Colin advanced quickly through the swamp, his steps agile and acrobatic like a feline. Using his skill with electrical mana, he leaped from branch to branch with impressive dexterity, a spark of bluish energy arching beneath his feet with each jump.
His dark hair fluttered as he moved through the dense vegetation, following the trail of the powerful energy emanating in that direction.
It's strong energy, I can feel it!
He was more excited than usual, his characteristic smile plastered on his face.
Twisted branches stretched everywhere, covered in damp moss.
Muddy water spread in dark puddles, reflecting the faint moonlight. The air was permeated with a smell of decay and humidity, creating an oppressive atmosphere.
Colin, however, was like a silent shadow, agile and invisible, as he moved through the branches, a true master of stealth.
The magical energy intensified as he approached the focal point, and a sense of urgency propelled him forward.
Arriving at a clearing in the swamp, Colin hid among the shadows of the twisted branches, observing in silence. Before him, a group of five cultists had gathered in an irregular circle.
They wore dark robes and hoods that shadowed their faces. In the center of the circle, a magical rune was drawn on the muddy ground, radiating a faint, pulsating light.
The cultists seemed absorbed in their ritual, murmuring unintelligible words in an ancient language.
As the words echoed through the swamp, the magical energy emanating from the rune grew, creating a sense of oppression in the air.
Colin watched intently, his body tense and ready to act.
Suddenly, the ritual's energy was undone, and heads turned to where Colin was hiding.
One of the cultists extended his hand towards where Colin was, and a stream of mana was conjured, advancing like a torpedo.
Boom!
Branches and moss fell around like rain, and Colin sank into the mud, his feet sinking up to his heels.
The cultists' eyes landed on him.
"A Calimanian?" one of the cultists inquired.
"No, this sensation coming from him... what are you?"
"You handle this," one of the cultists said, stepping away. "When you're done, we'll continue where we left off."
Like smoke, they disappeared, leaving only the cultist who attacked Colin.
"You should have stayed away instead of snooping."
Colin put his hand on his waist to pull out his dagger, but it wasn't there. Damn it! I left too fast! Colin looked at the mud at his feet. My movements will be slower, and he can manipulate mana currents... a conjurer, perhaps?
The cultist extended his arm towards Colin. "Do you think your yellow eyes make you better than me?"
With a quick flick of his arm, he launched a chain towards Colin, trying to trap him. The fake Elf reacted with speed, dodging as agile as a leaf in the wind, the chain passing by him but grazing his clothes.
WOOSH!
"I'm not done yet!"
The cultist took the opportunity and threw another chain, but Colin leaped over it, his leg muscles contracting, lifting him into the air like lightning.
The chains aren't that fast, I can win!"
While in the air, he channeled electrical mana into his fists.
Just like the electric daggers, instead of shaping them to throw, I'll throw them in a direct punch, like this!
He delivered a powerful punch towards the cultist.
The cultist, however, was agile. He dodged the pressure of Colin's punch, the mana chains moving like snakes, protecting him from any direct impact.
BOOM!
A flash of crackling energy illuminated the swamp for a brief moment.
In response, he swung the chains in an arc, aiming to trap Colin and suffocate him, but he dodged, leaping to the side.
"Is that it? Are you going to keep running away?"
"And are you going to keep trying to hit me?" he provoked.
It was Colin's turn to extend his hand, and a lightning sword formed in it.
Smiling, the cultist opened his arms and bent his knees, as if ready to embrace him.
"So you're also a mana manipulator, huh? Have you been taking lessons with a conjurer?"
In response, Colin advanced through the swamp water. The chains moved like snakes, coming at him from all possible sides, but Colin was skilled; his hours of training with Sapphire and Brighid had paid off.
The cultist knew how to control the mana chains with mastery, using them not only to defend himself but also to attack, but Colin was persistent.
He continued to dodge and evade the chains, staying out of the cultist's reach. He knew he needed to find an opening, a moment of weakness.
That opportunity finally came when the cultist launched a spiraling chain in an attempt to trap Colin, who took advantage of the movement and concentrated an electrical charge in his sword, increasing its Might.
With a quick and precise movement, he struck the chain, sending an electrical discharge directly through the link to the cultist.
Damn it!
ZZZZAP!
The cultist let out a cry of pain, his hands releasing the chains, letting them unravel.
Now!
Colin took advantage of the opponent's momentary shock and advanced, imbuing his entire body with electricity to deliver a final blow, piercing the cultist's chest, splattering blood on his face.
SWISH!
The cultist's hood fell back, revealing his face under the flickering light of the electrical energy.
He was a Dark Elf, with characteristic features of his people. His skin had marks of dark rituals and magical tattoos.
"Dam... it..." Colin dispelled his electric sword, and the cultist collapsed into the muddy swamp water.
With indifference, Colin stared at him, but felt a powerful mana coming from where they had performed the ritual.
He turned and glimpsed the aquatic witch emerging.
She was a grotesque creature almost three meters tall, with a curved, naked, flabby body. She had long, dagger-like nails, sagging breasts, dark hair, and pus-filled bubbles all over her moss-green body.
Colin seemed unfazed and conjured his electric sword again.
"I see... you're some kind of guardian, huh?"
Grunting indecipherable sounds, the aquatic witch advanced with surprising speed, agile despite her massive size.
She lunged towards Colin, her claws cutting through the air in his direction.
Colin raised his electric sword and delivered a precise blow towards the witch; a flash of electricity cut through the space, but the witch skillfully manipulated the water around her, creating a defensive barrier.
SPLASH!
The electric blade cut through the water with ease, but did not reach its target.
The aquatic witch retaliated, launching a jet of high-pressure water towards Colin. He had to dodge quickly, falling onto the soaked ground.
Colin used his agility and circled around, emerging behind the creature.
SWISH!
The aquatic witch roared in pain as the electric blade cut her greenish skin. Pus bubbles exploded, releasing a foul smell. She retreated, but her attack was not over.
The creature fired water blasts and created watery tentacles that lunged towards Colin, trying to trap him.
"You're not strong; you're just scary!"
Colin moved with dexterity, dodging the witch's attacks, until he decided to attack, cutting the tentacles.
The aquatic witch was weakening, but her resistance was surprising.
The wound Colin had inflicted on her back wouldn't stop bleeding.
The witch, despite the severe injury, was not willing to surrender.
With a final effort, she raised her pus-soaked claws and launched a desperate attack. Her sharp nails cut through the air, and, with a series of agile movements, Colin leaped back, creating space between them.
The swamp seemed to stir in response to the battle, with water splashing and branches creaking.
"Are you going to keep moving like this? That will only make her bleed more."
The creature stood firm with difficulty, her breathing heavy and ragged.
She was visibly weakened, but still a formidable adversary. With a gesture, she manipulated the water around her, forming aquatic spikes that shot towards Colin.
TAC! TAC! CLANG! CLANG!
He used his electrical mana to deflect the deadly spikes with his sword that insisted on coming at him, then shot towards the aquatic witch with a quick and precise attack. His electric sword hit the witch in the shoulder.
SWIN!
She let out a sharp scream, falling to her knees.
More pus bubbles exploded from her greenish body.
Colin wasted no time. With a final blow, he struck the aquatic witch in the chest, sending an electrical discharge directly into her heart.
The witch's body trembled, her green eyes widened for a brief instant, and then she collapsed into the swamp water, finally lifeless.
Colin remained alert for a few more moments, making sure the witch was truly defeated.
The swamp returned to its calm, and silence reigned once again in that gloomy place.
"Colin!" Brighid and Sapphire came accompanied by Ivan in his boat, an extremely fast boat, as Ivan was a user of the Sea.
Brighid jumped from the boat, and Sapphire did the same, looking around.
"Are you okay?" Brighid looked at the witch. "A creature from the abyss?"
"I'm fine; they weren't that strong. There were a few more with the cultist, but they disappeared as soon as they saw me."
Ivan was also incredulous at that horrendous creature, but he said nothing.
Brighid walked to the cultist and stared at him, pursing her lips. Then she went to where runes were carved into stones, running her hand over them.
"They... were they invoking a being from the abyss? But that doesn't make sense; these are protection runes..."
"A guardian?" Colin inquired. "I thought so."
"Yes... these are runes from an ancient prayer to the Dead God, but only part of it... the rest must be scattered throughout the swamp..."
Colin raised his eyebrows.
"Dead God?"
Brighid swallowed hard. "Yes... let's go." she said, as if wanting to shift the focus from the subject. "We have to find the rest before it's too late."
Colin didn't insist, so he nodded. "Alright, just wait a bit." He went to the aquatic witch, cut off her head with an electric dagger, and threw it to Ivan, who caught it, startled, by the hair. "Tell the old man that when we get back, he better have all the money."
"R-Right!"
Brighid seemed more nervous than usual, taking the lead.
Cultists of the abyss? Here? Why? The mana coming from those stones isn't strong... even if they manage to finish the prayer, they won't be able to summon more than a level nine demon like the witch... unless they... we have to hurry!