Chapter 280 "Seraph's Formation"

"Do you mistake me the same as that noseless gentleman?" Skyler retorted, his lips curling into a sarcastic smile. "Do you truly believe I crafted these puppets in my likeness solely to strike fear into your heart?"

"Human puppets... They can only be puppets, not living beings..." Morgan pondered aloud, her voice a low murmur. "It defies possibility... Even the most advanced alchemy cannot breathe life into inanimate matter. It defies the very laws of magic. Magic, despite its vast power, is not without its limitations. Alchemy, in particular, adheres staunchly to the principle of 'equivalent exchange'... Unless..."

Suddenly, Morgan's heterochromatic eyes widened, her body trembling uncontrollably. Disbelief etched across her features, she exclaimed, "You... you possess the Philosopher's Stone?"

"Bingo! Though, alas, no prize for guessing!" Skyler declared triumphantly. "Aquila!"

"Ouch... Boy, that enhanced lightning spell you unleashed was truly impressive. Your power alone is formidable, yet you chose to toy with me so mercilessly..." Aquila grumbled incessantly as it descended from the skies, eventually coming to a halt mid-air above Skyler's left shoulder. Its wings ceased their dazzling display, returning to their customary appearance.

"Boy, the original thunder and lightning magic traces its lineage back to the Rosier family in France. Initially, it was an obscure form of sorcery, only gaining prominence after being refined by a young prodigy named Grindelwald decades ago. His enhancements birthed the 'Thunder Spell,' renowned for its swiftness and devastating power," Morgan elucidated.

Even Aquila, nearing a millennium in age, couldn't help but show a flicker of admiration. "I never imagined you capable of innovating and refining upon it. However, while your technique is undeniably potent, it does have its drawbacks..."

"When Lady Ravenclaw fashioned me, she designed me to be a familiar adaptable to any magical element, capable of manipulating elements in combat through the bond shared with my master," Aquila explained, a hint of bitterness shadowing its countenance. "Yet, Lord Ravenclaw wielded the wind element. Though I can channel any attribute, the gentle breeze is the essence most attuned to my being. Your thunder and lightning are far too tempestuous for me. A few more strikes, and my form may not withstand it..."

"Just get on with it! No need to explain everything to this dark wench!" Skyler snapped, hurling a stone aglow with crimson light toward Aquila.

Hearing Skyler call her a wench pinched Morgan's heart for a moment. She never expected such words would actually harm her in a way she never even imagined.

It was none other than the Philosopher's Stone procured from Nicolas Flamel. With swift precision, Aquila swooped past and, in a single gulp, swallowed the magical artifact.

Skyler's voice reverberated with newfound vigor: "Witness the might of my human puppets! Remember this well - I, Skyler Malfoy, stand never alone!"

Upon ingesting the Philosopher's Stone, Aquila underwent a startling transformation, splitting into countless ethereal duplicates. They burst forth as radiant streams of multicolored light, converging with each of the puppets.

In unison, the vacant eyes of the human puppets ignited with a crimson glow, revealing faint eagle-shaped patterns deep within.

This was Skyler's concealed arsenal - hundreds of combat-ready war puppets named, Seraphs!

The throng of puppets surged in every direction, their target not Morgan and her companions, but the Dragon Shadow and the encircling Death Eaters!

It appeared their minds and wills had been ensnared by the encroaching darkness.

The eager Dark Soul disciples from the Shadow Dragon, unable to enter the fray due to the intensity of their leaders' battle, now seized the opportunity to engage.

Each transformed into a swirling mass of black mist, their human visages faintly discernible at the forefront, roaring as they surged toward the human puppets!

Amidst the onslaught, the emotionless voices of the first row of puppets rang out: "Seraph, activate 'Earth Shield'!" With a flash of magic in their hands, massive shields materialized, adorned with ancient runes of Eihwaz that shimmered with golden light, infused with potent earth magic.

The collision ensued, yet the puppet formation remained steadfast, neither faltering nor retreating. Instead, the black mists morphed into humanoid forms one by one, recoiling in defeat.

In response, the second row of human puppets began to emit mechanical sounds: "Seraph, initiate 'Flumen Sagitta Ventorum'!" Each wielded a colossal blue mechanical crossbow, arrows poised at the ready.

A swirling vortex of wind whirred violently, accompanied by the rhythmic whooshing of arrows. Invisible gusts, carrying the fury of the tempest, surged forth towards the Dark Souls with overwhelming force.

Reacting swiftly, the Dark Souls shifted into human form, unable to revert to their impervious black mist state in time.

Instead, they hastily invoked Protego, each casting a formidable line of defenses which in hope would be enough to halt Skyler's attack. Yet with the barrage of arrows coming to their way, it seems impossible...

With a sharp metallic clang, the arrows clashed against the shields, erupting in showers of dazzling sparks. Despite the shields shattering under the relentless assault, their rotating motion effectively dissipated the kinetic energy of the arrows.

Just as they began to breathe a tentative sigh of relief, believing they had weathered the storm, a mechanical voice from the third row of human puppets sent shivers down their spines: "Seraph, activate 'Fire of Burning Heaven'!" Simultaneously, they opened their mouths and spewed forth torrents of black magical flames!

The Dark Souls, already drained from their transformation into black mist and the casting of the Whirling Shield Spell was now faced with the onslaught of deadly magical flames.

With little magic power remaining, they summoned whatever protective spells they could muster - some conjured ordinary iron armor, others created watery barriers, some morphed the earth into walls, and a few even ignited flames of their own to meet the inferno head-on.

Despite their dwindling magical reserves, the black energy from the "Avada Kedavra" hastened the burning of their life force, replenishing their magic power just enough to continue the fight.

As for the Death Eaters not ensnared by the black energy, one had already perished, while the rest seized the opportunity to retreat, fearing they too would succumb to the aftermath of the onslaught.

Just when they believed the confrontation was reaching a stalemate, a mechanical voice echoed once more.

If the previous assault had only induced fear and exhaustion, this subsequent pronouncement was the final blow, plunging them into the depths of despair.

"Seraph, 'Fountain of Evil' - Activate!" The angels in the fourth row finally emerged from their covered positions, wielding jet-black revolvers that discharged thick, viscous black liquid akin to a torrential waterfall. The substance resembled a blend of water and oil, seamlessly complementing the demonic flames emitted by Seraph as it merged with them seamlessly.

With a resounding "clang" echoing through the sky, The flames suddenly transformed into the ultimate form of Fiendfyre - the one rumored to bring about an end to all things:

Atrumfyre.

Atrumfyre metamorphosed into over a hundred fire dragons, serpents of flame, and Chimaira, effortlessly piercing through the defenses of the Dark Souls in a matter of moments. In their final desperate gaze, they were engulfed by the fiery onslaught.

In less than a minute, Atrumfyre vanished.

Simultaneously, the hundred Dark Souls vanished without a trace, leaving behind not even a mote of ash.

Only the eight remaining Death Eaters remained, gazing blankly at the scene unfolding in the distance.

Barbarossa and Voldemort could feel cold sweats and fear start to settle in their heart as they saw the absolute extermination of the Dark Souls, even Morgan who was calm all the time started showing a panic expression on her face.

Couldn't say any words toward the relentless barrage of absolute strong spells.