The witches started slowly gathering and leaving the ruins in small groups. Their fate is no longer my concern. I told them that I have no further use of them. It was a lie. As they would scatter in all direction they would be a perfect decoy. Just imagine – hundred witches that escaped the prison! It will take lots of efforts and resources to catch them – a perfect opportunity for me to run away. But for now I wasn’t bothering myself thinking about that. I was looking at notification with [loading] mark. Something good was about to pop up.

You have successfully conquered Castle WergornCalculation [Exp] rewardsRaid CommanderZariel WhiteravenMost Damage Dealt:PyroxMost Enemies KilledPyroxMost Enemy Commanders KilledZariel WhiteravenMost Assists [Best support]Jason JasnyBest ActionDarik & DariaMVPPyrox

You have achieved [5 550 exp] You have leveled up

General InformationNameZarielLevel[21/NA] [2535/25 000 exp]Age17/NARaceChimera [Divine]ClassDark Hierophant [Plague Spreader]JobAlchemistTitleThe one who forge his own fate

Champion slayer

Deadly Arena Champion

The Great Duelist

The Wild Mage

Mad ScientistHealth287/430Stamina189/350Mana181/640AttributesStrength45 (added 5)Vitality43 (added 1)Endurance35 (added 1) Constitution35 Dexterity56 + 4 (added 1)Reflex41 + 3 (added 1)Intelligence64 (added 2)Wisdom52 (added 2)Spiritualism44 (added 1)Hidden AttributesLuck15 + 10 Charisma6 + 20Charm13 (added 1)Unallocated points0

That raid was a competition?! Why no one told me?! I would have played this differently and got every possible achievement!

Achievement unlockedFor leading a party/raid against forces that outnumbered you 5:1, or average level was 2x times higher than yours and winning you unlocked an achievement[Some of you may die, but this is a sacrifice I am willing to make]

... I will not comment that. Pyrox, where are you! You stole my MVP! I am going to…

Already mentioned punk-looking magician get back to me running.

“BIG BOSS! YOU DA BEST! That party was…. SO HOOOT! Big boss is the best boss ever! Pyrox will burn everything big boss wants to see burned!”

He was like a happy puppy, if he got a tail he would be weaving it to the sides making a small tornado in process. What was I just talking ab… ah yes, I am going to… stop looking at me like that! I am about to… No! Bad Pyrox! Away!

Ugh… I can’t.

“Sure thing. Good Pyrox.” I patted him on his head.

I am a weak man. And weakness disgusts me… But have you ever seen a punk doing a puppy eyes? Exactly. DAMN! I need something to distract myself…

“To the chapel, folks, let’s see who was the reason to build a hole castle here.” “Really? We are not sure what it is, if she even lives, what was the reason for her to be bind, what would she do… Yet you are that excited?” Jason “And I just can’t hide it! I’m about to lose control and I think I like it!” I sang along “…” “What?!” “Nothing. Nice voice…”

We walked to the door of chapel and pushed it as we headed inside. Soon we find out why it didn’t collapse even after attack of Sparkly. Three nuns were sitting inside in small circle praying silently. Their chant was filling chamber made of stone. Quite powerful shield you raised here, still, I doubt that just three girl could kept it for much longer. Especially if someone would start scratching its surface.

“Hello, my dear ladies. Mind stopping this little barrier of yours? It’s pointless anyway.” “Keep on, sisters! Evil shall not prevail!” “I will agree with you. Still, I am not evil, just chaotic neutral. Now, stand aside.” “Hold on! We have to keep the barrier till reinforcement would come!” “I doubt that you would last couple of days, I doubt you will last ten minutes… But I see you want it the hard way. Darik? Daria? Mind helping?”

Ah, I can get addicted to that. Ordering around. It’s so… refreshing. Boosts your self-confidence, makes you think like someone important. Also you don’t have to waste your precious mana! Twins looked into eyes of one of the nuns. For a moment she just stood there, but then her hands fell down. The circle was broken and barrier crumbled.

I casually moved past them and went to the altar. Place where no one except priest could enter. Just as I though, there was a flap on the floor leading deeper under ground. I opened it.

“Ah, Pyrox! If you want you can show some tricks to the ladies… Darik, Daria, my loves, you may play with them too, but try looking around from time to time if someone is not approaching, ok? Jasno? Mind coming with me?”

I started climbing down the ladder. In next moment I heard screams of the nuns.

“No mercy? You are scary, kid.” “I prefer cautious. They could raise quite the barrier, who knows what else they could do. That, plus I really want to relieve my stress and anger.” “You just partaken in killing… how much? Four hundred witch hunters, and your are not satisfied? Mere eye for an eye does not satisfy you?” “Eye for an eye? No. Both eyes for an eye. Tooth for tooth? No all of them for tooth. Only when evil is no longer able to do their deeds you can say that justice has been served. Otherwise they would continue their actions.” “Evil? I thought we were the bad guys.” “No. It’s questionable. Very often villains see themselves as a heroes. Hero of war in one country is worshiped – called Great, Brave, Fearless… Why others view him like a monster, call him butcher, devil… Such things like good an evil has to be considered from one position. If you would ask church if killing is good, I am sure that they would say that this is a sin, but then after adding that you meant a witch, they would encourage you and praise you. Are they evil? In their eyes – no, in our? Why not? There are no white and black things in the world. Only shades of grey.” “Aha, how many shades?” “fifty.” “Why exactly fifty?” “… that was supposed to be a joke, but I forgot you wouldn’t get it. Just keep climbing down, ok?”

The air kept getting bit colder, I have also noticed the change in the rock, slowly it lost it’s natural grey color and started turning more and more.. white. Is this onyx? Are we in bloody cave of white onyx? Then… why didn’t they mine it? They could equip few squads with onyx just from this cave… additional protection source? Whatever is kept here, it left them terrified!

We reached bottom of the cave. It was shaped in perfect circle. In the middle, on bed-shaped pedestal a woman slept with her palms joined on her chest. I have never seen someone of her kind? She looked as if she had some skin disease, for parts of her body was almost completely white – like porcelain, while she also had deeply dark (as if tanned) spots. Like snake that was shedding its skin her eyes were bit pointy, not as much as elves but you could easily notice that, small horns were sticking out from her forehead curving little to the sides. Her black hair were reaching her hips. She wasn’t very tall about 1,6 meter. It was a nice thing, I was already tired of females taller than myself – Gisele, WOMANH… even Ay despite having only one centimeter of advantage I still noticed that. Just who is she?

~ Wake her up and see for yourself!

You are unusually cheerful… That’s fishy.

~ Must be your imagination.

No, I am more than sure you know her

~ How can you tell?

You wouldn’t say a word in other case, and definitely wouldn’t encourage me to wake her up if it wasn’t the case. Who is she. Or I walk away

~ She is half demon and half high elf. I will tell nothing more. Just to not spoil your fun!

How do I wake her up?

~A kiss of true love shall awake a sleeping beauty!

You are shitting me! If Gisele would find out me, her and Jason that didn’t stop me would die in agony! And she would find out

~ Kiss is a form of a spell, you know? It is also form of agreement – pact. This is why you shouldn’t kiss a succubus after making any kind of a deal with her. That would be equal with signing an agreement – or if you would prefer, would make you a slave of her

Another reason to keep Zanes away. But you said it is made to form a deals, not to break them.

~ Thou, who felt no love in your life and brought despair upon the world, shall remain still till the day when someone would bestow a love upon you… that’s the spell. Now. Break the curse!

Hm? In that case it can be taken down by than just one way. It also wasn’t precised what kind of love was needed, right? Let’s try this… What’s her name?

~Duuunno!

I know you do.

~Maybe, but if you don’t want to this my way, I am not going to cooperate either! Just one small kiss! Come on!

With every word you say I don’t want doing it more and more. Ok, let’s try this way…

I sat on the verge of pedestal, grabbed gently her head and placed in on my laps. Caressing her hair a little I whispered.

“You, who into slumber were put against your will, you who were never understood, answer my call, here my voice, awaken from your never ending nightmare. I offer you love of brother, that shall support you in achieving your goal, arise one again, and fulfill your desires…”

She woke up, but if you think that by that I mean gently opening her eyes, blinking few times and yawning…. You are wrong. I almost didn’t register the movement of her eyelids, she woke up like a beast that heard prey near her lair.

“I hope you didn’t kiss me, did you?” “What if I did?” I asked smiling. “I don’t feel your taste on my lips. You are lucky. I would have bite off your tongue. Who are you, what are you doing here, why did you woke me up, and how you did that.” “Tsh. Not very lady-like, are you?” “Neither you are my prince charming.” “Not even signs of gratitude?” “Are you still breathing? Did I squash you like a fly? You not only touched me… excuse me, not only you are not only TOUCHING me RIGHT NOW, but I am mercifully allowing you to keep breathing. Sounds quite generous for me. Your name” “Your first.” “W…wait. You freed me, but you have no idea who I… But you knew the way to break the spell and… But still…. Are you an idiot? Or are you insane?” “I beg your pardon, but I am not insane!” I smiled wide “You definitely are.” “Maybe I just couldn’t last the view of beauty caught in such awful spell!?” “The spell wasn’t awful, it was powerful and elegant. And mine. Those fuckers used it against me. Still, I insist. If you really are a gentleman than it is most basic courtesy for male to name to introduce himself first.”

Stubborn little shit.

“Name is Zariel.” “WHO THE FUCK NAME A CHILD AFTER DESTROYER OF SUNS?!” “Someone that have only right to do so. Your turn.” “No, I am not done yet. Where is Balthazar?” “I will answer this question. Right after you would tell me who is Balthazar. I should know him?” “There is no way that even such a savage wouldn’t heard about him! THAT Balthazar!” “AH! THAT Balthazar! Should have said right away!... No, sorry. Doesn’t ring a bell.” “How long was I asleep?” “When were you put down to sleep?” “Are you playing some kind of games?”

Just calm down. I took breath in, out, in, out, in…

“You dense little cunt…” ok, plan with staying calm didn’t work. She looked at me as if I have just offended the gods “How many times I have to tell you that I have no-fucking idea who you are? This is also why I don’t know your mate Balthazar, how long you were in this hole, and why you were put here in first place. All I know is that you were prisoner of castle Wergorn which was used as prison not only for yourself, but also for about hundred witches, including myself. We broke free, took the castle by force, and noticed that we were used just as fuel to keep the seal working. So, I though myself – enemy of my enemy may not be my friend, but as least freeing her would make my enemies even more mad. And stop threatening me – you don’t have even drop of mana in your body, and we are currently in cave on white onyx I doubt you would gather required powers for nearest hour. Or two. Or five or fucking day. Happy? Yes? Now. Who are you? Pretty please.” “… what do you mean hundred witches… I am… the only witch in the whole world…”

~Show me to her. That should make things bit easier

I raised my hand and materialized the codex on my palm. The black book coated in leather with symbol of skull with horns appeared in front of me levitating in the air. She looked at least shocked. Then smiled, and even tear of joy escaped her eye.

“I didn’t fail… my job… it is truly finished… hundred witches… hundred witches… I didn’t fail… you are… are you my child?” “Certainly not! I don’t have physical parent! I was molded from earth and raised by the forest so..”

~No, no no no no! That’s not what she meant. DO you remember what I told you about my origin? I was given to the first dark mage so he could study the dark arts. As he mastered every spell, every art he decided to find students, yet they were not capable of learning as much as him. This is why he separated me into seven books – seven chapters for seven student. Zari, meet Morgana La Fay – first student of first dark mage, first witch and first owner of Codex Diabolicus. The one you called a dense little cunt.