All eyes were fixed on the portal that now stood in the center of the courtyard. It hovered slightly above the ground while emitting a strange humming sound, and sparks in the air continued to flicker around it.
"This is exactly the same as the portals I've opened, but why has one of them come here, and now of all times?" Raze began to ponder, recalling the memories of what Himmy and Charlotte had told him.
The portals seemed to be drawn to strong forms of magic, one of the reasons they refrained from using magic extensively in the world of Pagna. Perhaps it was a combination of Raze's spells and Charlotte's abilities, or another idea crossed his mind.
When the earring was unsealed, depending on its level, it released powerful magic as well. With all these factors combined, a portal had opened, and it was what Raze had learned as a "portal break." Not a temporary portal that would disappear, but one that permanently remained open, allowing creatures to pass through.
"This isn't good!" Kron looked nervous, beads of sweat trickling down his face, more than when he had faced the Red Brigade Clan members. "Currently, the clan is in a severely weakened state. I'm not in the best condition either. If a break were to happen now, there would be no one to protect the people; they'll all die."
It was true; Raze had no idea how many clan members would survive after Himmy was through with them. They also had no clue about the level of creatures that could emerge from the portal.
Simyon had taken a few steps back, along with Safa, while Charlotte sprang into action.
"Raze, help me! I can close the portal, but it's going to take some time to draw the formation!" With almost no fear, Charlotte slid on her knees across the floor, stopping just beneath the portal. From her hat, she pulled out a piece of chalk and quickly started working. "I need you to make sure that nothing kills me, alright? Just stop whatever is going to come from the other side."
Although Raze was usually reluctant to help in these situations, he didn't have much choice. If a portal break occurred, the creatures might even overpower him. Currently, closing the portal seemed to be the least troublesome option.
Approaching the portal cautiously, Raze made sure to keep a couple of meters of distance. Getting too close risked it pulling him in and causing harm before he could even react.
Drawing the magic circle progressed smoothly, but they knew it wouldn't last. Thin black tentacles, several of them, emerged and immediately reached for the nearest target. Seeing this, Raze reacted instinctively.
"Dark Pulse!" A dark pulse shot out from his hand, hitting the tentacles and causing them to retreat momentarily.
However, following the tentacles, a deformed black hand pushed through. It was large and covered in a strange black material resembling moss.
Another attack was unleashed, targeting the arm. Some pieces broke off and fell to the floor, making it flinch back. But the arm remained intact, and visibly, a head began to emerge, revealing what was trying to break through.
"Damn it!" Simyon exclaimed, his mouth nearly touching the floor. "Is that Gren? But why does he look like that?"
The creature attempting to break through the other side of the portal bore a striking resemblance to Gren: size, facial structure, and overall shape.
Except for half of his face, which was covered in the same black coral-like moss. It extended diagonally downward, covering half of his face. On the moss-covered side, his eye glowed red.
"Gren, he's turned into a Hybrid," Kron muttered, biting his lower lip.
Hybrids were humans who had been transformed by the creatures residing on the other side of the portals. No one knew precisely how it happened, as there had been no eyewitnesses to the transformation. What was known was that it always occurred in the dimensions outside of Pagna.
These individuals lost their sanity, behaving like beasts, yet they possessed great power due to retaining their original Pagna bodies while gaining the abilities of the creatures within them. Hybrids were exceedingly dangerous.
"I thought I might never see you again, that I had missed my chance back then, but it looks like you managed to return, and now I can finish the job."
"Dark Pulse, Dark Pulse!"
Two successive Dark Pulses were unleashed. The Hybrid Gren moved its arm to block the attacks from reaching its head. The shots were powerful, pushing it back partially into the portal several times. Almost its entire body had been thrust back when the second attack struck.
"What's taking so long?" Raze asked. If he had drawn the magic circle himself, it would have been completed by now. Besides, two more attacks were his limit. Judging by how the Hybrid Gren had reacted, two Dark Pulses wouldn't suffice; they needed to close the portal.
"I...I...I need more mana!" Charlotte shouted. "I don't have enough mana to close this portal."
Stretching out his hand, dark magic flickered, and a bottle appeared. He immediately threw it to her while simultaneously launching another Dark Pulse at the Hybrid, keeping it at bay.
"Drink it, and close the damn portal!" Raze commanded.
Judging by the color of the liquid, she could only assume it was one thing. Twisting the lid open, she gulped it down.
'I hope this mana potion gives me enough mana.'
She could feel the potion's effects coursing through her body, re-energizing her. All the power she had controlled before had returned, not just a portion of it, but all of it.
'This can't be. What potion is this that can restore all my mana in one go? Why would he have something ? Did he acquire it from someone, or did he create it himself?'
Her curiosity would have to wait. Placing both hands on the ground, she activated her mana, causing the magic circle to light up. It formed a barrier around the portal itself, emitting a white glow until the portal was no longer visible.
Gradually, the barrier began to fade, as did the magic, and with its disappearance, the portal was gone.
"Did that woman just stop a portal break?" Kron said in disbelief. "I didn't even know that was possible."
The good news was that the portal break had been averted, and everyone could finally exhale. They were all emotionally and physically exhausted, almost collapsing on the floor. Still, they managed to stay upright and observed their surroundings.
It had indeed been a tumultuous day for all of them.
Charlotte, satisfied with the outcome and certain that the portal wouldn't return, turned to Raze, who stood there like a statue.
"Raze, about that potion, where did you—"
The sound of clapping echoed from behind, and as they turned around, they saw Elder Yon, Sonny, and Himmy entering through the gates.
"You guys did a great job; it must have been quite tough," Himmy commended. "But it's not over yet. We now need to deal with the aftermath and fulfil our duty."
Hearing these words, Raze was unsure of what lay ahead. From what he had learned, the world of magic was meant to be kept a secret, and there were witnesses all around—witnesses who were still alive.