Chapter 37

"At long last, the Princess has arrived," Zuilly announced, breaking the tense silence that had filled the room. My heart raced as I saw Sylvie lying on the ground, her body fighting for survival.

"Sylvie! Hey, wake up!" I hurriedly grabbed my friend, but Sylvie remained unconscious. She was barely breathing, and I felt a wave of panic wash over me. I had to do something, or Sylvie would die.

"Zuilly!? What's the meaning of this?!" Oz demanded, anger boiling inside him. I was too worried about Sylvie to respond, and I watched helplessly as the two men argued.

"If I had my artes, I could stop the blood from flowing," I thought to myself. "But without them, I'm useless."

Frustration and anger bubbled inside me as I clenched my fists. I couldn't believe I was so powerless in this moment. Meanwhile, Zuilly seemed to be in control of himself, talking as if he was never possessed.

"Why would he do this?" I wondered.

"You're name is Euphy, right?" Sylvie's voice interrupted my thoughts. I was confused – I could hear Sylvie talking, but her mouth wasn't moving.

"Yes, my name is Euphy," I replied, hoping Sylvie could hear me.

"I think you are the only one who can understand," Sylvie said, and I was even more confused. Understand what?

Suddenly, a bright light shone from Sylvie's body, and my eyes widened as I saw something I couldn't explain.

"Zui, or better known as Zuilly, lost his little sister a long time ago," Sylvie began to explain. I listened intently as Sylvie told the untold story of the siblings.

I learned that Zuilly had always gone to the forest to cry for his sister, hoping she would come back to him. He was persistent, even though everyone knew there was no way his sister could return from the dead. The chief eventually ordered Sylvie to kill Zuilly, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Instead, Sylvie decided to keep Zuilly and they became friends. He confided in her and told her his wish – for Sylvie to become his sister. She agreed, but there was a contract – if Zuilly couldn't contain his loneliness, then Sylvie would have to die by his hand.

"I don't want to die in his hands!" Sylvie cried, her voice filled with fear.

I felt a deep sense of sadness and empathy for Sylvie. I couldn't imagine being in her friend's shoes. But then Sylvie said something that piqued my interest.

"I didn't sense the Artifact in this place. We were set up," Sylvie said. "They know that Zuilly is an unstable being, so they used this mission to get rid of him. Our leader plans to disappear in this place too."

I felt a jolt of realization. This mission was a trap, and we were all in danger.

Sylvie disappeared before my eyes, and I was left alone with my thoughts. When I came back to reality, I found Sekki carrying me, blood dripping down his face.

"Sekki! What happened?" I asked, concerned for my friend.

After hearing those words from the wounded man, I was relieved to know that he was still alive. Despite the gravity of his condition, he had managed to express his gratitude for my presence. I felt a wave of empathy for him as I carried him to a safe location. As I laid him down, I couldn't help but feel that something was amiss. Oz was nowhere to be found, and it made me wonder whether what Sylvie had said was indeed half true. It seemed like this mission was all part of a larger plan to kill us, and I couldn't help but question the motives of the Cadre.

The idea of a higher-up orchestrating this mission as part of a larger scheme to dispose of us seemed plausible. I was frustrated at the thought of being treated as expendable pawns in a larger game of power. "Damn them," I muttered to myself. It was frustrating to think that someone would try to eliminate us in such an ugly way. But I knew that I couldn't dwell on these thoughts for long; I had to focus on the task at hand.

I glanced over at Sekki, who appeared to be resting peacefully. It was a relief to see him stable, but I knew that I still had to save the child. The mission had taken an unexpected turn, and I needed to be vigilant in order to ensure that we all made it out alive. I took a deep breath and steeled myself for what was to come, knowing that I had to remain focused if I was going to save the child and make it out of this mission unscathed.

I quickly made my way to the center of the mansion where Schatten and Oz were supposed to be dueling. As I arrived, I saw the two of them locked in combat, each one trying to overpower the other. It was a vicious and brutal fight, and I could see that both sides were severely wounded and struggling to catch their breath.

I couldn't help but wonder why the Schatten was locked up in this mansion. It must have been some form of punishment for those who had done wrong. But as I looked around, I saw the man who had taken me before. He was standing above us, watching the fight with a strange expression in his eyes. It was different from the last time I saw him, and it made me feel uneasy.

"Hahaha! Do you really want to end your life here?" Zuilly laughed.

"Oz!" I called out, trying to get his attention.

Oz's movements became more erratic as he continued to fight. Lightning was striking everywhere he landed, a clear sign that he was reaching his limit with his Artes. I knew that he needed to stop before it was too late.

"Oz, stop!" I yelled, hoping to get through to him.

He paused for a moment, seeming to consider my words. But then he shook his head and continued the fight, determined to see it through to the end.

I watched as the two of them continued to battle, their movements growing slower and more labored with each passing moment. It was clear that they were both at the end of their ropes. I knew that I had to do something to intervene before it was too late. But what could I do?

I stood there for a moment, lost in thought. How could I possibly take on such a formidable opponent, let alone allow it to enter my body? I felt a surge of fear and uncertainty, but then I remembered Zuilly's innocent face and the desperate plea of Sylvie's fragments. I knew what I had to do.

I took a deep breath and looked around. The room was dark and eerie, and I could feel the weight of the Schatten's presence all around me. But I couldn't let that distract me. I had to focus on the task at hand.

"Okay," I said to myself, trying to steady my nerves. "I can do this. I just need to figure out how."

I closed my eyes again and tried to clear my mind. I needed to concentrate and find a way to summon the Schatten, to draw it out of hiding and into my body. But how?

As I stood there, I heard a faint whisper in my ear. It was Sylvie, or rather, her fragments. She was giving me instructions, telling me what to do.

"Open yourself up," she said, her voice echoing in my mind. "Let him in. You must trust yourself, and trust the darkness. Only then can you defeat him."

I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. I could feel the Schatten's presence all around me, like a heavy blanket smothering me. But I tried to push that feeling aside and focus on the task at hand.

"From the depths of the abyss, I call upon thee," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Enter my body, and let us do battle. Together, we will vanquish the darkness."

There was a sudden gust of wind, and I felt a cold breath on the back of my neck. I knew then that the Schatten had heard me, and that it was ready to make its move.

I braced myself as the darkness engulfed me, feeling it seep into every pore of my body. It was like nothing I had ever experienced before, and I felt both terrified and exhilarated at the same time.

But then, just as suddenly as it had come, the darkness retreated. I felt myself falling backwards, and then everything went black.

With my heart pounding in my chest, I stood my ground, ready to face the Schatten. The darkness around me seemed to grow thicker, as if the creature was drawing strength from it. But I refused to let it intimidate me. I was determined to end this once and for all.

"You've already taken too many lives," I growled, my voice shaking with anger. "Today, I will make sure you stop here!"

The Schatten's mocking laughter echoed around me. "How dare you to summon me! A mere human!" it spat.

But I wasn't going to back down. I could feel the power building within me, fueled by my determination to protect my loved ones.

Suddenly, I heard Sylvie's voice calling out to me. I couldn't see her, but I could feel her presence, and that was enough to give me strength.

In that moment, a sword appeared in my hand, as if by magic. It felt heavy and powerful, and I knew that this was the weapon I would use to defeat the Schatten.

"I'm going to kill you!" I shouted, charging towards the creature. It was already cornered, and I could see the fear in its eyes.

"Hm, I would like to see you try!" the Schatten sneered, raising its claws to strike.

But I was too quick for it. I dodged its attack and swung the sword with all my might. The blade sliced through the air, and I felt a surge of satisfaction as it pierced the Schatten's heart.

The creature let out a blood-curdling scream, writhing in agony. I could feel the darkness around me dissipating, replaced by a warm light that filled my heart with hope.

But my victory was bittersweet. As I stood there, catching my breath, tears began to flow down my face.

"I won... but why am I sad?" I whispered, looking around for Sylvie.

Through the fading shadow of the Schatten, I saw her standing there, smiling at me. "Thank you," she said softly, her voice filled with gratitude and love.

And then she began to fade, disappearing into the light. But I knew that she would always be with me, a reminder of the courage and strength I had found within myself.

As I slowly emerged from the world of magic and fantasy, I watched in awe as the grand mansion began to disappear right before my eyes. The sudden transition from the enchanting world of magic to the mundane reality was disorienting, but my priority was to check on my friends.

Oz and Sekki were still unconscious, and I was relieved to see that Zuilly was breathing faintly. However, I knew he needed urgent medical attention, and we had to get him help as soon as possible.

Suddenly, I sensed someone approaching. As I looked up, I found myself face to face with the man who had taken me before. However, this time he had a vine tattoo on his right eye, etched into his skin.

"You saved them without Artes. The fairies must be favoring you," he said in a menacing tone.

I felt a shiver run down my spine, as I tried to grasp who this person really was.

"Who are you really?" I asked, my voice trembling with fear.

"It doesn't matter if you don't remember," he replied, before turning to walk away. "But you must remember this. I will be the one who will kill you."

"...."

Unable to respond as he disappeared into the shadows. The weight of his words hung heavily over me, leaving me feeling vulnerable and exposed. I knew that I had to stay vigilant and prepare for the worst, but for now, my focus was on getting my friends to safety and seeking medical help for Zuilly.