Nestle's body collapsed for only a second before it began to move again.
Black slime swelled outward, regenerating, growing larger and heavier until his form became a massive, unstable mass. Without warning, a thick strike shot out and slammed into Martha's arm.
She screamed.
Hazel snapped out of her shock instantly and rushed to her side, pressing her hands down as healing magic flared. Before I could reach them, Nestle shifted again—his slime wrapped around Amelia's body, forcing its way inside her.
My breath caught.
I tried to raise another wall, but he used Amelia as a shield.
Then I remembered.
The book.
Alexander's book was still with Safari.
Xiver: Can you call Safari here?!
Martha: N–no… only Amelia can…
We were cornered.
Nestle was stronger than us. I could barely fight Maria before—this thing was worse. Bigger. Smarter. Crueler.
There was no time to think.
Plan B.
Run.
But as I turned, something hit me.
Xiver: MARTHA! You can use wind magic too!
She froze for a second.
Martha: Y–yeah…
Xiver: Then let's trap him—seal him in a bottle!
Nestle laughed, slime bubbling.
Nestle: What bottle could ever hold me?
You're relying on her, aren't you?
He struck again.
This time, it was fatal.
Martha couldn't see it coming.
Martha: AAGHHHH—!!
I caught her before she hit the ground.
Xiver: HAZEL! USE TRANSPORT MAGIC! GO!
Hazel: But—
Xiver: JUST GO!!
Nestle attacked her mid-cast. I blocked with water, froze the strike midair, and shattered it—one arm holding Martha, the other gripping my small wooden magic stick.
Hazel vanished.
I ran.
Every step burned, but I didn't stop. Nestle's attacks followed us, tearing through the air—but I noticed something.
They were slower.
Weaker at long range.
Hope.
Martha cast spells from my back, her hands shaking, her breathing shallow. We dove behind a massive rock as the sandstorm swallowed us.
She was getting worse.
I told her the plan.
Martha: N–no… that won't work.
Xiver: You have to trust me.
Martha: This isn't belief. It's knowledge.
Xiver: There's no other way.
We went back.
Nestle stood there—his human form beside Amelia's body, lying still.
Nestle: Ohhh… you came back.
Behind him, a glowing spell activated. Mana drained from Amelia's body.
Nestle turned, shocked.
Nestle: So you're draining your friend's mana now?
Xiver: Martha… I don't think we're going to win.
Martha: Yeah. Me neither.
Let's run.
Nestle snapped.
Nestle: ARE YOU MOCKING ME?!
He transformed fully—towering, monstrous, pure black slime—and charged.
We ran.
He followed.
Exactly as planned.
When we reached enough distance, Martha unleashed fire.
It burned him.
Nestle froze.
Nestle: …It burned?
Xiver: That's right.
Martha: FLAMES!
The fire chased him—but weakened the closer it got.
Then—
Nestle: HAHAHAHA!
You can't do anything to me!
Martha: I have a plan, Xiver.
Before I could ask, it happened.
Before reaching Hazel's cave, Amelia and Martha had prepared freezing bombs—hidden within stones.
And Martha's secret spell.
Sorcery.
Control of magic itself.
She slammed her staff into the ground.
Words spilled from her mouth.
Nestle attacked—but freezing bombs detonated one after another. I cut each frozen strike midair as Martha gathered mana.
The sandstorm stopped.
Then reversed.
All of it—sand, pressure, mana—was torn from the land and forced into Nestle.
Hazel returned.
Riding Safari.
Earth shook as she landed. On Safari's back was a bag.
Alexander's book.
It flew into my hands.
Hazel stepped forward, holding several bottles.
Nestle: Y–YOU THINK THIS WEAK SAND CAN HOLD ME?!
Hazel: Nestle… I have no regrets.
Nestle: YOU WERE NEVER MY SISTER!!
The sand crushed him.
Martha: …I didn't know the sand that weakened us hurt him this much.
Hazel: He gave his body entirely to mana.
Xiver: What are those bottles?
The book pulsed.
Hazel: Acid.
Nestle lunged for Amelia's body.
I threw a frozen rock.
Two seconds.
Enough.
Hazel hurled the bottles. I shattered them midair with stone magic. Acid rained down.
Nestle screamed.
Martha crawled to Amelia and held her, crying.
Nestle collapsed into his elf form and tried to flee.
Hazel followed.
I didn't hear what she said.
I only saw her kill him.
When it was over, I went back to Martha.
She was shaking.
I leaned closer.
Her blindfold slipped.
Tears streamed down her face.
That's when she spoke.
Martha: …She's gone.
Amelia was dead.