Eternal Undying Chronicles

Chapter 173 : Past Bonds

Malefica stood calmly, facing Cassandra, while the distant forest echoed with the thunder of ongoing battles and an occasional flash of light burst through the trees.

The two witches were poised in absolute silence, powerful magic rippling off their forms, turning the very air around them electric. Snowflakes drifted gently, frozen in place by the charged tension, as if nature itself had stilled to witness this fateful encounter.

Cassandra was seething, her anger barely restrained, yet under her fury lay a gnawing fear.

This wasn't the sanctuary of Evergreen City, where Malefica's curse limited her to three spells a day, but even here, outside those bounds, Cassandra knew she was facing the Witch of the Night.

The tales of Malefica's power were legendary—she was the witch who had, with a single spell, brought the entire coven to its knees fifty years ago.

Despite her resentment, Cassandra couldn't help but respect Malefica. Reverence mixed with hatred, a reminder of the days when Cassandra had first known her.

She remembered herself as a young witch, chasing after Malefica, begging her to return to the coven, to save it from splintering apart. She had hoped Malefica would lead them, but Malefica had refused, her path fixed among humans, serving as their protector. Cassandra's admiration had turned to bitterness, yet she could never deny the vastness of Malefica's magic.

'Why did you not lead us when we needed you? Why did you betray your own coven?' Cassandra's thoughts churned, a whirlwind of anger, regret, and memories.

For ten years, she had worked tirelessly to hold the coven together, and Malefica had remained distant, isolated from them all. Yet, in her memories, Cassandra still saw her with awe—the most beautiful witch she had ever encountered, someone whose magic had moved her to tears, a spectacle of pure artistry.

The memories bit at her, making her feel raw and disoriented. She steadied herself, her gaze locking on Malefica, who stood bare-footed on the snowy ground, her presence solid and imposing.

Tonight, there was something resolute in Malefica's eyes, a conviction that gave Cassandra pause. She had faced Malefica's cold, distant gaze before, but this... this was different. Malefica looked at her with purpose, an unbreakable will that was both unnerving and awe-inspiring.

'How did it ever come to this?'

Cassandra wondered, heart heavy. How had they fallen to this point, forced into a battle that would fracture everything? Was this their fate, or just random chance.?

Malefica hadn't moved, her calm a stark contrast to the raging emotions within Cassandra. Yet her aura was undeniable, rising like a dark storm, pressing upward until it seemed to merge with the heavens. This was Malefica at her weakest, her power restrained by the curse, and still, she radiated an overwhelming force that defied her limitations.

Cassandra pressed her lips together, reminding herself that she held the advantage tonight. She gripped the dagger imbued with the coven's combined magic, a weapon forged for this very confrontation. Her grimoire floated before her, its pages thrumming with raw power. Somewhere, far off in Evergreen City, a ritual was already in motion—she could feel it. The statue of Lady Diana was breaking free, and all that remained was for Marian, the young witch, to die, a sacrifice for the coven's victory.

The thought of Marian's death sent a stab of pain through her, but she forced herself to stay resolute.

'This is for the coven,'

she reminded herself, gripping her dagger tighter. It would be worth it—she had to believe that.

Malefica's gaze never faltered, her eyes steady on Cassandra, two grimoires hovering beside her, each brimming with ancient magic and unreadable spells.

The space between her and Malefica began to compress, distances shrinking until the two of them seemed barely a step apart, the world around them folding inward like paper.

Malefica's expression remained unchanged, her gaze cool and unimpressed.

"Compressing the dimensions, are you? Such a waste of magic, Cassandra. That dagger of yours won't withstand the strain much longer."

Her voice held a faint edge of mockery.

"And that spell won't work on me... Have you forgotten everything I taught you? Amateur move."

With a flick of her wrist, Malefica shattered the compressed space as if it were nothing more than brittle glass.

Reality fractured around them, shards of distorted space slicing through the air, each one forming a miniature black hole, pulling in snow, air, and even the lingering remnants of Cassandra's spell, their edges trembling with a dark, gravitational pull.

Cassandra barely had time to brace herself as the spatial rifts created by her own spell tore at the air, threatening to consume everything in their reach. Malefica waved her hand calmly, her voice soft yet resolute.

"I have saved these dimensions from collapsing. Surely, I shall be rewarded threefold."

Once again, her aura swelled, a silent, intense pressure that bore down on Cassandra like a tidal wave. And yet, Malefica was not finished. With a measured tap of her bare foot, she sent a pulse of magic through the ground, each step mending the spatial rifts she had created.

The tears in reality began to close, the air settling as the rifts smoothed over, leaving no trace of the chaotic magic that had torn through it moments before.

"I have restored this space," Malefica intoned, her voice steady.

"A kind deed indeed, and all life here shall be grateful for my generosity."

Her aura flared once more, rising to a magnitude that made Cassandra's skin prickle with dread. It was as if each act of protection, each "good deed," was feeding Malefica, allowing her power to grow exponentially, unhindered by her curse.

Cassandra bit her lip, forcing herself to stay calm despite the creeping doubt gnawing at her resolve.

"What kind of spell is this? Is this how you're able to bypass your curse?"

Malefica regarded her with an inscrutable expression, her gaze both pitying and firm.

"And why would I tell you, Cassandra? A witch's spells are her most closely guarded secrets. In a battle of magic, revealing your hand is folly."

Cassandra clenched her fists, trying to quiet the questions swirling in her mind. What is this spell? How is she casting it, and more importantly, what is its weakness? She could feel the weight of her coven's magic in the dagger at her side, and yet, standing here before Malefica, even that power seemed fragile and insignificant.