In the weeks passed, she hurls an ice shard, ten inches from her palm. It flies fast to a wooden mannequin and shatter after hitting it. She continues to do so until she feels the slightest bit of fatigue, but there is none, ‘Not all is lost, I see. My ridiculous Mana pools seem to be here still,’ Closing her eyes as she stands still. Arcane particles gather in the surrounding and swirl towards her, getting herself a refill for whatever is lost.


    [Avarice]: “You don’t seem to have improve much. Here, a gift.”


    A bunch of people tossed in front of her, all tied up.


    [???]: “Argh.”


    [Siola]: “Hm?”


    [Avarice]: “They’re among the most resilient out of the rest. I figured they would do a far better job being the mannequin instead of dragging each other around doing nothing.”


    [???]: “N-No, please.”


    Avarice’s tail swings at him, and his head burst in flame. Blood spills everywhere.


    [???]: “Gyaaaaaaaaaaah!”


    [???]: “N-No… oh my god…”


    Despite witnessing the brutality, Siola’s expression remains unchanged. The headless man’s neck starts bubbling, very slowly, regenerating itself.


    [Avarice]: “Well then, keep at it, Luosa.”


    [Siola]: “Wait!”


    Her head turns.


    [Siola]: “Will I be going to the surface again?”


    [Avarice]: “No, not anytime soon.”


    [Avarice]: “But, don’t you worry. For I have suggested for you to move somewhere even more enjoyable.”


    [Siola]: “When is that?”


    [Avarice]: “Soon.”


    [Siola]: “How soon?”


    [Avarice]: “Heheh, you keep doing what you do. I’ll come for you when it’s time.”


    Once she left, Siola let out a long breath. Shifting her attention to the people Avarice brought. She lifts them up and begins chaining them in the place of the mannequins. One woman shivering and afraid, “Please… don’t do this.”


    [Siola]: “…”


    She tightens the chain and get into position. Above the palm of her hand, a crystalline shard of ice is formed. Ever so brightly. Several months have passed since then and there she sits on a large bucket of water raising to cloak her entire body with it. Tentacles of water. Controlling its shape so she can breathe while inside it, and then, she dances!


    [Siola]: “Ay, ay, they not like us. They not like us…”


    Meanwhile, inside the mirror lies Luosa, who has simply become speechless at the sight of her host doing some incredibly footwork while being in water.


    [Luosa]: “I assume this performance brings about some benefits for you?”


    [Siola]: “What, you don’t like it?”


    [Siola]: “Look.”


    Some footwork, stride and slides.


    [Siola]: “Ay, ay, ay.”


    [Luosa]: “Are you not concern at all for your second incursion? This time you will not be visiting the surface, but a hostile realm.”


    Continuing to dance.


    [Siola]: “Last time was hostile too, no?”


    [Luosa]: “And last time you were incredibly outmatched.”


    She stops.


    [Siola]: “So, it wasn’t Replica who helped me that one time, it was you.”


    [Luosa]: “Indeed. And Lerusagon-controlled realm will be much worse considering the fact that it is the god who has brought suffering to this realm, or at least one who is associated themselves with him.”


    Tossing the entire water tentacles back into the bucket.


    [Siola]: “Queen of Stone.”


    [Luosa]: “She is much more than a Medusa. It is unlikely that you will encounter her, but even if one of her servants were to find you, it’ll spell trouble.”


    [Siola]: “Even for you?”


    [Luosa]: “…”


    [Luosa]: “Heheh.”


    Chuckling with a wide smile on her face, Siola can’t help but smile herself. There is confidence in that tone. The next day, out of the dimensional storage that was once called the Inventory, she takes out several items from within. Artifacts that give and allows her to do more than what she’s currently capable of. Ring for each one of her fingers, a bangle and a bracelet, and an additional necklace hidden under her clothes, not letting entangled with the straw doll.


    She might need a weapon. Correction, weapons. And so, she takes out 8 different staves. Strapped two on each side of her hip, four on her back. Within the throne room, tension rises as Siola enters the scene. Ludwig says, “I believed you have been briefed with your first task, Luosa?”


    [Replica]: “You are to infiltrate the capital city, the rulers who are currently ruling over the majority of the Storm Guard Realm. Find your way to their treasury and obtain the artifact known as Sunder. Once you have obtained it, use this orb to relay your success. You have one year.”


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    She bows as she receives it modestly.


    [Replica]: “One more thing. Never let anyone caught a sight of this orb, for your sake.”


    [Siola]: “It shall be done.”


    As Replica took a step away, the sight of the skeleton on his mighty throne entered her sight.


    [Ludwig]: “I know you will succeed with ease, Luosa.”


    Her jaw clenches as she straightened her back. Without a word said, Replica cast her spell, but in that split second moment, the one who replicates Siola’s body, notices the eyes full of rage before they disappear out of sight. Goolag, clenches her fists as she gazes upon where Siola stood. The bloodlust directed to her is real.


    A world where lightning can be heard on the daily, a world where a frequent hurricane strikes the wild life and its inhabitants. She powers through the turbulent wind inside a water bubble. Beyond the forest lies a city lightened by thunder, protected by a barrier. Siola tosses the orb aside and submerge it into the mud. She walks towards the city under the heavy rain. Inside her bubbles lies her reflection, and there, it moves by itself as the eyes turns pitch black.


    [Luosa]: “You could’ve just pocketed it in the dimensional storage.”


    [Siola]: “And let whoever behind it have a free pass to whatever I have in the closet?”


    [Luosa]: “Worth the risk of losing it?”


    [Siola]: “Well, I’ll tell you this. There’s not a lot left in my mind for me to forget about it. Plus, I’ve made some… precautions.”


    [Siola]: “Let’s not talk again anytime soon unless you have anything important to say.”


    [Luosa]: “Very well.”


    The point of which the barrier separating those within and without is clear as day for the inside of it, the rainstorm cannot reach inside. Siola lift her hand, hesitating to even touch the barrier let alone entering it, but then, her fingernail passes through. A slight exhaling sigh of relief. She then pushes her whole body inside and within it. Her water bubble is unneeded. Although the gloomy scenery persists, the land is dry.


    [Siola]: “Let’s get to work.”


    10 Months later.


    In the certain part of the halved world lies a settlement of a few thousands. The droplets of rain couldn’t pierce the transparent dome in place. Bubbling as thunder struck a tree in the surrounding. An injured demi-human that takes the features of a wolf, stumbling across the forest. Avoiding daggers flying at her as she run towards the dome.


    [???]: “Kyaghahaha. Run, boy! Run!”


    [???]: “Kyahahaha!”


    A maniac with a misshapen eye, grappling by the momentum he got by swinging from a tree branch to another. He manages a landing when the girl gets over to the other side.


    [???]: “Heh, looks like we found it, Mage.”


    Hovering in the air from the darkness casted by a tree, a feminine voice, “Doesn’t seem all that sophisticated for a barrier. Go find their strongest, Silas. Buy me sometime.”


    [Silas]: “Sure, sure, but don’t be late!”


    He dashes onward and passes through the barrier. The thought of battle shaken him to its core, an excitement. However, the fleeing boy’s scream have alerted the others. Yet, even if that is the case, there is only a wide smile on his face.


    [Silas]: “Gyahahahaha!


    In the face of brave warriors, he takes out a spear out of a small dimensional portal. Lightning charge as he takes a leap. Tempest gathers around him with the spear as its conduit. Swirling, he speeds up to a drill towards the barricade of warriors and blast them all aside. Some have lost their lives right at that moment, some have injured, but others quickly recovers and charges towards him with a war cry.


    However, instead of fighting them, he turns to the direction of the settlement and charges towards it. The brave warriors widened their eyes seeing him leaps once more, “Coward!”


    [Silas]: “Bwahaha! Think I’ll let the Mage have all the fun?! Take this!”


    [Man]: “STOP HIM!”


    Another supercharged drill of tempest, directed towards the settlement and its people, but then, a barbaric warrior blocks it with two of his great axes and stopped his momentum.


    [Silas]: “Heh, Nomad bastard.”


    The man swings his axe and Silas blocks it with the spear, but the strength of the nomad overpowers him greatly and it sends him flying, breaking several trees in his path. A dislocated shoulder as he regains his footings, and a massive impact when the nomad landed in front of him.


    [Nomad]: “That spear. You’re from the capital.”


    Fixing his own shoulder as he looks up. Panting as a crack was heard by the bubble within. A tempest gathers around the spears once more as Silas creates two double body.


    [Silas]: “Then you know why I’m here. Time to die.”


    The nomad taps his great axes together, and lowers them for an attack.


    [Nomad]: “They sent a dog like you for this? Their judgment is worse than I thought.”


    The two charged against one another. A turbulent spear attacking in three separates direction while a raging storm swirl in all direction. The two fought while utilizing all their abilities. The rampaging barbarian with his destructive power against the illusionist with his incredible disruptive abilities. One is focused on trying to kill while the other is focused on enjoying the moment even when one of his body double is destroyed.


    [Silas]: “Was it worth it, Nomad?!”


    [Silas]: “Betraying us for these worthless otherworlders, huh?!”


    Slashing his neck, but it was a mere afterimage as Silas reappears behind him. Instead of delivering an attack, he disarms the nomad by inflicting poison from his pouch.


    [Silas]: “Come on! I know you can do more than that, Nomad!”


    They blitz through the trees as the Nomad uses his fists and kicks. Silas continues to dodge, but then, the nomad emanates red aura and it completely changed the tides of the battle. His strength reduced, but his speed becomes much faster. Allowing him to inflict blows to Silas.


    A crack.


    [Nomad]: “Did you get too fat from exploiting these people that you forgot who I am?!”


    [Silas]: “Kogoghk!”


    Another blow, and a crack. Furthermore.


    [Nomad]: “These people…”


    Another one.


    [Nomad]: “As long as I’m here…”


    More.


    [Nomad]: “I’ll protect them!”


    Shatter. Bubbles, shattered the dome. Allowing the rain to pour in as the storm is approaching. The Nomad’s eye widened at the sound of the barrier shattering.


    [Nomad]: “What?”


    Silas backs away as his body limping.


    [Silas]: “Heh, ahahahahah!”


    [Nomad]: “What did you do?”


    [Silas]: “Kyaghahahaha!”


    [Nomad]: “WHAT DID YOU DO?!”


    The area is no longer dry.


    [Silas]: “Heh, I’m no Blackwood. There’s no way they would even consider letting me go by myself. No, but if it’s her… well, that’s a different story.”


    The Nomad grabs his axe as he notices a presence. From the darkness, hovering towards Silas. Black and rose, her head strapped with a black bandage where a bouquet of deep red flowers housing a straw doll. Not a single part of her skin is visible. The nomad aims his axe towards her, “You’re the one who destroyed the barrier?” but she didn’t respond.


    [Nomad]: “You’ll pay for that.”


    She lifts her arm, pointing her finger up. Showing him what’s under the clouds, he turns to see countless number of ice shards aiming towards the settlement.


    [Nomad]: “No.”


    She shifts her finger down and they all rain down towards the settlement. The Nomad quickly turns toward the mage, charging at full speed.


    [Nomad]: “NO!”


    The mage swings her arm throwing water at the Nomad straight at the head. Allowing her to dodge his attack while he slices nothing as he crashes into the forest with a bubble cloaking his head. Trees upon trees falling as passes. The mage turns to Silas, approaching his wounded person.


    [Nomad]: “Heh, what took you so long.”


    His relieved voice reflects his emotion. He looks up to the hovering mage.


    [Silas]: “What, don’t think you can scold me just because you become his favorite, Cindy.”


    [Cindy]: “…”


    The wounds inflicted upon him by the nomad is not fatal, but the injuries are most definitely will hinder his ability to fight. One can say, that he is fragile enough that even the slightest touch can break him. Yet, Cindy lowered her upper body as she extended a hand. A slight gasp of relieve, Silas reaches to take her hand, but the one she’s taking is the spear he was using.


    [Silas]: “?”


    Inspecting it close.


    [Cindy]: “Are you telling me we’ve gone through all the trouble borrowing this from the treasury, and you still lose.”


    [Silas]: “Oh, come on. Give me a break.”


    As there are no longer trees falling, Cindy turns and drags whatever in that direction, pulling the unconscious nomad with the bubble still drowning him out of air.


    [Cindy]: “Finish him. I’ll round up the rest.”


    [Silas]: “Okay. Maybe look for a deadhead, any leads on a Nexus item is going to make Lerusagon comes begging for us to spill.”


    Cindy’s head turns slightly.


    [Silas]: “Whoops, my bad. I definitely did not say that. It was this guy. 100%.”


    Her attention returns to her original objective and she flies towards the settlement. With a sigh of relief, Silas takes his spear and looks at the nomad.


    [Silas]: “Fwooh, you were strong, Nomad.”