fire flower; leopold vermillion x oc [Black Clover]

Chapter 41: Chalice

It's like a scene straight out of a nightmare. I hear Pearl shriek as a droplet of poison nearly scrapes her forearm. Trenton and Charles cringe, trying to take cover underneath shields of their own magic, but I can see the terror in their eyes. Leopold gives a cry of resilience and throws up a wave of flame, scorching some of the poison into harmless vapor.

But it's still not enough.

"Cover me, guys!" I grunt, racing to the middle of the group. "Dark Magic: Black comet!"

My magic coalesces on the tip of my index finger, which is raised straight into the air. All around me, my teammates fight to keep the poison at bay. Please hold on for just a little longer...

My magic reaches the breaking point, and I let it stream outwards in all directions. It sears through the fast-falling drops of poison, cutting through the trunks of some trees as well. And, most importantly, it hits the roof of where Briar is standing. I hear her give a cry of shock, and that's when I know what to do.

"Keep your shields up! We have to take out Briar!" I shout, forming a sphere of dark magic around myself. My teammates follow my lead, falling in line behind me as they set up their own respective shields.

The poison rains down on out magic, eroding our defenses little by little with every drop. As we race towards Briar, feet pounding against the hard dirt, our skin sizzles from the poisonous fumes and our lungs ache. Briar sees us coming and leaps off the roof, giving a cackle of delight.

"Dark Magic: Black lightning!" You're not getting away so easily, Briar.

I use my magic to propel myself forward at a superhuman speed. Briar is taken by surprise as I race by her and drag her by her cloak, pulling her to the ground. Her body hits the floor and she thrashes in protest, trying to fight back. She manages to scratch me with a fingernail before I strike her harshly on the top of her head. She slumps against my leg, thoroughly knocked out.

The last of the poison hits the ground and sizzles, but the gigantic pools floating above us disappear. I drop my shield, breathing heavily. Leopold races over and places a hand on my back.

"Are you alright, Mari?" He murmurs, giving my shoulder a squeeze.

"I'm fine," I breathe. My head is feeling a little light, and my stomach is starting to cramp up. It's just the exhaustion.

"Mari! Your arm!" Pearl cries out, rushing over with Charles in tow. Trenton and Lovinia soon follow, expressions of worry on their faces.

I raise up the arm that Briar scratched and go queasy at the sight that greets my eyes. The thin slice has widened into a green-tinted, bloody gash.

Charles stoops by my side and mutters spells under his breath. Flowers and the scent of roses bloom from his palms as his hands hover over the gash. "Don't worry, Mari. It's just a bit of poison. I can heal it."

But with every second that passes my stomach just gets queasier and queasier. Finally, when I can't take it anymore, I whip my arm away. "Charles, I don't think it's helping!" I say. Sure enough, the gash has only deepened, and the poison is now an ugly shade of yellow. I start to panic, my breaths coming out quick and shallow, my head spinning from hyperventilation.

"Trenton and Lovinia, tie up the captive. Pearl, keep a lookout. Charles, come with me," Leopold gives out orders as he catches me when I stumble backwards. His hand on my shoulder is warm and reassuring, but it only does so much. "Mari, you're going to be fine. We'll fix it and return to the mission," he leans down and murmurs into my ear. Leopold motions for Charles to follow as he steers me towards the forest, away from the clearing.