Chapter 48: The Village

Hanging off the edge of the bed, with her black hair falling over her face, Lucy let out an exasperated sigh before pushing herself up and sitting back down.

In doing so, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the small wall mirror and noticed how tired she looked with dark circles under her eyes and unkempt hair. Despite attempting to smooth it down with her fingers, her hair stubbornly fell back into place.

"Mom and Dad, can you just leave for a little while? Please- PLEASE!"

Lucy's mother put her hand to her eyes, covering her tears as they left the room. She looked back at Lucy with a sad expression on her face and then walked out of the house, her husband following closely behind.

"Don't you think you're a little harsh to your parents Lucy?"

"They need to learn to relax and not be so embarrassing all the time."

Lucy's determination surged when she saw her red and black cloak, neatly folded on a chair nearby. After leaving it at the healer's house for some time, she walked purposefully towards it, picked it up, and draped it over her shoulders before reaching for her wand.

"Charlotte do you think the guys would be upset if we took a little longer to return?"

Why are you asking? Do you want to stay here for a little longer?"

"No, but I want to get rid of my curse. I can't continue being a mage as I am right now."

"So do you have a plan to get rid of your curse?"

"No, but I believe it is possible somehow- I just don't know how."

Charlotte and Lucy stepped out of the house, leaving the healer behind. As they walked away, they could still hear the eerie monotone voice of the healer saying "money" in a trance-like state, her gaze fixed on the tree.

Charlotte looked over at Lucy, who had put on her red and black cloak, and picked up her wand, looking determined to break the curse that had been plaguing her. Lucy's long black hair was blowing in the wind as they walked, adding to the fierce and determined look on her face.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, the only sounds coming from the rustling of leaves in the wind and the distant calls of birds.

Lucy stopped walking and turned to face the village. She took a deep breath and spoke with determination in her voice, "I will return to this village, cured of my curse. I won't give up until I find a way to break this curse." Charlotte nodded her head in agreement and gave her a thumbs up.

Lucy and Charlotte heard the sound of clapping coming from behind them and turned around to see the Demon General standing there. He was clapping slowly, a wicked grin on his face as he watched the two girls.

Lucy felt her heart race as she looked at the Demon General, feeling a mix of fear and anger welling up inside her.

Charlotte stood next to Lucy, her expression also tense as she watched the Demon General. She didn't know what to do or say, but she knew that Lucy needed her support.

The Demon General continued to clap for a few more moments before he spoke, his voice filled with malice. "This is a nice village you have here. I hope you don't mind if I destroy it."

The Demon General raised his hands and summoned a swirling black portal hovering high above the village. Lucy and Charlotte watched in awe as the portal grew larger, casting a dark shadow over the entire area. Suddenly, the Demon General summoned another portal, this one smaller and located right in front of him.

With a deep growl, the Demon General launched a fiery blast of energy into the smaller portal. The fire passed through the portal and was amplified in the larger portal above the village, causing it to erupt into a massive explosion of black flames. The ground shook beneath Lucy and Charlotte's feet as the flames spread outwards, devouring everything in their path.

Lucy and Charlotte looked on in horror as they realized that the Demon General had just unleashed a powerful attack on the innocent villagers below. The sound of clapping and the Demon General's wicked laughter filled the air as he watched the chaos unfold from his portal.

Their eyes widened in horror as they looked at the village through the portal. Bodies were lying on the ground, and the smell of burning flesh and hair filled her nostrils. She could see children being burned alive, their small bodies writhing in agony.

The elderly were no exception, as they too were consumed by the flames, their feeble cries of pain piercing the air. Parents were screaming in anguish as they tried to protect their children from the merciless fire.

The buildings were being destroyed one after the other, as the fire raged through the village, leaving nothing but ashes and ruins in its wake. The once-thriving community was now reduced to a heap of smoldering debris, and Lucy could feel the weight of the tragedy crushing her heart. Her hands trembled as she tried to hold back her tears, and she felt a deep sense of anger and helplessness welling up inside her.

As Lucy turned around, she saw the Demon General appearing from a portal behind her. Before she could react, he swiftly punched her in the back, causing her to stumble forward. The force of the blow sent a shockwave through her body, and she felt a sharp pain in her back. She tried to catch her balance but fell to her knees, her wand clattering to the ground beside her.

The Demon General let out a menacing laugh, pleased with himself for catching Lucy off guard. He stood over her, his eyes glowing with an evil gleam.

"I can't kill you two- well not for now at least. That doesn't mean I can't harm you." The general chuckled.

The General's black hair was flowing wildly in the wind as he stood amidst the destruction he had caused. Charlotte looked at the General and the bodies of the villagers, tears streaming down her face. She was panicking and overwhelmed by the sight of so much devastation.

All she could do was stand there, frozen with fear.

The General kicked Charlotte hard, causing her to fall to the ground. He then looked at Lucy with his cold, piercing eyes and laughed menacingly. With a snap of his fingers, a black portal opened up behind him, and he stepped into it, disappearing. As the portal closed shut, the two girls were left alone amidst the destruction and chaos of the village.

Charlotte's mind went into a state of shock as she lay on the ground, trying to regain her composure after being kicked by the Demon General. She suddenly snapped back to reality, realizing the gravity of the situation. She quickly got up and started running towards the village, hoping to find any survivors.

Lucy followed closely behind, her wand at the ready in case they encountered any danger. As they made their way through the ruins, they found nothing but death and destruction. All of the villagers, including Lucy's parents, were lying lifeless on the ground, their bodies burned beyond recognition.

Charlotte was in tears as she searched for anyone who might still be alive, but there was no one.

As Charlotte surveyed the scene of devastation and death, the gruesome sight overwhelmed her, and she suddenly doubled over, retching and vomiting uncontrollably.

"Everyone is gone- I treated my parents horribly but I thought I would at least see them again..."

Lucy's expression was blank, her mind still in shock from the horror that had just unfolded before her eyes. She couldn't bring herself to look at the bodies of her parents or anyone else she knew, instead staring off into space with a vacant gaze.

Lucy summoned water magic and began extinguishing the remaining flames. She did it with mechanical precision as if it was an automated task with no emotion or feeling behind it. Her face remained blank, showing no signs of the grief and anger that must have been boiling inside her.

Feeling helpless and lost, Charlotte sat there in silence, watching as Lucy continued to put out the flames with no emotion, lost in her grief.

Suddenly, Lucy's expression changed, and she let out a loud cry of sadness. She collapsed to the ground and passed out, overwhelmed by the tragedy of what had just occurred. Charlotte was startled by the sudden outburst, and she crawled over to Lucy's side to try and help her.

She shook Lucy gently, calling her name and trying to wake her up. But Lucy remained unresponsive, lying on the ground with tears streaming down her face.