Hogwarts Raven

Chapter 457, Section 456: Echoes of the Past 7
Because it was too heavily polluted.

Saladin's claim of being stronger than the legends was ultimately just wishful thinking, a pipe dream; reality proved that he did not become stronger as a result.

All his delusions and false self-judgments vanished in that moment. As he continued to comprehend those polluting knowledge, he lost his physical body and became an existence with fatal weaknesses.

"No, my kingdom!" Saladin cried out in his final lament, as his golden crown slipped from his head and turned into ordinary grains of sand before hitting the ground.

"The desert will eventually devour everything."

I have to say, this guy is quite the drama queen.

Even when they're about to collapse, they still want to add some drama to their performance, spouting lines that sound like they're from a game. Of course, people in this era don't criticize this kind of thing.

After all, video games didn't come into existence for over a thousand years.

As the last syllable faded away, the Sandstorm Witch King was completely reduced to a pile of ordinary sand, with only his scepter still faintly gleaming on the ground.

"Finally got rid of this guy. Luckily, we weren't caught in his prime. If he had a physical body like the Star Speaker, it would have been incredibly difficult." Saruman collapsed to the ground, his mana completely depleted from casting high-level spells. He felt as if his magical core was being torn apart, and even more terrifyingly, he clearly sensed some external force trying to erode his soul.

"Will we even make it out alive?" Kag's condition was worse; the black lines on his right arm had spread to his shoulder, and every breath was painful.

“We must get out!”

Saruman's tone was firm.

of course.

He also realized a problem at the same time.

“This place…is very strange!” Saruman gasped. “It’s using these powerful beings to drain our strength, while at the same time trying to corrupt us.”

Yes, Saruman is not a fool; on the contrary, he is very intelligent. Therefore, Saruman has realized during this process why they cannot escape. This place is attempting to trap them with powerful corrupted beings, perhaps with the aim of forcing them to be corrupted in battle.

of course.

Judging from this situation...

Although it was extremely dangerous and vicious, it also revealed a problem: there must be a way out of this infinite corridor, which is why this place wanted to trap them with those powerful individuals.

If not.

All we need to do is let them wander around aimlessly like headless flies; there's absolutely no need for the contaminated ones to fight back and buy time.

Therefore.

Saruman's previously despairing heart was rekindled with hope. After all, if this place was afraid of them leaving, it proved that there must be an exit.

The other party was afraid they would find that exit.

After defeating the Sandstorm Witch King, the two found a relatively safe corner to rest. Saruman attempted to treat Kag's wounds with healing magic.

However, it was discovered that the magical effects here were greatly reduced.

“My mana regeneration is unusually slow,” Saruman said worriedly. “And I sense some kind of contamination eroding the core of my magic.”

Kag's situation was worse; his right arm had begun to show a strange discoloration: "I felt the same way, like something was flowing in my blood."

Just then, the light in the corridor suddenly dimmed. One by one, the already faint light sources went out, until only absolute darkness remained. In this darkness, a figure dressed in a black priestess robe slowly emerged, holding a dagger inlaid with moonstone in her hand.

"High Priestess Nefiti of Shadowmoon," Saruman's voice was filled with despair, "even she..."

Neferti was once the most powerful priestess of the Luna Cult, renowned for her manipulation of shadows and dreams. Now, she was completely shadowed, her body drifting like black smoke.

"Sink into eternal darkness." Her voice, like a dream, echoed directly in their minds. The surrounding darkness began to materialize, transforming into countless black tentacles that coiled around them. These shadowy tentacles could not only bind the body but also directly attack the soul. Saruman attempted to cast a spell of light magic.

But they discovered that even the most basic light sphere spell could not be cast.

"She has distorted the laws of light!" Saruman exclaimed.

Despite his injuries, Kag used his left hand to swing a hastily found stone stick at the shadow tentacles, but physical attacks were ineffective. The shadow tentacles easily pierced his defenses and began to erode his will.

“I saw it…a nightmare,” Kag’s eyes began to glaze over. “Corpses were everywhere.”

Saruman knew he had to come up with a solution quickly. He recalled the records about Neferti: her most powerful ability was dream manipulation, but that could also be her weakness.

"Kag! Focus!" Saruman shouted. "She's trying to drag us into an eternal nightmare! Don't fall for it! We must stay awake!"

But it was too late; the surrounding scenery began to distort and warp. The corridor vanished, replaced by a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood. Countless twisted bodies struggled in the blood, emitting mournful howls. This was Neferti's most proficient nightmare domain, capable of materializing the deepest fears of its target.

“This is Lina’s prophecy,” Saruman said, his mind reeling as he looked at the scene before him.

Just as he was about to be consumed by the nightmare, a thought flashed through his mind: Neferti's abilities require a continuous mental connection. If only this connection could be broken...
Saruman bit his tongue, using the excruciating pain to maintain his last vestiges of consciousness. He abandoned all complex magic, instead unleashing the most primal and purest mental attack:
"In the name of my true self, I break through!"

Pure spiritual power erupted from him, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake. The Nightmare Domain fluctuated violently, Nefiti let out a shriek, and cracks appeared on his shadowy body.

"Now!" Saruman shouted to Kag, "Attack the moonstone dagger! That's the medium of her power!"

Despite the nausea raging within him, Kag used his last ounce of strength to hurl the stone club at Neferti's dagger. Stunned by the mental shock, Neferti's reaction was a fraction of a second slower, and the club struck the moonstone precisely.

"Click——"

The moment the moonstone shattered, the Nightmare Realm crumbled like glass. Neferti let out a mournful howl of despair as her figure gradually disappeared into the darkness.

Light returned to the corridor, but the two were in even worse condition. Saruman's magical core had cracked, and Kag's right arm had turned completely dark purple.

of course.

At least it hasn't been left behind yet.

This is the only thing to be thankful for.

"Hold on, not just for us, but for our friends too," Saruman encouraged his teammates, glancing at his female teammate who had completely lost consciousness.

Lina had completely lost consciousness, seemingly only able to groan unconsciously. Her distortion was also abnormally high, making her look extremely frightening and creepy.

of course.

Although Saruman was terrified by the situation, as a genius wizard, he firmly believed that he could find a solution as long as he left this place.

Whether it's the curse Lina suffers from or Kag's body being corrupted, Saruman is convinced he can concoct an antidote with his talents, as long as they leave this damned ruin. Yes.

He was also a potions master.

For a wizard with his talent, he is basically a well-rounded individual with no weaknesses, excelling in magic, potions, or other disciplines.

Therefore.

That's why Saruman has such an arrogant attitude. Of course, the fact that he still has this hope is also related to the fact that at this stage he doesn't yet understand what he and his companions are facing.

It was precisely because of his lack of knowledge about the mythical creatures in the Cthulhu Mythos that Saruman did not lose his faith and thus accelerate his corruption like others.

can only say.

The saying "ignorance is bliss" may have become tangible at this moment. After defeating three legendary wizards in succession, Saruman and Kag were nearing their limits. Strange black stripes began to appear on Saruman's silver hair, while Kag's consciousness became intermittent, clearly indicating that the corruption was spreading rapidly.

“Of course I believe you, my friend, but we must find a way out as soon as possible,” Kag said weakly, “or we’ll end up like them.”

In the current situation...

He had no choice but to trust Saruman.

This teammate has never disappointed, and Kag hopes that Saruman can turn things around as always, leading them through adversity and into a new life, just like before.

The two continued their exploration.

This time.

Saruman didn't even miss a single brick on the wall, patiently examining his surroundings wherever he went, as if afraid of missing any possible clues to his departure.

He examined the details very closely.

Therefore, the two of them were making some slow progress in their exploration.

of course.

Actually, speed doesn't affect anything.

An hour later, they saw the color-changing magical symbol again. The symbol showed that time was indeed passing, and they had truly returned to their starting point.

“The Infinite Corridor,” Saruman murmured, finally understanding the true meaning of the name. “This isn’t a metaphor; this place truly is an infinitely looping space.”

Kag slammed his fist against the wall in a fit of rage: "Damn it! How are we supposed to get out of here?"

“Don’t worry, there must be a way out, there must be, it’s just hidden very well, our enemy is very cunning.” Saruman and Kag continued to stagger forward in the corridor.

The cracks in Saruman's magical core caused him excruciating pain with every spell he cast. The cracks spread like a spiderweb, making each spell feel like dancing on a knife's edge.

"Oh, I guess I'm really going to die this time."

Kag's condition became even more critical. The black lines had spread to his chest, forming a strange totem. His breathing became extremely difficult, and each heartbeat was accompanied by a tearing pain.

“Hang in there, Kag, we can do it. We’ve done miracles before, and this time will be no exception.” Saruman supported his companion with his untainted left hand, his wand trembling slightly in his right. “We will find our way out. Lina is still waiting for us to save her.”

talking.

Saruman took the bound Lina and carried her on his back. He had to keep his teammate bound, because Lina was completely unable to respond to their calls.

The various struggles and attempts to attack people were very intense.

She was clearly going to become one of those other monsters.

The progress was too rapid.

"Oh dear, how did things turn out like this?"

Kag felt better after drinking some of the precious potion Saruman gave him, since the corruption he suffered from was not as strong as Lina's will to confront Cthulhu.

at this time.

Yet another problem has arisen.

Suddenly, the entire corridor began to shake violently, as if a colossal beast were awakening underground. The temperature soared instantly, the stones on the walls began to melt, and crimson magma gushed from the cracks like blood, filling the air with the pungent smell of sulfur. A gigantic figure slowly rose from the churning magma.

"Come on! Join me!" His entire body was made of lava, and his eyes burned with eternal fury. Every step he took left a burning footprint on the stone ground.

“Groom, the Lava Tyrant!” Saruman recognized the legendary volcano king, his voice filled with disbelief and shock. “Even you have become the guard of this prison?”

Of course, there was no response.

Groom roared deafeningly, his voice booming with the sound of churning lava: "Intruders! Become nourishment for the earth! Let your flesh and blood nourish this scorched land!"

He swung his giant fist made of lava, and scorching magma poured down like a waterfall, distorting and deforming the very space it passed through under the intense heat.

Saruman hastily unleashed his most proficient ice magic, his wand tracing complex paths through the air.

"Extreme Cold Domain! Frozen for Thousands of Miles!"

The frigid air collided violently with the magma, producing a large amount of dense steam. Ice crystals vaporized instantly under the high temperature, only to re-condense under the influence of magic, creating a symphony of ice and fire. But Groom's power far exceeded expectations; each of his attacks carried devastating heat, and the ice walls erected by Saruman melted at a visible rate.

Despite the pain, Kag used his still-functioning left hand to throw the enchanted stone, but it melted into a crimson liquid by the intense heat as it approached Grum.

"This can't go on like this!"

He shouted hoarsely, "We must find his weakness!"

Saruman gritted his teeth, the sweat that had just seeped out was instantly evaporated by the intense heat. In that life-or-death moment, a sudden flash of inspiration struck him. He abandoned traditional magical theories and began to reconstruct the structure of spells according to his own understanding of the essence of magic:
"In my name, I redefine: Ice is fire, and fire is ice!"

A shocking thing happened—Saruman's ice magic suddenly turned into blazing flames, but these flames possessed extremely cold properties.

The strange magic of intertwined ice and fire struck Grum's core, and the Lava Tyrant let out a painful roar as its body began to solidify, the crimson magma gradually turning into dark basalt.

"The will of the Great Earth's Heart," Groom whispered in his final moments before completely solidifying, "will ultimately devour everything."

Saruman knelt on the ground. This breakthrough had temporarily stabilized his magical core, but the black lines had already spread to his neck, slowly writhing like some kind of living thing. He felt his connection with this corridor growing deeper, as if he were becoming a part of it.

(End of this chapter)