In what remained of an Elven ruin, the cultists were separated, in various parts of that dark cave.
"He's dead," said a woman's voice. "The witch is also gone..."
"Tsk... damn Aurilith!" complained another Elf.
"He's not the problem; there are two other powerful mana approaching from here, and one of them... resembles ours..."
The cultists looked at the woman covered by a cloak.
"What do you mean by that? That someone else also has the essence of the abyss?"
"Yes, but with this person it's different... her essence is more... frightening..."
They looked at their leader sitting on top of a stone.
"Lord... what shall we do?"
The leader nodded. "Let them come. We won't lose, not here. If this person truly possesses the essence of the abyss, then there's nothing to worry about. Kruva, Ghesali, make the preparations; we will avenge Ghouv's death."
"Yes, sir!"
◊❱───────⸂◍⸃───────❰◊
In the nocturnal swamp, the moon cast its silver light over the mysterious landscape. Each step left a mark in the mud, as Colin, Brighid, and Sapphire advanced towards the cave.
The air was permeated with the characteristic odor of the swamp, a mixture of damp earth and decaying vegetation. Night frogs sang in chorus, and insects buzzed in the shadows.
Brighid seemed more hurried than usual, as if following a clue that only she could sense, as she led the way.
It wasn't long before she found a cave ahead, and as they approached it, Colin and Sapphire noticed the strange runic inscriptions on the stone walls and a mysterious miasma protecting the entrance.
Sapphire thought of running her hand over the inscriptions, curious, but Brighid stopped her.
"Be careful, Sapphire. These runes are ancient and can contain powerful magic. Do not disturb them."
Brighid's confidence was palpable.
"I will clear our path."
She approached the miasma barrier that blocked the cave entrance and, without hesitation, began to undo it, murmuring something.
Gradually, the miasma dissipated.
Colin and Sapphire exchanged suspicious glances. However, before they could question her, she hurried them.
"Come on, we have no time to lose!"
Reluctantly, they followed her into the darkness of the cave, an orb from Brighid illuminating the path ahead.
Entering the ancient ruins, the three felt the weight of history and magic that permeated the place.
The walls of the abandoned structure were covered with runic inscriptions and elaborate drawings, which told stories of forgotten Gods and rituals of worship long lost to time.
The air in the ruins was charged with a sense of reverence, as if the spirits of those who worshipped these ancient Gods were still present.
"A ruin?" Sapphire stammered.
"It's an Elven ruin; it's worse than a common ruin," Brighid said without looking at her.
"Why?"
"Because these places are bathed in mana. It would be the perfect place for unholy creatures and cultists to dwell."
"Brighid!" Colin called. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, we just need to hurry a little more."
As they advanced deeper, the place seemed to resonate with an ancestral energy.
Finally, they crossed a bridge and stopped before a portal.
It was an arched structure, ornamented with shimmering runes that seemed to dance with their own light.
Brighid approached the portal, looking at the runes with fascination.
She extended her hand, but did not touch the portal, as if she knew it was something that demanded respect and care.
"From here, we will be in cultist territory; whoever wants to turn back, now is the time."
"And why would we turn back?" Colin inquired with a smirk. "It's not like we're going to let you go alone."
"I want to show what I've learned!" Sapphire said excitedly. "We've trained for days; I'm eager to put what I know into practice!"
Brighid nodded with a sigh. The sensation she felt made her so alert that she had forgotten for a moment about those two, treating them as ordinary people.
"Sorry... it's just that the mana of this place... it—"
"No need to explain," Colin said. "You are more experienced than Sapphire and I; we will follow you."
She looked at Colin with compassion.
"Thank you... truly... let's cross, then be careful."
Both nodded.
Brighid was the first to pass, followed by Colin and then Sapphire.
The three were in different places.
Colin, after crossing the portal, found himself in a claustrophobic place. The area was filled with moss hanging from the walls and ceiling in thick layers. A large boulder, worn by time, dominated the center of the environment.
What is this place?
"Brighid! Sapphire! Where are you?"
There was silence.
The lighting was scarce, coming from small luminous orbs that hovered in niches along the walls. These spheres emitted a pale blue light that hindered vision and created an oppressive atmosphere.
"So you killed Ghouv," said the cultist on top of the boulder, camouflaging himself in all that darkness.
Colin smiled, provoking him. "Want to join him?"
"Bastard!" Mana began to flow from him. "Let's see how long you'll keep smiling!"
The boulder began to change shape, shaking the ceiling and letting dust fall from the walls. In moments, the boulder transformed into a golem almost seven meters tall.
"Better start praying to your God!" exclaimed the cultist on the creature's shoulders.
A user of the earth tree... it's the first time I've faced one... Colin began to let his mana flow through his body. I should have conserved more mana when I faced the cultist and that witch... if my mana runs out, it won't be good."
Colin spread his legs, bent his knees slightly, and raised his fists in front of his body, at shoulder height.
I hate having to resort to this.
Both advanced.
◊❱───────⸂◍⸃───────❰◊
Meanwhile, Sapphire emerged in a grotesquely proportioned nest, intertwined with gigantic webs. Dozens of car-sized spider eggs were scattered, suggesting a growing colony.
This place gives me the creeps!
Hesitantly, she walked past the eggs, and heard indescribable sounds coming from all sides, until she felt dozens of presences around.
From the ceiling, monstrous spiders began to fall, sliding down their own webs.
"Sh-shit!" She began to concentrate on manga in her fists. "Don't come! Or I'll burn all of you!"
"As if they would listen to you!" said a dark Elf with white hair and grayish skin. Spiders gathered around her. "A little girl? Seriously? I wanted the man who killed Ghouv, but given the amount of mana you have... you'll do!"
The eyes of the enormous tarantulas glowed in sinister tones, and their segmented bodies moved towards the Asmurg.
◊❱───────⸂◍⸃───────❰◊
Finally, Brighid found herself in a ritualistic hall of monumental dimensions.
Moss spread across the stone floor, exuding a pungent smell of mold and decomposition. The hall was surrounded by enormous statues that seemed to form a ritualistic circle.
On one of these statues, a cultist sat, wearing a dark and elaborate cloak. His eyes were fixed on Brighid.
"Welcome!" exclaimed the cultist, hidden by his dark cloak. "You truly have a latent energy like ours... which apostle do you serve?"
Brighid remained silent, her always smiling and sweet expression transforming into a wrathful countenance, her eyes furious.
"Aren't you going to tell me?" He showed a triangle symbol on the palm of his hand. "I serve Braz'gallan; it is with his blessing that I was baptized."
The fairy continued without saying anything.
"Do you really prefer to remain silent? Fine!"
Mana began to concentrate above the cultist's head, forming an enormous sword, five meters long and two meters wide.
"We should help each other, but I have no obligation to spare you, since we don't follow the same apostles, do we?"
WOOSH!
The sword went towards Brighid in a blink of an eye, hearing an explosion and dust as soon as it made contact with her. The Cultist frowned and stood up, sweating cold.
That colossal sword of greenish mana was embedded next to Brighid, and her furious face turned into an evil smile, a smile that put the cultist on alert.
"Who are you?"
Brighid touched the mana sword, and it disintegrated into tiny particles.
Colin and Sapphire's mana are distant, and there are other mana with them... Brighid sighed. So, it's fine, I don't need to hold back with him.
"How desperate is Braz'gallan to bless someone like you?" she inquired, still with her evil smile and terrifying eyes. "I understand what he wants... what you are building are not portals, they are totems of worship, right? Do you want to use them to strengthen Braz'gallan? That's a waste of time. Even if he had worshippers, he would need thousands to make a difference, and I highly doubt a group of five Dark Elves can achieve something like that."
The cultist let his mana overflow through the hall, conjuring dozens of giant swords. "Answer me! Who are you?"
Brighid put her hands on her hips, and without needing to make a single movement, she conjured the same number of swords as the cultist, but they were not large swords; they were common, tiny swords in comparison.
"The first rule for manipulating abyss mana, boy, focus on quality, not on scaring your opponent with these unnecessary exaggerations."
"Shut up!"
With a flick of her arm, the cultist's swords fell towards Brighid, and she pointed her index finger towards the cultist. Dozens of swords clashed in the air in a fascinating display of magic, but all the cultist's swords were shattered.
With Brighid's swords heading towards him, he made a hand position, enveloping himself in a shield.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The swords hit his shield squarely, and when the smoke dissipated, the statue on which the cultist stood was riddled with holes, as was his shield.
His eyes exuded terror. He had used so much mana to protect himself, and his shield had been destroyed. Luckily, he was still intact.
What the hell was that? How can this woman be so strong?
His shield disintegrated, and he smiled. "That was a lucky shot, woman; I won't play with you anymore!"
He threw his dark cloak aside, revealing his muscular body, full of scars on his grayish skin. His green eyes shone intensely, and his muscles became even stiffer.
"Look at that," Brighid mocked. "The little Elf realized he won't win with mana, and now he wants a direct fight?" She opened her arms. "Come on, boy, show me what you've got!"