Chapter 28 'Brightness' and 'Original Sin' III - 'Flame of Lust'
Inside the pitch-black cathedral, as the magic circle under Zera's feet unfolded, gray feathers were unconsciously scattered in the spacious space.
This weird change not only made Yuri and Precht hold their breath, but also plunged the masked man into the abyss of fearful memories.
"Impossible-!! This color, this color of magic!!!"
The words that vented his emotions had a strong vibrato, which was enough to show how unpeaceful this man's heart was right now.
He didn't understand why he saw that ominous color here again even though seven years had passed and he had finally gotten rid of the trauma and shadow caused by the flames.
"...This magic power...is indeed true! You are!! Why are you here!!! You shouldn't be here at all!!!"
The dull, painful wound under the mask, the magical color representing ashes, as well as the hair color and similar childish face from the remaining nightmare, finally allowed him to determine the identity of the girl in the wheelchair.
Because this man was the president of the "Blue Skull" who escaped from "Sirius Island" seven years ago and disappeared.
The expression on his face almost collapsed, and the masked man kept retreating like crazy, trying to avoid the range of these feathers, until he bumped into a table behind him that seemed to be used for preparing rituals, and overturned the sacrifices piled on it.
This unnatural reversal made both Yuri and Precht, who could not understand, open their mouths, not knowing how to understand the situation in front of them.
Is it possible that Zera's magic actually caused a direct mental blow to the enemy, causing him to fall into confusion and lose his will to fight?
While the two were guessing, those mysterious feathers finally fell from the sky and came into contact with the buildings in the church.
The next moment, earth-shaking changes took place here.
"Uh--!!!"
Like a fire being ignited, the originally cold and dark room turned into a sea of gray flames in an instant, causing Yuri, who was sitting on the ground to think that he was being burned, to make a strange scream in fear.
But soon, he realized something was wrong and put down his hands in front of him.
The blow just now should have 'burned' him, but why...
"strangeness……"
Looking at the blazing flames all around him in bewilderment, an unlikely idea arose in his mind.
"Hey! Yuri!"
As Precht shouted before he could stop him, the blond young man slowly moved his hand closer to the burning flame beside him.
The closer he got, the more he felt that his thoughts might be true.
"..."
"…hallucination?"
Turning his head blankly, Yuri asked his question to his companion.
In the burning center, his hand was placed there peacefully.
Not only do these gray flames have no heat, they will not burn anyone.
But the crackling sounds around them reminded them all the time that this 'fire' was real.
"……what is going on?"
But Precht couldn't answer this question.
I'm afraid the only one who knows about it is the one not far in front of them.
…
(Well...it seems to be in pretty good condition...)
After feeling that there was no abnormality in her mutated magic source, Zera breathed a long sigh of relief and her consciousness slowly relaxed.
Of course, everything in front of them couldn't be an illusion. Unlike Yuri and the others who were unscathed, the masked man's screams never stopped.
This is one of the magics that Zeira learned from the 'reversal'.
The "Flames of Lust" can burn out the impure objects deemed by the caster. As long as the magic power is enough, even invisible objects can be burned out.
Although this is not the first time she has used it, if possible, she still hopes to use it as little as possible before thoroughly researching it.
After all, the essence that now constitutes her [first source of magic] is all "negative energy" belonging to black magic.
Even though it has become a part of her body, this power is still too dangerous.
Depravity of the soul, misuse of will, negative emotions...
It can be said that what these black magic energies bring about are human beings' "evil", that is, "original sin".
So in order to get 'it' to pay some 'rent', Zeira took great pains.
(Next, just burn this place clean...)
Calmly looking at the results she had created, she deliberately spent so much effort not just to deal with an evil wizard who had a little bit of magic.
What Zella really wants to eliminate is the 'Zerf magic' that has always permeated this area.
The reason why she intervened in the battle just now was because she found that the masked man had been delaying time and was not 'playing' with Yuri and the others.
Whether it's the strange horn outside the building or this weird ritual scene, it's all brewing, or in other words, providing magic.
By the time they finish talking, the thing that gave Zella a bad feeling will probably appear.
It's better to be as simple and crude as now.
"...Damn it! Damn it!...I hate it so much!!!!"
Wails sounded in the fire curtain, and the masked man who had no way out was covered in sporadic sparks, which were constantly burning his body.
"Why!! Why on earth!! You want to destroy my 'kingdom' again and again!!"
"You are obviously a "devil"!! Why do you want to hinder me?!!!!"
"..."
Without making a sound, the flames released by Zella became more and more concentrated, which already represented her answer.
Now she can't use her "magic" at will, so wasting time will not do her any good.
Strictly speaking, what she is using now can also be said to be a kind of "black magic".
But as long as she doesn't use it for a long time or overuse it, she can still afford to use up this little bit of life force.
“Ahhhhhh————!!!”
He gently closed his eyes, and with the last roar of the masked man, the gray flames burned through the entire room like a wash, and finally disappeared without a trace.
(That's it...)
…
"……Did you make it?"
Watching the flames around him gradually fade away, Precht looked at the figure sitting safely in the wheelchair, and for some reason he didn't know how to speak.
Just sitting there, they solved the 'powerful magician' that they thought they could not resist.
And the last bits and pieces revealed in the masked man's words also filled Precht's heart with confusion.
(...What is the so-called "devil"...)
On the other hand, compared to the more thoughtful Precht, Yuri didn't have so many worries.
After seeing Zera successfully solve everything, this guy forgot about his previous unhappiness and rushed forward carelessly.
"Are you okay?! What on earth was that just now? It's amazing!"
After seeing Zera's true magic, Yuri looked excited.
The power to change the environment at his fingertips really made him yearn for it.
But for some reason, the tension caused by the battle in Zera has not been relieved.
"..."
"......What's wrong?"
The battle should have ended, but the brown-haired girl still stared straight ahead, causing the blond young man to swallow back what he originally wanted to say.
Where the masked man disappeared, a strange flute floated there, exuding an evil and profound aura.
That was the source of the ‘Zerf magic’ that Zeira felt.
It seems that the events here are not over yet. (To be continued)