Reincarnated as the Villainess... Yeah, I'm Doomed

Chapter Fifty-One: Attack

It was a good thing that Elaine and I had commissioned her aunt to make us clothing that suited nobility, but could also adapt to dangerous situations. As we sprinted through the forest, we tore  off our skirts held by buttons, revealing a pair of pants underneath. 

"Can you see what it is?" Elaine asked as she guided me while I focused on using my heat mana. As we neared the source of the death mana, it grew harder to concentrate due to the overwhelming and horrible sensations caused by the mana. 

"It's hard to make out, but it seems like there is a large creature, it might be a magical beast." I shouted, grimacing as my head started to hurt. Luckily, the mana wasn't nearly as dense as it was in the forest, but it was still enough to hinder my concentration. 

"Careful, we're almost there." I shouted, surprised that I hadn't run out of breathe. Even though I could have used life mana to strengthen my muscles, I didn't even need too. It seemed that our magical combat training was paying off. 

"What the-" I gasped, staring at the scene in front of me. 

A griffin lay motionless on the ground, it's wings missing and it's body tied up in chains. The beast looked as if all of the life had been sucked out of it, however I could still sense life mana. It was barely alive. 

"How did this happen?" Elaine whispered, tears forming in her eyes. I couldn't respond, the sight of the dying beast making it hard to breathe. Though I had slain a magical beast before, I had no desire to do so again if I could avoid it. The creatures were only trying to protect their homes. 

"It's as if the death mana has consumed it, there is barely any life mana left." I whispered, the realization hitting me as I spoke. 

"I, I'm starting to understand how it works." I breathed, stumbling as I turned to Elaine. The weight of the death mana had turned my knees to jello and it felt as if I was trying to hold up the sky. 

"The death mana, it takes away the life mana, the ore-" I struggled to form a complete sentence as my mind raced at a speed I couldn't keep up with. 

"What are you saying?" Elaine asked, unable to follow my fragmented speech. I took a moment to think before giving another attempt at explaining my discovery. 

"The ore, it doesn't only absorb elemental mana, it absorbs life mana. People don't know because they can't feel it, which means they can't stop it. The chains, the chains can't you see it? The chains are made of Cynth Ore, the chains are taking the life from the griffin and what's left is death mana. The ore is is slowly corrupting people and creatures with death mana, it's taking everything-" My voice hitched as horror washed over me. 

That's why the Queen of Cynth didn't want to export the Cynth Ore. It's because she knew what would happen if people got ahold of it. Anyone who used the ore, or was even close to the ore for too long would slowly be consumed by death mana. They would no longer be human, they would become empty shells, and as they lost their humanity they would loose their minds. 

"Elaine, we need to go to the castle, we need to tell the King." I insisted, my voice hoarse.

"What about the griffin?" She asked, her expression dazed. I wasn't sure if she was able to understand what I said, bit she knew it was bad.

"We will send a message to the guard captain of Rushe to secure this part of the forest. No one can enter it, no one can get close to the ore or the beast. Once we notify the King, we can figure out what to do, for now-" My voice was cut off by the sound of footsteps. 

"Elaine, people are coming, we need to go!" 

I struggled to use my heat mana, sensing a group of at least fifteen people running towards us from the direction of our carriage.