Goddess's Yuri harem: Chosing the Empress is hard-Chapter 116: Being Followed- Part 2

Priestess Lilith, Clair, and the other hunters had finally arrived at the village. However, as soon as they stepped foot onto the outskirts, they immediately felt something was wrong.

A heavy, suffocating aura pressed against them, thick with dark magic.

It was so potent that even the air itself felt weighted, making it difficult to breathe. The moment the hunters felt it, their expressions twisted in disgust.

Lilith clicked her tongue.

"Damn it, Lila."

Clair swore under her breath.

"That bitch really went all out, didn’t she?"

Lilith clenched her fists. She should have known Lila would take things this far.

The sheer concentration of dark energy in the air was enough to freeze even the strongest warriors in their tracks. If anyone without divine magic stepped in, they would collapse within minutes.

One of the younger hunters coughed, clutching their chest.

"This air... it’s thick, like poison."

Lilith inhaled deeply, centering herself.

"It’s only dangerous if you let it be. Those of us with divine magic will be fine. Take steady breaths and don’t let the corruption seep into you."

Clair did the same, adjusting to the oppressive force surrounding them.

"She must be preparing something big. This isn’t normal dark magic—this is ritual magic. We need to stop her before it’s too late."

Lilith nodded in agreement. They had to move fast.

Taking one last stabilizing breath, she motioned for the group to advance.

"Let’s go."

The moment they stepped into the village, however, an eerie sound echoed through the air. A guttural groan—long, drawn out, and unnatural.

Lilith’s eyes narrowed.

"Be ready."

From the shadows of the village, movement stirred. Figures stumbled into view, their bodies twisted and half-decayed. Their eyes were lifeless, yet something burned within them—a hunger, a need.

Clair’s face paled.

"Zombified villagers."

It didn’t take long to realize what was happening. These people... they had once been alive. But the dark magic had corrupted them, turning them into husks of their former selves.

And now, drawn to the divine magic emanating from the priestess and her hunters, they charged forward, desperate to consume what they had lost.

Lilith didn’t hesitate.

"Defensive formation! Do not let them touch you!"

The battle had begun.

The villagers, or what was left of them, rushed toward the small group, their arms outstretched. They had no weapons, but they didn’t need them.

The oppressive aura of dark magic surrounding them was enough to make the priestesses hesitate.

Lilith took a cautious step back, gripping her staff tightly. The way these creatures moved was unnatural—jerky, yet purposeful, as if something unseen was pulling their strings.

"Don’t let them touch you. They aren’t mindless corpses. They’ll drain you dry."

She warned, voice steady despite the tension clawing at her throat.

The hunters immediately adjusted their formation, keeping a safe distance between themselves and the undead villagers.

One of the younger priestesses raised her weapon, ready to attack, but Lilith quickly held up a hand to stop her.

"No. We aren’t here to slaughter them."

Lilith said sharply.

"But—"

"I said no."

Her voice left no room for argument.

Instead, Lilith slammed her staff onto the ground, summoning a shimmering defensive barrier around them.

The translucent light pulsed outward, forcing the creatures to stagger back.

"We need to push forward."

Clair muttered, watching the horde warily.

Lilith clenched her jaw. The barrier was holding for now, but the moment they moved, it would weaken.

She hated this, but there was no other option.

With a deep breath, she reached inside herself and pulled on the magic she despised using.

Golden light flickered at her fingertips as she wove a sleeping spell—one powerful enough to affect multiple targets at once.

Magic was something she had sworn to use sparingly, but there was no time for hesitation.

She lifted her staff, and a wave of light washed over the villagers. Though they were no longer human, some part of their bodies still responded to the spell.

Their movements slowed, their groans faded, and one by one, they crumpled to the ground in a deep, unnatural sleep.

A heavy silence followed.

Lilith exhaled, lowering her staff. Her body should have felt drained—magic always took a toll. But thanks to Auriel’s blessing, she barely felt anything.

Her fingers tightened around her staff as an unbidden memory surfaced. The moment she received the goddess’s blessing, the warmth of Auriel’s hands on hers...

Lilith’s face turned pink.

’Not the time.’

Shaking off the thought, she motioned for the others to follow.

"We need to keep moving."

The group carefully stepped over the sleeping villagers, navigating deeper into the cursed village.

The further they walked, the stronger the dark energy became. It was thick, like a physical force pressing against them.

With every step, Lilith had to use more magic, forcing back the oppressive weight of the corruption. She knew she should be exhausted by now, but the blessing kept her going.

Lilith took a slow breath as she and her group advanced toward the center of the village.

The oppressive air of dark magic made it difficult to move, as though something unseen was clawing at them, trying to hold them back.

The deeper they went, the stronger the pressure became. Even breathing felt like a battle.

Clair, walking beside Lilith, clenched her jaw.

"This isn’t normal. I’ve fought in cursed lands before, but this... this feels alive."

She muttered, her fingers tightening around the hilt of her sword.

Lilith agreed but didn’t voice it aloud. The dark magic here wasn’t just lingering corruption—it was active. Something was feeding it. And at the center of it all was Lila.

The moment they reached the heart of the village, the sight before them made Lilith’s stomach turn.

Lila sat in front of a massive, crackling sacrificial fire, her face illuminated by its eerie glow.

Around her were symbols drawn in blood, forming a ritual circle so complex that even a seasoned priestess would struggle to decipher it.

The bodies of the last sacrifices lay limp nearby, their eyes wide open but empty, their souls long gone.

But Lila didn’t seem to care. She continued murmuring incantations, her hands shaking as she drew the final symbols in the dirt.

She was almost done.

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