“So you have an accomplice with you.” accused one of the two Paladins, their swords drawn at Valena who kept a calm countenance.

She tilted her head with a finger on her chin. “I have no such person. I have my familiars, do they count?”

The Cleric stepped forward. “Your mind games are useless now, vile witch. Now submit or feel the wrath of Caeleo.”

“Wait wait,” she splayed out her hands, “why am I being persecuted?”

“Isn’t that obvious? You’re a vile witch, a practitioner of heinous Magic.”

“I thought you said I was a Necromancer?” Valena asked with an innocent face. “You know, since your other fellow Cleric accused me of using necromancy.”

“A witch and a Necromancer aren’t any different.”

“But they are different though? And you also said I was taken over by the evil of this place. If that is indeed your view, why am I still seen as a witch? You call those, possessed, no? Honestly, you lot are so contradicting.”

“Enough!” roared the Cleric. “A Necromancer, a witch, or just a poor soul possessed by the evil of this place, all that matter is that you are no human or no longer human.”

“Well…” Valena bobbed her head as she pondered. She didn’t fail to notice how they were all struggling to hide their trembling. “A witch is still technically a human, no? But you are right about one thing, I am no human, not now at least. Even so, am I evil simply because I am not a human?”

“You’re not a human and you practiced these Magic associating with darkness. You’re not fooling anyone.”

“But these are shadows, not darkness, you know? Do they skip topics or stir facts in monastery schools?”

“I said enough! You are not fooling anyone.”

Valena rolled her eyes. “Yeah… apparently, I don’t I need to.” She gave up on the argument. “You lot are fooling yourself quite enough.”

“Sir Jonas, prepare your Specialization Magic,” the Cleric commanded.

“At once, Cleric Dorian,” the Paladin named Jonas nodded. His Magic surged. Blue lights shimmered from his great sword.

“Sir Ronac, be ready with yours, use it when you see an opening.”

“Of course, Cleric Dorian,” The Paladin by the name of Ronac retreated behind Dorian.

“I know you all are incredibly and fanatically worried of me but what about your friend over there?” Valena pointed at the other Cleric, Reese, who was holding off the Ghouls and monsters on his own. “He seems to be having a hard time dealing with all those— whatever the hell those are.”

Dorian glanced over his shoulders. He saw Reese raining barrages of Magic and spells at the abominations. They were both Elites but their experience in the field were of night and day. He returned his gaze back to Valena.

“We, of Caelion Faith are not as delicate or feeble like those from the Kiva Faith. And you are naive to think we will turn our backs to you, vile witch.”

“I have not done any thing vile though?”

“Your dealings in the Dark Arts aren’t vile enough?”

“And that is evil… how?”

“Explanations are a waste on those plagued by the darkness.”

“Ah, I see. You have superb observation and great knowledge. I bet you graduated with honors too.”

“Relish in your last moments in however way you desire, witch.” Dorian hit his staff on the ground. “Sir Jonas, now!”

The Paladin named Jonas kicked off the ground, dashing with his great sword aimed at Valena’s heart. But before he was even halfway close, he stabbed at the air.

“Splendid trick,” Valena complimented and rose a wall of shadows. “But kind of obvious. Your manners of expression told me everything, o valiant and foolish knight.”

When the wall melted back into just shadows, Dorian let loose a brilliant light, robbing the vision of everyone who stared.

Right before the lights flooded into her eyes, Valena looked behind Dorian. She saw, or rather, she didn’t see Ronac.

She covered her eyes.

Going with her hunch, she shielded her back with shadows. A metallic noise resounded from it. Without a glimpse, she sent the shadowing pushing and she heard groans and armor clanging.

Without looking, she sent the shadows to her front. She couldn’t see but she knew Jonas and Dorian were in front of her. A short moment later, she heard the battle groans and cries from Jonas. Before long, the sound of metal and earth colliding came. And what followed after were a series of glass shattering noises.

The blinding lights faded and she was meet with a confounded and flustered Dorian. He was behind a barrier of light with shadows making spiderweb patterns on the plane of light.

Valena clapped lightly. “Clever strategy but you all are too transparent with your intentions, just like before.”

“Sly witch!” Dorian hit the ground again with his staff. This time, chains of light darted towards Valena.

Jonas was back on his feet and rushing at her. Ronac was already behind her before she knew it.

“Short-warp Magic?” Valena was regale. “I applaud your Magic but this is just going too far.” Her eyes darkened at those words.

Shadows wrapped around her before they melted off as one.

“What?!” Dorian blurted out at the unexpected happening.

The Paladins, Jonas and Ronac, were of the same mind.

“Dorian, behind you!!” shouted Ronac with his finger pointed where he spoke.

“Too late, Cleric of Caeleo,” said Valena with a titter.

Before Dorian could catch up with the development, his world spun and whirled.

His last moments were the sight of his own body, without a head.

“”Cleric Dorian!”” the two Paladins cried in unison.

They ran for their fallen companion but a raging wave of shadows stood in their way. Jonas threw aura blades at the surging colossal darkness while Ronac warped over the tidal of shadows.

The massive clump of shadows devoured Jonas’ attacks and soon swallowed him too.

Ronac had no time to worry or grief. He would do it later, after he slayed the vile witch.

“Where—?” Ronac was nonplussed at the empty scene. He couldn’t find Valena.

“Over here, o warping knight,” beckoned Valena from his back.

A sense of dread assaulted him. He turned around to find Valena and his companion, Jonas on the ground, dozens of razor sharp shadows hovering over him.

“You are really quick on your feet and actions but very neglectful.” She tapped at Jonas with her feet, proving her point. “A knight of all people, should not be heedless of the circumstances or be thoughtless of his companions.”

“Released him!” barked Ronac.

“How about no?” She stabbed a shadow into Jonas’ left leg which incurred a scream.

“Why are you doing this?”

Valena burst into a cackle. “That is your one question?”

Ronac gritted his teeth at the unexpected and insulting reception.

“You lot are more self-centered that I thought. Or you are just dull-witted. Either way, this is just disappointing,” her eyes narrowed at Ronac, “and truly hopeless for all of you.”

Ronac was at an impasse or worse, an adverse.

He thought she was just at the level of an Elite but she easily brought down two of his companions who were all Elites.

He could do nothing about it.

He didn’t even know it happened until it did. He was already harboring doubts of various kind when she easily defended herself against their attacks but at the sight of his companion without a head and the other one at her mercy, only then the despairing reality sunk in.

He could no longer hide the shivers he had ever since he was thrown into Limbo. Even his pride was dull to her affronts.

Valena waved at the blankly-staring Ronac, “Hello, are you still here?”

“H-how…?”

“How what?”

“How are you this strong? You’re higher than an Elite, aren’t you?”

“Elite? If you are asking about the arbitrary labels you humans are obsessed with so much,” Valena tapped her chin, “then I do faintly remember being labeled as one, an elite.”

“Off with your falsehood already, witch. If you’re not higher than an Elite, then explain how are you capable of going against an Elite effortlessly, with three Elites no less?”

“Well, the most obvious reason would be this world. It seems to disagree with you and your god.”

Any devoted person would be furious at the slur of their idols or gods but Ronac was far more concern for his own life at the moment. He did not have the capacity to be fretting over his honour and beliefs.

“If I have to give another reason, I would say your experiences.”

Ronac frowned.

“Or rather, your lack of experience. Except for your captain and that still breathing Cleric way over there, you three have not been in many battles, have you?”

His eyebrows rose in shock. It was the truth but a truth that he wished it would never be seen through, especially not in a fight or battle.

“Ooh, right am I?” Valena smiled from ear to ear. “You strike true but it lacks essence. You move fast but you are so rigid. Worst of all, you showed a lot of your intent with your grimace.”

Ronac’s mind wasn’t registering all of her words. His whole mind was on his still present breaths, although rough, and his companion at the bottom of the witch’s feet.

“So, what now?” she asked, twirling her hair. “Planning to try your luck again while spouting you are doing it for the name, honor, or grace of your god?”

“I-I’m a P-Paladin,” Ronac stammered but he persisted with the help of his beliefs. ”I am a knight of Caeleo, the God of Hunters, I will not—”

“Hold,” Valane interrupted his gallant words of resolve. “You are a knight? But you pray to the God of Hunters. So why a knight but not a hunter?” She pressed her lips together while making a face that showed she was deeply contemplating.

Ronac was caught off-guard by her question. He himself, who had been a follower of Caeleo for ten years, did not know the answer to such a simple question. It was even making him doubting his own conviction.

Valena tittered as she scratched the back of head. “Sorry sorry. That was truly insensitive of me. Well, I guess Paladins are also hunters, in a way. You hunt the wicked ones and evil-doers, while the actual Hunters hunt monsters… something along those lines? Yeah, let us go with that.” She clapped her hands together with a bright smile.

Ronac found himself at a baffling situation. The witch was not what he had expected and the way she conducted herself, it stirred up his pride but also left him perplexed.

“Ronac, now!” shouted Jonas, who tossed a small sphere of glass at Ronac. There was water in the glass, glistening with blue light.

Ronac shook himself back to reality at the shout of his companion.

He saw the glass ball filled with glowing water. With two hands on his great sword, he warped instantly to the glass ball. He brought his sword through, shattering the ball into thousands of shards, the spilled shimmering water splashed against the blade.

Valena sighed. She didn’t know what kind of water it was but it didn’t matter. She knew the two Paladins and that was enough.

With her shadows, she lifted Jonas up from the ground by his feet. At the same time, with the blade shimmering blue, he swung his sword at the direction of Valena.

But Jonas was dangling in between them.

Valena heard something from Jonas but whatever it was, it was replace with a gag and a spurt of blood.

“Jonas!” screamed Ronac, at his blunder.

Valena leaned into her palm and looked on at the quivering Paladin. “Ah dear, look at the mess you made. The mess you could have otherwise avoided if you had just drop your prejudice or pride, or both.”

The water was a means to temporarily lend one’s Specialization Magic to others by infusing the water with the Magic-in-question. Valena wasn’t in the know of this fact but it changed nothing in the end.

Jonas was still alive, barely. His torso was carve in diagonally with a straight line but he was still drawing breath. He weakly reached out for Ronac. His mouth moved but no words were form, only blood spurted out.

Ronac’s face twisted in anger and anguish. “You fucking bitch!” he bellowed.

“Oh my, how brusque and so uncouth.” Valena shook her head as if finding Ronac extremely displeasing.

Ronac charged at her again. The blade was still holding the blue glow. He raised his sword, preparing to strike as he warped.

Valena swiped her hand and the shadows understood her intent. Coiled around Jonas’ right leg, she brought him around a full circle.

Blood splattered from her right. And she stopped swinging Jonas, who was now literally half the man he was.

“Ugh,” Valena made a disagreeable face, “did not need to see that.” She said and flung the halved-corpse of Jonas aside, unceremoniously.

“Sickening foul bitch!” the unpleasant howl came from her left.

Ronac’s shimmering blade hit only shadows.

When the shadows receded, Valena shrugged. “You did to your friend yourself.”

Ronac yelled. No more words, just a plain, blaring, and brutish yell. He swung his sword without form.

His attacks were fend off without much struggle.

The shadow danced, as if taunting him for more.

He screamed incoherently again. He was just flaunting his sword wildly.

Neither his blade nor Magic reached her. He was just dancing to her tune, one that he couldn’t keep up. When the shadows came at him, he was hopeless against them. It grazed his shoulders, slashed at his abdomen, swiped across his face— these weren’t shallow wounds, they were deep cuts. And finally, the shadows took his fingers.

His great sword left his hands. When the blue glow dissipated, he fell to his knees.

“Why?!” he wailed, “why is this happening?”

Valena sighed. “Now this is just pathetic,” she said and wrapped a shadow around his neck.

Ronac did not resist. He was only weeping at his fate. The lights were gone from his eyes, a sign of acceptance. Even if she didn’t do anything now, he would eventually succumb to his wounds.

“For your efforts, although useless, allow me to end your pitiful existence and suffering now.”

She clenched her hand.

Before the shadow could mirror her gesture, a force and a dazzling light blew at her away, and the shadow faded off.

“Your foul deeds shall end here,” said Cleric Reese, walking over with a dragging leg.

From what Valena could see from her position, he laid absolute waste to the Ghouls and monsters but he wasn’t unscathed. Valena saw him clutching at a glaring wound between his neck and shoulder on the right.

Neither the Ghouls nor monsters were all completely slaughtered but it was at a number that won’t pose much threat to them, for the moment.

Reese wanted to culled these abominations to extinctions but his companions were in dire states. He wanted to save them earlier but the monsters weren’t generous enough to let him go.

Now, he could only lament over his inadequate abilities and his fallen companions. He cast a minor healing Magic on Ronac, just enough to not let him bled dry. He would like to fully heal him but with his remaining pool of Magic, it would be risky.

Reese cast a incandescent gaze at Valena. “Accursed witch, you have no mercy nor compassion. If you begged for forgiveness now, even His Grace wouldn’t forgive a being defiant to all that it’s holy.”

Valena yawned with her hand cupped. “As always, I really admire how barefaced you lot can be at twisting the context while retaining such expression. Truly admirable. I heard the theatre industries are lacking talents nowadays. Maybe you can—”

In the middle of her sentences, arrows of light rained down on her. Using her shadows, she threw herself out of the way.

“You are being quite rude there, o holy one.”

“Wicked beings such as you do not deserve any courtesy or grace.”

Unlike Dorian, Reese was once a seasoned-soldier. Tired of the battlefield, he spent the rest of his life in the grace of Caeleo as a Cleric. Naturally, his application of Magic was wider than the three who had fallen in battle.

Reese showered Valena with arrows of light and she responded with a roof of shadows.

Through the ground, Reese unleashed chains of light which crawled towards her. She met those chains with rampant roots of shadows.

He fired Magic Bolts but Valena defended with a simple wall of shadows.

With this blend of attacks, he relentlessly assaulted at Valena without giving her a split moment of respite.

Valena could do nothing but defend against the onslaught. He wasn’t any better than her but simply because he struck first, it put her at a disadvantage.

She tried a few quick and subtle attacks but he unleashed a brief dazzling light that dispelled all approaching shadows.

“Your struggle is only of futility. Just surrender, vile witch!” Reese taunted.

From an objective view, Reese was overwhelming Valena. His attacks wasn’t hitting her but it at least reached her. Valena’s attacks couldn’t even get close to him.

Even though her shadows were swallowing his attacks in return, it wasn’t something that could be done forever. She knew she had to strike back at some point, not just with shadows.

Her eyes flickered at the objects strewn around and the decrepit houses.

She flicked her shadows at the houses, slinging fragments of debris at Reese. She waved and the shadows hurl the everyday objects towards the Cleric.

He conjured up a light barrier to meet the projectiles.

A piece of shadow parted from Valena. It crawled away and around the scuffle, and into the shadows cast by the night.

While that tiny shadow slipped away, she fired arrows of her own, formed of shadows but they all died off at the touch of the lights. She clicked at her tongue. A trickle of sweat rolled down her temple.

“This is as far as your aptitude could reach, vile one. Even a servant of darkness knows of exhaustion.”

Valena kept silent.

“I see. Even if you won’t admit it, your silence had betray the despair you refuse to show.” Reese spun his staff, gathering sparkles and glimmers of light to the epicentre.

Valena saw her chance. She rushed her shadows at Reese while he channeled for a huge spell.

But she was a step too late.

Reese stopped the spin. He tap the staff on the ground and the gathered light shot out in a straight beam, erasing the shadows which were desperately reaching for him..

She raised a shadow wall but the light stream split apart moments before contact, it went around the obstacle.

She crossed her arms, commanding the shadows to cocoon her. The split beams of light burst in the collision.

When she waved away the cocoon, rods of light were waiting for her. Canopies of faint glow were form between the rods. She was trap in a cage that would soon engulf the prisoner with the brightest and holiest of lights, or at least that was what she assumed it would happen.

She tried to use her shadows to escape but the lights dispelled all darkness. There was barely a shadow beneath her.

“This is neat,” she said in awe. “Must have been very draining of your Magic though. You know, with a spell of such scale. Should you not be concerned about your Magic Pool?”

“A small price to pay for the banishment of darkness.”

“If you say so,” Valena murmured.

“Now you know the difference between light and darkness. You fell for this simple trap because your powers blinded you while mine have always left my vision clear to everything.” Reese pointed at Valena with his staff. “Your tenacity and prowess are commendable but it’s a shame you dabbled with arts forbidden by the light.”

“Are you and your companions of the o-so-light, aware that your fingers can do the job of pointing just as well as your weapons, or in your case, staff?”

“If those are your last words you wish to leave before your departure, then so it shall be.” Waving his staff, the rods of light began shining even brighter.

She was starting to feel a slight tingle on her shadow-clad skin. She could see it slowly being seared away.

However, not a hint of distress was present on Valena’s expression. She only calmly lifted her forefinger. “See? You can point with your finger. Just. Like.” She swiped her finger to the left. “This.”

Reese followed her finger, just in time to see the lurking shadows pounced at him.

He should have sensed it but he neglected his Sentry Magic to preserve his Magic Pool.

Now the price was paid.

A simple barrier of light would have suffice against a simple attack.

Even without any defensive Magic or spells, his own skin which have been infused with Magic would suffice. It was a staple routine for Magic-users in a fight, to protect themselves from the minor scratches and bruises.

But those were only possible if he hadn’t devote all his Magic to the brilliant cage. It was indeed brilliant, just like the way his head slid off his neck.

“Well, you were not using your head much anyway.”