Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 59: Storm of Hearts, Part Fifteen

Lianna and Sylver continued their hurried pace through the maze-like ruins, the eerie silence broken only by distant, vague echoes. Every turn they took seemed to blur into the next, making the labyrinth they traversed an indistinguishable mess of stone walls and ominous shadows.

[Come on, come on...]

Lianna continued using {Through Enverna’s Eyes}. She could feel the way dark energy collected around Mel, making Enverna feel so much colder.

[We can make it. I just need...]

The urgency of her mission weighed heavily on Lianna’s shoulders. She was nervous, of course. The potential danger of the situation was very real all of a sudden. But, she was also mad at herself.

[I should have figured it out sooner.]

It felt so obvious now. What The Lover had been trying to warn Lianna about. But, she only managed to connect the dots now, when Mel was out of reach.

Determined, she tried to run as hard as she could.

Suddenly, a guttural growl reverberated through the next corridor, freezing Lianna and Sylver in their tracks. Lianna had been so focused on what was happening with her friends that she hadn’t been making as much use of her {Scout} abilities as she should have.

The ominous sound echoed off the stone walls, sending a chill down their spines. As they exchanged a wary glance, a grotesque form emerged from the shadows.

A Fiend, its misshapen mass slithering across the floor with writhing tentacles at the top of its form and a massive, bulging eye staring malevolently. Its presence filled the narrow passageway, blocking Lianna and Sylver’s path.

"Crap," Sylver hissed, stepping in front of Lianna. "Hold on. This thing could be strong. Let’s not let our haste make us sloppy."

Lianna quickly shattered that notion.

"Its Strength is B-, its Endurance is C+, its Dexterity is D, and its Mysticism is D+. Those are its stats. Can you deal with it quickly!?"

"..."

Sylver remained silent for a time. She didn’t manage to produce an answer before the Fiend attacked on its own.

Both women dodged in opposite directions.

Lianna pulled her bow out from her Inventory as quickly as she could while Sylver brought out a staff.

The Fiend, sensing that they weren’t going to roll over and die easily, let out another menacing growl. Its eye fixated on Lianna and Sylver, its intention clear: they were its prey.

Without hesitation, the Fiend lunged forward, tentacles thrashing towards them. Lianna swiftly nocked an arrow and aimed for the eye, trying to buy them some time. Sylver, with her seasoned instincts, moved to flank the creature, mana bursting out from the tip of her staff.

The confined space of the corridor made it all feel so much more dangerous.

Lianna’s heart raced as the Fiend closed in, its movements surprisingly agile for its grotesque appearance. She released the arrow, and it struck true, hitting the eye with a sickening squelch though, knowing her own strength, it likely did little to damage it.

All she needed to do was buy Sylver time, though.

However, the Fiend didn’t falter. Instead, it retaliated with a sweeping motion of its tentacles, forcing Lianna and Sylver to dodge and evade simultaneously. The encounter had escalated into a dance of survival, each movement a delicate balance between offense and evasion and, naturally, Lianna was having a worse time of it.

The crimson-haired rookie gritted her teeth.

[You have to get through this. Just help make more openings for Sylver!]

On that note, she took a far bolder position, standing directly in front of the Fiend, an arrow aimed at its eye again.

"Lianna!"

The Fiend, wanting not to let the same thing happen again, swung a tentacle with brutal force, slamming into Lianna’s body.

She felt the impact like a thunderous shock, pain radiating from where the tentacle struck. Gasping for breath, Lianna found herself sprawled against the unforgiving wall behind her, having been launched into it, a metallic taste of blood lingering in her mouth.

Sylver, quick on her feet, seized the opening presented by the Fiend’s aggression.

The mage’s lips curled with anger and determination as she unleashed a barrage of arcane energy. Fiery bolts and crackling mana erupted from Sylver’s staff, targeting the Fiend’s vulnerable eye.

"AAAAGH!"

The Fiend recoiled, its grotesque form convulsing in response to the magical onslaught.

Sylver, undeterred, pressed her advantage. She summoned a vortex of swirling winds, creating a localized storm that buffeted the Fiend and intensified the onslaught of her ongoing magical assault.

Lianna, despite the pain coursing through her body, marveled at Sylver’s prowess.

The seasoned mage exhibited a control over the arcane that was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. Sylver’s magic danced with deadly precision, weaving a tapestry of destruction around the Fiend.

The creature, now disoriented and weakened, thrashed about in a futile attempt to retaliate. Sylver, seizing the opportunity, cast a final, potent spell. A surge of concentrated, magical energy coalesced into a brilliant beam that pierced through the Fiend’s eye, coming out the other side, and causing it to convulse violently before collapsing in a grotesque heap.

Sylver deflated, breathing a sigh of relief.

The echoes of the battle lingered in the narrow corridor, gradually dissipating into the oppressive silence of the ruins.

Lianna, still recovering from the impact, pushed herself up from the wall. Her eyes met Sylver’s through her blindfold, a mix of gratitude and determination passing between them.

"Thanks," Lianna managed, her voice edged with pain.

Sylver nodded, her expression revealing a stoic resolve.

"You are far too careless."

Lianna shook her head.

"Maybe."

"Well, we need to keep moving. Like you said," Sylver added, "the others might be facing challenges of their own."

Lianna nodded in agreement.

The air seemed to grow heavier as they ventured further, the ruins revealing the weight of their history and the shadows that clung to every corner.

As they turned a corner, a dimly lit hall unfolded before them, its end marked by a shimmering magical barrier. The same type that had cut the group off earlier.

Behind the transparent veil, Lianna’s eyes widened at the unsettling scene that played out.

Mel, hand raised with lethal intent, aimed directly at Enverna.

Lianna’s eyes widened.

"What... what is she doing?" Lianna muttered, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Sylver squinted, her experienced eyes analyzing the situation.

"I do not know what’s going on, but this is bad. We need to find a way through that barrier. Fast."

Lianna’s heart raced as she scanned the immediate surroundings. The arcane barrier seemed impenetrable, its ethereal glow pulsating with an ominous energy. Desperation gripped her, knowing she needed to intervene before tragedy unfolded.

Without hesitation, Lianna activated her unique ability, {Through Enverna’s Eyes}. Suddenly, her vision shifted, and she saw the scene unfold from Enverna’s perspective. The ominous intent in Mel’s eyes was even more apparent through Enverna’s gaze.

"We need to hurry," Lianna urged, her voice urgency laced with worry. "Mel’s about to do something terrible... Sylver!" Lianna called out. "I... I need you to heal me."

"What? Are you hurt?"

"No," Lianna inhaled sharply. "But, I will be."

On that note, Lianna stepped forward, knowing this would be one of the most painful things she’d ever done.

But, she had to. It was the only way she could think to get through this.

[Exposure is how I can analyze a spell. Exposure doesn’t just mean seeing a spell but feeling it too. So...]

Lianna put her hands up.

"L-Lianna," Sylver tried to stop her, nervous.

Lianna put her hands on the barrier.

"AAH!" She screamed instantly. As she’d found out before, doing this was akin to putting her hands in a pit of flames.

She pulled them away.

"HEAL ME!" Lianna cried out.

Sylver, snapping back into focus, did as she asked silently.

"Aaaah!"

With a constant stream of healing magic on her, Lianna maintained her hands on the barrier, her eyes fixed on the unfolding drama behind the magical obstruction.

She watched as Mel’s hand trembled with magical energy, poised to unleash a devastating spell. The air crackled with tension as time seemed to stretch, each moment feeling like an eternity.

"Mel, stop!" Lianna shouted through a strained throat, though her voice couldn’t reach beyond the barrier.

Enverna, seemingly unaware of the imminent threat, turned her head toward Mel, confusion etched across her features. The scene played out in agonizing slow motion as Lianna, trapped behind the barrier, could only watch helplessly.

Mel let a dark spell fly.

Enverna just narrowly avoided it.

The spell was reflected in Lianna’s eyes as she watched it soar through the air.

And so, Lianna kept her hands on the barrier.

The magical obstruction resisted her efforts, a tangible wall between her and the unfolding turmoil on the other side. Every passing second felt like an eternity, the weight of urgency pressing down on Lianna’s shoulders, hurting almost as much as the barrier burning her hands.

But, desperation fueled her determination.

She gritted her teeth, muscles tensed as if the sheer force of her will could breach the magical divide. The dim glow of the barrier responded with an ethereal resistance, almost mocking her attempts to intervene.

[I need to get in there!]