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Chapter 144: Sylvaine vs. Malverna – The Blade Witch’s Wrath
Chapter 144: Sylvaine vs. Malverna – The Blade Witch’s Wrath
The moon hung high over the shattered remains of Gravenhold Keep, its light casting long, eerie shadows through the skeletal remains of the once-grand citadel. Crumbling walls and half-buried statues of forgotten kings stood as silent witnesses to what was about to unfold.
Tonight, Sylvaine faced Malverna the Blade Witch.
A woman feared for her mastery of blood magic and cursed steel. A warlord who bathed in the lifeblood of her enemies, her body adorned with scars that pulsed with dark enchantments.
Sylvaine tightened her grip on her bow.
She was no fool—this would not be an easy hunt.
A Deadly Entrance
The moment her boots touched the courtyard, the air shivered with magic.
A ring of blood-red glyphs ignited across the ground, forming a circle of death around her.
Sylvaine leaped back, flipping onto a fallen column as a wave of razor-sharp blades erupted from the sigils, slicing through the air where she had been standing.
Laughter echoed from the shadows.
"You’re bold to come alone, huntress."
Malverna stepped into the moonlight, her form wrapped in dark silks, her long, white hair flowing like a river of silver. A collection of floating swords surrounded her, each dripping with the essence of those they had slain.
Sylvaine’s heartbeat quickened.
She had fought spellcasters before. But none like this.
The First Clash
Malverna snapped her fingers.
The floating swords lunged, streaking toward Sylvaine with unnatural speed.
She dove aside, rolling as the enchanted steel tore through stone like paper.
Drawing an arrow mid-motion, she fired, aiming straight for Malverna’s throat.
But the blade witch merely smiled.
With a flick of her wrist, a barrier of cursed steel manifested, deflecting the arrow with a shriek of metal against magic.
Sylvaine cursed under her breath.
This wasn’t going to be easy.
Dancing with Death
Malverna moved like liquid shadow, her enchanted blades weaving around her like a storm of death.
With a whisper of an incantation, the ground beneath Sylvaine split open, chains of blood snapping up to ensnare her legs.
Too late.
The chains lashed around her ankles, yanking her down.
Before she could recover, a dagger of cursed steel slashed across her left arm, searing pain blooming as the blade burned into her flesh.
Sylvaine bit back a scream, twisting her body mid-fall, snapping an arrow into place.
She fired point-blank—
Straight into Malverna’s ribs.
The Taste of Blood
The impact sent Malverna stumbling back, her fingers brushing against the arrow now lodged between her ribs.
But instead of pain, she laughed.
"Blood is power, little huntress."
She gripped the arrow and twisted it, forcing more of her own dark magic into the wound. The blood that should have weakened her glowed crimson, wrapping around her in tendrils of unholy energy.
Sylvaine grimaced.
She had just made her stronger.
The Huntress Strikes Back
She ripped free from the blood chains, her body moving on instinct.
She had to be faster. Smarter.
A silver rune glowed along her fingertips as she pulled out a sanctified arrow, one etched with divine light.
Malverna recognized the danger.
Her expression twisted into a snarl as she sent all of her blades forward at once, a storm of steel that could shred a castle wall apart.
Sylvaine had seconds to act.
She jumped.
Flipping through the air, she twisted past the incoming blades, her body grazing death as one sword sliced across her thigh, another nicking her cheek.
The arrow left her bow.
A streak of pure white energy tore through the air—
And pierced Malverna’s heart.
The Witch’s Fall
Malverna froze.
The divine magic ignited inside her, consuming the dark enchantments that had kept her alive for so long.
Her floating blades clattered to the ground, their power severed.
For the first time, Malverna looked afraid.
She stumbled back, her body trembling as the divine light burned her from within.
Sylvaine landed gracefully, blood dripping from her wounds, her breathing ragged.
She met Malverna’s gaze.
"You lost."
Malverna’s lips curled into a bitter smile.
"I… never… lose."
With a final gasp, she collapsed, her body dissolving into black dust—the last remnants of a warlord who had once ruled through terror.
A Wounded Victory
Sylvaine staggered, pain surging through her wounds.
Her arm throbbed, the cursed blade’s lingering magic still searing through her veins.
She collapsed onto one knee, her breath coming in sharp gasps.
Her fingers dug into the dirt, her body screaming for rest—
But she wasn’t done yet.
With trembling hands, she pulled out a healing vial, the golden liquid swirling with energy.
She drank.
A wave of warmth rushed through her, knitting her torn flesh, pushing back the poisonous magic.
She exhaled.
She would live.
And tomorrow, she would hunt again.