137 137 – Warrior of Darkness
“Is that really the name of a devil?” Using her magic staff, Vilja drew a magic circle on the ground. One day had passed since the battle against the salamander, and she was about to perform the ritual under the full moon’s light. “How did you know about that?”
“How many times have you asked about it, Vilja?” Instead of Yua, it was Henrik who responded to the question. The man sat on the ground playing with his hair. “Even if she’s wrong, nothing’s different, right? In the end, we will fight a devil.”
“And I will gain nothing from lying to you, Vilja,” Yua added with a smile.
Vilja continued to draw the magic circle, which was so complex and about fifteen feet in diameter. “One more question. Why are you still helping us? This next mission is dangerous; no one will protest if you leave.”
“Let’s just say we sympathize with you.” The kunoichi responded, still smiling. “I wish you guys success in achieving your dreams.”
The blue-haired wizard adjusted her glasses and chose not to continue the conversation.
“This sword is truly unique.” Marko crouched in front of Elise, looking at the weapon on the female warrior’s back. “I don’t know how you got it after yesterday’s fight.”
Not expecting those words, Elise could only freeze while her dog was still lying down.
“It is a sword that can transform.” Yua made an excuse.
“Really!?” Mark’s eyes opened wide. “Where did you get it from? I want something like that!”
Displaying her broad smile again, Yua answered. “Sorry, I can’t tell you.”
“A bomb that can release a liquid that instantly solidifies. A transforming sword. I’m really curious about who you two are. How did you guys get such strange items?” Vilja spoke again. “But in the end, knowing that was useless to us. It has nothing to do with our main objective.”
The blue-haired wizard connected the last line in her magic circle, then took out a small pouch from her waist bag. “This is holy powder. We will grease your weapons with this.”
“Ah, looks like you don’t have to do it for mine.” Elise rose from the ground, conveying her master’s words. “My weapon is the type that can’t get any blessings.”
In fact, Raymund was worried that the powder would reduce the potential of Elise’s Darksin sword. The weapon clearly had a thick dark attribute.
“I see.” Vilja nodded her head. “After this, I will perform the ritual. I hope you guys stay alert.”
After smearing their respective weapons with the white powder, they stood a few feet behind Vilja. At the same time, Henrik the archer hid in the bushes from a distance.
The blue-haired wizard then closed her eyes and spread her hands, starting to recite a spell in front of the magic circle.
“Mineolea beii ove vidoon kaafiisbupesrasoan, meida toevin niidd….”
Vilja continued to say those grumble-sounding words.
Gradually the magic circle gave off a dim blue light. The wizard recited with a faster and firmer intonation.
“…. ebika zovaren keopea! Come to us, O warrior of darkness, Jar’anig!!!”
The light in the magic circle turned into pitch-black smoke. Then, the smoke gathered in the center of the circle, forming a humanoid figure. Vilja then retreated behind her comrades, who were already prepared with their respective weapons.
“Mona?” Elise widened her eyes as the dog enlarged her body. That animal’s eyes also emitted red light, and her fur blackened again. Elise didn’t ask her to do that at all.
“It seems that she was triggered by the darkness of the magic circle.” Raymund made a guess. “There’s no use worrying about her now, Elise. You better focus on your opponent.”
Even though she wanted to check on her pet, Elise didn’t have a choice. She was forced to stare at the black smoke in the center of the magic circle again.
“Hey, do you guys feel it too? Why is this place getting colder?” Marko spoke with a slightly trembling mouth.
No one answered. They all focused on the now solidified plume of smoke. That thing turned into a figure nearly three feet tall.
“Who called me here?” The skull-headed figure said in a deep, resounding voice. Dozens of snakes of various kinds clung their tail to his robes, straightening their bodies and looking around. “How dare you.”
An arrow flew over the figure’s head, exploded, and dropped other, smaller ones. The figure looked confused. The parts of his body that were hit by the arrows emitted white smoke. “What?”
As soon as Marko gave the signal, the melee fighters came forward. However, that figure threw dozens of snakes from thin air at them.
“Don’t let your guard down. It’s just a bluff!” Raymund gave a warning.
Elise, Yua, and Marko slashed at the snake, not stopping their run. They provide a combination attack. Elise gave a charging thrust, which the figure was able to avoid. However, when Yua did a thousand slashes to his body, he couldn’t do anything. Every attack from the kunoichi also made his body emit white smoke.
“You all give a holy aura to your weapons, huh!?” The figure snapped, still getting hit by Yua. “You cheat….”
The devil couldn’t finish his words because his stomach was hit by Marko’s giant sword. The figure’s body was thrown several feet.
The figure hastily got up, looking like he wanted to fight back by doing something. However, both his hands were quickly bitten by Mona and Kaine, making him unable to move freely. Elise then performs a rising slash on him. The female warrior’s attack did not produce white smoke but was enough to throw the figure high into the air.
Then, Vilja shot out bright white light from her magic staff. The light hit the figure’s body that was still in the air, sending it farther away.
There was a loud thud as the devil finally landed on the ground. This time, his whole body emitted white smoke, like something that had just been extinguished. The snakes on his robe also fell limp.
However, it didn’t last too long. The snakes straightened up again, pointing their heads at the fighters.