"What are you doing? Oh my goodness... These bastards are so cruel, they won't even spare a young girl." Mavis was startled to see a weak, helpless girl locked in the cage, bound by layers of heavy shackles.
"Young lady, what's your name, and how did you end up locked in here?" Mavis asked with distress, looking at the shocking sight before her.
"Wuwuwu..." The girl in the iron cage immediately whimpered. Pouting, she softly replied, "My name is Shalltear Bloodfallen. I was originally a student at Ilvermorny in the United States, but during the Christmas holiday, I happened to stumble upon these villains' smuggling operation, and as a result... Wuwuwu!"
The girl who called herself Shalltear explained her predicament in a few words, her eyes welling up with tears as she looked pitifully at Mavis. "Big sister, you're an Auror from Britain, right? Could you please be kind and let me out?"
"I'm sorry, not yet." Mavis showed a sympathetic expression upon hearing Shalltear's tragic encounter, but she still resolutely refused.
"Why?" Shalltear's beautiful, clear eyes widened even more, making her appear even more miserable.
"Shalltear, listen to me. It's very dangerous outside right now. Compared to letting you out, staying in the cage will actually be safer. Don't worry, once this crisis is over, we will restore your freedom and send you home." Mavis moved slightly, showing Shalltear the Inferi horde nearby, currently blocked by a shield charm.
Shalltear suddenly seemed a bit anxious. She immediately moved forward and pressed against the iron cage, completely ignoring the Inferi. The pitiful expression on her face instantly turned resolute.
"Auror big sister, you're a really good person. Although I'm young, I know how to repay kindness. Let me out, and as long as you give me a wand, I can contribute my strength to this battle." Shalltear stared intently at Mavis with eyes as clear as glass beads, trying to move her.
"This..." Mavis looked at the petite Shalltear and her pale face with uncertainty, but still shook her head. "No, you don't look well. What if something happens if I expose you to danger? Your parents would be heartbroken. It's okay, be a good girl. Once our reinforcements arrive, we'll give you a check-up and help you heal."
As Mavis began to turn away, Shalltear showed not joy at the mention of reinforcements, but a hint of panic. At the same instant Mavis turned her head, a flash of ferocity crossed her eyes, though she immediately concealed it.
"Auror big sister! Auror big sister!" Shalltear saw Mavis was about to turn away completely and immediately started shouting excitedly.
"Be good, Shalltear, just wait here. We'll protect you." Mavis saw the girl crying out again and thought she was afraid of the dark. She even thoughtfully lifted and hooked up the tarpaulin covering the cage.
"Auror big sister, I really don't want to stay in this terrible cage anymore, and these chains are too heavy. I feel like I'll suffocate. Please, please let me out. I promise I won't cause you any trouble."
Shalltear was so anxious at this point that she almost wanted to stomp her feet. She even forgot that such an excited display made her seem less like a weak girl who couldn't breathe. Under normal circumstances, Mavis would have noticed something was off, but at this moment, she was overwhelmed by the horde of Inferi and didn't think too deeply about it.
Moreover, Shalltear looked truly pitiful, and her harmless appearance stirred a strong protective instinct in Mavis. Plus, the girl's constant clamor was starting to affect the battle.
So Mavis finally agreed. "Alright, Shalltear, step back a bit. I'll open the cage."
After a short while, Mavis finally opened the iron cage and the shackles. To her surprise, these restraints were actually powerful magic items, which took her considerable effort to unlock.
As for Shalltear, seeing the annoying shackles finally removed, she showed a relaxed expression and stretched her limbs. Mavis handed her a wand that had been confiscated earlier.
"Shalltear, listen to me. Hold onto the wand and stay quietly behind me. Remember not to run around." Mavis looked at the girl and thoughtfully patted the dust off her clothes, speaking gently.
"Mhm mhm mhm!" Shalltear had been very well-behaved since she came out, not even wanting to open her mouth, only looking at Mavis with a gentle smile.
Just then, a smuggler finally stumbled forward along the path cleared by the Aurors and happened to see Shalltear, now unshackled and holding a wand. His face changed drastically.
"You? How were you released? This person is—" The smuggler pointed his wand at her, shouting frantically.
Before the smuggler could finish his sentence, he was instantly struck by a spell that blasted him back into the crowd of Inferi. The one who acted was none other than Shalltear. A ghostly, wicked smile appeared on her face, and she stared at the smuggler with a hint of hatred, her casting quick and vicious.
"You?" Mavis was greatly surprised and turned her head to look at Shalltear with astonishment.
"Hehe!" Shalltear giggled and looked at Mavis. "Auror big sister, thank you for releasing me. If I get the chance, I will repay your kindness."
With that, a wave of blood-red magic surged around Shalltear, and in the blink of an eye, she transformed into a massive bat and soared into the air.
"Haha, I'm free again!" As she flew high into the sky, she shouted with uncontained joy, then darted into the nearby forest.
After transforming into a bat, Shalltear also shed her other disguises, revealing two sharp fangs and stretching her wings as she surged forward. She didn't get far until she saw a small cluster of blue-silver thunderclouds floating high in the sky.
"Ping!"
"Ah..."
In mid-air, Shalltear was hit head-on by the lightning automatically triggered by the Eye of the Storm before she could even react. She let out a wail, her eyes rolled back, and she fell into the grass.
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