??? POV
Within the
And surviving in this chaos is a lone Witch, standing formlessly upon the void of nothingness. Her eyes closed in absolute focus, putting all efforts in resisting the relentless cascade of 'information', threatening to be 'speared' into her by the storm.
How long are you going to resist, Witch of Wrath?
A voice called out to her. Not from the rift's disorder, but from outside.
You.
The Witch stated. The voice carried no emotion, as if all her purpose had been drained dry since her birth.
The storm will consume you one day. Resist as long as you like, but you will not last.
The closed eyes wavered for the first time in 110 years since they closed.
Don't worry. As much as you deserve it, I'm merely here to offer you a deal.
The soothing whisper into her mind brought solace to her unease. A devil's temptation, one that she was all too familiar with, countless years ago.
I recognise you.
...
Even now, you are still so stubborn.
That is not your concern.
The Witch's lips shivered as she mumbled out the words.
"Here to help me? For one last time?"
...of course. One last time.
The Witch's eyes, relieved by such a declaration, opened with resolve.
"I promise. I will redeem for all that I've done."
She gripped the katana's hilt at her waist, her other hand on the scabbard that held it.
You are welcome to try. For now, follow my voice.
The Witch's knees bucked, feet spread apart as she took a practiced stance and glared in a direction.
And do what you do best.
Swish!
----------------------
10 mins ago...
Mel POV
"
Mel stood above Lila on the Hillside, glancing down at the calm emerald eyes with a Witch's confident gaze.
A three-feet-tall, humanoid eagle, with skin of literal steel, materialised from the magic circle. She wore a black leather jacket over a mismatched white polo shirt and metallic silver pants.
In one hand, she gripped a longbow twice her size. And in the other, an arrow just as large.
Mel smiled at the embarrassing glimmers from the shiny pants before glancing back at Lila, who was shuddering. Perhaps awed by her Adept-ranked summon's strength, perhaps in the pants. She sincerely hoped it was the former.
"Now then." She clapped her hands, reeling Lila's focus. "With all due respect, I'll give you two options."
Her hand held out two fingers. "Either an attack that would match your strength, or-"
"Your strongest attack."
Mel's eyes flickered with hesitation, contrasting with Lila's resolute voice echoing in her ears.
"...it'll really hurt, you know?"
Lila's lips tugged into a small smile, her fingertips trickling with frost dust. "It's alright. You'll hold back either way for me, right?"
Mel sighed helplessly at Lila's perceptiveness, eying the burnt forest behind her girlfriend(?).
For the Witch of Lust,
All of them could also simultaneously be buffed by her
All of that, however, would only make for an anti-climactic ending.
And so, she uttered. "One attack."
Just one attack. Mel will hold nothing back.
She raised her wooden staff on the Steel-eagle. "
The wooden tip carrying the Adept Ranked
The Witch of Lust watched as Lila visibly gulped, her emerald eyes shivering under the Steel Eagle's sharp stare.
Mel merely raised her hand. "You should be readied with all that you have."
With her master's permission, the Summon slammed the bow into the soil, her steel claw clasping a great arrow as she snapped back the long bow's string with a slow but practiced motion.
Lila's emerald eyes caught a glimpse of the purple mana cloaking around the great arrow, her cold sweat dripping on the forehead, a tickling nervousness she could hardly bear to face.
Her memory was set adrift, before searching her robe's pocket and taking out the
A selfish thought came to her, as she sneakily (under Mel's flustered glance) put it over her ring finger, before summoning the stave from within.
Her fingers gripped the one-handed scepter tightly. The purple rod was shimmering with a hue reminiscent of Mel's Witchly mana, and the blue crystal at the tip was encircled by metallic shine.
Unlike a certain, stubborn Dragoness, who has been training and isolating herself from birth, she deeply cherished what had been given unto her.
And so, Lila took a deep breath, recalling Saria's training.
She stretched out the scepter, a power that answered to her calmness glimmering from the crystal.
Her emerald eyes closed in deep focus. Cold wind spiraled around Lila before a blue magic circle spread from underneath her feet.
And from the scepter's tip, snow and ice crystals converged, swirling into a blazing orb of a frosty storm. Gusts howled, robes fluttered, and Lila's eyes steeled.
Deep in her heart, she knew the arrow would pierce through her Adept-ranked spell like a spear through paper.
Yet, facing Mel's softened gaze, she realised something.
That she was no longer afraid of failures.
"
The orb shot out, traces of frostbite coating its path like trails of forgotten snows.
And in that split moment, Mel's staff pointed forward.
"
For one second, Adept's ranked buff spell veiled the Steel Eagle's arrow, before it released with a 'fervent cry of a banshee', cutting through the air with lightning speed.
The steel penetrated the orb, slicing through all of Lila's efforts and talents.
The emerald eyes closed, bracing for the impact to come. Yet, all she felt was a breeze soaring over her shoulder, her hair fluttering against the deafening silence.
And the silence broke, as Lila shuddered at the thunderous roars of crashing tides behind her. She glanced behind her, almost gasping as the arrow tore through bark after bark, burnt trees with holes falling one by one, as the dry soil cracked underneath the mana's pressure.
Before she knew it, the arrow had burrowed a literal path straight through the burnt forest, a violent display of precision and a 'banshee's rage'.
Her knees buckled, and she plopped on the grass, hanging her head to process everything that had happened. Remember when she claimed she was not afraid?
Well, she lied. But who could blame her?! She was almost decimated like those poor trees behind her!
"Don't feel down."
Footsteps approached, reeling her out of her daze. Before long, her hair felt a familiar patting, this time with a doting pity that she almost couldn't recognise.
The soothing whisper flowed into her ear, like a balm to her shaken spirit. "One day, you will grow as strong as me."
Her eyes welled up with tears before she blinked them off. Now is not the time to cry, as much as she wanted to.
She recognises now the distance, the real distance between her and Mel.
To protect her against the Church, the World, and the Saintess, she has to grow faster than all of them, Mel herself included.
"...mm."
Her emerald eyes grew firmer as she glanced at Mel's loving gaze. She could not afford petty insecurities now.
She will protect Mel. And she will stay by her side, forever and ever.
"Still..." Lila pouted. "Deliberately aiming away from me is a bad sport. I almost wish I would be pixelated instead."
"Hehe." Mel held her chuckles, desummoning her steel eagle at the side. "I have my own principles. I only hurt when I need to."
The Witch of Envy's eyes narrowed. "Does that include all those you hypnotised, burned, and dragged into Lady Rosana's slaughters?"
The Witch of Lust nodded smoothly. "That was one of the examples."
"..."
Lila sighed deeply. "Why do I feel like you can't help but get yourself more enemies?"
"That's good, no?" Mel's lips curled up to a familiar foxy smile. "Weren't you afraid of me being close to other women? More enemies, fewer rivals, right?"
A blush crept up to Lila's cheeks. "I...ac-actually, weren't we already couples?! Why do I feel like you're suddenly acting like other women will come running at you at any minute now?!"
"Oh, Lila..." Mel kneeled to the grass, creeping down to Lila as their chests collided. "Are you jealous now? We could kiss now if you would like to. I did promise after all, didn't I?"
"Sto-stop teasing me and avoiding the question, you Witch!"
"So cute... hehe..."
Drunk by the sight of Lila's blushes, Mel's eyes glimmered with an uncontrollable urge. Though Lila pushed against her, the weakening struggles betrayed her annoyance.
Just as she leaned down to reciprocate her love, a panel disrupted her view, blocking her view of Lila's subdued eyes that seemed to surrender with every passing second.
[ Host! ]
Oh. A disappointed hum lingered within Mel's heart. Someone here had really, really bad timing.
What is it?
[ Long story short, take out your necklace! Something disastrous is about to happen! ]
Mel's eyes blinked as she pulled away from Lila. Explain more?
[ Aye, no time! Just wear your necklace, now! ]
The Witch of Lust frowned as she stood up, pulling the confused Lila along. She recalled the last time when the System's urgent tone came as Saria rushed at her, so 'it' was never one to joke when a danger truly came.
Then, a flash of light streaked across her vision.
It happened in a blink. But Mel could 'see' it. 'Comprehend' it. A slash, or something sliced down from the sky to the ground, as if to cleanly chop the World in half like a cabbage.
And the ground shook with equal ferventness, dramatically trembling both figures as they tried stabilizing their footings.
"Wha-what is this?!"
Lila's panicky voice streamed through the vibrations, as Mel slithered her arm up her waist.
"
An Adept-ranked spell 'rang' through the air, and before Lila could comprehend it, the balance underneath their feet steadied as if anchored by a vocal harmony.
Smiling softly to assure Lila, Mel mumbled in her heart.
System. Promise me we will not be in danger after this?
[ None whatsoever. As long as I'm here! ]
Wow. How reassuring. We'll have a long talk later, System.
"Lila." Mel cupped her lover's cheek, shifting her head slightly closer. "Do you trust me?"
"Uh-um... yes, Mel?"
The Witch of Lust's eyes curved the trembling Emerald Eyes, before glancing down at Lila's lips.
Without warning, she edged closer before crashing her lips onto Lila's, eliciting a suppressed moan. The Witch of Lust tilted her head for every angle, savouring the smooth curve.
Lila huffed beneath the sudden kiss, so cruelly tender that she melted into it. And yet, Mel pulled back, leaving only a trace of warmth on her lips.
"Want more?"
Lila hiccuped. Her head was a mess from the howling gusts that seemed to signal the World's end, but more so from the kiss that left her breathless and dizzy.
"Ye-yes..."
"Hehe." Mel's eyes never left Lila's as her unoccupied hand peeked into the inventory while locking her lover in a gentle embrace. "Next time, I will also ensure the tongue gets a proper welcome."
"…hic." Lila whimpered with her head down. "Aw... I'm really in love with a bad woman..."
[ The Witch of Envy was so overwhelmed with happiness now! ]
[ Envy's favourability: 81-> 86 ]
"My bad." Mel smiled, holding back the urge to kiss Lila again. "Good for you, however. I can never get enough of you either, Lila."
"...me too..."
The Witch of Lust giggled at the maiden's honest confession, as the sky above them creaked for the first ominous crack.