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Chapter 1490: Master of Death
Chapter 1490: Master of Death
After hearing Grindelwald's words, Voldemort, for once, did not show any signs of anger. Instead, he raised his wand, ready to cast the killing curse, Avada Kedavra, at Grindelwald.
Killing the man before him would grant him ownership of the Elder Wand, and murder was, after all, one of Voldemort's specialties.
The thought of losing to Grindelwald never crossed Voldemort's mind, for the old man before him was ancient.
Time had left its mark on Grindelwald, taking away much of his agility and flexibility. The elderly wizard was a far cry from his younger self, and he could no longer dodge Voldemort's deadly killing curses with the same finesse.
Fortunately, the Felix Felicis potion that Grindelwald had taken earlier proved its worth. Just as Voldemort was about to cast his deadly spell, the wooden door that Grindelwald had blasted open swung back with force, slapping Voldemort and disrupting his lethal curse.
Voldemort had not anticipated being attacked by a door, and to avoid the embarrassment of being knocked down by it, he was forced to abandon his killing curse and destroy the flying door instead.
Grindelwald had indeed aged.
The decades he had spent in Nurmengard prison had taken their toll, but with the help of the powerful luck-enhancing potion, he had managed to regain much of what he had lost.
The Grindelwald of old, the dark wizard who stopped at nothing, murdered without hesitation, and exuded an air of elegance—that Grindelwald was still present.
He hadn't expected the wood splinters to harm Voldemort; it was merely a ploy to distract Voldemort and the Death Eaters behind him, buying himself some precious time.
Even with his confidence, Grindelwald knew he stood no chance against a horde of dark wizards. Once Voldemort regained his composure, Grindelwald's death would be imminent.
Fortunately, Grindelwald's movements were swift. As Voldemort destroyed the annoying wooden door, Grindelwald pointed his wand forward, and with a flick of his wrist, he ignited the splinters floating in the air, engulfing Voldemort's face in a burst of magical flame.
Caught off guard, Voldemort found himself in a messy situation, and unfortunately for the Death Eaters behind him, they, too, were caught in the line of fire. The splinters ignited their robes, turning them into human torches that danced wildly amidst piercing screams, setting their fellow dark wizards ablaze.
If not for the knowledge of how to dispell the curse, imparted to them by Albert, the infernal flames would have reduced the crowd in the stairway to ashes.
This was one of the primary reasons Albert had ensured that Harry and his friends mastered the casting and dispelling of the Fiendfyre curse. In certain unfavorable terrains, escape was not always an option, and being burned to death by Fiendfyre was often the norm.
Grindelwald hadn't expected his little trick to kill Voldemort, but he knew that by constantly disrupting Voldemort's rhythm, he could buy himself time. He was no longer young, and his body had become fragile; he couldn't afford a prolonged battle, as there was a high chance he wouldn't be able to withstand Voldemort's full might.
Fortunately, Grindelwald was a highly experienced duelist. As he caught Voldemort off guard, he also managed to maintain his own advantage.
When the wall to the right of the staircase suddenly bulged and crashed towards Voldemort, Grindelwald seized the opportunity to blast the staircase beneath Voldemort's feet. Then, before Voldemort could retaliate, he calmly made his way back up to the top of Nurmengard prison.
He knew his strengths well.
Catching Voldemort off guard momentarily was one thing, but killing him was nothing but a pipe dream.
Hence, before Voldemort could cast Avada Kedavra, Grindelwald made his escape.
The stairway entrance was narrow, and if Voldemort had been less hasty, killing Grindelwald would not have been difficult.
Voldemort, disheveled from Grindelwald's surprise attacks, seethed with rage. However, he had to admit that he had underestimated the elderly wizard.
Grindelwald was old, yes, but like Dumbledore, he was cunning and experienced. Coupled with the power of the Elder Wand, he was indeed a threat to Voldemort. But that alone would not be enough to kill him.
When the staircase beneath his feet exploded, Voldemort did not fall. Instead, he used a peculiar spell to levitate in mid-air.
After his numerous encounters with Albert, Voldemort's way of thinking had changed. Instead of bursting through the stairway entrance, he created a new opening in the adjacent wall to avoid being trapped.
However, Grindelwald had no intention of blocking Voldemort's path. The former dark lord was busy setting the top of Nurmengard ablaze, erasing the terrible memories of the past decades and reducing the place he had once called home to ashes.
As Voldemort forcefully broke through the wall, a surge of magical flames poured out from the breach, and a fiery phoenix nearly engulfed his face.
In the end, Voldemort had underestimated Grindelwald due to his age, and his impulsive actions had led to his current predicament. Had he approached the situation with the same caution he used against Albert, he wouldn't have found himself in such a messy situation.
On the other hand, Grindelwald knew exactly what he was doing. After teaching his arrogant junior a small lesson, he unleashed his full power.
Despite not having his original wand to provide him with an endless supply of magic, Grindelwald, with the help of Felix Felicis, succeeded.
Terrifying magical flames burst forth from the breached opening, swirling and spiraling around the top of the Nurmengard tower.
Grindelwald had not forgotten his promise to Albert, and he intended to fulfill their agreement before his final act.
He had built this tower with his own hands, and now he would destroy it.
Hearing footsteps, Grindelwald slowly turned to face Voldemort, who had appeared before him. In Voldemort, he saw a reflection of his former self.
Voldemort pointed his wand at Grindelwald's heart and said coldly, "You can't escape."
"I never intended to," Grindelwald replied with a smile.
Voldemort believed him, and he didn't think the old man before him could do much anyway. If it had been the younger Grindelwald, neither of them would have been able to kill the other easily. But the man before him was just an old man who had clung to life for a century.
Of course, Voldemort had no intention of giving his opponent any chances. Just as he was about to end the annoying old man— A wand was suddenly thrown in front of him, leaving Voldemort bewildered. He couldn't understand what the old man in front of him was trying to do.
"I know you want this wand," Grindelwald said as he took a step back and spread his hands wide. "It's yours now. But you still can't beat him, and you never will! There are some things you don't understand..."
"Stop playing games!"
Just as Voldemort's Avada Kedavra was about to strike Grindelwald, the elderly wizard's figure was engulfed by the surging magical flames.
(End of Chapter)
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