novelxo Chapter 74
The clash of light and shadow sent shockwaves across the battlefield, momentarily blinding both sides. As the dust settled, Lyra found herself face to face with Veridian, their staffs locked in a deadly embrace. The corrupted coven leader’s eyes blazed with an unnatural purple fire, his face twisted into a snarl of rage and contempt.
“You’ve grown stronger, little apprentice,” Veridian hissed, pushing against Lyra’s defenses. “But you’re still no match for what I’ve become.”
Lyra gritted her teeth, channeling more power into her staff. The wood began to glow with an inner light, pushing back against the encroaching shadows. “I’m not your apprentice anymore, Veridian. And I’m not alone.”
As if on cue, a volley of arrows whistled through the air, forcing Veridian to break away from their deadlock. The ghostly figures of the corrupted coven members surged forward, meeting the combined forces of humans, elves, and werewolves in a chaotic melee.
Fenris appeared at Lyra’s side, his fur bristling with barely contained energy. “We need to close that portal,” he growled, eyeing the swirling vortex of darkness behind Veridian. “As long as it’s open, he can keep pulling more power from the shadow realm.”
Lyra nodded, her mind racing through possible strategies. “You’re right. But we can’t get near it while Veridian’s in the way. We need to split up.”
Understanding dawned in Fenris’s eyes. “You want to face him alone.”
“I have to,” Lyra replied, her voice filled with grim determination. “This is my past, my responsibility. I need you to lead the others, find a way to disrupt the portal while I keep Veridian distracted.”
Fenris hesitated, clearly torn between his desire to protect Lyra and the tactical necessity of their plan. Finally, he nodded. “Be careful,” he said, squeezing her hand. “Remember, you’re stronger than you know.”
With a final shared look of understanding, they parted ways. Fenris howled, rallying their allies and leading a charge towards the portal. Lyra turned her attention back to Veridian, who watched their exchange with an amused smirk.
“How touching,” he drawled, twirling his staff with casual menace. “The little wolf thinks he can save you. But he doesn’t understand the forces at play here, does he, Lyra?”
Lyra raised her staff, light magic coalescing around her in a protective aura. “And you do? You’re deluding yourself, Veridian. The shadow essence isn’t elevating you, it’s consuming you.”
Veridian’s smirk twisted into a snarl. “You know nothing of true power!” He lashed out with a whip of shadow energy, which Lyra barely managed to deflect.
The two mages circled each other, trading blows of light and darkness. Lyra found herself on the defensive, struggling to match Veridian’s raw power. But as the battle wore on, she began to notice something. Each burst of shadow magic seemed to take a toll on Veridian, his movements becoming more erratic, his eyes flickering between purple and their natural brown.
“You’re burning yourself out,” Lyra realized, dodging another attack. “The shadow essence, it’s eating away at your very being.”
Veridian laughed, a sound tinged with madness. “A small price to pay for godhood! You could never understand the revelations I’ve experienced, the truths I’ve uncovered in the space between worlds.”
As they fought, Lyra caught glimpses of the larger battle raging around them. Her allies were holding their own against the spectral coven members, but just barely. She saw Fenris leading a group towards the portal, fighting through waves of shadow beasts that poured from its depths.
Veridian followed her gaze, his lips curling into a cruel smile. “Your friends fight bravely, but it’s futile. Even if they reach the portal, they lack the power to close it. Only one who truly understands the shadow essence could hope to seal the breach.”
A chill ran down Lyra’s spine as the implications of his words sank in. “That’s why you wanted me to join you,” she said, realization dawning. “You need my light magic to stabilize the portal, to fully merge our world with the shadow realm.”
“Very good,” Veridian purred, his voice dripping with false praise. “You always were my brightest student. Together, we could reshape reality itself. Why fight against the inevitable?”
For a moment, Lyra felt the weight of temptation. The power Veridian offered was intoxicating, the chance to transcend the limitations of mortal magic. But then she thought of all they’d sacrificed to get here, of the trust her allies had placed in her.
“Because some things are worth fighting for,” Lyra declared, renewing her assault with a burst of radiant energy. “The world as it is, with all its flaws and beauty. The people I’ve come to care for. The future we’re trying to build.”
Veridian’s face contorted with rage. “Then you’ll die a fool, clinging to your outdated ideals!” He unleashed a torrent of shadow magic, more powerful than anything he’d shown before.
Lyra braced herself, pouring every ounce of her strength into a shield of light. The two forces collided with earth-shattering force, creating a maelstrom of conflicting energies. For a heart-stopping moment, Lyra felt her defenses begin to crumble under the onslaught.
But then, something unexpected happened. As Veridian’s attack reached its peak, his form began to flicker and distort. The shadow essence that had empowered him was now tearing him apart from within, unable to contain the vast energies he was channeling.
Seizing the opportunity, Lyra pushed back with everything she had. Her light magic surged forward, burning away the shadows that cloaked Veridian. The corrupted coven leader let out a scream of agony as the purifying energy coursed through him, stripping away layers of dark power.
When the blinding flash faded, Veridian stood before her, diminished and panting. His eyes, now returned to their natural brown, were wide with shock and fear. “How… how is this possible?” he gasped, staring at his trembling hands. “The shadows, I can’t feel them anymore!”
Lyra approached cautiously, her staff still raised. “It’s over, Veridian. The shadow essence was never yours to control. It was using you, consuming you bit by bit.” Veridian fell to his knees, his face a mask of despair. “You don’t understand,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “The things I’ve seen, the knowledge I’ve gained… it can’t all have been for nothing.”
For a moment, Lyra felt a pang of pity for her former mentor. She remembered the brilliant, passionate mage he had once been, before the lure of forbidden power had twisted him. “It doesn’t have to be for nothing,” she said softly. “Help us close the portal. Use what you’ve learned to save our world, not destroy it.” Veridian looked up at her, a glimmer of his old self shining through the madness. “I… I don’t know if I can. The shadows, they’ve taken so much from me.”
“Then let me help you,” Lyra offered, extending her hand. “Together, we might have a chance.”
As Veridian reached out to take her hand, a horrific screech split the air. They turned to see the portal pulsing with malevolent energy, its swirling vortex growing larger by the second.