11. Witch of the Crimson Flame (3)
11. Witch of the Crimson Flame (3)
Devia frowned. When the Crimson Flame Witch came into view, she felt a strange sense of déjà vu for some reason.
"What do you think, Mika?"
"May I ask what you're referring to?"
"That kid. The Crimson Flame Witch. I get this feeling that she's familiar somehow."
"I'm not really sure."
Mika just looked at Devia with a dry chuckle. Devia thought to herself.
Could it be... is it her?
It was a complicated feeling, but there was nothing she could do about it. What she could do right now was deal with the Crimson Flame Witch—subjugate her.
"Mika, could you cast a buff on me?"
"Yes, of course."
Mika placed her hand on Devia's back and recited a prayer. Like an angel singing, the sound resonated gently, and Devia could feel a sense of exhilaration along with surging magic power.
"Alright. Then I'll start first?"
Devia snapped her fingers. Tak. As soon as the sound rang out, chains surged up from behind Devia. They were chains that seemed to come from nowhere. That was Devia's magic.
Dozens of layers of chains flew toward the Crimson Flame Witch. They grabbed her arms, her neck, and held her legs. With a click, the Crimson Flame Witch stopped, not moving an inch.
Of course, Devia knew that this alone wouldn't be enough to catch her. That's why she had to wait.
Until AA and Strawberry arrived. There was no need for Theresia to come. In fact, her coming would be a hindrance. That's why she had told her not to come in advance.
"Mika, do you have anything, by any chance?"
"Ah, I don't really have any abilities to catch witches. I'm specialized in support."
"Really? Then could you pour in more magic power?"
Mika nodded silently and smiled. While doing so, she kept her hand on Devia's back and continued reciting her prayer. Devia was pouring all the mana she received from Mika into maintaining her magic, the Chain Rush.
"Devia-ssi, is there nothing you can do?"
"Sorry, but I'm not exactly on the strong side either. I can beat most people when it comes to experience, but my raw power is a bit trash."
Devia was smiling, but the situation wasn't exactly great.
That was when it happened.
The Crimson Flame Witch shrieked. Sharply, piercing the air, the sound echoed. At that moment, cracks began to form on the chains imbued with Devia's magic. Devia bit her nail. Ggadeuk, it was a troublesome situation.
Finally, the cracks formed lines, and the chains were shattered along those lines. Not only that, but the remaining chains caught fire and melted away. The Crimson Flame Witch took a light step. She had completely broken free from Devia's restraint.
"Well, we're in big trouble~."
"Your tone doesn't sound like it at all, though?"
"This is my original tone~?"
Rising into the sky, the Crimson Flame Witch looked down at Devia and Mika while hovering. Then, she raised her right hand and created fire condensed with magic power. The red, burning fire fluctuated.
The Crimson Flame Witch launched that fire.
It was an instant.
Mika gripped her cross necklace and activated her magic.
A semi-circular barrier blocked the fire.
"Urgh."
"Are you okay?!"
The Crimson Flame Witch's attacks continued. Every time, Mika cast a barrier.
"Mika! This won't work. Support me with water-type magic. I'll take the front."
At those words, Mika nodded lightly. At the same time, the barrier disappeared. Mika immediately pressed her hands to the ground and used magic to lift up the asphalt. It was cover.
As soon as Devia confirmed Mika's safety, she dashed out and stepped into the air.
She flew by stepping on the air and approached the Crimson Flame Witch. Then, she pulled out her staff, the weapon she had created with magic. With the staff held lightly, she launched magic toward the Crimson Flame Witch.
A pure white light emerged from the staff and grazed the Crimson Flame Witch's left cheek. The Crimson Flame Witch let out a painful scream. However, Devia knew. She knew that it wasn't exactly a fatal wound.
At that moment, fire erupted from the Crimson Flame Witch and splattered in all directions. As luck would have it, it also splattered in the direction where Devia was. When that fire flew toward Devia, she couldn't avoid it. It wasn't that she hadn't done aerial combat before, but regardless of that, it was due to an unavoidable 'angle'.
And just before it hit, Mika's magic blocked it.
"Nice assist!"
Devia bit her lip and smiled.
But still, it was far from enough to subjugate the Crimson Flame Witch.
&&&
While dealing with the witch's minions one by one, AA thought of Alice. She wanted to see her right now, but she was currently on a subjugation mission.
Abandoning her duty for personal reasons was not the way of a human. Therefore, AA diligently dealt with the witch's minions.
One, two. And three. The number kept piling up. While Theresia caught one, AA dealt with four at once.
In a way, it was natural. AA was Optima-ranked, and Theresia was Prima-ranked.
"AA, how is it over there?"
"Looks like I'm done."
Along with the death of the wailing witch's minion, she answered Strawberry's question. AA stared into Strawberry's eyes.
"Shall we go now?"
"Wait a second. We have to take Theresia to a safe place."
"True. If Theresia died while doing nothing, it would make for a restless night."
At AA's last words, Strawberry didn't laugh or frown, just nodded slightly.
"Theresia!"
"Ye-yes!"
"Are you done?"
"Yes! I just finished dealing with them."
Theresia triumphantly placed both hands on her waist and raised her nose high. AA found that sight quite funny.
AA approached Theresia.
"Se-sunbaenim?"
"Alright, your role is over now. Now, get out of here with Strawberry. Ah, of course, Strawberry has to come back after taking you there."
"Yes?"
"That's what we decided to do, right?"
[Yes, Theresia. Let's go for now.]
Theresia followed Strawberry with an unreadable expression. Strawberry took Theresia to the safe zone.
"I'll go first, Strawberry!"
"Yeah!"
As soon as the words were finished, AA ran to the battlefield where the Crimson Flame Witch was. She had to finish quickly so she could fangirl over Alice. She ran with that single-minded determination. Thanks to her personal philosophy that "it is a natural principle to overcome adversity for the small happiness in life," she didn't have any particular complaints.
Stepping on asphalt and soil, passing through collapsed debris and fragments of asphalt road sticking out here and there, AA ran.
"Magical Girl AA, just arrived."
At that moment, AA couldn't help but freeze right there.
Devia was there, face-down on the ground, bleeding profusely, and Mika was barely managing to cast a heal on that Devia.
"What is this?"
That was the moment. Countless stars, no, fires, rained down like meteors toward AA.
&&&
As I came out to a safe place following Sunbaenim, I felt regret rather than relief.
I just had a Trait Awakening (presumably). I feel like I could fight more if I did well.
Of course, I know that as a newbie, I shouldn't be cheeky enough to show my face while the veterans are doing a subjugation battle.
But regret is regret, isn't it?
"Then I'll go too."
"Yes. See you later."
Sunbaenim smiled and laughed as if soothing me. How should I put it, I have a bad feeling about this.
No, even if it's not exactly a bad feeling, how should I put it, it felt like one of those scenes you see in movies.
A scene where someone shouts a death flag in a war movie? That kind of feeling?
Well, it wouldn't be real, right? It's probably just something people say.
I quietly bowed as I watched Sunbaenim leave. There was no mission for me anymore. I looked at Dori and said.
"Phew, that was really tough."
[Good work. By the way, you, what was that?]
"What?"
[You dodged everything left and right as if you had seen the future, didn't you?]
"Ah, that? Hehehe, listen closely, okay? It's my Awakening ability, no less!"
Then Dori looked at me as if confused.
[Awakening? What are you talking about?]
"Yes?"
[I don't know in what context you used that word, but magical girls don't get strong all at once. In most cases, they get strong slowly.]
"Yes? But that happened way too suddenly?"
[I don't know what you're talking about.]
Dori looked lost in thought, resting his chin on his hand. I didn't say anything and waited for Dori to think.
Whatever it was, didn't I gain a new ability?
Then that's fine.
[No matter how much I think about it, that didn't happen.]
"Dori, by the way, when will it end?"
[I don't know that either.]
I tried to make small talk with Dori.
That was the moment.
An image appeared in my head once again.
And.
I couldn't help but freeze.
In that image, there was Devia collapsed while bleeding, Mika with lost light in her eyes while holding a broken cross necklace, AA who had been burned until her form was unrecognizable.
And Strawberry-sunbaenim waiting for death while shedding tears.
At the same time.
In the center of the image, the tearful Crimson Flame Witch was staring at me. As if she could see me.
They say that the longer you stare into the abyss, the more the abyss stares back at you. I got goosebumps for a moment.
"Dori, I think we're in big trouble! We need to call for backup right now!"
[What are you talking about?!]
"I, I can see it. I can see the future! And I just saw it. If we go on like this, it's all over!"
Perhaps realizing the seriousness from my urgent voice, Dori looked confused and gestured in the air.
I didn't know exactly, but I vaguely felt that it was an action to call for backup.
"There's no time to be doing this. I have to go, at least."
[Theresia? What are you talking about!]
"Exactly what I said, Dori."
I ran immediately in the direction Sunbaenim went.
Not that I could do anything by going.
Isn't their situation one where they need even a cat's paw? It was one of the few serious moments I've had lately.