOOUUU!!!”
Magnus released an incredible amount of bloodlust and charged with high speed towards Yridian. If one were to look at him, you couldn’t tell at all that he was a mage.
In the meantime…
“Rose, we need to move fast!” (Saphira)
“Huh? I already told you, I can’t heal her. Besides, you think you can accomplish anything shaking like that?” (Rose)
Rose was right. Saphira’s body was trembling, but she did muster courage to finally step up after seeing Magnus.
“I’ll be alright. Forget about me, we need to save Leona. I know that cursed sword very well. That is not a natural forged cursed sword. It’s an applied curse.”
“Your point being?”
“I don’t have time to explain the difference, but I know how to dispel the curse. As I gradually dispel it, you’ll have to start healing.
Rusalka!”
“Yes?”
“Rose’s healing won’t be enough. You still have the healing potions that master prepared? She’s gonna have to chug on a few of them for this to work.”
“I do have potions… but, she’s unconscious. How am I supposed to make her drink them?”
“Mouth to mouth transfer. Push it down her throat with your tongue.”
At that moment Rusalka’s face went bright red.
“Aaa-are you serious? You want me to… we’d be basically k-k-kissing!”
“Do you want her to die? Leona waking up is the only thing that can calm Magnus down. I never saw such a ferocious power before… we don't have any other choice.”
“O…okay…” (Rusalka)
“Lead the way, then, and we’ll do our part.” (Rose)
------
In the dimly lit forest clearing, the air crackled with anticipation as the Great General Yridian stood, his pitch-black sword gleaming ominously in the sunset. Across from him, Magnus, seethed with anger, his staff pulsating with energy, charged with a speed unbefitting of mage.
With a primal roar, Magnus lunged at Yridian, staff raised high, crackling with elemental power. "YAAAH!" he bellowed, his voice reverberating through the trees. Yridian met his advance head-on, sword clashing with staff in a shower of sparks that illuminated the forest.
With each strike, Magnus's rage fueled his strength, "You'll pay for what you've done!!" he shouted, unleashing torrents of fire and lightning that danced around him in a dazzling display. But Yridian, a master of the blade, matched him blow for blow, his dark sword cutting through the air with deadly precision. Despite this, he could not understand why was a mage who should not have any swordsmanship skills, this strong.
The ground trembled beneath their feet as their clash intensified, sending shockwaves rippling through the earth. "I'll crush you! I won't rest until I’ll break every bone in your body!!" Magnus roared, his voice filled with fury. Flames danced amidst the trees, shadows flickered, and the clash of steel echoed through the air.
He's more skilled than me. I already know that. But I won't lose. I can't lose!! I can push further than this!!!
Magnus was determined to prevail. With a flick of his staff, he summoned a swirling vortex of wind and lightning, "Feel the power of the storm!" he cried, aiming to engulf Yridian in a maelstrom of destruction. Yridian, undeterred, countered with a wave of dark slashes, an energy that crackled with malevolent power.
As the battle raged on, Magnus unleashed a barrage of spells: "Nebula Cyclone" and "Storm Surge," each one accompanied by a thunderous roar of fury. Yridian was overwhelmed. He felt that he won't be able to fend off these attacks much longer.
Caught in the midst of their epic confrontation, the forest became a cacophony of anger and shouting. Trees splintered, rocks shattered, and the very earth trembled as if a giant earthquake was underway.
Yridian saw a brief opening and as he wanted to take it and swing his sword… he couldn't. He felt resistance. His arm was stopped. As he glanced over, blue chains were restraining his hand.
“How… how can one person cast so many simultaneous spells like this?”
But Magnus did not answer. The spell “Astral Chains” gave Magnus the chance he wanted and slammed his staff into Yridians helmet.
“You're mine!!”
“GUUAAAHHH!!”
Even with his armor, Yridian could feel the impact. As if to not let Yridian be blown away by the impact, Magnus grabbed his other hand and.
“ORA ORA ORA!!”
He started slamming Yridian back and forth across the ground at high speed.
“Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Does killing bring you pleasure? Let's see how you like it when you're the one that's dying!!”
With one final push, Magnus slammed Yridian so hard that a giant crater was formed from the impact.
With a scream that resembled a dragon’s roar, Magnus channeled the raw power of nature into one final, devastating blow. "This might not be 9th tier, but by combining all known elements, the force should be close! Eat this!! Elemental Blaaaaast!!!!" he roared, as a surge of elemental energy exploded from his staff: fire, water, wind, earth, lighting, darkness, all of them assaulted Yridian at once, sending him crashing to his knees, defeated. The blast has changed the landscape significantly, but Yridian, although severely injured, was not dead yet.
But Magnus wasn't finished. With a savage determination, he lunged forward, snatching Yridian's fallen sword from the ground. He hurled the sword with superhuman strength, "Take this!" he bellowed, as the blade whistled through the air, piercing Yridian's stomach and pinning him against a nearby burnt tree trunk.
“Grrooaah!!”
Blood. Yridian started to spit blood from under his helmet.
*Pant*pant*pant*
Darn it. I feel like my body is going to give in any second. But I can't rest just yet. He's not dead yet. He won't die just from that wound. Just a little more… just a little more…
“Kill… I’m going to kill you no matter what!!”
Fear. It was a feeling Yridian only felt once. When he met the Demon God. And now, that same sensation that he thought he forgot all about was assaulting him again.
Step after step Magnus got closer. He raised his hand as if preparing to deliver the final blow. But… his concentration shattered the moment a voice called out the following words:
“Hubby!!”