The Alpha's Keeper

CX: Fighting Manuela

Seraphim held her breath as the flames passed over her. Evading the witch’s attacks with her own blocked magic was getting more and more difficult, and for some reason, the enemy witch did not use any other attacks. She only used the flames to try to roast her.

Manuela smiled frantically when Seraphim again came out of the bottom of the water, taking air, the witch was really tired, and her breath showed her agitation. She looked Manuela in the face and could not think of a way to defeat her without her magic.

Manuela smiled. While looking at Seraphin, she said, “I think there is no need to extend this any longer because you don’t just die!”

“Ignis!”

With power and from her hands, two flames were born that cut Seraphim’s exits making around her, and the young woman looked at both sides. She could try to escape upwards, but without her powers, that movement would be impossible.

She watched as the flames approached and with speed she sank back into the small surface of the water, dodging the attacks of her enemy, this followed her movement with the flames, under the water, it was really impossible for him to hurt her, but covering the surface with a fire that did not end Seraphim could not come out for air.

Seraphim, looking at the ground, began to remember in his doubt, the water kept falling down the walls, but that place was not flooded, as it was possible, looking from one side to the other, he observed a hole under them, but it was too far, without being able to reach She rushed under the water to appear right in front of the witch and tackle her hard.

Manuela resisted, but her foot fell into a hole in the ground and, losing her balance, was submerged by Seraphim. If she could not speak, she could not use her magic, and surely she could win. She was trying hard to keep Manuela under the water when she, witch opened her hands and, using her long nails, scratched Seraphim’s face. She had to close her eyes and could not see the punch that the witch was giving her face and made her go back.

Seraphim saw her getting up, and when she was upright, she said, “I must admit it was a good try, lass! You are a brave woman, you have a lot of fight inside you, but this is over. Once you cancel your magic, any chance you had of winning is over.”

Seraphim hated to give her credit, but what she said could be true, actually defeating her with her hands while she had her powerful magic did not seem possible, and seeing her, the woman said, “I only attack you with fire because I was playing with you, but now is when the good begins! You will die in a second!”

She placed her palms on the surface of the water, said, “Glacies!”

The entire surface of the water froze instantly, leaving half of Seraphim’s body on the water and the other half inside, with a layer of ice that separated them, Seraphim, seeing herself trapped, began to hit the ice surface with her hands and elbow. But this one did not break. The witch had also caught herself, but she was not worried, raising her hands, she said, “This is the end of the line, girl!”

Seraphim opened her eyes, and with surprise, she saw the witch cried. Not understanding what was happening, she raised her hands as she said, “Are you sad because you are going to kill me?”

Manuela looked up and said, “I never wanted to do these things, but the truth is that it is necessary, crying just before killing my prey is the result of my old soul, her last cries, I hardly hear her anymore, but when the tears fall from my eyes, you can understand that it’s actually still there.”

She raised her fingers she prepared to shoot the spell that would end Seraphim when up in the hole where they entered Nate came jumping at full speed screaming.

“It will be!!”

But Manuela saw him go down, and she said, “I hate interruptions, don’t you?”

And raising her hands, she said, “Tectum Force!”

And Nate, descending with all his strength, fell on a huge invisible surface that supported him. It was clear that Manuela had placed a force field on her to prevent the man from passing and this, creating a hammer, decided to hit that force field with force.

The impact was felt throughout the cave, but the force field resisted without the slightest problem. With power, a response rose that cut Nate’s shoulders, making him fall to his knees. From above, he could only see what was happening. He could not enter. He was condemned to see without participating what would happen below.

Seraphim looked at him. Seeing him gave her a certain degree of tranquility, although things had not really changed. Seeing in front of her, Manuela smiled when she raised the fingers of her free hand to attack her.

Seraphim said, “I will free your soul from that doom!”

Raising his hand, the fire that Seraphim had created on the wall illuminated his body, and this created a small shadow on the ice. From above, Nate saw that gesture and understood the intruder. Whenever it was, he forcefully threw something towards the shadow on the wall and was appreciative of Seraphim’s shadow.

Manuela raised her hand and said forcefully, “Boost Potentia!”

And from her fingers, a powerful impulse destined to destroy Seraphim’s body came out. Seraphim took the knife that Nate had sent her and, with force, hit the surface of the ice, cracking it enough to submerge again.

Manuela’s attack hit the wall and the witch, melting the ice instantly, froze several parts in the form of stalactites that she brought down at full power. These were embedded with the ground, and there was no possibility that anyone under the water had not been impaled. Manuela tried to see where Seraphim’s corpse would rise, but behind her, Seraphim appeared completely alive, and with speed, he buried her in the chest.

The pain in Manuela’s chest made her scream, and Seraphim, breathing with difficulty, covered her mouth while she buried the knife in her chest, they staggered, and Manuela looked at her in despair, after a few seconds, the witch stopped fighting, and Seraphim released her and saw her walk to the front.

Manuela was spitting blood from her mouth as she looked at Seraphim. The force field unraveled, allowing Nate to fall from the top towards her. Nate and Seraphim hugged.

Manuela then said, “There are underground caverns under this ground... That’s why the water doesn’t flood it, right?”

Seraphim saw her and, nodding, said, “I noticed two holes when you used the fire. With the fire, I knew what I had to do!”

Manuela walked towards her, still crying and raising her hand to touch Seraphim’s skin, she felt a fresh breath of air, and when she opened her eyes, she said, “What did you do to me?”

Smiling, Manuela saw her and said, “I gave you back your magic and also something else. Dying is very sad, but at least you will continue...”

The witch stepped back and floated on the water, and she said, “Maybe that I die will be the best... What comes in the future is not something easy to face. I wish you luck, Seraphim of the war!”

And with those words, her body began to disintegrate. Seraphim looked at her. She didn’t feel too much compassion for her, but seeing someone die was never pleasant. Looking at Nate, she said, “Did they manage to finish off Edith’s enemy?”

But Nate shaking his head, said, “We must go! Things are getting more and more complicated!”

The two embraced, and jumping hard, Nate reached the hole in the stairs. Both began to ascend until they reached the altar room, where Edith, in a trance, seemed to search for the necessary information.

Eleonor, upon seeing them, let out a strong exhalation as she said, “I thought I would be the one who would have to protect Edith!”

Seraphim placed her hand on her friend’s chest, and then, looking at Edith, she said, “We must finish off that guy before he gets here!”

But Nate, looking at her, shook his head through the front door. The man was entering, his wounds were perfectly healed, and Nate facing him, said, “It took you less than Joe expected!”

But the creature in front of him said, “You think you are very funny... Your sense of humor will be the first to disappear.”

Nate prepared to fight against this guy when from the highest part of the altar, with a roar, a spear pierced that man completely. He felt shocked, and when Joshua deflected, he took his spear, and with a strong kick, he threw him to the other side of the room.

Landing on the ground, Joshua saw Nate when he said, “That’s not enough, isn’t it?”

Nate shook his head, and they both watched as the man stood up and stared at them. He said, “I’m going to enjoy killing all of you!”

And so, the last part of the fight began.