OHNIR – Chapter 61
Chapter 61: Riot
Just as Gloria finished making her promise, before Kelusta could react, the seawater beside them suddenly surged with rapid and violent waves. The crest of the wave rose to the height of two people, sweeping menacingly toward the shore.
Gloria's expression changed. She reacted almost at the same time as Kelusta, who was already familiar with the ocean, and turned to run toward the beach.
However, the expected sensation of being drenched by the wave never came. The two turned back in astonishment, only to see that the wave had, for some reason, abruptly frozen in mid-air, like a tall barrier, completely blocking the red sun behind it—
Because of this, a faint black glow in the water, slightly different from the color of the sea itself, was clearly exposed before their eyes.
"The sea is glowing?"
"No, it's a magic fluctuation!"
Kelusta stared at the towering wave, bewildered and confused, but Gloria's expression changed drastically. The black-haired girl's eyes darkened, and she quickly waved her hand, conjuring a cloud of black mist that solidified firmly in front of the wave like a sturdy shield.
But this subconscious act of self-preservation suddenly agitated the calm black light in the sea. It began to tremble and shift wildly, and the wave, which had been held back by something, started to shake—
Gloria's dark magic resonated with the dark magic in the seawater, which was seeping out from the Holy Force Source.
—Talebris was the last god to fall. By then, the Holy Force Source was nearly saturated from absorbing the divine power of so many fallen gods. Therefore, the Dark Goddess's power was not completely absorbed; a portion of it drifted into the ocean near the Holy Force Source, an ocean that contained the “primordial divine power”...
Only now was this divine power influenced by Gloria, who possessed the same magic, causing it to reveal itself completely.
The balance was shattered in an instant. The wave trembled and began to break apart, sending splashes of water flying at them like sharp blades. Gloria's pupils constricted, and she instinctively pulled the completely stunned Kelusta into her arms, holding her tightly.
At the same time, powerful bursts of black mist began to emanate uncontrollably from the black-haired girl's body as she kept her eyes tightly shut!
The irresistible resonant force caused Gloria's dark magic to officially erupt into a riot.
This black mist spread out from around Gloria, and the first to be affected was Kelusta, held in her embrace.
Her golden eyes widened abruptly. The black smoke, unnoticed by Gloria, enveloped her. Before Kelusta could utter a single word, the dark magic, like a greedy squid, shot out its tentacles, wrapped them around her head, and invisibly burrowed into her mind, ruthlessly sealing away her recent memories—
Gloria's magical riot amplified the unparalleled combat power of dark magic, but it also enhanced its special attribute...
"Forgetting."
Kelusta blinked. The aftereffects of the aggressive invasion of dark magic set in, and a needle-like pain began to prick at her head. Her golden eyes were vacant and bewildered, unfocused and devoid of even a glimmer of light.
The next second, she fainted, slumping in Gloria's arms. In the instant before her eyes closed, a layer of black mist filled them, completely swallowing the gold within.
A portion of the dark magic hid itself within Kelusta's body, while the rest swept menacingly toward the ocean.
As the wave collapsed, the dark points of light in the sea gathered together, gradually forming a large net that emitted a cold glow. It lunged at the rampaging black mist, like two burning flames colliding, or two alpha wolves fighting for dominance. The black magical power trapped the struggling mist like a caged beast, appearing gentle but in reality, a forceful imprisonment.
And the black mist, as if refusing to be tamed, began to struggle for its life—
Gloria, still holding Kelusta, froze and drew a sharp breath. The remaining dark magic in her body was completely out of control, being drawn out and absorbed by the struggling black mist to fight against the massive dark net.
However, as the black-haired girl endured the pain of her magic being drained, she failed to notice a faint golden light beginning to emerge from the battling, entangled black mist and giant net behind her!
And Kelusta, held tightly in her arms and unconscious, also began to tremble uncontrollably.
—The dark magic belonging to Talebris, seeping from the Holy Force Source, had “resonated” with the dark magic Persedoro stole and “gifted” to Gloria, thus triggering the magical riot.
However, when the Holy Force Source was absorbing the powers of the fallen gods, a portion of the divine power that had first formed its “primordial state” was also pushed out by these newly added forces. It had been drifting in the seawater even earlier, and in smaller quantities, than the dark magic.
And this divine power that formed the “primordial state of the Holy Force Source”... was naturally the light magic of Clara, the first to fall.
Therefore, the ocean contained not only dark magic, but also a portion of light magic from Clara.
When the dark magic began to stir, and the two sources of it began to consume one another, the long-hidden light magic also began to reveal itself due to this resonant force.
—Clara and Talebris were sisters born from a single cycle of day and night. Their attributes of light and dark were diametrically opposed, yet they were also the most closely linked pair of powers among all the gods.
Thus, the golden points of light originally flowing in the ocean, drawn by the nature of the divine power, began to drift silently like feathers toward the entangled dark magic.
The black mist and the black net fought savagely, following the pride and tyranny of their former masters. Each wanted to devour the other, neither willing to yield. Gloria gritted her teeth, arching her neck in pain. Her deep blue eyes had lost all their original color, leaving only a profound and pure ink-black.
Yet, at that moment, the two battling forces of dark magic suddenly paused.
Slowly, as if unraveling a cocoon, the great net, now mixed with golden fragments of light magic, began to dissolve into smoke. Carrying specks of gold, it merged with the original black mist and shot straight toward the noble girl on the beach!
"Ah—"
Gloria let out an uncontrollable cry of pain.
The immense dark magic suddenly returned, but it was now mixed with the completely opposite light magic. The pain made Gloria feel as if she were an alkaline substance into which concentrated sulfuric acid was being slowly poured. Pain, impact, fusion, rejection... all sorts of sensations flooded her body, and soon, she too was forced into a deep coma.
—The dark magic given by Persedoro was like a stone buried in the earth. It seemed to be there, but it never truly belonged to Gloria. It could be infused at any time, and it could be taken away at any time. Unlike a mage's innate magic, it could not undergo quantitative or qualitative changes on its own.
Kelusta's innate water and light magic, on the other hand, were magical powers that could grow on their own through repeated training and could not be arbitrarily taken by others.
As for Gloria, the seed of light magic quietly planted within her at this moment was the true magical power that could take root and sprout in her body... a power that belonged solely to her.
When Sogeta and Susan found the two unconscious girls by the sea, they were nearly scared out of their wits and immediately took them back.
As they watched over the sleeping girls, helpless and filled with worry, an unexpected person suddenly arrived and knocked on the Breviou family's door.
"Good evening, respected sir and madam."
An elderly sailor, his skin as dark as a reef, smiled at the stunned Sogeta and Susan. He patted his own shoulder with a calloused hand, bowed slightly, and gave them a rough but respectful greeting.
"I bring you greetings from the ocean—"
His voice was deep, like the whistling sea wind, and every word he uttered was like a curling wave, filled with a peculiar rhythm.
"Rest assured, the two sleeping young ladies are in no danger... However, regarding the girl with dark magic, I have a few words to say specifically to you, madam."
"Dark magic?" Sogeta asked blankly, staring in surprise at the old sailor he knew so well, a man who had lived in Seaside Town for decades. "Uncle Rake, you—"
"Patience, Sogeta."
Old Rake interrupted him with a chuckle. His eyes, though aged, were still incredibly clear as he stared intently at the silent Susan and said kindly, "If you two don't mind... shall we go inside and talk in detail?"
"After all, this is a rather long story concerning the origin of this continent."
After Old Rake waved to him and left with a smile, Sogeta finally stopped seeing him off. He stood at the door, watching intently as the elder's figure receded into the distance.
After a long moment, he lowered his eyes, sighed heavily, closed the door, and returned to the room.
"...Who is he, really?"
Susan, who was sitting on the edge of the bed watching the two children, heard his footsteps. She turned her head slightly, looked at the brown-haired man's weary face, and asked in a strained voice.
"I don't know either." Sogeta pressed his lips together, reached out to brush a sweat-dampened strand of hair from Kelusta's forehead, and said softly, "But no matter who he is, I choose to believe his words. Ruth's memories can only be unsealed after light magic purifies that dark magic. And as for Gloria... this matter involves the secrets of the Silentdis family. I swear to you in Ricana's name that I will not reveal a single word to anyone, including Ruth herself."
"I believe you." Susan raised her eyes and looked at him steadily. "I will tell Gloria everything and let her make her own decision—including the fact that she has the potential for light magic... and the fact that Ruth will forget her."
"..."
Sogeta lowered his head and looked at the sleeping Gloria. The black disguise had faded from the girl's meticulously dyed long hair, revealing large sections of diamond-colored strands. Her long, silver eyelashes rested against her eyelids, casting shadows like the wings of a butterfly.
"Madam, I have one more question—"
"I know what you're going to ask."
Susan's voice rang out, cool and clear, with a resolve no less firm than Sogeta's vow moments before. "I am an outsider to the Silentdis family by blood; I will not interfere in any matters concerning the Goddess of Deceit... For that very reason, I will also keep all information about the 'Holy Force Source' a closely guarded secret. I will not reveal a single word to my husband, even after I die."
"Then Gloria..."
"I know my daughter," the young duchess said softly. "Her feelings for Ruth are even deeper than mine were for Ricana... Even if she ultimately chooses to follow the Goddess of Deceit, I believe she will never willingly reveal any secrets about Seaside Town to her."
Sogeta let out a deep breath. The handsome face of this usually gentle, smiling brown-haired man was now filled with unconcealed exhaustion.
"If the Goddess of Deceit still finds Seaside Town in the end, then we can only say it is the arrangement of fate." He gave a bitter laugh, his fingers tightening and digging sharply into his palm. "I won't blame Gloria, and neither will Ruth... Every person from Seaside will fight to protect their home. It doesn't matter if we were friends before; if we stand on opposing sides, we will fight with all our might and show no mercy—"
"...The Silentdis family is the same."
Susan stood, gathered her skirts, and curtsied slightly. As a duchess, she was clarifying for Sogeta the crisis they would each likely face in the future.
"If fate decrees war," she said softly, "then let us both—rely on our own abilities."
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