To avoid disturbing the silver-blue light, Wyzett lowered his wand and gave it a gentle flick. "Lumos!"
The light at his wand's tip shrank at once, compressing into a tiny orb before dissolving entirely—drifting away like a firefly until it vanished into the gloom.
"Well then, time to get moving."
The Enhanced Extinguishing Charm worked like a dream. Relieved, Wyzett snapped his fingers lightly. Instantly, Devil's Snare unfurled from his body, tendrils spreading across the floor.
The Devil's Snare heightened his senses, allowing him to perceive his surroundings even in utter darkness. The Enhanced Extinguishing Charm further sharpened his awareness, making every detail stand out with uncanny clarity.
He pointed his wand at the silver-blue glow and, following its pull, gave an upward tug. A suit of armored statue slowly rose from the ground, and from its base, countless serpents began to slither forth.
Waves upon waves of venomous snakes poured out from beneath the statue, filling the air with a pungent, metallic stench.
Drawn by Wyzett's presence, the snakes surged forward like a living tide.
With the help of Devil's Snare, Wyzett could sense the swarm all around him—the hiss of forked tongues, the brush of scales against stone. Even without magical aid, the ceaseless "hissss" would have set his nerves on edge.
He immediately sent his Devil's Snare crawling forward, mimicking the serpents' movements.
Sometimes, the vines would lash upward, skewering snakes in a single, brutal thrust. Other times, they'd coil tightly, crushing and grinding the serpents to pulp.
The chorus of hissing, the wet thwack of vines piercing flesh, and the sickening crack of bones being crushed blended into a symphony of horror.
But the flood of snakes was relentless—layer upon layer, slithering over each other until it seemed impossible to clear them all away.
Devil's Snare excelled against larger foes, but against this writhing mass, its effectiveness waned. To kill so many, Wyzett had to maintain razor-sharp focus, and he didn't know how many more trials awaited him. Conservation was key.
He glanced at the distant knight statue—the clear source of the serpents. Unless he destroyed it, the snakes would never stop coming.
He twisted his Devil's Snare into a sharp cone and drove it straight at the statue.
The moment he struck, a writhing shield of snakes shot up, absorbing the blow. The statue seemed almost sentient—sensing his intent, it sped up the flow of serpents from its base.
Within a meter, Wyzett was nearly surrounded.
With the horde closing in, Devil's Snare Form alone wouldn't be enough. He wrapped the vines tightly around himself, forming a dense suit of living armor, and began plotting his next move.
Most of the Dark Arts Quirrell had taught were single-target curses—not much use against a distant statue protected by a wall of flesh.
Long-range spells would be blocked. He needed to get close.
After a moment's thought, he settled on the Severing Charm. It was both practical and powerful, and with some refinement, it could become a formidable weapon.
Drawing on his reserves of Ancient Magic, Wyzett began fusing the charm with enhancement magic. The Wizard's Practical Combat Guide fluttered open, pages flipping until a new entry appeared:
Ancient Magic: Enhanced Severing Charm (Basic): Channel Ancient Magic to cast the Severing Charm… Amplify magical force… After piercing one enemy, continue to strike surrounding targets…
Wyzett grinned—straightforward and effective. The spell was now a true area-of-effect attack.
One thing to note: the incantation had changed. No longer "Diffindo," but instead—"Criss-Cross Strike!"
The Guide provided all the details he needed. After just two quick practice swings, he was ready.
"Criss-Cross Strike!"
He swept his wand in a swift horizontal arc, then jabbed it forward. A razor-sharp blade of magical energy burst from the tip, slicing through several snakes before shattering into fragments—each fragment tearing through even more of the horde.
The denser the serpents, the deadlier the spell.
With Devil's Snare Form shielding him, Wyzett pressed forward, cutting a bloody swath to the statue.
He split several tendrils off, shaping them into a hammer in midair, and brought it crashing down on the knight statue.
The statue exploded in a blinding burst of silver-blue light.
But that brilliance was short-lived. The great black bubble devoured it, swallowing every last glimmer.
There was power in that light. As it rained down on the floor, every snake that touched it shot upward, fusing together into a long, writhing mass of flesh.
The mass twisted and pulsed, reshaping itself in seconds into a giant serpent—a Runespoor, the same monstrous snake he'd encountered once before.
This one looked younger, but it was even faster.
With a sudden lunge, the Runespoor snapped its massive jaws at Wyzett.
He reacted instantly, transforming his Devil's Snare into a shield and blocking the attack.
Foiled, the Runespoor circled him like a hunting shark.
"I've just picked up a group attack spell, but when it comes to single-target magic… I know plenty!"
Wyzett murmured, closing his eyes as he invoked Custodis Meditatio (Guardian's Meditation), pushing the Devil's Snare's senses to their limits in order to track the serpent's every move.
The moment the Runespoor flicked its tail, Wyzett struck—snapping his wand upward. "Læviasa!"
He'd had this Ancient Magic for ages but never found a worthy target—until now.
The Runespoor froze, then floated upward, writhing helplessly in midair.
"Runespoor, come!"
With a second Ancient Magic spell, the suspended serpent shot toward him like an arrow.
Devil's Snare Form!
The living vines lashed out, wrapping the Runespoor in an unbreakable grip.
Now—the "Comfortable" Wasting Curse.
"Morsmordre Cruciatus!"
He whispered the incantation. A thin, dark gray beam shot from his wand, piercing one of the serpent's heads right through the eye…
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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