The Genesis Of A Necromancer

Chapter 109 Light X Darkness (2)

Jack's breath hitched.

"What the..." he muttered under his breath, startled.

'Is she planning to attack me?' he wondered, tension gripping his chest as Alisha raised her glowing hands toward him.

A moment later, a soothing warmth washed over him, radiating from her palms like a gentle sunrise after a bitter winter.

The sharp agony in his chest dulled, his shredded flesh stitching itself back together with a golden glow.

He blinked, momentarily stunned.

Her magic was unlike anything he had ever experienced—pure and untainted, a stark contrast to the shadowy energy that coursed through his own veins.

"I'll hold him off," Alisha declared, her voice resonating with unshakable authority.

The soft glow in her eyes now burned with unwavering resolve.

"Focus on finishing the job, Jack. I'll buy you time."

Jack quirked a brow, his lips curling into a faint smirk despite the situation.

"So, you admit you still need my—"

Before he could finish his quip, Alisha darted forward with astonishing speed, her staff slicing through the air in a blur of radiant light.

She met the shadowy figure head-on, her staff colliding with the deadly curve of its scythe.

The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the tunnel, shaking loose fragments of stone from the walls.

"You dare interfere?" the shadowy figure boomed, its voice a deep, resonant snarl that echoed ominously.

Jack could tell from the start, this was no normal figure, after a clash with it, he was able to tell it's power.

'A sentinel weapon wielder... To find such a dangerous thing here, in the name of a trial' it momentarily made him wonder what the system wanted.

Shadows coiled and writhed around its form, reforming where Alisha's strikes landed.

The clash between their powers was mesmerizing—her golden light crackling like wildfire against the oily, serpentine shadows that made up its body.

"And you dare stand in our way?" Alisha shot back, her voice ringing clear and defiant.

Her staff spun in a dazzling arc, unleashing a wave of searing holy light that engulfed the figure.

The figure slashed its scythe through the light, carving a path toward her. Explore new worlds at My Virtual Library Empire

Shadows swirled violently, dark tendrils reaching out like living chains to ensnare her, but she spun gracefully, evading them with precision.

Jack, meanwhile, forced himself upright.

His chest throbbed with a dull ache, but the golden aura lingering over him gave him the strength to move.

He gritted his teeth, his focus narrowing on the altar.

It loomed ahead, pulsing with an oppressive energy that felt almost alive—a dark heart beating faster with every passing second.

'The altar…' Jack thought, his gaze sharpening.

'That's the source. If I can destroy it, this will all end.'

Summoning the shadows to his command, he extended his hands, tendrils of dark energy spiraling outward.

The altar trembled in response as his power grew, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface.

"Enough games," Jack growled, his voice low and edged with fury. "Time to end this."

The shadowy figure faltered momentarily, sensing the shift in energy. It turned its eyeless gaze toward Jack and lunged, its scythe slicing through the air with terrifying speed.

"You're not going anywhere!" Alisha shouted, slamming her staff into the ground.

A golden rune flared to life above the figure's head, and a bolt of divine light descended like a thunderstrike.

The figure spun its scythe defensively, deflecting most of the blast, but the radiant energy tore through its shadowy form, leaving jagged holes in its cloak.

Snarling, the figure redirected its attack, but Alisha was relentless.

She unleashed another surge of holy energy, her staff blazing with celestial fire.

Jack didn't waste a second.

Channeling every ounce of mana he had left, he poured his energy into the spell, the shadows around him surging like a tidal wave.

His reserves were dangerously low, but he didn't care—this was all or nothing.

The altar cracked further, black flames licking its surface.

The runes etched into its ancient stone flickered and dimmed as Jack's power consumed it.

Sweat dripped down his brow, and his vision blurred at the edges, but he held firm.

With a final, guttural cry, Jack unleashed the last of his mana.

[Mana: -500]

The shadows erupted in a deafening surge, engulfing the altar in a storm of darkness. For a moment, the world seemed to stand still.

Then the altar shattered.

The sound was deafening—a crack like thunder, followed by the splintering of stone.

Pieces of the altar crumbled into dust, and a scream—inhuman and agonized—tore through the air.

The shadowy figure froze mid-strike, its form flickering violently.

Its scythe clattered to the ground, the shadows comprising its body writhing chaotically as if caught in a violent storm.

Alisha seized the opportunity. Her eyes blazed with determination as she raised her staff high.

"Begone!" she roared, slamming it into the ground with all her might.

The crown above her head flared one final time, unleashing a pillar of holy light that engulfed the shadowy figure.

It screamed, its voice dissolving into a haunting wail as the light consumed it. The darkness shrieked and writhed, but it could not withstand the onslaught of Alisha's divine power.

For a brief moment, the tunnel was bathed in a dazzling light.

Missy, still shielded by Alisha's protective spell, watched in awe, her eyes wide with wonder.

Then, as quickly as it had come, the light faded.

The shadows dissipated, and the tunnel fell eerily silent.

Jack dropped to one knee, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath.

The oppressive weight of the dark energy was gone, replaced by an almost unnatural stillness.

Alisha stood tall, her body glowing faintly in the dim light of the crumbling chamber.

But the strain of her transformation was evident.

Her shoulders slumped, and her legs wavered beneath her, forcing her to lean heavily on her staff for support.

Her radiant aura, once brilliant, was dimming with each passing second.

"It's... done," Jack said between labored breaths, his voice raw with exhaustion.

He lifted his head, his gaze finding hers. Despite his battered state, there was a flicker of admiration in his eyes.

"You okay?" he asked, his tone softer than usual.

Alisha nodded weakly, the golden light in her eyes dimming as her transformation ebbed.

"For now," she murmured, her voice steady but weary.

"Let's not waste any more time. We need to get out of here."

Jack pushed himself to his feet with a groan, wincing as he tested the weight on his battered legs.

His fingers brushed against his chest, where Alisha's magic had sealed his wounds.

Though the pain had dulled, the memory of the battle lingered, etched into his bones.

He cast one last glance at the altar—or rather, the pile of rubble it had become. Dark energy no longer radiated from its shattered remains, yet an unsettling feeling coiled in his gut.

It was the kind of unease that whispered of unfinished business.

'This is far from over,' he thought grimly.

As if to confirm his suspicion, a deep rumble shook the chamber.

Jack stumbled, steadying himself against the wall as the earth beneath them trembled.

The wall behind the altar groaned, its ancient mechanisms grinding to life.

Stone shifted and pressed inward before sliding to the side with a thunderous scrape, revealing a hidden passage.

Jack and Alisha stared at the newly opened pathway, its existence shrouded in shadows.

Faint light flickered along the walls as torches sprang to life, their flames illuminating a narrow staircase descending into darkness.

The passage seemed to stretch endlessly, a foreboding invitation to an unknown depth.

"What do you think?" Alisha asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her glowing aura had all but faded now, leaving her looking mortal—fragile, even. But the determination in her eyes remained unshaken.

Jack hesitated, his gaze fixed on the passage. He could feel the weight of the shadows pressing against his senses, like a cold hand gripping his chest.

"Do we have a choice?" he muttered, breaking the silence.

"I tried everything before. I threw everything I had at that wall, and it didn't even crack. Missy somehow opened it when I couldn't."

Alisha raised an eyebrow, her lips quirking into a faint smirk despite her weariness.

"Were you ever strong? A little power boost, and you're already struggling."

Jack felt a vein throb in his temple.

"You're one to talk. You look like you're about to collapse."

Her smirk widened, but she didn't respond. Instead, she glanced toward the passage, her expression sobering.

"We haven't found the clue yet," she said after a moment.

"Just like you said, if we leave now, this entire ordeal would've been for nothing."

Jack sighed, dragging a hand through his messy green hair. "Exactly," he said, his voice tinged with resignation.

"But stay behind me. If you're as drained as you look, you're not exactly in fighting shape."

Alisha gave him a pointed look, but the concern in his voice wasn't lost on her.

She nodded, her grip tightening on her staff as she steadied herself.

The two of them stepped toward the passage, the air growing colder with every step.

Jack paused at the threshold, glancing down at the debris of crystal-black sand from the shattered altar. The remnants sparkled faintly, a grim reminder of the dark power they had just faced.

'The system hasn't announced anything yet,' Jack thought, his gaze hardening as he turned back to the path ahead.

'That alone tells me this isn't over.'