My purification spell failed. Well, rather than “failing,” it just hadn’t been enough to make a difference. The cave was huge, and purifying just the entrance hadn’t made a dent in the darkness as a whole. The shadows still teemed just beyond the rocky arch.
Hmm...
I took a step inside and held out my hand, trying to imagine purifying a wider area instead of just what was immediately in front of me. There was another flash of light, and I found myself standing in the center of a shadowless circle about two meters in diameter.
Damn, this cave must be massive. From my new position, I could hear the faint sound of growling nearby. So this must be the wolves’ den... Wait, have I just hand-delivered myself as prey? Crap, I’m even stupider than I realized.
My second round of purification had been somewhat more effective at least. The shadows nearby seemed fainter, and thanks to that, I could vaguely make out my surroundings. A few wolves like the one who’d led me here were sitting a few meters away, growling. Behind them loomed something else, but I couldn’t make out what it was. From my current vantage point, all I could see was a huge, black pile. I lifted my hand again.
“Purify!”
It helped somewhat, and I could see a little more clearly than before. The mysterious black pile—it was wolf corpses. They’d been piled on top of one another until they resembled a small mountain, and the black was on account of the thick shadows shrouding each thin carcass. If not for the paws sticking out here and there, I wouldn’t have been able to tell what it was at all.
Still...corpses. I feel kinda sick.
I took a reluctant step toward the ghastly mass, and the wolves in front growled louder.
Guess they’re not gonna let me come any closer. Oh well, I tried!
The silvery wolf who’d brought me let out a short, sharp snarl, and the growling stopped.
Okay, what to do...
So far, my purification spell only seemed to work in the area directly surrounding me, but I didn’t want to risk getting close enough to the pack of wolves to give it a go.
Hmm... I wonder if I can get it to purify anything I can see instead? No harm in giving it a shot.
This time, I visualized my purification spell reaching out and covering everything in view.
“Purify!”
Apparently, I could also purify a wide area.
Success. But seriously, how big is this cave?
My visibility had improved, so I attempted to use purification a few more times. With each cast of the spell, I was able to see farther and farther inside. Watching the shadows gradually lessen was kind of satisfying, but I quickly got bored from the repetition. Weirdly, my body seemed to feel lighter with each spell I cast.
Does magic have that kind of side effect? Eh, not like I’d know. And there’s no point wasting my time worrying about the unknown! Come to think of it, I don’t have any fatigue either, even after the hectic run up the hill earlier...
Get your head together, me! What did we just decide about worrying over things we don’t know the answer to! I shook my head, trying to dispel the oncoming thoughts. Let’s just keep going.
Finally, I made my way over to the corpse mountain. Despite my purification of the surrounding area, dark shadows still swirled over the grim heap.
The silvery wolf I’d met in the forest walked beside me, staring intently at the pile of corpses. I didn’t know how to read wolf expressions, but I could still tell it was sad.
I really want to help it... Damn me and my pathetic animal-loving ways! I’ve gotta do something.
Steeling myself, I pictured the curse dispelling, visualizing the shadows vanishing even more forcefully than I had before.
“Purify!”
Yep... Magic sure is useful.