Dila's thoughts raced.
We're running out of time... This is no good. I keep being a burden, always whining...
Her chest heaved slightly as she sat there, kneeling again on the cold stone floor. The corrupted energy of the Veil pulsed in the distance, its red glow flickering like a heartbeat of evil.
"Open system..." she muttered under her breath, her fingers trembling. "Please, open... I need you now..."
The translucent blue interface finally blinked to life, visible only to her. Her eyes scanned the glowing text as she whispered:
"Let's see..."
She swiped the window.
Status Window
Name: Dila
Age: 17
Class: Support Mage – Alchemist
Gender: Female
Mana Level: 50 / 199
Passive Skills:
– Eavesdrop (hear distant sounds)
– Cascade Shield (energy shield dome)
– Instinct Cascade (automatic reaction ability)
Skill:
– Earthrea (summons earth golems of various shapes and sizes)
She frowned, biting her lower lip. Then her eyes caught something unexpected.
"Wait... what?" she blinked. "Brave Aura...? But that's from my Berserker class. This can't be here..."
Her gaze focused. With a slight eye gesture, she selected the skill. A new panel slid open.
Brave Aura – Temporarily boosts allies' attack power and strengthens their will to fight.
Her breath caught.
No way...
Sweat trickled down her temple.
"This... this could work..." she whispered. Her eyes narrowed with new resolve. "Forget the Veil. First... we destroy what's blocking our escape."
The priestess, still staring at the thrumming core of the Veil, turned toward Dila.
"What are you talking about?" she whispered, voice shaky with fear.
The hero knight, gripping his sword tighter, shot Dila a worried glance.
"We must find a way. I think... our little elf girl is losing it," he muttered.
But Dila wasn't listening. She was already planning her next move.
And then—Dila raised her hand.
A soft hum filled the air as blue light began to gather, swirling like mist around her fingertips. In a burst of magical energy, her staff materialized—its form glowing with radiant blue luminance, pulsing like a heartbeat. The ground beneath her feet trembled slightly.
The priestess and the hero knight both turned toward her, startled.
Dila stood up—firm, determined. Her silver-white hair flickered under the glow of her magic.
"We're getting out of here," she said, her voice clear and commanding.
She raised her staff high.
"Earthrea!" she called out.
A heavy tremor shook the ground as stone and dirt surged from the broken floor. A golem rose, standing tall—its form thick and solid, radiating raw power.
Without a pause, Dila pointed her staff directly at the golem.
"Brave Aura!"
The tip of her staff flared red—intense and alive—as the golem absorbed the magic. Its dull stone eyes burst into glowing crimson. The aura wrapped around it like a firestorm. The once-calm creature now radiated an aggressive force, its posture changing—ready to charge, to destroy.
The priestess gasped. Her eyes widened in disbelief as her hands flew to her chest.
"T-this… This is intense…" she whispered, her voice trembling.
The hero knight stared in silence, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
What kind of power is this…? he thought, unable to look away. That aura... it feels almost too wild for a support mage.
Dila held her staff firm, but her hands were beginning to shake. The blue glow flickered.
Mana Level: 15 / 199
She felt it—her strength draining.
Why am I sweating so much… just maintaining this…?
Her face twisted slightly from the strain. Her breathing quickened.
But still, she stood tall—eyes locked on the barrier of vines that trapped them.
There was no turning back now.
And then Dila muttered, "What should I even call you… temporarily?"
She raised her staff again, her tired arm trembling slightly from the strain.
"…Alright, Dirtbag, attack!"
The moment the word left her mouth, silence fell.
The priestess and the hero knight both flinched, eyes wide, faces tense with disbelief.
"D-Dirtbag?" the priestess whispered, horrified.
The golem froze for a second. Its eyes, already glowing red, suddenly blazed brighter—twice, no, three times as intense. It let out a low rumble like an angry growl.
Then, it rampaged.
Instead of heading for the wall of vines blocking their way out, the golem turned and charged at the crimson Veil—the pulsing, veined crystal that corrupted the room like a beating heart of darkness.
With a roar, it swung its massive arm—
THUD!
The first punch slammed into the crystal. Sparks burst out.
Then another.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Faster now. Stronger.
The room shook with every blow. The Veil cracked more and more with each hit, glowing crimson with every fracture that spread across its dark surface.
The knight and priestess stared, hands shaking slightly from the force of it.
"What kind of raw power is this…?" the knight thought.
"That golem—it's not just strong. It's furious," the priestess whispered, eyes wide.
Dila, still holding her staff steady, blinked and gave an awkward laugh.
"Yikes… I think it's mad because I called it Dirtbag…"
The golem let out another earth-shaking punch.
The Veil cracked wide open now, energy bleeding out of it like steam from a boiling kettle.
The knight's instincts screamed.
"It's gonna explode!" he shouted.
He dashed forward without a second thought, grabbing the priestess and pulling her toward Dila.
Once beside them, he shoved the priestess behind him and stood firm, raising his sword high.
"I'm going to tank the explosion!"
He planted his feet, his stance solid, sword held with both hands.
"Here goes nothing…"
And then—he braced, ready to take the blast head-on.
Suddenly, just as the golem's fists struck again, a blinking alert flashed in the corner of Dila's vision—bright, urgent.
[WARNING: Mana explosion imminent. Chance of survival: extremely low.]
[You will die.]
Dila's eyes widened. "D-Die…?! Whaaaat!?"
The knight quickly stepped beside her. "Don't worry. You won't."
Then the system flashed again:
[Passive Skill: Cascade Shield detected.]
[Would you like to protect your party?]
Dila clenched her teeth, thinking fast—Yes! she commanded mentally.
A pulse of energy answered her call.
Suddenly, a shimmering barrier burst around them—a dome of radiant energy, translucent but unbreakable. It wrapped the trio in a protective shell just in time.
The priestess gasped. "W-What is this… a high-level barrier?"
The knight narrowed his eyes, awe-struck. "This power… it's no ordinary spell."
But Dila didn't look back. Her staff still raised, her hands trembling. "Enough talking," she said, voice strained. "Just… brace yourselves."
The priestess stared at Dila, stunned. Who is this girl…?
Is she… a descendant of the great elven archmages?
Outside the dome, the golem roared and threw one final punch—
BOOOOOM!
The Veil detonated in a violent eruption of dark crimson energy. The golem was flung into pieces, scattered like stone shrapnel. The blast wave hammered into the shield with a deafening crash.
Inside the dome, the world trembled. Dila stood at the center, holding the spell together by sheer force of will.
[Mana Level: 1/199]
[Warning: Mana depletion]
[Mana Level: -10]
[Mana Level: -20]
Her body jerked.
Blood trickled from her mouth.
[Mana Level: -200]
Then came the pain. Sharp, immediate.
Her eyes burst red. Blood gushed from them uncontrollably.
The priestess screamed, "KID!!!"
The knight's hands rattled on his sword. His heart raced—What do I do?!
And then… silence.
The explosion ceased. The basement was no more. The ruin cracked open, revealing a scorched crater and the afternoon sky above—golden light spilling through the broken stone.
But Dila couldn't hear anything.
Her ears rang, a sharp pitch drowning out the world.
The priestess and knight were shouting, their mouths moving in horror—but no sound reached her. Her vision faded to red, distorted and swimming. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't move.
Dazed, she slowly lifted her left hand.
Blood…
Her lips parted in shock.
Then everything went black.
She collapsed, unconscious—drained, broken, and fading from the world around her.