A gray dot hurtled toward me from the distance. It grew larger as it approached with alarming speed, weaving past destroyed trees and kicking up dirt and plants in its wake.
The jaws of the humanoid-canine figure dripped saliva, and its eyes were bloodshot. Yet, the creature's expression held more despair than rage. It was obvious: it was trying to escape the destruction of the giant tree that was ravaging the forest and slaughtering his companions.
"Hey, are you sure this will work?!" I asked urgently, never taking my eyes off the demonic ball of fur rushing toward me.
Agatha's voice came from a few meters back.
"Yep! Just remember: three blocks and full cover!" she called out casually, followed by a loud snap.
At that exact moment, my furry friend burst into green flames.
The werewolf, already fast, moved even faster now, stumbling and scorching the grass in its path. Its screams of pain only added an extra layer of absurdity to the situation.
And it didn't help my nerves that I was standing directly in its way.
'Fuck this. I miss normal shit,' I thought.
Even though Agatha told me I'd be fine even if I didn't manage to block the attacks, it didn't ease the unsettling pressure building inside me as the fiery ball of fur closed the distance.
I quickly checked the spell's description again. It couldn't hurt to be sure, especially now that I had to use it.
[Shield ★] (NEW)
Shield or Shieldaé, the most basic spell of the School of Abjuration. Created as a way to pet cats on the belly without getting scratched.
Casting this spell at its lowest star rank creates a small shield of force around your fingers for a second. The shield is strong enough to block damage above three stars up to this rank.
Increasing the star rank can increase the range of protection and the duration of the spell, but not its defensive power.
The Witch of Chaos's Personal Take:"Most Witches don't like using Shieldaé at its lowest rank. They say it's 'too risky and not worth it; nothing beats a dodge, always bet on teleport.' I disagree. It's a good spell, and besides, it's perfect for you considering how little Essentia you have. And I always bet on blocks, tehe."
—
'A spell to pet cats. What a joke.'
My complaints were cut short the moment the two-and-a-half-meter werewolf, possessed by a demonic bloodthirst and covered in fire, lunged at me.
Instantly, I felt a sharp tingling in both shoulders. Without hesitation, I stepped back and raised both arms in the direction of the incoming claws. Saying the name of the spell, opening my hands and spreading my fingers, I cast [Shield].
The moment before the creature's claws touched my fingers, they collided with what appeared to be thin air, only for it to instantly turn into a transparent, glass-like green layer.
The creature's claws—and its entire body—swung backward so violently that it almost fell down.
"Inertia, bitch. One," I spat, raising my guard to my brows, hands half-closed. They weren't trembling anymore.
The spell worked.
It had been a while since I sparred with anyone. Especially close-quarters combat. Obviously, that wasn't a viable option against fucking huge monsters like the dark beetle or the sandworm.
'Although I prefer to be the one attacking, this isn't—'
Without giving me a moment to think, the werewolf, still engulfed in flames, rushed me again, jumping straight at me.
Again, guided by the electrifying sensation in my body, I deflected the attack aimed at my face with my open right hand and the spell.
This time the werewolf wasn't thrown backward; instead, its arm was deflected heavily toward the ground.
The beast's cries of pain as it burned alive—now having lost half its fur—did nothing to distract me from its next move. Not even the notifications flashing in my vision managed to break my focus.
'Two.'
[You have obtained a new Innate Ability: Boxing]
[Thanks to past experience, the Innate Ability: Boxing has evolved to Bare-knuckle Boxing]
[You have obtained a new Flaw: Auto Taunt]
My eyes tracked the direction of the third attack from the mangy dog—it came from its jaws.
With quick footwork, I created enough distance to slip to my right, placing my hand to the left of my face.
The spell worked again. A momentary green crystalline layer appeared, blocking the bite, and with an instant push of my body, I sent the werewolf crashing down again.
Another successful deflection.
'Three.'
Immediately after, I faced the beast, knelt, and placed my hands in front of me in the air.
I cast [Shield] again, but this time as a three-star rank.
A small, thin, crystalline green wall materialized in front of me, just high enough for my kneeling form.
A snap echoed through the clearing, followed by a loud explosion.
The werewolf, trying to stand for another onslaught, simply detonated.
A massive amount of blood, organs and bone flew outward. Some of it impacted immediately against the green wall before the spell faded a second later.
When I stood up, I was standing on a perfect green square of vegetation that bordered and contrasted sharply with the bloody puddle that had formed around me.
Agatha had made it explode.
"Nice job!" She called out cheerfully as she walked back toward me.
"See? I told you it was an easy, underrated spell," she said with a proud smile, tapping my back.
"Easy, my ass," I said, wiping sweat from my face between rapid breaths. "If it weren't for the fact that that thing was somewhat human-like, and the fact that I knew how to fight, there was no chance that would have worked."
"Hey, don't be like that. Check your Essentia. I bet you'll like the result."
After catching my breath, I checked my status.
[Stored Essentia: 11,196]
"What? It barely moved," I mumbled.
"Told youuuu," she hummed. "Ten Essentia each time the spell is cast at the first star rank, and you can deflect direct attacks. A hundred for the same spell at the three-star rank, and you can cover your full body from one direction if you kneel. That's efficiency, my dear twin."
She casually burned the werewolf remains off the ground with her green flame.
"Wait, hold on. Only a hundred and thirty total? Why? I mean, why does Legemens suck the shit out of me while this thing barely consumes anything?" I asked, genuinely intrigued.
"Because Legemens is not only a second-star spell, but it's also an Aura spell. It keeps consuming Essentia until you turn it off. Don't tell me you didn't grasp that by now?" she asked.
"I mean, I knew it was active or something. But it's just a whole world of difference in cost," I said.
"Dear, dear Ellie, that's sim—"
"It's Leo. Deer without antlers," I spat.
"That's so cruel! They fell off because of you, don't make me feel bad!" She caressed the empty spots where her antlers used to be and murmured, "Just a few months and I'll be big again."
"You saying…" I said, pinching her abdomen.
"Ah!" She hissed, slapping my hand away. She raised her gaze, looking at me with mild annoyance. "Are you a sadist or something, Ell—Leo?"
Squinting, I looked down at Agatha—or more precisely, at the transparent window in front of her, where my flaws were listed.
[Flaw: Minor Kink — Sadism]
"No," I lied. "You just make yourself too easy to bother," I smirked.
"Ugh, you are a terrible older sister," she grumbled, pouting as she squinted her eyes and returned the pinch to my own abdomen.
"Ah!" I let out a squeak, trying to grab her, but she quickly distanced herself, giggling.
[The Chaos rejoices in the presence of its twin]
[The Adversity rejoices in the presence of its twin]
She turned around with a smile and started to talk again.
"Legemens is an expensive spell. The cost varies depending on whether you are reading short, long, superficial, or deep thoughts. It becomes even more expensive if you use it on people who overthink things. Happy?"
She snapped her fingers, and the giant tree—that was destroying the forest hunting werewolves—in the distance stopped moving and planted itself back into the ground.
"Yeah, very," I said, admiring the sudden silence of the forest.
"Well, I'm glad because now you are going to use Claw and I'll use Shield," She placed her hands on her hips. "Remember, defense always wins against offense under the same conditions. Don't cry if you can't hit me. Go ahead, try your best, Sis!" she grinned.
'Ha, Bambi is getting cocky.'
I nodded and checked the description of the spell.
[Claw ★] (NEW)
Claw or Clawchaé, one of the most basic spells of the School of Evocation. Created by a demi-cat who was tired of not being able to scratch her owner when she petted her belly.
Casting this spell at its lowest rank coats three of your fingers in magic threads sharp enough to cut steel.
You have a one-second window to slash with them directly or to point and snap, firing them as condensed bullets.
Increasing the star rank adds one magic thread and increases the spell's duration by one second per rank.
The Witch of Chaos's Personal Take:"Another underrated gem. People say this spell is useless because it can't even break a Shieldaé. While that is true, the difference lies in its versatility. Unless you are using the shield at a higher rank, it only covers one spot; a thread can curve. You simply point where the shield isn't. Easy, right? Hmm? What if they dodge? Well, of course, then it'll fail. What? Don't look at me like that, it's not my fault that you don't have Essent—AH! Not my ears!"
—
'Just one second. Too short. Should I point with my hands and then cast it? Do I really have to snap? How will it work if I cover my whole hand? I don't really see how the snap fits. I think it would be more comfortable if I mimicked a pistol with my hands. Could that work?'
"What's wrong, Ellie? Already overthinking? Hehe," Agatha said, digging her right leg into the dirt and dragging it back in a slow, grinding motion.
[The Chaos is calling her twin to come and play]
"I fucking hate when she calls me that," I spat, raising my arm pointing my fingers like a pistol right at Agatha's face.
[The Adversity is accepting the invitation of its twin]
The second I cast the spell, from my thumb, index, and middle finger, small purple threads shaped around the tips.
Instead of snapping, I chose to imitate the recoil of a firearm.
It worked.
Three purple dots shot from my fingers at bullet speed. I didn't waste time and rushed toward Agatha.
The moment before the purple bullets impacted, she tapped the air with her index finger, and a crystalline-greenish wall, six or seven times my size, emerged, absorbing the dots instantly.
But the wall, as huge as it was, didn't cover the sides.
Instead of rushing to its front, I quickly changed direction to the flank.
This time I cast the spell at three-star rank. Instead of three, the threads covered my entire right hand.
I shot the five bullets when I made it to the side of the wall and immediately after cast the spell again. Five threads on my left hand. Rushing her, I dropped a hook that looked more like a clawing swipe.
Agatha drew lines with her hands and easily blocked the five bullets. When I impacted her... I hit nothing but a hard green barrier.
Another shield had appeared.
Just like the werewolf, I was pushed back by the inertia when the Claw collided with Shield. The only difference was that I actually fell backward.
I didn't even have a chance.
"Shit," I muttered, laying down and looking up at the sky. It was getting dusk, the light rays were not crossing the trees canopies anymore. The grass on my back was soft, the air was clean and there was no horrid smell of sulfur.
An unconscious thought came to me.
'I'm tired.'
Agatha approached and looked down at me with a smile, her deer ears twitching. She lay down next to me in the grass.
"That was good," she said, in a cheerful tone.
"Yeah, I guess," I replied.
"You should probably go, shouldn't you?" Agatha said, her tone losing its cheer.
"Yeah, I guess," I repeated, matching her mood.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine. You can come back anytime. Just… try to not die out there," she said, grabbing my hand.
I didn't pull away. Her hand was soft and warm. It was nice.
"If you have any more questions, Sis, you better ask them now," she whispered, looking up at the sky with a smile.
'This will probably be the last time I can breathe fresh air for a long time. Next time I'll have to ask Violet about my Instinct and Undetermined, or find eight free hours, which I doubt I'll get anytime soon.'
I kept my gaze fixated on the sky as the final rays of light finally disappeared.
My mind was racing with a million questions—about the Moderator and the Host, the purple message from Violet, the mention of an ancient witch in Livia's gift description, and how my future self managed to send the message.
But from all of it, there was something that was resonating in my mind louder than anything else.
Milaine's words.
"It's just that I found it weird. Witches are the most servile class to... well… the gods."
I felt a knot in my throat. My throat went dry.
"Hey," I rasped, feeling a huge pressure on my chest. I turned my head, locking eyes with Agatha—my twin, and asked.
"What connection is there between witches and goddesses?"
***