Chapter 73: 073: RAVEN...... LIORA IS DEAD!

"How... dare you?" Elowen screamed and stared at the chunk of hair on the floor before looking at my sword.

"Oh my. I missed, I was going for your throat," I said, and she gritted her teeth. Before I could even blink, she appeared right in front of me. Her palm slammed against my face and she drove me backwards until my back crashed into the wall. Dust burst around us. I tried to shove her away, but she pressed my face harder against the stone.

"I’ll kill you," she spat, her eyes glowing darker with black magic. I only laughed.

"It’s hair, it can grow back," I taunted.

She increased her strength, but the second she thought she had won, my elbow drove straight into her stomach.

THUD.

She staggered backwards.

I wiped the blood escaping my lips and stared at her with utter disgust.

[Sealing powers increased by 20%. Defeat Elowen and unlock 100% seal power.]

The system hologram appeared and my lips curled into a smug smile.

"Well, well, well. Finally fighting Elowen and not getting backlash," I muttered lowly, but the hologram appeared again.

[Who said you wouldn’t receive backlash? Host, did you forget Reverse Misfortune was among her powers? If you hurt her, you receive ten times the pain.]

My eyes widened in horror. Now that was really not fun.

I couldn’t help but groan in displeasure. But Elowen got up, clutching her stomach tightly while flashing me a wild smile.

"That was good. Made me warm up a bit," she said and laughed hysterically.

She slammed her palms together.

BOOOOM.

Dark mist exploded around her like a storm. The black magic twisted violently in the air, swirling and coiling like a living creature before shaping itself into a massive dragon. Purple-black flames burst from its jaws as it roared straight at me.

I swallowed hard. "Now this was my doom," I thought.

The second Elowen opened her eyes, the dragon launched at me. The force behind it shattered the ground beneath its claws, but a shield appeared before me but barely blocked the impact.

"Bitch—"

The dragon’s tail slammed against the shield and I crashed to my knees. Cracks spread beneath me instantly.

If I kept staying here, I could die. I had to find a way to seal the divine gate faster.

"What if I hurt her and make her bleed?" I thought, and the cat’s voice echoed in my head.

"Yeah... do that."

A smirk appeared on my lips. I used my magic and disappeared.

FWISH.

I appeared right behind Elowen, my sword raised high in the air to slash through her, but suddenly scorching purple lava surged toward me like a wave.

I vanished again, as she had sensed me.

I hid behind a pillar, catching my breath while trying to calm down my racing heart.

"Raven, just die by my hands already. How is that so hard to do?" she asked, but I didn’t dare make a move.

Suddenly the floor underneath me exploded apart.

I jumped onto safer ground and Elowen cackled loudly.

"Found you."

She raised both hands into the air, but we both froze.

Inside the building, above the ceiling, a purple mist suddenly opened. I stared upward. It looked like an entire galaxy had split apart. Stars shimmered inside it, endless and cold. Then the portal shifted and finally stopped directly above me.

I swallowed hard.

Why did I suddenly feel like I was about to get retaliated against? Just like that, lightning began moving downward.

Elowen stared at it, momentarily dazed. This was a perfect distraction, I sped forward instantly and my sword pierced straight through her arm, but that still didn’t stop the lightning.

It roared down at me. I raised my sword above my head and blocked.

BOOOOOOM.

The lightning struck the blade violently.

I held tighter, gritting my teeth, but my left knee buckled against the ground.

"This world really wants to end me..."

Elowen gazed at her bleeding arm before gritting her teeth. Then she stared at the lightning and smirked.

Her hands swirled with purple mist again as she prepared to strike me.

HAWK! HAWK!

I stopped and looked up. The lighting was gone and...

An eagle suddenly burst into the hall. Its wings sliced through the air as it charged straight toward Elowen and rampaged through her hair. She raised her hands angrily, trying to catch the annoying bird.

"Vermin!"

Just as she used her magic to blast the eagle away, it spun midair...and suddenly transformed into a beastman.

His eagle wings shimmered brilliantly beneath the purple light.

Elowen couldn’t help but sneer.

"Oh Raven, you truly are something else. You even took your best friend’s beastman. You’re so greedy, I wonder what else you can do," she said before turning toward the eagle beastman.

"He isn’t even that strong. Next time you want to covet a beastman, use someone stronger."

She swirled her hands again. My irises suddenly dilated behind Elowen.

A portal of water had opened. Bubbles moved beautifully in the air before Liora stepped out together with Bibi.

"What are you doing?" Bibi asked and Elowen froze.

Her dark eyes immediately returned to normal and the black mist disappeared.

"Helping my sister," she said softly while walking toward me, but I snapped my sword toward her neck and she paused mid-step.

"Sister, I know you dislike me, but this is absurd," she said loudly so Bibi could hear clearly.

The eagle beastman moved toward Liora and whispered something to both her and Bibi.

Hearing it, Bibi’s eyes darkened instantly. Just as Elowen advanced toward me again, Bibi grabbed her wrist and twisted her over.

"You were trying to kill your own cousin. Do you know where that could lead you?" she asked coldly.

Elowen froze.

"I really didn’t do anything. I would never hurt my cousin, you and I know that," she said gently, but Bibi’s grip tightened. Right behind Elowen, a dagger suddenly appeared from swirling magic.

My breath hitched. "Let her go," I said, but Bibi still held onto her.

"If you act out of line, you do know the Empress wouldn’t be pleased," she said. "You know she hates treason above everything."

Elowen flashed a smile.

"I dare n—"

Suddenly she flung her hand outward, but I instantly appeared behind her and grabbed her wrist before she could strike.

She let out a scream and I kicked the dagger away instantly.

If Bibi had seen that knife clearly just now... a lot more would have changed in the novel.

Elowen seemed to regain her senses and stared around in confusion. The black magic was already affecting her mind, pushing her into acting on impulse.

"I... sorry," she muttered.

Liora moved closer, but my hand immediately grabbed her wrist.

"Monsters are getting out. Don’t go too close," I said, yet she only shoved my hand away softly before muttering...

"Water."

"What do you mean?" I asked, and she bit her bottom lip nervously.

"Actually... I can seal the Divine Gate," she said anxiously. Both Bibi and I turned toward her instantly.

"Really?" I asked, and she nodded.

"I just need you guys to back me up with a little power and I’ll be fine," she added, and my eyes brightened.

"Bibi, tie her up." Elowen’s eyes widened instantly, as she didn’t need clarification to know we meant her.

In that split second, she broke free from my hold and hurled purple-black mist toward Liora, but I used my magic to block it.

BOOOOM.

She pushed Bibi away with magic and tried attacking again.. but then—

SWRIL.

Bibi had already tied her hands and Elowen stood there on the ground, glaring at me with disgust.

Just then, Liora stepped forward, swirling her hands in a slow circle, closing her eyes. Tiny droplets of condensed water began appearing around her. They floated beautifully in the air before spinning faster and faster around her body., even more water gathered.. They merged together into one enormous sphere, then suddenly—

FWOOOSH.

Mystical purple light burst from within it as a glowing gem fused into the water.

The entire hall shimmered beautifully. I couldn’t help but stare in a daze.

Bibi and I moved behind Liora. We raised our hands together and stretched them toward her.

Our magic swirled like streams and entered her body from behind, supporting and energizing her.

After a few seconds, she muttered something beneath her breath and then pushed both palms forward.

The massive water sphere launched straight toward the Divine Gate.

The demons crawling out screamed horribly the second the purified water touched them....They froze. The water swallowed them whole and purified them into nothingness. I watched as the gate slowly began to mend and a smile curved onto my lips.

Liora was terrifying indeed, but then....

[Character Board

Name: Liora

Age: 19

Beastman: One

Power: Water Magic, Weather Control

Rank: C-rank

Potential: High but Blocked

Rival: None]

Seeing this, I froze. She had high potential... but it had been hindered before she could ever reach it.

Was she poisoned back where she came from? My eyes darkened the second I thought about her stepmother.

Did she perhaps do something to Liora?

My eyes widened and I moved faster to tell Liora something, but suddenly...

COUGH.

Blood sprayed out from her lips. Bibi and I rushed toward her, almost breaking off our magic, but..."Don’t stop. I’m almost there," she said weakly.

We both paused before increasing our magic output, pouring more energy into her.

"She’s burning herself to seal the gate," Elowen’s voice echoed behind us and my heart skipped in panic.

"Shut it," I spat, but instead Elowen laughed louder "She’s going to die," she said coldly.

Bibi gritted her teeth and poured even more energy into Liora, but behind us, I spotted the eagle beastman slammed against the wall. His eyes were drooping closed and he looked extremely weak, plus he was coughing out blood too.

"Liora, it’s enough—"

"Let me continue..."

Just as the portal began closing faster—a spear suddenly shot out from the broken Divine Gate, straight toward Liora.

"LIORA!"

Bibi and I screamed and rushed toward her, but....

PIERCE

The spear pierced straight through her stomach and out through her back. Blood gushed endlessly from her lips and stomach. Her eyes remained open, staring upwards, and hereagle Beastsman collapsed. Even the white gown she wore had turned bloody red.

"Li... ora..." I screamed.

Bibi and I rushed toward her, but the second I checked her pulse.

"She’s dead!"