Lillith - Chapter 15 - We're Not Dealing With Ordinary Mages

Attention, this is a work of fiction, and all characters are adults, over 18 years old!


Friday is here! I had some extra free time, and I took advantage of it to continue the story, so this chapter got longer, and it got much longer... that's why I'm putting this warning at the beginning, instead of at the end as usual. So here's a warning, this chapter is LONG!

The story I wanted to tell in chapter 14 is already "ready" in my head, all that was left was to put it on paper. The problem is that when I started writing I realized that it was going to be gigantic, and that's why I needed to separate it into several parts, which is why chapters 14, 15, 16 and probably 17 are all interconnected as if they were one story!

Another thing, do you like this posting frequency? I started posting 1 week ago and we're already on episode 15, should I reduce the frequency? Leave your opinions!

Enjoy reading!

--

Armand took a deep breath, feeling an unease growing within him as he left the room, one hand resting lightly on Emma's shoulder. He tried to keep his composure, but the mystery surrounding the threats to Lillith and Emma seemed more serious than he had initially imagined. Walking quickly beside Emma down the hallway, he explained the situation in a low voice:

"Emma, I want you to stay in Seraphina's room for now until I figure out what’s going on. It’s safe there, and I trust she'll know what to do if anything happens..."

Emma simply nodded in understanding, but deep in her eyes, there was a spark of uncertainty. As they approached a fork in the hallway, someone passed by them, keeping their head down, face hidden by a hat. Armand’s body reacted instinctively, a shiver running down his spine, putting his senses on high alert. He stopped abruptly, as if he had picked up on something strange about the hooded figure’s presence.

Emma looked at him, surprised. "Professor… is everything alright?"

Armand turned, watching the stranger walking down the hallway. "Hey... you!" His voice was firm, but laced with suspicion.

The figure paused, hesitated, and responded with a masculine, somewhat raspy voice. "Yes, Professor?"

Armand frowned, trying to identify the young man. At a school where few male students stood out, he should recognize them almost instantly. But this voice… it wasn't familiar. A subtle detail, but enough to put Armand on high alert. He approached, his steps firm, eyes narrowed.

"Whose class do you have now?" The question came quickly, a test for the hooded student.

"I... um..." The student stammered, eyes darting around the hallway, searching for an escape route. He began to step back, visibly trying to find a convincing answer, but his words stumbled over each other, the nervousness clear.

Armand moved forward, extending his hand to grab the boy’s arm and prevent any escape. His fingers were mere inches from the student’s cloak when something strange happened: Armand’s hand passed right through him as if the young man were just an illusion! Caught off guard, Armand stumbled forward, losing his balance, his mind processing the illusion’s nature in seconds.

"Who is this guy?!" he thought, feeling his body tilt, falling toward emptiness. However, before he could recover, the hooded figure extended a hand, and from beneath the dark cloak, a glowing rune appeared on his palm, an offensive spell visibly active.

Armand recognized the rune immediately. His instinct acted faster than any thought. He turned, extending his hand toward Emma, a dark-green aura radiating from his fingers as a gust of wind enveloped her, forming a protective shield around her.

A brilliant light shot from the mage’s hand, and a wave of wind energy expanded outward; the wind explosion was devastating. The corridor shook, nearby windows shattered, and Armand was hurled with incredible force, crashing through one of the school walls, leaving a trail of debris as he collided violently against several walls, each one shattering in turn. The wind shield, fortunately, enveloped Emma just in time, shielding her from the brutal explosion that devastated the corridor.

The hooded mage didn’t hesitate. He started running, disappearing swiftly down the corridors like a swift, stealthy shadow. In a quick movement, he brought two fingers to his ear, murmuring in a low, urgent tone, “I’ve been spotted. Tell Eliza to initiate the attack plan.”

Meanwhile, Emma, still stunned, ran desperately toward where she had seen Armand thrown. "Professor!" she yelled, her voice echoing down the corridor as dust continued to rise, creating a dense, suffocating mist. With quick steps and a racing heart, she approached the crash site, anxiously searching for any sign of Armand among the rubble.

As the dust finally began to settle, a figure slowly rose among the broken pieces of wall and floor. Armand stood up, breathing deeply, his eyes burning with fury. In an almost automatic motion, he brushed the dust off his shoulders, straightening his posture, and looked sternly at Emma, saying:

"To Seraphina's room, now!" His voice was unmistakable, firm and authoritative.

Without question, Emma nodded quickly and began to run as fast as she could, her steps echoing down the corridor as she disappeared in the direction of Seraphina’s room. Armand, on the other hand, closed his eyes, focusing deeply as mana flowed into his right eye. The green glow began to emerge, and within seconds he reactivated the Divine Eye spell he had used to track Lillith earlier. This time, however, the target was the fugitive mage.

With the spell activated, Armand felt as if his field of vision had expanded, his senses capturing the surrounding energies. Finally, he could see the mana trail left by the hooded mage, an intense, solid flow of energy, indicating that his opponent was a high-level mage, possibly Rank-A, if he were within the school.

--

The sound of footsteps echoed frantically through the corridors of the magic school as the hooded mage ran hastily, fingers pressed to his ear, transmitting an inaudible message. He turned down corridor after corridor, his eyes searching for a quick exit, but suddenly, a faint noise began to fill the air, a subtle hum, almost imperceptible, like the sound of energy accumulating.

Sensing something strange, the mage turned his head back, only to see a figure approaching at high speed, with eyes glowing like embers. Armand was advancing like a meteor, his expression fierce, and the mage barely had time to react. His instincts told him to activate his intangibility spell, but he was too slow. Armand's fist crashed violently into the mage’s right arm, the impact resonating through the corridor with a deafening boom.

In a split second, a purple explosion of energy radiated from the point of impact. It was as if Armand had reached the mage before his own attack, a rare and brutal technique that twisted and shattered the mage's arm with absurd force. His hat flew from his head, revealing his purple hair and alarmed eyes as his body was thrown down the corridor, landing heavily among the debris.

Armand stopped, his dark gaze fixed on the fallen man who now tried in vain to hold his nearly destroyed arm. The mage's breath was heavy and labored, but Armand's gaze remained merciless, a death sentence reflected in his eyes.

"I don’t know what you want in this school..." Armand said, his deep, cold voice echoing through the corridor. "I don’t know who you are... or what your plans are. But attacking one of my students..." he took a step forward, his eyes burning with cold fury, "is signing your own death warrant."

Despite his strength, the mage felt a shiver run down his spine. The power emanating from Armand was intimidating, almost suffocating. For a moment, the mage felt this could be his last instant of life.

But before Armand could advance again, a shattering of glass sounded beside him. He turned and saw, through the falling shards, a female figure. The witch fell toward him, purple hair billowing in the wind. She wore a white cropped top that revealed her silhouette and a mini skirt that swayed as she continued to descend, her arms raised in a threatening stance. She had summoned a spell with impressive speed, and Armand only had time to notice the energy gathering beneath her top before instinctively raising a defensive barrier.

A second later, a purple sphere of pure energy was fired from the witch’s hand. The sphere advanced at high speed and collided with Armand's barrier, but the force of the spell was so intense that he was violently thrown back, tearing down the corridor and scattering debris around as his body was hurled away.

“Am I late, little brother?” the witch asked in a teasing tone, landing softly beside the injured mage.

The mage, still trying to regenerate his shattered arm, laughed through the pain, wearing an expression that was both exhausted and defiant.

“Late since the day you were born... No wonder I'm the oldest,” he replied with a sarcastic smile, though his face was pale with pain.

The man concentrated, murmuring words in an ancient language as a dark shadow began to coil around his injured arm, attempting to speed up the healing process. But it was clear the damage was severe; he still trembled as he struggled to maintain control over the regenerative magic.

“This is going to take a while to heal... Damn it!” he muttered through clenched teeth.

The witch looked at her brother with an amused expression, her lips curving into an ironic smile.

“Looks like he got you good...” she taunted with a chuckle. “Count yourself lucky; if it were a woman, she probably would’ve aimed somewhere else.”

She gave him a mischievous wink before turning to him and murmuring, “Now, continue with the plan. Go find Eliza; the reinforcements should be surrounding the school by now.”

The purple-haired mage nodded, albeit reluctantly, and started running again, casting a final look of disdain toward where Armand had fallen. Pain throbbed in his injured arm, but he knew he had to complete his mission. His expression hardened as he disappeared down a side corridor.

In the distance, the debris began to shift, and Armand slowly emerged, dusting his shoulders off. He wore an expression of pure determination and fury. His eyes assessed the witch before him, quickly calculating her power.

"She’s stronger..." he thought, feeling the vibrant mana flowing around her. "Still Rank-A... but definitely more dangerous than the other one."

Armand’s gaze locked with the witch’s, who now stared back with a malicious smile. He knew she would be a formidable opponent. The energy spheres and her posture indicated precise control and confidence that only came with battle experience.

Before he could decide on his next move, Armand noticed the dark shadow pulsing around the mage's arm as he ran off in the distance. The black shadow throbbed as if it had a life of its own, a manifestation that Armand vaguely recognized but which brought a dark foreboding to the surface.

“This magic…” he murmured to himself, his eyes still fixed on the pair of siblings. “We’re not dealing with ordinary mages or witches.”


--


The door to Seraphina's office bursts open, and Emma rushes in, breathless, her expression alarmed. She takes a deep breath, trying to regain her composure before speaking, but Seraphina’s sharp gaze already senses the gravity of the situation.

"Emma?" Seraphina asks, frowning. "Where is Armand?"

Emma tries to gather her words, but the worry and urgency in her expression are clear. In a tense, rapid voice, she explains what she has witnessed so far, describing the attack in the corridor and Armand's confrontation with the mage. Emma's words paint a dark picture, and with every detail she hears, Seraphina feels a growing tension. When Emma finishes, Seraphina’s eyes widen as she absorbs the information, and she rises from her chair with a firm, decisive movement.

Without wasting time, Seraphina closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, activating the Divine Eyes spell. Her irises begin to glow a golden hue, and within seconds, a magical vision expands around her. Energy flows through her mind, extending through the school's corridors, searching for Armand's presence. Soon, Seraphina captures the scene: Armand is not only facing the mage but also a witch who has just joined the fight against him. She looks around the school and realizes more unknown figures are surrounding it...

"The school is under attack..." Seraphina whispers, her expression a mixture of concern and resolve.

The other women in the room, who had been listening silently, now turn to her, their faces filled with surprise and apprehension.

With firm steps, Seraphina lifts her chin and addresses each of them with calm yet unyielding authority.

"Lilith," she says, turning to the woman with a resolute look. "You and Emma will stay here in this room."

Emma and Lilith exchange quick glances, both filled with doubt and worry, but they silently nod in agreement. Seraphina then directs her gaze to Esmeralda.

"Esmeralda, you’re coming with me."

Esmeralda, already aware of the situation’s seriousness, doesn’t need further explanation. She raises one hand with a swift, precise motion, and a magical circle begins to glow around her. With a fluid movement, she casts a protective barrier, surrounding the room in a radiant aura of energy, making it a safe and impenetrable place.

As Esmeralda works on the protection, Seraphina turns her attention to Morgana, who watches everything intently, her gaze sharp and alert.

"Morgana," Seraphina continues firmly, "you’re staying here to ensure the girls don’t leave this room. Keep everyone safe."

Morgana merely looks at Seraphina in response, then turns and sits in one of the chairs.

With each woman now in position, Seraphina steps back and gives one final instruction, this time addressing Valerya.

"Valerya, make sure Armand doesn’t die."

Valerya, with a cold and determined look, nods, making it clear she understands the gravity of her mission.

Esmeralda finishes casting the barrier, and the room now radiates intense energy, like an impenetrable bastion of protection. The walls glow with complex runes, swirling and pulsing in colors ranging from purple to gold, ensuring that this room becomes the safest place in the entire school.

Seraphina takes one last look at the women around her, each fulfilling their role. The tension in the air is palpable, but her calm resolve inspires confidence. She exchanges a brief glance with Esmeralda, who follows her out of the room with firm steps and a proud stance.

Outside, Valerya heads down the corridors with quick, precise strides, her gaze focused and determined. She moves, resolved to reach Armand, her silhouette disappearing into the dark corridors of the school as a speed spell surrounds her, making her practically glide across the floor.

--


Armand stares at the witch with intensity, every muscle tense as he measures the distance between them. Her gaze is cold and unflinching, her sharp-nailed hands moving slowly, menacingly, as if testing the space around, waiting for Armand's slightest move to strike. Both remain motionless for a few seconds, each analyzing the other. Suddenly, Armand decides to act, his body moving with surprising speed, quick as lightning. He vanishes from her sight, causing the air around him to blur slightly, only to reappear beside her within a fraction of a second, his hand already charged with pulsing electric power.

Armand strikes, but to his surprise, his hand passes through her body as if she were a ghost. Shocked, he falters, feeling the weight of his failed attempt. The witch, with a wicked smile, seizes his moment of vulnerability to cast a spell; her hands move with precision as she traces arcane symbols in the air, her fingers leaving a trail of golden energy that materializes into several glowing chains.

Before Armand can react, the chains emerge from small portals, advancing toward him with speed, poised to entrap him. Still airborne and struggling to regain his balance, Armand clenches his fists in a powerful motion, concentrating his magic and creating a massive gravitational pulse around himself. The ground trembles, and a wave of energy explodes from his body, repelling the chains and sending the witch flying back with tremendous force.

The impact is fierce: the witch smashes through the concrete wall, falling from the second floor to the grass outside. Dust rises in a thick cloud at the point of her fall, but before Armand can celebrate his successful attack, he sees her silhouette emerging from the dust. She floats gracefully, seemingly unharmed, and raises her hand with deadly elegance, conjuring two orbs of brilliant purple energy that shoot toward Armand.

Armand’s eyes narrow, his body reacting swiftly as he deflects the orbs, using his own magic to redirect them aside, where they explode in bright flashes, leaving deep cracks in the walls. But the witch had anticipated this, flying toward him with nearly surgical precision. In the blink of an eye, she is close, and Armand notices her knee rising directly toward his groin. He reacts at the last second, catching her leg with a firm grip before impact.

The witch, however, has another trick up her sleeve: she summons a new orb of purple energy that suddenly appears between them. Armand is forced to absorb the impact with his hands, focusing all his magic to nullify it. The energy drains his vitality, sucking his mana intensely, and he feels the weight of exhaustion pressing down on him. This brief moment of weakness is all the witch needs; she spins her body and lands a powerful kick to his face.

Her heel skims across his face, the pointed tip cuts his skin, and blood lightly splatters from the corner of his mouth. Armand is flung backward, his body crashing against the wall with force, leaving him dazed, a throbbing pain pulsing where her heel struck him.

But the witch doesn’t give him time to recover. With a sadistic smile, she launches a new orb in his direction, but this time it doesn’t follow a linear path; it zigzags as if it were alive, dodging and confusing Armand. He tries to track its movement but, unable to predict its trajectory, decides to attack it head-on. He focuses, conjuring a gust of wind with a snap, which chases the orb fiercely. The orb attempts to dodge several times, but eventually, the gust catches it, dissipating it in an explosion of purple energy.

When Armand shifts his gaze back to the witch, he notices something strange. She’s smiling differently now, with a look of triumph. The tip of her heel, stained with Armand’s blood, glows peculiarly, and he sees a rune drawn in the air, formed from his own blood.

— "It was a good fight, handsome..." — the witch says, with a wicked smile on her lips.

Armand feels a strange sensation, and before he can react, a small portal opens between his legs. Another portal appears beside the witch, and Armand sees something unexpected emerging from it: a spherical form he instantly recognizes. His eyes widen in horror. The witch grabs the ethereal sack with a firm grip, and the cruel squeeze makes Armand scream, pain exploding through his body.

He writhes, falling to his knees, trying to reach the empty space where his testicles once were, but all he finds is the portal through which they are now under the witch’s merciless control. She laughs with cruel amusement, squeezing the spheres firmly, toying with them as if they were rubber balls.

"Wow… they’re almost twice the size of most wizards I've castrated before."

Armand can only groan and tremble in pain, his attempts to resist nullified by the absolute control the witch wielded over him. She alternates between squeezing one and the other, her fingers pressing into the sensitive spheres, twisting and crushing them with sadistic pleasure. She pauses just to taunt him, speaking with disdain.

— "Your powers truly are impressive." — She punches the spheres forcefully, making him arch in agony. — "Shame you’re going to lose your magic now. You must be a great mage to have balls this big."

Each punch intensifies the pain, every impact thundering through his groin. She readies another blow, raising her fist for the punch. But before she could complete the motion, a hand appears out of nowhere, punching her in the face with brutal force.

The witch is sent flying back with a devastating impact, knocked out of the magical circle sustaining the portal. In seconds, the portal closes, and Armand curls into a fetal position as his testicles return to where they belong. He looks up in shock, seeing Valerya by his side, her fist still extended from the punch she landed on the witch. The blow was so powerful that the witch crashes through multiple walls of the school, each wall cracking and crumbling as she’s hurled away, ending up deep in the distant forest.

Valerya casts a hateful glance at the damage done, resolute and determined, knowing that her surprise attack had probably taken the witch out of the fight. She takes a deep breath, satisfied to have channeled enough energy while the witch was distracted.

She turns to Armand, who is still on the ground, groaning in pain as he tries to recover. Valerya rolls her eyes and leans against the wall, crossing her arms impatiently.

— "I’ll wait for you to get up… we don’t have all night, you know?" — she murmurs, impassive, but serious, knowing she needs to continue Seraphina’s orders.


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Previous Chapter:
https://www.reddit.com/r/BallbustingStories/comments/1ggpsim/lillith_episode_14_the_guardian_angel/