Black Clover - By My Side (Asta X Noelle)

Chapter 51: Trapped

*TRIGGER WARNING. VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED*

[It appeared as though humanity would be destroyed by demons. But a single mage saved them all. He was called the wizard king, and he became a legend.]

Noelle POV:  

The sudden rock barriers separating Asta and me catch me off-guard. Panic rises in my chest, threatening to overtake me. The dense, towering walls give no hint of what's happening on the other side. Completely isolated, I begin to fear the worst.

"ASTA!" My voice resonates, echoing off the massive walls of the barrier, but there's no response. The weight of the silence is oppressive. The world feels much larger without him by my side, the threats around me more pressing. The bandits circle me like vultures, their confidence growing seeing me momentarily out of sorts. Leaving me with no time to act, the bandits pounce.

Barely catching my breath, I thrust another jet of water, knocking two bandits off their feet. The chaos around me is incomprehensible; each moment is blurred by the sheer intensity of the fight. I unleash powerful attacks, incapacitating several bandits, but they just keep coming.

A bandit with wind magic comes at me from the right, swirling gusts trying to blow me off my feet. I counter with a torrent of water, but as he falls, another takes his place. A series of sharp shards come flying, and while I manage to deflect most, one grazes my arm, leaving a burning cut.

Gritting my teeth, I push forward, determined to end this. My dress, drenched and heavy, sticks to my skin. With every move, I feel its weight pulling me down and reminding me of the exhaustion setting in.

The clang of metal alerts me to a bandit approaching. I barely avoid his attack; the chains wrap around a nearby tree instead of me. Using the brief moment, I counter, and send a surge of water at him, causing him to stumble and take a knee. But just as I turn away, a blinding flash of light makes me stagger back, temporarily blinded. Panic bubbles inside, but I push it down, summoning a protective dome of water around me.

As my vision clears, I notice that the numbers have dwindled and the unconscious bodies have been cleared. I guess I sent them packing! A wave of excitement washes over me, and I stumble, almost falling to my knees. I look up once more and realize my work isn't finished. Four mages still stand on the battlefield. The most formidable opponents remain – the paper, string, metal, and plant mages. They circle me, a silent understanding is shared among them as they exchange nods, but no words.

The paper mage lunges first, sharp paper blades materializing from thin air, slicing toward me. I deflect one with a water whip but miss the second, feeling a sharp sting as it cuts across my thigh. Blood trickles down, mixing with the water on the ground.

Before I can recover, the string mage sends threads my way, binding my movements. They wrap around my wrists and ankles, cutting into my skin, pulling me off balance. Struggling, I manage to send a spray of water, severing a few strings, but the metal mage takes this chance. His arm transforms into a shining blade, aiming for my torso. Dodging barely in time, I still feel the cold metal graze my side.

The plant mage remains a step back, vines creeping and stretching, waiting for the perfect moment. Every step I take, they move, a constantly looming threat that I cannot ignore.

I'm tired; every muscle in my body aches, every breath more labored than the last. The weight of the continuous onslaught, the cuts, the bruises, the sheer exhaustion – they all threaten to bring me down. The realization that I might not make it out of this alive hits me hard, yet I cling to a glimmer of hope. Mustering the last of my strength, I ready my wand once more.

The paper mage sneers, "Do you think you can win? Even if you miraculously defeat us, once our boss comes out - you're done!"

"You underestimate Asta, and you underestimate me," I retort, summoning my water magic and feeling the cool embrace of its power surrounding me. "Asta is much stronger than anyone I've met. There's no chance he'll lose to your boss. He'll fight tooth and nail and come back to me. I bet it won't even take more than five minutes." My words exude confidence. I've seen it after all - Asta defying all odds and claiming victory. "You won't break my spirit that easily. I have complete faith in Asta!"

The metal mage joins in, "So you believe that he'll win, huh? Well, I guess we can say the same about our boss. That bastard just doesn't know how to lose. But that fight isn't what I'd be worried about. What about you? Do you think you could last five more minutes?"

The plant mage snickers, "We'll finish you off quickly."

The string mage interjects, "It doesn't have to be," The string mage completely grasps the attention of the others. "Why should we end this quickly?" He says, eyeing his companions. His chilling words freeze the air around me. The man then begins to stare at me, his eyes examining me in a way that makes my skin crawl. It's as if his gaze is tangible, defiling everything in its wake. His lip curls up into a devilish smile, sending chills down my spine. "I think we can take our time with her."

The men surrounding me share glances, chuckling sinisterly, each expression more grotesque and predatory than the last. Their laughter, filled with malice and wicked intentions, shakes me to my core. Every chuckle, every snicker feels like a weight pressing down on my chest, threatening to suffocate me.

The distance between the mages and I closes gradually, with each step they take sending another drop of sweat down my face. Every inch they cover, every glance exchanged among them, amplifies my vulnerability.

The string mage leads, confidence evident in his walk, a twisted smile on his lips. The casualness of his approach signifies as if this were just a game to him. A game he's played many times.

To my right, the metal mage advances, "Look at her," he notions, "now that I look closely, she ain't half bad." My heart rate accelerates, and my breaths become rapid, deafening my ears.

To my left, the plant mage steps closer, green tendrils dancing in his fingertips, as if ready to latch onto me when the moment arises.

From behind, the paper mage creeps forward. Excitement fills his eyes as he completely blocks any attempt to run.

My pulse quickens; every heartbeat echoing loudly in my ears as my surroundings grow ominously close. The laughs and lewd comments swirl around me, each one more disturbing than the last. It's as though the ground beneath me is shifting, the world spinning uncontrollably. Remembering the pain they're in, my legs buckle, struggling to support my weight. My vision blurs at the edges, a result of the tears threatening to overflow and the lightheadedness induced by a mixture of panic and pain.

Then there's the creeping sensation around my ankles, cold and invasive. As I reluctantly look down, I realize the vines from the plant mage have wrapped themselves around my ankles. Before I can react, they tighten, binding my ankles together, sending me straight into the ground.

The men rejoice, laughing playfully, "We got her!"

[Chapter 51 end]