On the Green Field of Oz Country.
The golden-haired girl wielded her sword, locked in an intense battle with Maleficent, who had transformed into a black dragon.
Maleficent had defeated Aurora once before, and before the battle began, she was confident of victory.
However, once the battle truly began, she realized that defeating the little princess of Rose Kingdom was far more difficult than she had imagined!
"What's going on? Aurora has become stronger!"
The girl's movements were swifter and more skilled, the sword in her hand sharper, and every one of her attacks was more intense!
Maleficent repeated her old trick, just like before on the sea, she once again opened her gaping maw and cast a wicked curse upon the girl.
However, unlike last time, the curse's effectiveness was greatly diminished, only able to very limitedly affect Aurora's movements, and it consistently failed to strike down this strong warrior.
It was as if an invisible magic was guarding the soul of this princess of Rose Kingdom, helping her resist the erosion of the curse!
Maleficent, transformed into a black dragon, flapped her wings again and soared into the sky.
She wanted to defeat her opponent using her aerial advantage!
However, wings also grew on Aurora's shoes.
She rose into the air, heading straight for Maleficent in the sky.
With one thrust of her sword, she pierced through Maleficent's dark dragon scales, causing the terrifying giant dragon to splatter blood, and foul-smelling green blood spilled all over the ground.
"Ahhh!"
Maleficent cried out in pain, feeling the sharp agony in her chest.
She couldn't understand why the little princess of Rose Kingdom had become so formidable after only a few weeks apart?
What she didn't know was that Aurora's growth came from two aspects:
Firstly, from her astonishing learning ability. After fighting Maleficent last time and surviving, Aurora remembered the key points of battling this Black Witch, and her martial arts and strength had made another leap.
Secondly, because Aurora was now carrying another blessing from the 12 Witches.
Aurora thrust her sword again and again, tirelessly, with sharp eyes.
She knew this was the peak state of her life, both in strength and spirit. She had never been so powerful, so full of fighting spirit, so invincible as she was today.
She knew she wasn't fighting alone.
"What's wrong, Maleficent, are you scared? Do you, a witch who acts as she pleases, also feel fear?"
Aurora's tone was firm, her movements swift as wind, while Maleficent, transformed into a black dragon, was steadily retreating.
Relying on the giant dragon's massive body, Maleficent believed she wouldn't be defeated in a short time, but as her injuries became heavier, it was only a matter of time before she fell.
"Impossible, right?"
"Am I going to lose?"
"How could this be!"
"I've destroyed dozens, hundreds of kingdoms, annihilated army after army that challenged me, killed countless warriors and mages..."
"And now I'm going to be defeated by a little girl in her teens?"
"Defeated by a girl I personally cursed?"
Maleficent couldn't accept this fact.
But her distraction caused her to be wounded by the sword once again.
"Maleficent, you're backing down, you're afraid. Your massive dragon body is trembling."
"You, who always act as you please, who would destroy an entire country on a whim, why do you show fear in front of the princess of a small kingdom?"
"Maleficent, wasn't this the duel you proposed?"
"Back then, in the sea between the Xiya Kingdom and the White Kingdom, I thought you would die by my teacher's hand. I even regretted not being able to personally kill you."
Aurora laughed heartily, the madness on her beautiful face no less than that of Maleficent, who was famous for her madness:
"Thank you so much for proposing a one-on-one duel with me, giving me the chance to personally end our grievances!"
After speaking, Aurora leaped high, bringing down a sword strike that concentrated all her strength.
This was the peak strike of her life.
The cold sword light flashed and disappeared, and foul-smelling green dragon blood gushed out like a fountain, covering the girl's entire body, spilling onto the Green Field of Oz Country.
Maleficent's large, dark dragon body fell, stirring up a large cloud of dust.
"Is it over?"
Aurora didn't sheathe her sword; instead, she narrowed her eyes, staring intently at the Black Witch on the ground.
"You... cough, cough, cough. Don't think that's enough to kill me. I'm still alive! Cough, cough, cough."
Maleficent gasped with difficulty.
"Still putting up a stubborn resistance?"
Aurora raised her sword again.
Seeing the unfavorable situation, Maleficent quickly uttered a spell, transforming into a puff of black smoke and flying into the distance.
"Don't even think about escaping."
Aurora ran wildly on the ground, following closely, as fast as lightning.
"I didn't expect to be forced to use my last resort..."
"I originally thought I wouldn't need it at all."
Maleficent, transformed into black smoke, cursed inwardly.
She had one last trump card prepared for Aurora!
The black smoke bypassed a large mountain. A small wooden hut stood isolated in the wilderness here.
As soon as Maleficent, transformed into black smoke, saw the hut, she flew in through its open window.
Aurora was a little surprised:
This small wooden hut in the wilderness actually hadn't disappeared under the effect of the magic?
Aurora stood in front of the hut's door, kicked it open, and saw darkness inside. She shouted into the gloom:
"Come out, Maleficent!"
The room was silent; nothing responded to her.
Aurora looked at the deep darkness inside, a little hesitant.
She put her hand into her pocket, felt a cold object inside, and her heart settled a bit.
That was a protective item Rhine had prepared for her.
She quietly exhaled, knowing she would surely be safe.
After a brief hesitation, Aurora strode into the hut.
The hut was gloomy inside, filled with dead silence.
The girl walked on the creaking old wooden floor, hearing a squeak with every step, even the sound of air movement was clearly audible.
Aurora walked a few more steps and vaguely saw something moving in the gloom ahead, making rhythmic crisp sounds.
"Maleficent, is that you?"
Aurora tightly gripped her sword in her right hand, extended her left index finger, softly chanted a spell, and a bright light emanated from her fingertip.
Under the illumination of the light, Aurora finally saw clearly what was ahead.
Was that a... loom?
This loom was operating by itself without anyone, weaving threads into cloth!
"This?"
Aurora's eyes widened, her expression froze, and her heart pounded violently.
As the light revealed the loom's outline, taking advantage of Aurora's brief hesitation, something flew out rapidly from the loom and attacked her.
Aurora was caught off guard—or perhaps, as if destined, she couldn't dodge.
Her outstretched finger was pricked by the object.
Aurora felt a sting at her fingertip and saw a drop of crimson blood seep out and fall to the ground.
Her blessing of invulnerability had not taken effect.
Thud.
The object that pricked Aurora fell to the ground.
"This is..."
Aurora looked down at her fingertip, which was merely pricked and bled a tiny bit, then looked at the object on the ground.
"It's a spindle!"
Maleficent's cold voice came from behind, sending a shiver down Aurora's spine.
"I enchanted that loom; as long as you approach, the spindle will prick you."
"This is your destined curse, even fate will help me fulfill it!"
Maleficent's voice grew increasingly high-pitched and cold.
She laughed, her laughter beautiful and deranged.
The sound of the curse from over 10 years ago seemed to still echo in her ears:
"O King,
"I curse your daughter and this land!
"Your lovely daughter will die miserably after being pricked by a spindle."
...
At the same time.
In the Alamaide Kingdom of the Middle East, inside a dilapidated, abandoned castle.
Rhine, disguised as the Middle Eastern Witch's black slave lover, slowly narrated his "dream":
"In that dream, I saw Oz Country was all green, quite beautiful.
"I also dreamed of a beautiful city, where the streets seemed to be paved with emeralds, and the people on the streets all wore green clothes, with smiles on their faces, a scene of peace and tranquility.
"Suddenly, the surrounding scene drastically changed; the city and people disappeared. Only a large lake remained, with countless fish swimming in its waters.
"All those fish were staring at me eagerly, as if they wanted to say something to me, which was very frightening; their gaze made my back tingle."
Rhine deliberately feigned fear in front of the Middle Eastern Witch, trembling:
"Tell me, what's going on? I still remember the terrifying gaze of those fish staring at me, as if they wanted to claim my life.
"Is this some ominous omen?"
The Middle Eastern Witch smiled and explained:
"My beloved master, you need not worry. The kingdom you dreamed of became that way because it was struck by my magic. Oz Country is very far from us, and it has nothing to do with us."
"So that's it, it was your foolish doing." Rhine feigned confusion and angrily rebuked the Middle Eastern Witch:
"Since that kingdom has nothing to do with us, why did you curse them? To have those fish scare me in my dream!"
The Middle Eastern Witch knelt on the ground, tears welling up, begging for mercy:
"My beloved master, you do not know.
"I once said that I know several sisters with whom I discuss witchcraft; they are scattered across the world and communicate daily using magic. By speaking a spell into a mirror, I can contact my distant sisters.
"This matter was something one of my sisters earnestly begged me to do. She cast a spell, communicated with me through a mirror, and asked me to transmit the magic to the distant Oz Country.
"That sister's magic is even stronger than mine. As for why she wanted me to curse Oz Country, I do not know."
Rhine sternly shouted: "You foolish wretch. Is that sister of yours called Black Witch Maleficent, who can transform into a black dragon?"
The Middle Eastern Witch was greatly astonished:
"Master, how did you know? Did you perhaps dream of my sister?"
Rhine kicked the Middle Eastern Witch to the ground:
"Fool, fool! That Black Witch Maleficent doesn't consider you a good sister at all!"
The Middle Eastern Witch was half surprised, half confused, apologizing while asking: "Master, can you tell me why you say that?"
Rhine, feigning recollection, said:
"I saw that Black Witch turn into a woman.
"She threatened two children with the residents of Oz Country, saying something like, 'The magic in Oz Country was cast by me deceiving a foolish witch; only that foolish witch can actively lift it.'
"That woman even pulled out a strand of hair and threatened, 'If you two don't listen to me, I'll use a curse to remotely curse that foolish witch to death. If she dies, the people of this country will forever be four-colored fish.'
"When I dreamed of this scene, I thought, this woman transformed from a Black Witch is truly treacherous, asking for help and then demanding someone's life. You witches are indeed all treacherous and cunning fellows!
"Then I thought, that foolish witch is indeed incredibly foolish. Doing things for others, she almost lost her life!"
The Middle Eastern Witch was greatly astonished upon hearing Rhine's words:
"My hair? How did my hair fall into Maleficent's hands?
"That Black Witch Maleficent is most skilled at cursing others to death; if she has my hair, she can take my life at any time.
"Oh, I know! Maleficent visited the Alamaide Kingdom once before; it must have been then that she stole my hair from my bedchamber!"
...
Inside the small hut.
Aurora felt a chill rise from her soul, her life force rapidly draining away, her brain growing hazy, and Maleficent and other objects before her gradually blurring.
Death was approaching.
Clang.
The sword in Aurora's right hand fell to the ground.
"Hahahaha, didn't expect this, did you? I couldn't defeat you in a direct battle, but you still have this fatal weakness!"
Maleficent looked at Aurora, who was clutching her forehead and seemed about to collapse at any moment, laughing uncontrollably.
"You're going to die, right? Back then, the mage Rhine didn't use a blessing to weaken my curse, so you're certainly going to die, right?"
"It's truly a pity. He clearly could have offered a blessing that would weaken the curse, like changing death to sleep, so at least you wouldn't be certain to die."
Maleficent laughed, her smile imbued with a dark and evil beauty.
"However, why are you all so foolish? You could have happily enjoyed your youth, spending a brief but peaceful decade or more in the palace. In the end, the curse might not even have taken your life."
"Instead of dying tragically before me like this."
Thud.
Aurora collapsed.
But the girl still managed to raise her head, her sharp eyes fixed on the Black Witch.
Maleficent gazed at Aurora's unyielding appearance, approaching the golden-haired girl who lay limp on the ground step by step, and bent down:
"My beautiful little princess, what are you still hoping for? You're not hoping that the mage Rhine will appear in time, as he did last time, and save you again, are you?"
"It's useless, everything is too late. The curse has already come true, no one can save you now!"
Maleficent laughed maniacally.
However, a faint smile curved Aurora's pale and pretty lips.
She was smiling.
"What are you laughing at?" Maleficent asked, confused.
"This time, I didn't expect my teacher to save me. Because I want to kill you with my own hands." Aurora chuckled, using the last bit of her strength to utter a faint, thread-like sound.
"I'm laughing because I can finally fulfill my wish to kill you and lift the curse on Rose Kingdom."
What?
Maleficent's heart jolted with alarm. Although she didn't know why the dying Aurora said this, she still sensed danger.
She spread her arms, her body expanded, and she was about to transform into a black dragon again to deliver the final blow to the dying Aurora!