The surge of mana around the women causes the air to become noticeably thicker. Anomalies develop when mana, which runs through everything in the cosmos like atoms, is abruptly aggregated in one place. This is why there were suddenly clouds that covered the moon and a ferocious wind that swept around the two friends.

Hope was unable to stare at the darkness that permeated Gwen's aura. Has today's events had such a big impact on her? The aura resembled her past self so much that the silver-haired woman felt like she was gazing at the old Charmcaster. She isn't going to concede, though.

Hope felt a liquid splash on her face as raindrops suddenly turned into a violent storm. Gwen wasn't intending to hold back, as seen by the mana that was still rushing. This city would be reduced to ash in a matter of minutes if they engaged in an all-out battle. Hope releases her body from the protective position she had been in. The witch refuses to let her destroy Bellwood. More than any fight they could take, the remorse Gwen would feel later would overwhelm her.

Behind Hope, a whirling doorway is seen. Gwen tenses herself in preparation for an assault. Before turning to enter the exit portal, Charmcaster calls out over her shoulder.

"Come. We shouldn't destroy this precious place."

Gwen observes the woman pass through the gate, but she is unsure whether this is real or a ruse. She considered thousands of alternatives, none of which were favorable. Nonetheless, she found herself walking towards the portal; without pausing, Lucky Girl passes through. The typhoon they left behind has faded into a simple autumnal drizzle.

On the other side, Gwen had to shade her eyes from the intense sunlight. Sand kicked up underneath her boots as she stepped forward. The witch could make out a shadow standing motionless ten feet away.

"Where are we?" the redhead exclaimed.

Gwen swallowed to relieve her parched throat. On her skin, the sun shone like a heat lamp. Gwen looks out to find Hope standing in front of her when her eyes have fully adjusted. She saw an infinite sea of red sand as she peered out into the distance. Two suns, one little and the other roughly the size of the sun on Earth were visible in the sky. No wonder it was so damn hot.

"Somewhere we can go all out without hurting anybody," Hope answers sternly. "That is IF you still want to fight."

Gwen's eyes narrow in response to Hope's casual attitude. Being greeted with such little resistance in the face of such peril was humiliating. Why didn't she lash out as she did? Did she bring her here to make the same therapeutic recommendations as everyone else? Gwen won't give in to attempts to persuade her otherwise.

Lucky Girl's aura erupts in a show of strength. The woman didn't even consider the Forever Knights to be a warm-up. On the other hand, Charmcaster was just the type of challenger she was searching for—someone she could go all out against. The witches' long-running battles would finally be resolved after all those years. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't looking forward to this battle.

The ground cracks as Gwen propels herself forward, her staff cocked back for a blow. Gwen was aware that Hope lacked the experience necessary to successfully defend against such an attack. The sorceress swings at head height after coming to a halt a foot away. Hope clutches the staff's end with her mana-covered palm, halting the movement immediately. Hope pivots on her left foot before using the staff as leverage to toss Gwen over her shoulder. Gwendolyn's eyes widen in shock as she is lifted off the ground and painfully crashes on her back.

A shadow looms over Gwen's face as Hope prepares to stomp on her head. Gwen rolls away in time, abandoning her staff, before Hope's boot makes contact with the ground. A small crater formed where her head previously was. Gwen gracefully performs a kip-up and puts her arms up in a defensive stance. Hope tosses Lucky Girl's staff in the sand, before rushing forward, only to be hit in the back by Gwen's returning staff. Gwen catches her flying weapon in the air.

"Let's try that again, shall we?"

Hope growls in answer and removes her wand from her sleeve. Within a split second of her pointing the magical weapon toward Gwen, a roaring fireball the size of a boulder is hurtling in her direction. Of course. They were experienced witches. Almost every incantation is going to be chantless. Gwen told herself. Lucky Girl extends her hand and a cannon of water bursts from her palm. Upon collision, a plume of steam resulted from the two elements.

The two seasoned combatants didn't wait for the smoke to grow thicker. They retreated and sent a beam of magic at the cloud in anticipation of a covert attack through the fog. Once more, the two assaults clashed, causing an explosion that sent the women flying backward.

"She's-"

"-Strong."

The adversaries easily rose to their feet. Although it may seem like a deadlock at first, they were patiently waiting for the other to initiate a major attack to counter it. Tactics and knowledge are crucial to victory in combat using magic. The more you put out, the less you have to defend with. A one-sided victory or a drawn-out contest that is the result of all magic battles.

As they had been battling for years before this, Gwen and Hope knew each other too well for a swift bout. Hope's chances of winning the lengthy duel were also diminished because Gwen is an anodite who has unlimited mana at her disposal. Although Hope's mana reserves were gigantic, she didn't have the luxury of fighting forever.

There is just one option left, and that is for the following attack to be the last. Her soul is torn up by the thought of badly hurting Gwen. Hope, though, is certain that she wasn't gazing into her closest friend's eyes. These emerald eyes had a chilly cast to them. It was the very same expression she wore as a teenager when she was forced to embark on Hex's missions. Hope didn't want Gwen to do something she'd later regret, even if she thought it was too late. Hope had to put an end to this. This truly is the sole option, in other words.

"Absolute spell," Hope chants under her breath.

Mana flow abruptly changed, according to Gwen. Energy began to surge around Hope like a magnet, pulling it into her body. Gwen had never witnessed mana behave in this way before. When the temperature increased by one degree each second, Gwen could feel her skin becoming dryer. She tried to cast water magic, but the liquid evaporated instantly. The world's illumination vanished like a switch was shut off just as she was about to melt under the pressure.

Then, brighter than before, blazing sunshine appeared. Gwen screamed in agony as the searing heat caused her flesh to bubble. The world was now being kissed by the sun, which was igniting its surface.

A reality-altering incantation of unfathomable magnitudes known as an absolute spell is supposed to be capable of obliterating whole dimensions. Due to its widespread destructiveness, the magic of this kind is strictly prohibited. A sorcerer can go their entire lives without even learning how to cast one of these potent spells. There have only ever been four absolute spells cast successfully in the history of magic. The first witch in modern times to accomplish this achievement is Hope.

"Solar Frenzy," Hope finishes.

"ENOUGH!"

The fiery orange light is absorbed by a pink flash, and the planet is instantly returned to its previous state. Hope looks about the battlefield aimlessly as she realizes that her spell has been entirely nullified. When she looks over to Gwen, she notices that she is in her partial Anodite form and has her hand up to the heavens. Gwen is exhaling forcefully. Her body instantly healed, but the pain of her third-degree burns was still vivid in her thoughts. Hope collapses unconscious to her knees and then forward into the sand below.

Gwen, realizing what happened, reverts to her human form and rushes over to Hope's side. Gwen pulls her upper half onto her lap, pushing the hair away from her face. She leans down to listen carefully; a sigh of relief springing from her lips upon hearing a heartbeat. The silver-haired witch slowly opens her eyes upon feeling Gwen's hot tears dripping onto her face. Hope couldn't help but smile at the sight.

"That's the Gwen I remember."

Gwen mouths the words, "I'm sorry."

Cooper's car rolls to a stop in front of Gwen Tennyson's house. The chirping of birds fills his ears as he rolls the window down. He raises an eyebrow at the redhead sitting on her porch seemingly waiting for the blonde. Gwen waves at the man before standing up and making her way over to his car.

"Well, aren't you eager to join?"

Gwen gives him a bright smile before replying, "Yeah I couldn't wait."

Cooper motions to the passenger side, "Jump in," he says.

Hope observes the blue automobile leave from the window of Gwen's bedroom. A hot cup of oatmeal with a "Thank you" note is seen on the nightstand when she looks over at it. She turns around with a smile on her face. Hope tries to stretch but nearly screams out due to the pain her body was experiencing. She hurts, and that's an understatement.