Solena’s Forest – Part 06
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Translator: Kell
Thirteenth knew of only one Sorcery spell that required a witch’s heart as sacrifice. He also knew that his master studied it extensively in the past. It took her about ten years to develop and perfect the spell.
Fragments of memories and thoughts clicked together, forming one answer.
“Master. Are you planning to send the world to ruin?!”
“Indeed, I am. I will destroy the world.”
The Murky Darkness witch gave a serene smile, as if saying it was a wonderful idea. It sounded like one to Thirteenth.
Still…
O’ servitor of discord bound by the covenant of flesh and blood, descend upon the banquet of the foolish and devour them!
“I’m sorry, Master, but this is my answer! Forbidden Chapter, Last Page: Segtor Medis! Grant me power, for I am Thirteenth, the bringer of the end!”
Thirteenth thrust out his right hand towards the witch. The landscape around him crumbled into pieces, and a gaping hole of darkness formed. A wave of the dead, surging forth from the afterworld to the world of the living, became a tangled mass of flesh, rushing straight at the witch.
He didn’t think he could kill her. He only needed to buy a few seconds.
“Run, Mooncaller! I’ll buy you some time!”
“Uh, ah…” Albus hesitated for a moment.
Holdem moved first. He picked Albus up and started running without turning around. A sigh tinged with boredom followed his back. A sigh from the Murky Darkness witch.
“Then I will do it,” she said.
Thirteenth’s Segtor Medis did not even lay a scratch on the witch. A huge icicle the size of a tree trunk shone brightly on her slender fingertips.
It was a Magic spell not found in the Grimoire of Zero.
When Zero wrote the book in the cellar, Thirteenth was with her, and so was their master. The Murky Darkness witch would have applied the same theory to create her own Magic spell.
The witch raised her finger a little and pointed at Albus. The icicle sliced through the air, zipping towards Albus’ heart with a speed that was unimaginably fast for such a graceful motion.
Noticing the attack, Holdem tossed Albus into the bushes. An excellent decision. The huge icicle would have skewered them both.
But the icicle changed direction mid-air without slowing down, still aiming for Albus.
“You’re kidding!” Holdem was shocked. “Young lady!”
A sapling suddenly rose, pushing through the frozen ground, and blocked the icicle’s path, as if to shield Albus.
It was protection from the great Solena, the guardian of the forest. But it was not enough to defend Albus.
As soon as Thirteenth realized this, he leaped forward.
It all happened in less than a second.
The icicle pierced Thirteenth’s heart and the trunk of the tree that sprouted, stopping just short of Albus’s chest.
“Oh, dear,” the Murky Darkness witch uttered with surprise. She didn’t seem moved, however. “I suppose Thirteenth is dead.”
“Not yet!” Thirteenth shouted. “As the bearer of the number thirteen, I will decide my own end!” Pinned to the tree and coughing up blood, he gripped the icicle tight. His spirit drove the Murky Darkness witch back a little. “Use my body, Solena! Expel her from this place!”
Solena’s spirit flowed into Thirteenth. The frozen forest quickly melted, regaining its original form.
As a departed soul, Solena would erode her own existence if she used her power. But using Thirteenth’s body would only consume his life, which she did not care about.
“Two against one puts me at a disadvantage,” the Murky Darkness witch said. “I am quite surprised, Thirteenth. I did not expect you to go that far to protect the Mooncaller. Well, it is fine. I have what I need.”
A human heart dripping blood sat on the witch’s hand. Thirteenth knew it was his.
The witch looked at the shivering and dumbfounded Albus, her red lips curved into a smile. “There is a full moon tonight,” she said. “Watch carefully what happens to the world then, Mooncaller. Thirteenth lay down his life to save yours. Do not waste it.”
As soon as she finished talking, the witch that was sitting in the air shattered like ice and disappeared. Drops of water drizzled for a moment, and the forest regained its tranquility.
“Thirteenth!” Albus shattered the silence. There was not the slightest hint of joy in her voice at having survived the ordeal.
Albus wasn’t sure what exactly happened.
The only thing she knew was that Thirteenth’s master showed up and tried to kill her, and that Thirteenth protected her. Probably with the help of Solena.
As soon as the Murky Darkness witch left, the icicles melted, and Thirteenth’s body fell to the ground.
Albus lifted Thirteenth’s body up and peered into his pale face. She put her hand on the hole in his chest, then began closing the wound with Cordia.
It’s fine. I can close the wound, Albus thought. I can even regenerate his heart, and then he’ll be all right. She couldn’t stop her body from trembling.
Thirteenth glanced at Albus with vacant eyes. He shook his head slowly. “It’s useless. I won’t make it.”
“You will! Your wound’s closing, and I can regenerate your heart. I will not let you die! If you think I’ll forgive you by doing this, you’re wrong!”
“Listen, Mooncaller.”
“Shut up! You can talk later!”
“There’s no time! Listen close!”
Albus gave a jerk.
Thirteenth silently held out his right hand to Albus. “Take my hand.”
Albus’ eyes widened. Holding the hand of a dying witch meant taking away their magical power—the biggest taboo among witches.
To prevent one witch from gaining too much power, witches of old followed and abided by an unwritten law to not steal magical power from other witches. This also prevented witches from hunting other witches.
What’s more, witches and sorcerers who had lived for a long time used their magical power to preserve their bodies. If Albus took Thirteenth’s, his body would crumble to dust.
Albus shook her head, quietly expressing her rejection.
Thirteenth did not put his hand down. “You need power. Power to protect this kingdom.”
“I don’t want it.”
“Someone has to protect this place after I’m gone! The king is too inexperienced as a sorcerer. He will need your assistance.”
“No! You can do that yourself! I can’t do it… I couldn’t! You know that. Stay strong. You’ll live. Grandma is here, isn’t she? I’m sure…”
…she can help. She couldn’t finish her words. Sobs escaped her lips.
He would not survive. Albus knew that. She wasn’t stupid. His wound would have killed him by now. He was only breathing because of Solena’s power. But it wouldn’t last long.
“I’m sorry.” Albus pressed her forehead on Thirteenth’s neck. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry!”
No matter how much she apologized, it wasn’t enough.
Solena died because of the Magic that Thirteenth brought to Wenias. But Albus knew that he didn’t kill her.
Thirteenth spread the knowledge of Magic to Wenias and caused a civil war. But if the civil war had not happened, witches would have just been hunted down forever until they perished.
Thirteenth wasn’t exactly innocent. Still, he devoted himself to Wenias and Albus to redeem himself.
What about me? What have I done for the kingdom? What have I done for witches?
Misled by Sanare’s coaxing, she caused a war that they had no chance of winning, dragged the prince out of hiding, exposing him to the risk of assassination, and then let Thirteenth die.
“I wanted you to teach me more! I-I wanted to be like you and my grandma!”
“Mooncaller.”
Albus raised her head.
Thirteenth gripped Albus’ hand tight. “Do not strive to become like someone else. Just be yourself.”
Albus tried to shake off Thirteenth’s hand, but he wouldn’t let go. “No!” she screamed. “No, wait! I still have something to tell you! Thirteenth! Thirteenth!”
She felt a tremendous amount of power flowing through their hands. Her whole body burned from the incredible influx of power that she had never experienced before. She could feel Thirteenth’s emotions and memories—even memories of the many witches that Thirteenth killed and taken power from.
“You understand, don’t you?” Thirteenth said. “I am not a virtuous sorcerer.” He smiled.
It was the first time Albus had seen the man smile. His determined face looked a lot like Zero’s. They really are siblings, Albus thought.
Albus realized her grip on Thirteenth’s hand was tightening. The sorcerer was rapidly losing his strength. If she let her grip loosen, the link would be broken.
“Save the world, Mooncaller…. Save witches and non-witches alike… I know you can do it. Find Zero. The war with the Church doesn’t matter now. The Murky Darkness witch… My master… plans to destroy the world.”
Thirteenth’s words were too outrageous to believe. But Albus could not pass it off as someone’s mere incoherent muttering at their moment of death. She wanted to know what he meant by that. She wanted to ask what to do. She wanted them to solve the problem together.
But Albus couldn’t simply count on him anymore. She nodded.
Thirteenth let out a breath of relief. “Ah, great Solena,” he whispered as he stared at the empty sky. “It is an honor to meet you.” He fell silent.
Thirteenth stopped breathing. Immediately his body began to crumble. Albus tried to hold his body up, but her hands gripped nothing but ash. A wind blew by, scattering the ashes to the forest, leaving only Thirteenth’s staff and his artificial leg that looked like a piece of wood.
As she stayed there stunned, Albus felt Holdem standing behind her.
Thirteenth’s staff in hand, Albus stood up and turned around. “Holdem, tell the king that Thirteenth is dead.” There was no doubt in her expression. “You protect the king. I can take care of myself now.”
Power surged within her. She felt like she could cast highly-advanced Magic easily even while maintaining the wards.
“What about you?” Holdem asked.
“I’m going to pick up Zero on the fastest horse I can find. If she’s in the campus, I should be able to join her quick using the Witch’s Passage. Although, Thirteenth apparently changed the route of the path in Latette.” Albus wiped her tears away and smiled. “But I can restore it easily now.”
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