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Chapter 18

The Worlds That Merged Together

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The golden witch enchanted Maddy with a magic increase. But Goldie still could use a second spell, using her staff as the catalyst for the binding.

The princess did this because her staff held a higher mana threshold than her. Goldie knew that if she was going to bind a powerful opponent like the Overlord core, she would need all the mana she could use.

“Here it comes!”

Maddy cautioned as the next spell attacked the witches. It was a powerful ice attack that erupted around them. Goldie shielded the two of them, allowing Maddy to hold onto her enchantments.

“It’s strong!”

Goldie cried out.

"Hold strong. You're doing well, Goldie!"

During the blast, Maddy enchanted herself, multiplying the power of her mana. The stage was set. All Goldie needed to do was to cancel her shield and begin the binding as soon as possible.

“It begins…”

Maddy whispered as she brought out her destructive spell. The great witch circled her staff on the grass, creating a magic circle to appear below her. To Goldie's surprise, the dragon flapped its giant wings and took to the skies again.

"Dang, you!"

Goldie cursed. But before the beast could vanish completely from their sights, Goldie ran after the dragon, pointed her staff at the beast, and released her bind spell towards it. Bright white strings the thickness of plant vines shot out from her weapon and weaved their way in the starlit sky.

“Stay where you are!”

 

 

Goldie yelled. The beast tried to escape, but magical veins latched on to it from below. Its legs were bounded, causing the camouflage to cancel.

“W-Whoa!”

The golden witch was pulled around and nearly lost her magical hat as she reangled with the Overlord's core from below. Goldie was wrestling with a wild boar as she bounced around, trying to hold the beast still. Her tiny feet would dangle off the ground momentarily, but she'd pull them back on the grass with all her mana strength.

“Goldie?! Is it too strong for you?”

Madalyn asked, concerned.

"It's rough… but I'll hold on! Do it, Maddy! Do it!"

The binds were cracking as the beast roared in anger and fought back. It fretted its wings, trying to escape, but Goldie was relentless as she brought out more vines to try and hold it in place. Maddy's spell was nearly complete.

Powerful mana flowed on the battlefield as Maddy finished her spell.

The dark world became a strange twilight as the great witch's spell was released. It started as pure darkness but changed to brilliant light, turning the world off red. Goldie could feel the level of mana flowing through Maddy, which was terrifying.

The beauty she grew to love and adore was as powerful as an Overlord herself, and Goldie thanked the gods that Madalyn was on her side. The grass ripped from the ground and got pulled into Maddy’s spell. Everything started to distort around them.

 

 

“Huh?”

The binds snapped, causing Goldie to fall to the ground. The massive beast soared in the sky, changed trajectory, and reappeared in a downward swirl toward the witches.

“I messed up again! I’m sorry, Maddy!”

The great witch cackled like a devil freed from its prison. Her excitement grew, and the blood on her arm and body raced down faster. The thrill of the battle brought out a desire to win in the great witch. Madalyn enjoyed the ecstasy of battle. It was the one reprieve she could get after all these years in solitude.

Those crisp blue eyes shined like snow in the daylight. Blinding but ever so dazzling.

"Don't worry, my love, you did well…."

The great witch unleashed her power.

“I won’t allow you to hurt us anymore! Begone!”

An earthquake shook the warzone, and Goldie could barely stand.

The world turned a heavenly white as a magical beam, nearly the size of the battlefield, was released from Madalyn's staff. The ground broke apart, and the beautiful and lushes purple field was decimated by the terrific spell from Maddy. Colors of all kinds are enveloped in this spell. Madalyn held the staff with both her hands, trying to control it.

“Maddy!”

Goldie yelled as she ran to her lover’s side.

“Goldie!”

They held onto the staff, trying to control the mana flow together. The Overlord's core tried to escape, but it was too late. Its body was engulfed in a colorful ray of dazzling splendor.

The walls of the battlefield were turned to dust as the beast cried out in great pain. It roared louder than ever, causing Goldie to cover her ears from the sharp pain.

“Ahhh!”

But the great witch wasn't done. She amplified the spell, doubling its size, to Goldie's surprise.

The world crashed as this spell destroyed the Overlord core they were battling and engulfed the mountainous monster they were inside of. Everything distorted, and those beautiful stars Goldie and Maddy knew so well shined brightly.

They could see their home, and… it was beautiful to them.

“So… powerful.”

Goldie said in an exhausted tone. As the ground disappeared, she started to fall. Finally, the spell ended, and nothing was left but specs of darkness. The witches fell as the Overlord core, and all of its minions turned to dust.

The witches spun in the air as everything broke apart. The tiny home with the cobblestone patch evaporated in the battle, leaving them in a world of only stars. Maddy held Goldie tight and levitated the both of them. Both of them, blooded and tired, she whispered in her lover's ear.

“Are you okay, Goldie?”

Tears began rolling down the golden witch's cheek. They mixed with the blood on her forehead, making her look like a complete mess. But that didn't matter. Goldie held the person she loved tight.

“I was afraid you died earlier. I… I don’t think I couldn’t have gone on without you! Don’t do that again! I don’t care if I’m going to be hurt. Don’t… don’t you ever.”

As they floated in the stars, Maddy pet Goldie’s brilliant gold hair and whispered in her ear.

“We both will heal as I flow mana through us. Let’s calm down, rest for a while… the first part of our ordeal is over, my love.”

"Oh… Maddy. I'm… I'm so…."

Goldie cried in Maddy's arms, unsure what to say and still feeling guilty. The battle was hard, the pain was unbearable, and the reality was brutal… yet they survived so far.

"You were so smart and so strong. I knew… you could do it. I wouldn't have won… without you, Goldie, my love. So please, don't cry."

Exhausted, the golden witch closed her eyes and eventually fell asleep peacefully. Both channeled mana into one another, allowing them to float in the vast space and heal. Their home was gone, and all the cobblestone was scattered about… but they had each other.

That was all that mattered.

“I’ll… do better to protect you next time, Madalyn. I… I was so scared.”

Goldie swore as she held Madalyn tight. For a time, they floated. When Goldie opened her eyes, she saw a lone strip of cobblestone still together, hovering in the void. Goldie guided them to it with her staff and gently laid Madalyn on it.

Like two lone survivors in the sea from a shipwreck, they floated in this vast space. Maddy’s wound closed up thanks to her magic, but she was fatigued from all the mana she used.

“Oh, Maddy.”

The petite girl's heart throbbed as she rubbed her lover's soft, white, and purplish hair. The strains fell through her fingertips. With her other hand, Goldie caressed Maddy's warm face. The golden witch was overjoyed that she was still with her after such a battle. The battle left their clothing damaged.

“When we get to my home… I’ll make you all sorts of new clothes. You… would look wonderful in everything. We… we just have to get there, Madalyn.”

Goldie said as she tried to calm her nerves. That was only the smaller piece of the Overlord. The next piece escaped into her father and would be stronger than this one.

The golden witch knew this was the weaker of the two battles. Her will to protect Maddy had to be stronger. Seeing the blood pour from Maddy’s earlier skin enraged the witch.

The golden witch lay down next to the one she loved and whispered in her ear.

"I'll be the one to save you. I promise I won't fail again..."

With a kiss on the cheek, Goldie lay next to Maddy. The witches fell into a calm slumber.

 

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“Nnngg…”

The witch grumbled as she stirred awake.

She saw Madalyn standing tall, watching the distortion above. The great witch held her staff looking at the world above. The darkness was clearing, and the stars vanished from the Grimoire of Reason for the first time.

“They’ve connected the worlds, Goldie.”

Madalyn said, still looking at the sky. Goldie stood up and watched as the Grimoire of Reason's tasteless world lost its unique glamour.

The Overlord's minors have broken through, and they could feel a force pulling them, drawing them to come out. To Goldie's surprise, Madalyn entwined her fingers with hers. They were warm but trembling.

“Madalyn?”

This was Maddy's first time seeing something other than darkness in eons. In her heart, she wasn't prepared, and it scared her more than battle. Goldie realized this and tried to comfort her.

 

 

 

“I’ll be here with you… so let’s be brave and win.”

The great witch had tears in her eyes as she looked at her newfound reason to go on. With a sharp nod, Madalyn smiled brighter than she'd ever had.

“Right… please protect me. Save me so I can be free, Goldie, my love.”

Maddy pleaded with her lover. 

 

 

 

 

The sanctuary of their home was tainted as the minions of the Overlord ripped apart their world...