The Witch and the Vampire

While the rulers and their chosen Young Geniuses were working hard to excel in the new Era about to begin, Dante was having fun with a mischievous witch.

It had been a few weeks since Dante arrived at the White Tower to complete his basic training that Morgana wanted to provide him.

Having trained enough with his 'Mistress,' he now wanted to spend time with Morgana and finish what he started. He wasn't someone who grew lazy with matters he initiated.

At the moment, Morgana was teaching Dante a magic spell called "Silence," a simple spell that sealed off all sound in the environment within a dome that only the user could control.

"Silence," Dante said, and outside the barrier, Morgana started saying a few things, but he heard nothing...

What was Morgana saying? "Propose to me already!" But Dante didn't read her lips, as he was happier to have successfully cast a simple spell than to know what she was saying.

Morgana entered the barrier and congratulated him. Dante learned incredibly fast, faster than most of her disciples and novice witches whom she personally instructed over the years as the Tower's Mistress. Morgana turned to Dante and made a proposition.

"Little Dante, how about a wager?" She said with a seductive smile, sitting at the table. She looked like a teacher from an R-18 adult game.

"What's that, Aunt Morgana?" Dante feigned innocence, but he suspected Morgana's intentions and how much she wanted to get closer to him.

"If you cast the [Light] spell without invoking your Sacred Aura and without reciting the incantation, I'll reward you with something significant," Morgana said, smiling gently and adding to the strange atmosphere.

"And what if I fail?" Dante asked, needing to know the consequences if he lost.

"Well, you'll have to become my disciple and bow down, calling me Mistress three times," Morgana said.

Dante didn't really understand if that was a punishment. But he agreed; he really had nothing to lose.

"Okay, teach me the basics of this magic," he said, and Morgana began explaining how the magic was activated.

In summary, it's quite simple. First, you really need to understand what you desire and have the conviction to perform the magic correctly. Why? Precision is the most crucial aspect; a slight misstep in a light spell to illuminate an area could turn into a ray of light that kills a person. That's why the primary training for a mage is control.

At this moment, Dante was comprehending the theory behind the magic, which was straightforward. However, the problem lay in the conditions. Without reciting and without using Sacred power, he had never done anything like this, despite having a strong affinity for Sacred power and some elements like Fire, Darkness, and Lightning.

The saying "Words have power" is very real in the magical world. Intonation can make casting any magic easier. For instance, [Heroic Magic: Pendragon] is impossible to cast without reciting the incantation's name. Well... Morgana altered the recitation mode to conceal the true magic, but she still activated the magic. There's a reason she's called a Magical Aberration.

Dante finished understanding the essence of the magic, and Morgana got up from her table and turned off the lights.

"Ready, little Dante, you can try now," Morgana said, looking towards where the boy was with a small light radiating from the window, lit by the moon. It was late at night, and all the witches had retired.

"Light," Dante said, and a sphere of light appeared in his hands. It was a strong yet gentle light that didn't strain the vision of those who looked at it.

"Very good," Morgana said, looking at the sphere of light that began to float beside Dante.

"It's simple; it was quite easy," Dante replied as he stopped the spell and looked at Morgana, who nodded for him to try again without reciting.

Dante concentrated, focused as if he were about to be killed if he failed the spell, but he failed. He attempted numerous times and couldn't do it; it seemed as if the mana itself refused to react to his thoughts to generate the magic—a blockage of sorts.

Morgana observed and understood what was happening. Dante was so focused on not making a mistake that he overloaded his core with the pressure of his thoughts. As she had explained, words have power, so if he continuously thinks "I can't fail" instead of focusing on the magic itself, the mana itself would refuse.

"Dante, you're going the wrong way," Morgana said in a more serious tone than usual and turned on the lights.

"What do you mean?" Dante asked.

"Dante, what did I tell you to never forget?" Morgana asked with a piercing look, and he quickly felt surprised when he understood.

"Words have power," he murmured aloud enough for Morgana to laugh and say, "Understand now?" she questioned and turned off the lights.

"Yes," Dante replied and closed his eyes.

His mind was covered in mana; he let the mana channels flow through his entire body and then thought of the spell correctly without any fear of failure or mistake.

[Light], he thought mentally, and a sphere of light almost three times larger than the first one appeared. It had the shape of a football and seemed dense. Morgana widened her eyes when she saw the magic.

'He surpassed the limits of [Light] and reached [Total Light],' Morgana thought as she analyzed the magic Dante had summoned.

If [Light] was the initial magic, [Total Light] was the advanced magic derived from it. A magic that could purify small negative maladies. Essentially a magic that clears impurities, effective against small curses and malignant debuffs from weak animals and small parasites. Still, it was surprising that he could do this. Dante seemed happy, but he heard Morgana's voice calling him.

"Dante, you've failed," Morgana said while smiling, genuinely strange for Dante to have made a mistake, and she was smiling at his failure.

"How did I fail?" Dante asked confused; he did what she asked.

"You just used a different light magic, and without reciting," Morgana replied and began to explain about [Total Light], and Dante quickly felt a bit shocked; he didn't think he could do something like that.

After Morgana explained what happened and that he didn't use Light, Dante felt a bit down knowing he made a mistake. But Morgana resumed speaking.

"That said, you deserve a super prize," Morgana said as she picked up a small red box.

Dante was a bit startled at the turn of events, but if Morgana said it, he deserved something. Morgana asked Dante to come closer and opened the box in front of him. Inside were two rings.

The first ring was golden and contained a red jewel like a ruby, with a circular golden structure around the gem reminiscent of a sun.

The second ring was silver and had a blue jewel like a diamond, with a platinum structure around it in the shape of a moon that easily fit with the other ring. Both rings seemed to connect.

"These are the Twilight Rings, Lunar Twilight and Solar Twilight, an Arcane artifact that I created with my mother, the Queen of Witches," Morgana said as she took the Sun Ring and put it on Dante's finger.

The ring was too large, but Morgana whispered something, and the ring fit perfectly on the ring finger of his left hand.

"This ring was made for when I found someone special," Morgana said kindly as she took the Moon Ring and put it on her ring finger, smiling at Dante.

A small connection emerged between the two rings, and both rings changed slightly when their stones ascended. It was a bond ring.

Dante faintly began to see two different auras appearing on the ring, and a new mana appeared.

Dante was taken aback by the purity he saw, and then the ring shone and transmitted two volumes of knowledge directly into his soul.

Dante closed his eyes and entered his mental world, noticing a true change. A Sun and a Moon were seen, and now his world had a cycle of day and night.

Dante saw the sword come closer but still couldn't approach it, so he looked at the two Magic Tomes.

He took the two books and read their titles: [Apocalypse Magic: Descent of Solar Queen Amaterasu] and [Apocalypse Magic: Descent of Lunar Queen Tsukuyomi].

Dante tried to open them, but the Tomes refused to open. When Dante returned to normal, he looked at Morgana in shock, and she continued her speech.

"These rings were created for me to use during my wedding ceremony; they would be given to the man I deemed worthy to have me as his wife for all eternity," Morgana said with a smile.

'Another trap, isn't it?' Dante questioned when he finally understood what Morgana wanted to do.

'What do I have to lose?' He thought, remembering everything he had been through with Morgana, and soon, he didn't even care.

Dante looked into Morgana's eyes as if a wild flame had ignited within him. His sharp eyes met hers as she did the same, and then they just smiled at each other.

That alone was enough to seal the vow, and soon, the rings glowed even brighter. When it was over, only a connection was felt.

The Witch and the Vampire got married.