《Magicverse》


 Prologue: Jupiter

    Prologue: Jupiter


    ¡°Olympus, curse you.¡±


    The world around me is a blur, darkness shrouding just about everything in my cone of vision. Every corner of my body is pulsating with pain ¨C a new, otherworldly type of pain. It feels as if my


    Wringing through the hole, I pull myself up onto a nearby rock. Reaching into the pockets of my cloak, I take out my journal and pencil.


    ¡°You¡¯ll wish you hadn¡¯t messed with me,¡± I whisper, frantically writing as my vision worsens by the second. ¡°I may pass, but the enemies you¡¯ve made will end your ego-fueled reign. You¡¯ll regret everything, Jupiter, every-¡± A sharp, stinging pain recoils through my spine.  ¡°Shit¡­¡± My journal and pencil fall from my hands as my body stiffens up and collapses onto the floor. ¡°Not yet,¡± I whisper, as I feel my throat closing. I pull myself back up to the rock, pressing my palm tightly against my body as a Magic Circle engraves itself onto my chest.


    ¡°Time, time is all I need.¡±


    A frantic symphony of footsteps echo through the small hole I crawled through. I hold my breath, trying to keep my heartbeat as slow and steady as possible. It feels like the weight of the world is on my shoulders as my body starts to tremble in fear. Like prey to a predator, my heart jumps at the sound of a low-pitched growl on the other side of the hole. My instincts were telling me it was an Arcantalia ¨C the manufactured pet species of the Olympians, fueled by Magic and the fragile ego of the gods.  Normally, I¡¯d be well fit to take on just one. With my body struggling to hold itself up, however, I am in no condition for any fight. A bright, orange streak of light suddenly burrows through the hole. The Arcantalia emerges just a few feet in front of me, standing firmly on all fours, its appearance reminiscent of a lion with dull fur. Its mane was flared, coated in an aura that danced like flame. Our gazes would interlock as I remained completely still, hoping it would mistake me for a statue of some kind.


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    It pounces towards me with paws outstretched ¨C swiping its claw across my face. Adrenaline fuels me for what, I pray, is my final battle. As the creature lands on top of me, I reel my hand back and send a fist flying forward into its torso. With an audible grunt, it flies back and crashes into the wall of the cave.  I reach into my cloak and pull out the remains of my old, worn dagger, dried blood still coating the jagged edges. Jumping down from the rock, I bend my knees slightly to take a lower stance, holding the dagger steadily.


    ¡°Just how much prejudice have the gods embedded into you?¡±


    The Arcantalia stands up on all fours again, slightly dazed from my attack but still capable of fighting. Its jaw opens wide, an orange Magic Circle forming between its jaws. A beam of fire erupts from its mouth, hurling towards me like an arrow from a bow. With my head low, I slide underneath the fire and thrust my dagger into the creature¡¯s neck. A stream of blood squirts out, turning what¡¯s left of my tunic into a bloody red canvas. The Arcantalia retaliates, digging its sharp teeth into my shoulder. An ear-piercing scream escapes me as my vision is nearly gone. Even as the world turns dark, I held the dagger as tightly as I could ¨C dragging its serrated edges to rip through the creature¡¯s neck. I can hear my blade tearing through its muscle as blood pours down onto me like a river.


    Suddenly, it loosens its grip on me and I watch as the Arcantalia¡¯s body goes limp. I collapse down onto my back as the corpse drops down on top of me.


    With the little strength I had left, I rolled its dead body over to the side and lifted myself up. I place my hand on its torso, using a Magic Circle to siphon all the Magic Energy from its body before it fades. Though my body is still fragile, I have more than enough energy to complete the ritual.


    ¡°Count your days, Jupiter. My revenge will bear its fruit in my next life.¡±

 Chapter 1: Encounter

    <u><i><b>Chapter 1: Encounter</b></i></u>


    Wood from the carriage creaks and rattles while the horses gallop as fast as they can. Riding atop the horses were a pair of young men, their faces masked and their bodies cloaked in shining black leather. One of them reaches into their bag, scrambling for something.


    ¡°Hurry up!¡± the other one exclaimed, ¡°We¡¯re passing trails here!¡±


    ¡°Just shut up, I got it.¡± From the bag, he pulls out a large map, quickly using both hands to unfold it. He stares at the map in silence.


    ¡°Can you read?!¡± The other one exclaimed.


    ¡°Err¡­¡±


    ¡°Gimme that!¡± He reaches out to snatch the map, holding it out to take a look at it himself. ¡°Damn,¡± he mutters, ¡°we passed the turn. We¡¯re takin¡¯ a detour. Go, boys, go!¡±


    The horses start to gallop just a little bit faster, weaving between trees and leaping over rocks and rubble when possible. By now, the carriage was rattling violently, the nails and wood creaking as if the entire thing would collapse at any moment.


    One of the men gazes behind them, watching as a dark brown horse starts approaching them rapidly with the silhouette of a rider on top. ¡°Uhh, boss ¨C¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Company approachin¡¯!¡±


    The other one looks behind them, watching as the other horse was closing in on their carriage. Atop the dark brown horse is a young man with short messy brown hair, a brown tunic, and a vengeful glare in his amber eyes. Riding behind him was a young lady with luscious, long black hair, caramel skin, brown overalls, and a much more innocent gaze behind her navy eyes. Her arms were wrapped tightly around the man in front of her.


    ¡°It¡¯s Redville¡¯s guardian: Francis!¡± One of the men exclaimed. ¡°Looks like he brought one of his ladies with him. Forget the route, we need to shake them off!¡± Suddenly, their movements begin to change. The men command their horses to take each and every corner they see. Their turns were snappy, dodging from left to right frantically like a bug that can¡¯t find its way. The carriage, though fragile, managed to stay intact.


    After a couple of turns, one of the men looks behind him.


    ¡°They¡¯re gone,¡± he said, letting out a sigh of relief. The horses slow down to a trot, making their way over to a nearby ravine for a moment of respite. The two men drop down off of their horses, taking off their leather hats as they take a seat by the water.


    ¡°Boo.¡±


    One of them gets snatched by their collar from behind, pulling them up onto their feet. Before they could speak, a fist collided with their spine ¨C launching them forward into the river with a comedic splash.


    The other man jumps up to his feet and looks behind him. ¡°Francis!¡± He exclaimed, reaching into his cloak to pull out a dagger. ¡°Showing off to your pretty little lady, huh? Well, you¡¯re not catchin¡¯ me.¡±


    Francis scoffed, rolling up his sleeves. ¡°You¡¯re crazy if you think that¡¯s my girlfriend. Let¡¯s see¡­ you¡¯re like, half my age, right Maru?¡± Francis glanced over his shoulder to take a look at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m older than you,¡± she said, chuckling lightly. ¡°Chasing bandits all day must¡¯ve gotten to your head.¡±


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    ¡°Riiight.¡±


    The man with the knife rushes towards Francis, swinging frantically towards the boy¡¯s neck. Francis effortlessly weaves each strike, grabbing the assailant¡¯s wrist to stop his assault, before counterattacking with his own flurry of strikes. Like a butterfly, Francis¡¯ jabs were swift and floaty, yet they carried the weight of a bull behind them.


    After just two jabs to the chest, the man was already stumbling back.


    ¡°Had enough yet?¡± Francis asked, a slight smirk on his face as he lowered his fighting stance. Falling to one knee, the man didn¡¯t say anything ¨C instead panting as he dropped his dagger.


    ¡°Francis watch out!¡±


    Francis looked over his shoulder to see the other bandit jumping up from the river and lunging towards him with a dagger in hand. Maru rushes towards him, bashing her shoulder into the bandit and knocking him back.


    The dagger falls out of his hand and he stumbles a bit before rushing back at Maru. Once the distance is closed, he starts throwing hefty punches at her while pressing his feet firmly into the ground. Maru puts her arms up to block, but it becomes shaky after she takes the first hit, it feels like her arms are about to break.


    With her defense weakened, she switches from blocking to dodging. Her smaller size allowed her to duck and weave through a few of the bandit¡¯s punches as she got closer. Once they were finally face-to-face, she ducks under his right hook, pulling her fist back and jamming it into his chest.


    The bandit¡¯s entire body immediately freezes up from shock as the wind is knocked out of him. Gasping for air and clenching his chest tightly, he collapses to the ground.


    Maru winces, rubbing her arm slowly. ¡°You alright?¡± Francis called out.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she mutters, ¡°punching him just hurt a lot more than I thought it would.¡±


    ¡°You did pretty good though!¡± Francis walks over to Maru, gesturing for the two of them to make their way over to the carriage.


    ¡°Your form is decent and you¡¯re pretty nimble. We need to build your body up though. You''re a pretty durable girl, but you can¡¯t be scared to throw a punch.¡±


    They stand in front of the carriage, Maru taking a step forward to open it. As the wooden doors creak and swing open, piles of bread and vegetables tumble out from the carriage like an avalanche. Maru jumps back, barely avoiding getting toppled. ¡°So they¡¯re the ones that stole the harvest this week,¡± she gasped, crossing her arms.


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯re related to the bandits that took the crops last time?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t be. The other bandits are very coordinated and wouldn¡¯t put together something half assed like this. This might just be a one-off.¡±


    ¡°Good point,¡± Francis said, ¡°but at least we managed to catch these guys. Now, how are we supposed to take this harvest back to the village?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know. This carriage isn¡¯t sturdy enough for us to take it back.¡± Maru sighs, ¡°where¡¯s Tianyu when you need him?¡±


    A gust of wind, a flash of light, and a soft shock-wave knocks the two of them off of their feet from behind. Francis and Maru both stumble forward, barely able to stop themselves from falling over before looking over their shoulders.


    The bandit that Francis fought was back onto his feet. Standing tall and mighty, he was shrouded by a dense cyan aura, rippling like the waves. There was a vicious current of wind surrounding him, the water from the river beginning to swirl and swivel in the air like a tornado. The maelstrom grows in strength by the second,  wind currents becoming stronger and the aura surrounding him growing larger.


    Maru squints, noticing a cyan glow radiating from behind the bandit.  Peering through the ravaging winds and waves, she noticed a faint outline from behind the man. An intricate circle with a pattern of rings engraved with runes of the Arcanian language between them. As soon as she notices it ¨C her eyes widen.


    ¡°...A Magic Circle?¡±

 Chapter 2: Maelstrom

    <u><i><b>Chapter 2: Maelstrom</b></i></u>


    Maru stared at the maelstrom with her eyes wide and gleaming. She¡¯s seen Magic plenty of times before, yet everytime she sees it she can¡¯t help but be amazed. Part of her was a little envious too. It was a power she longed for every day, and it was practically a requirement if she wanted to achieve her dream of becoming an Adventurer.


    A soft smile appears on her face. Despite the bandit being her enemy, the fact he possessed Magic was enough for Maru to want to compliment him.


    <i>¡°So cool¡­¡± </i>she thought, staring with awe.


    Francis snaps his fingers in front of her eyes, breaking the trance. ¡°There you go again,¡± he lectured. ¡°On your feet, he¡¯ll attack at any second.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right,¡± Maru whispered, jumping up onto her feet while taking a deep breath. Side-by-side with Francis, she remained stationary while waiting for the bandit to attack first.


    The bandit clenched his fist tightly, reeling his arm back as the winds surrounding him started to concentrate around it. He takes one step forward, throwing his fist in Maru¡¯s direction at the same time. The wind surrounding his arm launches towards her, rippling through the air like a violent rushing river. Maru and Francis both dodge to the side in opposite directions, narrowly avoiding the attack. The winds collide with the carriage behind them, cutting through the rotten wood and ripping out the nails with ease. Vegetables, bread, and wood all crumble to the ground, shrouded by dust kicked up by the wind.


    ¡°Holy Jupiter¡­¡± Maru muttered. Looking around, her vision is shrouded by the dense cloud of dust. She immediately becomes wary, her eyes darting from left to right to try and determine her position. She¡¯s lost sight of both the bandit and Francis.


    ¡°Francis!?¡± She calls out, hoping to get a response.


    ¡°Over here!¡±


    ¡°Coming!¡±


    Maru starts to sprint in his direction. After only two steps, however, rushing winds break through the dust cloud from her left side. The strong currents lift her off the ground, throw her into the air, and send her hurling into a nearby tree. Tumbling down, she slams into the ground after falling just a few feet. Most of her body was throbbing in pain, her muscles tightening and restricting her like shackles ¨C violent cramps that prevented her from moving.


    Maru was down for a moment, but not out. After just a few seconds, she was back on her feet, albeit her body shaky and somewhat fragile. <i>¡°I¡¯ve felt worse,¡± </i>she thought to herself, <i>¡°but I still need to be careful.¡±</i>


    From in front of her, she felt that same aura from before. Its presence was undeniable, a relentless storm with a hint of bloodlust. A strong breeze pushes the dust aside as the bandit stands about two dozen feet away from her.


    ¡°Not so cocky now are you, pretty lady?¡± He taunted, a smug expression on his face. ¡°I thought you were a little different, but you Redville folk aren¡¯t much without Francis. You all flock to him when trouble comes.¡±


    Maru bites her tongue as adrenaline rushes throughout her body again. Normally, she wouldn¡¯t be scared of a bandit, but this one had Magic.


    ¡°...I can fight too!¡± She said, but Maru was doubtful of her own words. Truthfully, a regular person couldn¡¯t compete with a Mage even in their dreams, and Maru knew this. Still, she wasn¡¯t going to surrender here, not when people relied on her and Francis back at home.


    ¡°Really?¡± The bandit asked somewhat rhetorically, ¡°Those half-assed punches tell me otherwise.¡±


    With a blur, the bandit was suddenly in front of her, his fist already clenched tightly. His movement was near instantaneous, almost like he teleported using his winds. Maru moves her head to the side, narrowly avoiding the punch. She immediately counterattacks with two jabs to his chest. With how weakened her body was, however, they didn¡¯t do much.


    The bandit barely flinches, instead holding his hand out towards her. A cyan Magic Circle manifests and rapidly expands from his palm. Maru remains still, staring as if she is ready to accept her fate.


    ¡°Any last words?¡± The bandit asked, being more direct this time, ¡°I¡¯ll write it on your gravestone.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you.¡±


    From behind, Francis rams his fist into the side of the bandit¡¯s head, sending him flying as if he were weightless. He twirls in the air before landing with a loud thud as he tumbles along the ground, crashing into the trunk of a tree.


    ¡°You alright?¡± Francis looks over at Maru, ruffling her hair a little bit with a smile on his face. Maru looks back up at him, nodding softly. A large white Magic Circle was on Francis¡¯ back, strong currents of wind surrounding him.


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    ¡°Mages don¡¯t go down easy,¡± he said, ¡°one punch won¡¯t be enough. We¡¯ll have to hit him a couple times.¡±


    ¡°Will I even be able to hit him? He moves so fast¡­¡±


    ¡°Normally, you¡¯d be too slow, but you have me don¡¯t you?¡± Francis puts his hand on Maru¡¯s shoulder. Streams of wind would start to slowly envelop Maru, and she felt much lighter and nimble than before.


    ¡°Woah,¡± she says, somewhat appalled, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could share Magic.¡±


    She throws a few jabs in the air accompanied by a few short hops. Whatever Francis did ¨C it made her body feel weightless like a bird¡¯s feather.


    ¡°Eh, it¡¯s not really sharing. I¡¯ll explain it to you once we¡¯re done with this guy.¡±


    ¡°If Tianyu were here, he could flick his finger and this guy would be dead¡­¡±


    ¡°...Yeah, well, Tianyu isn¡¯t here so we¡¯re going to have to deal with this on our own.¡±


    A burst of wind erupts from a distance as the bandit reappears right in front of Maru, throwing a punch aimed right at her face. ¡°Fuck you too!¡± He exclaims.


    Miraculously, she dashes back almost instantly, appearing as just a blur as she avoids the attack. The two of them stand still, equally amazed.


    ¡°The hell?¡± The bandit muttered, ¡°since when did you¨C¡±


    Francis takes the opportunity, lunging towards the bandit and shoulder bashing him to break his stance. Then, he unleashes a flurry of relentless punches, ending the assault with a devastating kick. A few of them land, but the bandit breaks his assault by catching Francis¡¯ leg, grasping it tightly with both hands. The bandit spins to gain some momentum before throwing Francis towards a nearby tree.


    Maru immediately rushes in afterward, denying the bandit even a second of respite. Her first two jabs to his face cut through the air, the sharp winds leaving shallow cuts across his cheeks. As his head recoils back, Maru continues her assault, hitting him in the sternum with three hefty punches.


    ¡°Not so tough now, are you?!¡± She exclaimed, biting her lip while trying not to show any signs of pain. Each one of her punches made her body feel like it was about to shatter due to her improper form, but she wouldn¡¯t falter here, not when she was this close to proving herself to be worth something.


    As she throws a fourth punch, her fist pauses mid-air. The bandit¡¯s body goes limp and he falls forward, collapsing onto her. As she falls onto the ground with him, she catches a brief glimpse of life fading from his eyes. Her heart immediately sinks as it fills with sorrow.


    <i>¡°He tried to hurt you,¡± </i>she thought to herself, <i>¡°don¡¯t feel bad.¡±</i> Maru pushes his body aside, rolling over and picking herself up. As she stands, the wind surrounding her starts to fade along with the mobility it granted her.


    Francis walks up to her from behind, giving her a gentle pat on the back.


    ¡°Hey! You did it,¡± he said while smiling.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for your Magic though, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to.¡± Maru sighs, crossing her arms while she looks down at the bandit.


    ¡°I hope he¡¯s not dead,¡± she muttered, not really wanting Francis to hear. The bandit seemed to still be breathing, but he wasn¡¯t really moving. He was likely just unconscious, and that¡¯s what she was hoping for.


    ¡°Cheer up! One day, you¡¯ll get your own Magic, just like me.¡±


    <i>¡°In my dreams, maybe,¡±</i> Maru thought to herself.


    Francis always had faith in her, but one of the things she never believed she would get was Magic. Francis has lived with his Magic for his entire life, and Maru was well past the age that someone would normally acquire it. She always thought she would get lucky, but twenty years have passed since she¡¯s started dreaming and she¡¯s about as regular as anyone can get.


    She couldn¡¯t help but be envious of Francis most of the time. He complimented her a lot, but what¡¯s a compliment compared to having Magic?


    ¡°...One day¡­¡± Maru¡¯s voice is weak and shaky. The adrenaline begins to fade and her body succumbs to her trauma and injuries. She loses her balance and begins to stumble. Francis rushes forward to catch her, but his arms fall short as she lands within the soft hands of someone else.


    Maru blinks as her vision readjusts. Looking up, her gaze meets a young man with eyes as majestic as the sea. With his pale skin and messy dark hair ¨C she¡¯d recognize him anywhere. He looks down at her, a soft smile on his face. ¡°Maru?¡± He asks, checking to see if she is still conscious.


    ¡°Tianyu!¡± She exclaims, a bright smile appearing on her face. Tianyu helps Maru back to her feet slowly.


    ¡°Where have you been man?¡± Francis asked while crossing his arms, ¡°Maru and I spent the whole day busting our ass to try and catch these guys.¡±


    ¡°Today is the first Terra, you know we meditate on the first day of every new year. I was helping the chieftain prepare for the ceremony later tonight.¡±


    ¡°We should probably get back to the village then,¡± Maru said. Francis whistles loudly as his horse comes galloping towards them from a distance. ¡°Let¡¯s round up these bandits, the stolen crops, and take them back to the village. Maru¡¯s pretty roughed up, so you¡¯ll have to carry her.¡±


    ¡°Carry?¡± Tianyu asks, taken aback, ¡°Have you forgotten what I¡¯m capable of?¡± Tianyu gently presses his palm against Maru¡¯s back, a sea-colored Magic Circle appearing on the back of his hand. Veins of Magic Energy would start to travel throughout Maru¡¯s body, glowing a dark blue color as the pain starts to subside. Her once aching body now feels rejuvenated.


    ¡°Woah!¡± Maru exclaimed, ¡°you could do that?!¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Tianyu said softly, ¡°though you are not fully healed. Your body is simply in the process of healing. I sped up this process and numbed the pain. You still need proper rest to fully recover.¡±


    ¡°Okay, show-off.¡± Francis said, chuckling. ¡°Let¡¯s take this stuff back and get to the ceremony.¡±

 Chapter 3: Thalassism

    <b><u><i>Chapter 3: Thalassism</i></u></b>


    The sun sets behind the silhouette of Redville¡¯s northern mountains. Plants and animals bask in the receding sunlight, all while Francis, Maru, and Tianyu make their way back to the village.


    At the gate, the villagers watch as the trio enters. Maru and Francis carried the torn and ragged wood that was left behind by the carriage, while Tianyu used his Magic to create a water bubble around the vegetables that followed him closely. He held the bread gently in his arms, like a parent cradling their newborn baby.


    As they walked into the village, bystanders cheered and rejoiced. The trio would smile and wave back. A few villagers would run up to them and ask for food, but the group politely declined.


    ¡°No can-do,¡± Maru said, ¡°we have to take them to the chieftain¡¯s abode. He¡¯ll distribute them to the village afterwards.¡±


    After weaving through the village and climbing a moderately steep hill, the group arrives at the chieftain¡¯s hut. It was nearly twice the size of the average hut in the village, crafted with stone that was carved from the northern mountains rather than wood. Attached to the side of the hut was a small fenced area for the chieftain¡¯s horses. Redville¡¯s national flag ¨C a white insignia of a mountain surrounded by bird feathers ¨C was scattered in a few places around the property. It was most notably attached to a wooden balcony that overlooked the village, which also doubled as a place where the chieftain could perform announcements.


    Maru leans the wood against the house to free her hands. She walks up to the wooden door and knocks gently. Silence follows, leading her to knock again. Silence follows. She knocks one more time, albeit a bit harder.


    ¡°Is he even home?¡± Francis asked.


    Tianyu leans to peek into the home through one of the windows. ¡°The darkness stares back at me ¨C no one seems to be home.¡±


    ¡°Chieftain Reoh?¡± Maru calls out, knocking one more time.


    Tianyu closes his eyes briefly, a wave of Magic Energy washing over the area. Francis and Maru feel a chill run through their spine as Tianyu opens his eyes again. ¡°Someone is inside,¡± he said, ¡°though it doesn¡¯t look like Mr. Reoh ¡ª not with a cloak that dense.¡±


    Francis takes a few steps over to the side of the house, noticing a broken window. ¡°Judging by this window here¡­ I think somebody might¡¯ve broken in.¡± He leans his pile of wood against the house, dusting his hands off afterwards.


    ¡°What are we waiting for then? Let¡¯s go!¡± Maru said, quickly grasping the door handle.


    Tianyu reaches out to grab her, ¡°Maru wait¨C¡±


    Maru swings the door wide open, taking a step inside as she is immediately met with a chilling breeze and darkness. The home was barely illuminated through the windows by the dim light from the setting sun. Dust would shroud the home like an eerie mist, causing the group to cough lightly as they all stepped inside. They all looked around the room in unison. Drawers were left open, furniture was ripped open and torn, and some wooden floorboards were lifted up and ripped in half. A candle was lit in the corner of the room, illuminating a square hole with a ladder that led down into its depths.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see them,¡± Maru said, turning back to face Tianyu. ¡°Are you sure there was someone in here?¡±


    Tianyu nods, closing his eyes again as another wave of Magic Energy basks the area. ¡°They¡¯ve moved,¡± he said, opening his eyes slowly, ¡°they are beneath us now.¡±


    ¡°Beneath..?¡± Francis muttered.


    They all look at the square hole in the corner in unison. With wary steps, they all make their way over and peek down into the hole. They are met with mostly darkness, as the light from the candle was only enough to illuminate the ladder.


    ¡°Who¡¯s first?¡± Francis asked.


    Saying nothing, Maru grabbed the ladder gently and started to make her way down. Tianyu and Francis both followed closely behind her.


    Reaching the bottom, they were met with a short and narrow corridor that led into a basement-like area. They could hear someone rummaging through the place.


    Peeking around the corner, Maru sees someone crouched down. They had long, brown hair, tied neatly into a ponytail ¨C but the rest of their body was shrouded in a large black cloak.


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    They stop briefly, looking over their shoulder to catch a glance at Maru before they stand upright and turn around. Maru jumps back, startled as she raises her fists in a fighting stance. Francis jumps out in front of Maru, taking on a fighting stance of his own ¨C but it quickly lowers.


    ¡°Chief?¡± He said, somewhat appalled. Reoh¡¯s attire was a bit different than usual, he was never the type to wear hefty cloaks.


    ¡°Well, well, well, I didn¡¯t expect to see you kids back here so soon!¡± Reoh turns to face them fully, revealing his oak brown eyes and caramel skin, with a bright smile appearing on his face as he speaks.


    Maru sighs heavily, ¡°you know somebody broke into your house, right? We were knocking on the door and you weren¡¯t answering.¡±


    ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t hear you knocking. I¡¯ve been home all day too ¨C I don¡¯t recall anyone breaking in.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Francis asked, with a bit of doubt in his voice, ¡°the window was broken, the furniture was torn, the drawers and cabinets were open ¨C somebody was going through your stuff.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh,¡± the chieftain smiles innocently and chuckles to himself. ¡°That was me ¨C I was looking for the amulet for the ceremony. Couldn¡¯t find the damn thing so I started tearing up the house to look for it. I found it though, it was down here!¡± He holds out the amulet that he found in a basket. It was a navy blue crystal surrounded by silver string ¨C woven in the shape of a flower.


    ¡°...Well, at least somebody didn¡¯t actually break into your house. We managed to take down the bandits that took the harvest. We also recovered the food and brought back some wood with us for building.¡± Maru points over towards Tianyu, who was still holding the vegetables.


    ¡°I recommend we use these for the ceremony,¡± Tianyu said, ¡°these vegetables will only last a few more days.¡±


    Reoh nods affirmatively, ¡°Will do. I¡¯m a little behind schedule today, so I need you kids to help me prepare for the ceremony. I haven¡¯t even started decorating yet!¡±


    He frantically gestures for them to follow him out of the basement area. Tianyu and Francis follow him, but Maru stands still for a moment, peering deeper into the basement. She notices a door with a dim purple light piercing through its cracks. Quietly, she makes her way over to the door with light, gentle steps. L:ooking up and down at the door, there was some sort of locking mechanism attached to it ¨C but it was left unlocked. From the other side of the door, she hears faint whispering and subtle chatter. Grabbing the handle gently, Maru slowly pushes the door open, attempting to peer inside.


    ¡°Nuh-uh,¡± someone suddenly grabs the collar of her shirt, pulling her back and away from the door. ¡°No snooping around,¡± Chieftain Reoh said as he pulled her away, stepping in front of Maru to close and lock the door.


    Maru wanted to ask questions, but she figured now was not the time. She shouldn¡¯t be snooping around in other people¡¯s homes anyway.


    A few hours pass, and the group manages to decorate most of the village in preparation for the Ceremony. The streets were lined with lanterns, illuminating the village with a blue glow reminiscent of the sea. Sea shells hung from lanterns and homes ¨C attached by silver string. Most of the stores and other locations were closed, instead lighting dim candles inside their buildings as part of the ceremony. As the moon would slowly appear overhead, the villagers would rush out of their homes wearing stylish robes, engraved with all types of floral and aquatic designs in various shades of blue, purple, and green.


    As everyone gathered in the courtyard in front of the chieftain¡¯s hut, the area was basked with moonlight reflecting off of the ocean. Hushed chatter and banter filled the air until Chieftain Reoh approached the balcony, looking down at the crowd with a smile on his face as he waited for everyone to quiet down.


    ¡°Greetings, my people. I see we have quite the crowd today. Some young, others old; but today is not a day that we let age define who we are. Whether you were born yesterday or born ninety years ago ¨C there is something that connects us all as Arcanian-kind.¡±


    He reaches down and grabs something from his belt. Reoh holds a dreamcatcher high into the air, decorated with blue crystals and gray feathers; the strings woven into the shape of a flower.


    ¡°Dreams,¡± he cheered, ¡°we are connected by our desire for a brighter future, solidarity, and prosperity for our kind. While our individual goals and dreams may differ, the desire to chase and achieve them brings unity and love to this land. It is for that very reason that we are gathered here today. A new year is not a tally on the countdown to your death ¨C a new year is a step forward, a milestone in time towards your dream.¡±


    Reoh looks up, dangling the dreamcatcher over the edge of the balcony. ¡°Bring your hands together and empty your mind. As the moon graces us with its lunar presence tonight, then let your mind be filled with your grandest dreams and let them flow with the tides themselves and be strengthened by the sea. Envision yourself with all your goals accomplished. Show the sea who you want to be, and it will show you who you will become.¡±


    Silence ensues as moonlight dawns over the courtyard. Everyone takes a deep breath, closing their eyes and clasping their hands together. Their deepest thoughts and desires would start to fill their minds. Many wished for obvious things, such as love, money, power, and knowledge. Some were generic or vague, others exotic and specific.


    Maru closed her eyes, her mind blank for a bit longer than usual compared to past ceremonies. For most of her life, she struggled to create a semblance of a dream. Every ceremony, her thoughts were fragmented, but never whole. This time, however, she felt it finally coming together. A vision of who she wanted to be ¨C not who others expected her to be. She may have been smart, curious, courageous, a little hard-headed; but there was something she wanted that nobody else could have predicted. The sea graces her with a vision.


    A gentle, chilling breeze brushes against her cheek. She stood atop a mountain, overlooking the world.

 Chapter 4: Family

    <u><i><b>Chapter 4: Family</b></i></u>


    The next day, with the sun gleaming overhead, the trio ascends up a small hill. Resting atop the hill was a small wooden house, carved from light spruce wood. It overlooked the shopping district in the village, with the wonderful sight of Redville''s mountains in the far east. A few chairs were still outside, surrounding the remnants of an old campfire, the firewood charred a light grey from the long extinguished flames.


    Maru looks at the house up and down as she lets out a sigh of relief. ¡°Feels good to be home,¡± she says, turning back around to look at Francis and Tianyu. The three of them were all extremely tired after helping the chieftain clean up after the ceremony. ¡°I guess this is goodbye for now, yeah?¡±


    They both nod. ¡°Yes,¡± Tianyu says, ¡°we will rendezvous after a few days of respite to head to the mountains.¡±


    ¡°Make sure you get some proper rest, girl!¡± Francis smiled and gave Maru gentle pats on the shoulder. ¡°I know you like training and all, but rest is just as important. Take a few days off this time.¡±


    ¡°I will, I will. Mama will take good care of me ¨C she¡¯d scold me if I tried to do any training while I¡¯m injured like this.¡±


    ¡°You better not ¨C or I¡¯ll scold you too. Take care now.¡± Francis smiles and waves at Maru as he and Tianyu turn around to take their leave.


    Turning back to face the door of her humble home, Maru gently turns the handle and eases into the living room. ¡°I¡¯m home!¡± She says, looking around. The living room was empty, the silence only occasionally broken by a gust of wind rushing through the singular open window to her right side. A small couch was against the wall to her left, a little old and crusty, with a table just a few feet in front of it.


    Maru peers past the couch and deeper into the house. Over by the kitchen counter, a tall middle-aged woman with curly black hair and a dark complexion looked back at her with a smile. ¡°Hi honey,¡± she said, greeting Maru with a smile, ¡°how was your little adventure?¡±


    ¡°Hi Mama! It went well. We got into a fight with some bandits. Fra-¡±


    ¡°A fight?!¡± Her mother said, appalled. Immediately, she drops her utensils into the sink and rushes over to Maru, placing both hands on her shoulders and softly gazing into her eyes. ¡°Are you okay? Are you hurt? Let me see your hands sweetie,¡± she reaches down and gently holds Maru¡¯s hands in her own.


    ¡°Mama¡­ I¡¯m alright.¡± Maru pulls her hands away and wraps her arms around her mother gently for a warm hug.


    Her mother sighs, returning the hug. ¡°Make sure you stop getting into so many fights,¡± she whispers, ¡°I can¡¯t have my baby getting roughed up so much¡­¡±


    ¡°Let her live a little,¡± a deep, husky voice bellows out from one of the rooms across from the kitchen. A tall and muscular figure with a dense beard and brown skin steps out from one of the rooms with a heartwarming smile. ¡°It¡¯s what she wants in life. What kid do you know that doesn¡¯t dream of becoming an Adventurer?¡±


    ¡°Hi dad!¡± Maru smiles and waves at him as her father waves back.


    Her mother looks over at him, ¡°but it¡¯s dangerous¡­¡±


    ¡°My job is dangerous too ¨C and you let me get away with it!¡± He chuckles to himself, looking over at Maru afterwards. ¡°You just have to trust her, I know she can do it. Besides, adventuring isn¡¯t all about fighting. She¡¯ll get to go out and see the world!¡±


    ¡°...As long as she promises to come back and see us every now and then!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll always come back to see you,¡± Maru said enthusiastically, ¡°and I¡¯ll bring all my friends to come see you too.¡±


    ¡°Attagirl,¡± her father said, giving her some hefty pats on the pack. ¡°Speaking of, I wanted to give you something, Maru.¡± He steps back into the bedroom for a moment, rummaging through some drawers as he steps back out. In his hands was a large black cabbie hat, its color slightly faded.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Maru¡¯s mother gasps quietly, ¡°You found it? After all these years?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. I found your mother¡¯s old cabbie,¡± he said while dusting it off. ¡°She used to wear it a lot when she was your age.¡± Walking over to Maru, he places the hat onto her head. It was a little oversized, but didn¡¯t fall off.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little big,¡± he said, ¡°but it¡¯ll fit when you grow your hair out a little. It¡¯s yours now, something to take with you on all your adventures so that you remember us.¡±


    Maru straightens the hat with a warm smile on her face. ¡°Thank you, dad.¡±


    <hr>


    A few days pass and Maru is well-rested. She spent most of her time at home in her room, writing in her journal and doodling away.


    She¡¯s woken from her nap at the sound of someone knocking on the door. Maru springs up out of her bed, walking out of her room and over to the front door. As she opens it, two familiar faces greet her with a smile.


    ¡°Hey Maru!¡± Francis generously waved as Tianyu nodded his head. ¡°Did you have a good break over the past few days?¡±


    ¡°Mhm,¡± she said while nodding, ¡°I spent some much needed time with my family, helping them cook and clean.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a wonderful hat,¡± Tianyu said, ¡°where did you get it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s my mother¡¯s old cabbie hat. My dad gave it to me. It¡¯s actually quite old and a little faded, but that doesn¡¯t bother me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so you can remember them, aye? I understand.¡± Francis gestures for the two to follow him as he starts to make his way down the hill. ¡°C¡¯mon, we need to hurry up to the mountains now. I got up late, so we¡¯re a little behind schedule.¡±


    Harsh and frosty winds send chills across their bodies as the trio makes their way into Redville¡¯s mountain range. Redville was a mostly tropical climate, so Maru was unprepared for the harsh weather conditions at the higher parts of the mountains. ¡°I¡¯ve never been up this high before,¡± she mutters, crossing her arms and hugging herself to stay warm. If she¡¯d known they were going this high up, she would¡¯ve at least worn a shirt with long sleeves.


    ¡°You guys aren¡¯t c-cold?¡± She asks, her teeth chattering.


    Tianyu was wearing his lengthy navy robes like usual ¨C they were likely dense enough to shield him from the chilling breeze. Francis, on the other hand, wore brown overalls that were similar to Maru¡¯s. His arms were completely exposed, yet he didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by the cold at all.


    ¡°You get used to it,¡± he says confidently, ¡°I come up here every now and then. It¡¯s quite nice actually. I thought you were a mountain climber, Maru. This cold new to you?¡±


    ¡°...It gets a little chilly, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s ever gotten as cold as this.¡±


    Tianyu looks over his shoulder at Maru. ¡°I think you should make a pilgrimage to the peak of the mountain every now and then, both of you. Respite and reflection is an important part of our culture, and the gracefulness of a mountain summit is perfect for that.¡±


    ¡°Uh, sure,¡± Francis scoffs quietly, ¡°once we put a definite stop to these bandits ransacking our home, then we can get to meditating or whatever.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Maru interjects, ¡°what were we looking for again?¡±


    ¡°This.¡± Tianyu said, putting his hand up as a gesture for the two of them to stop behind him. The trail they were following suddenly branches off to the left, leading into a small cave-like opening in the mountain that was covered partially by snow. ¡°Chieftain Reoh went to capture and interrogate the bandits we subdued a few days ago. While searching their belongings, he found a map that had directions to this location. Not only that, but a few villagers spotted hooded figures going into this cave, and they just so happened to look very familiar to the bandits we see taking our crops every week.¡±


    ¡°Can you use your magic-sensing thing to see if anyone is in there?¡± Maru asked.


    Tianyu briefly closes his eyes, ¡°there¡¯s a barrier,¡± he says as he opens them, ¡°and it¡¯s far from a novice spell. It¡¯s dense and reinforced.¡±


    Maru takes a few steps past Tianyu and heads towards the cave. Squinting her eyes, she couldn¡¯t see anything except darkness inside. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s magical,¡± Tianyu said. ¡°It¡¯s not meant to physically keep you out, but rather to block mages such as Francis and I from taking a look inside. Whoever cast this barrier is experienced, and they¡¯re likely hiding more than just stolen crops.¡±


    ¡°You can turn back if you want to, Maru.¡± Francis looks at her, his gaze becoming soft.


    Maru looks back over at Tianyu and Francis, a hint of fear in her eyes. Yet, behind that fear was a determined and courageous spark that was ripe with curiosity. If she truly wanted to become an Adventurer, venturing into the depths of the dangerous and unknown would become a commodity. Deep down, she was scared, but she wouldn¡¯t let fear hold her back.


    ¡°She¡¯s not turning around,¡± Francis said, a smile appearing across his face.


    Tianyu nods gently, marching past Maru and into the cave. ¡°Neither are we.¡±

 Chapter 5: Mountains

    <u><i><b>Chapter 5: Mountain</b></i></u>


    Footsteps echo throughout the cavern, accompanied by the occasional ghastly breeze washing through. It was already cold outside, but the inside of the cave was even colder. Even Francis, although used to the cold, began to shiver.


    ¡°Would¡¯ve brought my j-jacket if I knew it was gonna be freezing in this place too,¡± he said, rubbing his hands together to generate some heat.


    ¡°I see why t-those guys always wear r-robes,¡± Maru said, hugging herself tightly still, ¡°it¡¯s like we walked into a freezer!¡±


    Francis looked over at Tianyu. ¡°You sure you don¡¯t have an extra p-pair of robes on you?¡±


    Tianyu remained silent for a moment. ¡°Do you feel that, Francis?¡± It was as if he dodged the question.


    ¡°Feel what? The air? No s-shit, I¡¯m freezing!¡±


    ¡°No, this feeling in the air. It¡¯s¡­ dense. Like the weight of the mountain is being pressed onto my shoulders.¡± Tianyu remained still before extending his hand out and creating a blue Magic Circle in his palm. The Magic Energy from it would cast a dim light source amidst the darkness ahead of them. ¡°It gets stronger with every inch.¡±


    Francis raises an eyebrow. ¡°I t-thought that was just me being c-cold.¡±


    ¡°We are getting close to something, tread carefully you two, and stay close behind me.¡±


    They take a few steps closer to Tianyu, Maru holding onto the back of Tianyu¡¯s robe tightly as the group moves forward in unison.


    Over the course of a few minutes, they wandered throughout the cave and came across various rooms. Many of the rooms they found were filled with leather sacks, stuffed with crops covered in dirt and mold. Others were seemingly under construction, old minecarts and pickaxes left behind on the floors.


    As they venture deeper, the temperature starts to suddenly shift. The air becomes warm and humid, causing the three of them to start sweating. Not only that, but the eerie ¡®feeling¡¯ in the air that Tianyu spoke of became even stronger. So strong, in fact, that even Maru began to feel it despite the presumed magical origin.


    Purple banners began to line the sides of the cave, upheld by wooden poles hammered into the rocky walls. The banners were engraved with a golden star, a golden eye etched inside said star. Although they were stagnant, Maru felt like they were following her.


    ¡°I feel like it¡¯s watching me,¡± Maru said, her voice shaky.


    Francis stares at one of the banners, getting a similar feeling. Staring into the golden eye, it felt as if something was looking back at him ¨C something he couldn¡¯t understand nor describe.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to think these guys aren¡¯t just bandits,¡± he whispered, as if trying not to disturb whatever was watching him.


    The three of them come to a stop once they see a dim purple light piercing through the darkness ahead. Inside the wall of the cave was a wooden door made out of rotten oak. It was left slightly open, with the purple light coming from the other side.


    ¡°Is that where it¡¯s coming from?¡± Maru whispered, noting that the setup was scarily similar to what she saw in the Chieftain¡¯s basement. Part of her thought there was a correlation between them, but she figured it was best to deny it.


    ¡°Most likely,¡± Tianyu said, gesturing for the two of them to remain still as he takes a few steps closer to the door.


    Tianyu avoids peeking inside, instead standing beside the door and moving one ear closer to it. From the other side, he hears a group of people whispering. He can¡¯t quite make out what they¡¯re saying, but the language itself is familiar.


    ¡°You are foolish creatures.¡± A bellowing voice echoes through the room, standing out among the other, higher pitched voices. ¡°I leave you alone for mere minutes, and you reduce yourselves to cattle with your pointless banter.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Gon!¡± A distinct and high pitched voice is heard relatively close to the door.


    ¡°You do not call me Lord,¡± Gon quickly retorted, as heavy footsteps made their way over by the door. ¡°I am not as feeble as you, but do you consider me to be as mighty as the god you swore to worship?¡±


    The other person is silent.


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°...Deva¡­¡±


    Tianyu, Francis, and Maru all peek their heads through the door. Standing just a few feet away from the it was a tall, incredibly muscular figure that towered over everyone else in the room. His skin was a light caramel color, his shirtless chest covered in massive scars that told tales of ferocious battles. Long brown hair covered his backside, perfectly matching his baggy leather pants and the brown feathers on his head ¨C held together by bones in the shape of a crown. The three of them could feel something incredibly powerful radiating from him, instilling fear. Judging by presence alone, he was most likely Gon.


    Standing in front of Gon was a much smaller figure, their entire body and face covered by black robes.


    Gon looked down at Deva. ¡°Deva,¡± he said, sighing afterwards, ¡°you will be an example.¡± Suddenly, Gon wraps his hand around Deva¡¯s hand, lifting their entire body up. Their feet began to dangle in the air, kicking around frantically after a couple of seconds as they tried to free themselves. Deva¡¯s hands grasp Gon¡¯s fingertips, clawing at them with their nails like an animal held captive. ¡°You mistake me to be as high as the mighty Shiva, when I am simply the incarnation of his unending power. I am part of him ¨C but not his equal.¡±


    Deva lets out a guttural screech, still frantically clawing at Gon¡¯s hand with their nails while they beg for mercy. Their nails dig deep into his skin, tearing its upper layers as Gon lightly bleeds


    ¡°Release me Gon, I beg of you!¡± Deva pleaded, ¡°I¡¯ve done so much to honor thee ¨C my dispense will be wasteful!¡± Tears start to drip down the sides of their face, drenching the robes draped over their head. The transparent tears turn into streams of blood as Gon slowly starts to crush their skull, blood oozing from their pores.


    ¡°For your sin,¡± Gon continues, ¡°you will be given the sweetest relief.¡±


    Deva lets out an ear-piercing screech as Gon completely crushes their head. The rest of their body drops to the floor, blood pooling from it like a river. Gon opens his hand, as the remains of Deva¡¯s skull and brain drip down from his fingertips. ¡°May he have mercy on your soul, Deva.¡±


    Almost immediately, Deva¡¯s body begins to rot and decay. The corpse is quickly surrounded by some of the other cultists in the room. They pick up the body in unison and carry it away, their movements eerily coordinated.


    As the cave becomes filled with the smell of fresh blood and rotting flesh, Maru and Francis quickly pull away from the door, covering their mouths to prevent themselves from vomiting.


    ¡°He just¡­¡± Maru is left speechless, burying her face into her hands as she tries not to think about it. Her heart begins the race as fear starts to settle in. Deva¡¯s blood-curdling cries for mercy echoed throughout her mind, leaving a deeply-rooted scar representative of Gon. Though this was her first time seeing him she quickly understood who he was.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that one of their own people?¡± Francis asked, equally appalled. ¡°And he did it so effortlessly¡­¡±


    Although Francis and Maru were both frequent fighters, they weren''t yet accustomed to the sight of blood and death. Not only that, but Gon''s method of execution in combination with his intimidating figure and lack of remorse -- it made their stomachs churn. They were sickened down to their core.


    Tianyu, however, was undisturbed by the sight. He managed to keep his composure, still peering into the room. His eyes would dart frantically left and right, scanning the room as if he were looking for something. Once Maru and Francis started talking, he quickly looked over his shoulder. ¡°We''re getting out of here,¡± he whispered, carefully stepping away from the door.


    The three of them turn around in unison, sprinting away from the mysterious room as fast as they could. Maru led the group, zipping around corners as she tried to remember the pathway out, but her deeply sickened mind was a haze.


    After a few turns, a light at the end of the tunnel beckons freedom. Immediately, she runs as fast as she can to the warming sunlight at the end of the cave.


    A large figure steps in front of them before they could reach it, their figure broad enough to block nearly all of the light from the sun outside with their face shrouded in a dense shadow. Maru comes to a skidding stop, with Tianyu and Francis coming to a halt just a few feet behind her. The three of them remain still, their bodies overwhelmed with that familiar fear they felt from before. The person in front of them possessed an aura compiled of dominance, something that made the others feel insignificant.


    They remained frozen in fear, almost entranced as the man in front of them lifted his hand up, forming a fist that was nearly the size of Maru¡¯s head. His fist would suddenly combust and surround itself in a bright purple flame, the light from it brushing away the shadow that shrouded his body. Maru''s eyes widened as she immediately recognized him. His caramel skin painted with scars, his long brown hair and signature crown, complete with a deathly gaze from his blood-red eyes that could rival Satan himself.


    ¡°Fuel for the fire,¡± Gon said.


    Maru felt his fist collide firmly with her chest, completely knocking the wind out of her as her body became limp. The flames managed to eat through the lower part of her shirt, leaving a scorching burn on her stomach. She somehow remains conscious, her body tumbling across stone as she struggles to regain her senses. Ears ringing and vision blurry, she manages to sit upright and watch as Tianyu and Francis both rush Gon simultaneously.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    Francis lunges forward with all his might, coating his entire body in wind as a Magic Circle manifests on his back. He reels his fist back, thrusting it forwards soon after as he aims for Gon¡¯s liver.


    At the same time, Tianyu clasps his hands together to create a large Magic Circle in front of him, releasing a dozen of moderately sized water-spears hurling towards Gon¡¯s abdomen.


    Gon¡¯s overwhelming size allowed him to simply reach out and grasp Francis by the neck while he was still mid-air. Tianyu¡¯s spears of water pierce Gon¡¯s abdomen, but the warrior doesn¡¯t even flinch. With Francis still firmly in his grasp, he throws the wind mage towards Tianyu like a bullet, the two colliding vigorously and toppling over each other.


    Although dazed, Tianyu and Francis were quick to get back to their feet in a matter of seconds.


    ¡°...We just need to get past him,¡± Francis said, rubbing his neck gently, ¡°should we just make a run for it?¡±


    ¡°No, he''ll likely follow us no matter where we go. The last thing we''d want to do is give him a path to the village, assuming he doesn''t already have one. And we¡¯re not leaving Maru behind.¡±


    Gon looks down at the spears that went through his abdomen, grabbing them with his flaming hand as they evaporate instantly. The spears left massive, gaping wounds in his body. Yet, after a matter of seconds, these open wounds would rapidly close and heal themselves, leaving behind no signs of damage.


    ¡°You both are more potent than you look,¡± Gon said, giving the two their deserved remarks.


    Gon''s eyes would dart around the darkened cave path. His attention shifts toward Maru as she slowly gets up from the cold stone floor. Gon disappears from in front of Tianyu and Francis in a blur, reappearing directly in front of Maru with his flaming fist reeled back. He throws a jab towards her head at bullet speeds, aiming to take it clean off with a single strike.


    Maru manages to bring both of her arms up, miraculously blocking the attack, but not without repercussions. Immediately, her arms are scorched with intense burns and her muscles begin to pound with ferocious pain. The force from the punch knocks her back a few feet, creating distance between her and Gon.


    Every part of her body was screaming at her to run. There is no world in which she''s capable of taking Gon in a fight. He was more than strong enough to take on Tianyu and Francis simultaneously -- and they were mages. Gon likely had Magic himself, but he was so overwhelmingly powerful in physical attributes alone that he probably didn''t even need to use it to beat the three of them. In her eyes, this was a hopeless battle.


    Her body surges with adrenaline, a sliver of determination still remaining in her fragile body. Gon takes a step forward, throwing another punch with his flaming fist towards her. Maru immediately ducks, tucking her face towards her hands as she dashes under Gon¡¯s punch. Her body is shrouded in ravaging winds, a familiar feeling that reminded her of her fight against the bandits a few days ago. With her body now weightless thanks to Francis¡¯ last second support, she¡¯s capable of throwing half a dozen punches in under a second, each of them colliding firmly with Gon¡¯s stomach.


    Their damage, however, was minimal. On Gon''s other hand, a purple Magic Circle appears, preparing to send a wave of flames in her direction. Chains made of water would wrap tightly around Gon¡¯s hand from behind. With his wrist tethered tightly his entire arm was suddenly pulled away as the attack was fired in a different direction.


    Francis jumps up from behind Gon while reeling his leg back mid-air. The winds surrounding Maru suddenly disappear as a strong current envelops Francis¡¯ leg like a tornado. In one swift motion Francis slams his shin against Gon¡¯s head, the force behind it strong enough to knock Gon off of his feet and send him flying towards the wall of the cave.


    Gon was barely dazed from the attack, but it created a brief window of opportunity for the trio to make a dash for the exit as fast as possible. Tianyu leads, with Francis following close behind and Maru the furthest from them.


    Gon turns his head towards the exit, watching as they leave. He reaches his hand out, grabbing Maru tightly back her neck and pulling her back into the cave. She lets out a brief yelp as she is pulled back. Tianyu and Francis turn their heads simultaneously.


    ¡°Maru!¡± They called out in unison, turning around and rushing back into the cave to get her.


    Maru¡¯s back collides forcefully with the wall of the cave, causing the rocks around her to start to shift and crumble. As she lands on the ground with a minor concussion, the rocks beneath her suddenly cave in and she slips. Before she can fully recover her senses she finds herself free-falling down a deep hole while shrouded in darkness.


    <hr>


    Maru was left in free-fall for what felt like minutes before she finally hit the ground again. Her body lands on a large patch of piled sand, cushioning her fall. She remains still for a few moments, waiting for her senses to return to her.


    As her vision returns, she slowly gets back up and opens her eyes, the world a hazy blur. The moment she moves, a stinging pain races through her abdomen, causing her to wince. Remnants of the burns from Gon¡¯s attacks were still there, though slightly faded.


    ¡°Francis? Tianyu?¡± She calls out, the sound of her voice echoing. She rubs her eyes and her vision finally returns to normal.


    She lightly rubs her back, shrugging off the stinging pain from her fall. <i>¡°I¡¯ve felt worse,¡±</i> she thought, <i>¡°I don¡¯t think anything will hurt as bad as falling from the peak of a mountain.¡±</i> She looks back up at the hole she fell through, backing up slightly in case something else falls down.


    ¡°How far did I fall?¡± She asks herself, waiting to see if anyone would follow her down. Her heart was racing faster than ever before, though it started to quickly subside. Despite the dangers above her in the cave, this place felt like a bit of a safe-haven for her, the soft cave ambience easing her nerves. Even at the thought of Gon chasing her down ¨C something he seemed very adamant on doing ¨C she felt safe here.


    Looking around, she noted that the room was quite small. There was a singular rock to her right covered in dry blood, along with a stone statue of a man just a few feet in front of her. The man was sitting down with his legs crossed and one hand pressed against his chest. He looked relatively young with long hair tied together in a ponytail. Beside him, Maru saw a crusty journal left open.


    She stands upright, looking back up to see if there was any way out.


    ¡°I¡¯m stuck¡­¡± she says, letting out a deep sigh.


    The only way out was the way that she came in. Maru was experienced enough to try and climb out, but she was far too weak to do it now. Figuring she might as well pass the time, she walks over to the journal beside the statue and grabs it.


    ¡°Is this yours?¡± She says, taking a glance at the statue before looking back down at the journal. ¡°Wow, this is a lot.¡± Maru flips through the pages, taking glances at each. She notices the jump in dates near the end of the journal and the beginning. ¡°Four hundred years,¡± she says, somewhat appalled, ¡°you must¡¯ve lived a very long time. Just who are you?¡±


    With her interest piqued, she decides to start reading the journal.


    <b><i>119, Athens</i></b>


    <i>¡°I¡¯ve lived 100 years today ¨C a milestone celebrated by few. It¡¯s appalling to think that I¡¯m nearly as old as the Great War itself. I fear that the rulers of Olympus are still chasing after me. Though confident in my own might, I believe I may need to side with the Pendragons if I plan to survive. If my death is destined to be near, however, then I must find a way to preserve my own life, swiftly. I¡¯ve always possessed memories of lives I¡¯ve never lived and knowledge from minds that are not my own. Perhaps there is a way for me to transfer part of myself to another body, mind, or Magic; and my current-self may already be a product of this. If it has been done before, then it can be done again. If I succeed, then I will return, and Olympus will know my name.¡±</i>


    ¡°Did he succeed or fail?¡±


    That was Maru¡¯s first question. She suddenly became entranced by his story. Taking a seat beside him, Maru begins to read through his journal. Whomever this was, he lived an adventurous life. The journal spoke of great battles against gods and humankind alike; most of it centered around Olympus.


    ¡°Olympus¡­¡± Maru whispers to herself, ¡°just what is that place?¡±


    Mount Olympus was a name she¡¯s heard plenty of times, it was renowned among explorers, but Maru never understood its significance. Most of the world seemed to be centered around it, but why?


    The journal spoke of Olympus as a beautiful land; a frontier ripe for exploration and discovery ¨C yet tainted with the disdain of the Olympians. The journal read: <i>¡°the land destined to be ruled by man was instead stolen by egotistical gods, seeking validation for something they did not create nor earn.¡±</i>


    Slain beasts, conquered lands, the creation and collapse of empires; tales of betrayal, redemption, great loss, and even triumph. Four hundred years of legends and stories were contained within this one journal, all recorded by this one man.


    She glanced over the final page, noting that it was a weird jumble of frantic scribbles and text she could barely read. Its edges were stained with dry blood, covering the page numbers and recorded date. The only words she could make out were: <i>¡°Olympus has¡­¡±</i>


    After finishing her read, Maru closes the journal and looks at the statue. ¡°You must¡¯ve been a great Adventurer. To live for so long and accomplish so much¡­¡±


    She was never the greatest with words, but she was honored to be able to read his stories.


    ¡°I hope I get to be like you someday,¡± she said, placing the journal beside him. ¡°I¡¯d read more, but my friends need me.¡±


    Maru takes one last look at the area around her. Just as she was getting ready to leave, something behind the man catches her attention.


    Just a few feet behind the statue was an altar of sorts. Large and faded navy gemstones formed the base of the altar, with patterns of waves and sea creatures engraved along its base. A single golden spiral travels from the edge of the altar to the middle. At the middle of the altar was a large staff, encased in mossy stone. Maru takes a few steps towards the staff, somewhat entranced by its presence.


    She takes a glance back at the statue behind her.


    ¡°Is this yours?¡± She asks, looking back at the staff.


    The longer she stared at it the more she felt like it was beckoning her closer.


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t hurt,¡± she whispers, outstretching her arm towards the staff.


    An arc of lightning travels between her fingertip and the staff, shocking her for a moment. ¡°Ow,¡± she said softly, ¡°feisty, are you? I don¡¯t bite¡­¡± Maru reaches her hand out towards the staff again as it suddenly pulls her in like a magnet.


    Maru tries to take her hand off of the staff, instead pulling it away from the altar accidentally. She decides to take a closer look at it. Despite its rough appearance the staff was relatively lightweight in her grasp and comfortable to hold. Her hand wrapped perfectly around it; as if it was made for her.


    ¡°I better put it back,¡± she said, placing the staff back in the altar.


    Still, her body wouldn¡¯t let it go. She¡¯s silent for a moment, thinking that she just zoned out before tugging at the staff. <i>¡°Is it glued?¡±</i> She thought.


    Energy would suddenly rush throughout her entire body, originating from the hand that was touching the staff. It felt like endless currents of electricity were coursing through her veins. Her body immediately succumbs to the shock as she falls down to her knees.


    Maru bites her lip due to the pain, trying to scream but her throat quickly stiffens. Quivering and unable to call for help, her muscles cramp violently and her body freezes entirely from the strain. She tries her hardest to pull her hand away from the staff, prying her fingers one by one as the energy pouring into her only becomes stronger.


    She felt as if her heart was about to stop when she pulled the entire staff out of the altar again, tumbling backwards as a violent flash and spark originated from the altar, followed by a shockwave that sent her flying back.


    Slowly, she gets up on one knee and opens her eyes to find the staff still in her hand. All the pain had suddenly subsided and was instead replaced with a mysterious surge of vigor and stamina. Her body felt more energetic and lightweight than ever before.


    Looking down at her hand, Maru watches as arcs of lightning travel between her and the staff she was holding. Instead of hurting her, it felt like they were empowering her ¨C like a battery of some kind.


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± she whispers, ¡°is this¡­¡±


    Maru noticed a faint glow from the back of her hand. She flips her hand over, her eyes widening at the grandiose sight of those familiar circles ¨C a series of rings colored a majestic cerulean blue with Arcanian runes engraved between. Her heart and body suddenly became filled with a sensation she¡¯s desired so long ago. Though she¡¯s never experienced this sensation before, there was no mistaking it. For the first time in her life, she felt the power of Magic.

 Chapter 6: Magic [1]

    <u><i><b>Chapter 6: Magic [1]</b></i></u>


    Maru became overwhelmed with emotion, her lips quivering as a toothy smile inched itself across her face. Tears began streaming down her cheeks like a waterfall.


    For the longest time her dream always seemed impossible to reach. Yet here she was now, feeling closer to it than ever before. Her feelings of inferiority quickly subsided in the moment as she realized she would finally be competent enough for Francis and Tianyu to consider her their equal. No longer would she have to be babied, protected, and pampered by them. It¡¯s not that she never appreciated it, but she¡¯s always wanted to stand on her own.


    ¡°So this is what it¡¯s like,¡± she whispers, looking down at her hands still.


    She immediately thinks back to all the times she saw her friends cast spells. Maru was ecstatic to finally have Magic ¨C but she had to understand it now. It wasn¡¯t going to be easy, Tianyu always described Magic as a complex power every time Maru asked about it, but she was more than willing to take the time to understand it.


    ¡°This power running through me¡­ that¡¯s probably Magic Energy.¡±


    Wiping the tears from her face, she takes a deep breath to try and compose herself.


    ¡°How do I use it?¡±


    Gripping the staff tightly with one hand, she creates a fist with her other hand as she pulls it back. Maru envisions herself throwing a basic jab, followed by a bolt of lightning erupting from her fist. ¡°I hope this works,¡± her voice was a little shaky; part of her was scared.


    Maru throws her fist forward toward the statue, her arm becoming a blur as it ripped through the air at bullet-speeds. Once fully extended, a bright blue spark would burst from her knuckle, sending out small arcs of electricity in all directions followed by a boom of thunder.


    A lightning bolt would zig-zag through the air, eventually colliding with the statue to create a small explosion strong enough to chip off part of it. A piece of the man¡¯s shoulder flew high into the air before it came crashing down.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Maru exclaims, instinctively pulling her arm back, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Although the statue wasn¡¯t an actual person, it felt disrespectful to damage it like that, especially after all those stories she read in the journal.


    She looks back down at her hand again. ¡°I guess I should¡¯ve envisioned the target too.¡±


    Looking back over at the statue, Maru watches closely as the rest of the statue begins to crack and crumble. Its structure collapses quickly, turning into a pile of rubble and grey debris as the entire sculpture falls over. The area was quickly shrouded by a cloud of thick dust, akin to a misty fog on a winter morning.


    ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± Maru used her free hand to fan the debris away from her face as she coughed.


    Among the settling dust, something catches her attention. A large silhouette stands tall in the place where the statue once stood. They wore a white tunic with dark red stains covering the lower half of it and part of the shoulder. A fraction of their dark messy hair was tied together into a lengthy ponytail that extended down below their waist. They slowly brushed a few stones on their body, revealing the pale skin hidden beneath.


    ¡°I feel reborn,¡± the man uttered, his voice light and airy as immediately shifted his gaze towards Maru.


    Maru looks back at him, feeling intimidated as his soft brown eyes briefly flash gold. ¡°Did you write that journal?¡± She points towards the book, hidden beneath a small pile of rubble beside the man¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Well I¡¯ll be damned,¡± he reaches down and rummages through the rubble to find the journal, ¡°I thought it¡¯d be gone by now.¡± Brushing it off, he opens it and casually flips through the pages. ¡°It¡¯s still here; did you give it a read, miss?¡±


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    Maru nods, ¡°it was awesome! There were super cool stories in there. Is it yours, Mr¡­?¡± Her voice trails off, hoping the hero would introduce himself by name.


    ¡°Manho.¡±


    His response was blunt, blatantly ignoring her main question. A golden Magic Circle appears in Manho¡¯s hand as he uses the other  to hold the journal in front of it. Suddenly, the journal is reduced to a collection of golden dust, fading away in a matter of seconds.


    ¡°What year is it?¡± Manho tilts his head slightly, looking back over at the girl.


    ¡°Uh ¨C it¡¯s 576, the 5th Helios.¡±


    ¡°A little early¡­¡± Manho whispers under his breath, his eyes darting around the area. He¡¯s silent for about a second before he asks her another question.


    ¡°Where did you get that?¡± He asks nonchalantly.


    ¡°The date? I memorized the calen¨C¡±


    ¡°Not that,¡± he interjects rudely and points towards the staff she¡¯s holding, ¡°that.¡± Manho briefly glances over his shoulder, taking note of the empty altar behind him.


    Maru starts to profusely sweat as a strong tension begins to fill the air. As it stands, Manho was being confrontational, and it was likely for a good reason. Not only that, but she could feel an exceedingly powerful aura radiating off of him. As she concentrated her vision on him, she saw a golden mist enshroud his body like a cloak, but she only saw it briefly. Still, she had no reason to lie to him, even if he was very intimidating.


    ¡°I found it in the altar behind you. I was just being nosy at first and then I touched it and it wouldn¡¯t let go of me. I pulled it out and¡­¡± Maru looks back at her arms and hands, noticing that her body was still surging with lightning. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it awakened my Magic.¡±


    No wonder Manho was so confrontational ¨C with all this energy around her, Maru looked like she was ready to fight him. Her heart began to race as the fear settled in. The last thing she¡¯d want to do after awakening her Magic is get into a fight. If it was against Francis or Tianyu, then maybe she¡¯d reconsider, but she didn¡¯t want to fight someone more experienced such as Manho. If he¡¯s the hero the journal painted him out to be, then he was leagues above her in strength. Surely, he wouldn¡¯t want to hurt her though, right?


    <i>¡°How do I turn this off?!¡±</i> She thought, her mind starting to spiral into a panic.


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Manho muttered, somehow easing Maru¡¯s nerves a little. ¡°So you know nothing? You do not know of your Attunement, your Resonance; not even the name of your Magic?¡±


    Maru shakes her head slowly, a little embarrassed. ¡°No¡­¡±


    <i>¡°Magic can have names?¡±</i>


    ¡°Worry not,¡± Manho smiles slightly, cracking his knuckles. ¡°For the greatest motivator in life¡­¡±


    Manho takes a single step forward, the rocks beneath him cracking as he suddenly appears directly in front of Maru. He throws a jab directly towards her face at blinding speeds, his fist flying through the air as a blur.


    ¡°...Is the fear of death.¡±


    Maru could barely process the speed at which he moved since she wasn¡¯t really paying attention. His fist traveled from his side to her face nearly instantaneously. First Gon and now this guy ¨C just how many people outclass her effortlessly, and how many could she meet in a day?


    By the time she realized he was attacking her ¨C she miraculously had both of her arms raised to block.


    <i>¡°What?¡±</i> she thought, completely appalled, <i>¡°how did I¡­¡±</i>


    Manho¡¯s fist slams into her arms, sending her flying back into the wall of the cave with a reverberating thud. The entire cavern would shake, small pebbles falling from the ceiling as the rocks settled. Maru landed on both feet, her arms still raised and her heart beating a mile a minute.


    She winces slightly from the pain, but it wasn¡¯t nearly as painful as she expected.


    <i>¡°He doesn¡¯t hit as hard as Gon. Is he just holding back?¡±</i> She thought to herself.


    Manho chuckles lightly, ¡°you didn¡¯t see it coming ¨C but your Magic did.¡±


    ¡°But my Magic did.¡± Maru echoed Manho¡¯s last words. He spoke as if her Magic was a living thing with its own eyes, capable of reacting to attacks before her own mind could even process them. It was certainly handy, but could she rely on it? She wonders if the staff played a part in this too ¨C she was still holding it after all.


    ¡°Let¡¯s try that again. This time, however¡­¡± Manho clenches both his fists tightly, taking on a fighting stance and tensing up his muscles.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

 Chapter 7: Magic [2]

    <b><i><u>Chapter 7: Magic [2]</u></i></b>


    A chill runs down Maru¡¯s spine as she lets out a shaky breath.


    <i>¡°So he was holding back.¡±</i>


    She holds the staff tightly with both hands now, trying to put together some sort of gameplan in her head before Manho actually kills her. It might be more effective to block his attacks with the staff rather than use her arms. She could afford to lose the staff if it broke ¨C but she couldn¡¯t say the same for her limbs.


    Manho throws one fist forward, punching the air. A projectile of compressed wind suddenly flies toward Maru. Though she couldn¡¯t see it, she had a feeling that danger was coming, almost like a sixth sense of sorts. She intentionally holds the staff in front of her to block the attack, the force behind it pushing her body back just an inch.


    Some of the mossy stone covering the staff was blown away by the compressed air, revealing a sliver of the glistening black gemstone hidden underneath.


    Maru looks back up, face-to-face with Manho as he stands right in front of her with his leg raised high. In a seamless motion, Manho performs a high kick aimed directly at her head. Maru holds her staff up again to block the kick, using her body as leverage to push against his leg and knock Manho off balance.


    He stumbles for a moment, giving Maru the opportunity to lift her leg up and kick him away. Then, she holds one palm outwards toward Manho, as bolts of lightning would manifest from each of her fingertips and charge towards him simultaneously.


    Manho quickly regains his balance, holding up two fingers as a golden barrier would appear in front of him. Upon contact with the barrier, the bolts of lightning would spark and flash, creating small explosions before disappearing.


    ¡°You could''ve killed me there,¡± Manho lectured as the barrier disappeared, ¡°but you didn''t.¡±


    ¡°I don''t kill people.¡± She points the staff towards Manho. From its tip, a singular bolt of lightning would appear -- far larger than any previous ones -- and began hurling itself towards Manho''s neck like a spear.


    Manho catches the bolt of lightning with his bare hands, grasping it tightly as it was stopped in its tracks.


    ¡°You poor thing,¡± he crushes the bolt of lightning in his hands, reducing it to a blue mist that slowly fades away, ¡°you must not have an ounce of hate in your heart. It''s no wonder your spells are so... empty.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t born with hatred in me. It¡¯s an infectious disease that spreads and never stops spreading. I can dislike someone a little bit, but there¡¯s nothing anyone can do to make me hate them.¡±


    ¡°You''re an adorable little lady.¡± Manho starts to chuckle quietly, his cackles progressively getting louder until he breaks out into full maniacal laughter.


    ¡°The gentle touch and innocence of love is all you know. There will be a day in which everything you love, everyone you know, and all that you''ve ever dreamed of will crumble before your deft hands. Everything will be pried from you by someone above you, smarter than you, more talented than you, and stronger than you. They will look down on you as if you are a feeble, clueless creature, watching as you seethe and sob at their feet -- and there will be nothing you can do. On that day, your heart will be filled with nothing but hate, and there¡¯s plenty of it to go around. Maybe then, you''ll feel the warm embrace of unfiltered hatred.¡±


    Maru looks at him, her heart beginning to fill with uncertainty. She didn¡¯t know what he was getting at here. Part of her didn¡¯t want to find out, but her curiosity was getting the better of her.


    ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Her voice was still a little shaky.


    ¡°Imagination and creativity is only part of the process. No matter how imaginative your spells may be, they will be weak and frail if there is no passion -- no emotion behind them. If you really wanted to kill me, then that bolt of lightning would''ve stopped at nothing to pierce through my body. Love has made you soft.¡±


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    It was a difficult concept for Maru to grasp. She¡¯s experienced various emotions before, but the feeling of deep hatred was one she never understood. She always fought to defend herself, not because she had an unending desire to hurt someone else.


    This battle was no different. Manho may have tried to hit her a couple of times, but she didn¡¯t feel any true malice coming from him. The magical aura surrounding him was certainly intimidating, but it wasn¡¯t directed towards her.


    She gives Manho a confused look.


    He sighs. ¡°Maybe you need to experience a fraction of what I endured.¡±


    He waves his hand into the air briefly as Maru¡¯s ankles are suddenly encased in stone. Maru glances down and then back up, her eyes widening as Manho stands face-to-face with her again with a fist pulled back. She put her staff up close to her chin to block, only for Manho to punch her vigorously in her stomach.


    Pain recoils throughout Maru¡¯s entire body, leaving her dazed as her body instinctively curls up to protect itself. With her thoughts scrambled, her defense became equally unorganized. Faulty and fragile, Manho effortlessly went around her attempts to block and dodge his attacks, resulting in her collapsing to the ground as he continued his violent assault. Relentless kicks and stomps followed as Maru lay on the ground, covering her head and chest.


    <i>¡°...He¡¯s actually about to kill me!¡±</i> She thought.


    <i>¡°I can¡¯t see. I can¡¯t block. I can¡¯t move. I can¡¯t¡­¡±</i>


    This fight was more one-sided than their battle before. Even with the enhanced vitality her Magic granted her, she felt just as weak and frail as when she was magicless. At first, Maru thought she would¡¯ve been able to compete with Manho, but she quickly realized the true difference in strength between them.


    <i>¡°...Just breathe¡­¡±</i>


    Her mindset began to shift from that of triumph to survival. No longer did she see Manho as a potentially equal opponent, but he was now a hunter and she was the game.


    Maru felt something building up in her chest, a fiery emotion that she couldn¡¯t describe. It felt like something was creeping up in her throat, forcing it closed as the world around her started to grow dark. She felt disconnected and abandoned, realizing that there was no one to help her, no Tianyu or Francis to come to her rescue.


    <i>¡°Can¡¯t¡­ breathe¡­¡±</i>


    When Manho was lecturing her, she thought he was talking about emotions such as anger and hatred. What she didn¡¯t understand, however, was that Magic could be strengthened by any emotion ¨C even fear.


    Magic Energy surges violently throughout her entire body before releasing a reverberating shockwave throughout the entire cave. Maru is suddenly filled with immense vigor and strength as her body radiates with a cerulean blue aura. Although the piercing pain that shackled her body and mind never faded, she found the willpower and resilience to push through it, standing up straight.


    Manho is knocked back but manages to land firmly on both feet. A sinister smile creeps across his face. He was elated at the sight of her revolution, like a teacher and his pupil. Manho didn¡¯t know much about Maru, but he was beginning to feel a connection to her. Rather than being shocked, he was impressed.


    <i>¡°To think she¡¯d understand it so quickly,¡±</i> he thought to himself. ¡°Do you understand it now, little lady? To not just imagine, but to <i>feel</i> your Magic!¡±


    His fingernails are coated in a golden, misty Magic Energy as he charges towards the revitalized Maru. He swipes his hands toward her, like a tiger clawing at its prey, aiming to take her eyes out in one strike.


    Maru looks at him, her pupils constructed at the sight of Manho¡¯s maniacal smile. Immediately, she steps to the side to avoid his claw swipe, reeling her arm back as Magic Energy starts to build up rapidly within her shoulder. In a split second, she thrusts her fist firmly into Manho¡¯s chest, releasing a violent current of Magic Energy into his body.


    Sparks would erupt from her knuckles as Manho was sent flying back, accompanied by a bellowing roar of thunder. He tumbles along the nearby altar, his tunic now tattered and charred from the attack.


    He gets up, laughing hysterically. ¡°Now <i>that</i> punch had purpose behind it, but what kind of purpose? I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re afraid of me, or if you hate me now.¡±


    Looking down, he presses his hand gently against the crisp burn left behind by Maru''s attack. As he touches it, his body jolts from the stinging pain and he winces slightly.


    <i>¡°It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve felt this kind of pain before¡­¡±</i>


    He stares at her, still mesmerized. The sudden shift in the way she fought, the way she glared at him ¨C he loved it. He couldn¡¯t tell if she was fighting for her life, or if she was suddenly angry at him and fighting to prove him wrong. He didn¡¯t care which one it may have been ¨C the battle was all that mattered to him in the moment.


    ¡°I just can¡¯t believe it,¡± he whispers, ¡°what kind of Resonance did I awaken within you? Fear, or animosity?¡±

 Chapter 8: Fear

    <u><i><b>Chapter 8: Fear</b></i></u>


    Maru stares back at Manho, barely able to hear his muffled voice. It felt as if her ears were plugged by her own fear.


    <i>¡°What is he saying?¡±</i>


    She felt trapped inside her own body, the echoes of her heartbeat being the only thing she could hear clearly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to punch him like that ¨C my body moved on its own. He looks different to me now. I feel different too.¡±


    Maru has felt scared plenty of times before, but this was a different type of fear. This felt like a type of fear that was etched deep into her mind, almost primal. Like her body was constantly trying to pull itself away from Manho, and it wasn¡¯t by Maru¡¯s will. He was painted to be this almighty creature, sitting atop the food chain in a porcelain throne.


    Despite this overwhelming sense of terror, she felt more in-tune with her Magic than ever. Before, it just felt like a shirt she was wearing, something attached to her that she couldn¡¯t control completely. Now her Magic felt like an extra limb, a part of her body, an extension of herself; a second mind.


    Manho takes a few steps forward before sprinting towards her. A voice in the back of her head starts to scream, ¡°get away, get away!¡± She instinctively holds her hand out, a bolt of lightning jolting out from her palm and flying straight towards him.


    He stomps the ground during his stride, forcing the rocks in front of him to bind themselves together and rise up to create a thin, rectangular shield to block the lightning bolt. The rock is obliterated as the bolt collides with it, creating a shallow cloud of dust that helps to mask Manho¡¯s next approach.


    Maru tries to take a step backwards, her back pressed against the stone wall of the cave as she looks over her shoulder. ¡°Still stuck,¡± she whispers, facing forward again to see Manho lunging towards her.


    Her heart sinks as she catches his oncoming punch with one hand and throws it aside, counter attacking with a jab to his liver. Maru throws a strong hook towards his head as his body curls up, but Manho blocks the attack with both of his arms. He takes a step back, waving one hand through the air. Rocks would protrude outwards from the wall Maru was pushed against, wrapping around her waist tightly and locking her in place.


    Large stones levitate around Manho for a few seconds, covering both of his arms. Maru puts both of her arms up to try and block his oncoming flurry of attacks. The jagged edges from the rocks left rough lacerations across Maru¡¯s skin, blood coating her face and arms like splashes of rainwater.


    Her body suddenly releases another burst of energy, strong enough to knock Manho back again. Using the little time she had, Maru reached down and tore apart the belt of stones holding her in place.


    Although her body was overwhelming with Magic Energy, she could feel her physical stamina reaching its limit. Her muscles were sore and pounding, and it would only get worse the longer she kept fighting.


    <i>¡°I need to get out of here,¡±</i> she thought, looking up back at the hole she originally fell through.


    ¡°I¡¯ve climbed mountains before ¨C this should be no problem.¡±


    Though her body was exhausted, she could use her Magic to help with the climb. The problem was: she couldn¡¯t think straight. With Manho still being so close to her along with her body being pushed to its limit, her thought process was scattered. Her mind was overwhelmed with terror. The only thing she could think about was the voice in the back of her head telling her to run away from him.


    She jumps up, digging her bloodied fingers into the rough walls of the hole with one hand. Biting her lip while clawing at the rocks, she tries to pull herself up before Manho can get to her. A bolt of lightning protrudes from her fingertips, expanding outwards and latching itself into the rock like an anchor.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± she says in her head, talking to her Magic like it could hear her.


    A hand tightly wraps around her ankle, yanking her down and tossing her back towards the altar. Maru tumbles across the rocky floor and drops her staff, the Magic Energy in her body starting to quickly fade away.


    She jumps up back on her feet in a hurry, her eyes darting around and focusing in on her staff. It was the only thing providing her with a constant stream of Magic Energy, and by proxy the only thing keeping her in the fight.


    With her sights set on the staff, she leaps towards it with arms outstretched. Manho suddenly shoulder-bashes her out of the way, reaching down and picking up the staff himself.


    He looks at it with a smile, giving it a cinematic twirl before gripping it tightly with one hand. ¡°Let me show you how to use it.¡±


    Maru stumbles a little but stays on her feet.


    ¡°I just need to grab it,¡± she whispers, putting her hands up in a fighting stance while waiting for Manho to approach her.


    Manho slowly walks forward, spinning the staff in his hands. As soon as he was within range, he would bash it against Maru¡¯s head with a devastating swing, causing her defense to crumble. He bashes her head again, this time from the other side, leaving her dazed again. As he goes to swing one more time, Maru outstretches her arms and manages to grab the staff again. Her body is revitalized with another surge of Magic Energy.


    She tries to pull the staff away from Manho, but she isn¡¯t nearly strong enough. Instead, Manho pulls the staff closer to him, bringing Maru along with it. Maru lets go, but the momentum sends her flying straight towards him as he kicks her firmly in the stomach, sending her flying into the wall of the cave.


    The little bit of Magic Energy that Maru gained from the staff began to fade, leaving her physical body to fend for itself. Drained of all her stamina, her body goes limp and she¡¯s unable to fight.


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    <i>¡°Did I not get enough?¡±</i> She thought, slowly lifting her head up to look at Manho as he slowly approached her. Her pupils constrict as the ingrained fear sets in again. She realizes that she is now at his mercy.


    ¡°Plenty of potential,¡± Manho said slowly, using the staff to lift her head up and force her to look at him, ¡°but you lack experience.¡±


    He takes a step back, creating some space between them as he takes another step forward, pulling his leg back simultaneously, and kicks Maru firmly in her ribcage. She¡¯s launched with enough force to send her toppling through the walls of the cave at an upward angle. Being propelled upwards, she drills through the stone as her backside is constantly bashed by sharp rocks and large boulders, leaving her clothes ripped, tattered, and stained by her own blood.


    She emerges from the ground with an eruption of stone, tumbling across the rocky floor. Her body rolls to a gentle stop, her muscles sore and pulsating with a deep, etched pain. A shadow looms over her, Standing in front of her was a familiar silhouette. Broad shoulders, skin etched with scars, and a mile-long stare she could never mistake.


    ¡°Gon¡­¡± she whispers. She was ready to run, but her body was so weak and exhausted that she could barely move. Using the last of her stamina, she jumps away from him before collapsing onto her bottom, the exhaustion overtaking her.


    At her sides, Francis and Tianyu stared in awe for a moment. The two of them looked no better than Maru, bloody and bruised, with their clothes tattered, scorched, and torn like they were ravaged by some kind of ravenous beast.


    ¡°Maru!¡± They exclaimed in unison as Tianyu caught her head before it hit the ground. He places his hand on her stomach, a Magic Circle appearing on his palm.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± He spoke gently, caressing her hair with one hand while looking down at her with a soft gaze.


    ¡°Manho¡­¡± she said weakly. Tianyu''s eyes widen briefly before he looks back over at Gon.


    Francis immediately stepped in front of Maru with his arms up, returning Gon''s stern stare. As beaten as he may have been, he wasn¡¯t going to let Gon get a step closer to her, even if it cost him an arm or a leg.


    ¡°You are a valiant young man,¡± Gon said, ¡°but your bravery will result in your death.¡±


    Francis looks over towards Tianyu, his gaze soft. ¡°Can you get her out of here?¡±


    Tianyu shakes his head, ¡°I am too weak to get out of here in time. However¡­¡±


    A Magic Circle appears beneath his feet, engulfing him and Maru in a large sphere made of water. ¡°If you can hold Gon off for a little, then I can recover enough energy to take her with me.¡±


    Francis nods. ¡°That''s all I needed to hear,¡± turning his head back towards Gon, he takes a deep breath. ¡°Do your worst.¡±


    Gon clenches his fist tightly, a familiar purple flame engulfing his fist in a fiery inferno. The light from it was blinding, reflective of its immense power.


    ¡°Now that the three of you are side by side, I can feed you all to my flame. Sayonara.¡± Gon takes a large step forward, throwing a punch with his flaming fist. His fist collided with the air, releasing a devastating wave of purple flames hurling towards the trio.


    From the hole that Maru emerged from, Manho jumps up into the air, mere inches in front of the wave of flames. He holds his palm outwards, coating it in a layer of golden Magic Energy. Once they make contact with the purple flame, the raging inferno is immediately reduced to specs of dust as the heat in the cave begins to dissipate.


    Manho lands gracefully in front of Gon, his lightly scorched cloak flowing just as elegantly.


    Gon¡¯s eyes widen, as the flames engulfing his fist immediately disappear. He falls to one knee, tilting his head down. ¡°I am honored to witness your return, Lord Manho.¡±


    Manho chuckles, using his hand to gesture for Gon to stand back up.


    ¡°Rise, rise. No need to call me Lord, my era of reigning King ended centuries ago.¡±


    Gon stands back up, and Manho turns his attention over towards the trio, more specifically Maru.


    ¡°You want some too?!¡± Francis exclaimed, still in a fighting stance.


    Gon takes a step forward, clenching his fist as he gets ready to lunge at the boy. Manho puts his arm in front of Gon, stopping him.


    ¡°Let them live,¡± Manho said, ¡°if those two are her little friends then I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°My Lord, we can use them as fuel to-¡±


    ¡°If I wanted them dead I would¡¯ve cleaved all their heads off already. Let. Them. Live.¡±


    Gon sighs, taking a step back and crossing his arms.


    Manho points towards the group. ¡°What are your names?¡±


    Francis speaks up since he was in front. ¡°Francis of Redville.¡±


    The sphere of water surrounding Tianyu and Maru slowly disappears.


    ¡°Tianyu.¡±


    Tianyu helps Maru to her feet as she looks over at Manho. The fear instilled in her heart slowly began to settle in, but she tried to keep herself composed. He was being friendly, for now, but there was no telling just how long he¡¯d keep the act up.


    ¡°Maru,¡± she said, holding Tianyu close.


    ¡°Maru¡­¡± Manho echoed, ¡°your name sounds similar to ¡®Maruhn.¡¯ It means ¡®Storm¡¯ or ¡®Hurricane¡¯ in the oldest dialects of Arcanian.¡±


    He glances down at the mossy staff in his hands still. Beneath the coarse stone, he could see a glimmer of the black gemstone hidden beneath.


    ¡°Maru,¡± he calls out, tossing the staff towards her.


    She outstretches her arm, catching the staff with one hand and bringing it close to her chest. Normally she¡¯d feel energized, but the staff didn¡¯t provide her with any Magic Energy.


    ¡°Remember what I said. That day will come. Now, if you value your life, leave.¡±


    The trio stands still, somewhat reluctant to leave. Francis is the first to turn around, leading the group away.


    <hr>


    ¡°Why did you do that, Manho?¡± Gon looks over at Manho eye-to-eye, ¡°they¡¯ve discovered our ritual rooms and you engaged in battle with that girl. It would have been much better to kill them and feed them to the flame. The son of Poseidon was standing right there, and you let him walk away! Have you not already jeopardized your own plan?¡±


    ¡°We have much bigger things to deal with, Gon. Whether or not they live or die is not my concern right now. If anything, they have my interest. The son of Poseidon, lounging with a couple of dusty villagers that double as rookie Mages.¡±


    Manho chuckles, opening his palm as a journal manifests in his palm from golden dust. ¡°But more importantly, that girl¡­¡±


    Manho flips through the journal, turning to the last page. He grabs the pencil attached to the spine of the journal and makes a quick sketch of the staff he gave to Maru.


    ¡°...How could she wield my staff?¡±

 Chapter 9: Deals

    <u><i><b>Chapter 9: Deals</b></i></u>


    Reoh wanders through the mountain range, lantern in hand as the moonlight overhead helps guide him.


    ¡°Why do they have to live all the way out here¡­¡±


    He makes his way into the confines of a small cave, dimly illuminated by torches hammered into the stone walls. Tattered purple banners are hoisted high into the air with wooden beams. He comes to a stop in front of an old and rotten door.


    ¡°Finally¡­¡±


    Reoh walks through a large wooden door, the inside of the room beckoning him with a familiar glow. As he steps inside, he sees Gon and Manho sitting around a campfire, burning with a golden flame. They both look over at Reoh, nodding their heads and gesturing for him to join them by the fire.


    The Chieftain reluctantly makes his way over to the fire, placing the lantern down beside him as he takes seat on the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you could finally join us, Reoh.¡± Gon stands up and walks over to him, extending his hand out for a handshake.


    ¡°...It¡¯s a pleasure,¡± there¡¯s a hint of terror in his voice as he accepts the handshake.


    ¡°As you are aware,¡± Gon begins to slowly pace around the fire, ¡°our Lord Manho has reawakened. He stands before you, though he lacks a throne and power. Do you remember just how long it¡¯s been since you¡¯ve sealed Manho?¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­ 300 years or so. It was before Redville manifested.¡±


    ¡°Only 300¡­¡± Manho whispers to himself, ¡°one hundred too early.¡±


    ¡°If 400 years was the planned duration, then you should have regained most of your power after 300 years, right my Lord?¡± Reoh¡¯s voice is shaky as he looks over at Manho.


    ¡°No.¡± Gon speaks up in Manho¡¯s stead. ¡°It was imperative that you provide the flame with constant fuel throughout those 400 years. You, however, provided little to none. If you provided subsequent fuel, then Manho would¡¯ve had plenty of power already. I can sense it myself, as it stands now¡­ Manho is weaker than me.¡±


    Reoh smiles nervously and looks away. ¡°Oh..! Right. Uh. I was¡­ doing¡­ other things.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± Gon takes a step closer to Reoh, clenching his fist.


    ¡°Like tending to my village. What else do you think I was doing? I had a family to raise, and I still have villagers I need to protect and nourish.¡±


    ¡°Those villagers are fuel.¡±


    ¡°Fuel? Is that all they are to you?¡±


    Reoh stands up, tilting his head back to look Gon in the eyes.


    ¡°To me, they are family. Those are my people. Innocent young men, women, and children with lives ahead of them; dreams, desires, and ambitions. You know what fuel I gave you? I gave you crops and cattle to give to the flame. Those bandits? I let them have it, because in no world am I going to sacrifice my own people for the expendable life of another man. It¡¯s your job to make sure those bandits gave those crops to the flame. Instead, you let them get away with eating it every day. That¡¯s not my fault, it¡¯s your fault.¡±


    Gon narrows his eyes. ¡°My fault? You were the one who agreed to be part of this entire operation. You were well aware of the sacrifices you would need to make, and you still failed to deliver.¡±


    ¡°Then consider me-¡±


    ¡°Reoh,¡± Manho calls out to him, standing up straight and dusting off his cloak, ¡°Gon told me that you have a place in your basement where you imprison vile criminals. Do you consider them to be your people?¡±


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I have to ask, why not use them as fuel for the flame? They are shackled and chained, and you do not treat them as equals regardless. You do not care for them, and punishments await them all the same. Death to the flame would be fitting, yes?¡±


    Reoh is silent for a few seconds. ¡°I can agree to this.¡±


    ¡°Take me there.¡±


    <hr>


    In the dead of night, the three of them make their way into the Chieftain¡¯s humble abode without anyone noticing. Reoh leads them down to the basement. He unlocks the door leading to the prison area and the three make their way inside.


    A single lantern dangles from the ceiling by a chain, illuminated with a dim flame. Inside the room, a painting of a large Magic Circle sits on the wall, drawn with old red paint that began to peel. Cages are hung from the ceiling by a rope and prisoners rot away inside. They all look malnourished, if not already dead, their skin shriveled and pale with dull, lifeless eyes.


    ¡°Prisoners of war are often left in better condition than this,¡± Manho starts to slowly pace around the room, staring at the prisoners.


    ¡°Is their condition important?¡± Reoh asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Manho nods in confirmation, ¡°though it only makes a noticeable difference when the victim is incredibly powerful.¡±


    ¡°Prisoners like these¡­ their condition would make no difference?¡±


    ¡°Not one bit.¡±


    Manho stops for a moment, as one of the prisoners catches his eye. Within one of the cages was a young lady with pale skin. Her long, white hair covered most of her face. Deer antlers protrude outwards from her head, knocking gently against the cage as it sways back and forth through the air.


    ¡°Reoh, who is this young lady?¡± Manho kept his eyes on her while inquiring.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know her name, but she was found eating the dead bodies of lost villagers in the forest. I have reason to believe she killed them before feasting on their corpses.¡±


    ¡°Interesting.¡± Manho steps away, walking over to Reoh. ¡°May I head to the library and indulge in some literature? I will return the books when I am finished.¡±


    Reoh nods in confirmation. ¡°Of course. As long as you disappear before the sun rises.¡±


    Manho nods in return. ¡°Thank you. Gon, you take the prisoners out of the cages and take them back to the flame. Leave the white-haired girl here. I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡±


    Manho makes his way out of the basement, leaving Gon and Reoh in the room. As soon as he left, Gon immediately takes hefty, confrontational steps towards Reoh, his eyes narrowing in disapproval.


    ¡°So you think you can get away with this, don¡¯t you?¡± Gon hissed


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Reoh steps back away from Gon, an invisible weight pressing down onto his shoulders.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky that he let you off so easily. You failed to uphold your end of the deal. While Lord Manho himself may be satisfied with this ¨C I am not. I made it very clear that you were to provide constant fuel to the flame while he was sealed and you failed to do even that. This¡­¡±


    Gon gestures to the prisoners in the room.


    ¡°...This does not make up for your failure. I will make you repent.¡±


    Reoh chuckles quietly. Although fearful, he knew that Gon wouldn¡¯t be able to do much to him. Reoh was on Manho¡¯s good side, at least from what he knew. The entire reason the cultists were able to go unnoticed for so long is because of Reoh. Gon couldn¡¯t dispute that.


    ¡°And how do you plan to make me repent? You should realize that the entire reason you have been able to lay low for so long is because of me. My people might be catching on, but I can direct their attention away from your rituals and such. Quit acting so uptight, Gon, you need me-¡±


    Gon suddenly reaches out and grabs Reoh firmly by the neck, lifting him up into the air.


    ¡°You make no difference in our place. Your villagers are worthless fish in the sea, entirely expendable. You act to spare their lives, because you know if any of them were to approach me, they would be reduced to dust. If you truly want to believe that you¡¯re the reason we¡¯ve maintained our anonymity, then I will show you otherwise.¡±


    Gon tightens his grip on Reoh¡¯s neck as the chieftain¡¯s windpipe starts to close.


    ¡°I will hold you by your throat and force you to watch as I burn your second-hand village to the ground with my bloodied hand. You will watch, your heart torn from agony as you are splattered with the blood of your own people. Your lands will reek of the death and famine I will leave in my wake, and you will collapse to your knees, bawling as tears run down the sides of your face like a river while you pray to your false god for hope that will never come to you. When I am done, your people, your home, your crops, your cattle, your family, your friends, those young men, those young women, those young children; and those dreams, ambitions, and desires you all chase like moths to a flame: will be nothing but ash.¡±

 Chapter 10: Lessons

    <u><i><b>Chapter 10: Lessons</b></i></u>


    A whistling breeze and glistening sunlight bask the hills of Redville¡¯s outskirts. Maru, Tianyu, and Francis sat in the soft grass together, watching birds fly overhead.


    It¡¯s been a few days since their battle against Manho & Gon in the mountains. Since then, Maru has kept her Magic a secret, unsure of how the others would react. Part of her was afraid to tell them while they were in the village, fearing that someone would overhear their conversation.


    Today, however, the group found themselves in a lonesome place, with perfect scenery for storytelling.


    ¡°...Then, I reached out to grab it and it shocked me. I snatched my hand back, a little afraid of it then, but something compelled me to reach out and grasp it again, like the intrusive voice in the back of your head. It pulled me in like a magnet, my palm became latched. I tried to pry my hand away, but I ended up pulling the entire staff out of the altar with an exaggerated tug.¡±


    ¡°And that''s when you felt your... ¡®awakening?¡¯¡± Tianyu inquired with a gentle whisper. He and Francis were both entranced in the story. Maru always had a unique way of describing her short adventures, but she often kept these tales to herself out of embarrassment. They could tell she felt relieved just telling her story.


    ¡°There was an explosion,¡± Maru muttered, looking towards Tianyu. ¡°I was knocked back and tumbled across the stone floor. The staff was still in my hands though. Despite my injuries -- I felt rejuvenated. There was an intense energy surging through my whole body, flowing like a rushing river.¡±


    Before she could continue, Francis lightly pinches her cheek.


    ¡°I thought I''d never see the day,¡± he exclaimed, ¡°Ms. Adventurer here has Magic! And I thought that side of you would be stuck in my dreams.¡±


    ¡°Oww,¡± she mutters, chuckling a little. ¡°It feels weird... my body feels stronger but weaker at the same time. That fight against Manho was the best I''ve ever been. Normally, I would''ve been out after a couple of punches. Even with Magic, it still feels like something is holding me back.¡±


    ¡°Magic isn''t as much of a direct improvement as many people are led to believe.¡± Tianyu stands up, brushing off his robe. He takes a few steps and stands in front of Maru and Francis, clasping his hands together with fingers intertwined as a Magic Circle appears on his chest.


    Tianyu steps to the side. A completely identical clone of himself, made entirely from water, would step in the direction opposite of him. The two then stood side by side, and the replica would copy any of his movements.


    ¡°Magic is like an entity that shares your body, even if it does not speak or move in the conventional ways we¡¯re used to. It¡¯s capable of learning and adapting, just as we do, and it has its own methods of communication. Your body, mind, and magic are all connected.¡±


    Maru raises her hand, akin to a student in a lecture. ¡°So, if my body is exhausted, then is my Magic ¡®exhausted¡¯ too?¡±


    Tianyu nods in confirmation.


    ¡°Yes. Your body is the vessel for your Magic. If your body is weakened then your Magic won''t be able to use it as efficiently. If your thoughts are convoluted or overwhelmed with emotion, then you won''t be able to command your Magic efficiently. Maintaining the health of your body, mind, and the integrity of your magic is the key to becoming an efficient mage. Notice the keyword here.¡±


    ¡°Efficiency!¡± Francis blurts out the answer before Maru could.


    ¡°Precisely. There are many ways to be efficient, and understanding them is the first step to becoming a renowned Mage.¡±


    Tianyu looks over at Maru, beckoning her to the grassy plains with a wave of his hand.


    ¡°Can you show us, dear Maru, how you use your Magic? Cast a spell, any spell you desire.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡± She replied, immediately becoming flustered. Her heart skips a beat as Tianyu looks at her. She didn¡¯t expect to be put on the spot so quickly, but part of her was filled with excitement at the opportunity to use her newly awakened abilities.


    She gets up, walking past Tianyu and his clone and stopping in the middle of the grassy field.


    Maru holds her hand out, taking a deep breath as she visualizes a spell. Arcs of lightning form from her fingertips, jumping between her fingers before shooting out in front of her. The bolts stop mid-air, creating a small explosion with a bright flash and a thunderous boom that follows.


    Tianyu and Francis smile and clap their hands as the lightning dissipates into the air.


    ¡°That was terrible!¡± They exclaimed sarcastically, laughing it off immediately afterwards.


    ¡°Eh-?¡± Maru looks back at them, clearly confused, ¡°but I casted the spell?¡±


    ¡°Sort of.¡± Tianyu and his duplicate walk over to Maru¡¯s side. ¡°While you managed to cast the spell, you lack something essential to using Magic at the highest levels. I¡¯ll cast my own spell as a demonstration. In this example, my doppelganger will act as a representation of my Magic and Magic Energy.¡±


    He gracefully outstretches his arm, his clone mimicking the motion perfectly. There¡¯s a brief moment of silence before a gargantuan beam of water is shot out from their palms, drenching the grassy field.


    Though Tianyu¡¯s copy perfectly mirrored all of his physical actions ¨C the same couldn¡¯t be said for spells. Its stream of water was curved and warped in some places. The pressure was also lower, resulting in a less potent cascade.


    ¡°Woah!¡± Maru exclaimed, a beaming smile on her face. ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re Poseidon!¡±


    As simple as it may have been, any demonstration of Magic was mesmerizing her. Comparatively, Maru was very critical of her own capabilities. Her lightning bolt spell was just as simple, but she didn¡¯t feel like there was any nuance or substance behind it.


    Tianyu looks at her with a warm smile.


    ¡°I suppose you could say that.¡±


    There was something special about Tianyu¡¯s spells, at least to Maru. They were always graceful and elegant ¨C this one was no different.


    The stream of water stops abruptly as Tianyu and his doppelganger lower their arms.


    ¡°Though my spell worked, you might have noticed that my clone ¨C or in this case my Magic ¨C wasn¡¯t able to mimic it perfectly.¡±


    Maru nods. ¡°It wasn¡¯t straight like yours. It curved a little and didn¡¯t look as powerful.¡±


    ¡°Precisely. While casting spells from your imagination is possible, it¡¯s sometimes difficult to understand and visualize the spell you want in your head, especially in the midst of battle. If you can¡¯t articulate what you want your spell to be, then how do you expect your Magic to do it?¡±


    ¡°You give it preset instructions..?¡± She replied, a little unsure about her answer.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Francis exclaimed, jumping up and walking over to the two of them. ¡°You hit the nail on its head girl.¡±


    He holds his hand out with his palm facing upwards. Glowing white rings made from Magic Energy appear above his palm, levitating with a subtle hum.


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what a Magic Circle is: preset instructions. The appearance of Magic Circles aren¡¯t too important ¨C the runes are what really matter. The runes basically tell your Magic what to do when Magic Energy passes through it. This way, no matter what is going on in your head, you will always get the same spell as long as you channel your Magic Energy through a circle.¡±


    Francis uses the tip of his finger like a pen, his Magic Energy acting as the ink as he engraves the Magic Circle with a handful of exotic runes.


    ¡°Are those Arcanian letters?¡± Maru inquired while blatantly staring.


    ¡°Yeah, you don¡¯t have to use these though. Anything will work, so long as your Magic is capable of understanding it. You can use pictures or paragraphs ¨C your Magic will come to comprehend it eventually.¡±


    After about a minute, the space between the rings of the Magic Circle are filled with letters of the Arcanian language. Francis fills the empty space in the middle of the Magic Circle with a hand-drawn picture of a spiral ¨C like a tornado seen from the top-down.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Maru asked, pointing to the spiral.


    ¡°Oh that¡¯s just a little something I added to personalize it. Can¡¯t have my Magic Circles looking bland while I¡¯m fightin¡¯.¡±


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    He closes his palm, causing the Magic Circle to turn to dust and disappear.


    ¡°Once you have the runes, you¡¯re done! Most Mages just put some runes on their Magic Circle to tell their Magic to make another set of runes for whatever spell they wanna use. That¡¯s what I do. Some more experienced mages, like Tianyu, prefer to write entire descriptions in their circle.¡±


    Francis then turns to face Tianyu, ¡°can you give her another demonstration?¡±


    Tianyu nods. He and his doppelganger look straight again, outstretching their arms with palms facing forward. This time, however, a navy blue Magic Circle appeared in front of their palms.


    The spell was the same as before: a pressurized stream of water that soars through the air.


    Unlike before, the doppelganger¡¯s spell maintained its structure and integrity. There were no curves or warping of any kind.


    ¡°As you can see,¡± Tianyu began, ¡°even when my mind is on other things, the spell will always remain the same as long as the Magic Energy travels through the Magic Circle. This method also tends to use less Magic Energy overall, since the output is consistent.¡±


    The spell abruptly ends again, Tianyu and his double putting their hands down gently.


    Maru interjects, ¡°I didn¡¯t see you draw yours, Tianyu.¡±


    ¡°Very observant,¡± Tianyu muttered. ¡°Drawing your Magic Circle is typically something you only have to do a few times. Just as you imagine your spells, all you have to do is imagine the base of your Magic Circle and let your Magic create it and any additional runes for you.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Maru mutters to herself, crossing her arms as she takes a moment to ponder. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this still have the same problem as using spells without a Magic Circle? I still have to imagine the Magic Circle itself.¡±


    Tianyu nods affirmatively.


    ¡°No matter what you do, your physical and mental health will always be impactful when it comes to Magic. All of your actions must have purpose and form. The more you use your Magic, the more it will evolve and adapt to the unique way that you use it. Eventually it will get to a point in which your Magic will start to remember your Magic Circles for you. At that point, creating and changing them will be second nature.¡±


    ¡°Practice,¡± Francis added, ¡°practice is everything. Give it a try, Maru.¡±


    Tianyu and Francis step back, giving Maru the space she needed to think and experiment.


    Maru understood the concept of a Magic Circle very well, but she still felt a little anxious when they suddenly put her on the spot. Applying what she¡¯s learned is a challenge on its own, especially since she was a little afraid something might go wrong.


    She starts to pace around the field while thinking about her Magic Circle.


    ¡°What did Francis do¡­¡± she mutters, stopping in her tracks.


    Maru opens her hand with her palm facing upward. Four light blue rings would levitate above her hand, the empty spaces between them staring back at her like a blank canvas.


    ¡°Pictures or paragraphs¡­¡± She remembered what Francis said while he was making his Magic circle. Anything goes, as long as her Magic understands it.


    ¡°It can understand anything with time, right?¡±


    Blue Magic Energy starts to drip from her fingertip like a quill freshly dipped in ink.


    She vividly recalls a Magic Circle when she first awakened her Magic.


    ¡°What did it look like..?¡± She muttered frantically. Despite the scene itself being vivid in her mind, any recollection of the details of her Magic Circle were merely a blur. She¡¯d be starting from scratch.


    ¡°Ugh, whatever whatever. I should start with some descriptions¡­¡±


    She begins to write in the outermost ring, describing aspects of her Magic. She would write down things such as explosive, energetic, lightning, thunder, and many other things using Arcanian letters.


    <i>¡°This is too vague,¡± </i>she thought, agitatedly erasing them with her thumb.


    Minutes passed, and Maru was never content with the words she wrote. Everything she picked seemed too far-fetched for how simplistic her Magic was. If she barely understood her Magic, how was she supposed to make a Magic Circle that fits it perfectly?


    She bites her lip, frustrated groans escaping her as she desperately writes, then erases, then writes, then erases.


    <i>¡°Your Magic is capable of learning and adapting, just as we do.¡±</i>


    Maru is suddenly reminded of Tianyu¡¯s words from the beginning of the lecture. She may not understand her Magic, but surely her Magic understands itself.


    ¡°Maybe I can¡­ ask my Magic.¡±


    As crazy as it would¡¯ve sounded a few days ago, Maru was beginning to accept her new reality. Magic changes the lives of all who wield it. If it¡¯s true that her Magic is a living, sentient being, then she might as well become acquainted.


    ¡°But how do I do that?¡±


    A question Maru will ask herself one too many times. <i>¡°I could do it in the same way I cast a spell,¡±</i> she thought to herself.


    Her index finger hovers over the Magic Circle as she closes her eyes, emptying out her mind in the hopes that she somehow finds a way to ¡®speak¡¯ to her Magic.


    <i>¡°Hello?¡±</i> Her own voice echoed throughout her mind. <i>¡°I was wondering if you could,¡±</i> she hesitates for a moment, <i>¡°help me with this Magic Circle? I don¡¯t really know if I¡¯m doing it right and I¡¯m too embarrassed to ask Tia-¡±</i>


    She feels another hand gently grasp her index finger. The feeling was exotic, but also quite intimate; something she could only assume was her Magic itself. Maru says nothing, instead waiting patiently as the mysterious hand guides her fingertip across the Magic Circle, carving runes between the rings. In this moment, she felt like a brush intertwined in the soft hands of a timeless artist, or perhaps the instrument of a renowned maestro; leaving the Magic Circle as a conduit for the magnum opus.


    Soon, the guiding hand would let her go, letting her paint freely with the momentum it gave her.


    The tip of her finger would glide gracefully across the Magic Circle with gentle strokes. Her mind nor her body were focused on what she was writing, instead enjoying the moment. She would be content, regardless of the outcome; for she had a gut-feeling about the purity of her work.


    Her finger eases away from the Magic Circle as she opens her eyes, left in awe at the sight of ¨C what she considered to be ¨C a masterpiece.


    Arcanian letters were engraved neatly between the rings of the Magic Circle, colored a familiar cerulean blue with the symbol of a lightning bolt etched in the middle. At the very top of the Magic Circle was her name written in Arcanian; her signature.


    Though her mouth was left agape, it quickly turns into a gleeful smile as her eyes light up with joy. She jumps up and down, barely able to contain her excitement.


    Looking over her shoulder, she notices that Tianyu and Francis were conversing with each other and they hadn¡¯t noticed that she finished.


    <i>¡°I need to use a cool spell,¡±</i> Maru thought to herself, <i>¡°something flashy but not destructive¡­¡±</i>


    She stares at the Magic Circle for a moment, engraving it into her memory while hoping that her Magic could remember it as well. Then, she brings it close to her chest.


    A bolt of lightning would strike the spot where she was standing, creating a blinding flare and a powerful thunder bass that caused Tianyu and Francis to turn their heads. Maru was shrouded in a thick mist of dirt and debris, arcs of electricity scattered through the brown fog.


    ¡°Maru?!¡± They called out in unison, rushing towards her.


    They stop just a few feet away from her, staring with reassuring smiles on their faces as the dust fades away. Maru stood in the middle of the billowing smoke, lightning and Magic Energy rippling throughout her body. It was a similar feeling to when she first awakened her Magic ¨C the surging energy that the staff gave her could now be replicated at a moment¡¯s notice.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Tianyu asked, nodding gently in approval of her snappy learning.


    ¡°Like I¡¯m in heaven!¡± Maru rejoiced, though her excitement quickly faded as the energy in her body would fade just as quickly as it came.


    She pouts, putting her head down in disappointment.


    ¡°We can work on it,¡± Tianyu said, walking over to Maru and putting his hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°Hey!¡± A male voice suddenly calls out to them from far away. The trio turn their heads to the source of the voice in unison.


    From the hillside, they see a young man running at them. He wore grey robes to compliment his long, black ponytail. He held a sheathed katana close to his waist as he ran towards them.


    ¡°The hell is going on over here?¡± He comes to a halt as soon as he¡¯s close enough to see their faces.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just you guys.¡± As soon as he recognizes them, his voice becomes quiet and soft.


    ¡°Hey Sora,¡± Francis cheered, smiling and waving.


    ¡°Hey, sorry if I startled you. Yuri said she heard some thunder coming from over here so she wanted me to come over and check it out.¡±


    Tianyu and Francis look over at Maru. She looks away, flustered.


    ¡°Uhm, sorry that was me. I, uh, just awakened my Magic so they were showing me how to use it.¡±


    Sora raises his eyebrows and his eyes widen. ¡°That¡¯s a welcome surprise! What¡¯s your Magic?¡±


    ¡°Lightning,¡± she replied, ¡°it¡¯s pretty destructive, so I try not to use it too often. I¡¯m sure the explosions you heard were from my lightning bolt spells¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Sora reaches out to get her gentle pats on her hat, ¡°Yuri also uses Lightning Magic, so I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be able to teach you a thing or two about using it. This means Redville has four mages now, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yep. Do you think you¡¯ll be number five, Sora?¡± Francis teased him with a gentle pat on his back.


    ¡°I doubt it,¡± he uttered softly, ¡°but if Maru can master her Magic like you guys, then we wouldn¡¯t need a fifth.¡±


    Tianyu chuckles at the thought. ¡°With swordsmanship as proficient as yours, Sora, you wouldn¡¯t need Magic.¡±


    ¡°I hope my blade will someday carry me to the top of the world. Anyway, since the three of you are here, I should tell you that Yuri wants to have a meeting with you all regarding what you found in the mountain. She also wanted to take a look at your staff, Maru. ¡±


    Everyone looks at Maru, raising an eyebrow as they notice that her staff is gone.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t bring it with you?¡± Francis asked.


    ¡°No,¡± she answered bluntly, ¡°I gave it to my dad this morning since he¡¯s a blacksmith. I thought he would be able to take a look at it and maybe figure out what it¡¯s made of, where it¡¯s from, and what it can do.¡±


    ¡°You should stop by your father¡¯s shop to retrieve the staff before you head to Yuri¡¯s quarters,¡± Sora added, ¡°I¡¯d go pick it up for you, but I need to continue my patrols around the island.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright Sora, I¡¯ve been meaning to go check on my dad¡¯s progress with it anyway.¡±


    ¡°Alright then. Safe travels you three.¡±

 Chapter 11: Smithy

    <u><i><b>Chapter 11: Smithy</b></i></u>


    The group walks along a lengthy trail back to the village, their eyes wandering as they traverse the sandy streets in search of the smithy. A stone building amidst wooden ones. It couldn¡¯t be too hard to find, right?


    Maru said she knew where to go, so Tianyu and Francis just followed her.


    The town was bustling in more ways than one. Subtle chatter and gossip occupied many of the restaurants and clothing shops; talk of foreign opportunities and trade caught the attention of those who passed through. Carriages and carts rattled frantically, carrying fruit and vegetables of all kinds.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen the town this active in awhile,¡± Maru chimed, ¡°is there something going on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Francis added, ¡°looks like they¡¯re building something.¡±


    The trio would watch as workers haul wooden planks, stone slabs, and other materials from one building to another. The air is filled with the deafening sounds of construction and labor ¨C nails being hammered and stone chiseled.


    Many of them carried materials over to the docks, stacking everything haphazardly on top of each other. The piles were enormous, lacking any sort of structural integrity; it looked as if they were about to collapse into the water at a moment''s notice.


    Tianyu takes a quick glance at the materials and scaffolding in the area.


    ¡°It looks like they¡¯re building a boat,¡± Tianyu stated, ¡°judging by the materials and equipment at least.¡±


    ¡°Oh shit, Redville is moving out to conquer the world?¡± Francis joked, chuckling afterwards.


    ¡°A boat?¡± Maru inquired, ¡°What¡¯s so special about that?¡±


    ¡°Ships and naval artillery are a major part of the economy in our world,¡± Tianyu answered, ¡°especially within the Seven Seas. As inhabitants of Redville, our lives are bound to this small, secluded island and the resources it provides us. Establishing connections with other nations across the seas would be monumental for our people.¡±


    ¡°Looks like they¡¯re already gettin¡¯ some exports ready,¡± Francis points at a handful of crates at the docks being filled with different types of fish and herbs, all of them native.


    ¡°In a world like ours, imports and exports are the name of the game ¨C trade is the backbone of everything. If we can start trading with big groups like Yrium, the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, or the Grand Voyage, then our way of living will change.¡±


    Maru ponders for a moment. ¡°So, if Redville is capable of establishing connections with other nations through trade, then we can start getting cool stuff?¡±


    ¡°Basically, yeah.¡±


    ¡°Quality of life will improve,¡± Tianyu added, ¡°which allows for more efficient production, which improves quality of life; and then it continues as a cycle. The expansion of a nation comes with many challenges, however, and few are easy to conquer.¡±


    ¡°War?¡± Maru whispered, not wanting to mention the word in public.


    Tianyu nods. ¡°Yes, war. It can both destroy an empire and rebuild it. Conflicts between nations eventually escalate, resulting in a full-scale war with many casualties ¨C but also many innovations. More often than not, war changes the very foundation of our world.¡±


    ¡°Have there been any wars in the Seven Seas yet? I¡¯m not a history junkie so I wouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Plenty ¨C both big and small. While Redville has never been part of any wars, they have no doubt shaped the foundation of the way we live. The most impactful ones were massive conflicts such as the 500 Year War ¨C also known as the Great War ¨C and the Battle of  Fort Fantasia. Although they are centuries behind us, we still see their effects today.¡±


    ¡°It all comes full circle though ¨C back to trade,¡± Francis chimes in one last time, ¡°and your father happens to be the center of war trade..¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± Maru asked as the three of them came to a stop.


    A square building carved from stone stood before them, their edges rough and eroded after standing strong for many years. Most of it was covered in a layer of thick moss, a testament to how long it¡¯s been standing. It was moderate in size with small windows on either side of the door. A large wooden sign was hammered into the nearby dirt , the word ¡®Blacksmith¡¯ written on it in black ink. Compared to the other buildings in Redville, this one looked a tad bit more old and rugged.


    ¡°You need weapons for war, don¡¯t you?¡± Francis takes a moment to admire the place. It may have been old and rugged, but he felt there was a certain nuance about it. It shows just how long Maru¡¯s father has been in this business, solidifying him as a pillar of the community.


    Maru stared at the sign for a few seconds, a deep nostalgia setting in as her shoulders dropped a little.


    ¡°You alright?¡± Francis was the first to notice her sudden change in demeanor. He didn¡¯t want to say too much and overwhelm her, he knew she wasn¡¯t very talkative about her past.


    ¡°It¡¯s been years,¡± she whispers, her heart sinking.


    ¡°I used to come here a lot. My dad would always take me to his shop to watch him make weapons when I was a kid. I¡­ I can¡¯t even remember the last time I walked in here. Ever since I started hanging out with you guys and climbing mountains, I stopped coming.¡±


    Francis places a hand on Maru¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure the old man will be happy to see ya, Maru. It¡¯s your dad, what¡¯s there to be scared of?¡±


    Maru takes a deep breath, placing her hand on the doorknob and being the first to walk inside.


    The trio was immediately met with the smell of fresh molten steel in the air. The entire room was warm as if it were a furnace itself. Forged spears, clubs, swords, and other weapons lined the stone walls, hung by wooden mounts with slips of paper attached and a price written on them.


    Piles of wood, coal, stone, and other materials were stashed in the corners of the room furthest from the door. Beside them were large barrels, filled to the brim with minerals like gold, iron, quartz, and other things the trio couldn¡¯t identify. A massive furnace was attached to the left wall of the forge. Grandiose in scale, it stood in the command position of the room, a chimney attached to it to let smoke escape. The furnace wasn¡¯t on, but its continuous use has instilled the scent of steel into the room.


    Tools and discarded materials were scattered across the room, left on the floor, tables, shelves, chairs, stashed in buckets, drawers, and any nook and cranny the blacksmith could put them in. Lanterns would dangle from the ceiling, providing a source of light along with the two open windows near the back wall.


    It wasn¡¯t the tidiest place in Redville ¨C but who expects a smithy to be kempt and crisp?


    An anvil sits at the center of the room, Maru¡¯s father resting in a chair beside it. The staff that Maru brought to him lay on top of the anvil. Equipped with ample protection, he hammered away with a mallet and chisel to chip at the stone encasing the staff without damaging the weapon itself. The trio watches for a few seconds, not wanting to immediately disturb the blacksmith. The rhythmic chipping was somewhat entrancing.


    ¡°Good evening, Mr. Marshall.¡± Tianyu spoke quietly, as to not startle him.


    Marshall stops his hammering and looks at them. Once he saw Maru, a smile immediately appeared on his face.


    ¡°Welcome! I didn¡¯t expect for you all to come to the shop today. Are you in need of something?¡±


    Tianyu was about to say something, but he stopped himself. He looks over at Francis, who then gestures toward Maru with a subtle nod.


    He then looks over at Maru, who seemed quieter than usual.


    ¡°We came to get the staff I gave you this morning,¡± she muttered, ¡°Sora came by to tell us that Yuri wanted to have a meeting. He said that she wanted me to bring the staff.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not on a time limit, are you?¡±


    ¡°No, not that I know of. We have the rest of the evening to wait.¡±


    ¡°Alright, give me a moment then, I need to get the rest of this rock off.¡±


    Marshall is left to his tools as the trio watches in silence. The rhythmic hammering from the mallet continues as he chips away at the little stone that remained.


    After only a few minutes, the staff is unveiled from its granite cocoon. Marshall grabs a nearby towel to brush off any remaining debris, then picks it up with the cloth to present it to the trio like a trophy.


    ¡°All done!¡±


    The staff glistened in the light from the lanterns above. The polished black obsidian was majestic in the eyes of everyone who gazed upon it. Grey spirals were engraved all throughout its body, etched beneath the thicker layer of clear obsidian that held the black gemstone like an artifact encased in glass.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°It¡¯s an incredibly exotic weapon,¡± Marshall explained, ¡°I couldn¡¯t think of a single culture off the top of my head that forges their weapons like this, but I have a couple of guesses. The use of obsidian makes me believe it was made by Arcanists. In their religion, they strongly believe that minerals such as obsidian and diamond are best suited for channeling Mana. It could possibly be from an Ouranist too. They usually engrave spiral patterns into their tools, weapons, and clothes. They believed it would allow the gods of the skies to bless them.¡±


    ¡°Woah.¡± Maru takes a step forward, her eyes wide as she looks at the staff in awe. All of sudden, it looked more majestic than ever before ¨C as if it were ingrained with the essence of something celestial.


    ¡°...Now I¡¯m reconsidering taking it.¡± Maru bites her lip. Her father made it seem like the staff was sacred in some way. It awakened her Magic, sure, but she wondered if she would be scolded by a follower of those religions if she were to walk around with it so casually.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be sacrilegious,¡± Tianyu added, ¡°you found it, no? Not only that, it awakened your Magic. Part of me believes it may have chosen you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡± Marshall insisted she take it, extending his arms out a bit more to bring the staff closer to her. ¡°You know what the Adventurers say ¨C finders keepers, right? Consider this to be your first find on your journey, with a long list of many to come.¡±


    Memories briefly rush into Maru¡¯s mind, reminding her of the countless times her father would let her hold and inspect weapons ¨C but never keep them. Although this staff wasn¡¯t forged by him, it was restored by his deft hands.


    Reluctant at first, Maru reaches her hand out to grab the staff as she is overwhelmed with nostalgia again. For the first time, her father handed her something she could finally call her own, a weapon she would hold close to herself on her adventures.


    ¡°...Thank you dad.¡± Her voice was shaky, but there was a gentle smile on her face.


    Maru takes a few steps away from the group as she swings the staff in the air. Her attacks were swift and brisk ¨C the staff seemed weightless in her hands.


    ¡°How does it feel?¡± Marshall asked.


    ¡°It feels like mine,¡± she said confidently, brushing her hand against it gently. Looking down at the staff, the reflection of her eyes was more dull than usual. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be keeping this with me for a while.¡±


    ¡°Glad I could help sweetie. You kids need anything else before you make your way to Yuri¡¯s Library?¡±


    The three of them look around the shop for anything of interest. Most of the displayed items were bladed weaponry, armor, and shields. Maru wasn¡¯t fond of any of those ¨C she thought they were heavy and difficult to manage. Tianyu was much the same. His Magic could provide defense superior to any shield or set of armor.


    ¡°Could you pass me that cutlass there?¡± Francis points to a sword mounted on the wall, the blade covered by a leather casing.


    Marshall walks over to the blade and takes it off the mount, tossing it towards Francis.


    Francis catches it gently with both hands, grabbing the sword by its handle and taking off the leather sheath. He let the blade rest in his hand while he examined it briefly. The handle was wrapped with coarse black leather and some black bandages for grip. The guard and blade itself were both polished silver.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d have interest in a sword, Francis. I¡¯ve only ever seen you punch and kick.¡± Maru watched as Francis would step back and swing the blade in the air a few times, just as she did with her staff.


    ¡°Well that¡¯s because swords are deadly, and nobody has ever pushed me to the point in which I needed to use one. It might happen one day though. Can¡¯t you say the same?¡±


    Maru went silent. His words reminded her of Manho and his short speech.


    <i>¡°On that day, your heart will be filled with nothing but hate, and there¡¯s plenty of it to go around. Maybe then, you''ll feel the warm embrace of unfiltered hatred.¡±</i>


    She wondered if something like that could ever happen to her or Francis. Tianyu seemed far too composed to become a killer, at least in her eyes.


    Then again, fear fueled her in that fight.


    ¡°No,¡± she answered, ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone will ever push me to that point. Murder is wrong ¨C it¡¯s never the answer. We should forgive ¨C that¡¯s what my mama told me.¡±


    ¡°Attagirl.¡± Marshall chuckles and gives Maru soft pats on her hat.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right.¡± Francis places the leather sheath back over the blade of the cutlass. ¡°Being an Adventurer is all about exploring the world, protecting people, and teaching good morals.¡±


    He walks over to Marshall, holding the blade to his side.


    ¡°How much for the cutlass, Mr. Marshall?¡±


    ¡°On the house,¡± he replied with a subtle nod, ¡°take it as a thanks for protecting and teaching my little girl.¡±


    ¡°Hell yeah!¡± Francis exclaimed, turning around and making his way back over to the door. ¡°If you two don¡¯t want anything else, let¡¯s get going then. We don¡¯t want Yuri to get worried ¨C you know she¡¯s the anxious type.¡±


    Tianyu and Maru turn around and walk towards the door.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Marshall,¡± Tianyu announced while throwing his hand up in the air to wave.


    ¡°No problem kids.¡±


    Marshall watches as the trio leaves the shop.


    ¡°Maru,¡± he calls out to her before she closes the door, ¡°come here.¡±


    Maru looks over at Tianyu and Francis outside, putting her finger up as a gesture for ¡°one moment.¡±


    ¡°Sir?¡± She turns around and walks back into the smithy, staff still in hand.


    ¡°Are you feeling alright? Over the past few days, you¡¯ve been looking a little sad every time you come home.¡±


    Marshall noticed that Maru wasn¡¯t nearly as energetic and upbeat and she normally is. Even now, when she¡¯s with her friends, there is some life missing from her eyes. Marshall expected her to be the opposite of that, filled with joy and overwhelmed with excitement. Yet, there was an absence of passion.


    Standing there in silence, Maru¡¯s eyes darted around the room while thinking about how to respond.


    ¡°...I¡¯m alright. I¡¯ve just been feeling a little tired the past few days.¡±


    ¡°Tired? What¡¯s been making you so tired? You usually have a smile on your face when you come home, even after training.¡±


    Marshall takes a seat by the anvil, reaching out to grab a nearby chair and placing it in front of him.


    ¡°Take a seat, honey. You can talk to me.¡±


    Maru briefly puts her head down, taking a seat in front of her father while resting her staff on her lap.


    ¡°I¡¯m just scared,¡± she pauses for a moment, opening her mouth to say something again before reluctantly closing it.


    ¡°Scared of what?¡±


    ¡°My future. I know I¡¯ve always wanted to have Magic and I was really happy when I told you and mama about it. It¡¯s been a few days and I¡¯ve been thinking a lot about this whole ¡®adventuring¡¯ thing.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been wanting to go out and explore the world since you were a kid, honey. You¡¯ve seen just about everything Redville¡¯s little islands have to offer. What¡¯s making you change your mind?¡±


    Maru sighs, clenching her staff tightly while putting her head down again.


    ¡°Ever since I started hanging out with Tianyu and Francis, I¡¯ve started seeing you and mama less and less.¡±


    She bites her lip, her voice becoming weak and shaky.


    ¡°Especially recently, I¡¯ve been spending more and more time training every day, dealing with those bandits in the village and the cultists in the mountains. I don¡¯t get to spend time with you anymore. I don¡¯t get to eat dinner with you anymore. Every time I come home, I have to warm up my food myself because you and Mama already went to bed¡­¡±


    Her eyes are covered as she tilts her hat down and pulls her staff closer to her, her muscles tenses up.


    ¡°...And when I go out on an adventure, I just have to leave you and mama behind?¡±


    No matter how much she tried, Maru couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. Slowly, they began to pool down the sides of her face, her speech occasionally broken by periodic sniffles. Her father brought her up to be tough and strong, resilient and unwavering, yet she felt like her entire world was crumbling right in front of her. Just talking about her fears made it feel like they were already a reality, and she couldn¡¯t bare the thought of it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wanna leave you¡­ I don¡¯t want you to be mad at me for leaving¡­ Sometimes¡­ I don¡¯t want to go out and adventure. I want to stay with you dad. I want to stay with you¡­ And mama¡­¡±


    She covers her face with her hand, wiping away the tears as her voice becomes a little clearer.


    ¡°Sometimes I wish I was younger. I miss playing outside with you, and going on walks with you, and telling you about my stories and¡­¡±


    Marshall grabs his towel and uses it to clean Maru¡¯s face.


    ¡°Do you really think we¡¯re going to be mad at you?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes,¡± she trembled.


    ¡°Honey-¡± Marshall stops himself, making sure to choose his next words carefully.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that, whenever you leave, your mother and I miss you very much. I too miss the days when you used to sit in the living room and tell us about the adventure stories you wrote and read. I still hold those lovely dinners and relaxing walks close to my heart. We will always miss you ¨C but that doesn¡¯t mean we aren¡¯t proud of you.¡±


    Maru says nothing, the silence broken by a quiet sniffle.


    ¡°You always talked so much about having Magic, going out to see the world, and saving lives while you¡¯re at it. You¡¯d talk and dream about it every day. Look at you now.¡±


    He reaches out to put a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°You have Magic, and you have reliable friends that will follow, help, and protect you wherever you go. Even if I don¡¯t see you as often, nothing brings me more joy than seeing that warm smile because you¡¯re finally able to achieve your dreams.


    Maru looks into his eyes, her vision blurry as tears run down the side of her face again.


    ¡°It will not be easy. The world is dangerous, and you¡¯ll come across plenty of challenges. But no matter what you face, I want you to know that I will always love you. That mama will always love you.¡±


    Maru¡¯s body starts to finally relax and her gaze softens.


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± she mumbles.


    ¡°And if the going gets rough,¡± Marshall continues, ¡°you will always have a home. If you come to find that the adventuring life is not for you, or maybe you just want to see your old man again; the door will always be open, and you will always be welcome home.¡±


    ¡°...What if you¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°I will always be here.¡± Marshall opens his arms and Maru jumps out of her chair and hugs him tightly, tears streaming down the side of her face as she buries it into his chest.


    ¡°No matter how old and tall you get, you¡¯ll always be my little girl.¡±


    ¡°...I love you, dad.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Maru.¡±

 Chapter 12: Marastruck [1]

    <u><i><b>Chapter 12: Marastruck [1]</b></i></u>


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    It was an oddity for most people to say that aloud. For Yuri, however, it was commonplace. In her lonesome, speaking her thoughts into the void of her library was the solace she often longed for.


    Everything about being a leader was odd to her. She was far too used to the thin, narrow walls of her father¡¯s wooden home; a constant claustrophobic struggle with barely any space to store items, eat, and sleep. Now she stands in an abode so large her own words echo back to her. With her small and frail body, the moderately sized library felt like its own world. To her, the towering bookshelves looked like mountains, the doors were gates to other realms, and the single desk at the center of it all felt like her throne.


    Yet, it was a throne she never longed for.


    She often found comfort and familiarity in the narrow passageways between the bookshelves, tracing her fingers along the spines of each and every book. Reading them was an escape from her sometimes harsh reality. Although her job had nothing to do with reading books, she¡¯s more than glad to be stationed inside a library.


    ¡°They¡¯re taking forever,¡± she mutters to herself, pacing back and forth in front of the desk with her hands behind her back. She¡¯s a very timely person, and it was of utmost importance to her that meetings like this aren''t delayed by even a minute; likely a mindset she adapted from her studies in medicine.


    A gentle tapping on the library door breaks her shallow trance. Yuri rushes down the steps and over to the door, gently grabbing the handle and opening it.


    ¡°Well, well, if it isn¡¯t my favorite doctor. How ya doing Yuri?¡± Francis greets her with a warm smile at the door, with Maru and Tianyu standing close behind him.


    ¡°Better,¡± Yuri answered, her voice soft and quiet. She steps aside and gestures for the three of them to come inside. ¡°I¡¯ll try not to keep you all busy for too long. I¡¯m sure you have better things to do right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh my gosh! You look so cool!¡± Maru immediately rushes over to Yuri, looking at her up and down and admiring her fresh new appearance.


    Tianyu and Francis both turn to look at Yuri.


    ¡°Oh, you do look a little different.¡±


    Yuri¡¯s long white hair was always tied neatly into a ponytail, extending down to her waist. What caught their attention, however, were the large robes she wore. To compliment her black pants and dark grey shirt, she wore a completely black haori that fit nicely despite her small size. On her shoulders and back, a white insignia of a mountain surrounded by bird feathers ¨C Redville¡¯s flag ¨C was engraved into her haori.


    ¡°Was it part of your promotion?¡± Tianyu asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered, ¡°though I¡¯m not sure you could call it a promotion. My position is temporary. It only exists because Redville is going through desperate times. Once the bandits are dealt with and we establish trade elsewhere, my position will cease to exist.¡±


    ¡°I do hope you can keep the coat though,¡± Maru added, ¡°it looks really cool on you.¡±


    ¡°It would be nice. Anyway, let¡¯s not get sidetracked. I need you all to follow me so we can discuss our findings in a more fitting environment.¡±


    Yuri leads the group to the back of the library, ascending up a short flight of stairs as she motions for them to wait patiently at her desk.


    Maru¡¯s nosey eyes wander, taking a glance at Yuri¡¯s desk. It was covered with books on traditional and herbal medicine, along with an open journal and a pencil beside it. Though tempted, Maru decides to not look into the journal ¨C it wasn¡¯t her business.


    Behind the desk was a wall, guarded by a few bookshelves. Yuri walks over to them, gently massaging her fingers into the small wedges in between them as she takes hold of the bookshelf in the middle.


    <i>¡°Is she about to lift it?¡±</i> Maru thought to herself. She didn¡¯t want to be doubtful, but Yuri looked far too small to lift that entire thing by herself.


    Just as Maru was about to offer a helping hand, Magic Circles appeared on Yuri¡¯s shoulders, one on each side. They were colored a light gray, with the insignia of a lightning bolt in the middle. Yuri¡¯s arms became enshrouded by grey lightning as she would grab the bookshelf tightly with both hands.


    Miraculously, she manages to lift the furniture and pull it away from the wall effortlessly. She steps over to the side with it still in her hands, setting it down in front of another bookshelf.


    The removal of the bookshelf revealed a plain brown wall with a wooden door and bookshelves at either side.


    ¡°Does every library have a secret room?¡± Maru asked, somewhat jokingly. It was very commonplace for libraries to have secret rooms in all the stories she read, typically hidden behind a bookshelf. Their usage varied, but their presence alone was considered clich¨¦.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if every library has one,¡± Yuri answered, ¡°but this one certainly does, and it¡¯s been quite handy.¡±


    ¡°What is it for? Wait, don¡¯t tell me, let me guess.¡± Maru clasps her hands together and takes a moment to think. ¡°Is it a super secret room where you hide the world¡¯s most prized books, artifacts, and documents from all the evil bad guys that want to take them?¡±


    An unrealistic clich¨¦ that was often included in many of the books Maru has read.


    Yuri walks over to the door, pushing it open as she steps inside. The others follow her in, expecting some sort of grandiose room filled with historical artifacts, ornaments, and other prized possessions from Redville¡¯s history.


    They were instead met with a fairly dim atmosphere, only illuminated by a singular lantern that sat on a table in the middle of the room with some chairs surrounding it. Books and papers were stacked haphazardly on the table, filled with various text and scribbles that they couldn¡¯t read from where they were standing. The rest of the room was mostly empty and it lacked any soul or personality.


    ¡°No,¡± Yuri answered, ¡°at least not yet. This room is still under construction. It was a recent introduction by Reoh, as he wanted the library to be more similar to other libraries across the world. Soon, the most precious relics in Redville¡¯s upcoming museum will be replaced with replicas and the real ones will be moved here.¡±


    ¡°So, what purpose does this room serve then?¡± Tianyu asked, somewhat suspicious. Although the room was still under construction, it was still being used for something. The outermost parts of the room were shrouded in darkness, but Tianyu could still see that there were various boxes and rugged crates lined along the floor near the walls, some closed and some open.


    ¡°Is it mere storage?¡± he added.


    ¡°That¡¯s what Reoh wants it to be, but I use this room for other things too.¡± Yuri walks over to the table and moves one of the chairs out of the way. Crouching down, she reaches under the table and grabs a large wooden crate, lifting it up and dropping it into a chair with a hefty thud.


    ¡°I use it for research. Whenever I find something interesting, I store it here. I¡¯ve been keeping track of those bandits for awhile now, and I have a bunch of notes on them. Anytime a villager finds something that might be related to them, Reoh then brings it to me so I can do research on it.¡±


    ¡°Is that what¡¯s in the box? All the stuff that¡¯s been brought to you?¡± Maru asked.


    ¡°Yes, but I organize the boxes too. Have a seat.¡± Yuri gestures for the three of them to take a seat at the table. They all walk in unison and take a seat on one side of the table, leaving Yuri on the opposite side as she takes a seat herself. She reaches into the crate in the other chair, pulling out a large translucent crystal.


    ¡°There¡¯s been an abundance of these crystals in places where the bandits have been seen. Sometimes they abandon their hideouts or drop their baggage, and this crystal is always seen somewhere. I¡¯ve been collecting them to see what they are used for, and it¡¯s safe to say we¡¯re not dealing with any run of the mill bandits.¡±


    ¡°We know,¡± Maru stated firmly, ¡°I¡¯ve come face-to-face with them more than once.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve ascended mountains before, right Maru?¡± Tianyu looks over at her. ¡°You spot plenty of rocks on your journeys up. Have you seen this stone before?¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    Maru nods as confirmation, grabbing the crystal and pulling it closer to examine it. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure this is Arcanium. When I was younger, I used to see them everywhere at the peak of Redville¡¯s mountains. I haven¡¯t been seeing them that much anymore though.¡±


    ¡°Arcanium¡­¡± Francis whispered. ¡°I hear about it all the time, but I haven¡¯t a clue what it does. It¡¯s one of those rare metals, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Arcanium is, for the lack of a better term, the single most potent, durable, and powerful material known to us. For most people, it would pass as a piece of quartz, but for those of us who can wield Magic¡­¡±


    Yuri holds her hand out and Maru hands the Arcanium back to her. Holding it gently with both hands, Yuri begins to pour some of her Magic energy into the stone. The stone suddenly becomes light gray, mimicking the color of her Magic.


    ¡°Arcanium is malleable to those who wield Magic. It can be used to store Magic Energy, or energy of any kind for that matter. Once stored, it can be used and harnessed by anyone, even if they can¡¯t use Magic themselves. Beyond that, it¡¯s borderline indestructible. It¡¯s used to fuel the most destructive of weapons. Arcantalia often feed on it for nutrients.¡±


    ¡°I bet something like that sells for a few hundred Lumen or more. Bandits are probably selling it somewhere.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d agree with you on that, Francis, but if the bandits just want to sell it for Lumens, then they¡¯d need to get it off of this island somewhere. Normal people don¡¯t need Arcanium. Nobody in Redville would buy it because they can¡¯t use it. It¡¯s usually sold to factions like Fantasia or Yrium, as they have Mages that can utilize it.¡±


    ¡°You think they¡¯re waiting for the right moment?¡± Francis asked. ¡°They could be storing up a bunch of it at one time and preparing to ship it out all at once.¡±


    Maru suddenly interjects before Yuri responds. ¡°Why would they wait? Redville isn¡¯t super strict about outsiders coming and going. Tianyu was just washed ashore one day and he was accepted into the village. The border isn¡¯t patrolled, nothing is stopping them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just Arcanium,¡± Yuri added, ¡°they are storing rocks, wood, food, and corpses. Maru makes a very good point. If they really wanted to leave, they could¡¯ve done so already, but they haven¡¯t. They are adamant on holding everything in there, what for?¡±


    The room falls silent, everyone thinking to themselves about how to answer Yuri¡¯s question.


    ¡°You three went into the caverns of the mountain, according to the report you gave Reoh when you returned. I want to know what you saw there.¡±


    ¡°Food and building materials,¡± Francis responded, ¡°just as you described. I don''t recall any corpses though.¡±


    ¡°They had a surplus of everything,¡± Tianyu added, ¡°I have reason to believe they are at fault for the recent disappearances in the village. Although we saw no corpses, we came across some kind of ritual room.¡±


    ¡°There was this guy in the ritual room -- they called him Gon.¡± Yuri''s eyes suddenly widened once Maru mentioned his name, though Yuri didn''t say anything. As Maru continued to speak, her voice became a little shaky. ¡°He¡¯s pretty tall, muscular, with long brown hair and a raspy voice. One of his, uh, ''subjects'' was named Deva. They addressed Gon incorrectly, and he just... killed them.¡±


    Francis leans back in his chair and crosses his arms, a little uncomfortable with the thought. ¡°And when their dead body plopped to the ground, a couple of those¡­¡± He pauses, unsure of what to call them at first, ¡°¡®cultists¡¯ just picked up Deva''s body and carried it away. Like a bunch of little ants when they find some food ya dropped.¡±


    Since Francis and Maru were too disturbed by their memories, Tianyu continues. ¡°As we tried to flee, Gon got in our way and attempted to kill us, saying ¡®fuel for the flame.¡¯ Halfway through the battle, Maru fell down into a deep hole, likely caused by the cave''s weak structure. Francis and I continued fighting.¡±


    He stops there, expecting Maru to continue with her part of the story.


    ¡°I fell pretty far down... I wasn''t even sure how far I was falling. I ended up in this small area, with a statue and an altar. Beside the statue, there was a journal that I picked up and decided to read. It was filled with all sorts of tales of stories that took place hundreds of years ago. Whomever wrote the journal spoke about slaying gods a bunch and conquering Olympus in the name of Arcanian-kind. When I finished reading it, I went to the altar and that''s where I found this staff.¡±


    With one hand, she places the staff onto the table, holding it gently so it doesn''t roll off.


    ¡°It didn''t look like this -- it had a thick stone shell and my father cleaned it off for me. When I grabbed it initially, I wasn''t able to let go and I pulled it out of the altar by accident. There was an explosion when I pulled it out and my body was surging with Magic Energy. I''m pretty sure this staff awakened my Magic somehow.¡±


    ¡°I knew there was something off about you when you entered, but I never thought it''d be that. Do you know the basics?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I had a hunch on how to use it, and Tianyu and Francis taught me the basics with Magic Circles.¡±


    ¡°What might your Magic be?¡±


    ¡°Lightning. Sora told me that you had lightning too and that you might be able to teach me something.¡±


    ¡°...I''m not the best teacher.¡± Yuri''s eyes shift over towards Tianyu, ¡°I think I''ll leave it to them.¡± She looks back over at Maru, waiting for her to continue her story.


    ¡°...Oh, uh. After the explosion, the statue suddenly collapsed, but I''m starting to think it wasn''t a statue and that it was just a man sealed in stone. When the dust settled, I saw a man standing in place of the sculpture after it collapsed. He was tall with long black hair in a ponytail -- he called himself Manho.¡±


    ¡°Did you fight him?¡±


    ¡°Yes! He, uh, kicked my ass pretty bad, but while fighting him I learned how to use my Magic a little bit. During the end of our fight, he kicked me so hard I went flying back up to where Francis and Tianyu were fighting Gon. Gon was about to finish us off, but then Manho appeared and stopped him.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°And then he spared us, and told us to leave -- so we did.¡±


    Yuri sighs deeply, leaning back in her chair while looking up at the ceiling. ¡°So many loose ends,¡± she mutters, ¡°with no way to connect them. We know they are hiding something in that mountain, and we know that Gon and Manho are probably related to them, but we still don''t have a clue as to what it is they''re truly after.¡±


    ¡°It''s pretty obvious they''re sacrificing stuff in there,¡± Francis said ¡°whether it be random objects or people.¡±


    Maru takes her staff off of the table, leaning it against the side of her chair. ¡°That should be reason enough to want to stop them, right? If they''re sacrificing people, they can''t be up to anything good.¡±


    ¡°You''re right,¡± Yuri responded, ¡°but I want to know more. Why use Arcanium? Why do it here in Redville? What the hell is that staff doing here and how did it awaken your Magic? Who is Manho? There are so many questions¡­¡± She closes her eyes, attempting to calm herself as stress tries to overwhelm her.


    <i>¡°And why the hell is Reoh making deals with the Marastruck?¡±</i> She thought to herself.


    ¡°You know, Yuri, I think you¡¯d be a really great Librarian for the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± Yuri perks her head up to see Maru looking at her with a warm smile. ¡°That thirst for knowledge is something they look for in Librarians.¡±


    Yuri¡¯s glare remained deadpan, but she was smiling on the inside. The subtle compliment made her feel better, causing the oncoming stress to fade. She lets out a deep sigh as she gets up from her chair.


    ¡°...Maybe, I doubt they¡¯d even listen to me though. That¡¯s not my concern right now. I need more information to get to the bottom of whatever it is they¡¯re doing.¡±


    Maru gets up next, holding her staff gently at her side as she takes a few steps towards Yuri. ¡°What would you like us to do then? Do we need to go back?¡±


    Yuri shakes her head.


    ¡°No, not right now. Just head home, get some rest, and train with your Magic. Don¡¯t overwork yourself though, I don¡¯t want you to end up like Sora and become my patient every day.¡±


    ¡°You said ¡®not right now¡¯,¡± Francis pointed out, ¡°so we¡¯ll be heading out eventually?¡±


    ¡°Ideally, yes. I think it¡¯d be great for you guys to go on a recon mission back to the mountains with Sora.¡±


    ¡°What would we be looking for, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡±


    ¡°Anything of interest. Documents, the equipment they use, any conversations they may have. Any information you can get your hands on while you¡¯re there is crucial.¡±


    ¡°Got it. I know a couple guys that can get us some gear fitted for exploration. I¡¯m sure Maru has some climbing and mining gear too, yeah?¡±


    Maru nods. ¡°I might not need it. I¡¯ve become accustomed to climbing without my gear. I know my way around the mountains though ¨C maybe I could find another route to enter, since they might be expecting us on the same path we used to enter last time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you guys are already thinking ahead.¡± Yuri couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°That¡¯ll be all for now. I wanted to get a better look at your staff, Maru, but I think it¡¯s better you keep it and train with it. It awakened your Magic, so I¡¯m sure it will play a part whenever you use it too.¡±


    Francis and Tianyu both get up from their seats, gently stretching as they make their way over towards the door with Maru.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see you later then, Yuri.¡± Tianyu and Francis walked out the door as Maru stayed behind for a moment to wave at her. ¡°Do you want us to put the bookshelf back?¡±


    Yuri shakes her head. ¡°I¡¯ll put it back.¡±


    <hr>


    Yuri stands by the table quietly, too occupied with her own thoughts to leave the room.


    <i>¡°This might end up being a lot more concerning than what I initially thought,¡± </i>she thought to herself. <i>¡°I hoped we would only be dealing with some experienced bandits with not so admirable ulterior motives, but I didn¡¯t think we would be caught up with the Marastruck.¡±</i>


    Her train of thought is briefly interrupted by the sound of the library doors closing. Yuri finally leaves the room and closes the door behind her, using her Magic to lift up the bookshelf and place it back.


    She walks over to her desk, taking a seat and pulling her journal close to her. As she grabs the pen, she glances down at the last thing she wrote.


    <b><i>11th Helios, 576</i></b>


    <i>¡°Keep an eye on the Aurem, it¡¯s been active recently. Reoh seems to be passively ignoring it for some reason.¡±</i>


    ¡°On second thought, Maru¡­¡± Yuri mutters, closing her journal, ¡°...the Adventurer¡¯s Guild might not be a bad idea.¡±

 Chapter 13: Marastruck [2]

    <u><i><b>Chapter 13: Marastruck [2]</b></i></u>


    Moonlight gleaming overhead, Yuri gracefully closes the library doors behind her as she takes her leave.


    This would be the first time she¡¯s left the library in a few days. Normally, she¡¯d spend all day chronically reading and researching something of interest, whether it be an obscure topic or an idea to revolutionize life in Redville. After that meeting with Maru and the others a few days ago, however, Yuri realized it would be beneficial for her to get out more and start addressing issues herself.


    Especially since she knew who was at the bottom of all of this.


    <i>¡°And I thought I was crazy, Reoh¡­¡± </i>she thought to herself, <i>¡°but you must¡¯ve lost your mind if you think working with the Marastruck is a good idea.¡±</i>


    Rummaging through her pockets, she pulls out a key and locks the library doors before she looks up at the chieftain¡¯s hut in the distance. The lights inside were still on ¨C meaning he was home.


    <i>¡°But I¡¯m not just going to stand aside and let you do that. I want answers.¡±</i>


    Squinting her eyes, she watches as the door to Reoh¡¯s home opens. The silhouette of two tall figures leave the home, quickly disappearing into the surrounding darkness of the night.


    ¡°Gotcha,¡± she muttered, pocketing her keys as she started running towards the Chieftain¡¯s abode.


    She arrived in under a minute. Despite the short distance, Yuri was panting and wheezing, taking a moment to catch her breath. ¡°...I should¡¯ve just walked,¡± she whispered, realizing that sprinting wasn¡¯t worth the effort at all. ¡°I need to invest in cardio¡­¡±


    Yuri takes a deep breath, standing up straight as she reaches out and knocks gently on Reoh¡¯s door. There was silence for a few seconds before footsteps approached the door. Yuri backed up as the door swung open. Reoh greeted her with a smile.


    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t my favorite little doctor! What troubles you at this hour, Yuri?¡±


    ¡°You,¡± she said bluntly, ¡°remember when you told me a few weeks ago about how you were making trades with this ¡®young man¡¯ named Gon?¡±


    Reoh nods. ¡°I remember. Our last trade was a few days ago. He-¡±


    ¡°Describe him to me.¡±


    ¡°Alright. He¡¯s a tall fellow ¨C eh, actually I¡¯d say he¡¯s about moderate height. Long brown hair, raspy voice ¨C¡±


    ¡°I thought it was mere coincidence.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Tall, muscular, long brown hair, raspy voice, battle scarred like a war veteran ¨C do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡±


    Reoh suddenly falls silent.


    ¡°You¡¯re a shit liar. You couldn¡¯t even lie about his name. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know who he was? You know who they are, right Reoh?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°You-¡± Yuri stops herself, taking another deep breath while thinking of something nicer to say. ¡°You must not. Gon is part of the Marastruck, a group -- a coalition of the most wanted and dangerous war criminals on the planet. They are wanted dead in every nation, by every faction, and you¡¯re here ¡®trading¡¯ with them?!¡±


    Reoh sighs and crosses his arms. ¡°Yes. Yes I¡¯m trading with them, it¡¯s not like I have a choice.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t have a choice? How long have you been doing this?¡±


    ¡°Since Redville was founded. Yuri, they¡¯ve been here before any of us were. When they discovered me, I was ordered to either abide by their commands, or they will destroy everything I have worked to create.¡±


    Yuri sighs, remaining silent for a moment to collect her thoughts. ¡°Do you know how many there are?¡±


    ¡°Two, Gon and Manho. The rest are their subordinates that come and go quite often.¡±


    ¡°...If word gets out about this, our reputation and chances of trade are completely ruined. You realize that, right? Redville will be wiped off the map.¡±


    ¡°What do you suppose we do then? If I cut them off, they will just kill me. If we side with them, then other nations will kill us. I¡¯d rather keep their existence a secret.¡±


    ¡°...Hmmm.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    <i>¡°Something is missing,¡±</i> Yuri thought to herself. There is no doubt that Gon and Manho are incredibly powerful if they¡¯re part of the Marastruck. If Gon was capable of taking on both Tianyu and Francis in battle, simultaneously, without much effort; then he is clearly no pushover. With so much power, they could easily take over Redville. They¡¯re clearly using the island for some reason, so why haven¡¯t they conquered it?


    ¡°<i>They¡¯re collecting Arcanium. What could they do with an abundance of Arcanium..?¡±</i>


    Yuri recalls what Gon said to Maru and her friends. <i>¡°Fuel for the flame.¡±</i>


    <i>¡°Fuel¡­¡±</i>


    A realization suddenly hits her. ¡°Reoh,¡± she called out, ¡°do they know the location of the Aurem?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he whispered.


    <i>¡°So that¡¯s why he¡¯s been avoiding it¡­¡±</i>


    ¡°Please come inside, Yuri. I would prefer to chat behind closed doors.¡± Reoh politely gestures for Yuri to come inside. As she steps inside, he closes the door behind her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if the Aurem is what they¡¯re after, but it¡¯s more than capable of helping them achieve their goal. Even if they aren¡¯t after it, we are both aware of the destructive nature of Aurems, so it¡¯s important I remain wary.¡±


    The two of them walk together towards a table by the window, taking a seat across from each other.


    ¡°The presence of an Aurem is practically undeniable to any experienced Mage,¡± Yuri said, ¡°I imagine they are Mages, right? Surely they have a hunch.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they suspect something too, but if I keep denying its existence and not mentioning it, they should stop inquiring about it.¡±


    Yuri decided she needed to be more direct with her questions.


    ¡°What is their goal anyway, Reoh? Is it power?¡±


    ¡°In the short-term, yes. I don¡¯t know what their goals are beyond obtaining power, but they¡¯ve given me vague details. You know who Gon is already ¨C he¡¯s a renowned criminal across the Seven Seas.¡±


    Yuri nods. ¡°Yes, the bounty set by the Magic Council is astronomical ¨C one million Lumens.¡±


    ¡°From what I know, Gon is obsessed with fueling the ¡®Flame.¡¯ I don¡¯t actually know what it is but he talks about it all the time, like it¡¯s some sort of sentient being or a deity.¡±


    ¡°That explains why they¡¯re stockpiling Arcanium. It¡¯s capable of holding large amounts of energy, and that energy can probably be used as fuel.¡±


    ¡°Precisely, but the supply for Arcanium in the mountains is being exhausted, so they are turning to other sources of energy.¡±


    ¡°So how does Manho play into this, if you know anything about him?¡±


    Reoh pauses, articulating his thoughts. ¡°Manho is the leader of the group. His knowledge is expansive and his power is even more intimidating. He was sealed for a long time before being reawakened recently. I think the ¡®Flame¡¯ Gon talks about is connected to him, because he implies that feeding the Flame would help Manho acquire power.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what they¡¯re after then ¨C power. Fairly predictable.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but they clearly have ulterior motives. What they plan to do with that power¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°We know what they want, and we know how they plan to get it, but how do we deal with them?¡±


    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯ve been so submissive to them? If I oppose them, they will simply kill me and take what they want by force. I¡¯m thankful they¡¯re even being considerate enough to spare me.¡±


    Yuri leans back in her chair, starting to connect the dots in her head. Manho is the leader, and he just reawakened recently. That means that the Marastruck as a whole is likely scattered across the world ¨C which explains their inactivity over the recent decades despite their infamy. Manho needs power, likely because that power is required to bring his group back together. They¡¯re lacking in power, so they¡¯re desperate to acquire it from any source.


    How does keeping Reoh alive benefit them?


    ¡°It¡¯s the Aurem,¡± she blurts out, ¡°they¡¯re keeping you alive because you¡¯re the only one capable of accessing the Aurem.¡±


    Reoh¡¯s eyes widened briefly. ¡°Really now¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one that knows precisely where it¡¯s at and how to get to it. Like I said before, I¡¯m sure they have a hunch that it exists somewhere on this island, because you haven¡¯t done a very good job of suppressing its power, they just don¡¯t know where it is.¡±


    ¡°...But I do. They¡¯re waiting for me to slip up.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been avoiding it, right? Or is it just serendipity that you¡¯ve been ignoring it?¡±


    ¡°I will admit, I¡¯ve forgotten about it over the past few days.¡± Reoh chuckles nervously.


    Yuri pouts with a disapproving gaze. ¡°It¡¯s fine I guess. Since you genuinely forgot, it might be more believable that you don¡¯t know anything about it. That might make them end up killing you though¡­¡±


    ¡°That leads us back to the same issue then. No matter what I do, I¡¯ll end up dead unless I cooperate with them.¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯ll have to just give into that. We don¡¯t have the power to stop them, at least right now, so keep playing their little game and gather information until we can find an opportunity.¡±


    ¡°So just keep pretending like I don¡¯t know what or where the Aurem is ¨C dance around it, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Keep doing that until they are really about to kill you, then you can cave and tell them.¡±


    ¡°And what will you do?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be getting reinforcements. Tianyu and I are the most capable of going up against either Gon or Manho, but even then I think we¡¯re outclassed. Francis and Sora are close seconds, with Yulianna and Maru being the weakest links. The Marastruck likely won¡¯t expect us to stand a chance against them, but I have an ace up my sleeve.¡±


    ¡°That being?¡±


    ¡°The Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡±