Suddenly, Strigifavorus's scream echoed through the entire forest, so deep, so painful, that every vibration it created penetrated the body of every soul present. Not only did our ears close in agony, but our very spirits felt it, as though the world itself were about to tear apart. We all fell silent, our bodies moving slowly, fear silencing our voices. Even the wind, it seemed, had stopped. Everything became quiet, as if nature itself was sharing in the monster's suffering.
"What is that?"
"Insane! That monster can still fight back!"
"Can it really not die?"
"Is it an owl or a phoenix?"
I could hear the fear in the voices of the Elvian soldiers. Some of them collapsed weakly to the ground.
But for me, fear was not something new. There was something stronger creeping through my body, something far more terrifying. A power. Something far darker than any fear I had ever known. I could feel it flowing—dark and wild magic, almost burning me with its mere presence.
The swirling power felt like a blow that shook my body, piercing through every layer of skin and blood, traveling down to my heart. It was like fire burning within Strigifavorus's body, even though it was covered in wounds, even though its blood flowed freely, the owl-monster still fought. Its magic was so powerful, so wild—this monster seemed to have been created never to die.
I could feel it. The power growing stronger, intensifying.
Strigifavorus's eyes locked onto mine with sharp intensity, as if every glance was a deadly strike. For a moment, the world seemed to halt. And in an instant, my body was lifted into the air, like a leaf blown by a storm. My heart seemed to stop, there was no time to breathe. I felt as though my body were being thrown by an invisible force, hurtling through the air with no control.
I saw the ground growing farther away, as though the world was becoming smaller, more distant. The wind in my ears felt like the breath of death, assaulting every part of my body. With each passing second, the pain became sharper. My body seemed to be torn apart by the magical force that came so suddenly, crushing every inch of me with terrifying speed and relentlessness.
"Aaaahh…" I couldn't hold back the scream. The pain was so real, seeping deep into my flesh and bones, destroying everything.
I suddenly realized, my body had been struck by something invisible. Every part of me felt shattered, a pain that no words could describe. Yet, amid the agony, there was something much sharper—awareness. I understood now, Strigifavorus's magic was not just ordinary power. It was something greater, something darker, something evil.
I froze for a moment, feeling the overwhelming pain that consumed me. But for some reason, my heart did not break. In the midst of the suffocating anguish, there was a small flame that continued to burn. A hope that could not be extinguished.
Suddenly, my danger alarm sent out an emergency signal, waking every nerve in my body, making every inch of me alert. I felt it—something threatening, darker than the darkness itself, coming from below. Something waiting to finish what was left of my life with a single strike. And just a moment later, what I predicted happened. Giant wind knives shot forward with incredible speed, cutting the air with a ripping sound. They came, one after the other, unstoppable in their onslaught.
My instincts screamed. There was no time to think. There was only one choice—to survive, I had to move faster than they did.
I kicked the air as though it were solid ground, unseen by the eye. My body lifted, leaping with a speed I could only grasp with the wind now rushing to meet me. Each wind knife soared toward me, attacking with deadly precision, but I evaded them by the thinnest of margins. My body was carried by the flow of wind, dancing in the air with an agility that even I found hard to believe.
However, despite the wind aiding me, there was something strange creeping over my senses—an oddity that shouldn't be happening. I felt Strigifavorus's power, stronger, sharper, growing closer. At the same speed, I turned, searching for the source of that threat. And there, in the midst of my anxious heart, I saw something that made my heart almost stop.
Strigifavorus, the monster that should have fallen and been unable to fly, was now soaring through the air, so smoothly, so perfectly.
This was impossible.
My eyes watched in disbelief. From the base of its severed wing, a form I couldn't fully see, but felt was there—wings made of wind. The wind swirled with a speed that blended with the surrounding air, creating a shape almost invisible, yet powerful enough to keep Strigifavorus's massive body airborne. These wind wings glowed with a faint light, as if they were a form of power greater than anything I had encountered before.
I hovered steadily in the air with the magical wind power, and if the situation were better, I would have enjoyed the sensation of flying under the moon.
But I realized this was not the time for that. My eyes focused on the monster now flying so freely, even though it should have been grounded. But those wind wings, somehow, kept it intact, as though it had never lost any of its strength. None of us knew how deep Strigifavorus's abilities went. And now I knew—this monster was hiding more secrets than I had imagined.
Disbelief and anger fused within my chest. "You…" I shouted, my voice nearly lost in the swirling wind. "You're like a cockroach in a toilet that's impossible to get rid of. Why won't you just die?"
Strigifavorus, now glaring at me with sharp eyes, seemed to sense my confusion. I could feel the laughter wrapped in its gaze, a laughter full of pride and victory. The monster, despite its wounds, still had so many hidden powers within it.
I gritted my teeth. If this was Strigifavorus's way of surviving, I would not let it win. With a swift motion, I focused the wind and water magical energy within me, adjusting the air currents that were growing wilder above us.
The wind's power swirled around me, my body lifted with agility almost unseen, becoming one with the flow of the stronger winds. In the air, filled with a rushing sound, I began to feel how the ice element flowing in my blood merged with the wind swirling around me. I stretched my arms forward, gathering the energy around me, and focused all I had on one goal.
From within the air, I called forth the water—water hidden in every particle of the atmosphere—and transformed it into crystals so pure. Ice crystals began to form before my eyes, hanging in the air with a beauty that could not be described. The first arrow appeared, forming with an unimaginable speed, solidifying in the blue light that reflected the cold glint. The wind whispered, accompanying the creation of the crystals.
I took a deep breath, and with a smooth motion, three ice arrows took shape, sharp and aligned in perfect harmony. Each arrow's tip shone coldly, as if stealing the moonlight in the middle of the night. The crystals spun, circling in the air, as if waiting for the signal, awaiting the command to unleash their full power. I could feel each one of them, as if they were part of my own body.
"Shoot!" I whispered with a low voice, full of determination.
And as I released the power from my palm, the three ice arrows flew with a speed that shook the air. They soared, propelled by the unseen wind. It felt as though the world paused for a moment, making space for their sharpness to slice through the void.
One arrow struck Strigifavorus's wing with deadly precision. A loud crash sounded, and the monster howled, momentarily shaken by the attack. The second arrow flew straight into its shoulder, piercing through its flesh and creating a frozen trail that spilled dark blood onto the ground. Strigifavorus staggered, shocked by such a precise strike.
However, the third arrow... that one missed. I, unwilling to let it go to waste, commanded the wind to alter the trajectory of the third arrow. Slowly, it turned, veering back, chasing Strigifavorus with an ever-sharper edge.
"You don't own the wind, Strigifavorus," I said, my voice full of confidence. I could feel the power coursing through my body, a sense of pride enveloping me. "The wind is not just yours. I can tame it too. Feel this power, you foolish monster!"
That third arrow, although it missed, pursued Strigifavorus with unwavering determination. It didn't take long before the arrow struck the monster's back.
For a moment, the power within me began to feel weaker, like a leaf slowly falling from a tree in the autumn. At first, it felt light—everything was so easy—like the wind was part of me, like the ice I had called from the air was a natural force I had always possessed. But slowly, I began to feel it. Each attack I released, each ice arrow I shot, grew heavier. My strength was slowly fading, and I knew something was wrong.
"What's happening? My power seems to be fading with each second," I whispered, almost disbelieving.
Suddenly, the voices of the two spirits in my head spoke. They spoke with a tone that was firm, though a bit awkward.
"Your power has limits, Anggi. The Divine Blessing is not meant to last forever."
"You must defeat it as quickly as possible."
"What? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Anger and despair mixed within my mind. How could they not have told me sooner?
"Were you foolish or forgetful? But we told you clearly that this power is only temporary."
"But I didn't expect it to be this short-lived!"
"How long did you think it would last? Stop complaining and focus on defeating your enemy."
I fell silent, the anger in my chest slowly fading. They were right, I had been mistaken to think this power would last until I defeated Strigifavorus. It was a lie to say I didn't want this power to last just a little longer. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my mind.
"If this goes on, my power will only last 30 more minutes."
Thirty minutes. Such a short, limited time. There were so many things I needed to do, but what could I accomplish in that short span?
I turned my gaze back to Strigifavorus, which was growing more vicious, wind knives, fiery breath, and ever-stronger gusts hitting me. I continued to dodge, floating in the air, my body feeling heavier. The wind danced around me, as though testing my strength. As I evaded the attacks, my mind began to work harder.
How could this monster keep reviving its strength? No one could be this strong, even after being badly wounded.
I pondered deeper, trying to find the answer. And then, like a flash of lightning, an idea struck me.
Magical circuit. I remembered, I had heard about it from Almira before, but never truly understood. Magical circuits were the foundation for using Esze, a flow of magic contained within the body. Without it, even the strongest beings couldn't wield elemental power.
Did Strigifavorus possess a vast magical circuit? Was that why it could continue to fly and attack with unending strength? If so, that was its weakness. The circuit must be somewhere—somewhere important.
I felt my heart race. I had found the answer. To defeat Strigifavorus, I couldn't just attack its body. I had to destroy its magical circuit, and the circuit existed in all living beings, in... the heart.
"Of course... Your magical circuit. It's in your heart, isn't it? That's what gives you infinite power!" I yelled to myself, as though confirming this discovery.
Strigifavorus paused for a moment, as if hearing the whisper. Its sharp eyes turned toward me, reminding me just how close this battle was. I knew, to defeat it, I had to destroy the core of its power.
I stared at it, full of determination. "I will destroy your magical circuit, and I will end this."