《The Arks》


 Chapter 1 - Tryouts

    In this universe, some called themselves ''Mages'', performing ''Magecraft''. To a certain degree, like supernatural abilities. They harness the power of Elements. From Water to Fire Elements, Mages were being bred in all corners of the Universe.


    The Great Noble War established its name throughout the Universe by taking down a multitude of stars. From the remnants of galaxies that were affected, one particular galaxy called the Milky Way birthed something called the Solar System.


    This System was the collection of eight planets and their moons in orbit around a star called the sun, together with smaller bodies in the form of asteroids, meteoroids, and comets. A particular planet stood out from the rest as a haven to all; Earth.


    Humanity was not very welcoming to these foreign beings, so the first few Mages developed a system as well as an organization, called the Congregation. This group was further segregated into departments, classified by the number of Elements that a Mage can wield.


    Tryouts that were being held annually allowed the recent batches of Mages to enter the Congregation. Ranking them would be the strongest Mages within the departments of the Holders. The leader, Commander Pond, stood around to witness the tryouts every year. In the year 1300, a distinct race called the Valkyries joined the Congregation.


    Believed to represent the leader for the Great Noble War, the Valkyries of Valokia knew no bounds when it comes to power and size. They are creatures of pure Light. Stars fall to dust at the mere mention of Valokian spells. Valkyries, in their genuine form, are huge compared to the rest of the beings mentioned.


    Valokia enjoyed constant evening purple skies, decorated with luminous rosy clouds. The land looked like a huge dusty orange carpet. Its landscape was mostly barren, except for the Capital; Arcadia. Arcadia was filled with massive buildings, similar to the city center of a metropolis.


    The Child of Valokia concealed her identity, hiding her wings and covering her long, flowing hair. Her eyes were fixated on the ground. Her Aura was of the Light Element, but then again, the Valkyries were also masters of veiling their Auras. A young girl wearing a black coat with a hoodie stepped forward when the leading judge yelled ''Next''.


    " ''Kay then, kid. Show us what you''ve got!" announced the host.


    The young girl, taking down her hood, revealed long flowing chestnut locks. Her eyes radiated a golden hue as she flung her hands forward. Multiple colors emerged from within the crowd and were drawn onto her fingertips. It subsequently started to light up.


    Her thumb had grown a small flower, while her index finger had conjured up a mini-tornado, just floating above the fingertip. A small white orb enveloped by a pale blue flame was hovering above her middle finger, small pearls of both ice and water droplets danced above her ring finger. At last but not least, a bright orange fireball barely touching the skin of her pinky''s fingertip.


    This applied to her other hand. Eyes bore into the young girl as she continued absorbing Elemental Energy. When she was content, she closed her open palms, crushing the mini items. She smiled as she threw her fists into the air once more.


    The older Mages looked at the ''performer'' with disdain. Who was this nobody? She exhibits next to no sign of having any amount of Elemental Aura or Energy. So who was this, feeble little clown? She knew of this, but it did not deter her one slight bit.


    "Ignis. Aqua. Terra. Ventus. Lumen. Obscurum. Ordinata Ex Elementis! (Fire. Water. Earth. Wind. Light. Dark. Array of Elements)" called out the young girl.


    Her Aura exploded into superior ranks as a huge amalgamation of Elements hurled through the arena. The judges at the sides tried their best to contain, but their efforts were futile. A dreadful mess was caused in its wake as a certain Mage with his wife opened the door to the Central Atrium, where the arena was at.


    "Negation," boomed a voice at the back of the hall.


    The enormous ball of problems disappeared within an instant, stopping shyly from the couple. A towering and burly man stood at where the voice was located at.


    "Gillian, what a pleasant surprise," stated the announcer.


    "Pay no heed to me, just continue," replied the man with a suffocating atmosphere.


    Most of the Mages were already suffering because of his immense power. His Aura was one of a King''s; formidable to sum it all up. All but one being was affected by Gillian''s Aura. The one who stood guiltily in the middle of the room.


    Such a young girl, wielding all Core Elements at the same time, this ought to stir up a fuss within the crowds. Using so much Elemental Energy, still standing tall as if nothing had happened.


    "I wish to have a word with this Mage, so don''t place her anywhere yet," announced Gillian, smiling.


    His wife merely shook her hand and gave a caring smile towards the young girl. The Valkyrie could barely force a mere shadow of a smile as everyone in the room tried to comprehend what had happened.


    For the present, Commander Pond could only gaze upon the young girl who caused a huge mess within his domain. No one could believe a Valkyrie was here. Even the Commander harbored his doubts.

 Chapter 2 - Would You Like To Train Under Our Wing?

    As the young girl made her way towards the towering figures, some kid decided to hurl a ball of Poison at her. Worrying about the earlier scene, the young girl did not have her guard up. This had clouded her thoughts, she then failed to detect the oncoming attack.


    "Demonic Wings," called out the gentle wife by Gillian''s side.


    Her appearance had drastically changed; from an expression as a mother to the aspect of a vicious demon. If the devil had nightmares, she would be an excellent mascot for that. Another terrifying thing was what had sprouted from her back, a pair of demon wings.


    The moment the poison ball touched, her wing had devoured it, growing slightly bigger. She subsequently issued a daunting glare at the person who launched the attack as she kept her wings.


    "You! No attacking of other Mages!" yelled the host.


    "One more word of insult and I won''t hesitate to invert your ribcage, do you understand?" bellowed Gillian.


    His voice was enough to strike fear in the most experienced of men-at-arms. Defying his orders was not an option if you planned to keep living. They weren''t messing about when the books had mentioned those who hailed from the planet Akhaten are intense.


    Akhaten was a radically exotic planet compared to others. Its skies were suffused with lush greenery while the land was brimming with shades of blue. The clouds were on the ground, as opposed to Earth. Bodies of water danced throughout the skies, making sunset and sunrise a major sight to behold.


    The beings of Akhaten, called Akis, believed that the whole Universe was created and controlled by a Book. This book wrote and writes events throughout Time and Space. Each death, each birth, each memory, each place. They were all written in that particular book.


    Akis used the Element of Code, relying on words to convey and demonstrate their spells. The ability to translate and perceive any form of speech or writing. The Element predominantly affects the target''s mind.


    Because of this overpowered Element, they are gifted enough to perform high-ranking spells without possessing the particular Element first. If the Mage receives the incantation, he or she can directly implement the given spell.


    The young girl was unfazed by the powers of the couple before her. On the contrary, she maintained a sense of belonging with the couple. It moderately prompted her of how parents should be, defensive of their kids when faced with danger.


    After a few fires and floods, it was time for Gillian and his wife to individually survey the young girl. As everyone tried to get out of the packed hall, most averted the weary gaze of the young girl. She merely stood in the corner, her hood back up. It looked liked she disliked being noticed.


    Gillian then approached her, after all the people had been cleared out. His wife, Ysabeau, bestowed a tender smile towards the young girl. The Valkyrie shyly placed her hood down.


    "Show me the most powerful spell you''ve got in your arsenal," commanded Gillian, looking straight into the trembling girl''s eyes.


    Ysabeau next provided a divine thwack on her husband''s head.


    "Be nice! You''ll end up scaring her!"


    "I can''t make her scared if she''s already frightened," mumbled Gillian, rubbing the sore spot on the top of his head.


    Another smack made the young girl wince in place of Gillian.


    "And whose fault was that?!"


    "You were the one who unleashed the Demonic Wings."


    By the third whack, the young girl was trying to hold back her laughter. Despite how they were being portrayed, they were nothing but newlyweds at heart. As the couple finally focused once more, the young girl was able to unleash the most powerful spell within her arsenal.


    One that was strong enough to strain her Elemental Endurance but not enough to completely drain the hapless girl''s Elemental Energy. With a deep breath, the young girl gathered up her strength and unleashed a taste of the power she had within her being.


    "Coeli Rotam; Die Iudicii. (Heaven''s Wheel; On the day of judgment)," she chanted, glowing bright with golden light.


    Two immense circles appeared; above and underneath the whole hall. The circles started spinning rapidly, absorbing streams of Light Elemental Energy within the area. With arrows coming from both circles, an enormous pillar of light and flash left Gillian and Ysabeau impressed.


    Gillian gave a contented smile as he clapped. The young girl''s eyes lit up in happiness.


    "I had a hunch, but I couldn''t know for sure. It has been a long time since I''ve encountered one of your kind. Years, perhaps. Tell me, young one, what is your name?" asked Gillian.


    The young girl smiled and went towards the couple.


    "My name''s Mavislin Roydon," introduced the cheerful young girl.


    Ysabeau next crouched to the young girl''s level.


    "Would you like to train under our wing?"


    Mavislin was taken aback, was she hearing things? Two great Mages were proposing her to be their disciple? It wasn''t even an order; it was an invitation. The girl showed trepidation as she tried gathering her muddled thoughts.


    "Are there other students under your expertise?" asked Mavislin, seemingly unsure of her own words.


    The two shook their heads, further increasing Mavislin''s nervousness. With a deep breath, she narrowed her eyes and allowed her mouth to execute the agreement.


    "Great! I''ll be by your side when in training to make sure this demon doesn''t steer you to an early grave," said Ysabeau, giving a slap on the back of the unfortunate husband.


    "Why are you so violent, woman?!"


    "Why are you so terrifying, man?!"


    Mavislin found it difficult to stifle her laugh as the two continued to bicker. A shadow captivated the attention of the young girl, but she decided not to pay any heed to it.

 Chapter 3 - Angry Man

    Though it had been a few years, Mavislin''s powers had matured well. The training was mostly about the theory of the different Elements. The young girl was competent enough to dish out a well-rounded attack using Core Elements, but it did not mean she was versatile in all Elements.


    However, during that time, rumors were flying around. Mages had been placed within the human community, acts of Magecraft has been deemed ''evil'' by the dwellers of the planet Earth. It was known as ''Witchcraft'', a term that was alien towards the Mages.


    A certain Dark Element Mage had accidentally shown her powers to whom she thought were friends. This then led to her mistimed death of being burnt alive at the stake. Not only it caused a din within the human society, but it also wreaked havoc in the Congregation.


    The one who caused the mess was a young child, so she did not understand what was wrong with having a Dark Element. She paid the price with her life. She and her father were from the Shadow Tribe, a planet filled with Dark Elements within the Abyss of Stars.


    The Abyss Of The Stars was the galaxy filled with Dark Matter. The entire galaxy is like the Void. Barely having any stars, every planet within that is either consumed by the Dark Element or simply doesn''t exist. Essentially, the Abyss Of The Stars is the same as what humans hypothesized, ''A Dark Galaxy''.


    The Shadow Tribe was a planet that birthed beings called Shadows. These Shadows were, at first, nothing. They were unable to think or feel. They did not exist. Until a being from another unspecified galaxy found the planet. As many more arrived, the foreign beings decided to take up this ''unoccupied'' planet.


    As a huge protest, the Shadows fought back by swallowing the invaders. The Shadows then took the form of whatever tried to harm them. This ultimately created beings like Baldwin and his daughter. Some have claimed all forms of Dark Element emerged from this particular planet.


    The Dark Mages were born with that Element. The situation was like being sentenced to death for having the ability to breathe. The moment the father laid eyes on his daughter''s remains, he went ballistic. The village was wiped out in an instant. Only Ysabeau could soothe his rampage.


    Mavislin had been under their wing for about a few years. Despite that, she was still considered a juvenile compared to the elites that were sent to soothe the raging being. All she could do was stand along the sidelines.


    "Well, that was a waste of personnel," commented Gillian, avoiding a few dead bodies.


    The culprit stood among the pile of bodies that he''d slaughtered in retaliation of his daughter, Abigail.


    "Destroying more lives won''t help to bring back to your daughter, you''ll cause more pain for other fathers who''ve lost their children due to your rage. How many daughters were killed in that Black Hole of yours?" asked Ysabeau, sternly towards Baldwin.


    The man was seething with darkness, the very Aura that dwelled near him caused the plants to wither and die.


    "Too many to count. And fathers are supposed to protect their children, show them an example of an authoritative figure," replied Baldwin.


    His clenched fists were shrouded with darkness.


    "Do you think you''ve set an example for your daughter? Would your daughter come back from the dead if you killed more?" asked Gillian, walking towards the angry man.


    ''Well, I can''t if she''s dead!"


    A huge ball of darkness was now hurling towards the being near the bushes.


    "Howl of the Valkyries!" yelled Mavislin, destroying the ball within an instant.


    "Enough!" yelled Ysabeau.


    "Did I just hear Valkyrie?" asked Baldwin, looking at where the spell had arisen.


    "She''s the newcomer, the Penta Holder. It''s okay, he won''t bite,'' cooed Ysabeau.


    The Valkyrie was reluctant as she slowly scooted towards them. She was fine with the couple but was downright terrified of the person they were confronting. After all, the Angry Man was still fuming.


    "That girl, she was the one who combined all Core elements from the tryouts?" asked Baldwin, eyes brightened up. The girl nodded.


    "Mavislin, go back to the house. We''ll deal with him, no need to be afraid," bellowed Gillian, going in front of the child.


    The glare from Gillian sent chills down the feeble child''s back.


    "Stop being so terrifying towards kids, will ya?! Think about the poor child, looks like she''s seen a ghost!" scolded Ysabeau, knocking down the bewildered man''s head.


    "Angry man over there and you''re having a go at me?!" asked the baffled Gillian.


    "Sorry, darling, this shabby thing didn''t mean to bother you," cooed Ysabeau, smiling gently as if nothing had happened.


    The girl was starting to smile a little due to a comical scene. Two prestigious members of the Congregation. And one''s biting the other''s hand while the one being bitten is yanking the biter''s hair. But the moment was crushed as Baldwin steadied himself once more.


    "One of the most radiant beings within the Andromeda Galaxy. You are just a child?" asked the Angry Man, looking at her juvenile feathered wings.


    "About 130 years old back home," she replied, ears perked as he knew so much. The Andromeda Galaxy was the neighboring galaxy of the Milky Way.


    "About 13 earth years," murmured Baldwin, looking at the being in front of him.


    "How can you tell if she''s just a child?" asked Ysabeau.


    "Because the a.d.u.l.ts are enormous, larger than dragons, especially the ones in the military. But in their compact form is what they look comparable in 180 Valokian years or 18 years. Valokia is bigger than any of the planets around it for a reason," explained Baldwin.


    Something felt oddly familiar with Baldwin''s Aura, but Mavislin decided it was unimportant as the group proceeded to head back.

 Chapter 3 - Confirmation And Hiring

    Ysabeau next provided a divine thwack on her husband''s head.


    "Be nice! You''ll end up scaring her!"


    "I can''t make her scared if she''s already frightened," mumbled Gillian, rubbing the sore spot on the top of his head.


    Another smack made the young girl wince in place of Gillian.


    "And whose fault was that?!"


    "You were the one who unleashed the Demonic Wings."


    By the third whack, the young girl was trying to hold back her laughter. Despite how they were being portrayed, they were nothing but newlyweds at heart. As the couple finally focused once more, the young girl was able to unleash the most powerful spell within her arsenal.


    One that was strong enough to strain her Elemental Endurance but not enough to completely drain the hapless girl''s Elemental Energy. With a deep breath, the young girl gathered up her strength and unleashed a taste of the power she had within her being.


    "Coeli Rotam; Die Iudicii. (Heaven''s Wheel; On the day of judgment)," she chanted, glowing bright with golden light.


    Heaven''s Wheel. Also known as Valokia''s Divine Justice. A spell that can only be wielded by a Valkyrie born and bred on the lands of Valokia. Though the way it was being used throughout the years remains a mystery, it has been known to kill a single individual to making stars fall.


    Two immense circles appeared; above and underneath the whole hall. The circles started spinning rapidly, absorbing streams of Light Elemental Energy within the area.


    With arrows coming from both circles, an enormous pillar of light and flash left the couple impressed. Gillian gave a contented smile as he clapped. The young girl''s eyes lit up in happiness.


    "I had a hunch, but I couldn''t know for sure. It has been a long time since I''ve encountered one of your kind. Years, perhaps. Tell me, young one, what is your name?" asked Gillian.


    The young girl smiled and went towards the couple.


    "My name''s Mavislin Roydon," introduced the cheerful young girl.


    Gillian nodded as he laid a hand on the child''s head.


    "You are worthy of gaining high status and fame within the Congregation. And I am willing to give you some private lessons. After all, a Valkyrie''s powers should be used wisely, not recklessly," explained Gillian.


    Mavislin tilted her head in confusion. Ysabeau sighed and crouched to the young girl''s level.


    "Would you like to train with us?"


    Mavislin was taken aback, was she hearing things? Two great Mages were proposing her to be their disciple? It wasn''t even an order; it was an invitation. The girl showed trepidation as she tried gathering her muddled thoughts.


    "Are you guys teachers?" asked Mavislin, seemingly unsure of her own words.


    The two shook their heads, further increasing Mavislin''s nervousness.


    "We''ve never got the chance. Most of the students aren''t able to handle the number of lessons we dish out," explained Gillian.


    "Then what makes you think I would be able to?" asked the nervous girl.


    "Your Elemental Energy and Aura tells me so."


    With a deep breath, the Valkyrie narrowed her eyes and allowed her mouth to execute the agreement.


    "Great! I''ll be by your side when in training to make sure this demon doesn''t steer you to an early grave," said Ysabeau, giving a slap on the back of the unfortunate husband.


    "Why are you so violent, woman?!"


    "Why are you so terrifying, man?!"


    Mavislin found it difficult to stifle her laugh as the two continued to bicker. A shadow captivated the attention of the young girl, but she decided not to pay any heed to it.


    The Congregation''s dormitory was not exactly comfy when it came to amateur Mages or newcomers. But since the couple adamant about having the young Valkyrie live with them, Mavislin was spared from sleeping in those cramped quarters.


    "Is it really alright for me to do this?" murmured Mavislin, as she slowly sat down on the large bed.


    "Come on, the bed won''t bite you. Just lie on it already," complained Gillian.


    Ysabeau thought it was a fun opportunity to launch the poor girl''s luggage towards the back of Gillian''s head. Be it luck or skill, Gillian was able to catch the weapon without turning.


    "And what was that for?" asked Gillian, seemingly irritated.


    "Just checking on your reflexes, honey," replied Ysabeau, smiling sweetly.


    Gillian sighed and joined the two females on the edge of the bed.


    "Listen, Mav. From now on, you''ll be part of our little family. Don''t be afraid of small matters like these," said Gillian, slowly unpacking the girl''s luggage.


    The bag''s contents were little, a blanket and a rabbit plushie with an eyepatch. He gave the rabbit to Mavislin while Ysabeau wrapped the blanket around Mavislin.


    "As time goes by, you''ll learn that if you hesitate, you might just end up dying. It''s okay to be afraid but do the task nonetheless. Or else, it might be the last thing you ever feel," said Gillian.

 Chapter 4 - In The Same Space?!

    An Old Chapel turned to a nice little home in a small clearing of a beautiful forest was in readiness for the group. It was cosmic. The walls were still sturdy as if it had been untouched. It bore no look of war or fights but it screams of nostalgia towards anyone who came by.


    An upgraded cottage, if there was such a thing. Its roof had been repainted from gray to brick red. The walls from their typical gray and black color to a subtle pale white. The windows maintained their design. A chimney stuck out from the building''s top.


    Mavislin was ecstatic when she initially heard she would have a home when after agreeing to train under the couple''s wing. Her joy had skyrocketed when she laid eyes on her room within the beautiful Old Chapel they lived in.


    By the virtue of Gillian''s Element, whichever room the person owns would reflect the user''s Elements and personality. And on the odd occasion, if the Old Chapel desires it, the memories of the one living in the room. In this way, when Baldwin was given a room later in the day, the entire room was drenched in darkness.


    "Not as grand as palaces or castles, but should fill the bill for a small group of us. Do take note not to go behind the Old Chapel, you might accidentally step on little Mavis'' garden," warned Gillian, resting his hand on the Dark Mage''s shoulder.


    He looked mystified as Ysabeau opened the room window to reveal a colorful patch of land in the middle of the lush green carpet around the building.


    "If only I had known you were opened to guests, I would''ve taken my family here to be safe," said Baldwin, voice cracking.


    Mavislin smiled as she gazed upon the mini garden below.


    "Abi would''ve treasured it," said Ysabeau, looking at the Angry Man in sadness.


    "So you are telling me I can stay?" asked Baldwin, in bewilderment.


    "Why not? Provided you don''t ravage the area and make Mavislin aggravated, you should be reasonable." Baldwin was puzzled.


    "You are willing to accept a Mage of Dark Element in the same space of a Mage of Light Element?!"


    Baldwin''s face was in a state of shock; how could Mages of the polar opposite Elements live under the same roof?


    "She''s still a child, so she won''t bother you overmuch. Moreover, she hasn''t got many friends to play with, so you could help in that aspect."


    Baldwin looked hesitant as he gazed upon the young Valkyrie. He had heard tales of the mighty race of the Valkyries born from the planet Valokia. Beings of pure light. Its authentic form was enough to destroy continents with a momentous step.


    And now, with all the stories written down and legends told, a young child of the menacing race stood before him. The ultimate survivor, all alone. Then again, he was on the same page as her. No home, no family... Where could they possibly go?


    Anyone in that situation would have been unable to deny the invitation the couple gave. And yet, Baldwin showed reluctance as he agreed on the terms.


    "Currently, show ''em what you can do, little Mavis," said Ysabeau, tousling the young girl''s hair.


    The adolescent child of Valokia went towards the window. The sun was about to let the moon take over its shift as the sky conveyed shades of red and orange. Mavislin''s palms were opened as trails of Earth Elemental Energy were given from her fingertips and to the garden below.


    In the span of a second, the lush green carpet around the building had bloomed several more patches of vibrant colors.


    "So look''s like someone has been training behind my back," suggested Gillian, smirking. Mavislin offered an adorable smile and giggled as Gillian tickled her nose.


    "Any idea how dangerous to place the both of us in the same house?" asked Baldwin, looking at Gillian directly.


    "As I said, she''s just a young child. She doesn''t know the valid concept of Light and Dark. If you manage to get along with each other, there won''t be a problem when she''s all grown up," explained Gillian.


    Baldwin swayed his head in disagreement.


    "How long do you plan to shelter her from the truth?"


    "Isn''t giving up all your family and people painful enough for a developing child? I can tell she''s hurting. And yet, she is nevertheless able to put on a mask and act all happy. Whatever she''d seen and been through, I can''t possibly comprehend how much it hurts. The truth will reveal itself soon, but it doesn''t mean I can''t try to cushion the impact for the poor girl."


    "Food is done!" yelled Ysabeau.


    "So, what is the version of Valkyries on this planet?" asked Baldwin, gnawing happily on a stag''s thigh.


    Mavislin was busy trying finding different ways of devouring the deer''s body until she ultimately settled on its leg. Its eyeballs were thoroughly nice, after dunking it in some blood.


    "Technically, a Valkyrie is one of a group of women that governs who may live or die on the battlefield. They subsequently select some worthy beings. And amongst the ones who have been slain in battle, the Valkyries establish who to be in Valhallan. They are recognized as the ''Chooser of the Slain'', Angels of Death," explained Ysabeau.


    "Why are we so complicated on this land? We don''t appoint anyone. We just fight. We don''t dictate, we kill. That''s Valkyries work, we wage wars to indicate our status. We represent the gods of war, not angels at all," replied girl who had an eyeball in her mouth. She was extremely bothered at how her race was being defined.


    Ysabeau sighed as she got a piece of cloth and wiped away the blood that was trickling down the young child''s chin.


    "You guys are still better respected than me," commented Baldwin.


    "That''s proper," replied the Valkyrie.

 Chapter 4 - The Domains

    The young Valkyrie was barely able to comprehend Gillian''s words before she fell fast asleep.


    "Some nice words of wisdom you''ve got there, Gil."


    "Ever heard of knocking? It''s what you do before entering the room, Baldwin Noble," replied Gillian as he tucked the Valkyrie in.


    "Hmph. Lady Meslander," said the man engulfed in shadow as bowed down to Ysabeau.


    "Why did you mask your presence?" asked Ysabeau.


    "There were no interesting newcomers so there was no need to," explained Baldwin, nonchalantly.


    "Oh? How about her, then," asked Gillian, giving his signature smile.


    "I want nothing to do with the likes of her kind."


    "To be fair, she''s only a child, no more than seven years old I''d reckon."


    "Makes no difference. Child or not, she is the last Child of Valokia. I''d be cautious if I were you."


    "So why are you here?" asked Ysabeau, seemingly upset that he would brand Mavislin as a killing machine.


    "Old Man Pond is preparing to launch another sting operation against the Campania''s domain. He wants prime soldiers again," explained Baldwin, waving a scroll about.


    The Congregation was the name of the somewhat broken alliance of five domains. The headquarters of the Congregation rested on the Urnsfield domain. Surrounding the Urnsfield''s domain were mainly the Albion, Briton, Teuton, and Campania domains.


    As mentioned earlier, the departments are based on the number of Elements a Mage can wield. And the somewhat broken alliance meant that all of the departments functioned differently than each other.


    Albion consisted of two smaller domains, the North and South of Albion. North Albion is for newcomers, they would arrive there straight after the tryouts to began the classifications. The South Albion housed the Mages who could only wield a single Element, known as Single Holders. Plus, the Urnsfield domain had no problems with the way they worked.


    The Briton domain was separated by a little lake from the North sea. The Mages who dwelled in this domain, are masters of two Elements, Twin Holders.


    The ratio between Mages and Humans were not in the Congregation''s favor. Furthermore, the Humans there were aggressive towards the Mages, least to say. Thus, the Urnsfield domain has to back them up via skilled Mages and soldiers.


    The Teuton domain''s vast land dwarfs most of the domains, including the Urnsfield domain. This domain was home for the Triplet Holders of the Congregation. They needed bigger land for the amount of training they normally do.


    Triplet Holders are not only masters of three Elements but they have been also gifted the only spell that only their kind can use. The Holy Trinity Spell. The merging of all three of the Mage''s powers to deliver an ultimate blow.


    With the amount of devastation that the Mages there would be able to do, to anger them would be akin to suicidal. The Holy Trinity Spells can give off the same amount of damage as Ancient Spells. Therefore, the Urnsfield''s decision not to mess with them was a wise choice.


    That just leaves the Campania. It is slightly smaller than the Urnsfield domain, but the Mages that lived there are mostly of the first-rate status. Quadruplet Holders, those who commandeer four Elements.


    The Urnsfield domain was the only domain that housed all of the elites. Those who wielded five or more elements. Those who were all-rounders. Those who used Lost Magecraft. Those who were the best of the bunch.


    Due to the Campania domain''s uprising of hate from both the Mages and Humans alike, Urnsfield decided to wage a war against them. The Mages there complained about the way that the Congregation functioned as a whole, being too strict and not upholding their promises.


    Humans simply did not accept them at all, calling them monsters or freaks. For about five years, the two domains have been fighting. Leading sting operations like the one Baldwin had mentioned common.


    "Tell him Ysabeau and I will be absent. I don''t care much about angering the Campania''s region again. Once was enough for me," said Gillian, waving the matter off.


    "We would be losing two good fighters."


    "Ask Peanut to fill in for me."


    The shadowy man sighed as he slipped out through the window.


    "What''s with him and his fear of doors," murmured Gillian.


    "Has he not found out about the recent incident?" asked Ysabeau, eyes heavy.


    "The one that occurred at the Campania? Or the one with children?"


    "There were two?!"


    "What makes you think that they were separate incidents?"


    "There was a reason why I didn''t want you or me to go to that sting operation. You wouldn''t like it. Neither would I. And with newcomer with us, I highly doubt she''d like the impression that mission would give," explained Gillian.


    "Nevermind about that for now. We need to let lil'' Mav be comfortable around us. Let''s get some sleep for now," said Gillian.

 Chapter 5 - Time Mage

    In the span of a few months, the Congregation was in a mess, in shambles and disarray after the attacks. Least to say, it did not survive the Dark Ages. The time where humans decided to scare themselves with vampires and witches.


    It was fun for the growing young Valkyrie as she wreaked havoc with Baldwin, making the unknowing and aggrieved villagers afraid and disoriented. Every so often, Gillian enjoys the fun without his wife knowing. ''Training'' was the main excuse as Mavislin tested new spells on the villages nearby.


    It was the unspoken truth when deep down, all of that was just a way masking the pain and fear hidden. At some point, they had to be prepared to lose their lives or their loved ones.


    With the Congregation fallen, the young Valkyrie was allowed to roam freely. Though quite dangerous, it should not have been a problem for the place she was headed towards. Mavislin was visiting Baldwin''s daughter''s grave, Abigail. She brought nothing but herself and some daisies.


    The wind was exceptionally gusty. It must be Ysabeau practicing again, thought Mavislin. The disturbance in the wind informed the young girl otherwise as it felt foreign, nothing she''s constantly seen and the Aura was unfamiliar as well.


    "Come out, don''t hide in a graveyard, human," she said, emphasizing on the concluding word.


    "I''m nothing of that sort," replied the voice, as if he whispered into her ear.


    She flinched as the voice came with no breath.


    "Then what are you or who are you?" she asks, standing up.


    "Why should I tell you?" At the present moment, the voice came from behind the girl.


    "I''ll ruin you if you don''t stop this now," growled Mavislin.


    "Don''t underestimate what I can accomplish, girl," retorted the voice.


    It was now in front of the annoyed Valkyrie. A finger decided to lift the girl''s chin, just for a moment.


    "Coward, show yourself!" yelled Mavislin, trying to grab the person.


    "If you can even catch up to me!" taunted the brat.


    The duel was on as the two tried to confront each other in the graveyard. Regardless of how many spells Mavislin threw at the brat; he never showed himself. It was getting frustrating. She then closed her eyes and smiled.


    The Aura was able to pinpoint where he had placed his foot. If she could predict where he would go next, she might be efficient enough to hit him. But alas, how could a mere Mage predict the movements of a Time Mage?


    When the young girl thought she had located where the annoying brat had been, he decided to change position. Mavislin looked shocked, how could he have moved when his Aura did not. She was beginning to tucker out. As she began to fall, a pair of scrawny but sturdy arms grasped her on time.


    "No way, your Aura and footsteps were there a second ago. How are you skilled enough to get here so fast?" asked Mavislin, looking at the brat.


    To seize the falling girl, he had to reveal himself. A short boy, pimply with jet black hair parting to the side. He held up a small dagger.


    "Time Element Manipulation," explained the boy.


    "You don''t strike me as another being, yet you are not human?" she asked, carefully standing back up.


    "Never consider me as one. I guess you can suggest I am one of a kind," he explained.


    "There he is! And that witch!" yelled the oncoming mob.


    "See ya!" shouted the rascal, vanishing once more.


    "Oh come on! You haven''t told me your name yet!" whined Mavislin.


    "Raiyen Phoenix E. Harmony," responded the voice.


    "You will burn!!"


    "Burn at the stake!"


    "The ones who would be burning, are you lot," she said as she sat on a tombstone delivering a word of threat.


    "Witch! Demon!" yelled the mob once more.


    She smiled as they held their threats. Amid all the shouting and torches, one of the ignorant villagers got too close to the daisies and stomped on them. Her eyes filled with fury within a fraction of a second.


    "You lot will join the deceased bodies within this graveyard!" bellowed the young girl.


    Her eyes were blazing orange changing from her bright and beautiful gold color. Her wings sprouted, looming over the villagers. As she shook, it caused the wings to erupt into flames.


    "Ignis Pinnam Flagellum (Fire Feather Whip)!" she yelled as Mavislin took out a whip by plucking out a unique feather.


    After saying out its name, the whip turned into a flowing stream of fire. As she twisted the flaming rope around, the slashes made in the air turns into flames shaped like a crescent moon. It landed on and roped around any flesh that it could devour.


    This burned the villagers, melting their skin away. The wails and cries of the humans were joyous to the young Valkyrie''s ears. The sound of roasting delighted her as she giggled like an amused child.

 Chapter 5 - The Old Chapel

    The next morning, the couple decided to give the young Valkyrie a little tour of their new home. Mavislin was ecstatic when she initially heard she would have a home after agreeing to train under the couple''s wing.


    The trio took a little journey, a walk towards the border between the Urnsfield''s and the Campania''s domain. Entering the Campania''s domain meant a world of problems, but the couple seemed confident.


    A village situated right at the border was only a landmark for them, much to Mavislin''s surprise.


    "This village is very important to Mages. They aren''t just humans, they are humans who know about us Mages. A treaty of peace has been established between us and them, so make sure you don''t cause any trouble for them," said Gillian.


    "They protect our identity and whereabouts while we protect them by helping out using our powers," explained Ysabeau, her hands waving about, greeting the villagers.


    Mavislin kept quiet as she tailed along. Something about having humans around was bothering the young Valkyrie. Ysabeau smiled gently as she rested a hand on the child''s head.


    They walked into a forest situated beside the village. Located in the heart of a forest, laid a small clearing. From the perspective of being behind a curtain of vines, nothing but lush greenery and a single huge oak tree that was at the side was present.


    Mavislin looked perplexed as she stopped in front of the curtain of vines, but the couple gave a reassuring smile.


    "Go on, you''ll be able to understand what the Elements can do," said Ysabeau.


    The young girl gulped as she stepped through the vines. In an instant, the fallen leaves in the clearing decided to have a mind of its own as they flew up into the sky. The leaves formed a huge cylinder and exploded, revealing a huge stone building in its wake.


    An Old Chapel turned to a nice little home in a small clearing of a beautiful forest was right before the Valkyrie. It was cosmic. The walls were still sturdy as if it had been untouched. It bore no look of war or fights but it screams of nostalgia towards anyone who came by.


    An upgraded cottage, if there was such a thing. Its roof had been repainted from gray to brick red. The walls from their typical grey and black color to a subtle pale white. The windows maintained their design. A chimney stuck out from the building''s top.


    "Go on, nothing to be afraid of," cooed Ysabeau, slightly pushing the Valkyrie towards the house.


    Mavislin scanned the area in wonder. Was this the true power that an Elite could muster? The child gleefully ran up to the building and gave it a knock.


    Two large wooden doors opened with a creak, allowing the Valkyrie in. The couple smiled as they followed the energetic child behind.


    The Chapel''s interior was drastically different from what it once was. The stone wall and wooden floor remained, but the benches had been taken out. And instead of the usual arched roof, it was a flat cover of stone.


    A little fireplace sat by the side, opposite of that was a stone table and some wooden chairs. A few cauldrons were just beside the fireplace, near some pieces of meat hanging about.


    "Is that for dinner?" asked Mavislin, eagerly.


    "I''d forgotten about Valokians'' appetite," said Gillian, wiping sweat from his brow.


    "You can eat it if you''d like," replied Ysabeau.


    "Yay!" yelled Mavislin, as she proceeded to grab a chunk of raw meat from the hook.


    "Shall we continue the tour first?" asked Gillian, pulling the kid away.


    The child seemed disappointed but as she climbed the spiral stairs towards the second level, her eyes beamed with happiness. Her joy had skyrocketed when she laid eyes on her room within the beautiful Old Chapel the couple lived in.


    It started as a dull room, a bed, and a closet. Its window was the only thing that was worth mentioning. A stained glass window. But lil'' Mav was still happy with the room.


    "Step in, you''ll see what this Old thing can do," said Ysabeau, giving an elbow to her husband''s side.


    When she placed her foot into the room, the entire place started to change. Every step she took created a ripple effect. The dull floors became orange with a dusty look to it. The arched roof was finely coated Valokia''s evening purple skies to remind the young girl of her home.


    The closet was slightly bigger now, a few more things popped up. A bookshelf, a table, and a chair¡­


    "Penny!" yelled Mavislin as she flung herself onto the fluffy bed.


    "Be careful!" yelled Ysabeau with a hint of worry.


    Her husband could only give off an amused laugh.

 Chapter 6 - Time Boy

    A flash of light appeared near the Valkyrie, only to reveal Raiyen standing there. He swayed his head in dismay.


    "Accordingly, you''ve decided to come out of that little hidey spot of yours?" asked Mavislin, blowing some leftover ambers towards the Time Mage.


    "Yep. It''s not a ''hidey spot'', it''s called a Time Pocket," explained Raiyen, folding his arms in discontent.


    "Where a fraction of Time is being taken out and used; a slice of Time itself. Creating a separate Time to move from pillar to post, requiring only a single second within the Time. In that second that he''d taken, he can move around freely."


    "When he unlocks it, Time will continue and the changes that he''d initiated would look like it was achieved in an instant. The power of the Time Element transcends most strong Elements. And it is such a rarity to encounter someone so young wielding an arduous and imposing Element," explained Ysabeau, popping out from an immense tree above them.


    Her wings were huge and the evening purple color made it quite contrasting to the pale azure sky behind her.


    "You offered no mercy when killing them, would you do the same to me?" asked Raiyen, looking at all the remains of the mob. Mavislin shook her head and laughed.


    "Correctly, I presumably won''t silence you. You and your powers seem interesting. I had not seen the Element of Time being used in Magecraft before. I didn''t know it was possible to govern the laws of Time. We can work together if you''d like," proposed the young Valkyrie.


    "Perhaps," mumbled Raiyen.


    Ysabeau glided down, protecting young instinctively.


    "I am more concerned about you trying to harm my little Mavislin here. Don''t get c.o.c.ky with me, Time Mage. I know the Time Element is enough to throw off the balance of Life and Death," warned Ysabeau.


    Little Mavislin was peeking out from behind her gigantic wing.


    "Yep, but I won''t harm her. I just wanted a friend," replied Raiyen, as if he''d been scolded by a mother.


    "Not to worry, child. I''m just curious on who was playing with Mavislin here," explained Ysabeau, letting the familiar gentle smile appear on her beautiful face.


    "Run back home, Time Child," said Ysabeau, chasing him away. His eyes darted off somewhere, anywhere to avert the stern mother''s gaze. Her wings carefully retracted and disappeared into the wind. Silence befell on the three, as Raiyen stood rooted into the ground.


    "I don''t have a home. I barely managed to escape my Time Stream and I ended up here for a few days now," explained Raiyen, eyes looking his toes. Mavislin gave a faint smile.


    "My name is Mavislin Roydon," replied Mavislin, extending her hand towards the boy.


    The Time Mage looked at it in confusion.


    "Come on! It''s Baldwin''s turn to prepare dinner tonight. I can guarantee you won''t regret eating his dishes," urged Mavislin, abruptly gripping the Time Mage''s hand.


    "Oi! You can''t just invite me to your place just like that!"


    "And why not? You seem charming! The constant rumbles of your stomach have made it clear that you''ve not eaten for quite some time," explained Mavislin, still running.


    The reason was straightforward; she recalled what was the equivalent of losing a home. So the least she can do is shelter this unfortunate boy for a bit. Ysabeau had long gone, using her wings to get herself back to the Old Chapel quicker than the two kids.


    "I''m a Time Mage. It doesn''t matter if I''ve eaten or not," mumbled Raiyen, trying to catch up.


    "No matter what, you are still made out of flesh and blood, Time Boy. So quit denying and hurry up!" yelled Mavislin, ultimately stopping at some vines. Raiyen looked intrigued as she fiddled with the low-hanging vines.


    "Are we in the wrong area, perhaps? I don''t recognize anything beyond the vines," noted Raiyen, peering into the clearing that the vines were hiding.


    "Naturally, it isn''t supposed to have anything from the outside. If any human stumbles upon this area, they will have to burn it to the ground. Especially if they''d knew strong Mages were leaving in the place," explained Mavislin, nevertheless trying to figure out the tricky vines.


    As she gave a loud huff, she took a step back. She closed her eyes and allowed her Elements to soar through the air around her.


    "Aperi ad portam Vetus Chapel (Open the gate of the Old Chapel.)," she chanted.


    With that, the vines parted like a curtain for the two kids to enter. Raiyen''s eyes widened in amazement as he tramped foot into the majestic clearing of the forest. The waterfall at the side of it was made to be so beautiful that Raiyen did not realize Mavislin had run towards the medieval building''s front door.


    "Oi! You can admire the scenery after you''ve eaten the meal, Time Boy!" barked Mavislin.


    She rolled her eyes as her shouts fell on the Time Mage''s deaf ears. She then dragged the dazed boy back into the house. His mind was still spinning as he snatched large mouthfuls of the food placed in front of him.


    As the boy was eating, Baldwin made a remarkably strong point of being livid at little Mavislin for bringing a boy back home without permission. Gillian, however, was the opposite. He found the young Time Mage to be quite an attractive little guy.

 Chapter 6 - The Ark Of Plushie and Wings

    A few more plushies popped out, swallowing the young girl in a mountain of toys. From giraffes to lambs, even a snake, Mavislin seemed to adore all of it as she tried hugging them all at once.


    But the only plushy she held close was a grey and white penguin with blue earmuffs. Her eyes were full of happiness as she rummaged through the mountain.


    But the Old Chapel had other, intriguing plans. For some reason, it decided it was a good idea to, not only give her more plushies but to dump an entire lifetime supply right into the room.


    The couple was caught off guard with the sudden avalanche but was able to get back up. Now, the entire looked like a plushie wonderland, with a beaming Mavislin right smack in the middle.


    "If I hadn''t known better, I thought the Old Chapel was trying to drown her with plushies," said Gillian, chuckling.


    "The Old Chapel?" asked Mavislin, with a puppy toy on her head.


    "By the virtue of my Element, whichever room the person owns would reflect the user''s Elements and personality. And on the odd occasion, if the Old Chapel desires it, the memories of the one living in the room," explained Gillian, further increasing the child''s confusion.


    "What he meant to say that the Old Chapel is alive. And it''s rooms are special. They become only what you want to see," replied Ysabeau, joining the child amongst the mountain of toys.


    "Is it a he or she?" asked Mavislin.


    "Eh?"


    "If the Chapel is alive, then it must be either a girl or a boy. Right?"


    The couple was silent before young Mavislin thought it was a great idea to point at the stained glass window.


    "Are you a girl or a boy? A girl is pink, blue for a boy," said Mavislin.


    With no further delay, the window turned into a giant pane of ocean blue.


    "Well, that was easy. Shall we get on how training will be from now on?" asked Gillian, smiling at Mavislin.


    The sparkle in the Valkyrie''s golden eyes was bright enough to light a dead sky. She jumped right out of the mountain and landed right beside Gillian.


    "Both Ysabeau and I will take turns in teaching you. Which Element would you like to train first?" asked Gillian, patting the child''s head.


    "Mama says that I''m an all-rounder in the Core Elements. What does that mean?" asked Mavislin, tilting her head.


    "That means you can use all of the Core Elements equally. You see, some are only able to use Fire while others are masters of Water. I guess you must be talented enough to use all of them," explained Ysabeau, placing a thoughtful finger under her chin.


    "You say that, but have you performed a spell using all of the Core Elements?" asked Gillian, giving a stern look to the young Valkyrie.


    "I know a spell but I haven''t got any chance of using it," whispered Mavislin, shyly.


    "Would you like to show us?"


    Ysabeau''s usual antics were active as she casually opened the bedroom window and hopped down towards the green carpet below. Gillian could only shake his head in disbelief as young Mavislin tried to follow his wife.


    Gillian grabbed the eager child by the collar and looked at Ysabeau and sighed. The child looked confused as she casually dangled from the Aki''s hand, 20 meters above the ground.


    "Mind using normal methods to get out of the house?" asked Gillian, raising an eyebrow.


    "What? It''s fun this way. Let her go, she''ll be fine," instructed Ysabeau, opening her arms wide to catch the child.


    Once again, Gillian had no choice but to obey his wife''s commands. Mavislin seemed pretty happy as she got released from the man. As she dived towards Ysabeau''s arms, two gigantic, bright, white wings shot out from the child''s back.


    As the abnormally sized wings came out, Mavislin soared back up to the sky with happiness. Each wing was three times the size of her frail body. Ysabeau watched the young Valkyrie in awe and Gillian''s eyes were filled with amazement.


    "Valkyrie''s have some of the best pairs of wings in the whole Universe. But this is a whole new thing," said Gillian, eyes wide.


    Ysabeau was speechless as she joined Mavislin in the sky. The two had the time of their lives as they soared through the skies, leaving Gillian slightly left out from the fun.


    "Since you guys are up in the air, time for a little spell. Mav, try that spell that you mentioned at that space over there. Don''t worry, the forest won''t get angry," instructed Gillian.


    "Looks like the grumpy Aki is jealous of us girls having a bit of fun," whispered Ysabeau, earning a giggle from the kid.

 Chapter 7 - Triplet Holder

    "Why is the Angry Man upset now? Are you wary, Dark Mage?" taunted Gillian, holding up his spoon and wiggling at Baldwin.


    "I''m not! On top of that, Time Mages indicates trouble for anyone near them. I sincerely doubt he can stay," reasoned Baldwin, looking elsewhere.


    Young Mavislin merely shrugged and continued to eat.


    "Time is not the exclusive thing I possess. I am born with the Element, but it doesn''t mean I''m incapable to perform other Elements," said Raiyen, staring at Baldwin.


    "A Time Mage is, nevertheless, what it is," retorted Baldwin.


    Gillian issued a glare.


    "You''re one to criticize, Dark Mage," replied Raiyen, rolling his eyes. Baldwin was taken aback, how dare he mention such a thing?


    "I challenge you to recite what you''ve just remarked," growled Baldwin.


    His Aura began growing, darkness seeping around him. Raiyen stood up, glaring at him in reply. Through the two males fierce gazes, Mavislin had noticed that Raiyen''s Aura was beginning to show.


    "Dark Mages are even more dangerous than us Time Mages, so who are you to talk to me like that?" answered Raiyen, as his Aura slowly came into fulfillment.


    Instead of the standard uniform colors, like Baldwin''s dark purple Aura, Raiyen''s Aura was both green and blue. More accurately, the left side of him was green while the right side was blue. Gillian mumbled a word of praise to the Time Mage and made Mavislin smile by giving her an eyeball to eat.


    "No Elements on the dining table!" shouted Ysabeau, upset at the two blockheads emitting Auras.


    Raiyen was frozen stiff as he had not expected Ysabeau to shout unpredictably. The inferior, shaken thing slumped back down onto his seat.


    "Sorry about Baldwin''s behavior, young lad. What''s your name?" asked Gillian, turning to look at Raiyen.


    "Raiyen," replied the boy who had a piece lamb in his mouth.


    Now, Mavislin nudged Raiyen''s side.


    "Want one?" asked Mavislin, holding out an eyeball using a fork.


    His face replied with disgust. Seeing Mavislin was getting upset, he quickly plunged the piece of a body part that Mavislin held out. The squishy thing exploded within the confines of his mouth. It was rather comical to witness Raiyen trying to eat the eyeball.


    Mavislin giggled as Raiyen weakly gave a thumbs-up before passing out.


    "I apologize for having to undergo that. She might seem mature, but she''s just a child in terms of her kind. She doesn''t know an average human body can''t handle certain parts of food," explained Gillian, sitting on a chair beside the awoken boy.


    "I''m no typical human either," replied the Time Mage, steadying himself up.


    He looked around the room in wonder. The room, it felt odd. It did not strike him as one of the owners'' rooms. It felt like it was his room. It was elementary, not many items in it. A chair, a bed, and a small closet. In the middle was a generous space.


    The ceiling and floor were blue while the walls were green, reflecting on his Aura.


    "Yea, but your body is withal of a human. Mavislin possesses the body of a Valkyrie. Her body is way stronger than any of us. They were probably fed with blood instead of milk as an infant."


    "Oh please, we''re not that terrifying. Our bodies are sturdier, but we don''t consume blood as infants..." murmured Mavislin, entering the room.


    "We start eating meat. We don''t have any liquids to start at birth," replied Mavislin, sitting beside Raiyen.


    "Hence, you mentioned about having other Elements as well. Was that the cause of the dual colors in your Aura from earlier?" asked Mavislin, tilting her head to the side.


    "We are only a handful nowadays since the Congregation is down," replied Raiyen.


    His left and right hands then lit up in his Aura''s colors. Mavislin gazed at his hands in wonder. She''d knew how to wield the Core Elements but never the ones she was looking at right now.


    "It''s not the Earth Element, it''s called Nature. I utilize that to be smooth with my movements, no matters where I am. Whenever I''m forced to be underwater, I would be suited to manipulate my surroundings to my advantage," explained Raiyen.


    "Accordingly, is he capable of producing a tree?" asked Gillian. Mavislin stifled a laugh, in which she failed miserably.


    "Not all users of Nature Magic must produce a tree be that Element Holder. I use Nature Element to notice my surroundings and adapt it to my will to carry out my daily tasks. In a way, I can utilize all Elements as well. But only in strict conditions," explained Raiyen, rolling his eyes.


    "So, what is the blue for?" asked Mavislin, playfully grabbing onto the glowing blue hand. This resulted in a little shock through her body.


    "Electric, I presume," said Mavislin, appearing unharmed after the shock.


    "A Triplet Holder?"


    "Yea. Time and Electric are my favorites but I do use Nature sometimes. I guess I resort to it for when I call for it the most, not my first choice of Element to go with," explained Raiyen.

 Chapter 7 - The Ark Of The Array Of Elements

    "Ahem, this grumpy Aki wants to see what the Valkyrie is capable of. You mind?" asked Gillian.


    "Try your best, love," murmured Ysabeau.


    The happy Valkyrie composed herself as she proceeded to perform the spell. She stuck her small hand out towards the clearing. Her thumb had grown a small flower, while her index finger had conjured up a mini-tornado, just floating above the fingertip.


    A small white orb enveloped by a pale blue flame was hovering above her middle finger, small pearls of both ice and water droplets danced above her ring finger. At last but not least, a bright orange fireball barely touching the skin of her pinky''s fingertip.


    As every Core Element was within the young girl''s hands, she balled up little fist and punched the air.


    "Ignis. Aqua. Terra. Ventus. Lumen. Obscurum. Ordinata Ex Elementis! (Fire. Water. Earth. Wind. Light. Dark. Array of Elements)" chanted Mavislin.


    As she shouted the name of the spell, a ball of rainbow colors shot out from the small fist and tumbled to the clearing. Needless to say, the crater proved the child''s origins.


    To Ysabeau, it was more than enough to impress her. Gillian, on the other hand, wasn''t as impressed as he was during the tryouts.


    "It seems that your Elements still need work. You can pull it off, but the spell was imbalanced," explained Gillian.


    The child''s wings drooped in sadness but she quickly flew towards her trainer.


    "Which part of it was imbalanced?" inquired the young child.


    "The amount of Water in the spell was way too low. The Fire Element in that spell had overpowered most of the other Elements. If I had used a pure Water spell, it would''ve negated your spell in a second," explained Gillian, holding out his palm to the flying Valkyrie.


    "What''s negate?" asked Mavislin, hovering about.


    "It means to cancel out an attack. If I''ve said that the spell has been negated, it means that your spell has been canceled. In simpler terms, it will not hurt me. It will simply disappear," explained Gillian.


    "Hmm, how about this then?" asked the young girl as she closed her eyes.


    As her wings opened further, she plucked out a feather. By grabbing the feather by its stem, she swung it around. The vane extended out, twisting and turning with an orange outline, before settling on a shape of a whip.


    "Ignis Pinnam Flagellum (Fire Feather Whip)" chanted the girl, as the whip was revealed to be a strand of flames.


    "Incredible," murmured Ysabeau, as she4 hovered around.


    Though the whip was barely enough to hurt any high-ranking Mage, it could be useful in other ways. Gillian was deep in thought, figuring out if this child would have her uses on the battlefield. The man clapped, earning a small smile from the girl.


    "That would be much proper. Let''s stick to Single Elements first, then we''ll work up the ladder," explained Gillian as the two girls came back to the house.


    "What ladder do I need to work for?" asked the puzzled child.


    Ysabeau giggled as Gillian sighed. The young woman ruffled the child''s hair and gave a warm smile.


    "What he meant was; We would be practicing on one Element first, then move on to controlling multiple Elements. Right now, if you were to use a spell, you might lose in a battle. But when you use a Single Element, you''d have more control," explained Ysabeau.


    "Oh... I can do that."


    "Good, I''m starving. Let''s go eat."


    After lunch was prepared and devoured, the small family sat on the cold ground. Little Mavislin was tired from the earlier scene, so she was taking a nap on Ysabeau''s lap.


    "We were fortunate enough to snatch her away from the Old Man Pond," said Gillian, looking at sleeping child.


    "But was it the right choice?" asked Ysabeau, with a heavy heart.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "This entire thing about taking her away from the Congregation and raising her as our own. Wouldn''t it be safer for the Congregation to take care of her? She is a Valkyrie, after all. We wouldn''t know how to raise her properly," said Ysabeau, spiraling off with her worries.


    The Aki took his wife by shoulders and planted a loving kiss on her lips. This effectively quietened the worrying mother up.


    "Hush, or you''ll wake the poor child," said Gillian, smiling a cheeky grin.


    "There''s no need to worry about her. She will grow up someday, but she''ll grow up knowing that she''s got a family to back her. If we were to give her to the Congregation, they would more or less groom her as a weapon of mass destruction," explained Gillian, with a stern look.


    "Trust me, I know of the Poisoned Pond''s antics. That''s why I took her away from there. It might endanger her, but the upcoming circ.u.mstance against the humans and the Campania, it''s the safest bet for this child to be here."


    The sleepy mother nodded and soon fell asleep.

 Chapter 8 - Partners In Crime

    For the years that were paved ahead, the two children of the house started getting close to each other. With all the Time Mage''s sneak attacks, Mavislin had slowly taken up more mischief. Preferably, targeting Baldwin.


    Soon, after learning that creating mass havoc was what the adorable Valkyrie did as a hobby, Raiyen joined in the fun. The two constantly played tricks and caused villages to burn. Gillian and Ysabeau were busy trying to save countless other Mages that had been affected by the Dark Mage incident.


    The three a.d.u.l.ts paid no heed of what the children were doing. As long as the Partners In Crime came back for dinner and arrived safe and sound, the a.d.u.l.ts were fine.


    "You kids are causing quite the mass commotion," revealed Gillian, sternly gazing at the delinquent children.


    Raiyen represented the first to defend the statement.


    "Don''t drag Mav into the scolding. It was all my idea," said Raiyen, boldly stand up.


    Mavislin looked shocked and concerned with what Raiyen was forcing himself to perform. All was good until they had angered some peasants by the most neighboring village, nearest to the forest. It will spell danger if they manage to track them down to the Old Chapel.


    For all they knew, it wasn''t a great idea to freeze the village''s water fountains.


    "Who are you kidding, Time Boy? Mavislin was the one who had the hobby first, so why are you trying to defend her?" asked Baldwin, glaring at the two.


    "You know how much importance does the nearby village hold when it comes to the security of the Old Chapel."


    Mavislin still did not utter a single word.


    "Here''s the deal the village as proposed to us; if you can beat the Father of the Church, the locals will not harm our haven or us."


    During the time, the villages around the area were governed by both the Chief and the Father of the Church. The Father is the Pastor the Church that the village has.


    "Are we allowed to work with each other?" asked Raiyen, looking at Mavislin''s worried face.


    Anything could go at this point. Raiyen might sustain a normal duel with the Father, but Mavislin in a duel would be quite problematic. She would end up slaughtering everyone. If they needed a sure-fire win, the Valkyrie can do a solo act for the audience.


    The catch is the whole village would presumably be in ruins by the time it was over. But inviting the two to work together? That might be overkill.


    "You can decide among yourselves for that. How the battle is being waged is none of our concern. Just win and come home for lunch or dinner," denoted Gillian, walking out.


    Baldwin followed soon after, entrusting the two kids to contemplate about what to accomplish the next day.


    Mavislin discovered it to be amusing as she witnessed mothers dragging their daughters to Church just to worship some ''God'' of theirs. Whether God was real or not, religion was supposed to be a commitment one would be doing it based on their own free will, not forcing it upon themselves.


    And certainly not screaming and kicking while going into Holy Grounds.


    "Close your eyes," said Raiyen, as he appeared behind the Valkyrie that was slowly dozing off.


    "For what? So that you can tickle me?" asked Mavislin.


    "Nope, so that I can do this."


    The moment he snapped his finger, out bloomed some vines and flowers towards them. It then touched the chestnut locks and created a hairband out of vines and orchids. Mavislin was in wonder as she caressed it gingerly.


    "Here, so that your hair won''t get in the way when you carry out some activities," said Raiyen, pointing towards the hairband.


    "Do you know what are braids?" he asked, once more. Mavislin shook her head, eyes sparkling as she wanted to comprehend what it was.


    "I''ll do them for you," he replied as he got hold of her flowing chestnut locks.


    After a few good minutes of tugging and pulling, he was completed. She next shifted a slight bit, trying to see and feel what Raiyen had done to her hair after all that tugging.


    "Thanks," she murmured, fascinated at this ''braid''.


    He gathered a huge bundle of hair. In all respects, it was sturdy, she thought. It struck her as familiar as continued to feel the texture of this ''braid''. Did her mother do this for her as well? Before she could remember, the moment was ruined.


    The oncoming mob had unearthed them by finally tilting their heads up.


    "Demons! This is sacred ground!" they yelled.


    The two smiled as they stood up slowly. Be it the girl or the boy, both of them were seen as demons. How foolish of them to try to protect each other when they were both demons in the humans'' eyes. Just win and come back represented their initial mission.


    This does not affect their performance in Magecraft, so the two decided to fight alongside each other against the Father of the village.

 Chapter 9 - The Man Who Calls Himself Father

    Raiyen hopped down and pulled out two daggers. One of the dagger''s hilt was gold, and the other was silver. Both had a brass knuckle attached to its handle, connecting to its pommel. The blades themselves were a sight to behold as he held them up to the light.


    Engravings of the floral pattern were embellished on the silver hilt dagger. The golden hilt had been engraved with leaves, clovers to be exact. Mavislin followed him, gliding down using her wings. The villagers backed off in fear, yet they still held determination in their eyes.


    "Now, now. What is the commotion about?" asked a cheerful yet heavy tone of voice from behind the mob.


    The man appeared after the crowd parted to two. He was huge, quite chubby. Reminded Raiyen of Igor. His black locks were in messy curls as he had donned a white cloak, with a small cross around his neck. The man had little stubbles of hair on his chin, complimented with a wonderful round face.


    "It''s the demons again, Father. They are here to curse us!" yelled a teen boy, holding out his flaming torch.


    "Yea, and we''ll likely die from that torch of yours if you don''t hold it correctly," commented the man called Father.


    "Sassy," murmured Mavislin, smiling.


    He looked up with a solemn expression. Raiyen took note and stood with his daggers out, ready to fight. Mavislin had no physical weapon except for the wings that she had on her back.


    "So, you two are taking up the offer I gave Gillian?" asked the Father.


    The two kids nodded. The man shook his head.


    "This won''t do. I can''t have a proper fight with these onlookers. We ain''t a zoo. You lot! Go back while I disperse of these demons," instructed the Father, trying to get the crowd away.


    When he ultimately managed to do so, the two had not moved at all.


    "Haven''t had a duel for a long time," he replied, shrugging his shoulders.


    As the three looked at each other, their Auras started to appear. The Father showed a huge Aura of pale blue light, just shy of Raiyen''s blue Aura.


    Raising his twin daggers, he quickly dashed towards the man who called himself Father. In a blink of an eye, the man met with Raiyen''s attack with ease. Sparks flew in the air as two weapons clashed.


    "What''s that?" asked Raiyen, intrigued at this new type of weaponry.


    "It''s called a Kunai. And they come in by the plentiful," answered the man as he pulled out another to strike at him.


    Raiyen barely dodged it, moving away and into a pocket once more. He then reappeared behind the man, initiating another attack. The man successfully dodged the attack by throwing another Kunai.


    "Time element, huh? Haven''t seen that for years," said the opponent as he readied up some more Kunais.


    He swiftly threw three more at Mavislin. She was prepared to use her wings, but a flash of light appeared from where Raiyen once stood. Shocked that he had gone, the man gave a bitter smile. The Time Mage then appeared in front of the girl to deflect the Kunais.


    His body was outlined light blue, with his whole appearance appearing to be glitchy. He had given Mavislin the impression of fading in and out of the time that they were in. Even his Elemental Aura was fluctuating in and out of existence.


    "Wow, Glitch being used in such a minute situation. You must be a young one," commented the Father, hurling more Kunais towards the young Valkyrie.


    "Don''t underestimate what I can do!" yelled the Valkyrie, soaring up into the skies.


    With a single strong movement of her crimson wings, the air started getting heavy. However, it had only affected Father. Raiyen was confused as to why the attack left him unharmed.


    "Windfall!" yelled Mavislin, attacking Father head-on.


    The Kunais were barely scratching her wings. As he felt it was of no use, Father stopped. Mavislin then retracted her wings.


    "Sorry, couldn''t help it. Now then, let''s finish this duel off in one blow," said the priest as he threw out a bunch of Kunais at the partners'' direction.


    "Liyab. Tubig. Himpapawid. Lupain. Liwanag. Dilim.(Flame. Water. Air. Land. Brightness. Dark)..." chanted the man.


    The air started to shift as the Kunais blew into the respective elements of the chant. It then linked with each other and started to glow brightly.


    "Oasis Ng Mga Elemento! (Oasis of the Elements)!"


    With that said, the whole formation suddenly felt hot and burst into a huge ball of elements. And in the blink of an eye, Raiyen was out of the danger with blue sparks around him.


    "Mav!" he exclaimed, failing to get her out on time.


    "It has been years since I''ve shown my true wings. I don''t even remember how the actual thing looks like anymore," said the Valkyrie, in a cheerful tone.


    "What do you mean?" asked Raiyen, confused at what was going on.

 Chapter 10 - Z

    "They weren''t joking when they mentioned one of the troublemakers was the definition of a demon," noted Father, holding up a few of his Kunais.


    "Since you''ve mentioned the words demons, explain to me this. How could a demon, possess the wings of an angel?" she asked, giving a huge flap of her transformed wings.


    With one swift movement, the smoke cleared, Mavislin remained unscathed. No, she looked quite terrifying as she unraveled her wings. It did not bear any resemblance towards the pair of wings earlier. Those were crimson and big. This pair was golden and remarkably colossal.


    In comparison, the other pair could not hold a candle up against the one Mavislin was showing off currently. Each wingspan well surpassed twice of the Valkyrie''s body length. Father''s smile conveyed the impression of being impressed.


    "Zanier Alooz Carmen," replied the man, bowing.


    He gave a sweet smile.


    "Huh?" asked Mavislin, tilting her head in confusion.


    "You can call me Z," said the man, once more.


    "Uhh, sure? My name''s Mavislin Roydon," replied Mavislin, slowly hovering closer towards the odd human.


    "I''m Raiyen Phoneix."


    "I haven''t seen a Valkyrie for years," said Z as he eyed the poor girl from head to toe.


    Raiyen instinctively stood in between them.


    "How do you know who I am?" quizzed Mavislin, trying to look at Z from Raiyen''s back.


    "I know you can''t touch the ground due to the weight of your wings when they appear on your human back," stated Z.


    She was in shock from what she had just heard. Only another being would know about the feature of Valokian wings. It was the main reason why they had different types of wings, their true wings would mean using up a lot more energy, tuckering most weak Valkyries easily.


    If the Valkyries did touch the ground with their true wings, the area around them would collapse.


    "How do you know so much?"


    "I''m not from this place. I''ve managed to live among the humans since they believed my human form. I got excluded from my own Universe and onto this planet. I think I was the first one here. Was rather hot. Had giant lizards and plants."


    "Which planet?"


    "This one, but was born in an alternated timeline."


    Mavislin kept her wings and looked at Z. Gillian had appeared from behind the building.


    "Looks like he went easy with the both of you," commented Gillian, patting on the two children''s heads.


    "You''d said I would be fighting against children, not a Time Mage and Valkyrie," replied Z, facing Gillian.


    Mavislin laughed as Gillian ruffled her hair. Raiyen immediately glitched out of the strong guy''s grasp.


    "They are still considered children, just abnormal ones."


    "Don''t lie to me. You two have a background with each other. Explain to Mavislin," said Raiyen, folding his arms in anger.


    "Sorry ''bout the lie, kids. Z is one of us, never one to side with the humans. He''d just so happen to be the same batch as Ysabeau and I when we went for the tryouts in the Congregation. He sort of tricked the humans into thinking that he is a pastor, otherwise called ''Father'' of the Church," explained Gillian.


    "An Illusion Element?" asked Mavislin, interested in the topic.


    Z shook his head.


    "Not really. It''s called Void''s Emergence, the power to recreate any physical or spiritual type of object. In a sense, it is vaguely like an Illusion Element, but it''s much more powerful. An Illusion is something that has been recreated and can''t be touched."


    "Void''s Emergence objects are replicas of the articles chosen by the Mage using the ability. The objects made can be seen, touched and wielded by others in combat."


    "So, are you going to accept the two''s performance in battle as an apology?" asked Gillian, looking at the big-sized Mage.


    "How can I say no to a Time Boy and a Valkyrie?"


    Gillian glanced at the sky.


    "We should get going, it''s Ysabeau''s turn to cook. Would you like to come with us, Z?" asked Gillian.


    "Wait! Why are we inviting an enemy human into our haven?! Won''t he betray us?" asked Raiyen, in which it earned a smack from Mavislin.


    "Does he seem human to you?!" yelled Mavislin, angered at the Time Boy.


    "Look, I have faith in Gillian''s words. Whoever is a friend of Gillian''s or the rest of us, is allowed to be in the Old Chapel," said Mavislin, leaving for dinner.


    "Careful now, those words might just end up backfiring against you," warned Z, grinning.


    "I did not say they would be my friends automatically, neither did I mention anything of trusting those that I''ve just fought against a moment ago. Make no mistake when I show some form of kindness," said Mavislin without turning back.

 Chapter 11 - Reminds Me Of Home

    "This place looks grand, I''d rather live here than that Palace over yonder," commented Z, enjoying the Old Chapel''s design.


    "Are you done eyeing the thing, Snow Cap?" asked Baldwin, standing at the front door.


    "Well, it is the first time I''ve been here. Let me get a chance to be mesmerized for once in these few hundred years, Angry Man," commented Z, taking his time to get into the building.


    "At the very least, ask the kids to hurry up or else the food is going to get cold." With the mere mention of food, the two kids sped up by using their powers, causally knocking Baldwin off from his feet. Z gave a loud chuckle as he pulled the Angry Man out from the grassy plains.


    "Gillian was right, they are just kids," said Z, smiling like an idiot.


    "I''ve heard the news, you went easy on them, right?" asked Baldwin, sweeping off more grass and dirt.


    "First off, asking a Lost Mage to unleash their full powers in an enclosed area is suicidal. Not only I would''ve decimated the entire area, but I might also end up harming the security of this place. The Congregation is already under enough fire. I don''t need to handle another feud again," explained Z, heading into the house.


    As he sat down with the rest of the group, he felt some form of warmth that he had missed within his realm. Sure, the man had been invited to luxurious dinners before from the village people. But not one like this.


    People from around and across the Universe, different planes and of unknown origins, gathered to eat a simple meal of the day. Seeing how the young Valkyrie was playing with a Time Mage and witnessing a Dark Mage trying to discipline the two kids.


    If it was seen from afar, it would look like a normal family.


    "Don''t like the family, Snow Cap?" asked Baldwin snapping his fingers in front of Z''s face. The huge man immediately shook his head.


    "Nah, I was just thinking. You lot look like a family, you guys can pass off as a human family anytime soon," replied Z.


    Mavislin giggled at Raiyen as he tried dancing with the deer''s antlers.


    "It''s the only thing that we can give them. A place to call home and a group to call family," explained Gillian, as the two kids finally calmed down to eat their dinner.


    "Some sort of a cozy haven," said Z, tucking into his dinner.


    "What is a haven?" asked Mavislin, eyes sparkling in enthusiasm.


    "A place of safety; a shelter," explained Gillian.


    Mavislin smiled as she took a huge bite of meat.


    "Someday, I wanna create a haven," replied Mavislin. Raiyen raised his eyebrows.


    "What for?"


    "So others like us would have a home as well. I''m sick and tired of us Mages being called demons and throw us away like trash. I''ve seen it, I don''t want any more of that. Why can''t we make a haven for the remaining Mages we''ve got left?" asked Mavislin.


    She tried stabbing the piece of meat that she had difficulty eating. She slumped back down in anger as she was unable to cut the meat. Raiyen smiled and placed his bony but from hands onto Mavislin''s, effectively cutting the flesh.


    "Why not?" chuckled Z, after thinking for some time.


    "It''s not an easy task," warned Ysabeau, shaking her head.


    "It''ll be fun," commented Raiyen, grinning away like a fool.


    Baldwin looked skeptical as he shot a stern glare towards Mavislin''s shining golden eyes.


    "We would be constantly at war for this idea to even initiate. The battlefield isn''t a place for kids, you know," said Baldwin.


    "Well, we aren''t kids anymore," said Mavislin, meeting Baldwin''s gaze with a look of determination.


    "I''m a Time Mage, feel free to do the math," explained Raiyen, waving casually. Baldwin still looked unconvinced.


    "Here''s the deal; how about I train these two rascals properly? Both in physical combat and Magecraft. Attacks and defense," proposed Z, placing a hand on Baldwin''s shoulder.


    "Don''t go easy on them when training," replied Baldwin, standing up to leave.


    "With the background knowledge of Z''s old job, I highly doubt so. The training that he is going to be giving out to these rascals would be anything but easy," said Gillian.


    "Why? His fighting style quite similar to mine. I am pretty confident I can catch up to him!" said Raiyen, bursting with morale.


    "He was just messing around with you two. He hasn''t even shown you guys the full force that he used to train the Elites of the Congregation," explained Gillian, walking away.


    That night, the room that Z was given looked like it had the ceiling of the night sky and the flooring of a snowy mountain. All around were beautiful designs made of ice and a few different types of Kunais.


    Raiyen was busy admiring the foreign daggers decorated around the room while Mavislin had her eyes on the ceiling.


    "Reminds me of home," said the two kids in unison.

 Chapter 11 - The Ark Of Just A Child

    "Oi! That is an unofficial nickname for me. Thanks to this damned thing," grumbled Baldwin, pointing at Gillian.


    "He did nearly kill you with his powers," reasoned Gillian.


    "Are you trying to brew another war between these two?" asked Ysabeau, nudging her husband.


    "You''ll find that children are the peacemakers of the Universe," whispered Gillian, winking at his wife.


    "He was upset, can''t blame him," replied Mavislin.


    "Now''s your turn, Angry Man. Do you hate her?"


    "Of course not! She''s never done anything to me!" exclaimed Baldwin, looking at the young girl.


    "So why can''t you guys live together?"


    "I''m fine with anything, I want friends too..." murmured Mavislin.


    "Just because the people before you had grudges, means that you have to hate them as well. The enemies of your ancestors are not your enemies. Everyone has their enemies and comrades. There''s no reason to follow others," explained Gillian.


    "After all, she is just a child. All she wants are playmates and lots of plushies," smiled Ysbeau.


    Baldwin looked hesitant as he gazed upon the young Valkyrie. He had heard tales of the mighty race of the Valkyries born from the planet Valokia. Beings of pure light. Its authentic form was enough to destroy continents with a momentous step.


    And now, with all the stories written down and legends told, a young child of the menacing race stood before him. The ultimate survivor, all alone. Then again, he was on the same page as her. No home, no family... Where could they possibly go?


    Why was he so hesitant? Why was she so willing to forgive? Anyone in that situation would have been unable to deny the invitation the couple gave. And yet, Baldwin showed reluctance as he agreed on the terms.


    "Now then, show ''em what you can do, little Mavis," said Ysabeau, tousling the young girl''s hair.


    The adolescent child of Valokia went towards the window. The sun was about to let the moon take over its shift as the sky conveyed shades of red and orange. Mavislin''s palms were opened as trails of Earth Elemental Energy were given from her fingertips and to the garden below.


    In the span of a second, the lush green carpet around the building had bloomed several more patches of vibrant colors.


    "So look''s like someone has been training behind my back," suggested Gillian, smirking. Mavislin offered an adorable smile and giggled as Gillian tickled her nose.


    "Any idea how dangerous to place the both of us in the same house?" asked Baldwin, looking at Gillian directly.


    "As I said, she''s just a young child. She doesn''t know the valid concept of Light and Dark. If both of you managed to get along with each other, there won''t be a problem when she''s all grown up," explained Gillian.


    Baldwin swayed his head in disagreement. The living room was still sparse but was enough for a family. Baldwin sipped on some black tea while Gillian settled for some warm water. The girls were busy cooking while the men had a proper discussion.


    "How long do you plan to shelter her from the truth?"


    "Isn''t giving up all your family and people painful enough for a developing child? I can tell she''s hurting."


    "So you should let her face the truth! It would teach her in the long run," argued Baldwin.


    "There isn''t a need for that."


    The Angry Man''s eyes widened.


    "Despite everything, she can put on a mask and act all happy. Whatever she''d seen and been through, I can''t possibly comprehend how much it hurts. The truth will reveal itself soon, but it doesn''t mean I can''t try to cushion the impact for the poor girl."


    "Food is done!" yelled Ysabeau.


    "So, what is the version of Valkyries on this planet?" asked Baldwin, gnawing happily on a stag''s thigh.


    Mavislin was busy trying finding different ways of devouring the deer''s body until she ultimately settled on its leg. Its eyeballs were thoroughly nice, after dunking it in some blood.


    "Technically, a Valkyrie is one of a group of women that governs who may live or die on the battlefield. They subsequently select some worthy beings. And amongst the ones who have been slain in battle, the Valkyries establish who to be in Valhallan. They are recognized as the ''Chooser of the Slain'', Angels of Death," explained Ysabeau.


    "Why are we so complicated on this land?" asked Mavislin, sulking.


    The trio looked at her with confusion.


    "What do you mean?" asked Ysabeau.


    "From what I remember, we don''t appoint anyone."


    As the Valkyrie said the answer, she took a bite out of the deer''s leg.


    "We just fight. We don''t dictate, we kill."


    The last child of Valokia stabbed a large piece of meat, her eyes darkened from her usual, childish look. As she shoved the piece of meat into her tiny mouth, Baldwin then realized how wrong humans were.

 Chapter 12 - Galaxian Vs Valokian

    As promised, Z was now in charge of training the two kids in both combat and Magecraft. Trying to achieve the goal of giving all Mages a haven to live in gave hints that they had to polish up their skills. This meant that fighting each other would be essential to grow in strength.


    Baldwin did volunteer, but he might end up killing the two kids by accident instead of training them.


    "Hm, show me the power of a Valkyrie," commanded Z as he threw out some Kunais.


    Mavislin blocked them with ease and smiled. Her wings were huge as she summoned them as a shield. As mentioned before, she was now unable to fight on the ground.


    "Not possible. Unless you want to die," replied the Valkyrie, plucking out a single feather from her wings. Z looked confused.


    "I don''t carry around any weapon, so this is the only thing closest to a physical weapon," she explained as she waved the feather around.


    With one firm flick of the hand, the feather extended out into a long golden whip. As the two continued to battle, Mavislin was able to deflect the oncoming Kunais, be it one or ten. But after a while, things got bored.


    "Hm... Rather boring using just Kunais and a shiny whip. How about I show you my other power?"


    The child''s ears perked up upon hearing that suggestion.


    "So, what else have you got up your sleeves?" she asked, smoothing out the whip with her hands.


    From another view, it looked like she was holding an invisible weapon due to the fact it was broad daylight. This made it difficult for Z to aim his Kunais as well.


    "Galaxian Magecraft," said Z, brimming with pride as his jet-black eyes sparkled.


    Her head tilted in confusion once more. A whole new type of Element that she has not seen before. This was spectacular to witness and fight against, judging by the Aura that Z was giving out.


    Ditching his Kunais, he stuck his arm out and opened his palm. A cloud of concentrated stardust appeared. The Valkyrie watched in awe as he grabbed hold of a bunch of stardust and smashed his hand into the ground. The floor beneath them shook and stopped.


    Mavislin scanned the area to see what had happened. Had they moved? Mavislin was on a whim looking around as she took notice of the sky. It was as if someone had pulled a dark blue blanket on top of the bright sky from earlier and had poked holes in it for some light to pass through.


    She then caught a glimpse of Z''s smile as he gazed at the night sky, with the same passion as the bewildered girl.


    "Pretty, isn''t it?" asked Z, as he approached Mavislin.


    She nodded, eyes still fixated on the night sky.


    "Welcome to the realm I dwell in. It''s called Harmony Of The Cosmos," said Z, proudly.


    She was still breathless as the cheerful girl looked around.


    "It''s one of the Lost Elements. Galaxian Magecraft, otherwise known as the Power of the Stars. It is a form of Magecraft which uses the Element of the Stars to fuel spells. I can''t blame you for not knowing since there is only a handful of us left. I can''t teach anyone the Elements unless I pass on my blood or get a child," explained Z.


    "At least you are not alone, you''ve got us," replied the smiling Valkyrie.


    Too cheerful, thought Z. The years to come would be a whole lot more difficult to smile so might as well be happy now.


    "Even if we are from the stars, we can''t help but admire our origins," commented Z.


    She nodded once more, still in a trance.


    "Now then, the star gazing aside, check your surroundings. It should be in full effect now. You are free to unleash your strongest spells and power against me," explained Z, folding his arms and smirking.


    Mavislin looked at him in wonder as she placed out her hands. The Elements on the palm of her hand were now much bigger as compared to when she was at the tryouts. Her wings were gleaming as she flew around.


    As if it wasn''t big enough, her wings had grown even further. Each time she flew, the wind started to advance. The area was huge, so Z was not affected.


    "So I guess you are ready for combat?"


    His hands were full of Ice and Stardust, a ball of pale blue and galaxy-colored on each palm. That was a silent agreement on both sides as they lunged at each other. Their fists met with tenacity as they continued, the smiles never leaving their faces.


    Within this realm, they had the luxury to fight however they like, without the limitation of an angry mob or a playful Raiyen coming towards them.

 Chapter 12 - The Ark Of A Childs Nightmares

    "That''s how Valkyries work, we wage wars to indicate our status."


    After the sheer annihilation of the sad deer, Mavislin had her eyes on the poor creature''s eyes.


    "We represent the gods of war, not angels at all," replied the girl who had an eyeball in her mouth.


    She was extremely bothered at how her race was being defined. Ysabeau sighed as she got a piece of cloth and wiped away the blood that was trickling down the young child''s chin.


    "You guys are still better respected than me," commented Baldwin.


    "That''s proper," replied the Valkyrie.


    Soon, after much yelling and arguments, the trio of a.d.u.l.ts managed to get little Mavislin asleep. In a mountain of plushies.


    "She won''t drown in that, right?" asked a very tired Angry Man.


    "Amazingly, no."


    "Is it always that hard to get her to fall asleep?" asked Baldwin, wiping sweat away from his brow.


    Poor Gillian was busy healing a burnt wound that Mavislin had made to stay up late.


    "It''s not getting her into bed a difficult task, it''s the latter part. She constantly has nightmares of her past. Even the Old Chapel can''t ease her pain. We may be a.d.u.l.ts, but we can''t truly replace the family love that she''s so deprived of," explained Ysabeau, with a heavy heart and saddened eyes.


    "The least we can do, is be there for her," replied Baldwin, looking out the window.


    "But for how long..."


    A few days had passed. A day started by shining brightly through the window of Mavislin''s room. Though she was surrounded by plushies, she had only chosen one. Her eyepatch bunny to hug tight, nightmares still fresh from her mind.


    Once again, the Old Chapel tried her best to comfort the crying girl, but to no avail. A tall, intimidating man and a shadow was not a pleasant sight to wake up to.


    "Still haven''t got used to it, huh?" asked Gillian, entering the room with Baldwin.


    "Don''t worry, Angry Man''s made breakfast. Grilled Ham and Cheese Toastie. It''ll be good," said Gillian, as the Valkyrie scooted away from the duo.


    "Shadows can cook?" asked the young girl, hugging the bunny tightly.


    "Yea, somewhat," replied Gillian, eyeing Baldwin from head to toe.


    "Thanks for the thousand nicknames I didn''t need."


    The three went down to eat, where Ysabeau was reading some loose papers. As Mavislin chowed down on the sandwiches, the a.d.u.l.ts were reading the news update about the Congregation''s status.


    " ''Beware of witches, vampires, and werewolves within this organization''," said Ysabeau, looking at a report.


    " ''Warning! Those found to have an association with the Congregation will be hanged by dawn!'' " said Baldwin, looking at a poster.


    " ''Wanted! A being that was able to shapeshift into the shadows has burnt down the Capital of the Campania!'' " said Gillian, staring at Baldwin.


    "Well, at least we know one of the information is true. The entire Congregation has collapsed, the alliance that we tried so hard to maintain is in shambles..." complained Gillian, slumping down on a chair.


    "One thing good is that we can have the freedom to do what we want."


    "So where''s Old Man Pond in all of this hullabaloo?" asked Gillian.


    "He''s gone missing, no one knows where''d he''d gone and or what he is doing. Most of the members there are quite angry that their leader has abandoned them. And another thing bad is that about at least a thousand of us have been rounded up. And sent to greet Death''s door," explained Baldwin, sifting through more papers.


    "Looks like Death''s gonna be very busy these days," replied Gillian, earning a sharp glare from his wife.


    "They''ve even split up the families that had part human, part Mage in them. Looks like the children have been untouched due to moral reasons. But the teenagers have all been rounded up and burnt at the stake," said Ysabeau, looking at a list of names being burnt at stake and the ones waiting for it.


    Mavislin''s eyes widened as she recalled what had happened back in Valokia. Her hands shook, her head whirled. The Old Chapel sensed a change in the poor girl''s heart and sent her a small plushie of a giraffe. However, the Old Chapel''s efforts were futile as the young girl ignored the toy beside her.


    Even the very plushie that was given to her by her mother did not help. Screams and cries echoed through her head. Bombs rang in her ears. Chaos and destruction sprinkled all over Arcadia. The constant wails, the constant agony, the constant hatred, the constant fire, the constant...


    The sight of her friends... Bombed. The sight of her parents...Dead. The sight of her brother... Rounded up. The sight of her home... Ashes. The sight of Valokia... Gone.


    Anyone would do...

 Chapter 13 - Array Vs Oasis

    "Windfall!" yelled Mavislin.


    The wind started to weigh heavily on Z, making him drop to his knees. Mavislin took the chance to charge towards him and tried to deal the finishing blow. Yet, she was forced to a halt as he prepared a spell under his breath.


    "Hail, the billions of stars that gathered! Gaze upon its glory! I invoke thee, Kalasag ng Milky Way! (Aegis of the Milky Way) "


    Within a fraction of a second, a huge spiral of glowing little lights appeared in front of Z, forcefully propelled the Valkyrie towards the opposite direction. She steadied herself using her wings. He then grabbed hold of one end of the spiral and swung it. This made the spell unravel and extend, creating a huge, flowing whip of stars.


    "A dynamic spell, huh? How many tricks you got up in your arsenal?" she asked, wiping the sweat above her forehead.


    The wings were taking a toll on her Elemental Energy.


    "You''re one to talk, Princess. You specialize in Amalgamation of Elements. Compared to me, you have a whole lot more within your stockpile," he replied, standing up albeit shakily.


    She smirked as she steadied herself once more.


    "Well, it''s only fair. A spell for a spell!" shouted the energetic child.


    "And it''s going to be hell," said Z, retracting his whip once more.


    Bringing out her Fire Feather Whip to combat the beautiful whip that Z held, the two kept clashing with great speed. The wh.i.p.s were getting tangled with each other but since they were not solid, these problems were fixed rather easily. With the wh.i.p.s dancing in mid-air, Mavislin managed to get a small opening at the side of Z, directly aiming at the area.


    "Too soon!" yelled Z, smirking.


    He then used his bare hands to brace the impact of the flaming whip, much to Mavislin''s surprise.


    "No one has been ever able to do that..." wondered the poor girl, flying back down.


    "Well, I''m the one that can. An attribute of having Void''s Emergence. Not only it gives me weapons to use, but it also gives me the ability to amp up my body''s defenses," explained Z.


    Mavislin was still shocked as she understood what that meant.


    "Enhancement Magecraft," she replied.


    She then sighed, understanding what she was truly up against. Thank god he had held his powers back when she and her partner were forced to battle the Lost Mage. Otherwise, it would be quite a show. She then concentrated the majority of her Elements into the palms of her hands.


    "Ignis. Aqua. Terra. Ventus. Lumen. Obscurum, (Fire. Water. Earth. Wind. Light. Dark.)" she chanted, aiming the huge rainbow-colored ball in the vicinity of her opponent.


    He placed all his Elemental Energy into his shield, making it at a colossal size now. It was now covering Z from head to toe. He placed his trust in his spell to protect him.


    However, Z decided to up the ante. Seeing it was a similar spell to his own, he chanted out Oasis of the Elements to combat Mavislin''s attack. As the young girl watched the spell being formed, it was clear she showed trepidation when faced with the same spell. Or because she was afraid to hurt a comrade?


    "Stop thinking that!" he yelled, causing her to flinch.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Give up your compassion for this moment and focus all your Elemental Energy into that attack. Don''t worry about killing me. This is the only way to prove to yourself that you are strong. If you waver in fear of yourself, then the spell will be unable to reach its full potential. Don''t hesitate just because I am your ally! Within this realm, we are enemies!" shouted Z, as he tried convincing her to use every ounce of her strength.


    Had she been displaying so much hesitance? She then took a deep breath in and allowed all of her energy to flow through from her arms and into the giant ball of elements. The spell began increasing in both size and aura.


    "Ordinata Ex Elementis! (Array of Elements)"


    Without a second thought, the pumped-up Mage launched the spell at the astral Mage, who met with the attack vehemently. The two masses of energy collided, fighting against each other. It was at equal strength as the two tried to dominate each other.


    Mavislin watched in awe as the elements became a huge ball of rainbow lights. But the two had their worries when the two spells merged into one. They looked at each other, with little Mavislin being the most scared.


    "What do we do?" she asked, voice shaking.


    Seeing it was going to be a problem, Z tried to push the ball back but was taken off guard as the realm started to shatter. Cracks appeared around them. He looked at the spell. It was still growing as if it was feeding off from each other.


    The child looked at Z with uncertainty. He was trying his best to move and contain the spell. If they had allowed this gargantuan size of a spell out, the whole area will be annihilated, even if they started in the mountains. Its shock wave will desolate anything within a close radius.

 Chapter 13 - The Ark Of A Childs Fury

    "That''s not fair!" yelled Mavislin, slamming her small fists onto the stone table.


    This caused the trio of a.d.u.l.ts to jump, even the Old Chapel was shocked at the way the Valkyrie had reacted. They were all speechless. The empty plates jumped, the air changed for the worse.


    The Valkyrie''s Aura then changed, as so did her eyes. She panted as she looked at the a.d.u.l.ts with fierce yet teary eyes. Her teeth clenched the same way her small fists did.


    "It isn''t fair if we''ve always been on the receiving end. We never did anything to harm them. They hurt us, they killed our kind. Now it''s time for payback," growled the young girl, her Aura still expanding to great heights.


    "I want them to die..."


    "Mavis..." cooed Ysabeau as she tried to go near to the raging Valkyrie.


    Much to anyone''s amazement, Ysabeau was flung far back as she tried to touch the Valkyrie. With great speed, Gillian managed to catch his wife.


    "Hm... That''s the true fury of a Valkyrie, eh?" asked Gillian, looking at the sight.


    Her chestnut locks were in disarray. Her eyes were as black as night. Her Aura, once shining gold, turned into the same black fog Baldwin had been wielding for years.


    "Enough. I''ll be bringing the Valkyrie to her room," said Baldwin, grabbing the little Valkyrie by the collar without breaking a sweat.


    "No! I don''t wanna!" screamed the Valkyrie, stomping her feet in a fit of temper.


    Baldwin shot a glare towards the Valkyrie that could any human die of shock. But it could only shut the whining Valkyrie up. The couple was left shocked as the Angry Man took an Angry Valkyrie upstairs.


    "That''s highly anti-climatic," said Gillian, allowing his spouse to stand upright.


    "Well, he was a father before," replied Ysabeau, looking around for the Old Chapel to respond.


    She responded by making the steps vanish, causing the couple to stay in the dining room.


    "They want privacy, eh?"


    The curtains swayed in agreement.


    "That''ll be proper. At least we can see the rest of the reports without interruption."


    Back with the Angry Man and Angry Valkyrie, Mavislin had childishly built a wall of toys around herself. She had also forbidden herself from talking to the Angry Man. Or to even look at him.


    "We can play this game all day long. I''m a patient man, Mavislin," said Baldwin, sitting in front of the mountain of stuffed toys.


    Silence. The Angry Man sighed, this type of attitude that he was displaying isn''t going to get any answers. Think... How did he soothe Abi''s tantrums? Baldwin picked up a small duckling plushie.


    "What if I gave you this plushie? Will you talk to me?" asked Baldwin, changing his tone to a much more softer tone.


    The Valkyrie opened a hole, big enough for her tiny arm to reach out to snatch the toy out from his hands.


    "Not strong enough, eh? Hmm..."


    The Angry Man thought hard on ways to infiltrate the fortress that Mavislin had made. Violence wasn''t an option, it might hurt her even more. Talking was useless since she refused to even look at him. How on earth did he manage to survive Abi''s temper tantrums?


    That''s it! The Angry Man''s eyes lit up as he had an idea. He whispered to the Old Chapel''s wall for a request. Something bright and shiny appeared in the Angry Man''s lap, causing Mavislin to peep out from her cave.


    "Do you want to see it?" asked Baldwin, showing the Valkyrie the thing in his hands.


    The stubborn child turned away. Baldwin sighed.


    "Such a shame. Looks like Mavislin has turned down a plushie in need..." mumbled Baldwin, feigning disappointment.


    The mountain erupted, with a Mavislin popping out to fully look at the special plushie in Baldwin''s hands.


    "It''s not an animal... What''s that?" asked Mavislin, looking at the shiny thing.


    As the glow died down, one could make out its fuzzy features. Five-pointed edges, yellow fur. The middle was a face, with black buttons as eyes and a sewn mouth.


    "It''s called a ''Star''. These are what human children depict stars as," explained Baldwin, holding it nearer for the Valkyrie to see.


    "Did you know what Abi''s middle name was?"


    The Valkyrie shook her head sadly at the mention of the deceased girl''s name.


    "Esther. Do you know what does that name mean?" asked Baldwin, leaning closer to the Valkyrie.


    The Valkyrie began to retreat to her ruined fortress.


    Damn... Time to go one step back.


    "Do you know what''s the meaning of your name?" asked Baldwin, giving a fatherly smile.


    The Valkyrie shook her head. The Angry Man sighed, turning to look at the small child.


    "Well, I could tell you. If you can pop your little head back out," offered Baldwin, raising an eyebrow.

 Chapter 14 - Voids Emergence

    "Nagyeyelong Stardust! (Freezing Stardust)" yelled the Galaxian Mage.


    Dust and snow formed from Z''s palms, in an attempt to beat and control the spell. It overwhelmed the mass of power. The place was going to convulse if the two do not fully neutralize the spell.


    "This is not going to be easy to control," replied Z, trying his best to contain the spell.


    "I want you to take cover, shield yourself using your wings. I''m going to close this world and then we can continue after lunch," instructed Z.


    Mavislin nodded and immediately did as she was told.


    "As I restore order into this realm, I will let its walls to topple. Whatever I allocate will be staying in this realm forever. This domain is regulated by my willpower. Now, it is time for you to go back to your slumber. Enclose and Nullify!" shouted Z.


    With the chant recited, the realm started to shrink and finally closed, leaving the two beings lying on a green carpet. The two had been battling out in there for a few hours, so they failed to see a little mischievous Time Mage right beside them.


    "How long have we been gone?" asked Mavislin, getting up.


    Z was still quite pleased with laying flat on his back on the green carpet.


    "About five minutes," said Raiyen.


    The Valokian''s eyes enlarged with disbelief. Z stuck his arm out with a thumbs-up.


    "At least we weren''t a year late!"


    "How long have you been gone?" asked Raiyen, puzzled.


    "About four hours," she muttered under her breath.


    He seemed impressed at Z''s command of Time and Space.


    "So how do you intend to destroy the two spells within that realm?" asked Mavislin, looking at Z.


    The Galaxian Mage could only smile as he failed to give the reason.


    "It''s not just any old realm, Mav. It''s a world that resides in his mind. Void''s Emergence allows to Mage to imagine anything they wish or like. You''ve just fought in a place that only exists within Z''s mind," explained Raiyen, looking at the guilty Mage.


    "That means, the power I possessed in there was not real?" asked Mavislin, pouting.


    Raiyen''s eyes widened while Z abruptly got up.


    "No! The power you used in there was real! It''s only the area. For the spells, I would be using my mental energy to contain it. It will give me a bit of a headache here and there but it would disappear later," explained Z, patting on the girl''s shoulder.


    She smiled as she flew back to the Old Chapel.


    "Did you manage to train together?" asked Ysabeau, sitting down at the table.


    Mavislin nodded as she gave an account of the morning''s events. Z had mentioned of getting side effects, but he showed no signs of it as he continued to chow down on more food.


    "Well, at the very least he did not go back on his words," said Baldwin, raising an eyebrow to the hungry person.


    "And sometimes I wish I would''ve. Mav, you can rest and we''ll continue tomorrow. Now then, Time Boy, let''s get on with your version of the training. I promise to fight you with the level and technique you have. But first, I will have a chat with the a.d.u.l.ts. In the meantime, prep yourself," instructed Z, clearing his plate.


    Mavislin and Raiyen took a few glances at each other before bolting out into the back garden.


    "So, what do you want to know about the training for that young Valkyrie?" asked Z, rubbing his head through his outrageously curly hair.


    Baldwin''s golden fringe had been originally tied up but was now free to dangle, covering his eyes. Gillian remained still, his graze was hard to read. Ysabeau was the only one capable of breaking the silence.


    "Was she afraid?"


    "She was, at some point. She wasn''t scared or anything, until the last part. It was as if she''s holding back," replied Z.


    "I guess that''s an effect from being raised by us for the past couple of years," said Baldwin, looking away.


    "A few hundred years of being with Mages, never really fighting against each other. I guess she rather sees you as a family member."


    "Her power does not falter me, so that''s a bit of a problem. Her potential is at an exponential rank, but she still needs experience. It''s the same as handing a gun to a baby. If she gets more training, she''d be able to be on par as Old Man Pond''s power."


    "Let''s hope she won''t have to face the burden of facing that disgusting Mage head on alone."


    "Then again, you can''t control fate. You can''t keep cushioning her. At times, she would have to fight alone frequently. On a positive note, however, her main power can prove to be well-versed. Amalgamation Of Elements. The more Elements she learns, the more she can wield."


    "Does Lost Elements count?"


    Baldwin seemed hopeful towards the information he had just heard.


    "Nope, unfortunately. Unless she''d managed to be like Gillian, it will be highly unlikely she would be able to wield Lost Elements. And even if she was able to, her mind would be shattered."

 Chapter 14 - The Ark Of Names

    Mavislin did so, out of curiosity.


    "Ah! There, that isn''t so bad. Curiosity may have killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back! Now, your name is a unique one. Not many have it, but I can conjure up a meaning for you. Let''s see..."


    The Angry Man thought long and hard. Mavislin''s head tilted to the side, pondering on what he was thinking about. As Baldwin''s eyes flew open, the poor child flew backward and into the pool of toys.


    "I''ve got it! Eh? Where''d you go?"


    Baldwin was downright confused when he could only see two dangling child''s legs in the air. He then grabbed the two flailing legs and pulled them.


    "You scared me..." murmured the upside-down Valkyrie.


    Baldwin quickly placed the Valkyrie properly onto the mountain of stuffed toys.


    "Anyways, the name of ''Mavis'' means ''song thrush''. The later part, ''Lin'', is known as either ''forest'' or ''fine jade or gem''. Putting these two meanings together, I''d say your name means ''song thrush of the forest''. Acceptable?" asked Baldwin, grabbing a plushie of a song thrush to show to the young girl.


    She nodded happily, grabbing the bird and instantly giving a tight squeeze.


    "So, back to Abi''s middle name. Shall I tell you what that name meant?" asked Baldwin, once more.


    The Valkyrie eagerly nodded. Baldwin then gave her the star-shaped plushie, which greatly confused her.


    "The meaning of Esther is ''star''. She was my star for a very long time."


    "I know it''s hard not to fight back. But violence doesn''t end violence, it extends it. I know you want to rebel against the humans and you are not wrong for doing so. But what I did was wrong. And I''m ashamed that I did it. So don''t harbor such hate."


    "But..."


    "Hate won''t bring you anywhere. With that word, you can tear families apart. That''s how wars start, by having two people hate each other. How conflict thrives. You hate war, right?" asked Baldwin, looking at the small child.


    Mavislin looked upset at the mere mention of conflict. It was what took her family away from her at such a young age. Why did children suffer because of it? What they''d done to deserve such treatment?


    "Always be strong, never be wrong. In this case, hating someone is easy and wrong. To be strong is to forgive. You will find that forgiving a person who''s wronged you would be the most resilient thing you''d ever do. Courageous is who you are when you can forgive the person even when they aren''t sorry."


    The small child stifled a sob as she hugged the star.


    "It''s for you to keep."


    The Valkyrie hugged it even tighter.


    "I''d known about you, way before you''d came for the tryouts. Abigail mentioned you, countless of times. She''d talked about it for hours, how you two played. How you two tried spells on each other. Or how''d you two used to hide from humans to play small tricks."


    The tears flowed from the Valkyrie''s eyes and onto the star. It had been a few days since Abi''s death and the Valkyrie had not felt so heartbroken for a long time. It was as if she''d been numbed by anger to the point that she had forgotten how to cry.


    "Abi had the best of times with you, my young Valkyrie. I thank you, from the bottom of my heart. For making my daughter feel so happy when she was alive. This is the least I can do, to pass her baby toy onto you," said Baldwin, voice cracking as he bowed down to the crying Valkyrie.


    "Is it okay to cry now?" asked the Valkyrie, hugging the Angry Man.


    Baldwin''s eyes widened at what the Valkyrie sought permission for. Who in the right mind would prevent a child from crying? What hell has this poor girl gone through that needing a permit to cry was a thing?


    "Of course," replied Baldwin, hugging the little child in his arms.


    A single tear fell from the Angry Man''s eyes, onto the plushies behind. The Valkyrie was the first to look at the crying man.


    "What does your name mean?" asked the sniffling girl.


    Baldwin smiled as he brushed the little girl''s fringe. The same way he''d used to comfort Abi. The same eyes that the young Valkyrie held were the same eyes that used to fill him with warmth.


    "It means ''brave friend''."


    "You are a brave person."


    Baldwin shook his head, smiling.


    "No. I''m crying, how can I be brave through these snot and tears?"


    "You took it upon yourself to calm me down. You knew that if you couldn''t handle me, I might kill you. Despite all of that, you were brave enough to test my boundaries and face my feelings head-on."

 Chapter 15 - Dagger Vs Kunais

    "Hey, when I defeat you someday, can I get those sweet Kunais of yours?" asked Raiyen, carefully dodging the explosive weapons.


    Z grinned as he threw a few more.


    "The keyword is when," replied Z, blocking the attack from Raiyen''s twin blades.


    With a single swing of an arm, the poor Time Boy was launched into the air. He then landed safely on the branch of an oak tree. A tad bit too safe, to Z''s expectation.


    "Nice tree you''ve grown, Time Boy. Care to explain?"


    "What''s the point of having a Nature Element if you can''t grow trees?" asked the presumptuous boy, going in for the kill.


    The two beings clashing were the equivalent of a giant trying to hit a fly. Not only Raiyen smaller physique was to Z''s disadvantage, but his sovereignty over Time and speed was also a problem for the Lost Mage. Looks like he was at a detriment if he doesn''t kick it up a notch for the training.


    "I thought you were going to use that cool Galaxian Magecraft of yours," pouted Raiyen, landing on the ground.


    The plains were now filled with random trees and plants, much to Mavislin''s annoyance. Armed with a huge fallen oak branch, Mavislin took it upon herself to throw the branch towards the Time Boy.


    With lightning-fast reactions, Raiyen sliced the oak branch without missing a heartbeat. A clean-cut left the two pieces landed right beside the Time Mage.


    "What on earth were you thinking, Mav?!"


    "That you are prohibited to destroy the battling plains," replied the Valkyrie, walking away.


    Z laughed while the Time Boy sighed.


    "At least she helped me to test out how fast your reactions and attacks were," commented Z.


    "It''s not rocket science to have those attributes for a Time Mage. But back to your powers, why can''t you use the Lost Element on me?" asked Raiyen, playing with his daggers.


    "It doesn''t suit your fighting style. I''m training you by your fighting style," replied Z, throwing a Kunai in which Raiyen blocked without batting an eyelid.


    The two continued running around, attacking and defending. Raiyen was beginning tucker out due to his excessive use of Glitch. Z stood strong as he noticed his opponent''s drain on Elemental Energy.


    "You have to work on your Elemental Energy usage," replied Z.


    He then swung the Time Boy against the tree. Raiyen shakily got up, smiling.


    "Let''s see what other tricks you''ve got, Lost Mage. After I deliver this!" shouted Raiyen, sharpening his daggers with one another.


    The golden dagger exploded with golden light while the silver one did the same. Two glowing colors rested on Raiyen''s palms as he went in for the kill. The surge of his Aura notified Z that it was time to draw out his second type of physical weapon.


    Raiyen, however, had other plans as he continuously lashed at the Lost Mage. His attacks were now random and rapid, twice the speed that he had been fighting with.


    "Cunning rascal, you''ve been holding back?" asked Z, wiping off blood from his hand.


    The silver dagger''s slash was nothing like the previous attacks. Every slash after the explosion was making all wounds sting. Z winced as Raiyen glitched behind to get another cut.


    Z threw out a different weapon, crescent-shaped, to combat Raiyen''s daggers. The hook-like blade managed to grasp onto Raiyen wrist, taking the Time Mage by surprise.


    "What in the world is that weapon?!" asked Raiyen, pointing the golden dagger at Z.


    "Care to explain your own first?" asked Z. Raiyen smiled, lunging towards the Lost Mage once more.


    "Let''s continue on the battle to learn, shall we?" asked the Time Mage, striking Z''s new type of dagger.


    Two weapons against one weapon, Z was at a severe disadvantage, or so Raiyen thought. Z was now back on par with Raiyen''s attacks, even landing scratches on the boy. He''s fighting style did not change, yet it felt different than when he wielded Kunais.


    It was as if the Kunais were used to keep Raiyen occupied, like some toy. The one he wielded, rendered the Time Mage useless. Raiyen was unable to catch up. A massive problem was hindering the boy from focusing. The Lost Mage as yet to unleash his pool of Elemental Energy or Aura.


    "There''s no Aura from that weapon, how can you be so skillful with that?" asked Raiyen, as they clashed. Z smiled.


    "Did you I''d get to the rank that I am now using those scrap metals?"


    Raiyen eyes widened. Scarp metal?! Those pieces of ''scrap metal'' were able to obliterate the entire back yard of the Church. And to Z''s eyes, the Kunais were essentially nothing?


    Raiyen was aggravated. His eyes darkened as he sprung towards Z using Glitch. Despite all of the cuts that Z made, not one wound seemed to faze Raiyen as he faced off with the Lost Mage in malevolence.

 Chapter 15 - The Ark Of Crying

    "That isn''t bravery, lil'' Mav," replied Baldwin, smiling.


    He then brought the child up to his height, giving her little nose rub using his nose. The child giggled with happiness.


    "It''s called being a father."


    Mavislin laughed at the reply. This made Baldwin''s heart flutter even more. Holding the child like this, even if she was not his own... It felt like a thousand years have passed since he could hold someone like that.


    That laugh was the same as Abi''s while she was alive. That smile caused the Angry Man to crumbled in his heart.


    "But guess what? You are the bravest little girl I know," said Baldwin, causing the Valkyrie to tilt her head in confusion.


    "Going through what any child would break from. Would suffer from. You stood up to the conflict. You''d said enough is enough. You wanted to change, you wanted justice. Even if, you are just a child."


    "But, you don''t allow me to..." murmured Mavislin, hugging the star.


    "Would you be able to?" asked Baldwin, his expression darkening.


    "Be able to?" asked the little Mavislin.


    "Be able to take a life? To kill?"


    The child''s eyes had a shimmer of despair once she had heard the word ''kill''. She had seen others doing it and even her family had done it. When she looked at others doing it, it seemed so easy. Perhaps it was, she could not tell.


    Her memories began to flood back. A bright light appeared. She chanted a spell... The last thing she knew was that she was the one who ended the war. That chant, that powerful spell... No other Valkyrie could do it but her.


    "Oh, Susanna. Now, don''t you cry for me..."


    Those few words echoed throughout her little fuzzy mind. Where did she hear that song from? Was it from her parents?


    She remembered fairly little of the end, but she knew something was wrong. That she had killed too. That those tiny little hands of hers had been stained with the blood of her kind. She didn''t want that title. She didn''t want to be known as the one who killed everyone.


    But she didn''t want anyone to have to go through what she had seen when she was young. She doesn''t want anyone to have to go around with the title of ''Last survivor of this village'' in their hands. It''s not something anyone wants to be boastful about.


    The thought of that made her upset, she began to cry.


    "Shh...I didn''t mean to make you upset!" cried the poor Angry Man.


    The couple came barging in, with Ysabeau scooping the crying child away from the confused man. Gillian seemed to be confused yet amused. It was rare for the Angry Man to make a child cry. Since he was a father, after all.


    "At least you haven''t killed her yet," replied Gillian, looking at the mess made.


    "Well, I didn''t mean to make her upset..." complained the Angry Man, rubbing the back of his head.


    "I never thought those words would trigger that bad of a memory..." murmured Baldwin.


    "Well, you did. You better make dinner count as an apology," scolded Ysbeau, as she tried her best in comforting the poor child.


    Baldwin could only look on helplessly as he got scolded by Ysabeau. It was like he was the one being punished now. Mavislin''s cries were indeed heartbreaking as he remembered how difficult it was to calm Abi when she found out her mother had died.


    When children cry, it could mean a lot of things. One, the child could be crying for attention, for food, for water. Or if they are afraid. Then, there are silent cries. Children who cry because they just can''t stop the tears from flowing. And then there are the Valkyrie''s cries.


    It had hurt Ysabeau and Baldwin as they knew how much it hurts for the poor child to cry in such a manner. She was crying because it was painful to remember. Sure, it won''t help in any way. But it''s the only thing she could do now. To cry, because of all the pent up sadness.


    Even the Old Chapel tried her best in soothing the crying Valkyrie. By giving her more plushies. But that failed to work, so the Old Chapel cleared the bed and allowed the child to rest peacefully. The cries of a little girl were painful for anyone.


    After a solid hour of crying, the Valkyrie finally ran out of tears to squeeze from her little eyes.


    "That memory had such a powerful impact on her, eh?" asked Gillian, smoothing the child''s fringe.


    "Shouldering the burden of looking at your family killed would be enough to break any normal mind. She''s counted as strong, alright," whispered Ysabeau, planting a kiss on the sleeping girl''s forehead.

 Chapter 16 - A Weapon

    "Answer the question, Z," said Raiyen, eyes piercing at Z with sharpness.


    Z sighed, swiftly shoving the Time Boy into the air. Raiyen landed softly on the ground. As expected from an assassin.


    "Remember this well and forever, a weapon without its proper master is no weapon at all. A sword is of no use if its master does not how to swing a sword. A shield with a master that has no heart to defend will lose its purpose. A blunt dagger can''t get an assassin anywhere if it''s not used properly!" yelled Z, launching a barrage of attacks on Raiyen.


    He was lucky for being born a Time Mage, any old being would have to fight against those attacks. Raiyen''s eyes grew dreadful each time the two clashed. By now, the daggers were practically fused with his hands.


    This made his assaults increasingly accurate and dangerous. When Raiyen''s eyes were both silver and gold, he stopped attacking. Z held up his weapon, bracing whatever that was about to come.


    "Light Seeps into the air, hope fills the land. Let there be joy, let there be no pain. Heaven Sent!" yelled Raiyen, delivering a slash towards the defending Mage.


    The dagger''s Aura grew, pushing Z into the hard ground.


    "Darkness seeps into the air, despair fills the land. Let there be pain, let there be no joy. Hell Bent!" shouted Raiyen once more, adding the silver dagger to Z''s dilemma.


    The two slashes of light made it obligatory for the Galaxian Mage to show off the true form of his weapon that the Mage majors in. With a single movement, the spell from Raiyen was destroyed.


    "Pawalang-bisa (Nullify)!" called out Z, when the attack was being scattered.


    Raiyen could not believe it. With a mere curved dagger, he was able to single-handedly annihilate one of the most powerful spells that Raiyen could perform at that stage.


    "Impressed?" asked Z, making the curved blade glimmer.


    "It''s called a Karambit, a dagger from my home country," explained Z.


    Raiyen was frustrated for being unable to be at the same level as Mavislin, he knew that Z was still holding back. The Time Mage quickly recovered and wielded his twin daggers once more. He had to win this match. He has got to.


    He was a Time Mage. He has got the Element of Time in his hands, how could he lose to a mere Lost Mage? Mavislin witnessed the duel from afar, it became apparent that Raiyen was more focused on winning than defending.


    He left a substantial amount of opening for his opponent to kill him. Z took into consideration but realized something was wrong. This terrified Mavislin slightly. It reminded her of something or someone. It was then that Z realized something.


    Raiyen''s wounds had gone. Now, the boy reeked of anger. His Aura was huge, destroying the plants that he had grown.


    "Do you desire to win that much?" asked Z, eyes piercing the young Mage.


    The boy remained silent as he pulled back and crossed his daggers with each other, creating an ''X'' formation.


    "Looks like the odds are back in my favor," said Raiyen, grinning.


    The skies were darkening, which was weird for the area.


    "Since when did this place had rain?" asked Mavislin, looking at Ysabeau with concern.


    "It''s not weather, my dear."


    "Looks like today''s forecast is Time Mage," said Baldwin, looking at the two fight.


    Meanwhile, Raiyen stood tall, extending his arm.


    "Skies above, adhere to my chant. Obey me, O'' lightning and rain!" chanted the Time Mage, conjuring up a literal storm.


    Z cursed, taking a step back. He had not expected him to perform such an act. If done recklessly, the spell might harm the Old Chapel.


    "Radiant Storm!" yelled the unhappy boy, as the clouds focused at him.


    Raiyen looked formidable as he held a ball of lightning in one of his palms. He then pushed the ball towards Z''s direction.


    "Flashbang!" howled Raiyen as he punched the ball of lightning outwards.


    The ball exploded upon impact, sending a massive beam of pale blue light to the Lost Mage.


    "Hold on a sec!" cried out a voice as the beam of light greeted the shocked Z.


    The Karambit''s power was useless against that monster of a spell.


    "I wish I would''ve seen this coming," murmured Z, as he stood into position.


    Throwing the weapon up, small streaks of light peeped out from the dark skies.


    "When The Stars Shine: Ginintuang Toro (Golden Bull)!"


    A huge beam of bright lights honed in on Z''s front, creating a massive wall in the shape of a bull''s head. It was met with the lightning attack with fervent energy. Z held out both his hands to support the wall while Raiyen continuously dished out more Electric-based attacks.


    "He will kill Z at this rate..." mumbled Mavislin, as she leaped out of the window, despite Ysabeau''s protests.

 Chapter 16 - The Ark Of A New Visitor

    The next day, it was slightly better for everyone. Mavislin had gone back to her usual cheery self as Baldwin made extra for both last night''s and this morning''s meals.


    "Feeling better?" asked Ysabeau as Mavislin gobbled down on dessert.


    The small child nodded as she pointed upstairs.


    "Sure, you can play with her for a bit."


    The happy child quickly finished and rushed upstairs to play her with plushies.


    "Never thought food could calm a crying Valkyrie down," murmured Baldwin, shaking his head.


    "At least something calmed her down."


    As everything became silent, another being was set to join the family. The mysterious new visitor rapped on the huge door several times, only to have it swung open by the Old Chapel herself.


    "Well, so much for the hospitality," mumbled the visitor, as he stepped into the area.


    The Old Chapel seemed to have a temper on this person as she swung open the front door once more. It looked like she was about to kick him out if he insulted her one more time. The Marquess pay no heed as he went further in.


    He was wearing a black robe from the Asian continent. He was slightly built, around the same height as a teenager but could be older. He had a pale, white complexion, similar to Mavislin''s skin color. His boots made a distinctive sound as he tried to find the occupants of the house.


    "You finally came, eh?" asked Baldwin, putting his hands on his h.i.p.s.


    "You were the one who called for me. I got your letter late, by the way. Should work on the messaging service," commented the man, sitting down onto an empty chair.


    He then got back up as he heard two pairs of footsteps coming from the kitchen and dining room.


    "And who is this supposed to be?" asked Ysabeau, back from cleaning the rest of breakfast.


    "Minwoo Dalles, nice to meet you. M'' lady," greeted the man, kneeling to give a gentle kiss on Ysabeau''s hand.


    The poor woman looked shocked while Gillian came right over and smacked the poor man away from his wife.


    "Don''t get any ideas, White Rat," warned Gillian, seemingly pissed.


    "It''s only a formal gesture. There''s no need to be so angry," shrugged Minwoo, sitting back down.


    "Hmph. I should be cautious around you, White Rat. Or should I say, Earl Dalles," said Gillian, staring at the nonchalant man in front of him.


    Minwoo wagged his finger disapprovingly.


    "No longer an Earl. Promoted to Marquess."


    "Makes no difference to us," chimed the three of them.


    Minwoo rolled his eyes. He had almost forgotten he was in the presence of non-humans.


    "Besides, why have you called me here?" asked Minwoo.


    "Well, thought it could be good to contact some humans about the current situation," explained Baldwin, waving some reports at him.


    "Hmm... Not much I can do about it. The Congregation''s still reigns supreme. Until they fall, I won''t be able to be of much help," replied the Marquess, dejectedly.


    "You daft thing! I don''t need your help with the Mages. Why would I call a human to that? We can fix that ourselves. It''s the humans that I need you to fix," explained Baldwin, pissed at how thick one''s skull could be.


    "What do you need me to do to fix humans?" asked a rather confused Minwoo.


    "Don''t say as if they were made from wood. I need you to restore order to humans who have fallen from the normal community," explained Baldwin.


    Minwoo looked at the man questioningly.


    "Fallen from normal society?" asked the Marquess, once more.


    Baldwin gave a firm nod.


    "The humans have segregated themselves into two groups of people. One good and the other evil, is the most basic term I can come up with," replied Baldwin, looking right at the Marquess.


    "And why should I know this?"


    "Because as the future leader of the Campania domain, you should be well aware that not all humans are the same," warned Baldwin.


    "Think about it. If you were to have both sides of the coin, wouldn''t that make you such a powerful leader? You would be able to fix so many problems. Allow the two groups to work together. You could answer to all your peoples'' needs and wants," offered Gillian, looking the Marquess.


    "The only reason why the Congregation is now falling apart is that they are unable to control the balance between good and evil within their organization," replied Ysabeau.


    "So, you''re telling me to pick a side of who should I control?"


    "No, I''m telling you this so you can gain control of both types of humans within your domain. If you can get both on your side, you won''t be dealing with so much rioting and protest as of now."

 Chapter 17 - Heavens Wheel Alter: Monody

    As young Mavislin went by to Z''s side, Gillian held back his wife.


    "The two of them can handle it. Don''t worry, Z won''t kill the kids."


    The woman''s shoulders relaxed, just for a moment.


    "You''re going to kill the man at this rate. Snap out of it!" yelled Mavislin, running towards the scene.


    Her pleas fell on deaf ears as the two continued to lash out at each other. Z was still using the Karambit while Raiyen performed First-rate spells of the Electric Element.


    Not only the constant onslaught of spells drained the Time Boy''s Elemental Energy, but it was also affecting him physically. Mavislin joined in, aiding Z by using her Fire Feather Whip.


    "I''ve never thought he would lose control," replied the girl, destroying a ball of Electric.


    "This is usually the result of being a Time Mage. Not only he is draining out his Elemental Energy, but he is also using his life force to power the spells," explained Z, dodging a few more spells.


    Despite his chubby appearance, Z was agile, dodging attacks with ease and propelling his own body up into the sky with just one hand.


    "What do you mean by life force?"


    "He is taking the years of his life to supply and make up for the lack of Elemental Energy he needs for the spells. In other words, he is aging quicker than us when using strong spells."


    Mavislin looked at the man in horror. What type of Magecraft is that?! She knew she had to end the fight soon, even Z was beginning to waver. He was unable to finish the battle without killing the young boy, which was a huge hurdle on his part.


    "Let the light flow. Let the dark fade. Divine punishment descends from the heavens. Overturn this spell for this land to strive and flourish once again..." chanted Mavislin, as she closed her eyes.


    Streams of golden light were being brought from the area and towards the Valkyrie, but there was something out of the norm. As the golden light got absorbed, the Valkyrie''s fingers were laced with black streams instead.


    She was converting her power. The streams of black soon morphed into a circular shape, still be controlled by her hands. Gillian took a peek at the battle. He realized the shape of the shield was making the same emblem that what she had conjured up in the tryouts.


    Z was impressed. Since when was the young girl able to perform such a conversion?


    Unlike the usual conversion, Water to Ice, she performed a Contradictory Conversion, converting Light to Dark. Baldwin looked from the porch, while the couple was still in the Old Chapel. It was a huge jump, which could mean that her a.d.u.l.t self had nearly matured. The next question was the spell.


    Each Mage has spells that they have learned and spells that they have made. Common Spells, ones that can be taught are usually small spells. Origin Spells, ones that a Mage invented, are like Ultimates. Those cannot be taught, copied or handed down.


    The spell that Mavislin was currently conjuring was dangerous for one reason. It was neither an Origin Spell nor a Common Spell. It was a spell being created right then and there.


    "Heaven''s Wheel Alter: Monody!" yelled the Valkyrie, hurling a flurry of attacks towards the Time Mage.


    A tune was made. A melody. The circular shield was now shining brightly as it produced an infinite number of black, smoky arrows, all aimed towards the Time Mage. Raiyen finally managed to snap out of his frenzy as he faced with the opposing spell head-on.


    When the Time Boy collapsed, the Valkyrie caught him.


    "Looks like you bit more off than you can chew, partner," whispered Mavislin, holding the boy up.


    A gentle tear ran down his cheek and onto the dry soil. The grey clouds cleared as the skies were now evening purple, clashing against the setting sun. Mavislin slowly embraced Raiyen''s scrawny body, surprising the Time Mage.


    "You did exceptionally well," murmured the Valkyrie, patting the crying boy with her wing.


    Z walked towards the partners, panting heavily.


    "Let''s not try that ever again, shall we?" asked Z, looking at the two.


    Mavislin smiled as she passed Z the sleepy Time Mage.


    "Agreed. Conversion Magecraft isn''t very fun for me," replied Mavislin.


    She followed the Lost Mage back into the Old Chapel. Baldwin stood up to welcome them back.


    "I wished that I had held back. If it wasn''t for me, he wouldn''t have gone above and beyond to impress us," said Z, solemnly.


    Baldwin sensed uneasiness from his old comrade.


    "It wasn''t your fault. He was just too brash when it comes to freeing powers," replied Baldwin, patting the Lost Mage.


    "Kinda reminds me of a certain Dark Mage during his very first training," smirked Z, earning a smack from the Angry Man.


    "I wasn''t that bad!"

 Chapter 17 - The Ark Of Human Darkness

    The Marquess went deep into his thoughts. As a rising leader of the Campania, he needed his subjects'' support to overthrow the Congregation. All in all, he needed to master the cards on his hands instead of complaining about those tossed at him.


    As the future Marquess, he wasn''t here to play the game. He was here to control it. The leader needs to live to the best. He needs to live more fully than anyone else. He is a figure of admiration to his people.


    The Marquess knew that the best, but doubts were unavoidable. Nevertheless, there were questions that the Marquess wanted to ask before he could fully trust this group of beings.


    "If I help you out, then I want answers from you lot," stated Minwoo, as he leaned forward.


    "There are some things that will scare or scar you. Secrets that should not be uncovered. It might break you, Marquess," warned Gillian, looking at Minwoo dangerously.


    "Hurt me with the truth. But never comfort me with a lie," replied the Marquess.


    "Alright, since you are so keen on it. I''ll answer any questions you would like to inquire about. Be it about us or how we define humans."


    "Define humans?"


    "There are some humans who question why we look down on your lot. If you want, we could tell you why," offered Baldwin.


    The Marquess shook his head.


    "I''ll learn about that later on."


    "Suit yourself. I''ll explain more about the dual societies of humans."


    Baldwin sighed and continued his explanation.


    "Those who are powerful and filled good and purity are normal humans. Those who are constantly happy, giving to others and never expecting anything in return. They are all known as above-world society dwellers," explained Baldwin.


    "Those that are oblivious to the evil of the world," said Gillian.


    "But then there are the other humans. Those who are rotten to the core. Those who lurk within the shadows. Who kill without tears. Who fight without hesitance. Those who constantly steal for their gain. They are known as the underworld society. Ruthless and uncaring," said Baldwin, eyes filled with darkness.


    "After all, when humans are miserable, they need something. Something that is even more miserable than their current state to feel good about themselves. They trample on others who are weak. Because they want to feel strong, stronger than others. To assert dominance on those like them."


    Minwoo shifted uncomfortably as he heard those last few words. The reason of gaining power was merely to help out the domain that he grew up in. He didn''t want to meet such disgusting people. He was genuinely scared to deal with such humans. It seems odd, talking about his kind like savages.


    "But why would they lead such a life of darkness?" asked the Marquess, worriedly.


    "Battlefield. This is what war and pain do to people," replied Gillian.


    "What do you mean?" he asked, turning to look at Gillian.


    "Humans are not what they seem when it comes to war. They turn into some other creature. Worst than a Shadow, than a Poisoned Pond. They could do the cruelest things¡­ It doesn''t even matter if it''s an order or not," explained Gillian, sighing heavily.


    "And why would they do that?'' asked Minwoo, visibly scared.


    "To protect themselves, their minds shut out any emotions that they have. It''s like a steel door. But once the war is over, they can''t keep it closed forever," answered Ysabeau.


    "You said you wanted to know the truth. The truth is, that all humans are born disgusting. They are just like savages. This is why we wanted you to know about it. So you could at least understand your kind better," said Baldwin as he witnessed the Marquess in a dilemma.


    "And not be blinded by the so-called good in all beings. Where there is light, there''s bound to be shadow nearby."


    "But why..." asked the Marquess, softly.


    "When you are on the battlefield, there is no place for hope. What lies there are only cold despair and something called victory, built on the agony of the fallen."


    "So, you''re telling me, when humans gain victory or power. It is because?" asked Minwoo, unsure of his words.


    "Because they gain it from war or causing pain to others. Humanity will never understand the truth about that. True human nature has not advanced a step beyond the Stone Age," answered Gillian.


    "Heros or people of high status would often twist the view on wars so much. It''s sickening to know just because of power, you could reach the stars. It''s downright revolting when people regard others as filthy when they hold the same ugliness within them as well," warned Ysabeau, feeling nauseous.


    "Didn''t realize you had very bad impressions of humans," grumbled the Marquess.

 Chapter 18 - Born Out Of War

    "So how''s the idea of training benefitted them?" asked Baldwin, sternly gazing upon the three.


    Gillian rubbed his neck while Ysabeau looked at the two sleeping children. Z ruffled both their hairs and sighed.


    "At the very least, I am now aware of their powers and potentials. So battling the Husks should not be a problem unless Old Man Pond shows up again," explained Z.


    The a.d.u.l.ts looked at him with terror.


    "The Husks were annihilated in the previous war, how can there be more?" asked Ysabeau, her face turning pale.


    She shook her head. This can''t be possible. They had placed everything on the line that day just to destroy those creatures. They''ve lost countless, yet the enemies were still alive?!


    "Since the Congregation has fallen, Old Man Pond has a change of heart. He lost it," said Z, twiddling his fingers.


    "As if he needed to lose more sanity than what he''s got left. What is his plan?" asked Baldwin.


    "To revive the Husks and find the Corrupted One," replied Z, coldly.


    A cloud of silence hung above the a.d.u.l.ts'' heads. Mavislin stirred from her sleep, causing the a.d.u.l.ts to awake. As she tried to get up, Ysabeau immediately enveloped the child into her arms.


    "They''ve been through enough, we can''t let them fight those things!" yelled Ysabeau, tears brimming from her eyes.


    "We can''t do anything about it. We can only fight unless you want the whole planet corrupted," explained Gillian, trying to soothe his wife.


    Ysabeau responded by hugging the Valkyrie with more strength.


    "They are only kids... A child can only hold so much pain... " wept Ysabeau.


    "But I''m the child of Valokia, Ma," replied Mavislin, pulling away from the crying mother.


    "And I''m the child of Time. Nothing could be any worse than what we''ve gone through before, so there''s no point regressing now," said Raiyen, waking up.


    "I''m no stranger to war, not to mention I''m nearly matured. I''m not a child anymore," explained Mavislin, smiling.


    "You will always be my children, no matter what," whispered Ysabeau as she held the two kids tightly. Gillian smiled as Z got up with Baldwin.


    "Born out of War. Born out of Time. That''s what the enemies are up against. I don''t think they would have an easy time facing off against them," said Z.


    "Time will only tell," replied Raiyen.


    "Looks like the Husks are back, huh..." said Mavislin, looking at Ysabeau and Gillian.


    "You know about them?" asked Gillian, perking up his eyebrows.


    "Would you bet we were the one who created the Husks?" said Mavislin, eyes shrouded with darkness.


    Gillian looked towards the Valkyrie while Ysabeau continued to look shocked.


    "But you guys are creatures of pure Light! And besides, you said you were the last one," said Raiyen, utterly confused.


    Mavislin sighed as she turned towards her partner.


    "Are you able to call a being of pure Light a Valkyrie if that being has been Corrupted?"


    Raiyen looked perplexed when the rest were clear in their minds. Now they knew what they were up against. Forget Old Man Pond or the fragmented remains of the Congregation. Alone Valkyrie is enough to set the standard on the battlefield, let alone two. After all, they were the Gods of War.


    "Trying to defeat that being won''t be a simple feat to accomplish. Even Old Man Pond had problems trying to lay a scratch on the fella, let alone all of us," said Z, stressed at the situation.


    "Then we''ve got the Husks to deal with. We were lucky to have the battle somewhere secluded the last time. I don''t think they are lenient enough to do so again. It''s not as difficult as the Corrupt Being. But if we let those things get out to the Human Community," explained Ysabeau.


    "Humanity won''t last a week," replied Mavislin, taking a deep breath.


    "My friend gave her life to vanquish the Husks back on Valokia. Even then, it still wasn''t enough. Using the ultimate spell of the Valkyries, where the stakes were at the peak, it could barely scratch the surface of the Husks. So what makes you think anything could beat those walking lumps of flesh?" asked Mavislin, looking dead.


    "It was easy enough the first time, so why would the playing field change?" asked Baldwin.


    The Valkyrie raised her eyebrow.


    "Previously, they were just puppets. Now, they''ve got their puppeteer. Need I say more?" asked Mavislin.


    Raiyen looked at his partner in fear. She seemed to know more about the Husks than any other being in the world.


    "How do you know so much?" he asked, tugging on Mavislin''s hand.


    She smiled cupped his nervous fingers.


    "The Great Noble War of the Universe. It originated from Valokia. It was also known as the Battle of the Husks. Don''t worry, this ain''t my first trip around the rodeo," said Mavislin, patting the Time Boy''s head.

 Chapter 18 - The Ark Of A Rising Marquess

    "As a leader, you shouldn''t lie about these things. You have to let them know the true evils of humanity. The greed, the bloodshed," explained Ysabeau, with a very scary tone.


    "Otherwise, you are no more than a liar. A foolish leader. Such arrogance will lead to any fool''s downfall."


    "Hmm... A lie could become the truth with due time, right? Besides, without arrogance and fear, we won''t be called humans."


    "That''s how most lies function. But lies are lies. There''s no argument about that."


    "Surely, there''s got be a cap on how low one could go for power, right?" asked Minwoo, shakily.


    "Oh ho! You''ll find that cap to be very low, my boy," laughed Baldwin.


    "But why would humans go about killing themselves? Doesn''t seem very sane of them. If you can''t find a reason to fight, then you shouldn''t be fighting, right?" asked Minwoo, looking confused.


    "They do have a reason to fight or kill."


    "And what reason do humans have then?"


    "You tell me, boy. If you, as a human, can''t understand why humans kill or fight each other. Then don''t expect your reign to be forever. If you can''t answer questions about humanity, then don''t wish to predict the hearts of those that you are meant to lead," warned Gillian, with a deep voice.


    "You can''t give to your people if you do not understand how they feel, right?" asked Baldwin.


    "What is a leader worth if he can''t even protect his subjects?"


    "Sadly, in reality, there is no situation where you can win merely by heeding the rules. There will be knights that break the rules and even chess pieces that betray him."


    The Marquess settled himself down. He needed to be clear-headed. He can''t just run away just because he is scared of the truth. He should face the problem, head-on. Despite the pain later. After all, running away and dying is easy. But living and overcoming are much harder. And so much better.


    "If you turn your eyes away from sad things, they''ll happen again one day. Keep on running away from those problems and you''ll find yourself repeating those same mistakes. That''s why you have to face the truth straight on."


    Those words echoed throughout his head. Those words from his old buddy, Ashley. Even if he has second thoughts, even if he has doubts. Even if he is afraid, he still has to rise to the challenge given to him. That''s what makes him different than all the rest.


    The Marquess of the Campania took in a deep breath and answered to the trio in front of him. He then proceeded to laugh. Loudly This shocked the a.d.u.l.ts.


    "Perhaps the trauma was too much for you, eh?" asked Ysabeau.


    "None at all! I''ve just realized how blind I was."


    "Blind?"


    "As a Marquess, I am not so noble that I would use my life for someone else. Nor am I so forgiving that I would sit by and allow someone to trample me. I am selfish¡­ and self-righteous human being!"


    Minwoo drew a deep breath before continuing.


    "And that means... I''ll be doing this because I want something out of it. Not from the goodness of my heart. Not from understanding others. But for my gain. Because I am selfish. Because I''m human and I want my title to mean something."


    The three beings looked at one another with unease. But shook their heads and smiled.


    "Alrighty. I''ll accept the challenge and restore order to both societies. I''ll start from the underworld first," said the Marquess, with newfound confidence.


    "No regrets? No turning back?" asked Baldwin, seemingly impressed at how quick the Marquess had agreed.


    "There are no regrets for me," replied the Marquess with pride.


    "There''s no way to go back. No other chance. You sure about it?" asked Gillian, once more.


    "If I''m proud of my choices in my life, then I shouldn''t have to wish for another chance, right?"


    "Hm... That human''s gotta point," said Baldwin, smiling.


    "Besides, glorious people shine more brightly than typical ones. They never regret or agonize over what they''ve done. If I''m to die one day, wouldn''t it be better to have no regrets?" reasoned the Marquess.


    "Very well, since you are keen. That saves the trouble from forcing you to do our bid."


    "But you have to know that working with us would mean that you''ll sacrifice your ordinary life as a human."


    The Marquess titled his head.


    "I''ll give you the last warning. You should keep your distance from us if you wish to live. The place we dwell in is in the shadows, yours in the light. We walk opposite paths. So if you agree..."


    "Then I''ll be making my way towards Death''s door with you? Sounds thrilling," finished the Marquess.

 Chapter 19 - The Husks

    "It was supposed to be a shelter, refuge for the victims. We didn''t realize it was a concentration camp," explained Mavislin, playing with some Elements with her fingers.


    Raiyen hung upside-down an old oak tree branch, intently listening to his partner''s explanation. She slowly closed her eyes as if to grasp the lost memories. It had been a few days after the incident. The partners in crime were healed physically but remained lost in their feelings.


    "It''s kinda blurry to me. It still is. But what I could recall about the Husks was meeting them. Everywhere was chaos, the entire planet was plunged into darkness. Screams, cries, tears... No matter how much we begged, that was no way we could be rescued."


    She tried calming herself down, before continuing.


    "Some said we deserved it, others complained that we were ones to blame for starting the Great Noble War. I mean, could you blame us for what had happened? The Corrupted Element had been around for since the dawn of time, why not the Mages in the Abyss of the Stars?"


    "I''ve heard about the Great Noble War. It was the main reason most of you guys came down from the stars, right?" asked Raiyen, swaying slowly.


    "Aren''t you from the stars as well?"


    "Unlike the rest, I am human. I may be a Time Mage, but I was born as a human vessel. You guys have true forms. I have one form, and it''s this," said Raiyen, pointing at himself.


    "At least, you didn''t have to know how to fight in that war. Anyways, the camp was supposed to be a form of ''camp'' for those who seemed ''Corrupted'' or show signs of it. We thought the camp was to cure them, it couldn''t have been further than the truth."


    "Instead of curing them, they increased the Corruption. They wanted to take my family, but something went wrong and we were spared. But for the rest, it wasn''t all sunshine and rainbows."


    "This ''camp'' reminds me of the Holocaust, an event placed within the distant future. Anyways, how are the Husks like?"


    "My mother''s tone was cold, sterner than ever when the Husks rose. It was feeling of dread as I met, face to face with a little girl. Her eyes were black, surrounding her was a purple cloud. She then held up a knife and began to lash on me. The oncoming horde of Husks, they weren''t the soldiers or the Battle Mages."


    "They were commoners and villagers. I couldn''t comprehend nor accept it, especially when I had to face off with my twin. It just didn''t felt fair, why did children have to suffer? Why did the innocent have to suffer for nothing?"


    Mavislin held back her tears at the last point. She hadn''t thought about it at all, maybe it was because she was just a child? After all, a child could only be so aware of what was happening. It didn''t make her feel any emotions. She was scared constantly, but never sad.


    The title she held as the last Valkyrie hasn''t fazed her until now. The truth hit her like a train. She was the last one. Valokia was gone, the planet had exploded. She could never see her family again, she could never return home. Her teeth clenched as she forced herself to look up, to hold her head up high.


    "Hey," greeted a shameless Time Boy, hanging down, face inches away from the Valkyrie.


    With a gentle swing, Raiyen planted a small kiss on the crying girl.


    "You''ve got no reason to hide anything from us, Mav. We are like a family, remember?" he said, rubbing and ruffling her hair.


    The Valkyrie mustered her strength and gave a small smile as a tear came out from the corner of her eye.


    "You don''t have to suffer alone, so don''t go on thinking you have to be strong all the time. You can be weak, and that''s okay. So long as you keep moving on, it will be alright."


    Sometimes, even the strongest of souls need a break. She nodded, looking at Raiyen with newfound confidence.


    "Yea, same goes to you, Time Boy," she replied, placing a finger on his nose.


    He giggled, hopping down beside his partner.


    "So, what will you propose for fighting the Husks this time?" asked Raiyen, looking at Mavislin with concern.


    "My Light Element would work, somehow. But it isn''t foolproof," explained Mavislin, leaning against the Time Boy''s body.


    With the sluggishness of the atmosphere, she gently placed her head on the skeletal boy''s shoulder. Raiyen smiled, leaning his head on top of hers.


    "So we keep killing em''?"


    "If you can pull that off, Gillian would probably revoke his rank for you. No matter many times you kill them, they''ll keep coming back up."


    "Essentially, Zombies."

 Chapter 19 - The Ark Of Biting

    Baldwin could only sigh at the human''s upbeat personality.


    "Hmph. I''m glad that you shared with me those truths."


    "Don''t know why you are so happy. It might do you more harm than good to know about them," warned Gillian.


    "Rest assured. I''m not one to fall so easily," smirked a cheeky Marquess.


    "If I was, I wouldn''t have grasp the chance to be an Marquess. I was an Earl by birth but a leader by choice."


    Just then, a spying Mavislin hopped down from the stairs. More like, dropped down from the flight of stairs. Mainly because the Old Chapel had made them disappear. The small child let out a cry before landing on a pillow right behind the Marquess.


    The child hugged her little eye patch bunny, wanting to get away from the conversation. But alas, she couldn''t get away from Marquess''s eyes. Or the rest of the beings in the room. Especially after that loud fall.


    "Why hello there, little girl," asked Minwoo, extending a hand to her.


    The child of Valokia backed away in fear. Tears were brimming as she could not recognize this person as friendly.


    "It''s alright. We''re here," cooed Ysabeau as Mavislin looked at her for confirmation.


    The small child''s eyes were indeed beautiful as Minwoo looked at her with awe.


    "Aww...Don''t be afraid. I won''t bite," said Minwoo, gingerly patting the child''s head.


    "Yea, but she will. If you touch her without telling her..."


    CHOMP!


    The loud yell that the Marquess gave out shook the entire Old Chapel. Ysabeau could only try her best to ask Mavislin to let go before Minwoo''s arm breaks. Meanwhile, Baldwin and Gillian had failed to stop their laughter from taking over. Even the Old Chapel had to stifle her laughter.


    After a few bandages and one harsh scolding, it was due for lunchtime. Mavislin sat by the table, waiting for food as if nothing had happened. The Marquess grew weary of the small but strong child. As lunch was served, Mavislin dived head-first into the mashed potatoes.


    "Don''t worry, Minwoo. We''ve prepared a separate meal for you," said Baldwin, giving the Marquess some normal food.


    Never in his life Minwoo would be so happy to receive rice with chicken. And plain water sounded nice right about now.


    "Why? So that I won''t have to get sick?" asked the Marquess, digging in.


    "Nope, so that you won''t upset the little Mavislin," rep[lied Baldwin.


    "She doesn''t like sharing, eh? Not to worry, I won''t be taking any of those foods either. A win-win situation."


    "True but..."


    Ysabeau sounded unsure of how to describe the child''s appetite to a human. The Angry Man, however, had a crystal-clear explanation.


    "See that entire thing there?" asked Baldwin, pointing at the freshly caught stag.


    "Yea, what of it?" asked the Marquess, mouth full.


    "There''ll be none of it after she finishes the mashed potatoes."


    The Marquess nearly choked on his rice as he witnessed the poor stag get devoured by the hands of a small child. It was like looking at a monster dine on small prey. Minwoo looked horrified as little Mavislin giggled happily. She let out a small burp, shyly covering her mouth afterwards.


    "Excuse me," giggled the little girl of terror.


    "My, my... You have to watch how you eat in front of the guests. Look, you''ve got a lil'' stain ''ere," said Ysabeau, using a cloth to rub away the blood around the Valkyrie''s mouth.


    As if it was normal for this family to have such a hungry child. Then again, no one in this building is normal. Hell, not even the building is ordinary.


    "Now you get why? Get in the way of her eating and she''ll devour you like that stag," said Gillian, giving no attention to Minwoo''s feelings.


    "Does she eat her plushies?" asked a very concerned Marquess.


    "Nope. But she did eat some humans a few times."


    "A few times?!"


    "By accident, of course."


    "That doesn''t help at all. And how can you eat humans by accident?!"


    "Ask her yourself," replied the unfazed Gillian.


    "Part of me wants to, but the other knows better," mumbled the Marquess, trying to finish his meal in peace.


    The Marquess looked even more terrified as the little child came towards him. The words, ''Don''t eat me'' hurled through his brain.


    "Sowwy," said the guilty child as she gave the rattled Marquess a little plushie of a puppy dog.


    Minwoo took it with caution and smiled at the small child.


    "May I?" asked Minwoo, the hand just above the girl''s head.


    The child gave a small nod as she giggled. Her smile beamed throughout Minwoo''s heart as he ruffled her hair. She looked up to Minwoo, fascinated at how this human could only survive on such a small portion of food.

 Chapter 20 - Ancient Relics

    After a hundred years after the Valkyrie''s tryouts, Ysabeau and Gillian to create something called Ancient Relics. They were made by the group for one another as a weapon for being the founding members of the Arks.


    An Ancient Relic is either a physical weapon or a spell capable of protecting the user. The person who receives the Relic does not have a hand in it. It is what the rest, the five of the Founders, have made.


    All factors are considered, the person''s element, weaponry and what they need in their arsenal. Its primary purpose is to defend, but the chosen relics are based on the user''s power. Each Ancient Relic is made from the different mysteries throughout Time, be it real or fake, present or future.


    Any of the Relics are fatal, forces to be reckoned with because it is a combination of the forces of the Founders'' powers. Each one is capable of destroying a kingdom. And later, countries.


    The thing is, all of the Ancient Relics does not appear in the physical world. Due to Raiyen''s expertise, each of the Relic is locked in a pocket time and space. It does not exist within the group''s realm, on Earth. It was for if in the event of an enemy getting their hands on any of the Relics. The owner of the Relic can just return the Relic to that pocket of time and space.


    Due to Baldwin''s Dark element, the more the enemy fears the Founders, the more powerful the Relic becomes. The Relics feeds on fear to dish harsh blows or defeats, making it effective on wimps.


    But a bit of a problem when it comes to brave people, making a minor setback. However, if the Relic senses any form of fear on the opponent, it will latch onto the fear and keep drawing more fear. This will result in the opponent feeling fear.


    The Relics, upon activation, can activate another skill called ''When the stars shine,'' courtesy of Z''s powers. This temporarily blinds the enemies after the Relic has been summoned. It works on amateurs but not for seasoned fighters.


    A small contribution, better than nothing. If used correctly, it could be a signal to move away, since any damage from the Ancient Relics are deemed colossal when in dangerous situations.


    No matter if the users are airborne against their will or enemies are far away from them. Ysabeau made it so that it could function away from the users. Meaning that if their enemy was in the air, they could still activate it from the land.


    Useful for sneak attacks since opponents tend not to look above them. Ysabeau has a hidden skill called Space Manipulation as she controls a particular space and can place objects into it.


    Gillian''s contribution towards the relics is a tad bit from normal. It''s a taunting feature of the Relics. When after the Relics have dealt their blow, it taps into the memories of the target to reveal and show their weakness. The last thing they would see is someone who has suffered or died because of them.


    It was a tie between Baldwin''s contribution. There''s no knowing which skill is crueler. As you are about to be defeated, the last thing that you see is the horror at the back of your mind. Your darkest secret, your most haunting memory.


    As for Mavislin, she implicated a skill called Law. The Relic will only harm those deemed to be an enemy for the user of the relic. A simple thing but good for sparing innocent lives. Without it, it would have allowed Z''s relic to wipe out the whole of Poland. Law deems all those within the Relic''s radius either good or bad using the judgment of the user who used the relic.


    If in the event the Relic senses the user has been too overwhelmed, it then gains a new judge from the surrounding areas. That''s the reason why the Founders are usually always together, in pairs or more. The problem is that it also deems those who had sinned too much as evil. Even if they are making amends. It is a knock off of the young girl''s Valkyrie power, so some adjustments are to be made.


    The user can only wield that particular Ancient Relic under one strict condition, the user must have the main Element of the Relic. For example, if Raiyen tried to use Z''s Kunais Ancient Relic, it will not work. The Relics need extraordinary amounts Elemental Energy to activate them. But it is a good trade-off.


    If in the event of one of the Founders is about to die, the Ancient Relic is automatically assigned to the person deemed fit within the dying Founder''s heart. If that occurs, the new wielder of that particular Ancient Relic must learn to use the Element required to activate the Relic.

 Chapter 20 - The Ark Of Nobles To Help

    "Even if you are from another planet, you are still a child," whispered Minwoo, allowing the child to sit on his lap.


    The child pointed at the plate of food that Minwoo had been eating. She gave him an inquisitive look. She then pointed towards her mouth.


    "What that?" asked Mavislin, still having pieces of meat stuck in her tiny mouth.


    "It''s human food. It''s rice and chicken," explained Ysabeau.


    The child remained silent. She then spoke softly.


    "Does it taste nice?"


    "I could give you some of my rice. If you''d like to try," offered Minwoo, holding a spoonful of rice to the young girl.


    The child shyly nodded and ate the whole spoon. And part of Minwoo''s hand.


    "We''ve got to do something about this. She''ll end up eating the Marquess soon..." grumbled Baldwin as he pulled the child away from Minwoo.


    "And the rest of the humans we are working with," added Gillian, bandaging the poor man''s hand.


    After clearing up, it was time for the a.d.u.l.ts to discuss the current situation yet again. Little Mavislin was bored as she didn''t have a clue about what was happening. All she knew was people dying all over the area. That, she did not like.


    Big words flew by her head as Baldwin and Minwoo discussed on the Campania''s domain. About being a leader, about helping the humans who have fallen from common society. She hugged her eye patch bunny close to her chest, unsure if she should join in the conversation.


    "So, have you got a group that you can trust?" asked Gillian, sifting through a mountain of papers.


    "Friends from all over. Nobles usually have a wider array of people to count on. Right now, pick out those that you see as friends that you can trust," explained Ysabeau.


    "Who you could use as pawns to your game would be beneficial too," added Gillian.


    Minwoo closed his eyes as he recalled what Ashley had told him before they became independent.


    "Constantly and skillfully maneuver your pieces to your advantage. That''s how you survive. Use any piece within your reach. Your throne may be built on the fallen bodies of your pawns but for how long could you last? Because if the king falls ¨C the game is over."


    Never thought a game of chess could hold so much meaning when it comes to commandeering a domain.


    "Well, I''ve got Ashley, who is a mafia head in my domain. There''s young Viscountess Ling at the Briton domain. And a few days ago, Duchess Midford had recently announced that she''ll be giving the title to her daughter, Vernice," explained Minwoo.


    As Minwoo remembered his past adventures, he tried writing down some names that could aid him. Most likely some powerful names.


    "Hm... And who do you trust the best?" asked Gillian, looking at all the names.


    "I''m close to Ashley, that''s for sure. I''ve listed all that I am comfortable with. The entire tree of Midford could be trusted as well since they are known for their battle skills."


    Young Mavislin''s head started to hurt from all those noble rankings. She hugged her plushie tightly as she looked at the giant list of names.


    "How about the Albion domain? You''ve got anyone there?" asked Ysabeau, patting the child''s head.


    "There''s one...But I wouldn''t count on him..."


    "And why not? Right now, you need connections from all over the area to make this thing work," asked Baldwin, raising his eyebrow.


    "Well, he''s called Baron Tuazon. Better known as Gab the barista. But he doesn''t like being part of these kinds of things," reasoned Minwoo, looking at the child.


    Mavislin''s eyes grew big as he gave a heart-warming smile. She laughed and dived into his lap, startling the Marquess. Minwoo gently accepted the child into his lap, patting her head once more. Albeit, cautiously.


    "Ashley and Gab don''t exactly go well with each other. Another fight might start if their opinions differ," said Minwoo, sighing.


    "Who''s Ashley?" asked Mavislin, looking at the list of names.


    "He''s my best buddy. We used to live in the same town before going our separate ways," explained Minwoo, remembering the fond times with that stick man.


    "Minwoo, filter out the list of names. Leave one name for one domain. The lesser the names given, the easier it is to help first. We can conduct investigations regularly. Then, I need you to gather all these people that you''ve mentioned," ordered Gillian, pointing at the list.


    "And how should I do so?" asked Minwoo, with a happy Valkyrie on his lap.


    "By ranking and trust. The higher the rank, the better. We need to have the best influence across all domains. Now that the Congregation is crumbling, a new power has to come up to restore order," answered Gillian.

 Chapter 21 - Wings Of The Skies

    "So, I shout out its name? Then something would appear?" asked Ysabeau, rather reluctantly. She held a large feather and waved it around gently.


    "Yea, we didn''t make an incantation for you, so just the name," said Gillian, trying to assure Ysabeau. It was rare for the High Queen to show trepidation.


    "Well, here it goes. I call upon thee, Wings Of The Skies!"


    The feather shot out of Ysabeau''s hand and into the sky. The clouds above started swirl, and out came a creature. It was huge, loud as it made a huge squawk. But the worrying thing is the creature began to dive down.


    "Take cover!" yelled Baldwin.


    The group dispersed quickly as they didn''t want to be killed by their creation. When they recovered, they had witnessed the creature in full view. It was then the group realized that it was the wrong creature.


    "I''m so sorry, honey. We wanted to get a Griffin for you," said Gillian, as he approached his wife.


    She slowly turned towards him and gave a big hug. And a small kiss. Raiyen looked away in embarrassment. But all in all, they were still confused. How did another creature come out, when it was the feather of a Griffin? But it wasn''t as confusing as what occurred next.


    "Aww... Come here you little girl..." cooed Ysabeau as she tackled the creature''s belly.


    She then commanded it as if it was a hound. Raiyen looked at the creature and was a bit a further from it than usual. It made a squawk each time Ysabeau scratched its neck.


    "That''s a good girl..."


    The rest were still in a bit of a shock. Gillian had mentioned she didn''t like huge birds but was okay with a Griffin.


    "It isn''t any big bird. It''s Rukh. The biggest flying bird within my universe. It is said that they are quite rare. I have ridden on every type of flying creature, but could never find these. Where do you get it from?" asked Ysabeau as she continued playing with the creature.


    "Uh... From Z?" said Gillian, still not recovered from the confusion.


    "Well, wherever it is from, I will still love it. Thank you so much," said Ysabeau, smiling brightly.


    "Well then, gratefulness session is over. Let''s test the skills we have made," instructed Gillian.


    Ysabeau commanded the Rukh to fly as she slowly climbed on. It extended its wings and flapped once. One flap was all it took for the bird to start flying. But this time, Raiyen had already retreated into the shadows.


    "So, how do I use her to attack?" she asked, steadily hovering above the group.


    "Try channeling your power into its wings," suggested Mavislin, as the two moved to higher altitudes.


    As they vanished into the clouds, Mavislin saw fit to find her partner.


    "Why are you so afraid of it?" asked the Valkyrie, looking at the boy beside the tree.


    Raiyen peeked out and walked towards her.


    "I hate birds or any form of transport..." murmured Raiyen, unhappily.


    Just then, a loud screech was heard and the wind was picking up. A second later, a tornado was on its way towards the group.


    "Great; what happened?" asked Gillian, watching the tornado spin towards them.


    "Your wife," replied Baldwin, rather angrily. The group had decided to brace it, head-on. But thought twice about it as it came closer towards them.


    "Negation!" shouted Gillian as he made the twister vanished.


    "You were right, channeling my power into her wings does give results!" yelled Ysabeau, coming down from the clouds.


    "Results?!" screamed Raiyen. She gazed upon the forest, or what was left of it.


    "I didn''t expect it to be that devastating," replied Ysabeau.


    "Well, good for clearing land via deforestation," commented Z.


    The beast flopped onto his back, beckoning any one of the Mages to tickle its stomach. Mavislin approached it slowly. This made it abruptly stand up. It had sensed someone else other than its owner. The Valkyrie showed off her wings as a sign of authority. A set of Valokian wings, against one of the biggest flying creature of all time, was able to beat both of its wings'' size.


    "I''ve forgotten; you''ve reached 18, am I right?" asked Gillian, witnessing the sight in front of him.


    "Yea," replied Mavislin, still looking at the beast.


    It then plopped down on its rump.


    "So, what do you want to name her?" asked Gillian.


    Ysabeau went towards her.


    "Rocky?" asked Raiyen, hiding behind Baldwin.


    "What''s the matter with you, boy?!" asked Baldwin, taking a step away.


    Raiyen pouted as he went to Mavislin''s side. She smiled sweetly in reply, making Raiyen flush red.


    "Nothing, Angry Man," mumbled Raiyen, hugging her wings.


    Such a child, thought his partner.


    "Haven''t decided yet. Wonder if there is another way to make her less eye-catching within the town area," noted Ysabeau.


    Just then, she took out the feather of the creature. The one that was supposedly meant to be a Griffin''s. For some weird reason, she then pointed at the creature. A puff of smoke appeared at the place that the creature was at. Out came a small, fluffy and cute-looking creature as the dust settled. It squeaked and flew in the direction of Ysabeau.


    "I shall call you Fluffy!" exclaimed Ysabeau, as she patted the bird''s head. At least, they could all agree at that fact, to a certain extent.

 Chapter 21 - The Ark Of Ones In The Underworld

    "Your group could start by restoring order to the underworld society. For the above-world dwellers, leave it to themselves first. After you guys are done with the underworld, help the above-world and underworld work together," proposed Baldwin, giving a determined look towards the Marquess.


    Little Mavislin found that expression amusing, laughing later on. Minwoo gave a small smile but was focused on the task on hand. Having a child around is a great way to lighten the gloomy mood.


    A child''s smile was enough to cure the emptiest of hearts.


    But reality kicked Minwoo right back into the conversation as he realized something odd.


    "Hang on, isn''t it better to help the common people first? They are usually the ones helping out the domains. Won''t it be easier as well?" asked Minwoo.


    "If you think easy is the best way to fix issues, then you aren''t cut out to be a leader," retorted Baldwin, shaking his head.


    "Being a leader means to fix all problems swiftly, right?"


    "Swiftly ain''t always the way out. You''ve got to start from scratch as well."


    "But shouldn''t the leader be one step above everyone else?"


    "If you want to rule your area like that, you might as well rule it into the ground. Mate, crawl before you start flying. It''s only after you understand what is going on then you are free to make your decisions. Rome wasn''t built in a day," commented Baldwin.


    "Yea, but it was burnt in a day. Not very helpful..."


    "There won''t be any ''Rome'' to build if your foundations are weak either," argued Baldwin.


    "Right now, that won''t be such a good idea," replied Gillian.


    "And why not?" asked the Marquess.


    "Because a weak root won''t be able to bare a proper fruit," replied the little Valkyrie.


    "Pardon?" asked the Marquess.


    Little Mavislin used her hands to form a cup and whispered some words. Her Earth Elemental Energy increased, furthering piquing the Marquess''s interest. A small flower emerged from the base of her palms. She then gave a small smile, directed at Minwoo.


    "A flower without its roots cannot bear fruit. If I were to take away the roots, the flower would live for only a few more days. If I continue to let it live, then it would be able to blossom into a fruit," explained the little Valkyrie.


    The Marquess seemed perplexed as he could not quite understand the Valkyrie''s words.


    "What she meant was for you to fix the root of the problems first. Get your hands dirty before expecting a clean victory," said Ysabeau, with a stern gaze.


    "There''s no point in fixing surface problems if you don''t solve the root first. No matter how many you were to solve a surface problem, it won''t fully go away if you ignore the source of it."


    Gillian gave another sigh at how clueless the Marquess was.


    "Talk to the people of the underworld. Get a feel of how they work. How they suffered. How they lived. How the domain that you rule functions as a whole. Take notes on how your people deal with conflict. With crime. Get down-to-earth and suffer alongside your subjects before you think to lead them," explained Gillian.


    "The filth of the world, the ones that common society humans have rejected because they want everything to clean and proper. The anguish and pain the underworld goes through would be hidden by those who want to paint a better picture of the domain," said Ysabeau, giving a disgusted look.


    "Why would anyone think to do that?" asked the Marquess, hurt from Ysabeau''s sharp gaze.


    "Because they''ve fought to protect the world that they know. They felt safe in that world and they are willing to risk anything to protect it. To even bury the grime of their haven with the dead. It isn''t wrong since that''s what we are currently doing now," answered Ysabeau, rather bluntly.


    "Where''s the justice in that? All while I was growing up, we heard about that so often. And yet, I don''t see it being preached," whispered the Marquess in sadness.


    "Sooner or later, "justice" is just an authoritative line taken by those in power to benefit their ends. It''s nothing more than a fancy way of control."


    "We are creating conflict to protect the ones that we hold dear," added Ysabeau as she stroked the Valkyrie''s cheek.


    "So, we are stealing that sense of security away for others to strive?" asked Minwoo, frowning.


    "There lies two kinds of people. One who steals and the other being robbed. Now, we are currently the former, stealing their protection to show them the filth of the world that the common people have exiled. It''s not exactly fair if those who fought in the dark to be judged by fake words."

 Chapter 22 - Rebellion Of The Seas: Lord Atlantia

    "Let''s change the location for yours," said Raiyen, grabbing the Valkyrie''s hand.


    Within a flash, her legs were half-submerged in water. Behind, a roaring waterfall was covered by mist at its base. All around was aquamarine, with lush greenery wrapped on the rocks supporting the waterfall. The waterfall looked as if it was snow, only pure white was gushing down. On top of one of the rocks, sat a very excited Raiyen. The group caught up, an hour later.


    "So, what have you guys have installed for me?"


    "I would need you to gather all your element of water," explained Z, looking at the glittering water.


    "A rather difficult task to fulfill," said Mavislin, as she gathered all her energy.


    "You''ll be fine. Besides, you are a born Penta Holder, be proud of that!" said Raiyen, bustling with positive mental attitude.


    "Yea, apart from being that, you''re also a Water Main! Don''t worry," said Z, in an attempt to bolster the poor girl''s confidence.


    "And so are you! And this is a whole lot of water to gather up. And I''m supposed to be a Light Mage!"


    Mavislin reasoned with the rest, as she was crushed with dread.


    "Calm down, you can do it. Just concentrate, clear your mind and converge all your power to make this weapon come alive," advised Z as he tried destroying Mavislin''s thoughts of fear.


    Didn''t work as the poor girl''s hands were still trembling. Despite the sweaty palms, she tried steadying herself. Breathe in, breathe out. Soon, streams of water were slowly rising from around the Valkyrie. She had her eyes closed but knew the water streams were moving in accordance to her dancing fingers.


    "Say out the first part of the incantation!" shouted the Ice Wizard.


    Everyone backed away from sight. She took another deep breath and clasped her hands together.


    "All waves rise and become my shield. From depths of Okeanos, grant me the protection of the waves. Ruled by Neptune, son of Poseidon, the god of the sea. The lost legend, Lord Atlantia!" yelled out Mavislin.


    Nothing happened, which prompted her to open her eyes.


    "A bit too powerful for me to use," she replied, sadly.


    Raiyen hopped towards the girl, trying to comfort her. But he was forcefully pushed back as the water around the Valkyrie split in half in an instant. As the water streams came back once more, they formed up a huge shield. Despite it being a mirage, the symbol of Atlantis was prominent in the heart of the shield, shining bright aquamarine.


    "Wait for a bit. It should come out now. Try gathering your Elemental Energy and force it upon the shield," instructed Z.


    Mavislin nodded, despite being drained half of her energy. As a direct result of an overhaul of Magecraft, a cloud had surrounded Mavislin.


    "You sure this is a good idea, Ice Cap?" asked Baldwin, filled with uncertainty.


    "I know my student''s capabilities. It''s nowhere near to what I''ve seen," replied Z, trying to hush the Angry Man.


    As both Aura and Energy increased, the actual shield came to sight after a huge cloud dispersed. Two huge formations of columns appear on the side, making a stone wall in between the pillars and in front of Mavislin. The symbol once again appeared shining aquamarine on the holographic wall.


    First, it changed into a spear. But at its base, it grew a tail that started to curl up towards the tip. The tailfin then merged with the tip of the spear, with the fins sides sprouting two solid streams of aquamarine at opposite sides. This created a circle and end with a triangular tip.


    An ax-like shape of solid ice had formed behind the spear and tail while being in the center of the formed hollow circle. The stone and columns were even brighter when the shield is fully formed. The full-fledged Lord Atlantia.


    "So this is the true form of my Ancient Relic," replied Mavislin, happily.


    She looked around her. The projection was fantastic, but it still posed a problem.


    "How do I wield it properly?"


    Within a speed of her thoughts, the shield was now at a better shape and form for the Valkyrie to wield it. Correction; it had materialized into a solid form for Mavislin to grasp it easily. The walls that supported the huge show was gone, leaving only the emblem for Mavislin to wield. A sort of ice-cream cone-shaped was left.


    "All Ancient Relics are supposed to compliment the style of the user, so Lord Atlantia would be in the form you desire in combat," explained Ysabeau.


    "Go behind it and wield it properly," commanded the Lost Mage.


    She obeyed instantly and tried to hold it up. It was as light as a feather. Appropriately, Mavislin was confused.


    "That''s only the first part, you gotta do the second one now," said Raiyen, glitching around once more.

 Chapter 22 - The Ark Of Ones In The Above-World

    "Just because of the above-world society''s inability to accept them, means that it''s right to cast them out. Because the shadows are too dark for the public''s eyes to see. For children or newcomers. But none of that matters if the evil starts to outweigh the good," explained Gillian.


    "The order of good and bad might collapse in the end. Before that happens, it''s our job to give the problems the spotlight they need."


    "Don''t you think it''s time for those in the shadows to be recognized?" asked Ysabeau, with a devil''s grin.


    This shook the Marquess to the core. Not about the information that she''s relaying, but the way that she spoke. Her expression, her tone... It was not human at all. Then again, the child on his lap isn''t either.


    He turned to look at the little Valkyrie who was happily trying to fit the flower onto the plushie. The child''s smile further terrified the Marquess.


    What has he gotten himself into again?


    "So, what happened to the Congregation?" asked Minwoo, suddenly remembering about that thing.


    "The Congregation has already fallen, the leader has perished. The only reason why they fell is that they stopped caring about the lower ones. The higher-ups lost the trust and bond between the ones who made the organization possible and themselves. Without the roots, the entire tree came crumbling," explained Gillian.


    "That''s why you guys push so hard to fix the foundation first, eh?"


    The a.d.u.l.ts remained silent. The Congregation was such a success for so many years. But one tiny mistake led to its demise. And it wasn''t instantaneous either, it could have been solved with ease. All they needed was trust.


    But after the incident with the humans... Everything went downhill.


    "We would have solved the problems but we weren''t strong enough..." said Ysabeau, with a heavy heart.


    Little Mavislin pulled on Ysabeau''s hand and gave her the rabbit.


    "You are strong, Mama!" said the young girl, cheerfully.


    Ysabeau gave a motherly smile.


    "And believe me, after you''ve conquered the problems in the underworld, anything is easy. After you''ve seen what we went through, fixing these problems would be a walk in the park," noted Baldwin, shaking his head.


    "And how would that be counted as easy?" asked Minwoo, skeptical at their words.


    "Well, for one, a word in the underworld spreads like wildfire. Once people''s got your name, they are bound to pass it around. And when you can fix the solutions in the underworld, ears from above could trust you better in the upcoming decisions," answered Baldwin.


    "So, getting the harder work first then tackling the easier ones later?"


    "In simpler terms, yes."


    "Those in the underworld who are powerful enough could relay the fruits of your hard work to the ones above. It''s not an easy task since the problems in the underworld are far greater than the ones above."


    "And how big is the margin?"


    "A conflict within the underworld could escalate quickly with the use of arms. While the conflicts on the above-world usually end up with a minor quarrel."


    "When it comes to leadership, connections from all over is the best thing to take note. After that, however, your rule is none of our concern. Just don''t rule it into the ground," said Gillian, shaking off the matter with humans.


    "Cause we still need humans to function. Else, the surrounding planets will order for Earth to be destroyed."


    "You guys do not like the above-world society one bit. I thought you lot would hate the underworld much more," noted the Marquess.


    "Believe it or not, the underworld is tamed compared to the ones above. Those in the underworld have a better grasp of how the world works. They don''t deny, they just survive. They don''t question, they accept it. And better still, they don''t make things right for anyone but themselves."


    "Better still? How selfish could humans be?"


    "Every person in the shadows has their version of right and wrong. It''s better than standing around doing nothing. The above-world dwellers know nothing about pain or hard work. If they see a problem, they''ll just get rid of it without thinking twice. In the underworld, rules function differently."


    "All humans are easily persuaded. At the last light, give them a thread and they''ll start pulling on it. No matter what the cost, they are the ultimate survivors of humanity. But those in the above-world will never understand the pain within the underworld."


    "In the above-world, everything made and set to be appropriate and nice. That, personally, makes me sick. Worst of all, nobles like you sit so high up, to the point hat your heads are way above the clouds. You leave all the painful, dirty work for the rest, for the commoners to deal with."

 Chapter 23 - Rebellion Of The Seas: Emerald Wave Sword

    "But for that to work, you would need to charge it," added Z.


    The Lost Mage snapped his fingers. The Time Mage answered by taking out his twin daggers. Raiyen then lunged towards the girl. She held the shield up just in time, facing the attack with the huge metal. As the two were stale, she pushed against the Time Boy and started swinging against him.


    The turn of events did not faze her and neither did the fact that Raiyen was her best friend. The transition from offensive weaponry to using defensive weaponry for both attacking defending was quite hard for Mavislin at first, but she was able to fight evenly later on.


    They clashed constantly. Raiyen landed on the shield once more, using his twin daggers. She pushed him away, making him land on his back. She then noticed the shield was glowing even brighter now, perhaps a sign that it was nearly full.


    "Mav! Try yelling out the name at Raiyen to create an offensive attack!" yelled Z, as the two kept fighting.


    Mavislin had managed to get the message and placed the shield directly in front of her. As Raiyen dived in for another strike, the Valkyrie placed both her hands at the back of the shield.


    "Lord Atlantia!" she cried out, sending a huge beam of light towards the Time Mage.


    Rather than the usual effects like a beam of light, the spell was more similar to a shockwave of some sorts, judging by the way the debris caused. Raiyen glitched out just in time, but the rocks behind were not so lucky.


    "I knew I had to battle you. I just didn''t think it would kill me," murmured Raiyen, landing on one of the unbroken rocks.


    Meanwhile, Mavislin was still marveling at the sight of the shield.


    "Okay, one strike using Heaven Sent and Hell Bent should charge it up fully," instructed the Lost Mage, as they clashed for the last time.


    "Remember to aim it towards the clearing over there. We don''t want to die today," warned Baldwin.


    He had been quiet for some time since he doesn''t like to go near bodies of water.


    "You got it!" yelled Raiyen.


    With an unearthly speed, he struck the shield. Mavislin was caught off guard. Her feet were now plunged into the ground.


    "Light seeps into the air, Hope fills the land. Let there be joy, Let there be no pain. Heaven Sent!" recited Raiyen as he slashed the golden dagger at the shield.


    Mavislin tried her best to withstand the attack. A loud clang was heard.


    "Darkness seeps into the air, despair fills the land. Let there be pain, let there be no joy. Hell Bent!" he chanted once more.


    Another clang. With the final slash of the silver dagger, the shield started to shake violently. It was excruciatingly painful for Mavislin as she tried moving the fully charged shield towards the clearing.


    It was odd, the attack had absorbed Raiyen''s attack since the Elemental Energy from the twin daggers had been transferred onto the shield. Instead of the usual skill that shields possess, to only deflect.


    "Emerald Wave Sword!" she yelled.


    The spear on the shield had popped out, evaporating and appearing on Mavislin''s palms. The spear turned into a misty form of a sword that appears almost invisible. It glowed emerald with streams of aquamarine Water Element surrounding it.


    To Mavis, it looked like she was holding a transparent sword. But to others, it was pure invisible. The poor girl had no clue. She then proceeded to swing the sword.


    "Wave Slash!" yelled Mavislin once more.


    A huge crescent moon attack froze all within its pathway. It had narrowly missed Raiyen''s spell. As the attack was done, she held up the sword and the shield together in an attempt to negate the twin daggers'' power.


    "All winds gather and become my sword. Gather up the remains of protection, for the light never dies. For hearts will never be broken anymore. Rebellion of the Seas!"


    Then, a torrent of water and lightning came out from both the shield and the sword. It liberated the entire pathway of the forest. The sword and shield disappeared right after the beam of light.


    "You okay?" asked Raiyen, holding the girl up.


    "Better than the woodland creatures on that pathway," she replied, struggling to stand straight.


    "Hmm, we didn''t expect that it would be too much for you to handle. Do you want us to lower it down?" asked Z.


    "No, don''t. I can make up for that power easily, just give me time," she said, with fierce protest in her eyes. Z sighed and nodded.


    "Fine, since you are so determined. Just don''t kill yourself achieving that," said Z, walking away to the new location for the test try of his Ancient Relic.

 Chapter 23 - The Ark Of A New Group?

    "And to feed the frenzy, the above-world tosses those problems into the underworld, creating more chaos."


    "Love it when humans do that. Passing the torch of blame and problems. It''s a clown fiesta to me,'' said Baldwin, shaking his head disapprovingly.


    The Valkyrie gave a giggle and a yawn, indicating the end of her attention span.


    "Looks like it''s time for Mavislin''s nap," said Ysabeau, scooping the young girl into her arms.


    As the mother and child left, it gave the men some private time to discuss more dangerous matters at hand. Especially the part about the Congregation''s failure.


    "With the Congregation''s fall, what are you guys planning to do about the remaining Mages?" asked Minwoo.


    "And why are you asking about that?" asked Baldwin, obviously annoyed at the mere mention of the Congregation.


    "I want to know if we could work together in the future. If you guys help me with the underworld, then I want to repay the favor by helping you with your upcoming plans," replied Minwoo, crossing his legs.


    "Most probably we won''t need your help but thanks for the offer," answered Baldwin, sharply.


    "Lighten up, Angry Man."


    Baldwin shot a glare towards the soon-to-be Marquess. Minwoo merely laughed at his expression but soon composed himself.


    "Young Mages like Mavislin need a place to call home and a group to call family for them to survive on Earth. I can''t sleep soundly, knowing children are without family or shelter just because they are ''different''," responded Minwoo.


    "If you are that keen, there are two options you could do. One, you could invite the Mages back into the common society. Let the Mages live with humans again. I''ve got no clue how''s that gonna work, so don''t ask me. With the right title, everyone is inclined to do what you order."


    "Won''t that be dangerous?" he asked, scratching his head.


    "Of course, for both you and the Mages. As I said, once you''ve gained the people''s trust, they''ll abide by your commands. Try being nice or run the domain as a tyrant."


    "I wouldn''t want to run my domain using fear, that would be meaningless."


    "Suit yourself. If things turn out badly, there''s always another option," replied Gillian.


    "The other option is to work with us, allow the Mages to stay under our organization. We keep the Mages in order and you keep the humans from tangling with us. We will segregate the community into two. End of story," replied Gillian.


    "Hm... That''s a better plan. And if there''s any problem that involves Mages, I''ll hand the problem over to you?"


    "Provided it has been proved that it was the Mages who started the issue, and not humans. And if the matter is not big enough for us to care, don''t bother bringing it up to us," replied Gillian.


    "Well, that''s helpful."


    "I''m not kidding either. I don''t care about such trivial problems. We''ve got bigger issues worth our time," replied Gillian, bluntly.


    "So, how are you going to go about your plan?" asked Minwoo.


    "Us? We''ll probably create something like the Congregation again. This time, each department will be allowed to function individually. No need to come looking for the Head."


    "Instead of following how the Congregation worked, I was thinking another approach for the new organization. Where every Mage can be mixed around with other Mages. Rather than segregating the Mages using the Holders'' System, I''m going to follow how humans do it," explained Gillian.


    "Humans? How so?" asked Minwoo, puzzled.


    "Humans function by having armies. And in these armies, they have further separated into other departments. It''s based on what the department is defending or in charge of."


    Baldwin cracked a small smile as he began to think how much Gillian had been studying humans. It was nearly a century since the three had met. Ysabeau was fascinated by how kids behaved while her husband was always interested in how humans waged battle.


    "Correct, our armies have different departments. We''ve got air, sea, and land defense in our armies. And in those departments, there smaller teams as well. Some are in charge of medical aid or gathering intelligence," replied Minwoo, deep in his thoughts.


    "I would like to try something new but similar to what you''ve mentioned. I''m including the air, sea and land defenses as departments. But I''m further adding a department for gathering intelligence as well as an attacking ace."


    "Why an attacking ace? Usually, our land defense is in charge of that."


    "Humans are versatile since they are using weapons, they can choose what they need to fight with. Mages are quite different. Some might excel in defensive Magecraft while others are great at attacking."


    "Let''s continue this at night. Marquess Dalles, get ready for an all-nighter," said Baldwin, sauntering off.

 Chapter 24 - Trilogy Of The Stars

    A snowy mountain scenery, of course. It had to be somewhere cold. Most of the group members didn''t mind, but Raiyen crumbled under the blizzard.


    "You should know by now, whenever we use Z''s powers, be prepared for the snow," said Gillian, unfazed by the oncoming snowstorm.


    "Yea, but don''t expect me to fight in this landscape," whined Raiyen, teeth chattering.


    Ysabeau placed a thick coat over the child. She offered the young Valkyrie one, but she declined.


    "My wings are enough," replied Mavislin, fully extending her wings.


    Then, the Valkyrie''s wings had not fully formed. Only Gillian knew of it. But it was big enough to protect her from the blizzard. Ysabeau placed the coat over herself, while the last three remained standing, out in the cold.


    "You''ve got them?" asked Baldwin, pointing at Z.


    "Don''t worry, Angry Man. I''ve got the three here," said Z, waving the chosen Kunais with his left hands.


    "Don''t drop ''em. We took a long time to create those," scolded Baldwin.


    "Loosen up, worry pants," replied the ice wizard.


    As he held up and played around the Kunais, the rest caught glimpse of how it looked. All three were huge, bigger than a normal Kunai that Z had in his arsenal.


    One was shining red, the other was blue and the last was green. The red one was beautified with Achillea flowers, which means war. The blue one had a single, huge, white Heather flower. And the last one, which was green, had been decorated using Eglantine roses.


    Those were the Kunais; Barrage, Fortify and Alleviate. He then threw them up into the air. Three orbs of light appeared in the frosty night sky. In the air, a string of lights joined the three together. After which the orbs became beams of light, landing on the barren snow land.


    "With the first, this power has been dispersed. With the second, this spell is beckoned. With the third, this voice is heard. As I invoke these three pillars, I open up the lore of this weapon. Hearken these words... Trilohiya ng mga bituin (Trilogy Of The Stars)!" chanted Z as he snapped his fingers.


    This caused the spell to activate instantaneously. The beams of light barricaded the plot of land and made it vanish. The white landscape and a huge triangular hole of a black pit. After the shining bright light, the Kunais found its way back to Z''s palm.


    "Looks like Raiyen''s skill is working smoothly," commented Z, playing around with the Kunais.


    "Yea, so is Mav''s," replied Baldwin, pointing to the bunny hopping towards the group.


    The bunny had been in the snow but was spared. Using Law and Space Manipulation, the Relic had managed to not only spare the bunny but also move it away from danger. Fusion Magecraft.


    "Z, try the individual powers," suggested Baldwin. Poor Igor looked confused.


    "There is?" asked Mavislin, confused.


    It was a mini work between the three strongest; Gillian, Ysabeau, and Baldwin.


    "Just shout out the Kunais'' name and see what happens. For the red one, throw it. For the blue one, spin it. And the green one, you have to wait for someone to get hurt," explained the Angry Man.


    Z looked calm as he took out the first one and prepared to throw.


    "Barrage!" he yelled, thrusting the Kunai into the sky.


    A red sparkle appeared and a torrent of red lights came down, destroying some more rocks. It added quite a bit to the ongoing snowstorm. The red weapon made it back into Z''s palm.


    "Now then, try the blue one," said Ysabeau.


    Z took out the chosen Kunai and spun it, which made it glow. It then took the areas'' snow and started to take the form of a shield. The same way as Lord Atlantia but was floating in the air.


    "Shout out what you want it to form," instructed Baldwin.


    "Got it, Angry Man!" yelled Z as the snow started to gather to become a cloud.


    "Winter Castle!" yelled the huge man.


    The snow cloud seemed to stop instantly and quickly reverted to a castle wall, surrounding Z. Raiyen felt a bit sneaky, his mischievous smile took over his expression. He quickly glitched and tried to slash the castle of snow.


    Instead of cutting or destroying it, the castle walls became solid. It then sent a shock wave, effectively blasting Raiyen away and into Gillian''s arms.


    "Get off child," growled Gillian.


    Raiyen hopped off instantly and scrambled back to Mavislin''s side like a little puppy.


    "You mess with cold, you''ll get the scold," said Mavislin, smirking.


    He huffed and turned towards the mountains. He winced as he tried raising his hand.


    "Must be the shock wave. He did try blocking it by using his arm," replied Z, as he headed towards the boy.


    "It''s...nothing..." said Raiyen, trying his best to be strong.


    He was failing quite miserably. After all, it was a shock wave from the second most powerful of the Founders.


    "Use the last one," commanded Gillian.


    "Alleviate," said Z as he used the green Kunai and lightly tapped it on Raiyen''s broken arm.


    Both their eyes widened in unison as a stream of bright green light came out of the Kunai. It then wrapped itself onto the arm and disappeared after a second. Raiyen moved the arm around; it had healed completely.


    "Initially, I wanted Gillian to spar with Z using the Kunais but little ninja here had already gone and got himself hurt," said Baldwin, pointing at Raiyen.

 Chapter 25 - Book Of Code: Flashback

    "Speaking of Gillian, time for his turn. Shall we go somewhere else?" asked Mavislin.


    "I''m fine with any place," said Gillian, smiling.


    "Then what Time do you prefer?" asked Raiyen, winking and smirking.


    "You sure you can pull that off?" asked Baldwin, worried.


    "What? Is the Angry Man suddenly caring for a mischievous kid?" taunted Z, nudging Baldwin''s shoulder.


    "I care only for the kids, not you, Snow Cap," retorted Baldwin, angered.


    "Don''t underestimate me just because I''m the youngest," said Raiyen as he prepared for a Time Teleportation trip.


    "Weave time. Manipulate space. These are the elements I control. Setting coordinates. Time is fixed. Space is fixed. Time Teleportation has begun!" recited Raiyen.


    As the snowstorm enveloped the group and cleared, they were met with the notorious Northern Lights.


    "Sorry, I couldn''t do a library. But this is about a few hundred years before we all gathered. Try out the main spell of your Ancient Relic. It''s called Flashbacks for a reason," instructed Raiyen.


    "Looks like you are in charge of this one, huh?" asked Gillian, as he pulled out the book.


    Gillian''s Ancient Relic did not require an incantation. Just by saying out its title will call for the Ancient Relic immediately. With its leather cover and dusty golden pages, he held up the Relic and called out its true name.


    "Voynich Manuscript!"


    Within a split second, the pages flew out. A mass of white papers swarmed around the group.


    "Establish who is your target now!" commanded Raiyen, fiercely.


    The book''s cover was now imprinted with the words; ''Book Of Code'' in a bright orange glow. He then chose the target to be the Valkyrie as the entire plane was being rewritten and covered with a memory. A flashback from the Valkyrie''s past.


    "There''s no control on which memory it can show. But a subtle feature is that if the target is an ally, it won''t show a hurtful memory," explained Raiyen.


    "I hope so," replied Mavislin, clenching her fists.


    The dark blue night sky with Northern Lights was now replaced by a familiar evening purple blanket with bright pink clouds. The pure white floor underneath was now a dusty orange carpet. It was as if the Child of Valokia had returned home.


    "So this is Valokia," said Gillian, impressed as the a.d.u.l.ts were flying within the clouds.


    Beside them, stood a little cottage, adorned with a red roof and aquamarine-covered walls. The door flew open as two young children stumbled onto each other in the excitement of having playtime.


    The little girl had her twin braids tied up using crimson ribbons while wearing a black summer dress. The little handsome boy had a black robe and both of their eyes were shining gold.


    "This is the day, no, the moment we learned how to summon our wings," said Mavislin, her voice slightly cracking.


    Tears threatened to fall as she witnessed the precious memory before her. One she knew she could never get back.


    "Oi, I thought it was to show something non-harmful?" asked Baldwin, angrily.


    "Correct but this particular memory sparked sadness within her. Not under the Relic''s control, unless Gillian commanded it to. In which I highly doubt so," interpreted Raiyen.


    The grief-stricken girl continues to stare, as stiff as a board along with Ysabeau and Gillian.


    "Come on, Benny. You can do it!" cheered the young girl.


    "I''m scared..." whined the twin boy.


    The little girl thought carefully and came up with an idea.


    "How about I give it a shot first? Would that make you feel better?" suggested the girl with a brimming smile.


    The boy looked uneasy as he nodded.


    "I''ll try..."


    "You''ve got to!"


    After stating the conditions, she began breathing in and out. The surrounding bright energy started to swirl around the little girl, which prompted her dress to float. Or was it her body? Soon, after the golden light had dispersed, two small wings stayed on her back.


    "Wow, it''s so huge!" yelled the boy, trying to touch the wings.


    The girl moved it once and hovered above the orange ground.


    "My turn!" said the boy, happily.


    As she witnessed the memory before her, the facts came back rushing into her mind. Her twin could only do things if he had seen his twin sister do it before. From their first steps to their first words being the opposite twin''s names, Benjamin would only have the confidence after Mavislin tries it first.


    But for him, dark purple streams came from the skies above and towards him. After the cloud had gone, indigo-dyed wings clung onto the young boy''s back. It took a few delayed moments for the young brother to realize the difference between his wings and his sister''s pair.


    "Why isn''t mine as big as Mavy''s?!" cried the young twin.


    The sister then swoops down towards her brother, in an attempt to soothe his cries.

 Chapter 25 - The Ark Of The Time Mage

    When the young girl thought she had located where the annoying brat had been, the voice decided to change position. Leaving the young girl to be a sitting duck for another attack.


    "Underestimating me, huh?" asked the voice as it went to kick Mavislin.


    Mavislin looked shocked, how could the voice have moved when its Aura did not? She quickly placed her hand to block the kick.


    "Helios!" yelled Mavislin as a fireball shot out from her tiny hands.


    She was beginning to tucker out, especially after using so many spells at one go. As she began to fall, a pair of scrawny but sturdy arms grasped her on time.


    "Your Elemental Aura pool is astoundingly large but you need to work more on your usage of it. Sudden bursts of Elemental Energy is sure to break your little body," warned the boy, still cradling the small girl.


    Her eyes widened as she saw what had caught her. Instead of a monster or another being of sorts, the voice was from a boy. A human-looking boy who had a blue Elemental Aura surrounding him.


    "Huh?"


    That was the only thing the poor girl could muster as she tried to understand what the boy was saying. The boy sighed and shook his head.


    "In simple terms, you bit off more than you can chew. You used too much power at one go," explained the boy.


    To seize the falling girl, he had to reveal himself. A short boy, pimply with jet black hair parting to the side. He kept two small daggers in a holster that was around his waist. He seemed slightly older than Mavislin in terms of appearance, but his actual age was undefined.


    "No way... How did you do that?" asked Mavislin, looking at the being.


    "Time Element Manipulation," explained the boy.


    The Valkyrie looked very confused. The boy cleared his throat.


    "I''m a Time Mage," said the boy, bluntly.


    The young girl was still quite afraid. After all, she had not seen a Time Mage before. Who knows what he could do to her? The thought of that happening freaked the poor child out.


    "Hey, I didn''t mean to scare you..." said the boy as the Valkyrie shivered slightly in his arms.


    The boy gave out bothersome sigh. Why was he always the one to make girls cry? Whether young or old, they all have the same reaction to him. Fear.


    "I don''t wish to hurt you. Besides, you are a child. Sorry if the earlier encounter was too hostile..." mumbled Raiyen, rubbing the back his head.


    Mavislin blinked for few times before murmured something under her breath. Raiyen seemed perplexed. But thank goodness Mavislin quickly regained her composure and spoke to him.


    "What''s your name?" asked the Valkyrie, shakily.


    "I''m Raiyen, Raiyen Phoenix E. Harmony," replied the Time Mage, giving a goofy smile.


    "What''s yours?" he asked, peering into the girl''s eyes.


    "Mavislin Roydon..." answered the small Valkyrie.


    "But you look human..." she asked, carefully standing back up.


    "I''m born human-looking, I guess. But I ain''t human, that''s for sure. Won''t want to be like those things," he explained.


    "Anyways, you look human as well. Are you one?" asked Raiyen, scanning the girl from head to toe.


    The Valkyrie remained silent as she scooted nearer to Abi''s grave. The Time Mage raised his eyebrow.


    "Wait, that''s your friend?" asked the boy, pointing towards the grave.


    Mavislin nodded, trying to find something soft to hold. The poor girl had forgotten to bring her bunny plushie and was now starting to waver. Raiyen peered at what''s behind the Valkyrie. The boy froze as he read the name on the tombstone. This was bad.


    He glanced at Mavislin, who was now sitting in front of Abi''s grave with the blanket. He looked around. How could he possibly kill her? Even if she was a Mage, she was still a child.


    "Damn it, of all the places..." cursed the boy as he tried detecting signs of the oncoming mob.


    There was no way he could leave the girl here. But he couldn''t exactly bring her along as well. The sound of humans marching into the graveyard terrified the poor girl.


    "There she is! That''s the friend of that witch!" yelled the oncoming mob.


    "Great," complained the Time Mage as he stood up.


    Raiyen stood in front of the poor girl as he drew out his daggers. Mavislin could only hide behind the boy, trying to avert her eyes from the humans. Least to say, she didn''t like them one bit.


    "Thanks, Raiyen. We''ll pay you handsomely. Now, fork over the girl," commanded one of the villagers.


    Mavislin teared up, taking a few steps away from the Time Mage. The look on her face devasted the Time Boy, who was still reluctant to hand her over.

 Chapter 26 - Book Of Code: Memories Of Nobody

    "What''s wrong, sweetie?" asked a woman with green eyes and black locks who came out from the house.


    "Benny thinks something''s wrong with his wings," said the girl as she flew towards her mother.


    The woman''s eyes increased in size as she looked at her daughter''s abnormally huge wings.


    "Not even the Empress''s child has such a large pair of wings," she murmured.


    This time, it was the girl''s turn to cry as her mother was frightened.


    "No cry, no cry, Mavy," comforted the boy who had stopped bawling his eyes out.


    He patted his twin as the woman composed herself. Then, she scooped her children using her a.d.u.l.t pair of wings which were shining gold. The memory then ended as the mother took her children in for supper.


    "Was that too much for you, Mav?" asked Raiyen, worried that he might have stepped out of line to suggest Gillian to target Mavislin.


    "It''s not too much," she whispered, in between sobs.


    Her tears came down like a waterfall as the group went closer.


    "You didn''t hurt her. You gave her hope. Sometimes it takes a little bit of rain to bring out a rainbow," said Gillian, smiling sweetly.


    The Valkyrie quickly wiped away the tears of the memory that she had revisited.


    "Even as a child, the wings already that big?" asked Ysabeau.


    Her thoughts replayed the earlier scene of Mavislin''s crimson wings which dwarfed the child''s tiny body.


    "Nope, that is abnormal. Benjamin''s one is the accurate size," replied Mavislin, eyes fixated at the boy.


    "Benjamin, huh?" mumbled Ysabeau. Her eyes were filled with worry.


    "So what other spells have this thing got?" asked Gillian.


    He grinned as he made a suitable moment to break uneasiness of the situation. For the very first time, the Time Boy''s expression was serious.


    "There is only one more spell within this book. For the flashbacks, you can manipulate it to however you like. But never use this incantation that I''ve given you on your allies. It will break your target mentally and physically. It surpasses Law as well," instructed Raiyen with sheer fervor in his voice.


    The rest shuddered as they heard that sentence. He was never one to act so deadpanned. Especially after the mischievous act that he carried out with Z''s Ancient Relic.


    "Then why did you place it in there?" asked Gillian, undeterred by the youngest Mage within the group.


    "Because it was created by accident. I had no intention of creating that spell. It happened in the future which destroyed your enemy completely. After I had caught a glimpse of it, I knew I had to fix that condition to an incantation to make sure you can never activate it on your allies. Trying to get rid of the spell entirely wasn''t an option for me."


    "What happens if my allies are my enemies?" challenged Gillian.


    The tension among the Founders was suffocating as the two delivered defiance to each other.


    "Then I believe you have the correct judgment on whether your targets are your allies or opponents. There is a fine line between killing and torture. I am well confident you are capable of knowing the difference between these two," replied Raiyen, confidently.


    Gillian smiled as he kept the Ancient Relic.


    "And what are the effects of this spell?" quizzed Gillian, flipping through the Ancient Relic''s pages.


    "It shows the target''s darkest secret within their mind," said Raiyen, pointing at his head.


    "Isn''t that one of the skills within all our Ancient Relics?" asked Baldwin.


    "Let me finish. Taunt allows the enemy to only see the illusion. The spell within the Book Of Code breaks the enemy''s mind apart. Depending on the target, each victim has a different way of handling the illusion. I''ve seen some just go insane, while the one that Gillian destroys merely rip his entire head apart. So, go figure," explained Raiyen.


    He raked through his fringe using his bony fingers. Mavislin looked concerned yet fearful of seeing her partner casually mentioning the last part.


    "Oh, that spell can only be called using the incantation. Not your feelings," stated Raiyen as he prepared to use his Ancient Relic next.


    "Aww, not even if I tried?"


    "Not even if you are devoured," answered Raiyen, rather quickly. He then sighed and turned towards Gillian.


    "The way I see it, I don''t know about you lot, I''ve never wanted my enemy to suffer. Either live or kill. Give a bit of mercy when dealing with the enemies is what I would usually do. Sure, I''m no angel but at the very least my finishing blows are swift," said Raiyen, brandishing his Ancient Relic.


    "I detest those that use Berserk Element to go around slaughtering others. You''ve already taken their life, who made you the judge to take away their sanity as well? I don''t care if the enemy took away your family or something precious of yours, they deserve to keep their sanity. Be the better being by not stooping down to the enemy''s level of mentality."


    With that, Raiyen gave a small smile, in preparation of his Ancient Relic.

 Chapter 26 - The Ark Of Trouble

    "Please no... I won''t come here anymore..." pleaded the little girl, taking a bunch of steps away from the Time Mage.


    "Come on, what are you waiting for?!"


    Raiyen bit his lip. He clenched his fists so tightly that it drew blood.


    "If you''re having second thoughts, then we''ll just take her by force!" yelled a man with a farmer''s uniform.


    "Glitch..." whispered the Time Mage, as his Elemental Aura switched from Time to Electric.


    He sprinted towards the frightened Valkyrie. Mavislin squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that the human would miss.


    "Reverse The Shift!" yelled Raiyen.


    The man was almost able to cut her. But a flash of blue light blinded both the man and Mavislin, resulting in Raiyen holding onto the small girl once more. His face was twisted with disgust, his eyes held fury. He pulled the girl closer towards his chest.


    "I won''t let you hurt a child!" shouted Raiyen, setting the Valkyrie back down.


    "You will burn!!" shouted the mob once more.


    "Both of you will burn at the stake!"


    "Traitor!"


    The constant threats from humans with pitchforks caused Mavislin constant pain as she tried her best to hold back her tears. And anger. She quickly covered her ears and repeated a few lyrics of her childhood song to ease her mind.


    "I soon will be in New Orleans... And then I''ll look all ''round," sang the young Valkyrie, squeezing her eyes shut.


    "Demon!"


    "And when I''m dead and buried, Susanna don''t you cry..." continued the small girl as she hid behind Raiyen.


    "Quick! Kill her before she curses all of us!" yelled a human with a wooden stake.


    "You are willing to kill a small child?!" yelled Raiyen with ferocity in his voice.


    He held Mavislin tightly, cupping the girl''s ears on top of her tiny hands.


    "She''s no child, brat! Let go of her, she''s a demon!" shouted the villagers.


    "No, she isn''t!" retorted the Time Mage, hugging her even tighter.


    "Come on! We were easily able to kill the previous one, this shouldn''t be any problem!"


    "Yea! Let''s kill them both!"


    "Burn them both! Traitor and demon!"


    The villagers laid eyes on Abi''s grave. Their faces twisted in disgust as they saw who was on the grave.


    "Why is the witch buried here? She doesn''t deserve a grave!"


    "Nor any gifts!"


    To the Mages'' horror, the villagers began to destroy and vandalize the grave of Abigail. They kicked it, mocked it as well as tried to dig it up with their hands. But the breaking point came when they took hold of the blanket Mavislin had placed there. And tore it to shreds.


    "A witch shouldn''t have any gifts!"


    "Don''t worry. When we are done with the two of you, we''ll make sure that you won''t have any graves at all!"


    The mob roared in energy as Raiyen felt a surge of anger within him. And a surge of power as well. But it wasn''t his power.


    "What''s happening?!" yelled one of the villagers.


    The Valkyrie snapped as both her Elemental Aura and Energy soared through the roof. Her eyes were once again shining gold, before closing them once more. She seemed to lose all control of her powers as her body began to glow luminously.


    "The ones who would be burning, are you lot," she said as she flew out of the Time Mage''s grasp and into the air.


    Her body began to vibrate, her Aura blinding most of the mob. She then slumped in an almost doll-like manner, her back creating a hump. Two lumps formed on her back as her power continue to rise.


    "Witch! Demon!" yelled the mob once more.


    She sighed as the two lumps formed fully. During the whole, she had her eyes shut, but they flew open when her wings came out. Her eyes were blazing orange, changing from her bright and beautiful gold color.


    Her wings sprouted, looming over the villagers. As she shook, it caused the wings to erupt into flames. Her wings were massive, blocking out most light from the sun as she hovered in front of the villagers. It was about twice her size. Raiyen''s eyes widened as he realized she was no ordinary Mage.


    As she flapped once, a huge shockwave pushed back the villagers. Her head tilted to the side as if she was no longer able to keep her sanity.


    "Burn...Fire...Kill them..." chanted the Valkyrie as she reached and touched her wings.


    "She''s a demon!" shouted the villagers.


    "Run!"


    "Burn!" screamed the angered girl as she pulled out a feather from her wings.


    "Ignis Pinnam Flagellum (Fire Feather Whip)!"


    After saying out its name, the whip turned into a flowing stream of fire. As she twisted the flaming rope around, the slashes made in the air turns into flames shaped like a crescent moon.

 Chapter 27 - Time Ripper

    Taking out the Legend Of Jack Ripper, Raiyen concentrated all his Time Elemental Energy towards the luminous dagger. After the weapon started to shake, he slashed the space in front of him.


    "Call out the Relic''s name and decide which item from the chosen Time Stream you want to draw from," commanded the Valkyrie.


    She had faith in the young Time Mage.


    "Got it, partner," he said with a determined smile.


    "Time Ripper; Materialization!" yelled Raiyen as he stuck his hand into the purple rift in the air.


    He pulled out a rectangular block of metal that was stuck onto a handle of some sorts.


    "It''s a Desert Eagle, designed in the 1970s to the 1980s and manufactured from 1982 and towards the future," said Raiyen, holding the weapon gingerly with his hands.


    "So it summons out anything he desires?" asked Baldwin who was fretful on what the little brat will bring upon them.


    "It depends on his Elemental Energy pool. Enough, he''ll grab out what he can sustain. Or else, he will just destroy himself," replied Mavislin, callously.


    Raiyen raised his eyebrows and widened his eyes.


    "Hey! That''s not very fair!" whimpered the Time Mage.


    "Well, that''s one way of keeping that kid in check," said Z, ruffling the small guy''s hair.


    "So what other skills are there?" asked Raiyen, glitching away from Z''s grasp.


    Z gave a split second look of sadness before returning his attention to the Valkyrie.


    "There is Misty Haven if I do this," she said, snatching away the dagger with ease.


    "Hey!" yelled Raiyen.


    The whole area was now encircled with thick fog. All except Raiyen was unable to see what was in front of them.


    "It''s a defense mechanism if you lose your weapon to an opponent. There are many like you out there, so this is a boost," explained Mavislin, standing still.


    Raiyen took away the dagger held in her palms, effectively dispersing the Misty Haven skill entirely.


    "Sorry I couldn''t do poison, didn''t have that in your arsenal," said the saddened Valkyrie.


    "No, no! That''s fine. Besides, I need you guys alive," replied Raiyen, hands up in the air.


    "But, is there any attack-type of spells in this Relic?" he asked once more. Her eyes darkened.


    "Not physically harming. But, if you do not decide on any Time Stream or Frame that this slash goes," she said, pointing towards the gaping rift floating in the air.


    "Then it will hang in the air like this," finished the Valkyrie, peeking at the crack.


    They were confused as they peered into the cut within Time and Space.


    "That''s the Void, isn''t it?" asked Raiyen, solemnly. Mavislin nodded.


    "Why did you create such skill, Mav?" asked Z, in bewilderment.


    "The Void is the gaps between timelines. Passing through the Void is a must for this Relic to be of any use. It acts as a tunnel directly to the item chosen. It demands immense concentration for this to work properly. Any fault and consequences must be braced," explained Mavislin, harshly towards Raiyen.


    He knew the consequences of dabbling time and space excessively. He knew better than anyone within the room. The fact he had tried to rewrite Time was already a warning sign for the group. Anymore, he might cause their Time Streams to converge and collapse.


    "Time cannot be tinkered; the person that Gillian destroys will still die. Don''t you dare try again, got it?" commanded Mavislin.


    Now it was her turn to deliver a word of warning towards the boy. Mavislin had seen the repercussion of such an act. Whatever happens, must be left alone. Don''t try and tamper with it. If you saved a life in the past, be prepared to sacrifice another life in the future to replace the one that was saved.


    "Now that the essentials have been relayed, why not try getting us all home? Don''t worry, it works the same as your Time Teleportation Spell," she suggested, lifting the mood.


    Z shook his head disbelief as a wave of relief flashed over his face.


    "You guys are destined to be partners. The tenacity you give off is enough to make us petrified. Look at Angry Man over there, he''s gone cold," commented Z, enveloping arms around the both of the kids.


    "Oi! That''s because you conjured up snow around me, Ice Ball!" yelled the Angry Man.


    "Enough!" bellowed Gillian.


    "We want to go home," said Ysabeau, looking at Raiyen pleadingly.


    It seems that the High Queen has had enough with the squabbles of the two a.d.u.l.ts.


    "Take us home, Raiyen Phoenix E. Harmony," commanded the Valkyrie with pride.


    "I won''t let you down, Big Sis," he said as he prepared himself.


    The rift became larger as he decided on the right coordinates to go home. What happened afterward had them all baffled. They were able to see their haven from within the rift.


    "Shall we?" asked Raiyen.


    He grabbed the Valkyrie''s hand as she grabbed Z''s. Ysabeau held Gillian''s hand tightly as Baldwin connected with Raiyen''s and Gillian''s hand. Ysabeau grasped Z''s huge, Igor''s hand.


    "Rush in, nibba!" yelled Z, as they let the rift open fully and absorbed the ground beneath them.


    They then hit the wooden flooring of their little home.


    "We should all try sparring together sometime," suggested Z, rubbing his back.


    "Yea, perhaps next week," replied Baldwin.


    The rest of the group''s eyes widened. Did they just agree on something?


    "Ahem, what time did send us back to, Raiyen?" asked Gillian. They heard the pot boil.


    "Just after dinner," replied the sneaky boy.


    That meant they had arrived back half an hour later from the snowy episode. The mountains back to the house are about a few hours walk. Great thinking, ninja.

 Chapter 28 - Angry Man Vs Time Boy

    "Great show I''m seeing here," said Mavislin, with a basket filled freshly caught salmon from the nearby stream.


    Z had used his Water Element to allow the salmon to end up into the girl''s fish basket. A favor he owed the young Valkyrie after the sparring session they had held a while ago.


    Ysabeau was doing some interviews with the new Mages. Recruitment was a must for the organization to be on the map. Gillian was busy with some negotiations in the main area of the town.


    Knowing the Headmaster, Raiyen was worried Gillian might get hurt from the mobs within the area. Z was uptight about the fact that Gillian might use spells against humans. Mavislin was more concerned about whether they can at least survive Gillian''s aura, let alone when he releases any form of emotion.


    "So then, Time Boy, give me all you''ve got!" challenged Baldwin, as his aura started to change.


    A staff materialized. Well, it was finally time for Baldwin to try out his Ancient Relic. The group had skipped it earlier since it wasn''t stable enough for the Dark Mage to wield it. The staff looked like a twisted branch, with a Pentagram on the very top.


    "Hey, hey, since when I became the target for him to use that?!" yelled Raiyen, glancing at Mavislin.


    The playful Valkyrie laughed as she shoved another fish into her mouth.


    "Eyes front soldier!" yelled the happy girl, still laughing at the two as they began fighting.


    The two clashed, staff vs daggers. Angry Man Vs Time Boy. Mavislin was looking forward to this battle''s conclusion. As Baldwin prepared to send an attack towards the youngster, Raiyen went into hiding.


    "Oi! No cheating."


    "It''s not cheating. It is one of my abilities. I am a Time Mage anyways," said the space behind Mavislin.


    She turned around.


    "You are still at this time. Just not in this place," answered Baldwin, smiling.


    He immediately gathered up huge amounts of Elemental Energy using his staff. The partners had expected him to use the move, but not this early.


    "Here it goes," he said as he swung the staff around.


    Streams of black smoke were being absorbed into the staff. A dust cloud was about to be formed, but someone else was not going to have any of that. Raiyen appeared and sliced through the attack. This dispersed the spell all together since Baldwin had to block the sneak attack.


    "I''m supposed to use it, why''d you stop it?!" yelled Baldwin, kicking the boy away.


    "I''m not letting that happen. The Relics are forces to be reckoned with. I''m not allowing you to use it this early in battle!"


    With that, Raiyen took out his twin daggers. Heaven Sent was teeming with golden light while Hell Bent was filled with a crimson glow. Sparks flew as they kept crashing. The two faced each other with a hefty aura of grit.


    But then, Baldwin stopped. Conjuring up more energy, Mavislin had a gut-wrenching feeling that something wondrous was about to take place.


    "Corrupt the aura, surround me with it. Absorb all sadness, let me have my home once more. Good shall be bad¡­ Fade to Black!" commanded Baldwin.


    The area around was dying, quite literally. Wither, deteriorate. And fade.


    "So, what kind of tricks you''ve got now?" asked Raiyen, playing around with his daggers.


    "Unlike your power or Z''s realm, this one is permanent and occurring now," he explained, smiling.


    "Welcome to what was known as my home planet."


    It reeked of death. Poor Mavislin''s body was on fire as the Dark Element was trying to consume the light of Valkyrie. With the two Elements fighting against each other, Mavislin had just about enough.


    If Baldwin doesn''t know what it takes to both fight and protect the innocent, the young Valkyrie was determined to sort him out herself.


    "That''s not going to fill the bill, Baldwin. I''ve got another prank to play," said Raiyen, readying himself once more.


    "You two! Save some thought for your audience and try not to kill ''em," said Mavislin, clenching her teeth as she stood up.


    "You''re the one who wanted to watch us," said Baldwin, ignorant about what he''d done.


    "You do realize I took a whole year to grow those flowers, right..." she whispered, under her breath. She then made her way towards them.


    "Mav, it''s our duel. Please stay out of our..."


    Before he could finish, Raiyen was silenced by the pillar of light that the angered Valkyrie had emitted from her body. Her hair turned white in an instant, the girl''s eyes shining gold.


    And with a single fling of her arm, she was able to cancel out Baldwin''s spell. He was in disbelief. Raiyen seemed impressed.

 Chapter 29 - Two Ancient Relics

    "And how long were you able to do that trick?" asked Baldwin, walking towards Mavislin.


    "Just recently. I don''t like being within the Dark Element. I merely used my Valkyrie Light to cancel out the Dark," she explained, shrugging.


    Without a second thought, Baldwin raised his staff and attacked. She had barely dodged the attack using her Ancient Relic.


    "Baldwin! Cut it out!" yelled Raiyen, dashing to her aid.


    Both of them were forced to pull back. Looks like the Valkyrie was to join in the fun now.


    "How about a three-way battle?" she suggested, twirling the heavy shield around.


    Raiyen looked at her in protest, while Baldwin smiled in a sinister manner.


    "Alright then. A three-way battle," said Baldwin.


    She gazed upon the two. This turned out better than expected. Raiyen dreaded the idea.


    "Mav!" squirmed Raiyen.


    He was silent afterward, giving his all into the attacks that were about to come. As they readied their stances, three different colored lights were visible from above.


    With Baldwin having a purplish-black Aura, Mavislin''s golden one shined the brightest. Raiyen''s green and blue Aura kept clashing with her blue shining shield as Baldwin kept trying to sweep the partners off from their feet using the staff.


    "Flashbang!" yelled Raiyen, throwing a ball of lightning towards Baldwin.


    The Dark Mage answered easily but was unable to foresee the next attack. A flaming whip had found a way to grab hold of his foot, causing the man to stumble.


    "Cheap tricks, huh?"


    "I''ve always got this one weapon on hand. Don''t blame me for using it," said Mavislin, swinging the whip around.


    He then paused abruptly and stabbed the staff into the ground.


    This ain''t going to be good, thought Mavislin. The Pentagram started rotating with immense speed. Along with that, it soaked up more Dark Energy. An Ancient Relic has been activated. Raiyen looked at Mavislin for confirmation.


    "All waves rise and become my shield. All winds gather and become my sword. Rebellion of the Seas!" conjured the Valkyrie, completely ditching the Talon Flaming Whip.


    Using her Elemental Energy to charge the Ancient Relic, a huge attack was waiting to be flared up.


    "Accusations of the Betrayed!" called out the Angry Man.


    Raiyen and Mavislin took a step back as the darkness started to merge into a chain, forming a whip that was connected the Pentagram. As it was done, a huge purplish-black chain dwelled. With a smiling Baldwin holding it.


    "Um, is he still sane?" asked Raiyen, nudging the girl''s side.


    Mavislin was dumbfounded as she gripped onto her shield tightly. They were both really worried, if they allowed him to lose control, one could forget about the future of the entire Earth.


    "Focus on your opponent, Time Boy!" yelled Baldwin, swinging the whip at the Time Mage.


    Before it could touch Raiyen, Mavislin had flung herself in its path, activating her Ancient Relic in response to its master. The force was incredibly strong, enough to break destroy the Rebellion of the Seas counterattack.


    And strong enough to knock Mavislin right into the nearby tree. Raiyen had glitched but was too late to catch her.


    "Stay with me," murmured Raiyen.


    She clutched her abdomen, still hurling from the pain.


    "Sorry, I''ve lost this one. I should have seen this coming," she whispered, panting.


    "Mav..."


    "I''m not going to die so fast, mate. I just need to sit the rest of this out," explained the defeated Mage.


    Raiyen heaved a sigh of relief. He had something in his eyes that Mavislin had never witness before. Was it a look of, what she presumed was, hate? She could only sit on the sidelines and watch the mess that was about to go down.


    "You''d better control yourself, Baldwin. Or I will beat the very meaning of sense out from your thick skull of yours!" roared the Time Mage as he pounced at the Dark Mage.


    "I would like to see you try!" he yelled back, blocking the onslaught of attacks from the young boy.


    As Raiyen kicked Baldwin in the face, the boy''s ankle got tangled with the whip. This made Baldwin turn Raiyen into a rag doll. The poor boy was tossed around, hitting the ground and whatever solid was near them.


    This included the weakened Valkyrie. Seeing that she let out another cry of pain, Raiyen then glitched out of the whip''s grasp. He then proceeded to stand in an open area.


    "Time Ripper!" he said, slashing the air.


    Then, using his two arms, he stretched the rift out, making it bigger. The surroundings were starting to get absorbed into the rift, including Mavislin. She summoned up the shield out of pure instinct.


    Her eyes widened in disbelief, how in the world could someone or anyone do that towards the rift? There should be laws against that! But never mind that, Baldwin was replying to the boy''s change of Aura.


    An offense Aura. Baldwin then kicked up the staff into the air, making the whip cut into smaller, straighter pieces. The wh.i.p.s had turned into spears while more appeared behind his back.

 Chapter 29 - The Ark Of Time And Dark

    "And who is this?" asked Minwoo, who had finally awoken from his slumber.


    Raiyen''s ears perked as he gazed at the abnormal human. His mouth, full, could not answer. Minwoo cracked his spine pleased at the rest he had been given. Truly, Baldwin was one hell of an overworking employer. Either that or stamina is not a concern of a Mage.


    "It''s a new friend that Mavislin made," replied Ysabeau.


    "Did she bite you?" asked Minwoo, looking directly at Raiyen.


    "No?" he replied, still stuffing his face.


    "Why would she? I don''t taste that good..."


    "That''s not fair..."


    "She only bites humans, Minwoo."


    Raiyen looked at Minwoo questioningly. Who was this human and why is he allowed to live with the Mages? It''s a miracle on how Minwoo hasn''t been eaten by little Mavislin.


    "He''s not human?!"


    Raiyen shook his head. Meanwhile, Mavislin was busy devouring another stag.


    "But you seem human enough," complained Minwoo, starting to eat his meal.


    "You look like a Mage as well," commented Raiyen, shrugging off the matter.


    "We look like humans, but it doesn''t mean that we are," explained Gillian.


    "But he eats likes a normal human..."


    As the boy was eating, Baldwin made a remarkably strong point of being livid at little Mavislin for bringing a boy back home without permission. Gillian, however, was the opposite. He found the young Time Mage to be quite an attractive little guy.


    "Why is the Angry Man upset now? Are you wary, Dark Mage?" taunted Gillian, holding up his spoon and wiggling at Baldwin.


    "I''m not! On top of that, Time Mages indicates trouble for anyone near them. I sincerely doubt he can stay," reasoned Baldwin, looking elsewhere.


    Young Mavislin merely shrugged and continued to eat. Minwoo looked confused. Since when was Baldwin so overprotective?


    "Time is not the exclusive thing I possess. I am born with the Element, but it doesn''t mean I''m incapable to perform other Elements," said Raiyen, staring at Baldwin.


    "A Time Mage is, nevertheless, what it is," retorted Baldwin.


    Gillian issued a glare.


    "You''re one to criticize, Dark Mage," replied Raiyen, rolling his eyes.


    Baldwin was taken aback, how dare he mention such a thing? Baldwin''s face was red. Minwoo tried his best to hide his laughter. While Ysabeau tried to remain calm with the circus at the table, Mavislin could not care less and continued to eat.


    "I challenge you to recite what you''ve just remarked," growled Baldwin.


    His Aura began growing, darkness seeping around him. Raiyen stood up, glaring at him in reply. Through the two males'' fierce gazes, Mavislin had noticed that Raiyen''s Aura was beginning to show.


    "Dark Mages are even more dangerous than us Time Mages, so who are you to talk to me like that?" answered Raiyen, as his Aura slowly came into fulfillment.


    "Are they that powerful?" asked Minwoo, looking at Gillian for confirmation.


    "Add a Valkyrie into the mix and you will have an assemblage of problems," commented Gillian, shaking his head.


    Instead of the standard uniform colors, like Baldwin''s dark purple Aura, Raiyen''s Aura was both green and blue. More accurately, the left side of him was green while the right side was blue. Minwoo looked amazed at the rainbow of colors at the table.


    Gillian mumbled a word of praise to the Time Mage and made Mavislin smile by giving her an eyeball to eat. The White Rat looked disgusted as Mavislin happily ate the eyeball.


    "No Elements on the dining table!" shouted Ysabeau, upset at the two blockheads emitting Auras.


    Raiyen was frozen stiff as he had not expected Ysabeau to shout unpredictably. The inferior, shaken thing slumped back down onto his seat.


    "Sorry about Baldwin''s behavior, young lad. What''s your name?" asked Gillian, turning to look at Raiyen.


    "Raiyen," replied the boy who had a piece lamb in his mouth.


    Now, Mavislin nudged Raiyen''s side.


    "Want one?" asked Mavislin, holding out an eyeball using a fork.


    His face replied with disgust. Seeing Mavislin was getting upset, he quickly plunged the piece of a body part that Mavislin held out. The squishy thing exploded within the confines of his mouth. It was rather comical to witness Raiyen trying to eat the eyeball.


    Mavislin giggled as Raiyen weakly gave a thumbs-up before passing out.


    "Great, now you''ve gone and killed a poor boy," said Minwoo, shaking his head.


    With a very frightened and shocked Valkyrie, Mavislin started to cry once more. The a.d.u.l.t Mages shook their heads. The Old Chapel sent down her rabbit plushie and into the crying girl''s arms.


    "Why did you remind her of killing?" asked Gillian, glancing at Minwoo in disapproval.


    Minwoo did his best to soothe the crying child by carrying her. To everyone''s shock, Mavislin stopped crying when Minwoo gave her a little snuggle with her eyepatch bunny.

 Chapter 30 - Holy Trinity

    "Propel, Thrust! Rain down. A world without end. Let the unknown guide you. Allow these weapons, To bring you¡­ Oblivion of Spears!"


    A barrage of darkness was currently heading for Raiyen, who seemed confident instead of fearful. The same could be unsaid for Mavislin as she was frightened at the situation before her. Had he lost control?


    The Time Mage further widened the gap. Something was appearing from within the rift. It was strenuous to make out, but the Elemental Energy conveyed her everything she needed to know.


    "This is an out of the world idea, then again, you guys are not from this world. However, crazy must be fought with the crazy. So, here it goes," said Raiyen, gasping sharply.


    With a simple jerk, he had managed to fully pull out what was from the rift.


    "Something from my past; her future. Something that defines a person who had loved more than me, lost more than me and experienced more than me. This is what I obtained from her. She is my hero..."


    Baldwin''s attack was then met with a spell-like nothing they had ever witnessed or felt before. That wasn''t possible. He was pulling out a spell from Mavislin''s future. That Elemental Energy could purely be of the Valkyrie''s.


    Sure, all of the Founders are equipped with different Elements. Some of them use similar Elements as well, like Mavislin''s Water and Z''s Ice. But every one of them has a unique Elemental Energy of their own. No one could fully imitate that, even if they had Void''s Emergence. Not even someone as powerful as the Headmaster could accomplish that.


    "Roar, O'' wind of Thunder and Lightning. Fan of steel, flames of perdition. Black Wave Hibiscus!" boomed Raiyen.


    A flower appeared in front of the attack, towering before his opponent. Raiyen''s eyes held bravery as he braced the impact head-on, dauntless of the enemy he faced. A true face of a combatant, an Aura of a fighter.


    "Don''t underestimate me!" shouted Raiyen, kicking the spears back to where they had derived from.


    The shield dispelled, along with the rift. Baldwin was promptly met with the flurry of attacks fueled by his powers. Despite the enhanced power of the attack being brought back, it did not unnerve any of them.


    Raiyen subsequently dropped his daggers. Baldwin roared fully deflecting the attack, the spears scattered across the playing field.


    "Did I ever mention that I was a Triple Element Holder?" asked Raiyen, grinning.


    "So what?"


    "So, Holy Trinity," said Raiyen, who was as cool as a cuc.u.mber.


    That one special technique, that one move. A landmark to govern a Triplet Holder Mage. Some say one utter of the spell''s name could topple down empires.


    Others say the spell could even destroy the ranks of Penta Holder Mages. And this young Time Mage was about to pull it off.


    "Time! Electric! Nature! These are the elements I wield, I command. Come forth, bind yourselves and become one. Voltaic Creation Era!"


    With that, Baldwin was swallowed by the torrent of light, hailing from Raiyen''s palm. He didn''t need his twin daggers at all. Those alone could destroy continents if used at maximum force. As Baldwin fell onto his knees, Raiyen collapsed.


    "Time Boy!" yelled Mavislin, trying to catch him.


    Her wound had healed on the surface but it was still harrowing to deal with.


    "Sorry, boy. You would require a whole lot more to defeat me," said Baldwin, smiling.


    He seemed impervious to all of Raiyen''s attempts to overpower him. It was as if he had scarcely launched the battle. Even his Element Energy has been stagnant since the beginning.


    Mavislin''s eyes widened as she tried waking Raiyen up. She slowly stood up and faced the Angry Man once again. The pain had gone there but one wrong move is enough to annihilate her.


    "Hence, it''s your turn?" asked Baldwin, pointing the staff towards Mavislin.


    This isn''t going to be pretty, thought Mavislin. She summoned her flaming whip once more, trying to engage in another round. But was interrupted by a stubborn Time Mage.


    "You''ve got no strength left!" protested Mavislin.


    "I''m a Time Boy. I can constantly utilize my power to my benefits," replied Raiyen, standing tall once more.


    Baldwin raised his staff once more as a barrage of spears rained down on the Time Mage.


    "Radiant Storm!" chanted Raiyen, hands up in the skies.


    Unlike the years before, this spell had grown drastically. It was terrifying to see the clouds shake and vibrate violently with balls of lightning dancing around the atmosphere.


    "Requiem of the Dead," mumbled Baldwin.


    Within a split second, the staff was immersed in pure Dark Aura, as well as the space around Baldwin. Streams of that Element appeared, in an attempt to influence the kids.


    All that has been touched by the streams were decayed. If the partners allowed themselves to be in contact with those, it would result in fatality.

 Chapter 30 - The Ark Of Triplet Holder

    "There, there. Don''t have to cry..." cooed Minwoo, carefully snuggling the girl.


    Baldwin and Gillian looked at each other in astonishment. How on earth did Minwoo manage to soothe the crying Valkyrie so easily? Just days before, they were both fighting tooth and nail about food, with Minwoo getting bitten mostly. So how were they getting along so well?


    "Time for your nap," said Minwoo, promptly bringing her back to her room.


    The fact that the Valkyrie allowed Minwoo to carry from the table to her room baffled the Mages, excluding the fallen Time Mage. She did not bite him but merely stifled a sob and closed her eyes.


    "He played with Mavislin last night. It ended with no one getting bitten or crying," explained Ysaabeau, getting up to do the dishes.


    Gillian shrugged his shoulders while Baldwin shook his head. The Angry Man with a loud huff picked up the scrawny boy and tossed him over his shoulder.


    "Come on, let''s get this boy a bed to sleep on," said Baldwin, heading upstairs.


    "I''ll make him a room," replied Gillian, following the Angry Man.


    As the two head up, Gillian stopped at an open space, located right beside Mavislin''s room.


    Currently, when they headed up the spiral staircase, it would lead to a hallway, with a huge window at the end of it. On the left and right sides of the hallway has space for three rooms on each side. Facing the large window from the staircase, on the right side would be Baldwin''s room.


    After that room would be a space. followed by Ysabeau and Gillian''s room. Opposite of the couple''s room would be Mavislin''s room. The rest of the left side is left empty. Until now.


    Gillian placed his hand at the empty place beside Mavislin''s room. He then muttered a few words and out came a blue and green door. As the duo opened the door, the room started to blossom.


    Its ceiling was azure while the walls were lime. It was sparse, having only a desk and chair with a cabinet. A bed with a white blanket appeared, allowing Baldwin to place Raiyen down.


    "I apologize for having to undergo that. She''s just a kid after all. Humans are very different from Valkyries," explained Gillian, sitting on a chair beside the awoken boy.


    "I''m no typical human either," replied the Time Mage, steadying himself up.


    He looked around the room in wonder. The room, it felt odd. It did not strike him as one of the owners'' rooms. It felt like it was his room.


    "Yea, but your body is withal of a human. Mavislin possesses the body of a Valkyrie. Her body is way stronger than any of us. They were probably fed with blood instead of milk as an infant."


    "Oh please, they are not that terrifying. Their bodies are sturdier, but they don''t consume blood as infants..." murmured Baldwin.


    "From what I''ve known, Valkyries are just gentle giants. They are made out of Light, the Element for Healing. Sure, some of their spells can rival the stars but they are just harmless," explained Baldwin, sitting down beside the Time Mage.


    "Compared to others, the Valkyries are more understanding. Besides, Vakis, Valkyrie babies, are known to eat meat right after birth," added Baldwin.


    "Were you part of the Congregation?" asked Gillian, out of curiosity.


    "I got kicked out from Time but I managed to enter last year''s tryouts. They sent me to the Teuton Domain but got rid of me when they found out that Headquarters had fallen," replied Raiyen.


    "Earlier, you mentioned about having other Elements as well. Was that the cause of the dual colors in your Aura from earlier?" asked Baldwin, tilting his head to the side.


    The Time Boy nodded slowly. His left and right hands then lit up in his Aura''s colors. The duo gazed at his hands in wonder. Compared to Mavislin, this boy was certainly talented. Mavislin knew how to wield the Core Elements but could never properly balanced as evenly as this boy could.


    "It''s not the Earth Element, it''s called Nature. I utilize that to be smooth with my movements, no matter where I am. Whenever I''m forced to be underwater, I would be suited to manipulate my surroundings to my advantage," explained Raiyen.


    "Accordingly, are you capable of producing a tree?" asked Gillian.


    Baldwin stifled a laugh, in which he failed miserably. The poor guy looked confused as Raiyen shook his head in misery.


    "Not all users of Nature Magic must produce a tree be that Element Holder. I use Nature Element to notice my surroundings and adapt it to my will to carry out my daily tasks. In a way, I can utilize all Elements as well. But only in strict conditions," explained Raiyen, rolling his eyes.

 Chapter 31 - Monsters Like You

    "Negation!" shouted from above.


    Gillian hopped down from Fluffy. He was back from the day''s negotiation. At that point, Baldwin''s Ancient Relic vanished completely. Raiyen collapsed, exhausted. Z ran towards the Valkyrie and placed his green Kunai at her wound. In a fraction of a second, the wound was healed.


    "Are you okay?!" asked Z, in a frantic tone.


    "I''m in a better state than Raiyen," she whispered.


    Z wasted no time in healing the Time Mage next. Temporarily, Ysabeau and Gillian were dealing with Angry Man.


    "Pull yourself together! It''s only an innocent sparring session and you want to execute your allies?!" scolded Gillian.


    Baldwin stood before him, clenching his fists.


    "War knows no bounds. I''m just training them. They were still holding back."


    "They are still young! What if you''d gone too far? We don''t need someone as dangerous as you to discipline the kids, especially now that we are recruiting. Are you going to slaughter all of the new talents?!" screamed Ysabeau, with such anger that the rest had never perceived before.


    She was beyond furious, she was livid.


    "How long are you going to spoon-feed them?!"


    "It doesn''t prove your way of teaching," replied Z, taking out his weapons.


    Things were starting to heat up even further. Mavislin looked at Raiyen, who was all healed up but still exhausted from the battle session before. If the partners allowed this four to battle, kiss goodbye to humanity. The Aura was overpowering as the four entered a silent battle of gazes.


    "I think we''ve allowed enough of this mess. Get a hold of yourself or else I will make sure to let you know I have no bounds when it comes to dealing monsters like you," conveyed Gillian, turning his back to examine on the two kids.


    As soon as he laid eyes on the children, the pair hugged themselves tightly out of fear. Gillian presented a bewildered look. Ysabeau sighed as she summoned a wing to strike her poor husband on the head.


    "Oi! What was that for, woman?!" asked Gillian, rubbing his head.


    "400 years and you''re still not able to stop scaring children," scolded Ysabeau.


    "What''s with you and smacking my head," grumbled Gillian, continuing his way towards the two kids.


    "Thank the heavens he did not fully lose control," said Gillian, pulling both of them into his embrace.


    Ysabeau was stroking the girl''s back as Z was patting Raiyen on the back.


    "I''d felt your aura from a far-flung distance. It was formidable, to say the least. You did great, Time Boy," praised Z.


    Mavislin gave a small squeeze with Raiyen in her arms.


    "Thank you for saving me," she whispered.


    "But I didn''t win," he said, sadly.


    "It''s ain''t about winning, kid. It''s about protecting her. You''ve bought enough time for the few of us to come back and quench the mess. Not all fights are about winning and saving the girl. I''d rather you come to us defeated, but alive, than to come back in a coffin or worse," explained Z, smiling.


    "If only you knew how to use Heaven''s Wheel: Sacred Onslaught," mumbled Raiyen.


    "Where did you induce that from?" she asked, stunned at the mere mention of that name.


    "Oops. Umm...Spoilers?" replied the audacious boy. Baldwin slowly scooted towards the rest of them. Z looked stern as Ysabeau let out a snarl.


    "I''m so sorry, Mav, Raiyen. I hope I can still stay with you lot," apologized Baldwin, nervous at the partner''s response.


    Raiyen and Mavislin smiled and murmured a few words to each other. The a.d.u.l.ts looked troubled. It was not every day that two kids were dishing out punishments towards an Angry Man.


    "We''ll overlook this incident and permit you to stay...On one condition," said Mavislin, holding up her finger.


    "What? Complete some laps or go on a trip of torture in an underwater kingdom?" asked Baldwin.


    The two laughed.


    "No, we just demand you to prepare dinner for us. Ysabeau informed me before you lost Abigail, you kept cooking sandwiches and dessert ''til Gillian had to make excuses to avoid another one of your dark chocolate raspberry towers," offered the Valkyrie, trying to stop herself from laughing.


    Raiyen had long lost it and was going to reopen his wounds soon.


    "Just make those Club Sandwiches with more avocado for me, got it?" asked Raiyen, in between his laughs.


    Baldwin smiled and soon, for the first time, laughed.


    "Anger, hatred, sadness. But never the sound of laughter from you, Baldwin," said Gillian, impressed at how two kids got the most enraged man alive to chuckle.


    Notably, after the couple had taken centuries to even place a genuine smile on the man''s face.


    "No fair! We tried so hard to make him even feel happy and you two can solely make him laugh by laughing," pouted Ysabeau.


    "They possessed every right to kick me out, slaughter me, catapult me away and annihilate me by employing their combined powers. Holy Trinity and the Judgment of the Valkyries is enough to bring me down, not to mention that Raiyen has the ability send me back in time to make me experience that pain in an infinite loop for all eternity."


    "And yet, despite all of those options, these two are just kids who want free cakes and a sandwich every single day."


    "And are you following their instructions?" asked Gillian.


    Baldwin looked at the two of them and hugged. Those words; Angry Man and Hugging don''t belong to each other at all.


    "I''ll heed their request ''til the day I die," he replied.


    "And somewhere, someone or something has died from the sheer cause of the Angry Man''s affection," joked Z.

 Chapter 32 - Two Most Powerful

    "Today, I''m going to be fighting with my significant other," explained Ysabeau, with her wings moving eagerly. Gillian smiled as he cracked his knuckles.


    Raiyen and Mavislin were sitting at the side with a massive oak tree as a shelter. As promised, Baldwin had made the partners some Club Sandwiches. Z had joined the two as well, just before the couple had begun sparring.


    "So, the two most powerful out of the six of us?" asked Z, biting into a sandwich.


    Raiyen nodded and in an attempt to reply Z, he had accidentally spat out his bacon. Mavislin sighed, as Z gripped his side laughing. The Valkyrie then took out a handkerchief and proceeded to wipe Raiyen''s mouth. He squirmed to try and avoid the awkwardness of that scene.


    "I''m not a child!" he protested.


    "To me, you are," she replied, swiftly.


    After the trivial matter, their attention was back towards the two duelings. As the old couple threw physical attacks at each other, they tried betting on who would win. Mavislin was closer Ysabeau, so her bet was placed on the second in command.


    Z placed his dessert on Gillian, and Raiyen was still on the fence for who would be the winner. They have yet to release their powers, so deciding instantly would be too premature. Just then, a shift of the two''s aura indicated the tides had started to take a turn.


    "Battle outfit: Emerald," said Ysabeau.


    Her wings blossomed out from her back, it was green with a bluish tint. Whenever she summoned her gem wings, she would end up changing to the corresponding battle outfit as well. But to Raiyen''s confusion, Gillian''s Elemental Energy and aura remained unchanged.


    "Accordingly, that''s Ysabeau''s true aura. The two has been suppressing it for a long time," said Raiyen, visibly astounded at the duo''s battle.


    There were many ways to witness the sparring session that was occurring in front of the rest now. A fight between husband and wife. A battle between two friends. A duel between the two most powerful.


    "They''re still holding back their powers. They can''t fully unleash them in fear of crippling us," explained Z.


    Raiyen pouted once more.


    "You make us sound like weaklings," complained Raiyen, looking at his partner for acknowledgment.


    "He makes the couple sound formidable. An extravagant way of keeping the newcomers in check," said the Valkyrie, ignoring the kid''s expression.


    "That''s one way to look at it."


    No matter what how they were able to look at it, they couldn''t deny the duo in front of them is a force to be reckoned with. This was made a reality when the two leaped towards each other. Ysabeau wielded a bow and was launching arrows, overrun with green Elemental Energy.


    Her attacks were from afar, maintaining a considerable distance from her opponent as she soars through the sky with ease. But even with those attributes, it could not hold up a candle against Gillian''s powers. He had barely received a scratch after the flurry of attacks from Ysabeau.


    And he had scarcely used his weapon, solely using his bare hands to defend and attack. One was unable to tell if it was an insult to the rest of the Founders or was to show the gap between the Headmaster and the High Queen.


    "Incidentally, does Gillian possess a weapon at all? With his skills as a Mage, he doesn''t look like he needs one," asked Z, glancing at Mavislin''s direction.


    The girl had her eyes glued on the action. The Valkyrie was acutely aware of what it insinuated to be that powerful, that mighty.


    "It is true he doesn''t need a weapon, but he wielded one a long time ago. In the Congregation, it was mandatory to possess a weapon. Elemental Attacks without weaponry are against the rules within that organization," explained Z, biting into the leftover avocado.


    "So, the new one we''re establishing... What kind of rules will it have?" asked Raiyen, seemingly intrigued at the old Congregation.


    "Not sure. But the ones in charge of the rules are standing right in front you, battling out. Whatever rules that they''ve instituted, you''d best be following them," replied the Lost Mage.


    Even if they were to combine their powers, they would have no chance of coming close to the duo''s Elemental Energy. And they were only using a single Element. They have not tapped on the other elements. Ysabeau''s wings shimmered, they meant business as it grew even larger than normal.


    "Devour the hatred, expel the aura. Link them together, unite them. Archery of the Frosted Heavens!" she called out, her bow absorbing the icy element from her wings.


    As she released, the arrow scattered into smaller parts, each following Gillian as he tried avoiding the attack. At that moment, Gillian whipped around to encounter Ysabeau''s attack, albeit with enormous difficulty.

 Chapter 32 - The Ark Of Mischief

    "Meaning?"


    "I''ve fought and met your kind in the past. And I won the duels and fights against them because they were only able to use Light. I didn''t expect you to use other Elements," said Raiyen, hugging the Valkyrie.


    "And to produce so much from so little. It was amazing! And you took all the people for a giant swim!"


    "I can control all Core Elements," answered Mavislin.


    "Eh?"


    "Gillian says that I am a master of Amalgamation Of Elements. That means that I can use most Elements if I learn them properly," said Mavislin, twiddling her fingers.


    "That''s the first time I''ve heard say so much at one go. Take a rest if you need to," said Raiyen as he witnessed the small child getting fl.u.s.tered.


    She took a deep breath and sat on the green carpet of the forest.


    "Almost all Elements if you knew the basics, right?" asked Raiyen, eager to know more.


    She nodded.


    "Hmm, I think I know what to do for the next few days," said Raiyen, smiling at Mavislin.


    "What are you going to do?" asked Mavislin.


    "I''m going to disturb the villagers. You can join me if you''d like. That was so fun!" exclaimed Raiyen, as he made his way back to the Old Chapel.


    "Are you going tell Ysabeau and Gillian about it?" asked Mavislin as she got up and followed Raiyen.


    "Nope, won''t want them chasing after my tail," replied Raiyen.


    "You have a tail?"


    "It means that I don''t want them to punish me or hunt me down. I won''t sabotage you either."


    "Then I want to continue having fun. After lunch," said Mavislin, gleefully catching up to the Time Boy.


    A week had passed. Minwoo had finally gone back, after what was the worst week of his life. His mind was whirling with all the new proposals and projects to do. Being Marquess was hard work. He had wished for the life of the two carefree kids.


    As the a.d.u.l.ts worked, the two kids were creating mass havoc within the village. And each time they were caught, Raiyen would use Glitch to run away. But for today, things got out of hand as the two underestimated the weather conditions.


    Raiyen had thought the day''s weather would be rainy, so he decided to conjure up a storm with some grey clouds. However, when Mavislin tried doing his Elements, it created a snowstorm instead. It got out of hand quickly, the two had no choice but to finally get Gillian for help.


    "Let''s head back. I will deal with both you at once," ordered Gillian, with a fierce tone.


    The kids in trouble nodded as they followed the being closely. When they got back, Raiyen explained the entire situation to the trio of a.d.u.l.ts, with little Mavislin twiddling her thumbs and hugging her plushie.


    "You kids are causing quite the mass commotion," revealed Gillian, sternly gazing at the delinquent children.


    Raiyen instantly stood in front of Mavislin, in an attempt to defend the small girl.


    "Don''t drag Mav into the scolding. It was all my idea," said Raiyen, looking at Gillian directly in the eye.


    Mavislin looked shocked and concerned with what Raiyen was forcing himself to protect her.


    "And how did you drag Mavislin into doing this?" asked Ysabeau.


    "He didn''t..." replied the small child as tugged on Ysabeau''s dress.


    "I showed her some tricks and she wanted to try."


    "I was joined in because it looked fun..." murmured Mavislin, looking at Ysabeau with teary eyes.


    "You wouldn''t like it if people played tricks on you, right?" asked Ysabeau, wiping the Valkyrie tears away.


    The small girl shook her head slightly while the Time Mage stared out the window.


    "And you two did it to the village closest to us. You know how much importance does the nearby village hold when it comes to the security of the Old Chapel. Right?" asked Baldwin, sharply.


    During the time, the villages around the area were governed by both the Chief and the Father of the Church. The Father is the Pastor of the Church that the village has. The Chief was the village elder. He was the last of the founding members of that village.


    The couple had played a huge part in the foundation of that town, so the locals had built the Old Chapel as a way to say thanks. Without the couple, there would no village. And without the Old Chapel, the couple would have no home.


    "Without them, we would have been done for. They were the ones who helped shelter us. Their ancestors built the Old Chapel, back when Mages were allowed to be with the humans. We owe them. I can''t imagine how pissed off the Chief is when he heard that Mages are causing chaos in his area."

 Chapter 33 - Congregations Old Commander

    "Adhere to my plea. Forge the protection I demand. Howling winds. Corrupt flora. Black Lotus Of The Storm!" shouted Gillian.


    An enormous black flower blossomed, both blocking and absorbing the icy attack, likewise. It had grown mightier before it exploded towards the direction of Ysabeau. She hastily placed her wings up as a defense.


    "No way..." said Raiyen, looking at the shield before Gillian.


    "What? You''ve seen the spell before?" asked Z.


    "That''s the upgraded version of Black Wave Hibiscus. I know of the spell. I barely gained a clue that the Headmaster is capable of wielding it," explained Raiyen.


    Concurrently, the onlookers from the town beneath the sparring field had gathered to observe the sparring session. The fighting session had also earned them a spectator from the old Congregation.


    More specifically, the Old Commander of the Congregation. Raiyen had spotted the fluctuation of Aura within the crowd and stood on guard.


    "Don''t," warned Mavislin, placing her hand on the boy''s shoulder.


    He blinked in confusion but heeded her warning.


    "If he was the one who hired Gillian and reared him, what makes you think we could stand a chance of challenging him?" she asked, bluntly.


    The Time Boy''s constant moving implied he was starting to itch.


    "Is the man''s Aura rubbing on you?" asked Mavislin, nudging the boy''s shoulder.


    The Time Mage nodded as he laid down on the cloth that they had on the grass. She massaged the boy''s temples gently. He seemed to be turning green.


    "If they maintain this, Raiyen might be unable to take it," said Mavislin, worriedly.


    Three arduous powers within a distinct radius. Add one more in, and Raiyen is going to be down for the count. Baldwin came back, just enough to protect the duo from the oncoming ambush from the Old Commander.


    "Been a while, eh? Old Man Pond," addressed Baldwin, along with a mischievous smile plastered on his face.


    Z tried drawing his Kunais while Mavislin prepared to strike the Commander down.


    "Don''t you dare step in, the both of you. Even if with your combined powers and feelings, it still won''t be enough to match up to this man''s powers. Focus on Raiyen''s wellbeing first," ordered Baldwin, striking the man with his spear.


    A poisonous Elemental Aura loomed over the two as Commander Pond tried to overpower his enemy exerting his raging powers.


    "Word has been going around the Mage Community about you trying to bring back the Husks. Are you that bored?" asked Baldwin, cutting through the Old Commander''s attack.


    "Not bored. We just want to enter a pact with the Corrupted One," explained the Old Commander.


    Mavislin was shocked, the Corrupted One?! The three stood on the side as Ysabeau and Gillian were still engaged in their duel. Raiyen, by now, had already collapsed. Gillian noticed a new duel occurring beside him and his wife. Ysabeau stopped in midair, diving down without warning as she snatched up the Old Commander.


    "Oi! That''s my enemy!" whined Baldwin.


    He sounded as if Commander Pond was his toy or something. Gillian looked just as perplexed as the rest of the group. The crowd was placing bets on what would be destroyed next, or who would be killed next.


    "Why are you lot still looking at us?! Are we some kind of circus act on display for you now?!" asked the Angry Man, leveling his spear towards the crowd.


    They backed away in fear. Z placed a gentle hand on the spear that shook in anger.


    "Enough, Baldwin. They''re not over here to mock us. They just wanted to witness how we battle. Don''t be the person that they fear. Remain the person that others see as a Knight," asked Z, looking at Baldwin in the eye.


    He whipped his spear back into his sleeve, loathing the action.


    "This doesn''t explain why Old Man Pond attacked," he replied.


    Right now, only two of the Founders were capable of flying. One was already in the air, so it seemed like the other should provide her some support. As Mavislin stretched out her wings fully, the folk watched in both fear and awe.


    "Are you going to torture us?" asked someone from the crowd.


    Raiyen gazed upon her hazy eyes. The Valkyrie''s predicted answer was supposed to be a nod and proceeding to kill without hesitation.


    After all, that''s all they had been undertaking for the past few hundred years. Mavislin rolled her eyes as she sighed. Why do all people assume she would waste her energy on trivial things like human lives?


    "Nah. I''m bored with that. I find playing with my opponents feels much more exciting. After all, I love watching others in fear and dread before I kill," she replied, propelling herself towards the clouds.


    Baldwin was a tad bit upset as he witnessed Mavislin snatch his opponent once again.

 Chapter 33 - The Ark Of Challenge

    "I''ve spoken to the villagers earlier about these incidents. Here''s what they came up for you two; if you can beat the Father of the Church, the locals will not harm our haven or us," explained Gillian.


    "Are we allowed to work with each other?" asked Raiyen, looking at Mavislin''s worried face.


    Anything could go at this point. Raiyen could sustain a normal duel with the Father, but Mavislin in a duel would be quite problematic. She would end up slaughtering everyone. If they needed a sure-fire win, the Valkyrie can do a solo act for the audience.


    The catch is the whole village would presumably be in ruins by the time it was over. But inviting the two to work together? That might be overkill. And they were fighting a human, right? There was no way the village could beat them.


    "You can decide among yourselves for that. How the battle is being waged is none of our concern. Just win and come home for lunch or dinner," denoted Gillian, walking out.


    He then paused at the doorway of the room.


    "But of course, even if you win, both of you have to stop these tricks. Or else, I will annihilate you both," warned Gillian.


    "Understand?"


    The two kids nodded in fear. Ysabeau gave a little head pat to Mavislin before following her husband out. Baldwin followed soon after, entrusting the two kids to contemplate about what to accomplish the next day.


    The day started with Mavislin entering Raiyen''s room as the sun peeped out.


    "We are going to do battle soon. You ready?" asked Mavislin, sitting beside the Time Mage.


    "Yea, I''m up for it. I hope we won''t kill too much."


    "But we have to win, right?"


    "Winning doesn''t mean that we have to kill. Hopefully, the damages done can be repaired."


    "I can''t wait to show off some new spells."


    And with that smile on the girls face, Mavislin flung open the door and rushed down for breakfast. Raiyen sat at the breakfast table with a worried look plastered on his face.


    "No grumpy at the breakfast table," said Baldwin, pointing at the Time Mage.


    "Says the Angry Man of the Old Chapel," replied Raiyen as he took a bite out of the jam and toast.


    "Hmph, at least you started eating. Mavislin''s gone and headed to the village about ten minutes ago," stated Baldwin.


    It had been nearly two months since she stayed with the couple. They had taught her a whole bunch of things about humans. One of which was about religion, which she could not understand at all.


    Mavislin discovered it to be amusing as she witnessed mothers dragging their daughters to Church just to worship some ''God'' of theirs. Whether God was real or not, it was up to anyone''s ideology to determine that.


    Religion was supposed to be a commitment one would be doing it based on their own free will, not forcing it upon themselves. And certainly not screaming and kicking while going into Holy Grounds.


    "Close your eyes," said Raiyen, as he appeared behind the Valkyrie who was slowly dozing off.


    "For what? So that you can tickle me?" asked Mavislin.


    "Nope, so that I can do this."


    The moment he snapped his finger, out bloomed some vines and flowers towards them. It then touched the chestnut locks and created a hairband out of vines and orchids. Mavislin was in wonder as she caressed it gingerly.


    "Here, so that your hair won''t get in the way when you carry out some activities," said Raiyen, pointing towards the hairband.


    "Do you know what are braids?" he asked, once more.


    Mavislin shook her head, eyes sparkling as she wanted to comprehend what it was.


    "I''ll do them for you," he replied as he got hold of her flowing chestnut locks.


    After a few good minutes of tugging and pulling, he was completed. She then shifted a slight bit, trying to see and feel what Raiyen had done to her hair after all that tugging.


    "Thanks," she murmured, fascinated at this ''braid''.


    He gathered a huge bundle of hair. In all respects, it was sturdy, she thought. It struck her as familiar as continued to feel the texture of this ''braid''. Did her mother do this for her as well? Before she could remember, the moment was ruined.


    The oncoming mob had unearthed them by finally tilting their heads up. The two kids smiled as the mob began to hurl vulgarities at them.


    "Demons! This is sacred ground!" yelled the swarm of humans below.


    The two smiled as they stood up slowly. Be it the girl or the boy, both of them were seen as demons. How foolish of them to try to protect each other when they were both demons in the humans'' eyes.

 Chapter 34 - Poison Vs Wind Vs Light

    When Mavislin got there, the two had already begun to brawl. Both were panting, as they continuously lunged towards each other. With their attacks increasing, their Elemental Auras have skyrocketed to unbelievably monstrous sizes.


    The Old Commander was at a disadvantage as he tried dodging the attacks in mid-air. Ysabeau looked cold, unfazed at the fact her Aura was increasing by the second. The more Aura she produces, the easier for her to run out Elemental Energy. As the two clashed, they paid no heed towards the Valkyrie who was closing in on them.


    "Looks like you are thoroughly unhappy, seeing your previous boss here," smirked Old Man Pond, blocking Ysabeau''s arrows.


    "Who wouldn''t be after witnessing their children getting attacked?!" yelled Ysabeau.


    The woman flipped upside down to launch a torrent of arrows straight at Old Man Pond. He smiled as he deflected the attacks with ease.


    "Hmm... Let''s see if you can match up to this!" challenged Old Man Pond, extending his hands.


    Two serpents emerged from his extended palms, eliminating no time in assaulting Ysabeau with Poison attacks. As she flew around, the serpents were able to keep up with her agility. Ysabeau was busy with the Old Commander''s pets, so that left Mavislin and Old Man Pond alone.


    "You don''t have to sneak around anymore, Valkyrie," said the Poison Commander, pointing at Mavislin.


    A Poison cloud engulfed the Valkyrie as Old Man Pond flicked his fingers. With one forceful movement, her wings were able to disperse the spell. As the cloud cleared, the Commander launched himself towards Mavislin. As expected, the girl had her Fire Feather Whip out and ready.


    "Expected from the Child of Valokia," remarked the man, who grabbed hold of the whip and plucked it out of her grasp.


    Mavislin was instantly propelled into the sky, allowing the subsequent attack to be from Ysabeau.


    "Don''t touch my kids!" roared Ysabeau, summoning her Ancient Relic.


    Rukh came out, fully grown as Ysabeau hopped on its back. The two clashed, time and time again. They were nimble, giving a hard time for Mavislin to help. When Ysabeau and Fluffy were thrown back onto the ground, Mavislin halted the man''s attacks.


    "Back to you, huh? I was observing you, in the tryouts. You were remarkable," said Old Man Pond, allowing his pets to remain as his weapons.


    Mavislin wiped a bead of sweat from her face. This was undeniably a formidable foe to deal with. His Aura alone was able to weaken the Valkyrie''s offensive attacks. If battling Z was difficult, then this was virtually impossible.


    Compared to Old Man Pond, Z could not hold up a candle towards him. Mavislin recognized that the best, so she braced herself to use an Alter Magecraft. Or the first proper use of her Ancient Relic.


    "We could strike an alliance. We don''t have to fight," said Old Man Pond, making Mavislin clench her fists.


    "Yeah right. There''s no way I''m siding with a being who wants to bring back the Great Noble War onto Earth," replied Mavislin, standing at the position to unleash her Ancient Relic.


    Streams of water started to rise into the skies, as well as from the nearby clouds, all gathering within Mavislin''s hands. A mirage was forming, allowing a vulnerable attack from the Old Commander. Ysabeau clashed with him just in time, giving Mavislin enough time to finish the spell.


    "All waves rise and become my shield. From depths of Okeanos, grant me the protection of the waves. Ruled by Neptune, son of Poseidon, the god of the sea. The lost legend, Lord Atlantia!" chanted Mavislin.


    The shield appeared in front of her, in full force. As Ysabeau flew to the side, Mavislin got ready to attack with the Old Commander.


    "New spells. I marvel how they would match up to prior ones! Poison Cyclone!" yelled Old Man Pond, as a huge vortex of Poison Element shot out from his mouth.


    Mavislin ran back, only to abruptly confront the enemy.


    "Howl of the Valkyries!"


    A similar attack erupted from Mavislin''s mouth, only that the spell was pure white. When the two Elements collided, a shockwave was created.


    "Hail, the billions of stars that gathered! Gaze upon its glory! I invoke thee, Kalasag ng Milky Way! (Aegis of the Milky Way)" conjured Z, saving the townsfolk from the shockwave that decimated the trees around them.


    "You saved us? But why?" asked a villager.


    Z looked at the man with a raised eyebrow, scratched his silly face for a bit and smiled.


    "Mercy, I guess. It would be a waste for the people who we are going to work within the future to forfeit their lives due to this minor problem," explained Z.


    "It''s called ''Compassion''. You''ll learn to utilize it next time. For the present, we''ll demonstrate to you how it''s done," said Raiyen, extending a hand out to the villager.

 Chapter 35 - Desire To Protect

    "Rebellion of the Seas!" yelled Mavislin, without warning.


    "Wait, Mavis! You have not perfected it, yet!" shouted Ysabeau, before a tremendous explosion sent the two Mages flying at the opposing directions.


    When all have been composed, only the Old Commander stood strong. Mavislin had to use Lord Atlantia to stabilize herself in mid-air. Her wings were damaged gravely, limiting the amount of flight that she was able to do. Old Man Pond wasted no time in assaulting the weakened Valkyrie.


    "What has a Valkyrie got gaining from this planet? Enlighten me," asked Old Man Pond, knocking Mavislin away.


    She cushioned the punch using the shield, at least it was better than flying to the next continent.


    "You saved those humans below us. Everyone expected you to kill them but you spared them. You have a history of killing humans. Accordingly, why did you spare them?" asked Old Man Pond.


    Still no response from Mavislin.


    "Mayhap no one comprehends the way I think and feel after all," replied Mavislin.


    "At the minimum, I get why it is supposed to be called Rebellion of the Seas. The Rebellion is correct for sure, as your shield is unmeant only for protecting those who you cherish and love, but to rebel against the opposing team, with hatred and passion to protect," guessed Old Man Pond.


    Mavislin shook her head.


    "It''s not hatred that fuels the shield, it rebels because I want to protect. My driving force is the people that I wish to and will defend," explained Mavislin, holding up her shield for another offensive attack.


    Poisoned Pond caught the shield, sending a huge sudden wave of the wind across the area below once more.


    "But the fact that we are fighting shows sign that you''ve got a grudge on me. Don''t you loathe me for trying to bring back the Corrupted One?" taunted Old Man Pond, hopping away from Mavislin.


    "I have no hate for you, even if you did demolish my home or divided my family apart. Don''t worry, I know about your tampering in the Great Noble War. You took out a little family in the countryside of Valokia. I am reasonably convinced you don''t remember. But I was that little girl who escaped," replied Mavislin, smiling.


    "Subsequently, why are you harboring no hate for me? I was the one killed your family. And now I have the goal of destroying Gillian and Ysabeau, so why have you got no hate for me? You''ve hated the humans for a bit now, but not me."


    "Because I know, deep down, both you and the humans are raiding us due to fear. The humans are constantly fretful about their loved ones dying. After all, everyone has a family, has people that they want to protect, that''s why they fight. It''s called Rebellion because of my shield rebels against the pain of war. It screams out in pain and agony, not of hate, of anger that war is being flourished around it."


    "I''m not assaulting you because I''m intimidated. I want to exterminate you because you are in the way of my goal. How does that make me undeserving of being hated by you?"


    "Why are you so intent on making me harbor hatred towards you?" asked Mavislin, raising her eyebrows.


    "Because I refuse to believe your power comes from only protecting others. You are a monster within the human community''s eyes. Don''t you hate it when someone assumes something that you aren''t?"


    "Indeed, we don''t see eye to eye, but it provides no reason for me to hate others, let alone executing them. Wholly because I don''t agree with you, automatically means that I''ve got to slay or detest you. No matter what, Human or Mage, no one desires war, and the conjoined wishes of all who suffered through it are all represented when the shield completely takes form."


    "The shield possesses what?"


    "The wishes to prevent war. Human, Mage or Monster. That''s how strong people''s desires to preventing war genuinely are. They don''t want others to go through what they had lost, they had witnessed and they felt. No one should ever have to feel the pain of screams, reoccurring nightmares, and knowing their lost loved ones will never come back. That is what truly fuels Lord Atlantia, which is part of Rebellion of the Seas," explained Mavislin.


    She held up Lord Atlantia with pride. The Poisoned Pond merely scoffed at the Valkyrie''s words as he prepared to summon something sinister.


    "The desire to protect won''t be enough to thwart me. You need hatred and anger to execute someone."


    Mavislin smiled as she placed her hands in position at the back of Lord Atlantia.


    "Who mentioned anything about killing? This power is enough to do what is meant to do, to protect," said Mavislin, as the Aura around her started to morph and change.


    "I won''t give you a chance to use that bottle of yours," warned Mavislin, as her eyes shifted to another color.

 Chapter 36 - No, You!

    The Aura that Mavislin produced represented a drastic turn for the worse as Poisoned Pond prepared to shatter the mini beacon within his grasp. From the grounds underneath, Raiyen sensed a problem from the duel above.


    "Z! I''ve gotta give Mav a hand up there," said Raiyen, launching himself towards the skies.


    Baldwin sighed as he prepared to aid Z in terms of protecting the townsfolk. Ysabeau dived down and joined the rest as the Time Boy reached Mavislin and the infamous Old Man Pond. Ysabeau took the brief recovery to give a hug towards her husband. And the time to forewarn them.


    "Get the humans away from here. I can''t guarantee the death toll of the battle above us if this goes on. Old Man Pond is waking them up soon," instructed Ysabeau, eyes glaring at the rest of the group.


    Baldwin nodded as he prepared to move the whole crowd. A young girl made a beeline towards Ysabeau as the humans started moving towards the mountainous area.


    "Yes, what is it?"


    "The skies seem upset today. Why is that so?" inquired the little girl.


    Ysabeau gently bent down to tousle the young human''s hair.


    "Because two people are fighting, so that''s why the skies are upset," replied Ysabeau, trying her best to force a smile.


    The little girl pouted and pointed towards the direction of the duel above.


    "When I''m troubled, Mama hums me a song. Shall I sing a song for the skies?" asked the little girl, looking at Ysabeau.


    The loving woman bit her lip, knowing the outcome may be grim. With a deep breath, she smiled.


    "Sure, you can sing a song for the skies," replied Ysabeau, gingerly picking the young girl up.


    The song that the young girl would perform would be an ode in a tragedy. One could scarcely hope that the partners in crime would be enough to stop Old Man Pond.


    "A Conversion of Elements? Admirably, you undoubtedly contain an abundance of tricks in your arsenal, Valkyrie," said Old Man Pond, preparing to unleash another Poison attack.


    As the man unleashed his twin pets, a familiar trick of the light indicated someone else had joined in the arena.


    "One pest after another, this is getting ridiculous," growled Poisoned Pond, coming into contact with Raiyen''s shining daggers.


    "Same goes for your plan of reviving the Husks," retorted the Time Boy, increasing the pressure of his slashes.


    The two could not match up to Ysabeau and Gillian''s fight earlier but it was still difficult to catch on. With a frustrated huff, the Poisoned Pond gave out a shock wave of Poison, sending the Time Mage flying back.


    "Whoa there, buddy," said Mavislin, gripping the boy in time.


    "Thanks. So, what''s the plan now?" asked Raiyen, standing upright once more.


    The two laid eyes on the Poison being before them. The change in Mavislin''s Aura was enough to ordain what spell she was going for.


    "It''s still relatively unstable, but I think I should be skilled enough to pull it off. It''s only enough to subdue him, not enough to obliterate him," explained Mavislin, gripping tightly onto the back of her shield.


    Streams of golden light were now being converted into Dark Elemental Energy.


    "I''ll keep this Poisoned Pond company while you charge that spell up," said Raiyen, brandishing his daggers.


    "Sounds like a plan," replied Mavislin.


    A whole slew of Elemental Energy rushed through her veins as she tried merging the shield with an Alter Spell. Simultaneously, the Time boy was glitching through the air, slashing at the Old Commander randomly.


    "Damn you... I swear after I''ve cut off that annoying glitch of yours, I''m going to slaughter you!" roared the Old Commander, hurling a ball of Poison towards the devious Time Mage.


    "No, you!" shouted Raiyen, smiling broadly.


    He sprang his hand up and opened his palm. The clouds started to swirl and centered at the boy''s open palm. When a rod of lightning charged the boy up, he looked towards Old Man Pond with power in his gaze.


    "Flashbang!" yelled Raiyen, launching a ball of lightning towards Old Man Pond.


    Glancing at the duel, Mavislin heaved a sigh of relief and conjured up the spell in full force.


    "Let the light flow. Let the dark fade. Divine punishment descends from the heavens. Overturn this spell for this land to strive and flourish once again..."


    "Heaven''s Wheel Alter: Monody!" shouted Mavislin as a vast swarm of arrows came out from Lord Atlantia.


    The arrows were black, outlined with an aquamarine hue. Raiyen smiled as he drew out his power. But Old Man Pond shot a Poison Bomb towards the girl.


    "Mav! Think fast!" yelled Raiyen.


    He glitched in front of the Bomb in the nick of time, unleashing Time Ripper.

 Chapter 37 - Monody

    "What''s that sound?" asked Baldwin, as he tried convincing the crowd to move.


    "It''s a song. An ode," replied Ysabeau, holding up the child from earlier.


    The crowd was standing still as the adolescent girl sang. Baldwin looked pissed as Gillian tried to stop the Angry Man.


    "Leave them be, allow them to sing," commanded Gillian.


    Baldwin let out a huff and looked at the battle above.


    "Thanks, Time Boy!" yelled Mavislin, popping from the back of the Poisoned Pond.


    Raiyen had seized the opportune moment to distract Old Man Pond and created a mini Time Frame Hop for the Valkyrie. Shaky, but she managed just fine.


    "Partners in crime, you are starting to infuriate me," said Old Man Pond, just about ready to deflect the attack away.


    The torrent of arrows was still hunting the Poisoned Pond down. But that didn''t restrain the man from trying to hurt the two. With the number of glitches and spells that the two have done, the partners have attained their peak in Elemental Energy. Until they heard the song. The girl who sang.


    "Summer in the hills,


    Those hazy days I do remember.


    We were running still,


    Had the whole world at our feet.


    Watching seasons change,


    Our roads were lined with adventure.


    Mountains in the way,


    Couldn''t keep us from the sea."


    The melody echoed through the plains, above and below. The soothing tone of the young girl was then merged into the voices of the townsfolk, boosting the second verse of the song.


    "Here we stand open arms,


    This is home where we are.


    Ever strong in the world that we made,


    I still hear you in the breeze.


    See your shadows in the trees,


    Holding on, memories never change," sang the townspeople.


    Mavislin and Raiyen looked at each other. They were singing. Together, in harmony. Independently, the young girl''s voice wasn''t experienced enough to reach the pair. But the moment the rest of the humans joined, it became a melody. All because every one of these humans was working together.


    For years, the group has encountered humans being divided. Despising each other, never in sync or eye level with their ideations. Kingdoms fell and people died. But now, the humans were proving the Mages wrong. And they are singing. They are protesting as a family, saying no towards Old Man Pond''s choice.


    But something felt odd. Especially the one singing it. The girl struck a glaring resemblance to Mavislin''s more youthful years on Earth. Ysabeau could not help but compare the two together. The young girl remained concentrated on getting the song over with. The Aura, it isn''t Mavislin or Raiyen''s. It was foreign. Ysabeau looked at the girl in terror.


    "Who are you?" whispered Ysabeau, eyes filled with horror.


    How could such a young girl possess such a formidable Aura? And beyond that, how could a mere human muster up a song of that caliber?


    "What''s happening to Old Man Pond?" asked Mavislin, as she flew towards Raiyen.


    The Time Mage clutched her as he witnessed the scene before him. The Old Commander''s eyes were bloodshot, his hands were tensed from the attempts of pulling out his hair. His screams pierced through the sombre skies. Ysabeau rushed into the scene, seizing the two and flinging them onto Fluffy''s back.


    "It''s the song. The song is being performed by a Memory Mage. It isn''t an ode or a song even, it''s a spell," explained Ysabeau, flying off.


    As they tried to escape, Old Man Pond shrieked the concluding threat that he could summon up.


    "The Husks will return!"


    Thereupon, he surrounded himself with Poison Cloud and disappeared.


    "Well, that was anti-climatic for a fight," grumbled Raiyen, landing on the ground below.


    "At the very least, let''s thank the girl who conjured up the spell. If it hadn''t been for her, you both might have died," said Ysabeau, urging the young girl towards the partners.


    "Thanks for saving us with your spell," said Mavislin, bending down to look at her.


    "Yea! You''ve got a pleasant voice! You should create a choir or something," commented Raiyen, patting the girl''s head.


    The young girl looked at the couple with downcast eyes. Raiyen looked puzzled.


    "Is there something wrong? You want a reward or something?" asked Mavislin.


    "It''s only a melody if there is a harmony," remarked the girl, smiling sadly.


    Mavislin and Raiyen looked at each other with confusion. What could those innocent words symbolize? It made sense but it was shrouded with mystery. Another meaning? Raiyen''s mind whirled as he tried recognizing the girl before him. When the young girl went off, Raiyen leaped at the chance to grab a villager from the crowd.


    "What was the singing girl''s name?" asked Raiyen.


    "We solely identify her as Nom. Queer name, not from around these parts," explained the shocked villager.

 Chapter 37 - The Ark Of Reminder

    If it was seen from afar, it would look like a normal family. Well, it is a normal family, depends on how you look at it.


    "Don''t like the family, Snow Cap?" asked Baldwin snapping his fingers in front of Z''s face.


    The huge man immediately shook his head. And swatted the Angry Man''s fingers away.


    "Nah, I was just thinking. You lot look like a family, you guys can pass off as a human family anytime soon," replied Z.


    Mavislin giggled at Raiyen as he tried dancing with the deer''s antlers.


    "It''s the only thing that we can give them. A place to call home and a group to call family," explained Gillian, as the two kids finally calmed down to eat their dinner.


    "Some sort of a cozy haven," said Z, tucking into his dinner.


    "What is a haven?" asked Mavislin, eyes sparkling in enthusiasm.


    "This is," said Raiyen, looking around.


    The Old Chapel flapped her curtains in agreement.


    "A place of safety; a shelter," explained Gillian.


    Mavislin smiled as she took a huge bite of meat.


    "Someday, I wanna create a haven," replied Mavislin. Raiyen raised his eyebrows.


    "What for?"


    "So others like us would have a home as well," replied the little girl.


    "I''m sick and tired of us Mages being called demons and throw us away like trash. I''ve seen it, I don''t want any more of that."


    "Mavis..." said Ysabeau, ruffling the small child''s hair.


    The couple and Baldwin were worried that Mavsilin might snap again, like how she did when they found out the Congregation had been torn apart. Things might get ugly.


    "Why can''t we make a haven for the remaining Mages we''ve got left?" asked Mavislin.


    "If we still have any..." murmured Raiyen, looking at Mavislin with a grim expression.


    "I''ve faith that some of them made out alive," said the Valkyrie, proudly.


    "She has grown up, hasn''t she? The last time I heard about her, she was still afraid of humans. These few months with you guys helped turn a child to a proper girl who thinks for herself. You all should be proud," said Z, grinning.


    She tried stabbing the piece of meat that she had difficulty eating. She slumped back down in anger as she was unable to cut the meat. Her showing signs of tantrum alerted Ysabeau.


    But before she could react, Raiyen smiled and shook his head at the pouting Valkyrie. He then placed his bony but from hands onto Mavislin''s, effectively cutting the flesh.


    "Why not?" chuckled Z, after thinking for some time.


    "What do you mean, why not?" asked Baldwin, raising an eyebrow.


    "Girl''s got a point. If we don''t figure something fast, the Mages might lose their lives."


    "It''s not an easy task," warned Ysabeau, shaking her head.


    "It''ll be fun," commented Raiyen, grinning away like a fool.


    Baldwin looked skeptical as he shot a stern glare towards Mavislin''s shining golden eyes.


    "We would be constantly at war for this idea to even initiate. The battlefield isn''t a place for kids, you know," said Baldwin.


    "Well, we can''t be called ''kids'' after all we''ve been through," said Mavislin, meeting Baldwin''s gaze with a look of determination.


    "I''m a Time Mage, feel free to do the math," explained Raiyen, waving casually.


    Baldwin still looked unconvinced.


    "Here''s the deal; how about I train these two rascals properly? Both in physical combat and Magecraft. Attacks and defense," proposed Z, placing a hand on Baldwin''s shoulder.


    "Don''t go easy on them when training," replied Baldwin, standing up to leave.


    "With the background knowledge of Z''s old job, I highly doubt so. The training that he is going to be giving out to these rascals would be anything but easy," said Gillian.


    "Why? His fighting style quite similar to mine. I am pretty confident I can catch up to him!" said Raiyen, bursting with morale.


    "He was just messing around with you two. He hasn''t even shown you guys the full force that he used to train the Elites of the Congregation," explained Gillian, walking away.


    That night, the room that Z was given looked like it had the ceiling of the night sky and the flooring of a snowy mountain. All around were beautiful designs made of ice and a few different types of Kunais.


    Raiyen was busy admiring the foreign daggers decorated around the room. He looked at them the same way he had looked at daggers all through his life, with big round eyes of curiosity. Meanwhile, Mavislin had her eyes on the ceiling. It resembled Valokia''s night skies.


    "You guys like my room? You can thank the Old Chapel for that," said Z.


    Even the bed looked cool with a bed frame that was engraved with fancy designs.


    "Reminds me of home," said the two kids in unison.

 Chapter 38 - This Is Our Home Too

    "So, what''s up with today?" asked Mavislin, looking around.


    Gillian and Ysabeau had invited the entire group to gather within the town''s square for a small meeting of some sorts.


    "Seems like the couple''s got a plan," replied Baldwin, folding his arms.


    Though he had agreed to it, Baldwin had still hated the humans to a certain extent. Z found it amusing as the Angry Man was practically forced to come. Baldwin made no effort to consider his look of disdain towards humans.


    Just as the two wanted to bicker, a woman in her mid-20s approached the group. Ysabeau nodded her head as a greeting, signaling that the group was ready. The woman clapped, capturing the attention of the townsfolk.


    "In the present climate, I know you''ve got mixed feelings about Mages, especially after the incident years back. The Siege Of Mutants was accounted for both side''s losses. It is unfair if we, the humans, keep blaming the Mages for that war when we were the ones who got scared and attacked first. So, I would like asking for the cooperation of this town to be accepting towards these few Mages right by me," declared the woman, her voice gaining the interest of the humans.


    "Why would we accept them into our community?" asked a lone human, looking directly at Baldwin.


    "They were the ones who massacred us by the hundreds in the past few years. Why are we so quick to forgive them for what they''ve done?"


    "Yea! That boy over there with the girl, they were the ones responsible for the killings over at the adjacent village!"


    "Murderers! Demons!"


    By this time, the townsfolk were getting upset. Due to the constant fights that had been occurring for the past hundred years, the humans were getting sick and tired of having to deal with the Mages. So what made this woman think they could forgive the Mages so easily?


    Mavislin looked at Raiyen with a hint of worry in her eyes. The humans might attack if they stood there long enough. Seeing two kids were frightened, the Angry Man decided that he had enough of this senseless bickering. Baldwin summoned his Ancient Relic and impaled it into the ground, generating a wave of silence amongst the noisy dwellers of Earth.


    "Were you guys able to defend yourselves from the menace a few days ago?" questioned Baldwin, grinning as he came close to the shouting villager before him.


    "Get real with yourselves, for once. Did you think you''d stand a chance against Poisoned Pond alone?" asked Baldwin, his tone turning serious.


    "Without the help of those ''Demons'' over there, you would all be the walking dead! Brief me, out of all you humans in front of me. Who possessed the balls to stand up towards Old Man Pond and confront him?!" shouted Baldwin, completely losing his cool.


    "We helped out as well! Don''t make it sound like we are completely useless," mumbled the villager.


    Gillian went towards the two and placed a hand on each of their shoulders.


    "It wasn''t the humans nor us who managed to scare away Poisoned Pond. It was a joint effort between two significantly unique people. Without each other, Old Man Pond would''ve called upon the Husks," explained Gillian, looking at the two.


    "We may be diverse in other aspects, but we still share a familiar ground. We walk on this planet, we breathe your air. This is our home too. And we plan on defending this planet and its dwellers from others who plan to kill the human race," said Ysabeau, proudly.


    The villagers were calming down. Mavislin and Raiyen looked at each other with happiness.


    "If we agree to accept you into our community, then you must agree to be the protectors of this town. No matter what the cost," replied the woman, shaking Gillian''s hand.


    "We will swear an oath to do so. A Peace Treaty will be formed very soon," replied Ysabeau, smiling.


    All but a villager was alright with the promise made.


    "Looks like Mr. Grumpypants found his human counterpart," said Z, pointing towards the unhappy villager.


    Baldwin proceeded to whack the back of the Lost Mage''s head. Raiyen sighed as he glitched into the direction of the miserable boy.


    "So, why can''t you accept us?" asked Raiyen, looking at the boy.


    "How can you guys decide to stop exterminating us and aid us instead? It doesn''t make sense. I do not have faith in your words," retorted the boy.


    Mavislin caught up with the Time Mage and smiled at the human. She looked at the boy with gentle eyes. Such a youthful soul, yet so determined to challenge a child born out of Time. If Raiyen had the fuse of Baldwin, this human boy would inevitably suffer a tragic death.

 Chapter 39 - Her Name Was Abigail

    "Because we know what would happen if we don''t. We have been around for more than the years that you''ve lived. We''ve seen our allies fall right in front of us. We''ve seen others perished in battle. Did you think it wouldn''t take a toll on us?" asked Mavislin, bending down to the obstinate child''s height.


    "Listen, we are the last of our kinds. We fell from the stars, and Earth was the only place that we can live in. Some of us weren''t content with executing the decision but we had no choice. Where would you go if your entire planet was gone?"


    "Then why choose to safeguard us all of a sudden?"


    "Must there be a reason why we would choose to protect you?" asked Raiyen, smirking at the human.


    "We chose to defend you that day and the many more days to come because of one simple reason. You''ll learn this word is simple, yet so complex to uphold and understand. We defend you because we are kind. And we can''t stand hearing children cry. We don''t want Earth to fall victim to the remnants of the Great Noble War," explained Mavislin, tousling the boy''s hair.


    "If that is the case, why did you destroy the entirety of the neighboring village?"


    Mavislin''s eyes darkened as Baldwin glared at the three.


    "Because they took the life of a Mage''s child," replied Mavislin, her tone weighed with anger and sadness.


    The boy''s eyes widened with shock and looked elsewhere in shame.


    "Her name was Abigail. She was the daughter of that Mage over there," said Mavislin, pointing at Baldwin.


    Raiyen was on the equivalent level of shock as the human.


    "I think I should allow the father to do the explaining instead," said Mavislin, gesturing Baldwin to speak to the boy.


    "Tell me, boy. If I were to burn you at the stake for learning to walk, would you feel upset?" asked Baldwin, crossing his arms over his chest.


    The frail boy raised his eyebrows in confusion.


    "I would! That is what humans are meant to do! To walk!" yelled the puzzled boy.


    "The similar thing applies to us Mages. We are born with Elements, so can you condemn us for being angry at you guys mindlessly killing our children?"


    "Our skies tore apart, as the Great Noble War reached the Abyss Of Stars. My wife and I tried getting our daughter away from the planet but at the very last moment, failed. My wife, to save us, sacrificed herself to the Husks."


    "We managed to get away, but by the time I tried getting to her, she was already gone. Abi was only a baby then, so I bore no courage to reveal her the truth," explained Baldwin, looking at the locket around his neck.


    "But since Abi was just a baby, it was unyielding for her to cope on this planet. When she entered school, she tried showing off her powers to her so-called ''friends''. I couldn''t blame her. It was a new spell that she had been practicing for years."


    "She merely wanted to convey to her peers what she was born with. But the rascals told the village elder and my daughter was burnt on the stake."


    The human boy''s hands trembled as he heard the man''s story.


    "Day by day, I still blame myself. For being weak, for being unable to protect my family. I failed to take care of my family. I was so foolish, thinking that humans would be able to accept us so easily. If I hadn''t been so feeble, I would''ve been fit to have my wife by my side right now."


    "If I hadn''t been so trusting, I would''ve my daughter by my side now, joyously asking for another round of cake."


    The Angry Man took a deep breath as the villagers around them listened intently. They had to discover the truth. For years, they scarcely knew of the destruction of the village, but never the reason why.


    They were having tunnel visions for so long that they completely settled for all Mages to be mindless murderers. No one expected the reason for the chaos for a hundred years would be caused by the death of a mere child.


    "I couldn''t control myself when I saw my daughter burning. Who could? I was upset at myself. I was tormented with humans for betraying us. I lost my daughter to the hands of the people who my wife and I thought were going to save us."


    "She was the first to be burn, but not the last. An eye for an eye. That''s why we can''t blame the young Mages for causing chaos and death."


    "We simply retaliated the same way humans had hurt us," replied Raiyen, playing with his daggers.


    "But an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. In the wake of our chaos, we failed to prevent the events of the Husks from returning. That''s the reason why we are now choosing to protect humanity," replied Mavislin.


    "We don''t want any more children to cry."

 Chapter 40 - Behemoth

    "It won''t bite you! I promise!"


    "It''s a behemoth size of a bird with claws! I''m not worried about its bite. I don''t want those claws of that size anywhere near me!"


    Raiyen had been arguing with Ysabeau for about two days now. This was the second time Ysabeau was trying to get the stubborn Time Boy onto Fluffy. Mavislin missed the argument the previous day so now she was witnessing the second episode. In the intervening period, the Valkyrie was experiencing the time of her life by stroking the beast''s head.


    The Time Boy cringed when Fluffy squealed in delight.


    "It will be fine!"


    "No, it will not!"


    The beast had now flopped onto her back, wiggling around as if Fluffy was requesting someone to rub its belly.


    "What''s so difficult?"


    "I dare not go remotely near it. By the power of the stars, what makes you think I would ride it?!"


    At this time, Mavislin had tried sitting on the bird. The bird gently shrugged off the saddle, indicating she was not fond of the weird contraption. Well, who could blame the bird for rejecting something meant for another animal?


    Raiyen had an eye on Fluffy and Mavislin, just in case the beast harms his partner in any way.


    "I need it for safety, Fluffy. Please?" whispered Mavislin as she stroked Fluffy''s feathered head once more.


    The creature, nevertheless, refused. As an alternative, Fluffy plopped onto her rump, allowing Mavislin to sit on her back. Her beak tilted as if it''s prompting the Valkyrie to go onboard. Mavislin expressed apprehension as the Valkyrie scooted closer. It seems that Fluffy sensed her hesitance and gently squawked, trying to reassure the worried Mage.


    Raiyen was one of the rarest Mages in all of the Universe. A being made out of entirely Time, born out of the Streams of Time. He was dauntless when it came to combat and faced with First-rate Elemental spells.


    In defiance of his origins, Raiyen had a preposterous fear of transportation. This made traveling impossibly difficult for the group unless Raiyen used his powers for the excursion. Baldwin was fairly annoyed with this matter, so Ysabeau decided to have Raiyen overcome his fear.


    Right now, it doesn''t seem like it would be working any time soon.


    "I don''t even like riding horseback!"


    "You''re the only one who can oppose a second in command, how defiant can you be?!" chided Ysabeau, placing her hands on her h.i.p.s.


    "I''ll oppose the Lord of the Universe if it means getting away from that¡­"


    The frustrated Time Boy looked towards the creature and the Valkyrie. Mavislin looked shocked as she met the Raiyen''s brown eyes with Ysabeau''s confused look. Fluffy took off without warning, prompting Ysabeau to shout.


    Raiyen then proceeded to chase at the duo using Glitch. Ysabeau pulled out her Emerald Wings, in an attempt to catch up on Mavislin and beast.


    "How the hell is this behemoth so fast?!" yelled Raiyen, trying to keep up.


    "It''s not a behemoth. It''s a Rukh!"


    Simultaneously, Mavislin had problems of her own. In an attempt to steer Rukh, the Valkyrie flew Fluffy by gripping the back of the beast''s neck. The moment was extremely intense for the young Valkyrie as she kept her eyes glued onto the beast. With a deep breath, Mavislin gained all the courage she acquired and opened her eyes.


    It was sunset, and the sky was embellished with pink and orange, closing with the night sky''s purple hue. The clouds were highlighted pink. Fluffy had finally slowed down to witness the sight as well. She squawked softly as if to say she had surpassed the flying test.


    Ysabeau and Raiyen finally caught up to them, with enormous difficulty. It was to the point that Raiyen was teeming with electric shocks. He shattered the silence by yelling.


    "Are you hurt?!"


    "I''m fine, Fluffy didn''t harm me," she replied, caressing the bird''s head.


    She flapped her wings as Mavislin ruffled her feathers.


    "Why didn''t you use the saddle?" questioned Ysabeau, flying in front of the duo.


    Fluffy lowered her head in shame, trying to earn some pity point from the stern mother.


    "It''s okay, Ysabeau, Fluffy didn''t seem comfortable using the saddle. As a consequence, I did not leave it on," explained Mavislin.


    Ysabeau then lightly smacked Fluffy on the head.


    "No supper!" The partners both laughed.


    "As a conservative estimate, you have the guts to mount her. You are much braver than that pansy," complained Ysabeau as she pointed at Raiyen.


    He pouted, crossing his arms.


    "Still not going anywhere near it!"


    With that, concluded the ordinary activity of the partners trying to complete riding lessons. For Mavislin, that is. And the second attempt at getting the Time Boy up onto Fluffy''s back. They were having dinner as they were joined with Z, Gillian, and Baldwin.

 Chapter 41 - 600 Years

    The Dark Mage decided it was a brilliant idea to argue with the Time Boy about the issue of traveling. Gillian and Z laughed as Ysabeau used two deer legs to whack the troublemakers at the dinner table. This promptly silenced the two hellions.


    Mavislin was busy eating her favorite dessert, sparking Raiyen to ask if he could try.


    "It''s what Z made just for Mavis. A baby deer''s eyeball in the middle of Baldwin''s signature dark chocolate raspberry mousse. Are you sure?" asked Gillian, pointing at the dessert that Mavislin was eating with glee.


    "On second thought," replied the Time Mage, excusing himself the dinner table.


    Though it had been a hundred years, the Time Mage still needed some time to digest his partner''s choice of meals. After some time mulling over, Raiyen decided to show Mavislin something special. Perhaps, take her out to somewhere spectacular.


    "Is there something wrong?" she asked, wiping a plate.


    The Time Boy replied with silence and shrug.


    "Admirably, you are not one to remain in one place and be silent. Are you waiting for me to do something?" she asked, in hopes to stifle the awkwardness.


    "Yea. I''m waiting to let you to see what I have in my room. Or maybe a minor trip," said Raiyen, smiling.


    "A Time Frame Hop?" she quizzed.


    "Not really. In Time Frame Hopping, I can travel in time. However, I can wholly change the Time I''m at, not the area. I pluck out the Time Frame that I wish to go into, and it would change the Time I was at, not the area I activated the spell. The one I am about to undertake is considered Time Teleportation. Where I can travel through Time and Space. Combining Nature and Time," elaborated the boy.


    Mavislin sighed, tilting her head to examine the Time Boy in the eye.


    "Sorry, but I won''t take up your offer," she replied, smiling.


    Raiyen was dumbfounded. No girl had ever declined an offer of a time travel date. Then again, Mavislin was the first girl he had ever invited. Anyways, who would pass up the chance to go see the Universe and future?


    "But why? It''ll be so fun, discovering what the future would be like..."


    Raiyen tried to suppress his feelings of dismay but ultimately failed at his one job.


    "No can do, Time Boy. I''m not going ahead and getting spoilers for myself. If you want, you can do it. But just make sure you come back home in one piece. And don''t tamper what you shouldn''t!" she urged the boy, as Raiyen glitched back to his room in disappointment.


    Back at his room, he then prepared his trip, forwards in time. As he stamped his foot abruptly, a blue glow emitted from the area he stepped on. He then dragged his foot around him, making a blue glowing circle. The entire room lit up in the same color.


    "Weave time. Manipulate space. These are the elements I control. Setting coordinates. Time is fixed. Space is fixed. Time Teleportation has begun!" recited Raiyen.


    A few blue swirling vortexes appeared around him. He spun around to locate the correct Time Frame he wanted. The swirling vortex transformed into a stable portal.


    "600 years into the future. Let''s get a glimpse of what the world would be like," thought Raiyen.


    The Mage snapped his fingers, making the vortex into a gate. He couldn''t have been more wrong about his expectations as he stepped into one of the swirling portals.


    The place was plunged into chaos. The entire scenery was filled with smoke. Nothing but rubble dwelled around the Time Mage''s surroundings. Loud explosions rang through the air. Huge metal plane fighters were zooming above the Time Boy''s head.


    He looked behind, families screaming in terror and fleeing from the destruction. A few huge tanks were currently preparing to aim at the child in front of Raiyen.


    "Look out!'' yelled the Time Mage as he glitched her back to safety.


    Just in time, as the tank fired later. He then scanned around as he placed the child with her family. Raiyen was thoroughly confused. Where were the Arks? This was not the future that he had been expecting. This was no better than the Hundred Year War the Arks were fighting in Raiyen''s time.


    Raiyen clenched his fist as he delivered a powerful Flashbang towards the mass of soldiers who tried gunning him down. This was not the outcome that the Arks had wanted. Their core mission, their sheer goal. All the Arks wanted peace, and this is the opposite result of it.


    Part of him was glad he didn''t drag Mavislin here. The other half wished he should have never tried to go so far ahead of time. But as he was debating about his choices, a familiar screech echoed above his head. And a voice he knew all too well.


    "Windfall!"

 Chapter 41 - The Ark Of Enclose And Nullify

    "This is not going to be easy to control," replied Z, trying his best to contain the spell.


    "I want you to take cover, shield yourself using your wings. I''m going to close this world and then we can continue after lunch," instructed Z.


    "If I''ve got enough strength to continue. Most probably I would be training the Time Boy instead. Or I''ll just collapse of exhaustion," replied Z, shrugging his shoulders.


    Mavislin nodded and immediately did as she was told.


    "As I restore order into this realm, I will let its walls to topple. Whatever I allocate will be staying in this realm forever. This dimension is regulated by my willpower. Now, it is time for you to go back to your slumber. Enclose and Nullify!" shouted Z.


    With the chant recited, the realm started to shrink and finally closed, leaving the two beings lying on a green carpet. The two had been battling out in there for a few hours, so they failed to see a little mischievous Time Mage right beside them.


    "How long have we been gone?" asked Mavislin, getting up.


    Z was still quite pleased with laying flat on his back on the green carpet.


    "About five minutes," said Raiyen.


    The Valokian''s eyes enlarged with disbelief. Z stuck his arm out with a thumbs-up.


    "At least we weren''t a year late!"


    "That''s not what I''d expected," murmured the Valkyrie.


    "How long have you been gone?" asked Raiyen, puzzled.


    "About four hours," she muttered under her breath.


    He seemed impressed at Z''s command of Time and Space.


    "So, how did you do that?" asked Mavislin, looking at Z.


    "Do what?" chimed the two males.


    "Containing that spell. Did you negate it?"


    The Galaxian Mage could only smile as he failed to give the reason.


    "It''s not just any old realm, Mav. It''s a world that resides in his mind. Void''s Emergence allows to Mage to imagine anything they wish or like. You''ve just fought in a place that only exists within Z''s mind," explained Raiyen, looking at the guilty Mage.


    "That means, the power I possessed in there was not real?" asked Mavislin, pouting.


    Her wings started to droop in disappointment. Raiyen''s eyes widened while Z abruptly got up.


    "No! The power you used in there was real! It''s only the area. For the spells, I would be using my mental energy to contain it. It will give me a bit of a headache here and there but it would disappear later," explained Z, patting on the girl''s shoulder.


    "Really?"


    "Yes."


    The sparkle in the Valkyrie''s eyes returned to her eyes as the two males heaved a sigh of relief. Her wings shot up to its normal stance. She smiled as she flew back to the Old Chapel.


    "That was a close call," said Z, as he got up.


    "Tell me about it. I didn''t expect her to be that sensitive," said Raiyen, swaying his head.


    "It could get her killed."


    "What?" asked Raiyen, abruptly turning around.


    "Her feelings are still in the way of using her Magecraft. If she could just destroy that huge obstacle, then she''s set to join the rest of us a.d.u.l.ts."


    "I''ve seen her do so much damage. To be frank, I won''t want to go up against her. In training or a real duel."


    "She is capable of doing that much damage, eh? I wish to see such an act from her. It''ll be the proudest moment in my life."


    The two males then headed back into the Old Chapel.


    "Did you manage to train together?" asked Ysabeau, sitting down at the table.


    Mavislin nodded as she gave an account of the morning''s events. Z had mentioned of getting side effects, but he showed no signs of it as he continued to chow down on more food. Perhaps he was just hungry.


    "Well, at the very least he did not go back on his words. No holding back," said Baldwin, raising an eyebrow to the hungry person.


    "And sometimes I wish I would''ve."


    "And why?"


    "Nothing to worry about, Angry Man."


    The chubby man merely waved off Baldwin''s concerns as he focused his attention on Raiyen and Mavislin.


    "Mav, you can rest and we''ll continue tomorrow. Now then, Time Boy, let''s get on with your version of the training. I promise to fight you with the level and technique you have. But first, I will have a chat with the a.d.u.l.ts. In the meantime, prep yourself," instructed Z, clearing his plate.


    Mavislin and Raiyen took a few glances at each other before bolting out into the back garden. But they were stopped by an unfamiliar looking stick man. Raiyen took a protective stance in front of the Valkyrie. Mavislin looked concerned but tried keeping her hopes up. She was quite tuckered out.

 Chapter 42 - Familiar Faces

    Without delay, the soldiers that were about to attack were now kissing the ground. The Time Mage laughed in fear. But, the weight didn''t stop growing. In a couple of shakes, even the tanks were getting crushed. As predicted the civilians were unaffected by the attack.


    Judgment was instantly in effect. But what he had not expected was how strong was the Mage that conjured up this spell. Her Aura was terrifying, to say the least. Wasn''t what he had foreseen. Especially not the next spell.


    "Heed my call! Listen to the people! Their wishes, their dreams. Happiness, faith, hope, strength. Overcome the pain... Coeli Rotam; Die Iudicii! (Heaven''s Wheel; On the day of judgment)" yelled the woman who was on the back of the enormous bird.


    Her voice boomed throughout the battlefield. A huge emblem appeared from underneath and above the area. The radius of the spell was so substantial Raiyen was unable to see where the edges of the circular emblem were at. The emblems started spinning rapidly.


    Only an abundance of light devoured the area. Without his Time Pocket Skill, the Time Mage would''ve been done for.


    "Raiyen?!" yelled out his partner.


    She hopped down from the beast. Both of the creature and Mavislin bore the same expression of bewilderment as they laid eyes on Raiyen. The Time Mage was relieved to finally be able to find someone he was familiar in the desolated land.


    "Mav?! That was your move?" asked Raiyen.


    He didn''t get the answer he expected, but what he desired as she jumped from Fluffy and into his arms.


    "What''s the occasion?" mumbled the confused Time Boy as he returned the hug.


    There was something prevalent within Mavislin''s eyes. Something was peculiar. What had transpired during the 600 years Raiyen had skipped?


    "World War two," she replied, solemnly.


    "There are two?!"


    She nodded. By the time, the rest had caught up to us. Ysabeau had her mouth covered as she recognized the Time Mage in the distance. Baldwin looked flabbergasted as he approached the partners. Z rushed up to Mavislin to see if she was alright, completely missing the Time Mage.


    "Alive, check?"


    Classic Z when his mind was in a flurry, thought Raiyen. The Lost Mage glanced at the Time Mage with a hint of suspicion.


    "Why are you in Germany?" asked Z.


    "I''m not meant to be over here?" replied Raiyen with another question.


    Where was he supposed to be? Silence fell on the group until a certain Mage had to be violent.


    "Why are you here?! Some kind of prank?!" roared Baldwin, hurling a punch at Raiyen.


    The founder of the Vigilante broke no sweat in dodging the incoming attack by the Dark Mage.


    "Hold up, Angry Man! 600 years into the future... And you are nevertheless this angry," replied Raiyen, panting.


    "Get a hold of yourself, Baldwin. Have you forgotten what Mage he is?" commanded Mavislin.


    The adolescent boy shuddered at her words. Since when her words sounded this ruthless? Raiyen looked at Mavislin with trepidation. He felt something was distinctive. She maintained the consistent authoritative voice as Ysabeau back in his time.


    "Fair enough," murmured Baldwin.


    "Bad enough we''ve lost a quarter of our armies. We don''t need you to provoke any fights of your accord. Have I made myself clear?!" bellowed Mavislin.


    The Dark Mage saluted out of habit. He was hesitant as he gave another glance towards the Time Mage.


    "Accordingly, uh, where is Gillian?" asked Raiyen, scratching his head out of the unpleasant situation.


    "USSR."


    Raiyen seemed confused at that answer but nodded along with it. He would probably figure it out next time.


    "So, where''s the current me?"


    "Singapore. You are in charge of Asian ground."


    "Even Asia is under siege?"


    "That''s why its called ''World War'', mate."


    "Well, this matter aside, we''ve got problems of our own. Ysabeau, I trust in your judgment," said Mavislin, offering an appreciative smile towards Ysabeau.


    Ysabeau nodded and quickly hopped onto Fluffy''s back. The duo then took it to the skies to continue the fighting.


    "Baldwin, I am placing you at the front lines with the Knights. Don''t let me down, Angry Man. If I find your Knights are not up to standard, I''ll personally see to all of their execution. Got it?" asked Mavislin, looking hostile towards Baldwin.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll utilize them as bait if I desire it," replied Baldwin, summoning his coal-black horse.


    The horse looked like a mirage of some sorts. It was hollow, made out of ashes and pure Dark Elements instead of flesh. The Head Knight rode off into the far end of the area, leaving a trail of Dark Elements in his tracks.


    "Z and Raiyen, you are following me. I''ll let the Pillars continue battle here," authorized Mavislin, as she summoned her wings.

 Chapter 42 - The Ark Of Ashley

    "Who are you?" asked the Time Mage, hands instinctively on his twin daggers.


    "No one special. Just someone who has come to kill the Mage who burnt the mob," said the stick man, as he drew out an unfamiliar weapon.


    Raiyen was shocked, that weapon was still a rarity. Not only that, it had no scope at all. It came from his back. It was a long metal pipe connected to a few more metal parts and a wooden end. The man then aimed it towards the Time Mage.


    "Duck!" shouted another voice, as the weapon fired.


    "I can''t believe I would ever have to face against a sniper rifle," said Raiyen as he pushed the Valkyrie onto the grass.


    "A sniper rifle?" asked the Valkyrie, shaken.


    "It''s another weapon. It can kill by using powder to launch a metal thing out from that barrel at fast speeds and power."


    "And I hoped to see you again, White Rat," replied the stick man, looking at the trees.


    "Ashley. I told you, we have to work with them. Not kill them," replied Minwoo, hoping down from the trees.


    "I''m quite impressed. How your thick skull could ever figure out to ally with them, is beyond my comprehension. Working with the mafia is fine, but with the Mages..."


    The stick man shook his head and scoffed. He then glared at the two children.,


    "Is akin to being insane."


    With that as a reply, Ashley leaped and fired a few good shots at the kids. His reloading speed surprised Minwoo as he tried running from Ashley''s sights.


    The Valkyrie had summoned up her wings as she tried to dodge the new weapon''s range. Though some shots landed at her wings, she did not feel any pain. The bullets merely bounced off.


    Raiyen, on the other hand, had summoned up his daggers as he tried to kill the mysterious man. He ended up deflecting most bullets.


    "Why do you protect them so much, Minwoo?" asked Ashley, pointing the gun at his old friend.


    "They are just children."


    "They are killers."


    "She did because she was scared. You would, everyone''s done that before."


    "I did it because I want to rise the ranks. I didn''t do it because I was afraid."


    "That doesn''t justify anything. You are a killer as well, so if you punish them for their crimes makes you a hypocrite."


    Ashley laughed as he aimed his rifle right at Minwoo''s head. And then proceeded to c.o.c.k the gun and reloading a single bullet.


    "But I kill criminals. Not innocent people. Sorry, White Rat, your reign is over," said Ashely as he pulled the trigger.


    As another gunshot followed, Minwoo squeezed his eyes tightly. But when he reopened them, he was amazed to find himself covered by Mavislin.


    "No hurting..." mumbled the Valkyrie as she fully unleashed her wings.


    Her eyes were blazing orange while her hands were trying to form another new spell. They trembled as an orange and black swirl started forming in her hands.


    "Of my family!" yelled the fierce Valkyrie as the new weapon appeared in her hands.


    The shockwave of the new weapon nearly tossed the Time Mage off balance. But Ashley remained indifferent as he reloaded his sniper rifle. Minwoo looked concerned.


    A huge bow laid in her hands, black as night as she held it up to an attacking stance. It had intricate carvings and designs, similar to a dragon''s tail. Its string was just a long stream of Fire. Using another hand, she conjured up a single arrow.


    "That weapon is ranged, right?" asked Mavislin, her eyes unblinking.


    Both Minwoo and Raiyen nodded. She then smiled as her Elemental Aura reached dangerous heights.


    "Ma taught me how to do Archery. But I never thought I would use it. I''m not good at aiming. But I don''t think that would be a problem if I have Magecraft," said Mavislin, slowly putting the arrow on the bow.


    "Don''t be so dependant on your ''Magecraft''. A bow is still a bow. It will never win against a gun," smirked Ashley as he began to aim at the Valkyrie.


    "Let''s see, shall we?" asked Mavislin, producing a terrifying grin.


    As she launched the first shot, Ashley could not foresee how much damage could that thin arrow do. He was lucky as he managed to dodge the first shot. As he fired more shots, the ammo had run out.


    "Damn it," cursed Ashely as he looked at the oncoming shot.


    He was desperate as he tried to find the extra bullets in his shoe. But it was too late as Mavislin delivered a massive shot.


    "Ignis Sagitta (Fire Arrow)," whispered the young girl, releasing the bow.


    Ashely was lucky that he had abnormal reflexes, or else he would''ve been done for. The arrow completely disintegrated his sniper rifle.

 Chapter 43 - Diary Of A Young Girl

    Z produced a massive bubble of water for him to move around.


    "Time Boy, I said you are with me," she stated, once more.


    "Coordinates?"


    "Amsterdam, ten minutes," she replied.


    "Consider it accomplished, Mav," said the Time Mage, as he opened a mini Time Frame.


    As they got to the area, Raiyen was considerably astonished. The entire area looked like a ghost town. No one was out. In times of crisis, it was normal for civilians to persist in being inside. But by far this was too drastic.


    There was a huge difference between scared and dead. The streets were the result of people being afraid to come out or simply because the residents there were already gone. Both answers gave scarcely to no comfort to the Time Mage as the three regrouped.


    "So, what''s the plan?" asked Raiyen as Mavislin landed.


    "Patrol."


    As they looked around, Z identified something odd with a particular building. Massive trucks were about to pull up at that the house. Raiyen dashed into the building without missing a beat. There was no mistake; they were rounding up the people inside. Z swayed his head as Mavislin yelled.


    "Damn it!" yelled Mav, swiftly following the Time Boy.


    Z caught up with Mavislin as she tried reprimanding the Time Boy. Raiyen was shocked as he recognized the family that was about to be rounded up. The shock increased as he managed to lay eyes on the most junior girl. Raiyen had examined her book, her diary before.


    It was unknowingly lucky to have read the book when he was experimenting with Time Ripper. It turns out that pulling out random objects from the Void was not such an extravagant idea. However, it might narrowly save the family and situation before him.


    If Raiyen recalled correctly, only the father would be able to survive the concentration camps. All but one out of the eight will come back alive. If he was able to send them away to another protected place, it might preserve their lives...


    "And don''t tamper with what you shouldn''t!"


    Mavislin''s words from the night punched through his mind as Raiyen smacked himself on the forehead. What the hell was he thinking?! He can''t undertake that! One of the reasons why the Diary Of A Young Girl became so popular was due to the war. Because the author had died as a developing child, forever stuck in the remnants of war.


    Her father published his daughter''s book to fulfill the wishes of his perished child. A father will wish for nothing but the best for his children. The least he could do was make her last dying wish come true. To unveil the world on how children get affected by war.


    A mighty bang sprung Raiyen out of his deep thoughts. He looked at Mavislin, who was quite pissed at him.


    "Get them to safety!" yelled Z, as he stood behind the door.


    He understood the situation. Mavislin showed hesitance as she hastily formed a defense stance. 600 years, she had still been hesitant. Z then conjured up an illusion, Void''s Emergence. The ability to generate anything out of nothing but the Mage''s imagination.


    "I can buy us some time. Get them away from this place!" commanded Z.


    "There''s no way out!" wailed the woman.


    The children began crying out of fear. Mavislin thought hard for a solution. With fighter planes above their heads, there was no way she could allow them to escape via the roof. Underground was not an option. Mavislin knew Raiyen was unable to perform such a big Time Teleportation, ruling out most of her plans.


    "Shall we eradicate them?" asked Raiyen.


    The Time Mage took out Heaven Sent and Hell Bent, ready to unleash them towards the soldiers. Z was nevertheless containing the door as Mavislin was about to draw out her Elements. There was no choice; the partners knew that well. However, a firm hand landed on the partners'' shoulders.


    "Don''t," he spoke, eyes weighing heavily.


    "What do you mean?" asked Mavislin.


    "Even if you take down these soldiers, will you be suited to take down the ones that come after?" he questioned.


    "We can handle them all," said Raiyen, boldly.


    Even if it was a time skip, the Time Mage''s ability was skilled enough to finish off an armada of enemies.


    "Don''t worry, we are more resilient than we look," she answered, giving a confident smile.


    But the man sighed and shook his head. The Valkyrie''s smile dissipated as it was replaced with worry and confusion. The illusion that Z had generated was starting to flicker; it was reaching its limit. Time was not on their side for the day.


    "What I suggested was, are you guys willing to shoulder the numerous lives that you are going to take?"

 Chapter 43 - The Ark Of Assessing The Valkyrie

    Meanwhile, just after the kids had left, the a.d.u.l.ts were still on the topic of training the kids. With Z going in-depth about Mavislin''s performance. But of course, there was no mention of the mixed attack Z had to deal with. And Z was hoping to never reveal that.


    "So, what do you want to know about the training for that young Valkyrie?" asked Z, rubbing his head through his outrageously curly hair.


    Baldwin''s golden fringe had been originally tied up but was now free to dangle, covering his eyes. Gillian remained still, his gaze was hard to read. Ysabeau was the only one capable of breaking the silence.


    "Was she afraid?"


    "She was, at some points. She wasn''t scared or anything, until the last part. It was as if she''s holding back," replied Z.


    "She is just a child after all."


    "A Child Of Valokia is no ordinary thing to behold, you know."


    "I guess that''s an effect from being raised by us for the past couple of years," said Baldwin, looking away.


    "A few hundred years of being with Mages, never really fighting against each other. I guess she would rather see you as a family member."


    "Her power does not falter me, so that''s a bit of a problem. Her potential is at an exponential rank, but she still needs experience. It''s the same as handing a gun to a baby. If she gets more training, she''d be able to be on par as Old Man Pond''s power."


    "Let''s hope she won''t have to face the burden of facing that disgusting Mage head on alone."


    "Then again, you can''t control fate. You can''t keep cushioning her. At times, she would have to fight alone frequently. On a positive note, however, her main power can prove to be well-versed. Amalgamation Of Elements. The more Elements she learns, the more she can wield."


    "Does Lost Elements count?"


    Baldwin seemed hopeful towards the information he had just heard.


    "Nope, unfortunately. Unless she''d managed to be like Gillian, it will be highly unlikely she would be able to wield Lost Elements. And even if she was able to, her mind would be shattered."


    "But somehow or rather, she can copy spells as soon as she sees how the spell functioned. I thought she could harness the power of the stars, but the spell got negated right after a single attack. I''ve told her not to rely on such tactics in real combat."


    "We''ve told her bunch of times not to do that..."


    Before Gillian could continue, they felt Mavislin''s Elemental Aura surge upwards. The four of them barged out the door, just in time to witness Mavislin destroying a human.


    In a fit of rage, the stick man had switched to using brute force. His training from Baron Tuazon was not futile as he could match up to Mavislin''s physical endurance.


    "I can''t lose to a monster!" yelled Ashley, allowing his anger to blind him.


    Mavislin was undeterred at the man as she continued to block his assaults. She then had enough of this childish bantering. And decided to draw her bow, right in front of her opponent''s face.


    "If I''m this close, then I won''t miss, right?" asked Mavislin, with a proud smile.


    "Wait!" yelled Ysabeau as she tried to stop Mavislin.


    The child instantly stopped her advance and dropped the human. She then looked at her mother with pleading eyes.


    "But why?"


    "Because you aren''t allowed to. He''s an ally to Minwoo, so we need him to build back the relationship between Mages and Humans," explained Ysabeau.


    She ruffled the girl''s hair. Mavislin smiled as she hugged Ysabeau.


    "And when did I say that killing humans is okay?'' asked Ysabeau, with a voice as stern as a mother.


    Mavislin pouted and looked down. Minwoo rushed towards Ashley to help him out.


    "Let''s try not to anger anyone else, eh?" asked Minwoo, to his old pal.


    "So, there are Mages who are that powerful..."


    Minwoo shot a questioning look to Ashley.


    "The reports from the villagers complained that a child had killed the entire mob. I wouldn''t believe them. That''s why I challenged these kids. But, she did prove me wrong, that she is powerful in combat."


    "I''ve already warned you that she''s not human! So why on earth did you go after her?!" shouted Minwoo, as he thought twice about asking Ashley for help.


    "I could not accept that a child could kill without mercy," replied Ashley, getting up.


    "So why''d you start the fight then?'' asked Minwoo, utterly confused.


    "I wanted to see it for myself. The little girl who was powerful enough to kill the village with no reason at all."


    Raiyen scoffed as he swayed his head in dismay at the duo.


    "Don''t make me laugh."

 Chapter 44 - Which Would You Choose?

    "They are not innocent! Killing an entire group of people just because some mustache man said they were evil is unjustifiable!" yelled Mavislin.


    Raiyen was taken aback, he had never witnessed the Valkyrie lose her temper before. Sure, she was playfully punching people or hurling a tree or two. But she was never violent with her words, to Raiyen''s current knowledge.


    Was she always like this? Or had something happened within those 600 years difference? The Time Mage could only inwardly ask himself as the situation before him increased the stress levels in the room.


    "And killing all these soldiers is?" he retorted back.


    "They are merely soldiers. They are just following orders. They are performing this because they have no choice. Defy, and they will suffer. Tell me, which would you choose?" interrogated the man.


    That question yielded no proper answer, both would be taking lives. There was right or wrong when it came to deciding on the battlefield. If one were to kill for the sake of protecting and sparing others, it would nonetheless appoint the person as a killer no matter what.


    A life is a life, no matter how evil or cruel the being was. On one hand, it would seem honorable to save the more vulnerable ones. But on the other hand, it would be unreasonable for the enemies'' family. And the worst, the enemies possessed no clue that they were being manipulated into doing such acts.


    That was how the charismatic Chancellor of Germany manipulated the Germans. By preying on the fears and confusion of civilians, the Chancellor was able to generate the fears into loyalty by pushing the blame on the most prosperous people in war-torn Germany.


    Using fear as a factor to execute the innocent, it was a disgusting fact. Soldiers slowly turned into killers after constant orders of slaughter. The line between protection and cruelty starts blurring as the soldiers carry on with their daily routines.


    The man who dared to challenge Mavislin. His eyes captured the look of a spent soldier. One who claimed many lives just for the sake of protecting others. He was guilty, as liable as the soldiers that were about to capture the family.


    He took friends away. He slew fathers. He eliminated countless others. In the same sense, it was scarcely reasonable for the ancient soldier to submit to fate now. He will eternally be haunted by those who begged for their lives. He knew this matter vividly.


    Raiyen knew about this fairly well. His history was filled with wars. It wasn''t all peace or tranquility. No one could enjoy such a privilege. It is only through war that people would be able to triumph and continue.


    Mavislin bit her lip. The fact that all those soldiers were killing was for the sake of protecting others. It sent unwanted chills and memories through the Valkyrie. Raiyen glanced at the children. They were terrified.


    "I''m scared," uttered the youngest one.


    He never thought she was this terrified. Mavislin was scared at times, but never this. She wasn''t intimidated of the soldiers or the man before her. She was scared of something else. No, she wasn''t even scared. Not terrified. Not angry. She looked like she recalled her past. The Time Mage''s future.


    She was petrified of her past catching up to her. Moving forward was a remarkable way of coping with the death of loved ones, but what Mavislin did was not exactly advisable. Instead of accepting the past, she was forgetting about it.


    The correct remedy was to cherish the moments, accept the death and move on with a more aggressive mentality. The Valkyrie tried desperately pushing back the memories of her time with Raiyen. She tried moving on, rising the ranks in both title and power. But her heart was in denial.


    "I comprehend what our fate will come to be the moment we open that door. It''s adequate, I''m prepared for it. What I did was unforgivable, and that''s why I forgive them since most won''t," replied the old soldier, bravely.


    Z looked down. Raiyen surveyed the room, at all of the children''s faces. Mavislin clasped the young child''s hands. The similar eyes that Raiyen had encountered her earlier in the day. But it was however altered from the one he enjoyed in his current memory.


    Something dark was behind them. Something was off. At the time, Raiyen had no idea who was the woman standing before him. But this did not mean he was unsure of how to handle the situation happening currently.


    Raiyen crouched onto the ground, just in front of the frightened little girl. He was presently looking up at the young girl. He briefly closed his eyes. When he looked at the girl, his eyes bore a look of happiness. Mavislin was worried about what the Time Mage would respond.

 Chapter 44 - The Ark Of Venom

    "Pardon?" asked Minwoo, raising his eyebrows.


    "She killed without mercy, but not without reason," chimed Raiyen, looking at Ashley in disapproval.


    "What reason she had to take so many lives at one go?" questioned Ashley.


    Mavislin got behind Ysabeau, hugging her parental figure tightly as she was running away from the humans'' gaze.


    "Wanna know the truth?" asked Raiyen, with a hint of anger as he folded his arms.


    His Aura flared when he stared at the two humans.


    "Your kind tried to kill an innocent child. Just because of hearsay."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Abigail Esther Noble. The first Mage to be killed by hearsay."


    Baldwin froze as he heard those words coming out from the Time Mage''s mouth. Minwoo and Ashley glanced at each other. The name sounded very familiar.


    "Yes, she is quite infamous. But we don''t side with our kind in that situation," explained Minwoo.


    "Yet your partner over there is fine with killing a child," said Raiyen, with sass.


    "Oi! Doesn''t mean that I approve of it!" yelled Minwoo, furrowing his brows.


    "I didn''t want to kill her..." said Ashley, softly.


    "Are my eyes deceiving me? Isn''t pointing a gun at a child''s head called ''trying to kill her''? Or am I blind when you went trigger happy and started shooting a small child?" asked Raiyen, with venom on his tongue.


    "As I said, I only wanted to know if this girl did kill the villagers."


    "By trying to kill her? What kind of logic is that? You sound so dumb..." replied Raiyen, shaking his head in disbelief.


    "You could have asked us directly. We would have said yes."


    "How would I know that you won''t hide the truth?"


    "It''s better than firing the first shot."


    Ashley looked down in silence.


    "So, what were you going to do after you killed her? Parade around with her dead body, like what you did to Abi before putting her on the stake? Or you were about to cut open her skull?"


    "Have you got the balls to flaunt after you''ve killed a child? Is that what you are after? The title of ''child-killer''?"


    Raiyen''s questions were laced with poison as he continued to mentally abuse the poor stick man.


    "Think twice before you try to harm any Mage now. Even if she hasn''t got words to say it, you''ll bet that there are others out there willing to stand up for her. Don''t think just because she can''t express her pain in words mean that she''s okay with all this."


    "You''ve seen her in action. There are many other Mages out there as powerful as her. It was the villagers who pushed her to her limit, allowing her powers to come at them in full force. And I bet you, she was still up for another round of burning."


    "Because once you make a Valkyrie upset, I can guarantee you that you are as good as dead. Since they have quite a hard time controlling their feelings and tempers. So next time, tread lightly when it comes to us Mages. We were holding back."


    "But that doesn''t explain why Mavislin was targetted. From what I recall, the couple did not allow her to harm any humans. So why did the villagers attacked?" asked Minwoo.


    "Abi was Mavislin''s best friend," replied Baldwin, looking at the Time Mage for confirmation.


    Ysabeau looked horrified as she hugged the poor girl closer. The a.d.u.l.ts had not known what went down at Abi''s grave. Z remained indifferent as he allowed the family to deal with the matter.


    "Then my assumptions were right. Since Mavislin was Abigail''s friend, the villagers had tried to kill Mavislin when she was at Abi''s grave. I was there for a bit to save her," explained Raiyen, giving a cold, hard glare to Ashley.


    "Surprising, isn''t it? To know that your kind is so pathetically mindless. They would do anything to fit into the crowd. If one says that a little girl is a monster, then all will follow suit. If that''s the case," said Raiyen, walking up towards the two humans.


    Minwoo looked worried but stood his ground as he met with Raiyen''s intense gaze. Ashley, on the other hand, was still in shock. It was taking a few moments for him to process the big revelation for him.


    "Why don''t you all just kill yourself? It would be such a great help if humans did that. Us Mages could have the entire planet for ourselves. We only need the land. We don''t need the occupants."


    Raiyen gripped onto Minwoo''s collar with a strong grasp. The Time Mage''s face remained blank as he continued to lift the man and choke him. Even though Raiyen had smaller built than Minwoo, it was the White Rat struggling to breathe.

 Chapter 45 - People Are Still Truly Good At Heart

    "Cherish this. Your body may be gone, but your voice and words will be heard throughout time and the world. Your death will not be for nothing, your words will be echoed across the globe," he whispered towards the scared little thing.


    The child''s eyes lit up.


    "Across the globe?" she repeated, with life.


    As a rush of adrenaline shot through the Time Boy, Raiyen abruptly sprung back up to a standing position.


    "Corrento-Mundo! Even Asia will know about your story, your diary. Don''t lose hope. Never lose hope. You are right, you inevitably have been. Your belief that everyone harbors goodness within their hearts, is correct."


    Raiyen next went towards the young girl''s ear and muttered words confirming his status as a Time Mage.


    " ''I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are still truly good at heart.''."


    The adolescent girl''s eyes widen. She has not presented anyone her writings yet, so how could some stranger know something as private as that? Especially that particular line. It was the ultimate thing she had recorded down onto her precious Kitty, the name of her diary.


    "Well, so much for not tampering with Time," said Raiyen, providing his signature ''I''ve-goofed-up'' smile.


    "Expect a long lecture from me, Child of Time," scolded Mavislin, reassuming her stance.


    "High Queen, awaiting orders," announced Z.


    The Time Mage''s eyes widened. Last he checked, Raiyen was sure that Ysabeau held the titled of High Queen.


    "Let them in," ordered the current High Queen.


    "What the hell?! Raiyen mentioned that the girl was going to be famous, how could you permit the soldiers to come in?!" yelled Z.


    "If we save them, there will be a chance that her diary doesn''t get published at all!" shouted Raiyen.


    "Well, this ain''t better!"


    "If we tamper with this crucial moment, we might end up screwing things over for the future. I''m not taking that chance," argued Raiyen, looking elsewhere.


    "But!"


    "Enough! This is my decision, and it is final!" boomed the High Queen.


    Her voice was of authority. Z had no choice but to abide by it. Z acknowledged and saluted the man. She gave a hug towards the child.


    This wasn''t the Mavislin he knew and cared for. It was someone else, a person who was hurt ten times over. Raiyen was wary of depending on the woman before him. Z displayed the same caution.


    "I won''t forget you guys," responded the man, saluting.


    The moment the family unlatched that door, they had already forgotten about the Mages. But there was no way Raiyen or Mavislin would ever omit the soldier''s words. The Mages stood at the side, looking at the family being rounded up. And yet, the kid did not cry.


    On the contrary, she looked ecstatic. The feeling of being trapped in that pathetic excuse of a house. Finally being able to look at the crystalline azure sky once more. The young girl would treat the trip to the concentration camps as a mini sightseeing trip. The final thing in her life which represented happiness.


    "We''ve been through too many wars to even consider forgiveness for those soldiers that would risk their lives to protect and kill many more. In the name of protection, in the name of peace," explained Mavislin, looking down.


    "We''ve taken lives," finished Raiyen, looking at Mavislin''s troubled state.


    She subsequently ordered Raiyen to do something rather odd.


    "Changing history ain''t going to be good," he reasoned as the partners hopped back into that Time Frame once more.


    "Yea, I know."


    "You can''t save them all."


    He informed her as they moved around in secrecy.


    "I''m not going to go against history itself. But at the very least, I can save one to allow her voice to be heard. History said she can''t survive, doesn''t mean there aren''t other ways in saving her," she said, jumping into the action.


    "Maybe I was mistaken. For all one knows, she is still Mavislin," murmured the smiling Time Mage.


    "What was that?" asked Mavislin.


    "Seize her as an accomplice!" shrieked the German soldier.


    They leveled their guns and got primed to fire. A lady in her mid-forties was petrified as she registered what had happened to the family that she had been sheltering.


    "Hold on!" she said, holding up her hands.


    The soldiers looked perplexed. Then, without warning, they opened fire. Mavislin jumped into the line of fire. She took out five golden rings and pitched them towards the soldiers. Raiyen watched in awe as the rings formed into a particular form of a hibiscus.


    "Rugiet. O'' ventus et tonitrua et fulgura. Fan de ferro, flammis perditionis. (Roar. O'' wind of Thunder and Lightning. Fan of steel, flames of perdition.)" chanted Mavislin.


    The rings morphed, each constructing a holographic black petal in its position. As the full spell came into the scene, the soldiers returned using gunfire once more.

 Chapter 45 - The Ark Of Interested In Her

    When the man started to turn purple, Raiyen abruptly threw him away. Minwoo landed on the grass floor with his back. He started coughing, trying desperately to take in oxygen. The Mages had no idea Raiyen could do such a heinous act.


    "Wanna know why? It was Abi''s birthday," added the Time Mage.


    "So, that''s why you were at the cemetery... I was wondering when did you like to wake up early," said Ysabeau, comforting the small child.


    "But I''ll let you all in a secret about me. I was the one who was supposed to capture Mavislin."


    "So, you are a traitor?" asked Minwoo.


    "It''s not counted when I was never on their side, to begin with."


    "Then why were you with the villagers?" asked Baldwin, suspecting the Time Mage.


    "Bounty and food. Whatever it took for me to survive, I was willing to do. The villagers had described her as a giant monster or some creature. So, when I had arrived at the graveyard, I did not expect to see a small girl next to her best friend''s tombstone," explained Raiyen, rubbing the back of his head.


    "So, you immediately ceased your advance?"


    "I did have a small hunch that she would be hostile. But when I took my time to learn about her, teased her for a bit, I decided to shift gears," explained Raiyen.


    "So why''d you side with us?" asked Baldwin.


    "Simple. I''m keen to learn more about that Valkyrie."


    "Don''t you dare touch her!" yelled Ysabeau, hugging the small girl close.


    "If you think that I would be as merciless as humans, think again. I''m interested in her. I would love to be near her, snuggle her with her mountain of plushies and teach her combat skills. Don''t worry, I''m not going to cut her open," said Raiyen, smiling at the small girl.


    Mavislin managed to squeeze out of Ysabeau''s tight hug and dashed towards the Time Mage. He caught her with ease, tickling her and ruffling her hair. Ysabeau looked dejected while Gillian let out an amused laugh. He then turned to Raiyen.


    "So tell me, why are you so interested in our girl?" asked Gillian.


    "Because her powers are beyond my comprehension. It only took her a single spell to decimate the horde."


    "Just one?!" asked Minwoo, seemingly surprised.


    "Not uncommon for her kind," said Gillian.


    "Listen, White Rat. If the a.d.u.l.ts are capable enough to destroy battalions, I think it''s safe to say that a young child could kill quite a number as well," said Baldwin, staring right at Minwoo.


    "If she''s that small and she could destroy the entire village with a single move, just imagine the amount of damage she could do when she grows up? It''ll be amazing. Especially towards a species of people who can''t have a proper vision of ''justice''."


    He then gazed at Ashley and Minwoo.


    "I don''t care for the alliance that you want to make with us. That''s up to the a.d.u.l.t Mages. I only want the Valkyrie to be safe. In such a situation that the Congregation''s gone, the young Mages are the most vulnerable against the terrifying beast of mankind."


    "But do me a favor and make sure you don''t jump onto any more conclusions. I''ll say it once. No more second chances. If I catch any human acting on hearsay, I''ll make sure the human won''t get to hear or say anything ever again. Got it?" warned Raiyen.


    Minwoo saluted after trying his best to gather up the air he had lost. Ashley could only muster a small nod.


    "Come on, it''s my turn to train with Z. Thanks for ruining my playtime with Mavislin," said Raiyen, walking towards the garden behind the Old Chapel.


    The young girl tried to catch up with him by taking flight. They then initiated a race. The a.d.u.l.ts heaved a sigh of relief as Raiyen did not go any further.


    "I think it''s safe to say that Raiyen was holding back. And he didn''t cause too much of a problem," said Z, looking at the two humans.


    "Yea, but I think Ashley needs a timeout for what he''d done and gone through," said Minwoo, helping his buddy up.


    "Are you coming in? Or do you have anything to report to me?" asked Baldwin.


    "Nope, I came here to find Ashley. As for the report, I''ve arrived to tell you about who I have hired. As the Marquess of the Campania, my domain has been fully dealt with and is functioning well. But I have not tried binding the two worlds together just yet."


    "Take your time. We are in no rush. The people you''ve hired?"


    "I will bring them to you after they''ve been confirmed."


    "Make sure these are people who you can trust."

 Chapter 46 - Black Wave Hibiscus

    "Ater Fluctus Hibisco! (Black Wave Hibiscus)" yelled Mavislin.


    Raiyen looked at the spell in wonder. It was majestic, to describe it bluntly. As the flower came up, it rotated with speeds incomprehensible by man. The bullets merely ricocheted off and landed all around.


    "I should try and use this spell shortly," murmured Raiyen as he opened a safe portal out.


    The partners managed to hop out with Miep, amid angry german noises. The woman who saved the family during in times of their crisis. And the person who would make the Diary Of A Young Girl a reality.


    "The rest of her diary is in her room drawer. Take it after we are executed these soldiers," explained the High Queen.


    Miep quickly ran away, after she agreed. The partners next returned to the site to dispose of the soldiers.


    "I thought he briefed you to spare them?" asked Raiyen, brandishing his daggers.


    "Yea, but he did not say for how long. Enemies are, nevertheless, enemies. Also, it doesn''t matter if anyone forgives them or not. If we don''t butcher them quick, other families would fall victim in their hands," explained Mavislin, summoning her iconic whip.


    The whip was not one that Raiyen had recalled. The one he had perceived was nothing compared to the one Mavislin was wielding before him. The whip in current time was significantly more monstrous than the one he encountered. Its flames were more intense than last time.


    Though the whip did not create the crescent-moon shapes in the air, it produced flaming feathers. Those landed on the soldiers, causing them to cry out in agony. The soldiers who stood before them were instantly solely piles of ash.


    "Mav¡­"


    Ruthlessness was what described the person before the Time Mage. Born out of war and raised by hatred. This is the person standing before him, and he had no clue why. He shuddered at the thought of not recognizing why his partner was this unrelenting.


    "Besides, the American Army, as well as Gillian himself. They are all coming to finish the other armies off," she said.


    They looked at the town which was writhing with soldiers tearing apart families, with god knows what reason. Even if there''s such a thing as god.


    "We''ve got no mercy on them, huh?" noted Raiyen as he sat down on the grass.


    She plopped down as well. Hearing the Valkyrie''s stomach rumble, Raiyen took out a bag of cookies.


    "Cookie?" asked Raiyen.


    The mentally exhausted Valkyrie eagerly took a bite from the Time Mage''s hand. He was shocked but continued to chow down on more cookies.


    "The Headmaster won''t be pleased seeing you two like this," commented Z.


    His hands clutched a bottle of whiskey and were wiggling it in front of them. He bestowed a smile and sat down with them. Popping open the cap, Z proceeded to pour out into small glasses he had brought along.


    "Here we are, in the middle of war-torn Europe, sitting down with cookies and a bottle of whiskey," said Mavislin, snatching another bite at the cookies.


    "Shows how much we care about wars," replied Raiyen.


    "It''d been barely latterly that wars started to occur. The human race was proclaiming this war, the ''World Wars''. The first one took place years back, but in between, there were still some trivial fights," explained Z, since Raiyen looked confused.


    "Why''s Gillian going down to the battlefield? He''s not the type to carry out things himself," he asked, shoving a cookie into his mouth.


    I should get Ysabeau to bake more often, thought the Time Mage.


    "They''ve captured his brother," answered Z, eyes listless.


    He did not mention death but they all knew that would be imminent.


    "Don''t mess with the Headmaster," said Mavislin, chugging down the rest of the liquid.


    "Let''s see. 600 years, Angry Man is still angry and Gillian is still the Headmaster. I thought Ysabeau or Z would''ve taken the lead by now," said Raiyen, shrugging.


    "None of us could match up to the being of Akhaten that easily. If we could, then..."


    Z was quickly silenced by the angered Valkyrie. Raiyen raised an eyebrow but mentioned nothing.


    "Well, I''ll be heading back now. See ya," said Raiyen, as he prepared to jump into the Time Frame that he had originated.


    "Wait!"


    He paused. Mavislin ran up to the Time Mage and hugged him from the back.


    "What''s wrong, Mav?" asked Raiyen, turning around to confront her.


    He subsequently returned the hug. Sensing that there was something wrong, Raiyen gingerly stroked the girl''s locks with his slender fingers.


    "Nothing. It''s just..."


    "Just?"


    "Which Time Frame are you from before coming here?" she asked, cautiously.


    "After our first riding lesson," replied Raiyen.


    "The first try with you on the bird or?" she asked, once again.


    A bit too vague, presumed Raiyen.


    "Without."

 Chapter 47 - The Life Of A Time Mage

    With a forehead kiss as a goodbye, he jumped back into his Time Period. Where he would be arriving just in time for supper. With the people of his time, where he would belong.


    This was a day in his eyes, a day of being a Time Mage. And he wasn''t gifted enough to improve anything, not that girl''s fate, not Mavislin''s future. Not his future. He can only bear witness to people''s demise. He can''t alter their fate.


    They say being a Time Mage would be so exciting, powerful. Imagine, the ability to redo mistakes and see what adventures laid ahead. The various worlds, the many people to encounter. The many modern things to encounter. But it isn''t. It''s a curse. It''s not all fun and games, Time Frame Hopping. He had hoped the future would be marvelous. Not hateful. This was his life. It is not whimsical, as most people would think.


    Its like school; in the first place, it looks intriguing. Exciting even. After a while, it gets boring. Subsequently, it gets miserable. The stress would harass those who travel too often. It is the same thing for Time Mages. Their day represents a typical person''s month or even years.


    They hop through time, meeting new friends, savoring unfamiliar sights. But soon, they won''t feel tense, they would start to feel sad. Heartbroken. Some lose their sanity after prolonged trips into Time. Rogue Time Mages would develop a warped sense of justice and start to lose control.


    "Then why do you continue?"


    The words flashed across his mind as he pondered about future events. Affirmative, why couldn''t he stop? Just, stop traveling, stop hurting himself. Sounds like a grand plan. But then again, it would mean he would have to give up his Time Element.


    If a Time Mage stops using Time Frame Hopping for too long, the years that he went through before would start to catch up to him. Since the Time Mage hops through Time, he would retain the age he has been from, despite going into 600 years future.


    If he abruptly stops for a long time, the 600 years would ram him like a truck. When Time Mages move about in Time, they halt their aging process. If they are at the Time Period they were birthed from; they would start to age once more.


    And giving up his Time Element will harbor no good for Raiyen either. The cost of not having the Time Element would be Raiyen not ever existing at all. When a Time Mage loses their Time Element, they would be eradicated from Time itself.


    All the things that the Time Mage has implemented, the friends made, the moments shared... All would be eliminated. Though serious, this won''t tip the balance of Time and History. But the events that the Time Mage altered or partook would be very much affected.


    There was a reason why Time Mages are also known as Children Of Time. They are born out of Time. Made out of Time. Shift that away, and there will be nothing left of the being. And that was why the Time Boy had no choice. This was the life he experienced. And he had to prove to be superior.


    Witnessing the day''s events unfold, that was when he knew, he had to continue. Picturing this, most people would completely give up. Raiyen was not behaving like that. He wants to push on. He wants to see Mavislin raised the ranks to achieve that level of intimidation that he had witnessed today.


    And for that to happen, he needs to be stronger. He had to safeguard her. Not fair if his partner rose up in position and he was omitted, right? His High Queen Mavislin, she won''t forsake her little Time Boy, right?


    As he arrived home to his Time Stream, he went up to Mavislin''s room. She looked stunned, tilting her head. He ran up to her, hugging her. He was overjoyed to see his Mavis again, the one he knew. The one he cared for. The one he desires.


    After a certain Time Mage plunged himself into the Valkyrie''s chest, Mavislin looked at Raiyen lovingly. She ran her slender fingers through his jet black fringe. His brown eyes looked at Mavislin for another second before proceeding to hug her even tighter.


    "Okay, okay. Easy with the hugs. Any more and I would require a new set of bones," laughed Mavislin.


    Raiyen continued cuddling his precious Valkyrie like a bolster. Mavislin sighed as she examined the boy for any injuries.


    "I''m not going anywhere, Time Boy. Had a nightmare?" she asks, patting on the Time Boy''s head.


    Raiyen felt something wet fell from his eyes and onto the bed below them.


    "Yea. I don''t like nightmares," replied Raiyen, looking down.

 Chapter 48 - Jeanette

    Mavislin swung her shield once more, sweat dripping off the side of her forehead. She plunged the monumental metal thing into the ground with a grunt.


    The area she trained in was barren, not a single life flourish around those parts. This made it the pristine area for hardcore training. It was a wearisome journey from the Old Chapel, but worth the trip. No one could be injured as the Valkyrie practiced both her Magecraft and swordsmanship.


    The session with Old Man Pond was a lucky save. Without that mysterious Mage, it would be inconceivable to think that Mavislin could survive the fight. The Valkyrie fathomed that the best.


    She pushed on, day by day. Relentlessly swinging her shield and sword, in an attempt to sharpen her skills as a combatant. She ignored Z''s help. She forbade Raiyen to come along. But then again, she couldn''t predict the mind of a Time Mage.


    Deep in her thoughts and memories, Mavislin failed to see a young, French woman walking towards her.


    "Why do you wield those weapons so recklessly?" inquired a young woman, approaching the Valkyrie calmly.


    Mavislin was vaguely surprised but remained calm. She gripped the twin weapons with increased strength. She then stabbed the invisible sword into the ground and held the shield in a confrontational stance.


    "Because I''m too weak. I''m polishing up my skills as a fighter," replied Mavislin, looking at the woman.


    To her surprise, the French woman wasn''t a woman at all, it was a young girl. Her features were of pure innocence, one that has not seen the fruits of conflict. Her eyes were wine-colored, her hair was blonde. She looked like an angel. She was tall, in terms of her time, but was slightly slimmer than the Valkyrie.


    Though her face looked innocent, the outfit she wore and the glimpse in her eyes disclosed a deadlier secret. Her armor was typical within the Time she lived in. Metal b.r.e.a.s.tplate, two silver gauntlets with matching boots. Her eyes possessed a history of war and conflict as if she had seen battles firsthand.


    "Is it obligatory for others to kill to protect?" queried the girl.


    "There''s no such thing as peace without war."


    "The only way to have peace is to be prepared to forgive."


    "Who are you? And why are you unafraid of me?" asked Mavislin, pointing her sword at the fair maiden.


    Despite the threat, the French girl smiled and extended her hand. Mavislin looked suspicious as she hesitated to take the maiden''s hand.


    "My name is Jeanette d'' Arc," greeted the French girl.


    When Mavislin continued to show trepidation, the fair maiden took out the long pole that was hiding behind her. A huge flag stood before Mavislin.


    "I have seen war. I am unafraid of a young girl in front me," she said, preparing to attack.


    "Don''t mock me. I am no human, certainly not a young girl!" yelled Mavislin.


    As the two lunged at each other, the sound metal clashing reverberated through the wasteland. Mavislin may be fast, but the shield and sword combo were bringing her agility down. In the intervening period, Jeanette had no issues in combat as she used the banner.


    "You''ve got a lot of courage in facing a monster like me," said Mavislin, smiling.


    "The meaning of courage is being afraid yet facing the matter head on. Doing what''s right despite the fear. I am not afraid," announced the young girl, launching herself once more.


    It wasn''t even a proper weapon, yet the banner''s attacks were considered fatal. She manipulated it to both defend from and attack the Valkyrie. But the Mage smiled as she hurled the gigantic shield up into the air. This offered an opening for Jeanette to strike Mavislin, who wielded her sword to parry the attack.


    "Think fast!" yelled Mavislin, grinning.


    The maiden looked perplexed until she took sight of where the shield was heading towards. As the French girl leaped out of harm''s way, Mavislin caught the shield with ease.


    "That worked better than what I had predicted. Thank god those words were not my last," said Mavislin, smiling.


    Jeanette smiled back as she wiped the sweat of her and assumed her stance.


    "Currently, do you understand why I asked if you are unafraid of me?" quizzed Mavislin.


    Jeanette merely shook her head, the same gentle smile never leaving her face. Mavislin made a mental note to check if her face was alright.


    "And here I thought I was the crazy one. Looks like we are both young girls at heart," remarked Jeanette.


    "Whelp. No fun in maturing if you can''t act young sometimes."


    Mavislin smiled slightly as she places her weapons down. Sprawling on out the parched ground, the Valkyrie yawned and beckoned Jeanette to join her.


    "You sure?"


    "Well, you can continue standing."

 Chapter 49 - Falling Out From The Sky

    The French girl sat beside Mavislin.


    "Do you think I am rational?" asked Mavislin, absent-mindedly twirling her fingers.


    "It is considered unwise to judge a book by its cover. But truth to be told, you don''t strike me as a normal human," replied Jeanette.


    "And the reason is?"


    "The look in your eyes. They hold more conflict than I''ve ever gone through. Your combat skills, they dwarf the skilled gladiators that I''ve known and fought alongside with," explained the French girl.


    "But do the conflicts and experience define who we truly are?"


    Jeanette took a deep breath, closing her eyes for just a moment. She turned and smiled. It wasn''t a grin, a smirk or of happiness. It was a genuine, gentle and tender smile. She then tousled the young Valkyrie''s hair.


    "It''s not the age or the past that a being has gone through. What matters is the person you chose to be."


    "I guess I''m not cut out to be a rational being or perfect person," conveyed the Valkyrie, hugging her legs towards her chest.


    "Is that why you wanted to polish up your skills so eagerly?"


    "I was too weak back then. My people died because I was not courageous enough to carry out decisions and fight."


    "You don''t have to waste time dwelling in the past when there is so much more to experience in the present time."


    "I''m not good enough with my weaponry. My skills are nowhere near perfect compared to my peers or foes. If I could be perfect, then..."


    The Valkyrie''s words were cut short by Jeanette enveloping her, much to Mavislin shock. The young girl gave a sad look before softly saying a few words which stick with the Valkyrie for the years to come.


    "You shouldn''t strive for perfection. What you should be consistently aiming for is to strive for your best."


    Mavislin smiled weakly, letting out a self-mocked laugh. Why was she worried about being perfect? What was the reason for wielding the shield in her hands? It wasn''t to be perfect. No, the answer was clear now.


    The Valkyrie was training so hard because she considered her skills as a Mage to be not enough to protect those she cared for.


    "You''re right. No point dwelling in the past. But the point still stands, I need to be able to stronger than what I am now."


    "There''s no shame in upgrading your skills as a warrior. But do not lose sight of what your main goal is."


    The serene atmosphere was broken the sound of a screaming Time Mage, plummeting down from the sky.


    "What in God''s name is that?!" yelled Jeanette, jumping out of harm''s way.


    "Perhaps next time, we could use some sort of a proper vehicle or something," murmured a young girl, who stood behind the confused Time Mage.


    The young girl had a small physique. Her eyes were like droplets from the ocean, the bluest of blue. Her auburn hair was adorned with precious jewels and a purple tiara. Her gown made sure to inform others that she was of royalty status. Mavislin huffed in disgust while Jeanette remained vigilant.


    "As I said, I am not a Time Traveller. I''m merely agreeing to complete this because I owe you."


    "Or is it because of my unique charm?" flirted the foreign girl.


    The girl batted her eyelids and rubbed her shoulders with Raiyen''s back. This earned a glare from Mavislin.


    "Sorry but I''ve got someone else in my mind."


    "Oh come on! I''m a princess, won''t you want a girl of my riches?"


    "One trip was what I promised and one trip is all you are going to get."


    Mavislin decided to make herself known to the two bickering before her. By using the only item in her hands, she stabbed the shield into the earth. This shook the ground, causing the princess to nearly fall.


    "Watch what you are doing, commoner!" yelled the flirtatious foreigner.


    "So much for forbidding you from following me," said Mavislin, completely ignoring the feisty princess beside Raiyen.


    Raiyen looked at Mavislin with confusion. He scanned around, seemingly lost.


    "What do you mean?" asked the Time Mage.


    "Oi, don''t ignore me!" cried out the princess.


    "Can it, you whore of Babylon," scolded Mavislin, effectively shutting the whiny princess up.


    "I told you not to follow me during my private training. But, here you are," said Mavislin, sighing heavily.


    Raiyen wanted to protest but he decided not to as she would figure it out later on. The problems with being a Time Mage. Rule number one, make sure to remember promises from the past when coming from the future.


    It was on top of what had happened that Mavislin realized something seemed off. Raiyen was not wearing his battle gear. Sure, he had a couple of clothes that were out of the Time Period, but this was way off.

 Chapter 49 - The Ark Of Monody

    "I''ll take that as a yes," said Z, looking at the way Mavislin held her whip.


    As Mavislin continued to destroy the attacks, Z found it hard to imagine this was the same small child that had a mountain of plushies in her room. The way she moved, the way she held her whip and defended herself. Those moves were not inexperienced at all.


    She was completely a different person once she entered the battlefield. Her moves were smooth and agile. Stable but she could also catch the Time Boy off guard. As if her body danced to the rhythm of battle.


    "I''ve never thought he would lose control," replied the Valkyrie, destroying a ball of Electric.


    "This is usually the result of being a Time Mage. Not only he is draining out his Elemental Energy, but he is also using his life force to power the spells," explained Z, dodging a few more spells.


    Despite his chubby appearance, Z was agile. Like Mavislin, he was dodging attacks with ease and propelling his own body up into the sky with just one hand.


    "What do you mean by life force?"


    "He is taking the years of his life to supply and make up for the lack of Elemental Energy he needs for the spells. In other words, he is aging quicker than us when using strong spells."


    Mavislin looked at the man in horror.


    "What type of Magecraft is that?!" she exclaimed, dodging another blast.


    "It''s not a type. If the Mage is desperate enough, they can take away years of their future to make sure the spell functions properly. It''s called ''Using your Lifeforce''," explained Z.


    "The days that never came, the moments that never were," she murmured as she looked at Raiyen.


    She knew she had to end the fight soon, even Z was beginning to waver. He was unable to finish the battle without killing the young boy, which was a huge hurdle on his part. Mavislin stood still as she allowed her Aura to flare up.


    "Let the light flow. Let the dark fade. Divine punishment descends from the heavens. Overturn this spell for this land to strive and flourish once again..." chanted Mavislin, as she closed her eyes.


    Streams of golden light were being brought from the area and towards the Valkyrie, but there was something out of the norm. As the golden light got absorbed, the Valkyrie''s fingers were laced with black streams instead.


    "What are you doing?!" yelled Z, as he took down another Flashbang.


    As he witnessed Mavislin, he couldn''t help but remember the good old days., Days that the Mages spent carefree. When the conversion of Elements was allowed. When it was used to defeat the Husks, all those years back.


    She was converting her power. The streams of black soon morphed into a circular shape, still be controlled by her hands. Gillian took a peek at the battle. He realized the shape of the shield was making the same emblem that what she had conjured up in the tryouts.


    The Emblem of Valokia. Only those who were born there could ever come up with that symbol. The mark of the mightiest race in the Universe. Z was impressed. Since when was the young girl able to perform such a conversion?


    Unlike the usual conversion, Water to Ice, she performed a Contradictory Conversion, converting Light to Dark. Baldwin looked from the porch, while the couple was still in the Old Chapel. It was a huge jump, which could mean that she was finally embracing her true self.


    No more hiding. No more nightmares. No more deceiving herself. She finally dared to understand who she was and use it to her advantage. But the next question was the spell.


    Each Mage has spells that they have learned and spells that they have made. Common Spells, ones that can be taught are usually small spells. Spells like Negation, Combining Elements, and Cascada were all trivial spells for new Mages.


    Origin Spells, ones that a Mage invented, are like Ultimates. Those cannot be taught, copied or handed down. Spells like Raiyen''s Radiant storm, Z''s Aegis and Mavislin''s Fire Feather Whip are all examples of Origin Spells.


    The spell that Mavislin was currently conjuring was dangerous for one reason. It was a spell being created right then and there. No one knew if it was an Origin Spell or a Common Spell.


    "Heaven''s Wheel Alter: Monody!" yelled the Valkyrie, hurling a flurry of attacks towards the Time Mage.


    A tune was made. A melody. The circular shield was now shining brightly as it produced an infinite number of black, smoky arrows, all aimed towards the Time Mage. Raiyen finally managed to snap out of his frenzy as he faced with the opposing spell head-on.


    "Crap."

 Chapter 50 - Raiyen Against Mavislin

    His hair had grown significantly. His face was much older, with some facial hair peeping out. The way he talked sounds a bit more mature than the last time Mavislin had seen him. The clothes he was wearing baffled the two women in front of him.


    An oversized, black, blue and pink gradient, Off-White hoodie hung over his small physique. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt underneath. This was paired with some skinny jeans. And some very white shoes with matching laces.


    His weapons were nowhere to be seen, as usual. This troubled Jeanette as she wasn''t able to determine what kind of enemy she was about to face.


    The difference in clothes and tone did not hinder the Valkyrie. These new features were all unknown to Mavislin, but she pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind. After all, how could she blame the Time Mage from what he loves doing the most?


    There he goes again. Poking the unknown with his bony fingers.


    "This means I can''t tamper much within this trip. You said you wanted to meet the Maiden of Orleans?" asked Raiyen, looking at the girl beside him.


    His voice was snappy. He wanted nothing to do in this particular Time Period. He did not want to beat around the bush, especially he could risk the fact of meeting himself from the past. Or worse, changing the future of his past self.


    The foreign girl beside him was on a completely different page as she took her own sweet time to look around. Her eyes fell on Mavislin. She turned her head away in disgust. Disheveled clothes, bruises and dirt-covered from head to toe.


    Compared to the foreign girl, Mavislin looked like a peasant, despite the fact the Valkyrie was well-to-do. Jeanette stood away from the conversation, unwilling to be judged by the girl who fell from the sky.


    "That''s the girl?! She looks absurd!" yelled the young girl, pointing at Mavislin.


    The Valkyrie did not think lightly of the foreign girl. The annoying royal girl was starting to piss Mavislin off. The situation would about to turn ugly if Raiyen remained silent. He needed to find a way to appease the angered Valkyrie, otherwise, it would be a mess.


    "Uhh... Wrong one. It is the one wielding the massive banner," murmured Raiyen.


    His attempt to alleviate the situation before Mavislin could claim another life was futile. The young girl craned her neck to see the waving French girl. Jeanette gave a slight wave before replacing a small smile with an anxious look on her porcelain face.


    Despite the small greeting, Mavislin, nevertheless, decided to launch an attack. The shield was mere inches away from the foreign girl''s face. If hadn''t been Glitch, the girl would be sent to the next Solar System via Lord Atlantia.


    Raiyen''s daggers may be small, but its defense was up to par when faced with Mavislin''s large metal Ancient Relic. With a single strike, Mavislin was able to denote Raiyen''s current skill level in Magecraft.


    If she was about to get into a fight with this version of Raiyen, then she would have to step up her game. It would be the same as fighting with Z with full strength.


    "How dare you strike at me?! Can''t your eyes see I am of royalty?" commanded the foreign girl.


    "Can''t your eyes see I don''t give a damn?" retorted Mavislin, bashing the poor Time Mage away with ease.


    Raiyen was flung towards the remote end of the plains but did not stay down for long. The Time Mage was pumped up, it had been years since he had a showdown with Mavislin. Though for her, it had been only a few days she bid goodbye to the rest of the group.


    "Mav, you don''t have to be extremely angry with the princess..." pleaded Raiyen as he faced off with the metal shield.


    "What makes you think so?" asked Mavislin, bestowing a devious smile.


    Raiyen continued his assaults on the shield after shaking his head in disbelief. A few weak slashes on the shield proved to have no effect the Valkyrie. Mavislin smiled as Raiyen''s attacks were of desperation.


    "How long has it been since you saw me?" asked Mavislin, holding the shield up.


    "About a hundred years, why?"


    "It seems that you have neglected the prime aspect of my Ancient Relic," smirked Mavislin as she planted the shield into the ground.


    The Time Mage sensed the increased of Elemental Energy emitted from the Valkyrie. Before the fierce wind could engulf him, he glitched away to a further distance.


    "All waves rise and become my shield. Lord Atlantia," chanted Mavislin, as the metal shield was teeming with blue Elemental Aura.


    Mavislin aimed the shield to point in the Time Mage''s direction and prepared to launch an attack.

 Chapter 51 - Fighting Fairly

    Raiyen could only compare the stance to a person getting ready to fire a cannon.


    "Turbinis Vasti! (The Huge Storm)" shouted Mavislin, unleashing a monumental torrent of water towards the Time Mage.


    The torrent of water had morphed into a giant waterspout before it was confronted with Raiyen''s palms. Yep, the Child Of Time had decided to employ his bare hands to deal with spell head-on. The Valkyrie rose her eyebrow in surprise as she witnessed the Time Mage in front of her.


    This was the Raiyen who had grown stronger, nothing like the one she was dealing with back in the Old Chapel.


    "Impressive, Raiyen Harmony," praised Mavislin, settling down the shield.


    Her hands reached into her back pocket and pulled out a small sack. The small pouch was brown but the contents inside it were glowing. As she loosened the white cord around the sack, the items were glowing in a multitude of contrasting colors, in the form of rings.


    She then tossed out a few rings over her shoulder, never losing her ground with the Time Mage as he leaped for another attack.


    "Rugiet. O'' ventus et tonitrua et fulgura. Fan de ferro, flammis perditionis. (Roar. O'' wind of Thunder and Lightning. Fan of steel, flames of perdition.)" chanted Mavislin.


    "Hang on! This early?!" asked Raiyen, sounding exasperated.


    "Don''t underestimate me, Time Boy. If you are more superior in Magecraft than me currently, it is only reasonable that I challenge you fairly as well."


    "But that''s Gillian''s spell! He resorted to it years ago, with that duel with his wife!"


    "Yea, I think I would know more on that than you do. You were busy dying the last I checked."


    "Hey! That''s just rude! You can''t blame me for being weak back then!"


    "Point still stands. It''s not the same thing! You''ll see it. What''s more, Gillian possesses no Original Spell," explained Mavislin.


    "Couno! Ater Lotos de Cataegis! (Merge. Black Lotus Of The Storm)" chanted the Valkyrie.


    The rings Mavislin had tossed bloomed into multiple lotus petals, seizing the sneaky attacker off guard.


    A torrent of black outlined with a blue glow shot out from the flower, instantly flinging the nosy princess away. The petals formed a holographic shield in the form of a lotus flower before converging into the middle.


    Raiyen looked at the spell in awe. It was nowhere the amount of power that Gillian had used in the past but within due time, it could properly be on par with the Headmaster. A high-pitched scream rang through the air from behind her.


    "Don''t think I have forgotten about you, whore of Babylon," mocked Mavislin as she smiled at the fallen princess.


    "Don''t mock me, peasant," said the foreign girl.


    "Quite the tongue for the person laying at a peasant''s feet," said Mavislin, turning to look at the fallen girl before pushing Raiyen away.


    In the intervening time, Jeanette had painstakingly caught up to the duel, only to have herself face to face with the shock wave of the spell. In an attempt to lessen the impact, she stabbed the flag into the ground. The clang of metal striking the parched ground reverberated through the barren land.


    The cloth unraveled and shined gloriously with golden lights. With no hesitation, the banner negated the shock wave that the spell had emitted.


    "I didn''t know the Maiden Of Orleans could do Magecraft," replied Raiyen.


    "I''d like referring to that as a gift from God to protect, not a power to wield," explained Jeanette.


    "Magecraft is nevertheless Magecraft. No matter which God you believe in. In other Gods'' eyes, it might be a curse."


    Jeanette shot a disapproving glare at the armed Valkyrie as well as the Time Mage. And let out a sigh. Raiyen shrugged his shoulders.


    "Must you challenge everyone you encounter?"


    "She set about it first. It was a one on one battle. And she breached the rules," argued Mavislin.


    "Jeanne is right, Mav. You don''t have to engage her. You''ll annihilate her if you exert your powers on her alone," said Raiyen, desperate to end this battle.


    "I can stand my ground in a Magecraft duel!" yelled the foreign princess.


    "You''re right. I won''t just fight her alone," replied Mavislin.


    Raiyen heaved a sigh of relief. The Valkyrie, on the other hand, had other plans up her sleeves. She then conjured up Emerald Wave Sword and clutched both weapons in an attack stance. Her wings were now fully grown, extending out in its true glory.


    "I''ll fight the two of you. Two versus one. A Time Boy and a Feisty Princess against a mere Valkyrie," announced Mavislin.


    "You make it seem like Valkyries are the weakest beings in the Universe," mumbled Raiyen, combing his black fringe.


    The foreign princess decided to step in front of the Time Mage, much to Mavislin''s annoyance.

 Chapter 52 - Trio Fighting

    "Perhaps that''s true since I''ve never heard of your kind. A Valkyrie is supposed to be a Maiden Of War, not peasants and foul creatures like you," provoked Metria.


    Mavislin scoffed as she knew the fate of this young princess was about to get sealed in under a few minutes.


    "Perhaps you should return home to check your archives. Look under the big book called the ''Great Noble War''. You''ll see I am not one to be taken lightly," warned Mavislin.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll let you be the judge of that. But first, you''ll have to fight these bad babies," smirked Mavislin.


    She subsequently placed the Emerald Wave Sword at the front of Lord Atlantia, causing the two items to merge. In the present circ.u.mstances, the shield could cut through objects and still defend Mavislin. With a hand free, she summoned up her infamous Fire Feather Whip.


    She was undoubtedly a sight to behold as the weapons she wielded were in abundance. Jeanette could only sway her head and unfurled her flag high. Placing the pole into the ground, Jeanette pointed towards the trio.


    "If you lot have no choice but to fight," suggested Jeannette, slowly.


    "Then I''ll make sure you lot will not ruin the people around this area," she finished, with golden streams of light emitting from the banner.


    "But there''s no one here! There''s a reason why it is called a ''Barren Wasteland''!" exclaimed the hot-tempered princess.


    "Don''t ever underestimate a duel between two powerful Mages, Metria," warned Raiyen, as he allowed his twin-colored Aura to come into fruition.


    "It seems you''ve no idea on how us Mages do battle," said Mavislin.


    "I am Metria, Princess Metria Von Brodeur. And I am most prominent in the Element of Water," announced Metria, smirking at Mavislin.


    The little princess balled her fists up, allowing spheres of water to engulf her hands. The Valkyrie was not bothered by the little clown she got ready with a smirk. Raiyen pulled out his twin daggers.


    "Mavislin Roydon, the last of the Valkyries. And I major in the Amalgamation of Elements," said Mavislin.


    After delivering her introduction, Mavislin started to hover above the ground as her wings grew in size. Her body was outlined with her iconic golden Aura. Metria''s eyes widen as she looked at Raiyen for approval.


    "What? There''s a reason why I said you had no chance standing against her alone," replied Raiyen, shrugging his shoulders.


    "But isn''t it against the law of Magecraft? To combine two spells of different Elements," replied Metria, seemingly shaken to the core.


    "Then I shall assume that you''ve got no clue on the Mage beside you," said Mavislin, pointing at Raiyen.


    "What do you mean? He is a Time Mage, right?" asked Metria, looking at Raiyen for confirmation once more.


    "Raiyen Phoenix E. Harmony. I control a total of three different Elements but I am known for my Time Element," greeted Raiyen.


    "With the formalities done, I''ll show you both how we Valkyries take on a fight," said Mavislin, launching straight into their faces.


    Raiyen glitched away in an instant while the princess tried to fend the Valkyrie off with her tiny balls of Water Element. The princess was able to dodge the hefty attacks from the shield but fell vulnerable to the attacks from the flaming whip.


    With two enemies constantly trying to lay a scratch on the Valkyrie, Mavislin decided it was no fun using her physical weapons anymore. She tossed aside the weapons and balled up her fists.


    "Ignis. Aqua. Terra. Ventus. Lumen. Obscurum, (Fire. Water. Earth. Wind. Light. Dark.)"


    The Elemental Energy around the area was thinning out. Streams of multi Elements were being absorbed into her fists as her Aura began to increase and glow.


    Raiyen hid within the Time Pocket as the spell started to emerge. The mass of Elements was scaring the foreign princess slightly but she decided to whip out her own move.


    "I won''t give you a chance to use it!" yelled Metria, placing her palms up.


    A giant ball of blue water shot out from the girl''s palms, engulfing the growing mass of Elements. But the opposing spell had disappeared. Raiyen''s eyes widened as the princess desperately tried to find the spell. The ball was now concentrated within Mavislin''s palms as she chanted the name of the spell.


    "Ordinata Ex Elementis! (Array of Elements)"


    The Valkyrie decided to appear behind the foreign princess, catching her off guard. A flash of light occurred and Raiyen managed to grab Metria by the hair away from the blast.


    It may have shrunk in size but the damage dealt was anything but small as it created a trench on the parched land. Metria looked at the damage in pure terror. Raiyen was teeming with blue sparks as usual and dropped the girl.


    "Now do you get why you won''t stand a chance against her?"

 Chapter 53 - Raiyen Triumphs

    "And what compels you to think that you can match up to me?" asked Mavislin, eyeing at Raiyen skeptically.


    The boy smiled as he brandished his daggers by sharpening their blades with one another.


    "Time," he replied as the daggers started to shine gloriously.


    "Don''t forget, you''re up against a Valkyrie," said Mavislin, standing in position.


    "You''re up against a full-fledged Time Mage. Don''t take me too lightly, Mavislin," replied the Time Mage, eyes filled with fiery determination.


    His Aura started merging with the power within the twin blades. Unlike the previous time he had nearly lost control, the power he was now showing off was much more formidable. Much more powerful. And he was in control. Mavislin smiled as she whipped out her special spell.


    It used to strike fear within the Time Mage whenever she decided to use the spell. The moment Raiyen detected a shift in the Valkyrie''s Aura, and he would immediately retreat. This version of him was nothing like the one Mavislin had left at home.


    Brimming with sheer confidence and armed with the knowledge of Time, Raiyen had no regrets as he prepared to face the spell head-on. Raiyen crossed his daggers, inducing an X formation. An enormous, glowing ball of light appeared in the area that both blades touched.


    Impressed with his confidence, Mavislin answered in accordance, converting the Light Elements to Dark.


    "Light seeps into the air, Hope fills the land. Let there be joy, Let there be no pain. Heaven Sent!" chanted Raiyen, the golden blade bursting with Elemental Energy.


    "Let the light flow. Let the dark fade. Divine punishment descends from the heavens. Overturn this spell for this land to strive and flourish once again..." chanted Mavislin, as she was engulfed with her Elemental Energy.


    "Darkness seeps into the air, despair fills the land. Let there be pain, let there be no joy. Hell Bent!"


    "Heaven''s Wheel Alter: Monody!"


    "Converge, convulse! Luminera Nova!" yelled Raiyen, unleashing the attack.


    Mavislin''s eyes widened, mouth agape as the Time Mage performed one of the most sophisticated spells in the books. The merging of spells. Once the ball of light left Raiyen''s blades, Mavislin knew the result of this duel will not end in the Valkyrie''s favor.


    The ball of light had grown and launched itself towards Mavislin''s direction. Swirling through the air with traces of the three other Elements which he wielded, Jeanette had no choice but to employ her skills as a Mage.


    "Come forth, protect my comrades. Dr.a.p.eau Sacr¨¦! (Holy Flag)" yelled Jeanette, spinning her banner to create a shield.


    The princess was silent on the floor as she looked at the French Maiden perform the spell. For all she knows, it was not a grand idea to provoke these two in battle. None of them seem to bother caring about any spectators.


    "It is possible you shouldn''t have underestimated what are Mages capable of," said the Holy Maiden, sternly.


    In the intervening time, the torrent of smoky black arrows had made contact with Raiyen''s attack. This created a huge trench within the surrounding land where the battle was held. As Raiyen''s Elemental Energy dwarfed Mavislin''s Monody, the Valkyrie had no choice but to throw up her last resort.


    The massive explosion rendered the entire landscape decimated. Amongst the debris and sand, a solitary silhouette stood tall. Not even a single sweat was broken. The figure seemed unfazed as it walked through all the dust.


    "So Valkyries are quite weak," murmured Metria, looking around.


    "I''ll burn your tongue out if you don''t find a way to keep your mouth shut soon," hollered a voice within the dust cloud.


    An inky shadow moved, effectively clearing the dust cloud. There, stood a very pissed off Valkyrie with a single wing high up in the air, while the other was limp, touching the ground. Her body was burnt, filled with bruises and blaze marks.


    "Even after his most powerful?!" asked Metria, surprised.


    Raiyen was equally shocked, but not for the aforementioned reason as the foreign princess. The Valkyrie was livid as she tried hoisting the limp wing. Raiyen glitched towards the girl, skidding through the land.


    "You used your wing? Doesn''t that hurt?'' asked Raiyen, trying to aid the girl.


    "Don''t worry, damages to the wing are much less painful than direct damages to the rest of the body," explained Mavislin, nevertheless trying to get herself out from the hole.


    "Really?"


    "Of course not, you numpty. Stop asking the obvious and get me out," commanded Mavislin.


    The Time Boy froze while offering a faint smile. Knowing that he had injured someone from the past this badly would mean a bunch of nasty abnormalities popping out. It might even damage his Time Stream.


    Raiyen jumped into the ditch and lifted the wounded Valkyrie in a bridal style. Much to the exhausted girl''s surprise.

 Chapter 54 - The Shadows Attack

    "Can your wing be healed?"


    "It can be recovered, but it''s going to take a long time compared to other bodily injuries. The wings of a Valkyrie are sacred since it is the core area where our Elemental Energy is produced."


    Raiyen looked upset as his partner tried hauling the limp wing around. The Time Mage tried his best to soothe it by stroking the wounded wing. It did nothing to heal, but it did offer comfort to the Valkyrie.


    "Not to worry. Victory is, nonetheless, yours. "


    The Time Boy sat beside the Valkyrie in silence as Jeanette and Metria caught up to them.


    "Mavislin, I''ll try to remedy it," suggested Jeanette, placing her hand on the broken wing.


    The moment her hand made contact with the wing, a stinging pain ran through the lovely maiden''s fingers.


    "It rejects any other form of healing by beings besides Valkyries."


    Raiyen looked more devastated as his partner tried to keep her wounded wing. Once again, Raiyen gingerly touched her broken wing as the firelight flickered through the sunset.


    "Sorry about your wing," whispered Raiyen.


    "Don''t apologize for your victory. It makes me want to punch you even more," replied the Valkyrie, eyes gazing at the fire.


    "Can''t I feel sympathetic about what I''ve succeeded?"


    "You are giving pity to your enemies. It will cause your demise."


    "But you are my partner!"


    "Night is about to fall. We better prepare," said Mavislin, looking around.


    "Prepare for what?" asked Metria.


    "We are out on a barren wasteland. And the night is falling. Did you genuinely think it would be secure at night?"


    "Not as if zombies would roam about," scoffed the foreign princess.


    "If you mean the Husks, I much rather prefer them than these beings. This area reeks with them. In all honesty, this land is crawling with those beings," explained Mavislin.


    "What do you imply, Mav?" asked Raiyen, taking out his daggers.


    The moment the sun hid beneath the horizon, the shadows that the fire had produced shot out and about. The group jumped into the air, in an attempt to get away from the newfound maleficence. The shadows encountered no problem with destroying the campfire they had.


    "Don''t allow them to touch you!" yelled Mavislin, trying her best not to touch the ground.


    Jeanette constructed a barrier using her banner, casting away the shadows near her. Metria manipulated her Aquatic powers to cast a huge water bubble. However, it was barely spacious enough to conceal the foreign princess.


    "What the hell is that?!" yelled Raiyen, glitching to and fro.


    "Baldwin''s rogue people," replied Mavislin, hovering above the ground with one wing.


    "Yea, what are they?!" shouted Metria from her little bubble.


    "Talk later! Survive now!" roared the Valkyrie.


    This was proving to be a much more strenuous task than what she had anticipated. With one side of her body drooping, the single wing in flight was making the experience a tad bit too wobbly. This made it more difficult to dodge the forever nimble shadow beings.


    "Baldwin''s people?! So they know the Angry Man?" asked Raiyen, trying his best to push away some of the shadows.


    As the Time Mage inched too close, Mavislin swooped in to snatch the boy back into mid-air.


    "How are we supposed to stop this?!" asked Raiyen.


    "Praeluceo!(Shine)" chanted Mavislin, pulling out a feather from her damaged wing.


    Instead of her usual Whip of Fire, this whip was a string of pure light. Giving a few slashes on the barren land, deep trenches started appearing. Each trench was filled with light.


    "Hop down into ''em!" commanded Mavislin.


    Before the foreign princess could protest, the fair maiden snatched the kid up and jumped into one of the trenches. Releasing Raiyen into the same trench first, Mavislin made an attempt to escape but was caught off guard by a message.


    The message was inscribed with an ancient language. It was by the ancestors of Abyss of Stars, in a dialect to make things worse. There was no way Mavislin could decipher the message the shadows were trying to give. But Valkyries are in possession of a known skill called photographic memory.


    But one could invariably tell if a message was of hostility, peace or distress. No matter which language, there was always a pattern when it comes to those things. The message consisted of two symbolic characters, hinting either two words or a name.


    It was not long enough to harbor a threat. What''s more, the shadows possess no right to chase the group away from someone else''s domain. A message for peace is way out of the question, judging the circ.u.mstance.


    A distress call or warning sounds about right. But, she can''t say for sure. She could only bet on the Angry Man''s help to decode the message. For all she knew, Gillian might even help.

 Chapter 58 - The Umbras

    "Genius, there was a reason why I''d said not to follow me on my alone time," scoffed Mavislin, arriving back to the group.


    "So what were those things?" asked Raiyen.


    "They are rogue versions of the shadow beings from the Abyss of Stars. In other words, Angry Man''s under-developed cousins."


    "How''d they end up like that?"


    "You are aware of how Shadow beings like Baldwin were created, right?" asked Mavislin, placing a rock onto the ground in front of her.


    "Yea. They become whatever they attack, then they stop. They devour, whatever the being that they took on, ate."


    "There are some shadows who end up being consumed by their greed. Due to this setback, they revert to their original forms and feed on existence."


    As Mavislin explained the situation, she had collected a bunch of sand grains and created a hard rock. Then, with a mere touch of a finger, the entire rock collapsed. Jeannette and Raiyen had a slight problem understanding the scenario but understood the important parts. Meanwhile, Metria was completely lost.


    "So in basic terms, once they lose their sanity, they revert to being mindless beasts?" asked Jeannette, closing her eyes.


    "Somewhat, but I don''t think that''s the whole truth. If anything, I''ve got to ask the Angry Man about this."


    "You can''t just eat ''existence''. That doesn''t make sense," argued Metria, skeptical at Mavislin''s words.


    "Shall I feed you to them to prove my point?" asked Mavislin.


    "I mean, how would you do it?"


    "Do you want a live demonstration? You can be the guest of honor."


    Finally, the girl had learned to keep her mouth shut. With the number of questions coming out from her, one would need to give her a plant to replace the oxygen she had wasted.


    "Anyways, scattered throughout the universe, the Umbras prey on the existence of others. Once they get you, they take away a single day from your life; the day you were born. That''s what we were up against," explained Mavislin.


    "So, the Shadows, the Umbras... They are all around the Universe? And they are powered by sheer greed?" asked Raiyen, trying to wrap his head around the information.


    "Yep, it seems like it. They paid a visit to Valokia for a bit. That is, before realizing they''ve landed on a planet filled with the one Element that has the capability of destroying them."


    "Looks like I was right about being Corrupted. Having too much power would cause this mess," said Metria, folding her arms.


    "Power itself is neutral, good or bad. It''s up to the person, the user to wield the power however they see fit. A bad person would cause chaos, a good person will give peace. Not fair by giving power a bad name," explained Raiyen.


    "Well said, but they were still the ones who went mad with power. Take it away from them and they would regain their senses," replied Metria.


    This angered the Valkyrie as she punched the ground. Yet, she was not the being to utter the next line.


    "Taking away power or Element of any Mage will likely to harbor dire consequences. It is the same as taking away the ability to breathe."


    The sound of a slow trotting horse came to fruition as a tall man emerged. His long, brown fringe was tied up with a ribbon. This created a little fountain of hair on the top of his head. Instead of his usual pearl white complexion others had remembered, his skin was now slightly tanned as he approached the group.


    His body was exceptionally well built, unlike Raiyen''s scrawny physique. His shoulders were broad and muscles were firm, creating a formidable sight to behold. His eyes were normal but his hands were not. The sword that he was armed with was shining as he aimed it towards the Time Mage.


    "Whoa there, Angry Man. It''s still me," said Raiyen, jumping out of harm''s way.


    "I can see that point clearly," replied Baldwin.


    He was quick to stop the little brat of a princess from escaping by throwing his sword towards her. It missed her, due to Jeannette''s flagpole deflecting the large broad sword. The Angry Man merely shrugged at the fair maiden, before turning his attention back to the brat.


    "The Umbras were wrong in terms of all the destruction they''d caused, but I will never hold their power as accountable for who they are. Just because someone was born a Shadow means that they''ve got to be a devil," explained Baldwin, looking at Metria sternly.


    "Why must my warnings always fall on deaf ears..." complained Mavislin.


    Baldwin''s expression softened the moment he had laid eyes on the injured Valkyrie. On regular days, the pair of wings on her back should have been glowing radiantly. But at the moment, only one was glowing while the other remained dull and lifeless.

 Chapter 60 - The Ark Of The Umbras Origins

    As he hopped down from the Puka, his trusty stead, Baldwin went up to Mavislin. A silent exchange hung in the air as the Valkyrie allowed the Shadow to take a look at her limp wing.


    "She''s injured, and my guess is ''cause of you two," chided the Angry Man, holding up the sword to the Time Mage''s throat.


    "We had a little brawl..." said Raiyen, shyly.


    "A little?! Look at her wing!" asked the Angry Man in disbelief.


    Even the Puka was hostile towards the two as it went into a protective stance in front of Mavislin.


    "Don''t worry, I''m fine. He won the duel, fair and square. Stop glaring daggers at him," instructed Mavislin, standing up.


    She gently stroked the Puka''s back as the Angry Man composed himself. Raiyen still looked upset as he went up to Mavislin''s side.


    "Back to the problem at hand, what else do you know about the Umbras?" asked Mavislin, straightening herself up.


    "Well, I do know that your assumption of just being consumed by greed is wrong," explained Baldwin, sitting beside the Valkyrie.


    "How so?"


    "The power of the Shadow Beings is the Element of Mimicking. The name describes itself. We are not masters of the Darkness. We are masters of Copying others. In simpler terms, we do not have a main Element," explained Baldwin.


    "Doesn''t that break the laws of Magecraft?" asked the two human girls.


    "I wouldn''t say it would break it. There are far more superior beings, more dangerous Elements and crazier types of powers there. Compared to them, this power is considered mundane," explained Raiyen, looking at Mavislin.


    "Ah, says the boy who has all of Time within his palms," replied the Valkyrie, picking on her wing.


    "If I wanted to, I could absorb Mavislin''s Element and gain the power of Light. But I would have to stay that Element until I get another. One at a time."


    "So why did you not change your Element then?" asked Raiyen.


    By far, during this period, the worse Element to hold was Darkness. Thus, it didn''t make any sense for Baldwin to stay that Element.


    "The default Element we use is the Dark Element but I chose it because changing an Element is a huge problem. Pain in the butt."


    "How so?"


    "Think about it, Raiyen. If I asked you to use the Element of Water for a day, you''ll be burning me at stake. It''s the same as cutting off your limbs and replacing it with someone else''s."


    "You guys depend on Magecraft that much?" asked Jeannette.


    A wave of silence hung above the group. It was difficult to answer that question. For humans, Magecraft was a relatively new feature on the list of impossible. The only way a human could have those powers is by having parents that were born with powers.


    In other words, one would have to be a Mage from another world while the other is human. Thus, it is safe to say that practicing Magecraft for humans is a luxury. But to the Mages from other worlds, it''s their entire life.


    "We are born with it. Raised with it. What else could we have done?" asked Baldwin, softly.


    "Perhaps you could try living without powers?" asked Jeannette.


    "Why is there a need to? We would lose our originality in that sense," replied Raiyen.


    "We aren''t humans, don''t force us to be you. Never forget that we are never and would never wish to be another kind," warned Mavislin, giving a glare towards the two humans.


    "Besides, you are very dependant on your ''God''s Revelation''. It''s nothing more than an Element of Clairvoyance, on a small scale. "


    "So how does this change the assumptions of the Umbras?" asked Raiyen, trying to relieve the tension in the air.


    "Well, the only reason why they would go haywire is simple. They ate the wrong food. Once they get ''food poisoned'', their minds go blank."


    "So what food did they ate?"


    "The Umbras are a tribe of Shadows who''ve eaten the ultimate Element. The Element of Existence. When they get you, they erase you from history itself. Us Shadows are not supposed to consume certain types of Elements. If we do, we would risk going mad or imploding," explained Baldwin.


    "Do the Lost Elements count?" asked Raiyen.


    "Yep, as well as a Valkyrie''s Light and your control of Time. These would be a problem to absorb."


    All of a sudden, Mavislin''s eyes lit up as she grabbed a stick to write something on the ground.


    "The Umbras that were chasing after us wrote this message. I haven''t got a clue about what it says. Ring any bells?" asked Mavislin, finishing the words.


    Safe to say, it was the first time that Mavislin and Raiyen had seen the Angry Man''s face of shock.

 Chapter 61 - The Ark Of Warning

    "What''s wrong?" asked Raiyen, seemingly afraid.


    The Angry Man looked away, unable to meet the Time Mage''s gaze. His nervousness piqued Mavislin''s interest.


    "Nothing, it''s just a warning. It''s just their nice way of not interfering. Let''s get some rest," said Baldwin, leaning against the Puka.


    It had been only two hours since sunset, which allowed the entire group to sleep for the rest of the night. The two humans were sleeping soundly while the Time boy dozed off right under Mavislin''s injured wing.


    "Oi, I would like to know why did you lie about the warning," asked Mavislin, stroking the Time Boy''s fringe.


    The Angry Man sighed as he looked at the sleeping Time Mage. He stretched out a toned arm to brush the boy''s bangs away from his face.


    "There''s no way I could tell him that he was a wanted boy," replied the Angry Man.


    "What has he gotten himself into again?"


    Baldwin shook his head. He looked, worried, to summarize the ocean of emotion within him.


    "He isn''t just wanted. I am not so sure about the true meaning. All I know is, the Umbras should not have known the boy''s real name," explained Baldwin.


    "What''s the harm?" asked Mavislin.


    "Once they get hold of a name, they can start to devour the person. I need to get those two back to their rightful Period before the Umbras do. And I have to do it without telling them."


    "It would be better off telling him. At the very least he would know that he''s in trouble," replied a yawning Metria.


    "You''ve no clue how that Time Boy is. He wants to make things right. He thinks that being the hero is always a fun and noble thing to do, but life is not so merciful," explained Baldwin.


    "Got off that high horse of yours before joining us?" asked Mavislin.


    Metria nodded as she sat down next to the two beings. One could not call them human after the events that had transpired.


    "If the Umbras have his real name, why would they just flash it out for me to decipher?" asked Mavislin, still puzzled.


    "A mockery, perhaps?" suggested Metria.


    "To be honest, I have no clue why they would do so. But I won''t take the risk."


    "Did he managed to offend someone in your Time?" asked Mavislin, looking at Metria.


    "Well, he did manage to get my fiance angry..."


    "You''ve got a fiance and yet you''d still flirt with him?!" asked a bewildered Mavislin.


    "It''s not as if he''s yours, right?!"


    "Stop yelling, you''re making my ears rot with all your bickering," said Baldwin.


    The two girls huffed as Raiyen curled against Mavislin.


    "So, how did this brat made your fiance angry?" asked Baldwin.


    "He played few tricks here and there... When my fiance confronted him, he gave an all-out fight. That''s when I realized Raiyen was not a normal human."


    "He''s far from normal."


    "So is my fiance. After all, he is a Marquess," boasted Metria.


    A blanket of silence covered the group as the Valkyrie continued to recover from the day''s events. The Angry Man widened his eyes at the princess.


    "Hold on, you are a Princess, right?" asked Baldwin.


    "That''s right, you are under the house of Dalles?" asked Mavislin.


    Metria nodded in silence to both their questions.


    "That''s odd, shouldn''t the house of Dalles function as a noble house? They aren''t supposed to be under royalty..."


    The Angry Man''s eyes bored into the head of the young human.


    "You aren''t a Dalles, are you," asked Mavislin, firmly.


    The young girl gripped the hem of her gown in nervousness. She finally gave in as she slammed her fists onto her knees.


    "Fine! My true family name is Brodeur. But I was betrothed to marry a Dalles. It was to tie up loose ends with the few kingdoms nearby..." explained Metria, seemingly upset that the two have uncovered the truth.


    "All for the sake of peace, am I right?" asked Baldwin.


    The princess could only summon a small nod.


    "Stop using that house''s name. It''s disturbing, it would paint a horrid example for the house of Dalles."


    "Are you saying that I''m childish?!"


    "No, with your mentality that of a child, you would fail to understand what the family of Dalles truly is. What they are capable of. Who they really are. I highly doubt you would know about their background, let alone what their true intent of marrying into the family."


    Metria shook her head while Mavislin sighed.


    "Marrying into that family would mean that you could never see the light of day ever again. The Dalles is a noble family, one of the Kings of the underworld society. No, let me correct myself, the head of Dalles is known as the Marquess of the Underworld," explained Mavislin.


    The Angry Man gave a fierce look towards the princess as the Valkyrie explained what the house of Dalles truly meant.

 Chapter 62 - The Ark Of Marquess Dalles

    "The world has two planes. It functions as two worlds, the above-world society, and the underworld. You royals are in charge of the well-being of the people of the above-world society. What you see is nothing compared to what the underworld society sees on a daily basis," explained Mavislin, looking at the naive girl.


    "I''ve seen conflict as well! Just because I''m of royalty means that I have to be pampered!" wailed the young girl.


    "What you see as horrific is mundane in the eyes of a dweller in the underworld. In that society, there''s no such thing as justice, for it''s merely a word to give control of others'' life. There, it is kill or be killed."


    "When you fry an egg, you are bound to discard the eggshells. It''s the same for the world. Where there''s good, there will be a shadow to cast nearby," explained Mavislin, giving a stern look towards the girl.


    "Years ago, the Marquess Dalles and I decided to combat the world''s filth. It is impossible to rid the world of such nasty deeds but at least we could give some form of order to that world. We were no heroes either. But we gave a sense of order within that society. In the end, we made a deal to the Kings of the underworld, to not disturb the above-world society," explained Baldwin, looking at the night sky.


    "So, you mean to say... That my fiance is a villainous noble?" asked Metria.


    "Not necessarily, since I do not know if the Marquess has stayed the same. But, I was the one doing the dirty work while he held the title and commanded the rest. Though I was the one on the battlefield, the Marquess had more deaths to shoulder," continued the Angry Man, giving a surprise to Mavislin and Metria.


    "Wait, you never once told us you were associated with them," complained a shock Mavislin.


    "The house continued functioned well without me so I thought it was no use to tell."


    "No wonder you went missing for a few months. Doing shady work behind our back, eh?" asked Mavislin, smirking.


    "It was for an entire year, I am just good at keeping secrets. I''d promised the couple that I''d do anything to protect the kids. Even if it means to keep you guys in the dark," explained the Angry Man.


    "Back to the main topic, after a year, the Dalles were the ones in charge of the underworld. Though the Marquess rarely did the dirty work, after I''d left, he managed to pick a few skills in combat."


    "Was it that Marquess, the one that kept smiling?" asked Mavislin.


    "Yea. But at that time, he could still smile."


    "He had to, I guess He held the title as Marquess Dalles. But his eyes are not the gaze of a murder. He seems too innocent."


    "I had no idea that the Dalles were working in the dark. If I''d known, I wouldn''t have said yes," whispered Metria.


    "That''s what you people of royalty presume. Thinking that marrying your child to another noble family would aid the kingdom that you are controlling. Well, without knowing your spouse, how could you possibly think to spend your entire life with him?" asked Mavislin, giving a disapprovingly look towards the young princess.


    "Don''t marry for the sake of binding two empires together. Marry because you love that person. Because you accept them for who they are and love them," advised Baldwin as a hint of sadness flashed in his eyes."


    "The ones who dwell and thrive within the darkness of the world. We are those that you lot from above have denied. We witness the filth of the world. Hatred, sadness, anger, despair, pain, torture and death."


    Baldwin and Metria stood up as they tried to find the source of the ominous voice. It sounded so familiar, yet it was foreign.


    "That is the society we live in, and we command it. The house of Dalles is in charge of the underworld society. Once you enter the house of Dalles, there is no point of return," echoed a voice from afar.


    "Well, well. It''s been such a long time, hasn''t it?" asked the voice as he stepped out from behind a huge boulder.


    His smile looked warm and welcoming, yet his voice was icy cold. His white teeth gave his position away. Fully dressed in a black kimono, armed with a Wakizashi and a black hair tie, he faced the group with confidence.


    "My darling," grinned the Marquess of the underworld.


    Baldwin raised his sword, preparing to battle. Metria did the same, summoning fists full of Water. Mavislin could only look at him in horror.


    "What''s wrong, darling?" asked the smiling man.


    "Though I knew the Marquess, I had no idea you would turn out to be that..."

 Chapter 63 - The Ark Of Minwoo

    "Not a fan of my new look, darling?" asked the Marquess, with such innocence.


    "Stop calling her that. Minwoo Dalles," said Raiyen, throwing a spare dagger at the Marquess.


    Minwoo caught the blade with ease, using only two fingers. His smile never left as he inched closer towards the Valkyrie.


    Metria and Baldwin looked surprised as the two looked at each other with disgust.


    "And why can''t I call her that? She''s single, right?" asked Minwoo.


    "Unless... Darling!" yelled Minwoo as he looked at Mavislin for confirmation.


    "Oi! I didn''t say anything!" protested the Valkyrie.


    "And since when the Time Boy met up with Marquess Dalles?" asked Baldwin.


    "It wasn''t a meet up. It was a underground club brawl. I happen to be Time Frame Hopping and wanted to save a girl but this thing beat me to her. By killing her instead," explained Raiyen, glaring daggers at Minwoo.


    "You were in my way, so I had to take you down."


    "Then how about that girl?"


    "She was my target." Raiyen shot a a glare towards the Marquess.


    "Don''t look at me like that, senor. You''ve killed as well."


    "And to think you''ve still got the mentality of a five-year-old," replied Baldwin, giving a large smirk.


    "You could say I''ve had enough of playing innocent. Time to get my hands dirty," said Minwoo, grinning.


    The group looked nervous as he approached Mavislin. Instead of a hit or hurting Mavislin, Minwoo merely looked at her. A gentle hand caressed the Valkyrie''s cheek while giving a much more welcoming smile.


    "Don''t worry, darling. I''m not here to fight. I came here to pick you up," explained Minwoo, happily.


    "Oh yea, I forgot. We were supposed to train together," said Mavislin, shyly.


    "I''m so hurt! How could you forget," pouted Minwoo.


    "Blame him," said Mavislin, pointing at Raiyen.


    Raiyen, being the stubborn brat he was, launched another attack at the Marquess. A glint of light flashed before the Valkyrie''s eyes as Minwoo decided to draw his blade.


    "Interfering with my darling again, huh?" asked Minwoo, smiling dangerously as Raiyen summoned his twin daggers.


    The Time Boy may be skilled with small knives, but Minwoo was the master of the blade. The two clashed, with Minwoo on par we both daggers. Even Raiyen''s glitch did not deter the man as he skillfully met the boy''s attacks.


    "With attacks like yours, I highly doubt that you are human," said Raiyen, clashing with the opponent''s blade.


    "But even if you aren''t one, you can''t win against a Time Mage,"


    "Wrong."


    The revelation through Raiyen off course, allowing Minwoo use the pommel of his Wakazashi to stab the boy''s abdomen. This sent him hurling towards the opposite direction with speed.


    "Big words for someone so weak, eh? Senor," replied Minwoo, pushing the Time Mage away.


    "Why would Mavislin choose you, of all people?" asked Raiyen, through gritted teeth.


    He spat out some blood as he prepared to launch another attack.


    "Well, I am stronger than you."


    The smile that Minwoo gave was a prideful one, giving a bad impression towards the Time Mage.


    "We''ll see how you fair against Magecraft," replied Raiyen, as he gathered his Elemental Energy.


    The familiar stance of crossing his twin blades alerted the Valkyrie. Minwoo caught on, knowing that he might not be able to win if he doesn''t use his actual weapons.


    "Converge, convulse!" yelled Raiyen.


    Minwoo closed his eyes as he saw the oncoming attack. His arms were stretched out, it looked like he was about to hug the incoming attack.


    "Come," said the Marquess as his eyes flew open.


    "Lunminera Nova!" yelled the Mage.


    "Gemini!" yelled the Marquess.


    A spark of light blinded the group as the attack that took down Mavislin''s wing was stopped by two oversized scythes.


    The scythes were silver, adorned with a few skulls at the top end of the handle. Bones were literally the handle of the two weapons he wielded.


    The attack immediately ceased as Minwoo gave a good swing, destroying the spell altogether.


    "You are human, but the weapons you wield makes you look inhuman," replied Raiyen, giving another slash at the Marquess.


    "Well, these are presents. You clashing with the bones of my victims," said Minwoo, grinning sinisterly.


    "You disgust me, lunatic," cursed Raiyen.


    "It''s not different from the Time Mage''s ability to absorb a being''s Time. Come to think of it, you remind me of the Umbras," explained the Marquess.


    "Like hell I would do that."


    With all the fighting, Jeanette finally threw her flagpole towards the two dueling. This earned a shocked look from Metria and Mavislin, while Baldwin remained indifferent. The Time Mage leapt to safety, leaving Minwoo to deal with the attack.


    As the dust cleared, Minwoo was left standing. He held up the two scythes in order to block the attack. He threw it back to the French Maiden.

 Chapter 64 - The Ark Of Goodbyes

    "A lady should not be throwing her toys around," said Minwoo, keeping his blade.


    "Why can''t you guys just talk it out?!" shouted Jeanette.


    "He started it first," said Minwoo, nonchalantly.


    "Enough. I contacted Marquess Dalles to train with him since he has no ties with the Arks. Or so I thought," explained Mavislin, getting up.


    "It''s true that I''ve no association with the Arks. Nor I have any intention to join. I simply like your way of fighting, darling," replied the Marquess.


    "So you aren''t involved in the whole Umbra incident?" asked Metria.


    "Of course. After all, I''m the Ruler of the underworld. The Umbras have been wreaking havoc and the entire world has been thrown into disarray. I was hoping that Mav would help me out..."


    Minwoo fell silent as he touched the Valkyrie''s wing. Her flinch indicated that her wound was much serious than predicted.


    "Darling, who hurt your wing?" asked Minwoo, seeing her limp wing.


    The silence gave Minwoo enough information to launch another attack on the Time Mage. Again, Jeanette stood in the way of the dueling gentleman.


    "We''ve got bigger issues at hand. How about you two just stop fighting and shut it," said Jeanette, through gritted teeth.


    The duo gave another glare towards the French Maiden as they both retracted the weapons. Mavislin could finally calm down as she stood up, with the help of French Maiden.


    "We''ve stayed here for quite some time. Dawn is breaking, don''t you think it''s time to part ways?" asked Mavislin, looking at the orange disc.


    "Part ways?" asked Raiyen, looking at Mavislin in disbelief.


    "Yea. You too, Angry Man. It''s better than being huddled in a group. The Umbras have no hate against us Valkyries, so I''ve got no need to fight them. Originally, I''m supposed to wait for Minwoo to train with him. But you lot came crashing. I don''t fancy being disturbed," explained Mavislin.


    "In other words, you are chasing us out?" asked Metria.


    "No, I''m shooing you back to where you came from."


    "That''s the same!" yelled Metria.


    This earned the princess a direct attack from the Valkyrie herself, as she whipped out her iconic Fire Feather Whip. The attack was enough to send the princess flying, despite using her Water spells as a defense.


    "Globe!" yelled Metria, in an attempt to wrap herself in a ball of water.


    Much to her horror, not only it did not affect the whip, the Fire Feather Whip was able to completely evaporate the princess''s spell. As the Valkyrie continued the onslaught, Metria''s Elemental Aura and Energy plummeted.


    "As expected of a mock Mage," said the Valkyrie as she gave a powerful slash towards Metria''s abdomen.


    "Mavis!" yelled Raiyen.


    The Valkyrie was undeterred as she changed her target, locking onto the Time Mage. Though her wing was still injured, she had just enough energy to throw the two of them out. The Time Mage sensed the urgency and danger. He quickly grabbed the young princess and opened a Time Frame Portal. The swarm of portals mesmerized both Jeanette and Minwoo.


    "Don''t look," commanded Mavislin, as she placed her hands on their eyes.


    Raiyen gave a disapproving glare towards Mavislin before fully hopping into and closing the portals.


    "Sending him away seems pretty harsh. Don''t you think?" asked Baldwin, getting on the Puka.


    "Yea. But if I let him talk his way through, he''ll never leave my tailcoat. Sorry to send you off as well," said Mavislin, looking at her senior.


    "I was only here to check up on you. I had no intention of interfering. Since Minwoo is with you, I can rest easy," replied Baldwin, giving thumbs up to his Korean pal.


    "Is he that powerful?" asked Mavislin, staring at the man.


    "Oh, Baldy! You flatter me!" said Minwoo, blushing slightly.


    "Nope. If he turns against you, you would have no problem defeating him. The chances of you beating him are higher than the other way ''round," replied Baldwin, galloping away with the Puka.


    Minwoo''s face turned into a scowl within an instant, causing Mavislin to laugh. Jeannette stood near the Valkyrie, carrying a worrisome smile.


    "Would you like me to stick around?" asked the French Maiden.


    "It''s best that if you go back to your people. I don''t want to rope an innocent girl into a world of despair," replied Mavislin.


    "Do you still assume that I am that childish to call myself innocent?" asked Jeanette, sternly.


    "Don''t get me wrong. I see you as a fully mature lady. But I don''t want to rope you into what we usually deal with. The world is blind towards the filth that it discards. You can come if you''d like. With the price of your sanity, that is," replied Mavislin, giving a sinister look.


    "Then I will not follow. I have a feeling that we would meet once more."


    "See you, Joan Of Arc," said Mavislin, waving the woman goodbye.

 Chapter 65 - The Ark Of New Area

    "At last, we are alone," said Minwoo, smiling happily.


    "You seemed pretty happy to get rid of them. Including Baldwin," said Mavislin, slowly keeping her hurt wing.


    "I don''t like interruptions. And I''ve no intention of training around Baldwin. That man, let''s just say I''m glad to have met you instead," said Minwoo, ruffling the Valkyrie''s hair.


    "That''s odd. The two of you used to work together?"


    "Somewhat. But things got into the way. Complicated stuff."


    A hint of anger and sadness was mixed with those words. But Minwoo''s expression changed back, back to his usual, smiling self as he took Mavislin''s hand.


    "Enough with sad! Let''s go train now!" exclaimed Minwoo, dragging the poor girl.


    "Oi! Calm down!"


    After much protests and squirming, the two of them finally managed to reach the Dalles'' domain. Otherwise known as the underworld''s home, Minwoo had a bunch of servants prepare a bedchamber and bath for the wounded Mavislin.


    "You know you don''t have to prepare all of these things, right?" asked Mavislin, shyly.


    "I want to train you on proper terms, not half-assed."


    "Language, Minwoo."


    Mavislin squirmed as a handmaiden tried to dress the Valkyrie in finely made clothes. In the end, she was alright with a midnight blue casual dress. The few servants led the shy Valkyrie towards the Marquess'' chambers, where he had just finished changing.


    "You look wonderful, Lady Roydon," commented Minwoo.


    "You don''t look too shabby yourself, Marquess Dalles," replied Mavislin, scanning the man''s outfit.


    "Oh, darling. I''ve said so many times to call me Minwoo."


    "And my name is Mavislin."


    Minwoo, from his battle gear, had donned fully black trousers, a six-buttoned double-b.r.e.a.s.ted tailcoat, and a gray vest. He looked like a butler.


    "Lord Dalles, these papers are in need your confirmation," said a young girl, shyly giving a stack of papers towards the Marquess.


    Minwoo looked at the stack with disdain before giving a smile towards the young girl.


    "Right away. You go on ahead now," said Minwoo, sending the girl away.


    The young girl bowed shakily as she dropped the pile of papers on the desk.


    "Are you going to send me away as well?" asked Mavislin, raising her eyebrows.


    "Well, it is dangerous for a lady as beautiful as you to stick around a man''s chambers alone. Darling," whispered Minwoo, with a playful smile.


    "Please. Let''s stay professional. Besides, you''re only human," said Mavislin, turning her back against the Marquess.


    "A mock Mage?"


    "You''ve got impressive speed and reflexes but you are still human. On top of that, you possess no Magecraft at all," said Mavislin, taking a seat at the piano.


    "I can learn if you''d like me to," replied Minwoo, sitting down at his desk.


    He reluctantly started to dive straight to work, taking his wax stamp and looking through those pieces of hell.


    "For a 35-year-old, you seem to be rocking that young body of yours, Marquess," said Mavislin.


    "Checking me out, huh?" sighed Minwoo, looking at the fidgeting Valkyrie.


    The Valkyrie shrugged her shoulders as she looked at the dusty piano. After a solid hour, Minwoo stamped the Crest Of Dalles on a victim''s report and looked at Mavislin.


    "Lady Roydon, please play me a song," he said, taking another paper.


    "Excuse me, what?" asked Mavislin, shocked.


    "Play me a tune. I''m bored. This silence is deafening," complained Marquess Dalles.


    "I only know one song on the piano," whispered Mavislin, in reluctance.


    "Then play me that one. Sing it if you can."


    "For such a childish man, you sure know how to boss people around," murmured Mavislin.


    "What''s that, darling?" asked Minwoo.


    "Nothing. I''ll start playing, Marquess Dalles," replied Mavislin, stretching out her fingers.


    With a deep breath, she began to play a simple tune. And the Valkyrie started to sing. It was a simple tune, yet the singing in every verse had various meanings.


    "Oh, I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee,


    I''m goin'' to Lousianna, for my true love to see.


    Oh, Sus-anna! Now, don''t you cry for me.


    For I come from Alabama.


    With a banjo on my knee," sang Mavislin as she continued playing.


    The Marquess gave a smile as he read through more reports on the recent Umbra cases. The reports were mostly grotesque, descriptions of how the victims were terrorized by the rogue shadows. Reports of people''s shadow ''bringing them to the dark side''.


    "It rained all night, the day I left.


    The weather, it was dry.


    The sun so hot, I froze to death.


    Susanna, don''t you cry..."


    Minwoo stifled a laugh as he stamped another approval.


    "I had a dream, the other night.


    Where everything was still.


    I thought I saw, Susanna-dear,


    a-coming down the hill.


    A buckwheat cake was in her mouth,


    a tear was in her eye.


    I said ''I come from Pixieland'',


    Susanna, don''t you cry."

 Chapter 66 - The Ark Of Oh! Susanna

    "Excuse me, what?" asked Mavislin, shocked.


    "Play me a tune. I''m bored. This silence is deafening," complained Marquess Dalles.


    "I only know one song on the piano," whispered Mavislin, in reluctance.


    "Then play me that one. Sing it if you can."


    "For such a childish man, you sure know how to boss people around," murmured Mavislin.


    "What''s that, darling?" asked Minwoo.


    "Nothing. I''ll start playing, Marquess Dalles," replied Mavislin, stretching out her fingers.


    With a deep breath, she began to play a simple tune. And the Valkyrie started to sing. It was a simple tune, yet the singing in every verse had various meanings. The room seemed to liven up slightly as the Valkyrie played heer childhood song based on what she could remember.


    When Valokia was still there. When her family had been broken. When the War had not come.


    "Oh, I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee,


    I''m goin'' to Lousianna, for my true love to see.


    Oh, Sus-anna! Now, don''t you cry for me.


    For I come from Alabama.


    With a banjo on my knee," sang Mavislin as she continued playing.


    The Marquess gave a smile as he read through more reports on the recent Umbra cases. The reports were mostly grotesque, descriptions of how the victims were terrorized by the rogue shadows. Reports of people''s shadow ''bringing them to the dark side''.


    Both Viscountess Ling, Earl Yan, and Duchess Midford had been notified by the recent Umbra attacks. The only one out of the Five Kings that had not been alerted was Gab, a baron that was a skilled poison master, posing as a barista. He was currently somewhere else, so getting to him would be a problem.


    "It rained all night, the day I left.


    The weather, it was dry.


    The sun so hot, I froze to death.


    Susanna, don''t you cry..."


    Minwoo stifled a laugh as he stamped another approval. He found it amusing, how could the weather be dry and the area was raining? Or the fact someone could freeze by the sheer force of sun''s rays?


    "I had a dream, the other night.


    Where everything was still.


    I thought I saw, Susanna-dear,


    a-coming down the hill.


    A buckwheat cake was in her mouth,


    a tear was in her eye.


    I said ''I come from Pixieland'',


    Susanna, don''t you cry."


    Minwoo continued reading as he listened to the Valkyrie''s playing. Though he had found the lyrics to be quite confusing at times, it was the upbeat yet slow melodious playing that pleased him.


    "I soon will be in New Orleans,


    And then I''ll look all ''round.


    And when I find Susanna-dear,


    I''ll fall upon the ground.


    But if I do not find her,


    this dark''ll surely die.


    And when I''m dead and buried,


    Susanna, don''t you cry!"


    At this rate, the Marquess had completely halted his work and was gazing at the Valkyrie for questions. And answers. Mavislin felt eyes penetrating to the back of her head and stopped playing.


    "Is that not to your liking, Marquess Dalles?" asked Mavislin, turning to look at him.


    "No, it is fine. I quite like it. But the lyrics are quite confusing, to say. Who is Susanna?"


    "Not sure. It was an old song back from where I grew up. Mother used to sing it to us when we were little. We asked who the person was but she never seemed to tell. But some of the moments in the song are mildly depressing."


    "Mildly? I''d say mostly."


    "Are you done? I''m feeling a bit peckish," said the Valkyrie.


    The Marquess gave a hefty sigh as he placed the report on the desk. He was glad that the Valkyrie was not facing him since he had crammed massive amounts of depressing news in his head. The body count from the Umbra had skyrocketed during the past few weeks, alarming most of the Kings of the underworld.


    If this continues, the Arks might be fully activated, along with the Kings of the underworld. If the above-world society is unable to hand this, dwellers of the underworld will take over. Things could be messy since policies within the underworld are not the same as the above-world ones.


    Minwoo shook his head. What was he thinking? Mavislin was one of the founders of the Arks. She was the founder of the Barren Pillars, the attacking ace of the Arks. She was used to these things, right? If anything, she deserved to know what is going on. She shouldn''t be kept in the dark about something so important.


    But...


    "Marquess? Mind if I head to the kitchen to grab something?"


    Minwoo stared blankly at the last report of the stack. It wasn''t even a report, it was a personal letter towards the Marquess himself. From Gabriel. Not only it was to confirm his whereabouts but to notify that the Umbras has reached the Asian continents.

 Chapter 67 - The Ark Of Angry Man

    The victim and her father were from the Shadow Tribe, a planet filled with Dark Elements within the Abyss of Stars.


    The Abyss Of The Stars was the galaxy filled with Dark Matter. The entire galaxy is like the Void. Barely having any stars, every planet within that is either consumed by the Dark Element or simply doesn''t exist. Essentially, the Abyss Of The Stars is the same as what humans hypothesized, ''A Dark Galaxy''.


    The Shadow Tribe was a planet that birthed beings called Shadows. These Shadows were, at first, nothing. They were unable to think or feel. They did not exist. Until a being from another unspecified galaxy found the planet. As many more arrived, the foreign beings decided to take up this ''unoccupied'' planet.


    As a huge protest, the Shadows fought back by swallowing the invaders. The Shadows then took the form of whatever tried to harm them. This ultimately created beings like Baldwin and his daughter. Some have claimed all forms of Dark Element emerged from this particular planet.


    The Dark Mages were born with that Element. The situation was like being sentenced to death for having the ability to breathe. The moment the father laid eyes on his daughter''s remains, he went ballistic. The village was wiped out in an instant. Only the couple could soothe his rampage.


    "Well, that was a waste of personnel," commented Gillian, avoiding a few dead bodies.


    The culprit stood among the pile of bodies that he''d slaughtered in retaliation of his daughter, Abigail.


    "Oi! I thought Old Man Pond made the mission clear to only clarify?" yelled Gillian, trying pound some sense into the man''s head.


    "How many daughters were killed in that Black Hole of yours?" asked Ysabeau, sternly towards Baldwin.


    The man was seething with darkness, the very Aura that dwelled near him caused the plants to wither and die.


    "Too many to count."


    His clenched fists were shrouded in darkness. The Element around his fists was so dense, one could assume that was holding black clouds.


    "Destroying more lives won''t help to bring back to your daughter, you''ll cause more pain for other fathers who''ve lost their children due to your rage," warned Gillian, looking at the what Baldwin had become.


    "What do you think fathers are for?" asked Ysaabeau, eyeing at the Angry Man with fury.


    "Fathers are supposed to protect their children, show them an example of an authoritative figure," replied Baldwin.


    "Do you think you''ve set an example for your daughter? Would your daughter come back from the dead if you killed more?" asked Gillian, walking towards the angry man.


    ''Well, I can''t if she''s dead!"


    A huge ball of darkness was now hurling towards the being near the bushes.


    "Howl of the Valkyries!" yelled Mavislin, destroying the ball within an instant.


    Mavislin panted, her hands shook as she tried to fire another spell. Ysabeau stood in front of Mavislin in a protective stance.


    "Enough!" yelled Ysabeau.


    "Didn''t I say to stay behind?" asked Gillian.


    "Old Man Pond said I could follow," replied little Mavislin.


    "That damned thing..." cursed Gillian, under his breath.


    "Did I just hear Valkyrie?" asked Baldwin, looking at where the spell had arisen.


    "She''s the newcomer, the Penta Holder. You finally got the balls to meet her, face to face," explained Gillian, looking at the Angry Man with stern eyes.


    "Finally?" asked Mavislin, looking at Baldwin.


    "He was the shadow around the area, the one you complained about during the tryouts," explained Gillian.


    "Why was he hanging around me and not saying hello?" asked Mavislin.


    "Because you look as innocent as my daughter. I can''t allow the likes of the Congregation to kill you," answered Baldwin.


    "Valkyries are a rarity, even amongst the Universe. The last time I saw one was back home. And let''s just say, us Shadow beings don''t fancy Valkyries," growled Baldwin.


    "It''s okay, he won''t bite,'' cooed Ysabeau.


    "He just gave out a threat! What do you mean, he won''t bite?!" yelled Gillian.


    "Don''t worry, he won''t hurt our little Mavislin."


    "What makes think so?"


    "Because of our pinky promise. I''ll never allow anyone to hurt her."


    The Valkyrie was reluctant as she slowly scooted towards them. She was fine with the couple but was downright terrified of the person they were confronting. After all, the Angry Man was still fuming. Angry Man gave a glare, forcing Mavislin to run back to Ysabeau.


    "Who is that?" asked Mavislin, hiding behind Ysabeau.


    "He is Baldwin Noble, otherwise known as Angry Man. A Dark Elemental Mage."


    "Father of your deceased friend, Mav," said Gillian.


    "That''s rather blunt," said Baldwin, c.o.c.king up an eyebrow at the Mage.


    "Mavislin, go back to the main building. We''ll deal with him, no need to be afraid," bellowed Gillian, going in front of the child.

 Chapter 69 - The Ark Of Cooking

    "Minwoo?"


    The Marquess let out a squeal as the Valkyrie appeared right at his face. She felt confused as she took the letter out of his hands.


    "It''s from Baron Tuazon. I thought he was a barista?" asked Mavislin, raising her eyebrows.


    Minwoo instantly snatched the letter away from Mavislin, causing the Valkyrie to frown.


    "That''s his cover job, he is one of the Kings," explained Minwoo.


    "Geez, you''re worse than Raiyen sometimes. I''m going to kill something and eat," said the Valkyrie, trying to open the window.


    Minwoo freaked out as he tried to pull Mavislin back into the room. This caused the poor girl to fall onto the ground, denting it slightly. Minwoo quickly got up and was shocked at the crater that Mavislin had made.


    "But you don''t weigh so much!" yelled a very confused Marquess.


    "You blithering noble! I''m not human! My true form is massive!" shouted the Valkyrie as she got up.


    "Come on, darling. Let''s go to my kitchen. I''ll cook up something for you," replied the blushing Marquess, dragging the girl out of the room.


    The kitchen was rather small, but the pantry was stacked. From vegetables to various types of meat, Mavislin looked around in awe.


    "So what is your favorite thing to eat at home?" asked Minwoo, preparing the equipment.


    "Surprise me, Chef," said Mavislin looking at him directly.


    Minwoo''s smiled beamed through the kitchen as he grabbed the ingredients needed for the dish. His hands were lightning-quick, cooking a rather large piece of meat with a single bone attached to it as well as preparing the sauce.


    "What are you making?" asked Mavislin, curious at the giant piece of meat.


    At present, the Valkyrie just wanted to stuff the entire meat into her mouth. With a childish thought on her mind, Mavislin tried to eat the meat, raw.


    "No! Cook it first!" yelled Minwoo, yanking the meat away.


    The Valkyrie pouted as she looked up to the Chef.


    "Why?"


    "Because you''ll die if you eat it raw!" replied Minwoo, in disbelief.


    "But I''m not human! Let me eat it raw!" whined Mavislin, pointing at her chest.


    "No!" yelled the Marquess.


    Minwoo pointed his index finger towards the Valkyrie and frowned.


    "Since I''m a human, you shall follow how we humans eat and do work," commanded Minwoo, turning his back to finish cooking.


    "Demanding," muttered the stubborn Valkyrie.


    "Did you say something, darling?" asked Marquess.


    "Nah."


    "Then come help me dice these onions," ordered Minwoo, as he continued stirring the sauce.


    Mavislin let out a hefty sigh as she flicked her wrist. As she grabbed the onion, Minwoo skillfully and swiftly caught her hand.


    "Without Magecraft, please."


    The Valkyrie pouted as she reluctantly started dicing the onions. Minwoo was confused as he looked at the uneven pieces.


    "You''ve got such a great gift and yet you can''t even use it properly," sighed Minwoo, as he got behind the Valkyrie.


    Understandably, the Valkyrie froze as Minwoo grabbed hold of both of her arms from behind. The Chef''s face was dangerously near to her face, causing the Valkyrie to flush brilliantly.


    "Here, you hold the knife up like this. The onion didn''t do anything to you, so stop trying to kill it. I said help me dice it, not murder an ingredient," instructed Minwoo.


    The Valkyrie pouted as she tried her best not to mess up. Truly, though she had learned how to cook from Ysabeau, human cooking was much more tedious. As Minwoo gave her potatoes to mash, the Valkyrie decided that the instrument given to her was interesting. Though using her bare hands was better, the instrument could work well.


    "You''re okay with seafood?" asked Minwoo.


    "Yea, I''ll help make the garnish then."


    Minwoo grabbed one lobster and gave it to the Valkyrie, as he finished up the main ingredient. Without missing a heartbeat, Mavislin tossed into the trash and took a new one. By using her powers to grab one out from the tank, outside.


    "Hey! You can still use that!" said Minwoo, taking one out from the trash.


    "If you''re asking me, I can eat it. You can''t," replied Mavislin, as she continued to mash the good potatoes.


    Minwoo looked puzzled as he looked at the poor lobster. By this time, the meat was already done, as well as the sauce. All that was left was the garnish, the lobster mashed potatoes.


    "I''m confused," said Minwoo.


    "You are only human," complained Mavislin.


    "That''s good in some ways, you know," replied Minwoo, angrily.


    "In only some ways, not in detecting rotting flesh."


    The Valkyrie snatched the thing from his hands and broke it open. The smell of ammonia hit Minwoo in the face like a truck. It was at the sweet spot where the head was connected, hiding from the human''s eyes. The smell was revolting.

 Chapter 70 - The Ark Of Food

    "How come it did not smell like that before?" asked Minwoo, confused.


    "Us Valkyries have a keen sense of smell. From the moment we entered the kitchen, I knew that thing was rotten," replied Mavislin, combining the lobster into the mashed potatoes.


    "You''re joking, right?" laughed Minwoo.


    Mavislin had a deadpan look in her eyes, causing Minwoo to laugh nervously. As the Valkyrie finished the garnish, Minwoo began plating the rest of the dish.


    "You can go to the next room. The servants have already prepared the table for us," said Minwoo, pointing to the other room.


    "Jasmine," replied Mavislin, looking at Minwoo dead in the eye.


    "Pardon?"


    "Your hair had a jasmine scent, but due to the earlier scene in the desert, it became musky. And when you changed into your proper wear, it changed into a citrusy, orange scent. But your natural scent is of the wind, a minty wind to exact," explained the Valkyrie.


    "Impressive," smiled Minwoo, as he took off his apron.


    The Valkyrie made her way into the next room. The Marquess resumed his formal wear as he carried a silver plate with a matching dome. He then walked towards the standing Valkyrie.


    "Lady Roydon, take a seat," said Minwoo, pulling the chair out.


    Gently, he sat the Valkyrie down at a purple table-clothed table with large chairs. Though the table was smaller, it was adorned with lavender flowers as well as violet napkins. The silverware gleamed while the plates were all clear and shiny.


    Minwoo placed the large silver plate in front of the Valkyrie. He then unveiled what was the dish they had been preparing for the last half an hour. Mavislin could not help but drool at the sight of the dish, earning a cheeky smile from Minwoo.


    "I''ve prepared a Pork Tomahawk, with an apple and mango sauce puree. The garnish is the lobster mashed potatoes that you''d helped to make as well as the caramelized onions. As an added touch, I''ve made some broccoli to go with it," explained Minwoo, bowing down.


    After giving the signal, the Valkyrie pushed the entire silverware set away and grabbed the piece of meat by the bone. As she took a bit out of the meat, her eyes sparkled a golden hue as she continued chowing down the food.


    This shocked Minwoo, as he did not realize the Valkyrie lack table manners. He took a chair and sat down near the happy Valkyrie. Motioning a servant to make him a pumpkin pie, the Marquess continued to admire the Valkyrie and her, ''special'' eating habits.


    "Peasant," muttered the servant girl.


    The servant, however, shot a look of disgust as she looked at how Mavislin utterly devoured the entire dish. As the servant tried to get out of the room, a sharp, polished silver steak knife flew towards her. It narrowly missed her by an inch, stabbing right into the beautifully carved door.


    "Not only we''ve got a heightened sense of smell, but hearing is in the package as well. I''m pretty sure you''ve insulted me under your breath," said Mavislin, turning to look at the frightened servant girl.


    "After all, you''re just a lowly human. Worst than a peasant," said Mavislin, smiling sinisterly.


    The servant girl freaked out and bolted out of the room, with the Valkyrie smile etched into her mind. Mavislin merely continued to eat.


    "Aww, it looks like I won''t be getting that pumpkin pie any time son," said Minwoo, grabbing a napkin.


    He then gently wiped the corners of the Valkyrie''s mouth, causing the girl to flush. Grabbing the napkin, Mavislin quickly turned away.


    "You can still have it. It''s right there," said Mavislin, pointing at the doorway.


    A whip was attached to a trolley, that held a single slice of pumpkin pie. The whip, made out of the Fire Element, was bound to Mavislin''s hand. She gave a subtle flick and the plate was right beside the Marquess.


    "Didn''t I said no use of Magecraft?" asked Minwoo, taking up a fork to eat.


    The cheeky Valkyrie immediately flicked her hand once more, causing the pie to fly above the Marquess'' head.


    "All for me then," replied Mavislin, trying to eat the pie herself.


    However, before she could take a bite, the skillful chef snatched the pie away. Minwoo happily took bites out of the pie, leaving the Valkyrie impressed by his speed.


    "Not bad, I''d offer you a place in the Arks if you weren''t one of the Kings," praised Mavislin, smirking.


    "I''m honored that you think that way. Especially for a mere human like me," said Minwoo.


    "A mere human? I dare not call you that. Marquess Dalles," said Mavislin.


    "Comparing me to you, I am human. Not normal, but still human."


    "Besides, you did say no Magecraft in the kitchen. Not at the dining hall."


    "Cheeky darling."

 Chapter 74 - The Ark Of Discussions

    "Besides, you did say no Magecraft in the kitchen. Not at the dining hall."


    "Cheeky darling."


    The Marquess stretched out his hand to playfully pinch the Valkyrie''s cheeks, earning a slight giggle from Mavislin. Minwoo was surprised as he saw the Valkyrie in a way he''d never seen before. Smiling, wholesomely.


    "That''s the first time I''ve seen a truthful laugh from you, darling."


    "Don''t expect it too often," ordered Mavislin.


    The Valkyrie glared at the Marquess, her usual serious complexion returning.


    "With all the fun aside, shall we discuss at the matters on hand? I know you lot have been keeping secrets from the Arks."


    Mavislin gave off a terrifying smirk as she placed her hand under her chin. The sinister smile that the Valkyrie gave off sent shivers down the Marquess'' spine.


    "If you are asking, Baldwin sold you out," said Mavislin, waving her hand about.


    "That damned shadow... And whose not to say that he was the one who brought in the Umbras..."


    The moment the complaint came out from his mouth, the Valkyrie''s Aura changed. This caused the room''s air to feel heavy, and the Valkyrie to attack the Marquess with her whip.


    "Talk about Baldwin like that and I''ll have your head, human," warned Mavislin through gritted teeth.


    Minwoo grabbed onto the whip with ease, yanking it out from the girl''s hand. Mavislin landed skillfully on the corner of the ceiling before striking the Marquess one more time. The Marquess dodged it, landing on the table.


    The Valkyrie calmed down and looked up towards the Marquess.


    "Baldwin has no association with the Umbras. Remain on his good side and most probably he''ll help us," explained Mavislin, extending a hand to help the Marquess to get down.


    "So, shall we have a proper, civilized discussion? I know I''m eager to have one, Marquess Dalles."


    The smirk from the Valkyrie was almost haunting as she used her whip to pull out a chair for Minwoo to sit. Like a sly imp, a mischievous child looking for prey to torment. The Marquess, visibly shaken, tried to sit on the chair.


    "Now I know why you are one of the founders of the Arks. With your tenacity, you are fit to lead the attacking ace of the Arks."


    "Now that we''ve established that, kindly inform me all that you know about the Umbras. And what has happened to the underworld because of it," order Mavislin, looking right into Minwoo''s soul.


    The Marquess sighed as he knew no way out of this predicament. Time to come up front with the founder of the Barren Pillars.


    "From my internal sources, it started when a girl complained about being haunted by a shadow. We thought it was just a minor issue of stalking," explained Minwoo, taking out a map of the world.


    He then placed a wooden peg onto where his domain was on it.


    "It became a large issue when the so-called ''shadow'' managed to touch her."


    "There''s no follow-up?" asked Mavislin, raising her eyebrow.


    "There isn''t a case if the person never existed before. The Umbras take away the day that the victim was born, stealing their birthday. The only reason why we have the ''starting report'' is that all of the reports are the same."


    "So, the first case is based on the pattern of all the cases?" asked Mavislin, earning a nod from the Marquess.


    "We''d no choice. And gathering further information was tough since people wouldn''t have a clue who we were talking about."


    "And how about the descriptions of the victims? Those victims that had tried to flee from the Umbras. I presume, from reports that you were sifting through earlier?" asked Mavislin, pointing to the corridor outside.


    "You''d noticed such minute details?"


    "It is a nasty habit of mine."


    "Be careful, darling. It might get you into trouble," warned the Marquess, wagging a finger in front of Mavislin''s.


    "There isn''t a need to worry. I''m able to get out of trouble if I''d wish to," said Mavislin, waving her hand.


    "Well, the gruesome details were from the bystanders, family or friends reporting about the victim. Apparently, there are two types of killing. The first being to take away the victim''s birthday. And the second is to mutilate the entire human body," said Minwoo, crushing the wooden peg.


    "If you''d try estimating, how many victims have the Umbras taken?"


    "Nearly a thousand cases, combined."


    "Combined?" asked Mavislin, seemingly surprised.


    "Some of the reports earlier have been the other Kings informing me about their situations at each of the domains," explained Marquess.


    "So, it''s inclusive of all the Kings'' victim reports?"


    The Marquess nodded, as he started pinning the wooden pegs to the other domains. The Briton and South Albion domains had a peg, while the Teuton domain remained untouched. Both the Campania and the Urnsfield domain had two pegs, confusing Mavislin.

 Chapter 75 - The Ark Of The Umbras Game

    "The black wooden peg is to signify that the domain has been hit by the second form of death. The only one that hasn''t been hit is the North Albion domain. Now, Baron Tuazon is trying best to prevent the Umbras to head there," explained Minwoo, pointing to the South of the Albion domain.


    "Then how about the Teuton domain? Out of all the domains, it''s the largest. Shouldn''t it be the best place to protect first?" asked Mavislin, pointing to the large piece of land.


    "Yes, but Earl Yan has not revealed his status on the Umbras there, so I''ve left it out," explained Minwoo.


    The Valkyrie thought hard. Though it''d been nearly century, both the underworld and the Arks were still using the old domains'' names as a guide to know which area needed aid or an investigation. It was much easier than to call it by the country''s names like the normal humans do.


    The domain under Marquess Dalles was the Campania''s, the same as the Old Chapel. The Campania domain was heavily affected, according to Minwoo. But the domain that had been hit the hardest was still the Urnsfield domain.


    "Hold on," said Mavislin, looking at the map again.


    "What''s wrong, darling?" asked Minwoo, going closer to the calculative Valkyrie.


    "The ones that have two pegs were used to house the elites and high-ranking Mages. However, that was back when the Congregation had not fallen."


    Mavislin looked at Minwoo, eager to know more.


    "Minwoo, I need you to tell me the exact number of cases within the South Albion, Campania and Urnfield domains. And if you can, find out if the victims were human or not. I''m sensing a very power-hungry pattern here," said Mavislin furrowing her eyebrows.


    Minwoo sensed the urgency within the Valkyrie''s voice and quickly left the room to get all of the reports. If what Mavislin had on mind was true, this could spell trouble for the Arks and the underworld.


    As the Marquess quickly came back with all the information, Mavislin urgently took all the doc.u.ments out. She then placed it all about.


    "How many have been affected in your domain?" asked Mavislin.


    "40 reported cases. But half has been only following the earlier ''forgotten'' pattern," replied Minwoo, looking through the reports under the Campania.


    "Exactly half?"


    The Marquess firmly nodded.


    "Alright, I''m currently doing the Urnsfield domain''s reports. It has about 50 confirmed cases and 20 unconfirmed. Could you help me out with the South of Albion?"


    "Of course, right away."


    The Valkyrie''s look was fixated on each confirmed report. And the result was daunting the poor girl. Her prediction was true. The Umbras were toying with the Arks and Kings of the underworld.


    "The South Albion domain as only 20 confirmed cases, all of which are only from the ''forgotten'' pattern of death as well."


    "That explains why the North Albion has been untouched. And I can confirm that the Teuton domain would be having 30 cases."


    "How can you be so sure?"


    "The North Albion domain used to house the newcomers. If what Baldwin claimed was true, that means the Umbras won''t be able to satisfy their greed there, since there aren''t many Mages to feast on now. Most of those areas are humans. And all of the victims are all either Mages themselves or descendants from Mages."


    "But why are the Urnsfield and Campania domains so special?"


    "The Urnsfield domain had been littered with powerful Mages, so the Umbras are having a happy buffet there. The Mages there can use five Elements or more. Five Core Elements as well as the two Sub-Elements of Light and Dark. 10 victims for each Element."


    "Don''t tell me..."


    Minwoo looked at Mavislin for confirmation. She nodded as Minwoo gasped.


    "But that doesn''t explain why they use two types of killing. Why not just use one?" asked Minwoo, raising his eyebrow.


    "Because when you are full, you tend to play with your food. The Umbras are vicious, they know no bounds when it comes to death. This is all an elaborate game in the eyes of the Umbras. And we''re letting them fall into their trap," explained Mavislin, clenching her fists.


    "I''ll try my best to help you out in this situation. I will be mobilizing my best assassins."


    "Are they all human?" asked Mavislin, ears perking.


    "Yes. Why?"


    "Hm... That might work. Since the Umbras are not interested in humans, normal ones, that might work. Mobilize at least 40 assassins."


    "One for each case?"


    "The Umbras are known for numbers. They try not to feast twice. Once they do so, they turn into the victim they''ve consumed. They usually feast again when either the body starts to die or after a hundred years."


    "Hang on... Repeat that?"


    "They become the victim?"

 Chapter 76 - The Ark Of Conclusion

    "Yes, after the Umbras have feasted, they would assume the form of the victim that they''ve taken. Any problem with that?"


    "No problem. It''s only..."


    Minwoo seemed to lose his words for a second before looking at Mavislin in the eye.


    "Only?"


    "Well... Won''t all the victims be gone, but then replaced? If the Umbras take over them, there should not be any reports. Say, except for the mutilated bodies. Within the reports, they aren''t forgotten. There should be more reports on random people popping up on the streets."


    Mavislin''s eyes widened at the Minwoo''s explanation. The two of them quickly scanned through the reports. Minwoo then recalculated his domain''s population.


    "How can we miss such a valuable piece of information?" asked Mavislin.


    "How did the Umbras manage to blend in so easily?"


    The Valkyrie froze at the realization. The Mages that had disappeared and then reappeared, have returned looking and acting like a ''human''.


    "You''d received the letters from all of the Kings, right? Pass them all to me," ordered Mavislin, extending her hand to Minwoo as she looked through a report.


    "Yes, but I''m not sure if there''s any valuable information in there," replied Minwoo, giving a few letters to her.


    Mavislin read through the letters, making an incomplete conclusion as their information was unfinished. Though they reported on the ''missing'' persons or ''mutilated'' cases, they did not realize to check the sudden fluctuation within the domains'' population.


    Only Gab and Minwoo managed to do further digging. Minwoo did find a fluctuation, more ''people'' had appeared within his area. There were a few reports on ''people appearing within the shadows'', but was not tallying up with the number of reports.


    This was because the cases were on Mages. Humans and Mages within the above-world society still had grudges against each other. But the underworld was the opposite, without the two, both areas will collapse.


    "Gab mentioned something about the Asian continent. The Umbras did touch onto there but did not show any signs of growing. It''s stagnant, only having two cases at most. That was in the other letter. What does the one in your hand say?" asked Minwoo.


    "He did notice a fluctuation, a major one. Not only that, the reason why he had asked to keep the surviving Mages there is that North Albion has no Mages currently. Hang on..."


    "What''s wrong?" asked Minwoo, going closer to the girl.


    "The Umbras are a family, more specifically, the name of a family. It''s not a type of Shadow, nor one as huge as a tribe. That''s what Gab had reported," said Mavislin, pointing to a form of writing Minwoo found foreign.


    "You understand that language?" asked Miwnoo, still trying to read the notes.


    "It''s Tagalog. I''ve got a nice mate back at the Old Chapel to teach me that language."


    "Now then, I will be writing a proper decree to mobilize my assassins. I will settle my domain while I write to the rest of the Kings about my findings. Will the Arks be activated?" asked Minwoo, looking at the Valkyrie for confirmation.


    "The Arks won''t be activated until I can get the information to the Headmaster. Even if I could, I can not guarantee that the Headmaster would allow the activation," explained Mavislin, with worried eyes.


    "Why not? It includes the Mages as well, right?"


    "Yes. But if the problem is not as severe, the Headmaster will not activate the Arks," said Mavislin.


    Minwoo slammed his fists on the table, causing all the papers to fly about.


    "But aren''t the Arks supposed to protect all Mages?! Are you guys going back on your words?!" shouted Minwoo, angered.


    This time, Mavislin threw down her own hands onto the table. In an attempt to restore sanity to the Marquess.


    "Listen! I''d say the Headmaster won''t be able to activate the Arks. But that doesn''t mean that I can''t, you daft twat," scolded Mavislin, grabbing the Marquess by the collar.


    "Aren''t the Arks following hierarchy?" asked Minwoo.


    The Valkyrie let go of the Marquess'' collar, smiling at him. Minwoo, undeniably, was shocked.


    "No, you silly thing. The Arks are called that because we don''t follow a hierarchy rule. If you want the entire thing to be activated, you must ask Headmaster. If you only need one of the Five Arks, you''d only need to ask the leader of that Ark."


    "Then, may I ask of you, Lady Mavislin Roydon. Would you please help the underworld to rid the world of these Umbras?" asked Minwoo, bowing down to the Valkyrie.


    "With the situation being analyzed on hand, I will activate my Ark to aid in the upcoming battle. This problem has been hurting the Mages, so something must be done. I can only provide offensive support, due to my Ark''s prime aspect," said Mavislin, giving her hand towards Minwoo''s face.

 Chapter 77 - The Ark Of Mobilisation

    "Of course, m'' lady. Thank you for your support," replied Minwoo, gently kissing Mavislin''s hand.


    "But on one condition."


    Minwoo froze, looking up to the Valkyrie. Mavislin gave a warm smile, almost taunting the poor fella.


    "If the matter persists beyond my capability l, I would have to ask Sir Baldwin Noble for back up," explained Mavislin, looking dead into the Marquess'' eyes.


    "That means the Knights would be fighting in the battle," replied Minwoo, looking concerned.


    "Well, have you fought with them before?" asked Mavislin, intrigued at how worried Minwoo was.


    The Marquess was silent as he tried to look for a reply for Mavislin. But none came out.


    "Hey, you alright there?" asked Mavislin, out of curiosity.


    "It''s only if the Barren Pillars have fallen, right?" asked Minwoo, voice sounding desperate.


    "Don''t assume that my Barren Pillars are so easy to trample over. Don''t forget that I''m in charge of the attacking piece for the Arks. If anything, the Pillars won''t need much help from the humans or the underworld society," said Mavislin, her tone shifting from gentle cooing to a strict warning.


    "However, with that much being said, I will not risk all of their lives by something that the underworld was supposed to clean up."


    Her lips curled into a dangerous smile, her knuckles white from deep anger within her.


    "So, the Barren Pillars will only ask for help when we are down with 20% of our total member strength."


    Minwoo sighed, giving a face of disgust before replacing it with a heartfelt smile.


    "Alright then, darling. You''ve got yourself a deal."


    "You agreed quicker than expected," said Mavislin.


    "What choice do I have? This problem is beyond the underworld''s comprehension."


    "Beyond, you say? There are many more things beyond human comprehension, my dear friend. The underworld, above-world... All of them are no match when it comes to beings from all over the Universe," explained Mavislin, looking out to the night sky.


    "Don''t worry, the things that Baldwin has shown me has already scarred my eyes."


    "Those are nothing compared to what''s to come."


    "You can predict the future?"


    "I''ve got a mate that can Time travel."


    "That pesky boy..."


    Mavislin smiled, thinking about that boy always a sense of relief.


    "Humans are so contradictory. They try so hard to trample over others, yet they preach not to do the same to the rest. They will only save themselves and no one else. They take what is not theirs and are taken from by others."


    "But we don''t ever stop trying to reach our goals."


    "Great minds think alike and fools seldom differ."


    "Then humans are the fools."


    "Well, for the upcoming battle, it looks like I''ll be paying a visit to Earl Yan. A trip to the Teuton domain. I thank you for the valuable information you''ve given me. I''ll do my best to aid you in the future. I owe you one," said the Valkyrie, getting up from her seat.


    In a flash, Minwoo appeared behind her. As he gave an embrace to Mavislin, he whispered some advice in her ears.


    "You may be a Valkyrie, a god of war. But when it comes down to it, you are still a lady, you know. Take care of yourself."


    "Of course, I will."


    "You are a foolish girl."


    Mavislin turned around, ready to give a good whack towards the Marquess'' face. He then caught her arms in the nick of time and brought her closer. His eyes seemed to flash a shade of purple before returning to its usual, inky black color.


    "What''s wrong, darling?" asked Minwoo, genuinely confused.


    "Did you insult me?"


    "Calling you a lady is one?"


    Mavislin shook her head.


    "Sorry, must have been in my head," murmured Mavislin, unsure of what to think.


    Minwoo gave another hug to the Valkyrie.


    "Goodbye, White Rat," said Mavislin, opening the window.


    "It''s been a while since someone called me by that name. See ya later, sunshine," said Minwoo, waving back.


    "And that''s the only time I heard that nickname from a human," said Mavislin, smiling.


    Minwoo looked confused as the Valkyrie happily stood on the windowsill of the giant window. She smiled at the man before plunging towards the moat around the mansion.


    "Wait!" yelled Minwoo, immediately going to the Valkyrie.


    The Marquess was surprised as the Valkyrie''s wings sprung out in its full glory. It was more ten meters above ground and yet the Valkyrie soared higher than ever. Minwoo gave a smile towards her, one that would be forever etched into Mavislin''s heart.


    The Valkyrie tried to force a smile, as she tightly gripped a piece of paper that could turn the tide of the upcoming battle. Her heart clenched as she saw the Marquess smiling so brightly.


    "Thank you for the time spent today."

 Chapter 78 - The Ark Of Earl Yan

    "So, you''ve come from the Campania''s domain?"


    "Yes."


    This was the 45th guard at the border of the Teuton domain. The Valkyrie was starting to get pissed at the humans before her. If she had to go through another row of guards once more, she''ll be committing a mass genocide very soon.


    But at least, these guards were from the underworld society. Any Mage that could recognize her could spell trouble for both parties. If it was normal humans, they might suspect her for terrorism. Well, she could be one if she''s not allowed to get through the damned border.


    "And what is your purpose of being here?" asked the man once more.


    "To pay a visit to an Earl."


    "The Earl''s name?"


    "Yan."


    "Ma''am, we''ve already said. There''s no such Earl within the domain."


    And finally, before the Valkyrie had decided to seal their fate once and for all, the man himself came.


    "What''s all the commotion?" asked the Earl.


    "Earl!" said the guards, giving a salute towards the tall, dark-skinned man.


    The Earl was dressed in a blue suit, with a navy blue tailcoat and an ocean blue vest. His inner shirt was white and his necktie was sky blue. He had a pair of black boots, laced up to his shin. His features would infer that he was only hitting his thirties.


    He had a long, golden brown fringe that was combed back. His short hair was kept neatly shaven and his eyes were black. They were on smaller side but the package as a whole painted a formidable picture to anyone that dared to oppose him.


    "This woman came from the Campania''s domain. Claimed that she wanted to meet an Earl called Yan," explained one of the guards.


    "Yes, so can I please meet him?" asked the frustrated Valkyrie once more.


    The Valkyrie sword she had heard a laugh coming out from the man.


    "Don''t worry, good sirs. I will be taking this stray to my place," ordered the Earl as he placed a strong grip onto the tired Valkyrie''s shoulders.


    "Do you need an escort?" asked the guard, once more.


    "No need. I''ve got one of my own. You lot continue to take care of the border, alright?" asked the Earl, walking away with the angered Valkyrie.


    As they were out of sight and into the alleyways, the Valkyrie decided to channel all of her anger into one punch. Towards the Earl.


    "And why did you not tell them your name?" she asked, as the poor Earl rubbed the bruised part.


    "Lumen Parvos, (Small Light)" said the Valkyrie, shooting an index finger up.


    The tip of her finger glowed. Earl Yan seemed captivated before earning another punch.


    "I am an Earl. But, Yan is my nickname within the underworld. No commoner or human within the Campania''s domain is allowed to call me by that. They only know me as the Earl of Campania," explained Yan, bringing the Valkyrie down a secret tunnel.


    "But those are not commoners," replied Mavislin, remembering the guards.


    "Only those within top of the domain knows my name as Yan."


    "Seems pretty fishy to hide your name."


    "I''d find it rude for those who I don''t know to speak my name so casually."


    "An Earl, through and through," said Mavislin, shrugging her shoulders.


    Yan gave a hint of disapproval before heading downstairs.


    The tunnel had a long, steep staircase made out of stones. Its walls was littered with torches, beautified with cracks and leaks. The small patter of rainwater and the duo''s footsteps were the only sounds heard within the eerie area.


    "So, why am I allowed to call you by your name?"


    "Though you may seem like it, you are not of our kind. I''ve heard about you lot and your achievements are to be praised. If I see one as the same rank, I''m fine with it."


    "Please. We just want to protect our kind. Casted away from the eyes of the public, we sought refuge with each other. In a sense, we are selfish."


    "Humans are the same as well, no different than you guys. We fight to protect our own haven, braving any consequences after. But when Death comes knocking, we are still unprepared."


    The place was overwhelmed with the foul stench of death.


    "The true filth, the underworld society''s headquarters," complained Mavislin as they hopped over a few rotting corpses.


    "At least, these did not die from the hands of those Umbras," replied Yan, without an inch of remorse.


    Perhaps, living within the underworld has made most numb towards death and disgrace.


    "You''ve heard from Minwoo?"


    "Yep, I''ve just sent out the last of my reports. Besides, how did you get here without a boat or an escort?"


    "You know who I truly am, right?" asked Mavislin, raising an eyebrow.

 Chapter 79 - The Ark Of The Den

    "Well, from what I''ve heard, you are not human. And from what I''ve seen, I pretty sure that you aren''t normal," said Yan, pointing at the glowing orb on her finger.


    "You''ve got keen eyes for one so blind to the world," said Mavislin, scanning the Earl from head to toe.


    "Blind, you say? Now why would you think so?" asked the Earl, his tone slowly getting annoyed.


    "No matter. I just assume most humans are in that sense. They boast so much in knowing the filth of the world and yet they are powerless when they are faced with life and death situations," said Mavislin, shrugging her shoulders.


    "Well, that''s dangerous to do so. You should not just assume human beings. Especially those from the underworld."


    "To answer the question before, I''ve traveled from the Campania to here via flight," answered Mavislin, happily sprouting her wings.


    "My, my. Aren''t you afraid that I would claim you as a witch?" asked Yan, shaking his head.


    "Aren''t you afraid of what I could do to you? My appetite is not exactly small," smirked Mavislin.


    "Nice threat. Now I know why you are the leader of the Barren Pillars."


    "I''m the leader of the Barren Pillars because there was no other choice. The Headmaster forced me to create an Ark."


    The duo walked towards a huge stone door. It was chained up with rusty padlocks and had a huge dragon''s head as a knocker. The Earl used it to make three huge knocks on the door. A small peephole with a wooden sliding door opened. All the Valkyrie could see was a bloodshot eye.


    "Yan, I''ve come with the leader of the Barren Pillars," replied the Earl.


    The eye closed as the being shut the small window. The stone doors opened with a huge creak, conjuring a mini dust storm.


    "And how long have you not used this area?" asked Mavislin, coughing at the side.


    "A few years. I don''t use it for normal occasions. But for now, it''s the safest thing to be in," replied the Earl, going into the room.


    "Anyways, Lady Roydon. Welcome to the underworld''s meeting room, otherwise called the underworld''s den," said Earl Yan, introducing the room to Mavislin.


    The room had huge amounts of food and water stored in its wooden cabinets. A huge candlelit chandelier hung above the duo. The walls did not look like stone. Instead, it looked like it was dr.a.p.ed with expensive royal blue cloth.


    In the heart of the room laid a huge stone table with lavishly carved stone chairs. On top of the table were strewn about maps, doc.u.ments, and letters. A wax stamp and blue wax sat in front of a stone chair that had an intricate carving of lilies.


    The Valkyrie gasped as she looked around. There was a reason why they were dubbed ''villainous nobles''. She was captivated when she gazed at Minwoo''s mansion. The Earl''s mansion was so much grander than the one at the Campania.


    It was odd towards the poor girl. How could the Earl be richer than the Marquess? Her thoughts were disrupted as someone cleared their throat. Mavislin instantly looked at where the voice had emitted. A plump man sat on one of the chairs, looking directly at Earl Yan.


    The man''s face was round, his hair was spiky. The familiar shape of the man reminded the Valkyrie of Z, an aching reminder. Oh, how the poor girl had missed that peanut.


    The man in front of them wore a grey, long-sleeved, button-up shirt. His black pants practically hugged his thighs as he threw a small, thin object towards the Earl. Yan smiled as he caught the weapon easily.


    "Sorry to have kept you waiting, Baron Tuazon," apologized the Earl, bowing.


    "You could at least clean this place up. And I''ve seen you brought the leader here, eh?" asked Gabriel Tuazon, looking at the Valkyrie.


    "Mavislin Roydon. And I''m here to help you lot on the case regarding the Umbras."


    Gab seemed to scowl at the poor girl before bursting into a smile. Least to say, the Valkyrie was shaken at the sudden change of mood.


    "This Earl! He did not say that guests were coming! I''ll go fix up a drink for you, young one," said Gab, happily grabbing some drinks to make for the two.


    "I want juice. Gr.a.p.e juice," said Mavislin, taking a seat.


    "Alrighty then! Coming right up."


    "White wine for me, Gab. And I hope you don''t mix up one of your ''deadly'' concoctions in mine again," replied the Earl, taking a seat on the lily carved chair.


    "Hah! Do not worry, I don''t have anything up my sleeve for today."


    "The last time I checked, you made me destroy my home''s lavatory."


    "It''s not my fault that you are weak."

 Chapter 80 - The Ark Of Knowing Information

    As Gab happily made the drinks, the Earl began to look through the letters and reports. Mavislin could only sit there and memorize the Teuton domain.


    "So, how''s Minwoo back there? Still flirting?" asked the Earl, smirking at the Valkyrie.


    "I find small talk rather dull. Shall we move on to the pressing matter at hand?"


    The Earl seemed shocked at first but he scoffed at the young girl. Mavislin merely gave a ghost of a smile as she looked through the recent doc.u.ments.


    "You seem to be a commoner, howbeit you act like a noble person," commented the Earl.


    "I''m not acting like a noble person. I''m acting like a brat because I''ve places to be and I can''t stay at any domain right now."


    "And why is that?"


    "The victims of the Umbra cases are all Mages. The more Elemental Energy that a Mage acc.u.mulates, the higher the chance of being caught by them. I''m no different. My Elemental Energy alone could power the Umbras for centuries to come," explained Mavislin.


    "So, what are you able to tell me on the circ.u.mstances of the current situation?" asked


    the Earl, receiving his white wine.


    Mavislin happily sipped on her gr.a.p.e juice before answering the Earl''s question.


    "Well, I do know that you have not answered Marquess Dalles'' reply."


    "Ah, that one. So far, from what my sources could give me, the cases have been an estimated 30."


    "And what are the descriptions of the cases?"


    "We have none."


    The poor Valkyrie nearly choked on her juice.


    "What do you mean, ''you have none''? How about the link towards the common cause? Or bodies being twisted?"


    "All of the victims have disappeared. No one can remember them, we don''t even know if there were such cases. That''s why it has taken us so long to reach out for external help. Their verbal complaints are gone if there were any."


    The Valkyrie thought long and hard.


    "From what I understand, the Umbras kill by taking the Mage''s power?" asked Gab, sitting beside the Valkyrie.


    "That''s part of the truth. The other part that it takes the Mage''s power by stealing a day from the being''s life. An added thing is that it erases the Mage from history," explained Mavislin.


    The Earl took a feather and began scribbling on some bits of paper, presumably notes.


    "Just one day? That''s not so bad," commented Gab.


    "Their birthday," answered Mavislin.


    "Ah."


    "But, there is something I want to clarify. Who are they? They are cousins of Sir Noble, right? What''s the difference between the two of them?" asked Earl Yan.


    His eyes held a hunger for the truth of these twisted beings. Beings that were birthed by the darkest corners of the Universe. Rejected, made from dark matter itself. Originating from the Abyss of Stars, Earl Yan wanted to know what made the Umbras different from Baldwin Noble.


    "And why do you ask? Knowing too much might lead to your downfall," said Mavislin sipping on her gr.a.p.e juice.


    "To fight an enemy, you must first understand your enemy, right?" asked Earl Yan.


    "Well, that is something you can use against your opponent. You could use their feelings to your advantage. But what could convince me that you won''t use the information against the Arks?" asked Mavislin, smiling a calculative grin.


    The Earl was still as he looked at the grinning Valkyrie. Gab could not give a definite answer. The Earl quickly regained his composure and answered the Valkyrie.


    "I only need information on how did the Umbras come about. I don''t need the difference. We are having a common enemy right? Seems fishy if you''re gonna hide information from us," said Earl Yan, extending a hand towards the Valkyrie.


    "You''ve beaten me. Alright, the Umbras are a family of Shadow beings. The reason why they''ve gone berserk is by the reason for eating the wrong food."


    "Eating the wrong food?"


    "What do humans do when they consume wrong things, Baron Tuazon?" asked Mavislin, turning towards Mavislin.


    "Well, if it is not non-lethal, the most that would happen is stomach discomfort."


    "Like that special drink, he gave me the other day," complained the Earl.


    "Otherwise, the human would just drop dead."


    "Shadow beings feed by consuming other Mage''s power. Once they consume one, they assume the identity of that Mage. Usually, only the Core Elements are good for them to eat. But the Umbras have consumed something called the Element of Existence," explained the Valkyrie.


    Earl Yan continued scribbling while Gab imbibed in his red wine.


    "The Element of Existence?" asked Gab, confirming with her once more.


    "Yes, this information was from Baldwin."


    "Hm... I don''t think all of the information is true," replied Gab, looking at the scattered papers.


    "You doubt me?" asked Mavislin, shocked.

 Chapter 81 - The Ark Of Understanding Umbras

    "As I said, part of it doesn''t seem to make sense."


    Mavislin perked her ears up.


    "The Element of Existence, it would just be too overpowering, right?"


    "Yes, that''s why they got food-poisoned. Let me finish my account," said Mavislin, ostensibly annoyed at Gab.


    "Sorry, you may continue."


    "As I was saying, the Umbras ate the food, thus getting food-poisoned. They then went mad and took a voyage across the Universe. Unfortunately, Earth happens to be one of their pitstops," explained the Valkyrie, looking at the world map.


    "One of their pitstops? You are telling me there are more of them out there?" asked Earl Yan.


    "Well, of course. It''s called a family for a reason."


    The Earl shrugged his shoulders.


    "And when they do get food-poisoned, they consume any being without limits."


    "Like a starving madman," said Gab.


    "The only safe bet for us is their physical form. Once they have taken a physical victim, they are stuck with it for the next hundred years."


    "That''s something worth working on," said Earl Yan.


    The room was silent before the Earl decided to break it.


    "You say as if the Umbra family are taking a vacation here. A happy family reunion," said the man, holding his feather pen up.


    "I did not mention anything about the whole family coming here at once."


    "Wait, what?" asked the two men.


    "Holy crap, if the whole family was here, we would be doomed. Earth wouldn''t even be able to see the sun. All 10 of them would be able to take out the whole Solar system," said Mavislin, almost cracking a smile.


    "So how many are there?" asked Earl Yan.


    "Four of them. One for each domain."


    The two men looked at the Valkyrie as if she had lost her mind.


    "So how are they able to take over so many victims'' identities?" asked Earl Yan, with a confused look.


    "They are forced to be in a physical form, but they are mired to that body for a hundred years. This does not mean they can''t manifest in other ways. The flesh is just a husk for them to move around or use as a disguise."


    "How do they manifest in other forms?" asked Gab.


    Mavislin could eye at the poor man in dubiety before answering his question.


    "They can appear as a voice in someone''s head to kill themselves or do their evil bidding. They could even use the flesh''s shadows to capture others. Customarily, they use their shadow form to taunt or play with their meal."


    "So you mean to say, they only take the Mage''s powers and leave the flesh walking about?" asked Earl Yan.


    "An Umbra could manage an army of flesh if it wanted to. For this moment, the Umbras are merely playing safe by taking the Mage''s powers and replacing the victims with extra humans. They act like humans, but with no memories."


    "So, lost puppies?" asked Gab.


    "To a certain degree."


    "Taking away a Mage''s power...Is it the same as taking away a soul?" asked the Earl, looking at Mavislin earnestly.


    The Valkyrie closed her eyes as she remembered how Metria asked the same question. She then opened her eyes and looked at the two humans in front of her. She got up and sprouted her wings. Gab gawked at the sight of her wings, which was at its full grandeur.


    "A Mage is the generic term for beings that have come from other worlds. We were called that due to only one reason, our Elemental Core. Once a Mage has their Elemental Core taken away or damaged, the Mage will die."


    She then playfully flapped her wings, causing the room''s dust to plunge towards the triumvirate.


    "A Valkyrie''s Elemental Core lies in the wings. Our wings can be interchanged with fake ones, but I''m showing you guys my true wings. Believe it or not, it has not fully grown yet."


    "It is comparable to a human''s heart, then," replied the Earl, pointing at where his heart was located.


    "Yes, but it differs from each Mage. Of course, the area around the Elemental Core for each individual is heavily safeguarded. For some, even the fella''s head could roll off and he''d still be able to fight."


    "Morbid way of saying Mages are nearly immortals."


    "Some do die of old age. Counterparts of humans are out there."


    The Earl looked at the scattered pieces of notes strewn all over the table. His mind tried to wrap around the information dump that the Valkyrie has given them. Gab had a better time adjusting. Not only the situation was more than the underworld''s purview, but it was far more complex than any human could imagine.


    The world, ''complex'', was not good for trying to solve this case of the shadows eating people. It would mean that the underworld had to fully rely on the Arks for help.

 Chapter 82 - The Ark Of Revelation

    "Hang on, if the Umbras did take away their birthdays, why do we still have reports about them? We even have their names. That''s the whole reason for having to fight the Umbras, right?" asked Gab, looking very confused.


    The Valkyrie and Earl Yan froze. How could they all have drawn a blank about that?


    "Baron Tuazon has got a point, how could we miss the obvious out?" asked Earl Yan.


    "I think something doesn''t add up as well. We may have forgotten about the victims, but we still have the incident reports. The only reason why we did not have descriptions is that we don''t have witnesses to report. They''ve all forgotten about that person, so they can''t give us information," explained Gab.


    Mavislin widened her eyes as she abruptly stood up.


    "How could I have been so blind!" she yelled, causing Gab to nearly stumble.


    "Give some warning, mate!" shouted the poor man, looking at Mavislin in astonishment.


    The Valkyrie ignored the man and gripped at one of the Earl''s notes.


    "Earl! Baron! I need you to scour for the diaries of the missing Mages, find any written record of them. Letters that were thrown away, anything you can think of that can hold the life of the victims," commanded Mavislin.


    "What for?" chimed the two men.


    "They are the only thing that you can use to find them. Asking people is of no use. Nor is referring to the archives."


    "Why not?" asked Earl Yan.


    "There''s no point keeping letters from someone you don''t know. If you could not remember that person, all of the records of that particular person would be extinguished. You can''t ask others since they have memories erased about that person. Am I right, Valkyrie?" asked Gab.


    Mavislin nodded, still holding that calculative look on her face.


    "So what you are saying is?"


    "The Umbras uses the Element of Memory. They don''t erase the victim from history. They erase the memories of others about the victim," replied Mavislin.


    The Earl looked at Mavislin in disbelief, while Gab merely looked at papers.


    "Will we get information on how to eliminate these creatures?" asked the Earl, with a shimmer of hope in his eyes.


    "Don''t get your hopes up. The first step is to find them. That task is already very difficult, let alone trying to kill them. Remember, swords and bullets don''t work on them."


    The Earl looked defeated but Gab held a very worried look on his face.


    "Not only we were wrong, but I don''t think the Umbras possess the ''starving'' thing either," replied Gab, looking at the Earl''s notes.


    "Meaning?"


    "You mentioned that they are the definition of ''you are what you eat''. In that sense, shouldn''t they lose the ability of ''starving''? The Umbras take the victim''s power as their own. So why are they still able to erase our memories of that person?" asked Gab, once more.


    "No..."


    "Mavislin?" asked the Earl.


    "You kept denying it, right?" asked Gab.


    The Valkyrie''s face went pale as she glowered at the Baron.


    "Denying what?" asked a very confused Yan.


    "The fact that Baldwin''s information was wrong."


    The Valkyre clenched her fist, gripping tight onto the letter that she stole from the Marquess. Her heart was in conflict, whether or not she should accept the truth or continue to listen to her superior. After all, Baldwin was one of her closest allies. Why should she listen to humans anyways?


    Perhaps Baldwin truly did not know about the Umbras as well. But there another reason, one that Mavislin tried to hide deep within herself.


    She''d complained about how humans were disgusting creatures. Two-faced creatures. They were sad, selfish and manipulative. They steal from others and are stolen from. They were ugly on the inside.


    They would use means and ways to get what they wanted, even it was wrong. Their best trait was being in denial of the truth. Humans would rather receive comforting lies than painful truths. All because of the want to paint a fake life for themselves. Because the truth is too much for one to bear.


    For all she knows, Mages could have the same ugliness pumping within their bodies. She couldn''t tell she was turning into a human or that the two kinds were one of the same.


    "Mavislin. Why do you think that Sir Noble was lying?" asked Gab, with a deadpanned look.


    The Valkyrie bit her lip, refusing to look at Gab or answer his question.


    "You want to protect him, it''s fine. And I''m not asking you to accuse me, either. But just think about it. Why would he give you the wrong information?"


    "There''s a chance that he overlooked some things..." replied the Earl, trying to vouch for the Valkyrie.


    Baron Tauzon shot a glare towards the Earl''s direction.

 Chapter 83 - The Ark Of Acceptance

    "Don''t let her continue to believe in her little world," ordered Gab with sheer tenacity.


    "But she''s just a child!" argued the Earl.


    "Give her the chance to get out of her shell, to see the world. To let her know and witness how vile a person could be to accomplish their goals. To let her realize that she had been following the wrong faith."


    "But that''s her..."


    "And that family could be the ones harming you instead of helping you," explained Gab, promptly shutting the Earl up.


    The Baron was harsh when dealing with the youngster. His tone did not harbor a single ounce of mercy as he peered deep within the girl''s facade. He was well aware that if the Valkyrie did not see her mistake, the entire system of the Arks was bound to collapse.


    The Valkyrie had been ratted out for trying to protect another person before. It ended very badly for both parties. And this was not the first she was acting upon her feelings as well.


    Baldwin''s information was not only wrong, but it was very misleading. If the Baron had not unearthed the truth, Mavislin would have allowed the Umbras to get away with their villainy. If anything, the Baron felt that Baldwin was trying to sabotage the entire human race.


    After all, it was the humans that caused so much grief for Baldwin. Killing his daughter, it was enough to make any being spiral out of control in heartache. Perhaps, he''d done it for revenge. Conclusively, the Mages only needed the planet to survive. They did not need the inhabitants.


    But the way that Baldwin had gone about doing it was loathsome in the Baron''s view. Using an innocent child as a scapegoat, Gab nearly puked at the thought of it. By coaching her at a tender age, Baldwin had the chance to brainwash the poor girl.


    It was most likely the reason why the Valkyrie felt betrayed. Why she had tried to deny the truth that was right in front of her. Because she had put her faith in that man. The man who taught her so many things, that brought her up when her parents could not.


    Children could be used as tools with the right guidance. They are very susceptible when it comes to learning. With the appropriate environment, a parent could turn a child into a weapon. A perfect killer, one with no emotions.


    Though the Valkyrie was one of the leaders, Mavislin had the least experience when it comes to leadership. If she was faced with someone she knew, she would still hold back. She had nearly sacrificed her wing when facing the Time Mage a few days ago.


    She could have killed the princess and Raiyen. But she was reluctant, since she still sees Raiyen as a brother, as an ally. Indeed, she was still young compared to the rest.


    Sure, the Baron was right. But how could Baldwin, of all people, lie to her? Mavislin found that hard to accept. The times that they spent together, learning, cooking, playing... Were others so selfish? Or was she too naive for her good? There was no way...


    The Valkyrie kept blaming herself for being so weak and foolish. And now, faced with the truth, she was inert on how to answer. She despised this feeling, the feeling of being used. She then slammed on the stone table, causing the Earl to be shocked.


    Baldwin knew that her weakest point was her emotions. By toying with her like this, Baldwin knew he could get away with it. No one could blame a child for those crimes, right? Well, tell that to the kids that have been used to give power to others.


    To hell with it, she thought. She was the leader of the fiercest department within the Arks. There was no need to crumble under pressure. And if she wanted to, she can use her feelings as an advantage. Since Baldwin has force-feeding her the wrong information, then she will find a way to get payback.


    An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. After all, the anger between for despising someone for doing heinous crimes is nothing compared to a betrayal. If the Baron wanted her answer, then it''s an answer that he will get. Mavislin stood straight and studied the Baron before answering.


    "Think of the most selfish reason you could ever come up with," replied the Valkyrie, who was about to explode with anger.


    "Saving his kin, eh? Typical. Humans are guilty of that as well. We are no strangers towards this sort of thing. I''ve seen the many atrocities that the Mages have done in the past. This kind of matter is small in your eyes," explained Gab, looking at the Valkyrie in solemnity.

 Chapter 84 - The Ark Of The Universes Laws

    "Not really. This is quite a problem for the Mages. If it reaches out, it might end up alarming the higher ranks," replied Mavislin, calming herself down.


    The Valkyrie sat back down as the Baron turned the tide of the conversation. The Earl heaved a sigh of relief. Any more than that level of anger, the area might get destroyed.


    "You kill without a care in the world. Deaths should not be an issue to you," commented Gab, with a hint of antipathy.


    "Oh no, not the death part. I''m referring to the incidents as a whole. It''s not only an issue on Earth. It''s an offense across the entire Universe."


    The Earl and Baron looked at Mavislin questioningly.


    "The Universe has rules?" asked the Earl.


    The face that the Valkyrie made to the poor Earl was priceless. Gab found it hard to stifle his laughter.


    "Humans aren''t the only intelligent life around the Universe, you know," commented Mavislin, raising her eyebrows.


    "But still, I didn''t know that the Universe would have laws."


    "Herr, wirf Hirn von Himmel... Oder Steine hauptsache er trifft..." murmured the Valkyrie.


    "And does that mean?"


    "It''s a German saying. ''Lord, throw some brains from heaven. Or stones so long as it hits the mark."


    "Mate, I think it''s a must for all worlds to have laws. Or else, everything will be in chaos," said Gab, in between laughter.


    Even the Valkyrie had to crack a smile.


    "We call it ''unspoken rules''. The basic courtesies to do upon visitation, to sum it up. When you arrive at a foreign planet, you are not allowed to take over unless it has been proven vacant. And if you are there to visit, you must try to blend in with the beings on that planet," explained Mavislin, crossing her legs.


    "Well, I have no issues about that. It''s the same around here. Upon entering a home, one must be invited and not cause harm to the occupants."


    "Not very similar since the Universe as a much wider area to cover, the laws are quite loose compared to the ones on Earth. And if you tried taking over somewhere that had occupants, the locals are free to eat the opponents."


    "So that''s why Mages tries their best to act human," said the Earl, giving a petrified look towards the nonchalant Valkyrie.


    "That''s proper. Causing a stir within the area is fine, but you are strictly aren''t allowed to commit mass genocide."


    "I think that should be the standard rule throughout the Universe," commented the Baron, with a small smile.


    "Right now, if the Umbras were to do so, they risk angering the Universe itself. That is the reasoning behind why they travel in split packs. They''ve been constantly dodging the Universe''s sight for a long time."


    "Never thought Shadows could be crooks. But does the Universe function like the Arks?" asked Gab, peering at the Valkyrie.


    "I highly doubt so. Once the criminals are found on the same planet, the Universe will automatically hunt them down by activating lockdown on that planet. No being would be allowed in or out of that planet," explained Mavislin, with a sad look in her eyes.


    "How would one go about doing that? Seems pretty absurd to me," questioned the Earl, raising an eyebrow.


    "A giant barrier would be placed. If the crime requires severe punishment, the surrounding planets will destroy the entire planet."


    The Earl spat out his drink before going into a coughing fit.


    "With no hesitation?" asked Gab, patting the poor Earl on the back.


    "None. It''s the decision made by the surrounding planets'' judicial systems. But the ultimate command would come from the Headquarters."


    "And would they go about doing that? A planet is not exactly easy to go boom," asked Gab.


    "An ultimate spell of the cosmos. Legend has it that its called Andromeda. This one attack harbors all of the Elements in creation. From the Core Elements to the Lost ones, the power within that surely will be devastating."


    "Do you think Earth will be roped in?"


    "Provided if the Umbras assembled on Earth all at the same time. Andromeda will only be unleashed if the severity of the crime is high. Now, they are one of the highest on the wanted list."


    "One of the highest?" asked the Baron.


    "Believe it or not, there are far worse problems than this one. The Reveries of Time are very similar to this case and they are by far, harder to catch than the Umbras. In fact, of the top three crooks, the Umbras are at the bottom of the list."


    "Would those be the next enemies to deal with?"


    "Don''t know. But if so, I would need the Time Mage''s help with them. And I pray it won''t be as bad as this current obstacle. Let''s fix this problem before Earth gets into trouble, alright?"

 Chapter 85 - The Ark Of Young Girls

    "I have lots of problem against the Vigilante. I hope I won''t have to see that brat again," grumbled Gab.


    "Thus, I pray it won''t be as bad as this current obstacle. Let''s fix this problem before Earth gets into trouble, alright?" asked Mavislin, sighing.


    "And what about the innocent lives? The humans aren''t part and parcel of the problem," asked the Earl, upset at what Mavislin had said.


    "Annihilated along with the crooks," replied Mavislin, without a hint of remorse.


    "That doesn''t seem fair."


    "Nothing''s fair. It is either that or the Universe continues to suffer. Either a planet burns or the Great Noble War starts again. I don''t like the latter," explained Mavislin.


    "The age-old thing, huh? You kill millions to save billions."


    "It''s not up to us. We have no say when it comes to the judicial system of the Universe. That''s why I''m working with you guys to solve this issue. Without Earth, I would have no home to go to anymore. It''s the least bit thing I can do for the people of this world."


    "But do you enjoy killing people? I mean, it could be offensive to you, but the girls in this world don''t usually kill unless they enjoy it," asked the Earl.


    "Or until they are made to enjoy it. They go insane after killing so much. They just can''t stop. It''s like a drug," added Gab.


    The Valkyrie froze as the two gentlemen muttered those words. How could she possibly like taking lives? And how the hell could one get addicted to that curse? It wasn''t her fault that she was made into a killing machine.


    That was the only thing that they could do. To survive in this plane of existence. She had no choice. Many praised her for the ability of sword-fighting and spells. She''d saw it as a curse than an addiction. And it''s certainly not what she does during her free time.


    Her eyes widened as she remembered how Angelina sacrificed herself by using the last of her powers. Her eyes were turned from gold to red. Her wings were battered and torn. Yet she was able to save the two children within her care.


    How could the Valkyrie have forgotten the look on her nanny''s face? With her family gone and home destroyed, she was left alone on a foreign planet. When she made friends, her closest buddy got burned by humans. So much death and destruction reigned throughout her life.


    She grew up with only her kind and the daily scrutiny from the above-world society. Her whole life was ridden with war. Even in her childhood, she was unable to have a moment of peace as war raged on around the area.


    She could never frolic around the meadows as other human children could. Even back at Valokia, she was unable to dance the same way as other kids did. She was clumsy and other kids just laughed at her when she tried to do the simple waltz.


    But give her a sword and she could decimate the battlefield. Give her a whip and she will prove to others that she can dance. The only dance she could do was to the rhythm of the battlefield. To the sound of war.


    It wasn''t her choice that she had to be born in war. But it was hers when she chose the path of battle. She didn''t ask to witness everyone around her burn. After all, she was but only a kid. Powerless, crying, weak, small... Nonetheless, she was tired of being weak. Time to fight back.


    To continue living, she had no choice but to become those who danced within the arena. A fighter, a warrior... She held her sword up high, shining amongst the dusty ashes of the fallen Valokia. That night, she became the God Of War.


    Young girls like her should do ballet, not swing a sword. They should sing lovely songs, not chant spells. They should have soft faces of kindness and gentleness. She had a determined face with eyes of sheer tenacity and no remorse behind them when she killed endlessly.


    A girl must depend on a man for survival and to do hard labor. She looks for a man to hone in her skills as a combatant. Other women create lives while she took lives. They wait for others to build up a family. She seeks out during war to create a family, adopting those who had lost loved ones.


    That''s who she is, the Valkyrie. The last Child of Valokia. Mavislin Susanna Roydon. And she did not kill for enjoyment. It was either kill or be killed. She could either plunge her sword into her enemy or allow them to behead her instead. She chose the former without hesitation.

 Chapter 86 - The Ark Of That Night

    "Don''t make me laugh."


    Her voice bellowed with anger. Shock wreaked through her body. Her fists trembled as she remembered that night at Valokia. The night that she learned her true powers as a Valkyrie. As the last child of Valokia. The power used to seal her fraternal twin in that supernova.


    She wasn''t supposed to have those powers. The ultimate spell from the ancestors of Ancient Valokia, the 11 Gladiators. Each of the Gladiators is represented by the Core, Sub as well as the Lost Elements. Water, Fire, Earth, Air, Spirit, Light, Dark, Time, Galaxian, Memory and Emotion.


    With all of the Gladiators'' permission, the child had learned those few devastating spells. She could destroy planets with only one of the Five Major Spells. Legend has it that it could have tipped the foundation of the Universe itself when all Five Spells were used.


    Otherwise known as the Heaven''s Wheel Spell, the Five Major Spells consists of stages. It goes by Stage One being the least in power to Stage Five as the most destructive.


    Before, little Mavislin could only wield the power of Amalgamation of Elements. But her powerset was quickly changed as she was crowned as the 12th Gladiator. The Empress''s child.


    The night was drenched fire and chaos. Screams rang throughout the capital of Valokia. The last night that the planet would ever be in. The mighty Valokia of the Andromeda Galaxy had fallen, just like many other stars during the Great Noble War.


    It was the first to start the long and tragic war. And now, it shall be the planet to end the war once and for all. The defences were long down. The area was filled with the notorious Husks, walking around with flames on their backs.


    A small pale hand reached out, amongst the flames, within the rumble of fallen debris. Cursing all that had destroyed her home and family. She howled in pain as to why children like her had to suffer. Why was she forced to fight her twin? Why was her twin made to be a killing a machine?


    She screamed as she tried her best to get out of the predicament she was in. Her tears flowing as she got angrier and angrier. She was livid when she had finally wormed her way out. She roared towards the skies. Towards the a.d.u.l.ts that had obliterated her entire childhood.


    "Anyone...please... just come. I don''t care who. Save us, save us all..."


    And then came the 12 shining Gladiators. They were giant compared to the small one calling out for help. They each wore white robes with gold arm and leg guards. Their hair was as white as snow. One of them flew towards the young girl and grasped her tiny hand.


    "What does your heart desire?"


    "Power. Power to stop all of this. Give me what you can to eliminate all this pain!" yelled the girl, with teary eyes.


    They each held their Element as they granted her the Ultimate Spell. With her initial powers of combining Elements, the young girl was able to adapt to the Gladiators'' Elements. Though overpowering, she managed to chant out the strongest out of the Five Major Spells.


    Her head spun as she began to sprout her abnormally, giant wings. She shot up into the air, eagerly devouring the Gladiator''s Elements.


    "Let light flow, Let dark fade. Divine punishment, Descend from the heavens. Grant me the power for this land to strive and flourish once more..." murmured the small child.


    Her eyes flew open and her arms stretched out.


    "Caelum Rota: Iustitia Imbres! (Heaven''s Wheel: Justice Rains)"


    The area was engulfed with a blinding light, dowsing all the flames and eliminating all threats. The last thing the Child of Valokia saw was the Gladiators and a figure of a dark shadow. The shadow reached out to her beckoning her to join him on the other side. A loving hand, similar to hers. A figure just like her. A smile that she remembered years ago.


    "Benny?" she murmured, a voice hoarse as she desperately tried to grasp the warm palm of her twin once more.


    But the Gladiators stopped the twins from the union. The figure disappeared, leaving the young girl muddled.


    "You will continue as the last Gladiator of Valokia."


    "You are the Empress''s daughter."


    "Do not use Caelum Rota unless it has been deemed alright."


    "The cost would be your mind if used excessively."


    "You shall be named Susanna..."


    There were more words but the Valkyrie could not hear them. She had no idea what it meant. Her thoughts were fluffy, like clouds bouncing about as she tried to hold onto reality. When she awoke, she would find that she had been moved to a new location, a new planet. Where she would build her family and meet new friends.

 Chapter 87 - The Ark Of Last Command

    "Mavislin! You alive?!" asked Gab, violently shaking the poor girl out of her trance.


    The Earl and Baron looked upset as they tried to bring Mavislin back onto Earth. The Valkyrie blinked a few times before turning to look at the Earl.


    "Are you feeling well, Lady Roydon?" asked the Earl, genuinely concerned.


    The Valkyrie scowled at him as she slapped Gab''s hand away.


    "After that question, who could feel well?" she asked, dusting herself.


    "Do not ever say that to me again. We don''t kill because we enjoy it. We kill because that was the only way to survive. Sure, I once had the choice to drop my sword but I didn''t. Because I''ve been given a task. And I will live up to my duties," said Mavislin, sitting back down.


    "And what would be those duties?" asked the Earl, questioning the Valkyrie''s credibility.


    She gave nothing but a silent glare.


    "Well, at least you weren''t too angry... But how shall we continue about on the matter?" asked Gab.


    The Valkyrie thought hard. With all the findings they''ve done, it was bound to be nighttime outside. Going out now would be dangerous. But that was the best way to gain more information. As for the two Kings, she had plans for them up her sleeves.


    "Earl Yan, deliver to the rest about our conclusion for today''s meeting. And ask all of the Kings to dig up written pieces of information about the victims. There is no need to worry about mobilizing the armies as the Marquess as done so," commanded Mavislin, pointing at the Earl.


    "Of course, Lady Roydon."


    "So, what''s my job?" asked Gab, eager to get his part of the matter.


    "Baron Tuazon, you are to personally deliver warnings to all the Kings. Spread the word about the Umbras and how to track them down."


    "What shall the warnings be?"


    "One sentence. Be careful of Baldwin''s words."


    "And how about Albion? Still need me to protect it?"


    "No need. Because I shall be dealing with the Umbras tonight. Besides, the Umbras won''t be attacking that area anytime soon. The weaker the Mage, the less likely to get hunted by them."


    "They''re too greedy, in my eyes," responded Gab, shaking his head.


    "You''re calling the Pillars now?!" asked Earl Yan, freaking out.


    "I will deal with them, face to face."


    The Earl heaved a sigh of relief. If the Guardians were to trample here, there won''t be any land left for humans to thrive in. Though Mavislin had mentioned that the Marquess had activated his assassins, Earl Yan was still on the fence whether he should activate his armies within the Teuton domain.


    "There''s no need for you to waste precious personnel, Earl Yan," assured Mavislin, giving a pat on his shoulder.


    "That''s rather kind of you, not sending them to war," said Gab, smiling.


    "Don''t be fooled. I much rather have a lesser army to command during battle than having a bunch of idiots running around. If they can''t fight the opponents, I might just end up using them as fodder. It would a waste of space and time," explained Mavislin, waving her hand about.


    "If that''s the case, I would kindly take what I said earlier," replied Gab, shaking his head.


    "Won''t it be too much to handle? The Umbras are quite strong," asked the Earl, worried.


    "Don''t be too quick to assume. Mavislin''s a Valkyrie. If she''s serious, she might end up destroying the entire domain," warned Gab, trying to picture how the girl would deal with the shadows.


    "They are nothing compared to the Light of the Valkyries. And I am one of the warriors that can harness the power to make them go extinct. Mark my words, what tonight brings is nothing related to what I did, years ago," responded Mavislin.


    "And what did you do?" asked Gab, raising an eyebrow.


    "I ended the Great Noble War by destroying my home planet."


    "Can''t say I''ll blame you," replied Gab, shrugging his shoulders.


    "That''s it?! You''re not going to retort or anything?" asked the Earl, seemingly exasperated.


    "Aren''t we guilty of that as well? We kill specific people to protect an entire domain. We sacrificed a few to save more. Indeed, Mages and humans are alike at times."


    With some few parting words, the Earl led Mavislin out while Gab continued his journey via the underground tunnels. The moment the pair had reached the surface, the street lamps were extinguished. A blanket of darkness had spread throughout the town.


    "Earl, go back to your area," ordered Mavislin, looking around.


    "You''ll be fine?" he asked, having a slight difficulty finding the door down.


    The Valkyrie sighed as she grabbed the door''s handle and swung it open. She then gently pushed the Earl inside.


    "Yes. Go back."

 Chapter 88 - The Ark Of Mixed Feelings

    With that, she slammed the door shut and turned around.


    "Sorry mate, but I have no intention to kill the Umbras. They are Mages like us. I''m sure there''s something wrong. A reason as to why they were rampaging through Earth," thought Mavislin as she focused on the task on hand.


    "Because the Umbras should have been good and dead for a few years. I was the one who killed them. To rid them, once and for all from the clutches of... "


    On the other side, the Earl felt something was amiss. How could Baldwin have given them the wrong information? He was the one who established the alliance of the underworld society. He made them swore to always reveal the truth. And now, he''s committing the exact opposite oath. He''d even tried to use a young girl to spread the wrong words out.


    It doesn''t add up. The entire thing didn''t make sense. Unless...


    As for Baron Tuazon, he was also confused, but not for the same reason as the Earl. Why were the Umbras sparing people? And they feed off from Memories, so why take only the Mages? Shouldn''t humans have memories as well?


    More importantly, how could the Marquess have mobilized his assassins? He had reported to the rest of the Kings as well as the Arks. The Earl did not know about the report and neither did Mavislin.


    Gab looked frantic as he tried to find out how the Marquess was able to launch an attack. Or hell, even send a letter. He''d seen it with his own eyes. The event.


    On another area, the swarms of Shadows licked dangerously near. The Valkyrie swiftly released her wings and flew away from the darkness.


    "I don''t know what you might be thinking. But I can guarantee that you need more effort if you want to take me down," smirked the Valkyrie as she flew up into the night sky.


    The Shadows could only follow her up the highest building before stopping. It seemed to pause for a bit before sliding back onto the ground level. The area was still and silent, allowing the duo to continuously dodged each other''s attacks.


    The Valkyrie tried to get away but was close enough for the Umbra to give a small poke.


    "Shine! Light of the Valkyries!" she chanted.


    A huge beam of light appeared and shot out from her index finger and into the shadow. It dispersed, allowing the Valkyrie to soar to greater heights.


    "I know of your planning, your trickery. You gave Baldwin and every one the wrong impressions."


    The Shadow paused its rampage. It then collapsed in on itself, creating a dark puddle of void in front of the flying Valkyrie.


    "Why did you tell the Universe a fake story?" asked Mavislin, going closer to the puddle.


    The puddle seemed to shake violently before it spat out a lump of darkness onto the ground. Mavislin backed away with caution. The lump wriggled and shook. Slowly, it formed into a shape of a being. Though caked with glowing purple smoke, Mavislin could tell who she was looking at.


    "So you''ve peeked into my memories, huh?" asked Mavislin, smiling.


    The being was a small little girl, significantly shorter than Mavislin. She had dark brown, shoulder-length hair. A relatively big, red side lily sat on the top, left side of her hair. She wore a purple kimono golden linings and a black obi.


    "Don''t think you can use that person in front of me to your advantage. I''ve long past her death," said Mavislin, pointing towards the smoky figure.


    "She held no meaning for you?" asked the Umbra, in a distorted voice.


    The figure looked up, towards the Valkyrie. Her face, which was covered by smoke earlier, was now visible. Her eyes were bigger than any other beings. Mavislin stared into the child''s violet orbs. Her pale skin was the same as how the Valkyrie had remembered.


    "What was on Valokia, stays buried and lost on that planet. If it is still floating there," replied the Valkyrie.


    The figure merely stood still as Mavislin came closer.


    "So being your family member will not harbor any emotion within you?" asked the figure.


    "Kikuri has been long dead. The figure standing in front of me is not my little sister, but an imposter."


    "You''ve got no mercy on kids."


    "Says the same Umbra that has been mutilating kids."


    The Umbra backed away, with terror in its eyes. It then bit its lip in anger.


    "How could you..."


    "Mages who were a.d.u.l.ts were not remembered and disappeared completely. But those mutilated were children of Mages or child Mages. At first, I thought they were human children, but it was clear that they belonged to the ex group of Mages. The Congregation''s long gone, but its archives are not lost."

 Chapter 89 - The Ark Of Hidden Motives

    The Umbra looked pissed off. Mavislin held a blank look, her eyes darkened. As the Umbra wanted to snatch the girl, the Valkyrie snapped her fingers.


    "I should establish some ground rules before we enter into a little chat. Don''t think you can trick me, Umbra," warned Mavislin as a huge ball of light emerged from her hand.


    "Talk is cheap, actions speak," muttered the figure, albeit in a distorted manner.


    "So you guys don''t acknowledge me like a Valkyrie, eh?" asked Mavislin, rubbing the back of her neck.


    The figure looked startled as it took a step back. The stale air began to stir as the Valkyrie collected her Elemental Energy.


    "I do agree that talk is cheap. Therefore, I''ll show you that I am the last child of Valokia," replied Mavislin, pointing at the figure.


    The symbol of Ancient Valokia appeared, trapping the Umbra within it. The symbol began to glow as ropes emerged from the crevices of the ground around the trapped Umbra. Another symbol appeared on top of the Shadow, which nearly completed the spell.


    "Do you believe me now?" asked the Valkyrie, ensnaring the Umbra.


    "We are but an illusion to all."


    The voice sounded distorted as if a group of people was trying to talk at the same time using the same words. It bore no emotion as it spoke.


    "Cryptic statement but that''s not what I asked. My question is simple. Why did you lie to everyone?"


    "We did not. You misinterpreted our message. And our powers."


    The Valkyrie lowered her eyes, lost in her thoughts. One wrong move could mean defeat. Or worse, death. After some time, she then looked at the Umbra with a puzzled look.


    "Your message?" asked the Valkyrie.


    "Yes. It was not a name."


    "Then what was it?"


    "We will not tell."


    The Valkyrie nearly gave up on negotiations with them and wanted to finish the spell. But she kept her cool.


    "If I gave you my real name, would you tell me the reason why?"


    "Why would we need your name?"


    "You are from the Abyss Of Stars. With your years of venturing, you should know about the history of Ancient Valokia."


    The Umbra remained silent in its confines. The plan wasn''t working. Time for a new strategy. She thought about the earlier warning. The message. Why had Baldwin lied once more?


    The Valkyrie shook her head. She could deal with the Angry Man later. For now, she needed to get answers out from the enemy. Before it calls on the rest.


    She recalled the message. She remembered that it struck her as either a name or a single word. Since it was not a name, it could only be a word. The Shadow language was difficult to decipher, even for Gillian himself. So for the Valkyrie to know, it would take a miracle.


    The poor girl gave up and looked for other ways. She then remembered something about powers.


    "We did misinterpret your powers, but now we know. You are only able to erase people from other beings'' minds, not from history. This means that you have the Element Of Memory, not existence. Neither were you ''food-poisoned'' like what Baldwin had claimed. Am I right?" questioned Mavislin, pointing at her head.


    "You are correct. We are a family of Shadows that have eaten the Lost Element of Memory."


    "So why did you create a game on Earth? You could have just taken out every being from one domain and move on to the next."


    The Umbra looked hesitant on whether it should reply to the Valkyrie. Its eyes were drawn downward, unable to reveal a secret towards her.


    "How about this?" asked the Valkyrie, suddenly getting an idea.


    The Umbra''s ears perked up.


    "If you could tell me why did you create the game, then I''ll tell you the culprit."


    "The culprit?"


    "The one who destroyed your home planet."


    The child looked at her in eagerness. Her playful self was kicking in. Or was it the personality of the late Kikuri peeping out?


    "Hm... Let''s do a game, shall we? With each secret told, you must replace it with another. You are allowed to reveal half the secret, but in exchange, I''ll give you half a truth as well. Does that fit you?" asked Mavislin.


    The figure nodded quickly. Mavislin heaved a sigh of relief. If that hadn''t worked, the Valkyrie had to kill it. She was more than done with killing other beings, even if they''ve committed unforgivable acts.


    She released the Umbra from its restraints. But the symbols were still actively beaming on the top and below the figure, signifying that the Umbra wasn''t out of the woods yet.


    "Better be careful. Break any rules or try to attack me, and I''ll resort to stabbing you in the back," warned Mavislin, with a stern voice.

 Chapter 90 - The Ark Of Games

    "You did not have an ounce of mercy when it comes to killing children. Doesn''t it make you waver, the thought of killing innocent girls like me?" taunted the Umbra, smirking.


    "You and I are no different either. Shouldn''t I ask the same about you? If you could kill that many children, what makes you think that I''ll be lenient against you?"


    The Umbra stomped her feet, similar to when Kikuri wanted too much candy. The memory rang throughout the Valkyrie''s head.


    "Don''t take me too lightly. If I could decimate an entire planet and end the war, then you can bet I can kill a few naughty children," said Mavislin.


    The Valkyrie then got close to the child and sat down on the floor. The child was perplexed.


    "Might as well be comfy while we chit-chat, right?" asked the Valkyrie.


    The Umbra nodded and sat down with Mavislin. The scene brought back fun memories, from which a time that was peaceful and happy. But reality kicked the Valkyrie back onto Earth once more as the figure spoke.


    "You are wrong about the children. They have no traces of Magecraft in them."


    "Hmm... So they had Mages as parents but did not gain any powers..."


    The little girl tugged on Mavislin''s sleeve. The child then looked into her eyes.


    "The Great Noble War started on Valokia, my twin brother was the one who started the Husks," replied Mavislin, looking at ''Kikuri''.


    "We did not harm any Mage."


    The Valkyrie froze.


    "What do you mean by that? They were erased from everyone''s minds..."


    The Valkyrie paused in mid sentence. Just because they had wiped from others'' minds, means that they''ve died. It would just mean that they come and go without anyone acknowledging them.


    "My middle name is Susanna," replied the Valkyrie.


    Now it was the Umbra''s turn to be shocked as she heard those words. One of the Gladiators... That brought back memories...


    "Why did you erase the Mages from everyone''s minds?" asked the Valkyrie.


    "So that they won''t get them."


    "They? Who''s they?"


    "Not fair, I haven''t ask a question yet. One answer or question to another at a time," whined the Umbra as she pointed a little finger at Mavislin.


    "You may have Kikuri''s appearance but you lack her personality..." grumbled Mavislin.


    "Hmph. Why are you helping me?"


    "Simple. Because I know you are not human."


    "But!" yelled the figure, as she pouted.


    "Listen. You are not from this planet and neither am I. I''ve got no business mingling with the lives of humans and yet I''m here poking my nose at their problems."


    The Umbra looked confused. Her mouth was agape as tried to figure the words for a reply.


    "Then aren''t you upset that we''ve killed so many?" asked the girl.


    "You call that tiny amount ''many''? Don''t make me laugh," sneered Mavislin as she looked her hands.


    The Umbra looked horrified at the Valkyrie.


    "I''ll be blunt. I don''t have a care for humans. Only a select a few have passed my personal list. Other than that, I don''t give a rat''s arse about human lives. They trample on each other for selfish reasons. They kill for trivial things. They are small compared to the rest of the beings in the Universe," explained Mavislin.


    "But wasn''t it the Arks'' mission to live alongside humans?"


    "We vowed to be in peace and get along with humans. But the Arks was made for another reason."


    "What do you mean..."


    "We made the Arks because we were selfish. The Congregation had fallen apart. Everyone was left to fend for themselves. No matter where the being had originated from, it still hurts to see a child being tossed onto the ground just because she isn''t human. You would know how that feels, right? " asked Mavislin, pointing at the little girl.


    "Of course. We were casted out from own planet as well..."


    "The Arks was made because we wanted a haven for all beings across the Universe. We had to add in the matter for ''living with the humans'' because the human community would kick up a fuss. If we had that, it would mean that the humans would have no excuse to hurt us, since we have not touched them."


    "You guys were lying to the humans?!"


    The Valkyrie was shocked when the Umbra yelled those words. Looks like the Umbra ate too much human stupidity. Even if it was Kikuri popping up, she wouldn''t have questioned the Valkyrie''s words.


    "Unless you are a part of my family, I will not bother about protecting or saving you. And especially if you are human. They are sc.u.ms that can''t even save themselves. They wallow in self pity. And when they reach the top, they dare not look back at the people that helped them."

 Chapter 92 - The Ark Of Inner Conflict

    "Why would they do that?"


    "Their ego is much too big for their brains. They refused to thank the ones who sacrificed themselves for a better life. They think everyone owes them, so they act all high-mighty. But in actuality, they are the lowest of the low."


    "That''s not true! I''ve seen some humans do compassionate things!"


    Mavislin raised an eyebrow at the Umbra, furthering increasing her interest.


    "They use compassion and kindness as a means to get what they want. After that, they expect payment. And if you don''t fork up, you''ll find yourself in debt for life. That''s how humans get by. The stolen steal from others, creating a vicious cycle."


    "Why would they stoop so low?" asked the Umbra, saddened and disgusted at how humans functioned as a whole.


    "They want the reason behind being kind. A reason for them to help those in need. They might be the only race to ask to make their kids feed them because they had given birth to them. That''s what makes them humans."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Human parents have a tendency to force their offspring to cook, clean and take care of their parents. For life. Usually, it would be a simple argument, but the parents would always state this particular statement, ''I''ve brought you up in her home with food and clothes, and this is how you repay me?''."


    "Why would a parent force their child to take care of them? That''s just wrong. They didn''t as to be born. They were the ones who decided to become parents, to have birthed a child. Why are they throwing that guilt on to a child? Furthermore, it''s about something the poor kid has no control of."


    "Because they are full of greed. Like I''ve stated earlier, humans thrive in self-pity and guilt. By doing so, the parents could gain back those years lost when bringing up a child. Isn''t it a fair trade?"


    "No, that''s not fair! No..."


    "Nursing a child isn''t just a walk in the park. It requires patience. And when they grow up, they should repay those years to the parents, right?" questioned the Valkyrie, looking at the night sky.


    The Umbra shook her head in denial. What were these conflicting thoughts? Do humans function so badly? Were they that disgusting, forcing their offspring to a life of torment and slavery?


    "And they want to save their own skin. Think about it. If the Arks were truly meant to do care about humans, the entire thing will collapse. Tell me, if I were to tell you that nice old man was a killer, would you be able to kill him?"


    "Of course! He is a killer..."


    "What if I told he was a father and makes bread for the sick and hungry? Would you be able to do it? Will your judgment allow it?"


    The Umbra looked conflicted. As a Shadow being, its judgment was firm. To kill without hesitation. But since it has consumed human memories, it could not figure out a proper answer. Or was it the late Kikuri''s judgment kicking in once more?


    Memories flooded into the poor child. Memories that did not belong to her. She could remember the time that her mother refused to let go out with friends, forcing the girl to stay home to nurse her mother''s waning health.


    No, wait. That wasn''t the memory. It was the fact that her father had forced her to sell her body to the old men lurking in the alleyways to get by. But that wasn''t it either. It had indeed taken in too many human memories.


    The Valkyrie smiled as she witnessed how the Umbra nearly crumbled because of a simple scene. Looks like Mavislin''s tactic was working. The poor shadow looked like it was about to burst into tears, unable to figure out an answer.


    "That occurs rarely. Right?" asked the Umbra, exasperated.


    "With humans as the main habitant, you would be surprised. If we did try to care for them, they would think ill of our actions. So there no point trying to save a race of beings that can''t even accept their own kind."


    "There''s no way you would think like that..."


    "There are lots of things you don''t understand about. How people can be so kind yet selfish. How others can be broken yet strong."


    "But I didn''t imagine that humans would be so mean..."


    "By the way, the message you showed me. I''ve realized, it was a calling for help," added Mavislin, remembering that small bit of information.


    The Valkyrie had already broken the rules of the game, so now it was ''Kikuri''s'' turn to answer.


    "We were desperate. We were running from Corruption. It was coming for us and the selected Mages that we''ve gathered."

 Chapter 93 - The Ark Of Surprise

    "Gathered?"


    "Yes, we''ve saved them. We meant no harm."


    "Then why did you not tell us?"


    "Because..."


    A blade ran through the Umbra, causing the child to collapse. Mavislin looked horrified as the child''s body fell lifeless beside her.


    "Uh oh... Looks like someone got carried away with her mouth..."


    The attacker''s laughter further increased the Valkyrie''s fury.


    "What the hell are you doing?!" screamed the Valkyrie as the attacker got close.


    "Aren''t you glad to see me again? Darling," greeted the figure with a Cheshire smile.


    The Valkyrie stood up, ready for a battle. Her eyes widened as she saw the person who killed the Umbra. But her heart was clear, knowing the identity behind this figure.


    "She was just a child! And besides, she was one of your kind! Your family! You didn''t have to kill her!" screamed the Valkyrie.


    "Traitors will be eliminated," said the figure, fully revealing itself.


    "But she is your family! And she''s just a kid..."


    "I have use for such a useless thing if it can''t slay a small Valkyrie."


    "Why are you doing this?"


    "Power... It''s that simple."


    "Those who seek power without a clear focus will find ruin lying in wait."


    "Rich, coming from the most powerful being in the Universe."


    The Valkyrie was in terror while she held the small body in her arms. Sure, that child may have committed unforgivable crimes, but she was doing so for a reason. Like she had been made into a puppet by some unknown force.


    Mavislin shook her head, she had to remain cool. If the enemy knew that she was using her feelings to fight, then it might cause her downfall. She glanced at the attacker once more. And had a second thought about the feelings part.


    Maybe, she could use her feelings to power her moves. Nevertheless, the power of a Valkyrie comes from when judgment is at its most powerful. When the Valkyrie wielding the Major Spells has a clear target and an unwavering heart, she can perform Heaven''s Wheel to its grandest.


    "Isn''t this great? We meet again, Umbra..." greeted Mavislin, with a disgusted look in her face.


    "You sound sarcastic, darling," said the figure, smiling.


    "And I wonder why, Umbra. Wait..."


    The figure revealed itself, in a human''s body.


    "Or should I say, Marquess Dalles..." she mumbled, looking at the Umbra.


    "Well, this is his body. I''m just using this fella as a vessel. I''ve already taken his memories and skills. But alas, I''m not him," explained the figure.


    "Then where is his soul?"


    "Gone. For a very long time."


    The Valkyrie''s eyes flashed a sign of pain.


    "You''re bluffing! He is still in there! I know of it..."


    "And what makes you so sure?"


    She bit her lip before coming up with a reply.


    "Because I believe in him... I know he isn''t that dumb to let the likes you take over."


    "Don''t make me laugh. He is still only a human."


    The man smiled dangerously, causing the Valkyrie great pain. Tears of anger peeped out from the corner of her eyes. Her teeth chattered in fury.


    Minwoo...I''m so sorry... thought the Valkyrie as her heart clenched. She couldn''t save another innocent life once more. And especially one as lively as him. His smile flashed by her memories, further increasing her guilt.


    "But you knew about it, right?" asked the figure.


    The Valkyrie was quiet. She held onto that report, hoping it was a scam, hoping it was fake news. That Marquess Dalles was one of the victims who had gone missing. The only reason why she could not remember him was due to the Umbra''s powers.


    It was only when he seemingly popped out of nowhere to establish himself once more. That was also the main reason why she had journeyed to a barren wasteland to train alone. It was because Minwoo had gone missing. How could she have forgotten that?


    "But you still denied that truth. Even when I went out of character, you still refused to accept that Minwoo Dalles has been dead from the beginning," said the figure, shaking its head.


    "He isn''t!"


    She clenched her fists rightly, enough to draw blood.


    "Still in denial? Continue wallowing in that self-hope and we''ll see where that would lead you..."


    "You...Why?" asked Mavislin, looking at the small child on the ground.


    "Oh, that?"


    She gripped onto the lifeless body.


    "Hm... There was no argument on why I did that. Well, it was simple, she had revealed too much of our plan. She had been tainted by human memories."


    The Valkyrie remained silent with anger, bracing herself for a battle.


    "We never did end up training, eh? How about this, let''s fight until the sun comes up!" yelled the Umbra, grinning devilishly.


    "Stop trying to use his memories against me!"

 Chapter 102 - The Ark Of Shattering The Nightmare

    She swung an arm towards the figure, but the Umbra was quicker than expected. He dodged the attack with ease.


    "It''s pissing me off!" she yelled, shooting a glare at its direction.


    The figure launched itself towards the angered Valkyrie. Mavislin could hardly dodge the attack, barely scraping by as she flung herself towards a wall. Her wings were starting to hurt from the excessive impact over the past few days.


    The Umbra''s blade glinting due to the moon''s light. Not only his blade was tainted with the Dark Element, but his speed and physical ability were also further enhanced. She was finding it hard to stand her ground.


    As a Valkyrie, it could spell death for Mavislin. The last time a being of Light went up against a being of Dark... Let''s just say it did not end well for both sides. Earth may be in danger if she doesn''t resolve this quickly.


    "Or we could continue until one of us falls," said the figure, sprinting towards her once more.


    "Wake up! I know you can!" yelled Mavislin, deflecting the Umbra''s constant assaults.


    "You seem pretty confident about him being alive! I''ve already said, his soul had perished a long time ago!" shouted the Umbra, diving into the Valkyrie with his blade.


    "I will choose..." murmured the Valkyrie as she braved the incoming blade with her bare hands.


    The Umbra was taken aback as she grabbed the blade. He tried yanking it away, but the Valkyrie had other plans for the poor Shadow. By grabbing the blade and pulling, the sneaky Valkyrie gave it a massive headbutt. This caused the Umbra to stumble back.


    "To refuse the illusion..."


    Her heart once clouded with hatred and disgust for humans, opened when she met so many wonderful people. Sure, she''d still harbor hate from some. But she can''t be conflicted now. She needed her mind to be clear.


    "Damn you!" yelled the angered Umbra, slashing the Valkyrie''s arm when she held them up.


    She dug through her memories, one that can clear the mist. Minwoo''s cheeky grin flashed by, Raiyen''s goofy one came after. Now, she needed to do break out from those thoughts and focus on taking this Umbra down. She needed to channel those hate into power to defeat this thing.


    "And shatter the nightmare!" yelled Mavislin.


    As she shouted those words, the area around them was cleared from the eerie mist. Mavislin stood strong, in a glowing pillar of light. The Valkyrie sucked in a deep breath and braced herself. She concentrated and turned her pool of Elemental Energy into an aquatic blue.


    "All waves rise and become my shield..." chanted the Valkyrie, as streaks of water found their way into her hands.


    The figure tried launching an assault but was flung back as the spell continued to grow.


    "From depths of Okeanos, grant me the protection of the waves. Ruled by Neptune, son of Poseidon, the god of the sea," added Mavislin, as she slowly opened her eyes.


    "No chance!" said the Umbra, as he shot a huge ball of Dark Element towards the Mage.


    "The lost legend, Lord Atlantia!" yelled the Valkyrie, as it came near her.


    The sudden torrent of water managed to push both the spell and figure back, allowing Mavislin to get back up. The spell was quickly absorbed into the shield, but it had also damaged the lifeforce of the shield.


    Mavislin spat out some blood, as the Lord Atlantia took quite a huge blow. This Umbra was a fully-fledged one, unlike the one from before. If the Valkyrie could not revert to her actual state, she might end up losing this confrontation.


    "What''s wrong? Can''t bring yourself to strike your precious Minwoo?" taunted the imposter.


    The Valkyrie flew around, in an attempt to get away from the close-quarters fight. She was never good at those. She could only manage some small, projectile attacks, like Helios before she had to confront the Umbra.


    "Or do you still think you''ve got a chance to wake him up?" taunted the Shadow, appearing behind Mavislin.


    The Valkyrie took her giant shield and slammed it right into the being''s neck. This caused the Umbra to land on the side of a building, forming a dent on it. It laid there, still for a small second.


    "Don''t mess with me, Umbra..."


    The Valkyrie stabbed the colossal shield onto the ground, her grip on the piece of metal tightening. Her knuckles were turning white while her Elemental Aura skyrocketed to dangerous heights. Her eyes filled with tenacity and newfound hate.


    "You''ve taken someone precious away from me. And you still dare to laugh about it. To make light about one''s passing..."


    Mavislin launched herself from the ground, causing a shock wave. In an instant, her shield was up against the Umbra''s neck once more.

 Chapter 103 - The Ark Of The Fire Storm Lance

    "Ah! So you''ve come to terms that his soul is no longer here?" asked the Umbra, smiling.


    She hated the fact that she had to go up against someone wearing her comrade''s face like a mask. It was almost as if the Umbra was clapping out of joy for her late conclusion.


    "Who says I''m talking about Minwoo?" asked the Valkyrie, smirking.


    "Then who else would it be?"


    The Umbra''s smile died as soon as it uttered those words.


    "The fact that you are still so hard-up about me forgetting Minwoo means one thing. You aren''t able to fully erase a Valkyrie''s memories. Correct?"


    "Why you little..."


    "That means your Memory Element cannot work on those that are far superior to Shadows..."


    "Don''t forget that I''m can still use the Dark Element. The Memory Element is merely a diversion. An excessive power we had been given from that planet," answered the Umbra, pointing his blade at her.


    "Don''t forget that I''m a Valkyrie. I can still annihilate if I want."


    The Umbra gave a defeated look before asking the next question.


    "So why are you angry?"


    "I''m upset that you would make light of your child''s passing..."


    Her anger went through the roof the moment she remembered how the Umbra struck down its kind. With ungodly speed, she flew to the Umbra, catching him off guard.


    "To laugh about killing your offspring..." she warned, ass her fringe covered her darkened eyes.


    "It makes my blood boil!" she yelled as she used enough force to knock the Umbra away.


    The sheer force of the swing created a rather large shock wave, alerting the Earl''s lurking forces. And when the Umbra landed, it had created a huge crater. As the dust settled, the figure rose back up. It looked twisted and contorted.


    "Careful! You might alert..."


    Before the Umbra could finish its sentence, the Valkyrie had propelled herself onto him, with her shield in front of her. The shield looked solid, yet its outlines were blurry.


    "Merge..." chanted Mavislin, as the heart of the shield started to shake.


    "Trying your tricks huh?"


    "Tempestas (Storm)..." continued the Valkyrie, as her eyes burst into its original, golden hue.


    The surrounding cold air was absorbed into the front of the shield. This made a growing, swirling vortex on the circular symbol of the shield. The entire shield brightened up with an eerie phosphorescent light.


    "Ignis (Fire)..."


    She then reached out and placed a flaming feather into the vortex, making the entire thing burst into a fiery orange whirlpool.


    "Lancea! (Lance)" yelled the Valkyrie, as she pushed the shield towards the Umbra.


    The combined Elements combined and formed into a giant, holographic lance. It was mixed with flames as it tried to penetrate the Umbra''s strong defenses.


    "This won''t be enough to do any damage!" yelled the Umbra, pushing the lance back.


    "Bulwark Of Twilight!" shouted the Umbra, voice distorted.


    A huge, round shield of Dark Element, appeared from the Umbra''s hands. The spell was huge towering over both the Umbra and Mavislin. It managed to get sucked into the lance, causing the entire spell to disappear.


    "No way... It got negated..." murmured Mavislin, as she stood still.


    Damn, thought the Valkyrie. Perhaps she shouldn''t have tried creating a spell when she''s already so depleted of Elemental Energy. And it doesn''t help that her Aura was being overpowered by the Umbra.


    Once the Valkyrie was shaken, the Umbra decided it was a good time to turn the tide of this battle. To his advantage.


    "Hmph. My turn..." said the grinning Umbra.


    It then stomped onto the ground before launching itself towards the surprised Valkyrie. This effectively tossed the poor girl into a nearby building. Her shield was the only thing to soften the impact. But she''d still sustain deep wounds.


    The onslaught that the Umbra gave was not in the Valkyrie''s favor as her Elemental Energy pool continue to waste away. Lord Atlantia may be good to use, but was taxing to sustain in this realm.


    "Damn it. Then how about I create a physical weapon instead," murmured the Valkyrie, as she spat out some more blood.


    Now, she could only have one weapon out. Or else, she would risk collapsing in battle. She looked at her arm, one that was still full of life and agility. If the spell could not last for long, then the only way is to force it to be a physical object.


    "Oh, I''m sure that Gillian won''t approve of this spell," mumbled Mavislin as she allowed Lord Atlantia to disappear.


    "No longer able to fight with that? That thing is pretty heavy," asked the Umbra.


    The Valkyrie ignored the Umbra''s word before changing her Elemental Aura once more. With a hefty sigh, she conjured up the Fire Storm Lance once more.

 Chapter 104 - The Ark Of Primordial Beasts

    "Well, some sacrifices have to be made for the greater good. Here goes nothing!"


    She took another deep breath. And this time, before the Umbra could destroy the spell, she stabbed the lance into her arm. She howled with pain but quickly regained her composure. Her eyes were vehement. Even the Umbra was flabbergasted as he witnessed the scene.


    "You''d go so far to avenge someone who you''ve just met?!" asked the Umbra, appalled at the Valkyrie.


    "I''d go further to defeat the likes of you!" she yelled, as the lance merged with her arm.


    "You''re insane!" yelled the Umbra.


    "Then you haven''t met the rest of us..."


    Her grin was like the smile of the devil. Her eyes flashed and shined brilliantly like a star. Her entire expression was one of a madman''s.


    Due to the merging, her hand was turned into the tip of a lance. Her entire arm was engulfed with flames with an emerald hue surrounding it. She then flipped upside down and thrust her ''lance'' towards the traumatized Umbra.


    "Impossible! You couldn''t!"


    The Umbra was beginning to fear for the Valkyrie''s sanity. That was her main problem. When it comes to battle, she would do anything to win the fight. She gets blinded by the adrenaline of battle.


    "Oh, yes I can!"


    The Valkyrie smiled as she leaped through the air, slashing the Umbra with high speed. He was now having trouble to fend off Mavislin''s spastic attacks. His Wakizashi was started to break due to the flurry of slashes made by the ''lance''.


    The dark sky was filled with sparks as the two battled it out. Whenever her arm moved, a trail of fire would follow suit. The Umbra knew that it was on the losing end if it did not come up with something fast.


    The Umbra stopped dead in its tracks as Mavislin launched another attack on it.


    "Standing still ain''t going to help!" yelled the energetic Valkyrie as she quickly launched herself towards the still Umbra.


    The Umbra smiled as it held up the Marquess'' Wakizashi. The Umbra then pointed right at the Valkyrie''s direction.


    "Open! Gate of the Primordial Beasts!"


    "No way!"


    Mavislin was shocked at the Umbra. How could it have known to open the gates?! The Marquess was never a Mage... And there was only one Mage that she had known that was capable of doing such a spell.


    "You damned thing! You took her powers!" shouted the Valkyrie as the thing unleashed a shock wave of Elemental Energy.


    "She wasn''t strong enough to beat me using such godlike powers. So I took it for myself."


    "You''re lying! She couldn''t have lost against the likes of you."


    The Valkyrie was undeniably pissed at the boastful Umbra.


    "Well, you thought wrong."


    The Wakizashi was soon engulfed by a purple dust cloud. The area around them had also changed, from being in the Valkyrie''s favor to siding with the Umbra in the current moment. The Umbra closed its eyes, appearing to summon up a strong spell.


    "She''s the embodiment of despair... She trails a smog of utmost turmoil and jeers... Lamented souls lay clinging onto her feet, unable to move on. She consumed the world, collecting those poor, unfortunate souls as trophies..."


    The Elemental Aura was suffocating as the incantation was chanted. The Umbra then shouted out the rest of the incantation.


    "Door of the Sunken Shipwreck: Celeste!"


    "Damn it!"


    Mavislin summoned up her shield once more, to brave the oncoming tide of chaos.


    "Abyssal Fog!"


    As soon as the thing yelled the last few words, the area exploded into a mass of darkness. Thick, purple fog engulfed the two, making it hard for them to battle. The Umbra was used to this thickness of fog but the Valkyrie was beginning to waver from the fight.


    "Looks like a fog isn''t your thing, eh?"


    A voice appeared at her left but the attack came from the back, leading to a fatal slash on her wings. She winced in pain as her wings still needed more time to fully recover. Though it had recovered on the surface, it was still not ready to use as a shield.


    She quickly turned, ready to return the attack but was instead met with more thick fog. This infuriated the Valkyrie. And the Umbra''s laugh did not help at all. She leaped through the fog once more, trying to find the source of that laughter.


    "It''ll take more than that to defeat me in my planet''s environment," grinned the Umbra as it landed another slash.


    "Shine! The light of Valkyries!" exclaimed Mavislin as she plunged the lance into the thick fog.


    A pillar of light appeared, surrounding the Valkyrie. It then managed to disperse the entire area of its clouds.


    "I expected no less from the last child of Valokia," praised the Umbra.

 Chapter 105 - The Ark Of Eye Of The Storm

    The duo was beacons for the humans'' eyes. The Earl''s forces were stationed nearby, in the event of any backups. But as the humans chanced upon the scene, it would seem to wise to stay away.


    "Should we go and take a look? Help them?" asked Earl Yan, as he stood from the balcony of the Viscountess'' home.


    "Have you taken leave of your senses?! How could we ever intervene, let alone help, those two mad creatures there?!" protested a voice within the room.


    "It won''t hurt to give some backups, you know. And they aren''t insane, just highly energetic," commented the Earl.


    "There''s no need. I have faith in that Valkyrie''s strength. She''s..."


    The Viscountess smiled as she witnessed the way Mavislin battled. Her movements enticed the Viscountess, the display that the Valkyrie gave off was better than any old jester could perform. Her agility, her strength... The Umbra was also in need of praise as it was able to meet with every attack of the Valkyrie''s.


    "Truly a Valkyrie. A God of War," continued the Viscountess, as she combed her short, black hair behind her ears.


    "You seem to have a lot of confidence in that Valkyrie. Is she a friend of yours?" asked the Earl, raising his eyebrow.


    The Viscountess shook her head and sighed.


    "You could say that I owe her a favor."


    "A favor?"


    "Just a small thanks for saving me at the Briton domain," replied the Viscountess, unwilling to continue the subject.


    "But still, doing that move... That''s quite a jump from the norm... Is it not?" asked the Duchess, joining the duo at the balcony.


    "You''re one to talk. Especially with what you did back at Urnsfield, three years ago," laughed the Viscountess as she elbowed the poor Duchess.


    "Oh please, Viscountess. At least I wasn''t the one who set fire to the Marquess'' backyard last month," complained the Duchess.


    "Stop it, the both of you," ordered the Earl, sternly.


    The two women looked at the grumpy Earl and stuck out their tongue.


    "With the two of you as the Kings of the underworld, it''s amazing on why aren''t we called the Circus of the underworld," explained Earl Yan, as he walked back into the room.


    The two ladies laughed at the poor Earl.


    "Aww... Looks like someone is being grumpy pants again," laughed the Duchess.


    "Can''t seem to hold his ground against two beauties," added the Viscountess.


    "Not a time to make fun of the situation," said the Earl, ears getting red.


    "Oh, relax a bit! And who knows..."


    The Viscountess gave a small and sad smile before turning to look at the Earl.


    "This could be the last time we can smile with each other," finished the Viscountess, in a gloomy tone.


    "After all, we''ve already lost the Marquess. We didn''t even realize that Minwoo had been gone. Who knows what will happen?" asked the Duchess, matching the same tone as the Viscountess.


    "Right now, we are at the eye of the storm. It''s gonna be calm for a little longer until the Umbras fully mobilize their members," explained the Earl, looking at the two women.


    "Or until the Barren Pillars are called upon. And now, we can''t trust each other. We won''t know who would be turned into one of them. So we have got to be careful," ordered the Duchess.


    "Roger that," replied the Earl, giving a salute.


    The Earl merely gave a ghost of a nod before continuing reading the reports. The two women remained outside, watching the showdown.


    "It''s been a while, hasn''t it?" asked the Viscountess.


    "A while? From watching Mages fight?" asked the Duchess, eyes fixated at the show.


    "Nope, since we last gathered. Since we last laughed together. Now that the Marquess is gone..."


    The Viscountess held a sad expression as she thought of Minwoo''s smile. The Duchess grasped the older woman''s hand.


    "He wouldn''t want us to wallow in his passing. He would want us to continue smiling, even if we are in the shadows. Chin up, Viscountess," reassured the Duchess.


    "Isn''t that a mouthful to call me? How many times have I said, you can call me Ling? Besides, you are higher in ranks to me," said the Viscountess as she continued to be mesmerized by the fight.


    Mavislin was starting to pick up speed while the Umbra was slowing down in terms of reaction time.


    "Same goes for you. You can call me by my first name as well. We are childhood buddies, no less," replied the Duchess as she sipped on some tea.


    "Of course. Anything for you, lil'' Venice," said Ling, ruffling the Duchess'' hair.


    "Oi! I''m still a Duchess, you know!" exclaimed Duchess, fixing her hair.


    The two girls laughed once more, making the Earl shake his head.

 Chapter 106 - The Ark Of Crimson Firefly Dance

    As the clouds cleared, it finally revealed what the Umbra had transformed into. Instead of having legs, the Umbra''s lower half had turned into the base of a boat. Large, purple tentacles sprouted out from the Umbra''s back.


    As the Umbra opened its eyes, it had unveiled two, pitch-black orbs. A large tentacle shot out, attacking the Valkyrie.


    "I didn''t know Shadows could take such powerful Elements," said the Valkyrie, dodging the attack with ease.


    "We aren''t supposed to. I guess you can say that I''ve gone insane with the Primordial Beasts," said the Umbra, slowly bringing an arm across its form.


    The two continue to fight, with Mavislin constantly landing small slashes while the Umbra''s attacks deal more damage on a larger scale. The two, despite their sizes, were comparable to each other in terms of speed.


    "Looks like I''m ready to unleash the actual spell," said Mavislin, smiling proudly.


    "Hah! Let''s see if it will hold up this time," sneered the Umbra, holding up his finger.


    She pounced around, using the buildings as landing platforms to get onto higher ground. As she appeared on top of the Umbra, her arm was nearly burnt with flames. Her body was twisted as she threw her ''lance'' at the Umbra.


    "Ruber Stella... (Crimson Firefly)" chanted Mavislin as she performed a dazzling display of fire towards the Umbra.


    "Aubade..." said the Umbra, as it conjured up a tidal wave of thick, purple fog.


    The Elemental Energy made by the Umbra soared through the roof as it uttered those words. A huge wave of purple mist was behind the towering Umbra, ready to engulf the Valkyrie. But Mavislin seemed sanguine at beating that chaos tide.


    A trail of blazing flames was in a spiral, following each turn that Mavislin did to strike the Umbra. A few small orbs of fire began to surround the Umbra in an uneven pattern. Each of them had a fuzzy, pink outline and was constantly spinning.


    The Umbra had the same reaction as Mavislin, unfaltering confidence. That is until a certain someone decided to step in.


    "Stop hurting her."


    The Umbra paused, midway in conjuring up the second part of the spell. It had held up a finger, pointing at the Valkyrie. A small, purple ball of the Dark Element had formed at the tip of its finger. At first, it was gradually growing. But, as those words came out from nowhere, the spell had halted.


    "How could you still be..."


    "Don''t touch her!"


    "How are you alive?!"


    "She''s mine!"


    "Impossible!"


    "Don''t touch my darling!"


    "I curse you!"


    "I will not let you hurt her!"


    The Umbra looked frantic, looking for ways to get rid of the orbs. It was also panicking due to the Marquess'' protests. He was regaining parts of his body, starting from his hands. But the Umbra quickly shut the Marquess in and completed the second part of the spell.


    "Oblivion!" shouted the Umbra, as both tidal wave and ball of darkness was launched right at the Valkyrie.


    "Tripudio! (Dance)" yelled Mavislin as the orbs brightened.


    In an instant, the two were blinded by the display of the Valkyrie''s spell. With Minwoo interference at the right moment, the Umbra''s fate was sealed.


    "You''re just a human. How could you possibly have the power to defeat me?"


    "I can''t defeat you. I''m indeed human. But I''ve got something that you don''t."


    "And what is it that I lack?"


    "Someone to protect."


    "Don''t make me laugh. How could that be enough to stop me?"


    "You''re unable to have a goal. You kill your comrades. You wreak havoc on others. You don''t have a goal. You don''t have a wish to fight for. I, on the other hand, have one. And that is to protect that Valkyrie."


    "Why do you protect her so much? Do you owe her favor?"


    "Why must I owe her anything? If I''m trying to save her and expecting a treasure later, it''s not kindness, my friend. That''s called trading."


    "Deciding on what''s wrong and what''s right is entirely circ.u.mstantial for humans. It is rare to find humans treating others nicely. Usually, all their actions are based on self-interest. They''ll forget the favors they owe, but they''ll hold onto grudges forever. You, on the other hand, are different."


    "I was the same as the rest. Ignorant of the world. Until I met her and she gave me a piece of advice."


    "And that would be?"


    "Stop envying the outside world. If you want, go out and create your world."


    "Hmph. Mindless words won''t get you anywhere."


    "The power to tear or build others up lies within one''s tongue."


    "Not when it comes to defeating the shadows."


    "But it was enough to disrupt you."


    "But it can''t defeat me."


    "No, it can''t. But words are cheap. Actions speak."

 Chapter 107 - The Ark Of The Marquess Sacrifice

    As the brilliant display died down, all that was left was the Marquess and the Valkyrie. He had finally regained back his body and had reverted into a human form. The Valkyrie''s arm had gone back to normal while she sat back down onto the cold ground.


    Though it was back to normal, her arm was still in a terrible condition. It was red all over and was barely able to move. She slowly rubbed it, trying to get it moving, but to no avail. Minwoo could only look at her sadly, powerless to do anything about her arm or the Umbra that was trying to awaken within him.


    "Hey, it''s almost sunrise. It''s a great view we''ve got here," said the Marquess, pointing at the orange disk.


    "Will you stay for long?" asked Mavislin, looking at him with sad eyes.


    "No, I can''t. I don''t want the Umbra to run around with my body again. Besides, who knows what it''ll do with me again..."


    "Perhaps a jaunt around n.a.k.e.d?" joked Mavislin, forcing a small smile.


    "Cheeky darling, eh?" laughed Minwoo, shaking his head and wagging his finger at her.


    "I''m more concerned about the Umbra hurting you again," replied the Marquess.


    "So, how much time have I got left with you?" she asked, standing up to hobble towards him.


    The Marquess quickly jumped in front of her, catching the Valkyrie in his waiting arms. He quickly but steadily helped the wounded Valkyrie. He felt something wet on his chest. The Valkyrie was shaking slightly as he enveloped her into an awkward hug. Mavislin gripped onto his shoulders tightly.


    "I''ve got a few moments with you before the Umbra comes back," whispered the Marquess, into her ear.


    His tone was serious yet reassuring as it comforted the Valkyrie slightly.


    "Is there no other way? Maybe I could find a Mage to split the two of you apart," suggested Mavislin, her tone sounding desperate.


    Minwoo shook his head sadly and gave a small pat on the girl''s head.


    "I want to destroy my soul completely. The Umbra has already stolen half of it. If my soul could fully perish, then the Umbra would as well."


    "A few moments, huh? So, who''s gonna do the honors?"


    "Hey! This isn''t a ceremony!"


    "I''m just kidding."


    The Valkyrie gave a large, warm hug to the Marquess. It was only when both of them pulled back, that the Marquess realized the Valkyrie was crying. He seemed shocked at first but gave a small smile before wiping off her tears.


    "Why are you crying?" he asked, albeit with meaning in those words.


    "Such a fool..." answered the Valkyrie, allowing her tears to flow freely.


    It had been a while since she had shed tears like this. She couldn''t remember the last time she had felt like this. When her parents had died? Or when Baldwin had triggered her memories of the Great Noble war?


    "Why can''t I shed tears for a comrade?"


    "You regarded me as a comrade?"


    "No, I saw you as more than that. I regarded as my family. My elder brother."


    "I never thought Valkyries could shed tears for someone as insignificant as me."


    The Valkyrie gave a mock laugh.


    "You? Insignificant? You were able to defeat him for me. Without you, I could have never survived that."


    The Valkyrie smiled, with tears rolling down her cheeks as she touched the Marquess'' face.


    "Besides, tears are how a heart speaks when the lips cannot describe how much it''d been hurt."


    "Losing you, losing anyone dear to me... It would have been bound to hurt me, one way or another," murmured Mavislin, looking at Minwoo with solemn eyes.


    "It''s farewell, right?" asked Marquess, as he witnessed the end of the sun rising.


    "Yea, it is. Farewell, my Korean White Rat."


    "Remember the lyrics of your song? Oh! Susanna?" asked Minwoo as he stood up with the Valkyrie.


    Mavislin nodded, with moist eyes and tear-stained cheeks. Minwoo cupped the girl''s face and brought his forehead to hers. He closed his eyes, claiming both of them down.


    "Oh, Susanna! Now, don''t you cry for me..." sang the Marquess, though with his voice cracking.


    "For I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee..." said the Valkyrie as she closed her eyes.


    The song originally held no meaning for the Marquess. Now, the song lyrics of ''It rained all night, the weather it was dry'' made sense to Minwoo. It was raining within the duo''s hearts but on the outside, it was a normal sunrise.


    ''The sun so hot, I froze to death'' applied as well. Though the sunrise would''ve given them a sense of warmth and comfort, none of those were felt as they knew Minwoo could not live any longer. Only coldness could linger before one of them will perish.

 Chapter 108 - The Ark Of Minwoos Farewell

    "One request, darling," asked Minwoo, putting up his index finger.


    "What would that be?"


    "Smile for me, darling."


    The Valkyrie gave another mock smile, tears threatening to flow out once more. She shook her head in dismay.


    "How could I? How could I smile at a time like this?" she inquired, her voice cracking.


    "Just try, it''ll make us both feel better."


    Minwoo gave a small smile. The Valkyrie tried and was able to give a small smile, though it managed to squeeze out even more tears. Minwoo gingerly stroked her cheeks once more.


    "Well, it could use some work. But it''ll do for now," commented Minwoo, slightly giggling at the failed attempt.


    He then stood back and away from the Valkyrie and unsheathed his damaged blade. As he pointed it towards his chest, he paused. His hands shook, unable to push on any further. He then sighed, shaking his head in disappointment.


    "Even though I''ve promised myself. Even though I''ve killed so many others. Now, faced with such an easy decision, I still can''t find the strength to do so," said the Marquess, putting down the blade.


    "Taking your life isn''t as easy as taking others. It''s not the same. Others'' lives don''t mean anything to you. But when it comes to yours, you are bound to feel hesitant. I would, as well," reasoned Mavislin, looking at him sadly.


    "That''s just human nature, right? Selfish to the core..."


    "Remember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something, and has lost something. I can''t blame you for being hesitant. You would be leaving so many people behind."


    "And if I continue to live, the Umbra within me will kill everyone I cherish."


    "Let me do it then. I''ve taken lives as well. One more in the pile won''t affect me," offered Mavislin as she put out her hand.


    "And I thought you didn''t want me to go?" asked Minwoo, looking rather confused.


    "I don''t. But there''s no point in seeing my friend suffer if I can give him a release on life. And besides, I don''t do well with goodbyes."


    "Goodbyes hurt you?"


    "It''s not the goodbyes that hurt, it''s the flashbacks that follow. If I could make this as painless as ever, then my heart and your soul will be at ease. You don''t have to worry about the people you leave behind. Because you saved so many when you were here."


    A huge emblem of Valokia appeared both underneath and above the Marquess. A few chains of light shot out from the circ.u.mference of the circles, encasing the Marquess inside.


    "You should be honored. You will pass using one of the Five Major Spells of the Mighty Valkyries," stated Mavislin, smiling through the tears.


    "And what does that mean, darling?" asked Minwoo, tilting his head slightly.


    "The best way to gift that I, as a Valkyrie, could ever give you," replied the Valkyrie, with a weak yet powerful voice.


    "A gift of death? Sounds morbid," said the Marquess, as he let go of his blade.


    "Because it''s not an execution. It''s purification. Close your eyes, Minwoo Dalles. When you reopen them, you''ll find yourself in euphoria. So, sleep well, my friend..."


    Orbs of light emerged from the palms of her hand as she chanted the first few lines of Heaven''s Wheel.


    "Let the light flow. Let the dark fade. Allow this poor, unfortunate soul to seek eternal peace, granted from the heavens. Overturn the darkness within him and approve him the light that he deserves..."


    "Even if we lurk within the shadows, there''s always a need for light..." murmured the Marquess, smiling wistfully.


    As she chanted the spell, the Valkyrie could not stop her tears from flowing out. It was like a waterfall, unending as the Marquess could only beat witness to the sorrow that he would leave behind.


    "Hey! It was fun while it lasted..." shouted the Marquess, waving goodbye.


    "Let''s meet again, someday!" he added.


    Mavislin could muster a ghost of a nod before finishing the spell.


    "Heaven''s Wheel: Euphoria!" yelled Mavislin, biting her lip later on.


    As the light engulfed him, the Marquess finally felt the warmth that he had been missing for so long. When he saw nothing, memories of his happiest moments flashed by, like a cinematic record. It was twisting and turning, appearing all around Minwoo.


    From the time that he met Baldwin Noble, to Viscountess Ling and Earl Yan. He tried Gab''s drinks and played with young Mavislin. He got into trouble while playing rough with Gillian, making Ysabeau and Duchess Midford furious.


    From the creation of the Five Kings of the underworld to the alliance with the Arks, it was all for Minwoo to absorb. The rise and fall of the previous Marquess within the Campania''s domain. His goal to protect and give order to the people of the underworld.

 Chapter 109 - The Ark Of Heavens Wheel: Euphoria

    He felt sad and happy at the same time. The rush of emotions was overwhelming for him as he looked through his entire life as a human. He quickly grabbed the scene of he and Mavislin cooking. One of the times that truly laid an impact on his life.


    As the record finished, he was left in an empty meadow. The blue sky had fluffy clouds, the grass beneath his feet was soft. He looked around, a mountain was in the distance. He was wearing a pure white robe with no shoes.


    He began making his way towards the mountain. For what seemed like hours of painful hiking, he could make out something. As he went near, he could see a little home, not too far away from his reach. Minwoo made a beeline towards the house.


    All the way, he felt a sense of belonging as he went nearer to the house. When he had finally reached the front door, a couple opened it. They looked confused at first but reached out to him. As Minwoo looked hesitant, the couple gave a sincere smile.


    "Do not be afraid. This is where those saved by our daughter linger and rest. You are free to roam about. Here, you are at peace," explained the woman.


    "Daughter?" asked Minwoo, his voice hoarse.


    "Little Mavislin created this world for souls like you and us to rest. You can choose to pass on, or you can bear witness to what Mavislin is doing now," answered the man.


    "Bear witness?"


    Minwoo looked down at his feet. This was the worst way to get introduced to a girl''s parents. But the couple smiled, gesturing him to come into the small house.


    As he entered, a huge wave of warmth hit him. It looked like any other old home, yet it struck him with such nostalgia. After looking around, it was only then he realized it was representative of the Old Chapel. A place Mavislin held dear.


    And there, sitting on the couch, was none other than the Marquess'' fallen brother. That stick man.


    "Took you long enough, White Rat," said the stick man, waving at Minwoo to join him.


    "Been a while, eh? Ashley," said Minwoo, plopping down onto the couch with Ashley.


    The couple smiled as they went away, unable to bear witness how their precious daughter had to deal with another event of a fallen comrade. This gave the two brothers some much needed time on catching up.


    "So, how did you end up here?" asked Ashley, crossing his long legs.


    "Had to ask Mav to kill me. Some Shadow being was running around in my body, hurting everyone," explained Minwoo, as if it was the most obvious answer of all time.


    "Sounds fair enough."


    A huge block crystal sat in front of the stick man, projecting what was the Valkyrie doing in the present time.


    "Damn it!" shouted Mavislin, as she collapsed onto the cold, hard ground.


    Her wails and sobbing echoed throughout the domain. The sadness of a fallen comrade rushed throughout the land. The tears of a Valkyrie had alerted most of the Mages around. They pondered on whether to help, to comfort the poor girl.


    After all, taking the life of a family member is no easy task to do. She had done it well, but she could not deal with the memories that came after.


    "Shouldn''t that Valkyrie be used to death?" asked Viscountess Ling, looking at the sobbing mess.


    "How can anyone be used to killing their family member?" asked Earl Yan, lighting a cigarette.


    "Well, that''s just mean that she''s rather weak. Never expected that from a powerful being like a Valkyrie," stated Venice, shrugging off the poor girl''s pain.


    "Don''t be too quick to assume," warned Earl Yan.


    "Earl''s got a point. People cry, not because they''re weak. It''s because they''ve been strong for too long," boomed a voice on the balcony.


    The group spun around, readying themselves for another battle. But instead of finding an enemy, they found a very cheeky Time Mage. The boy glitched through the room, landing just beside the two women.


    "Hmm... The few Kings of the underworld. Oh, looks like the Marquess has fallen and the Baron isn''t here," commented the Time Mage, as he scanned around.


    "Who the hell you?!" screeched the Duchess, whipping out a bow and arrow.


    "Let''s just say that I''m a Time Mage. Back from a certain ordeal, came to fix another problem," explained the cheeky boy, glitching out of the room once more.


    "The Marquess might be down for the count, bringing along the alpha of the Umbras and one member. But, it''s still no time to celebrate. We''ve got bigger issues to handle. It''s not over yet," warned the Time Mage, before leaping off the balcony and into the sea of buildings below.

 Chapter 110 - The Ark Of The Mage And Princess

    "So what on earth are we supposed to do now!? You''ve managed to piss off the elders, how am I supposed to go home?" scolded a young girl.


    Her hair was adorned with precious gems as did her gown. The boy was with a black hoodie and pants halted as they rounded a corner.


    "Do you desire to return to that foul shackle?" he asked, looking for the guards.


    "I don''t fancy that way, but I''ve got no choice. Right now, my title isn''t going to save me," she said, helplessly.


    The guards then came towards the duo. With no way out, the two were trapped.


    "Watch me," said the princess, as she hopped out of the hiding spot.


    "Memory Regalia," chanted the girl as she pointed towards the humans.


    The guards then froze in their tracks and subsequently collapsed.


    "What was that?" asked the Time Mage, coming out from the shadows.


    "I made them forget how to breathe," she explained, without hesitance in her voice.


    "Well, that was kinda uncalled for," mumbled the boy, looking at the guards in disgust.


    "Determine whose side you are on, right now," commanded the girl.


    The boy sighed before trying to find another way out.


    "So, you have single-handedly destroyed my kingdom. What am I supposed to do now?" asked the girl.


    "Hey! It''s not my fault that your family practices Corrupted Magecraft," retorted the boy.


    "Anyways, what can you do now? Teleport us away?"


    "I''m a Time Mage, not a Space Mage. I can''t just teleport you away. I am capable of doing so, but it won''t be worth. You need to get away from this place before the Barren Pillars'' Guardians from the Arks sweeps through this area."


    "So, Time Travel then," suggested the girl.


    "It''s called Time Frame Hopping, not the same as traveling, as you might assume," replied the 18-year-old.


    He raked through his jet black fringe to the side and sighed.


    "How different is it, then?" she inquired.


    "You''ve heard tales of us Time Mages. About us manipulating time. It is true, but only to a minor extent. Like Element Mages who control their specific Elements, Time Mages control Time."


    "Well, that doesn''t take a genius to figure that out," mumbled the girl.


    "Those fables about Time traveling is neither wrong nor accurate. We can Time travel, but we can''t change the space. That''s why it is called Time Frame Hopping."


    The chestnut-haired girl was perplexed.


    "You asked about Time Travelling as a Time Mage. I am unable to. I manipulate Time itself. I can''t manipulate Space. I pick out a Time Frame that I desire and step into it. It changes the Time, but the area I started would be the same," he explained, with a bit more depth.


    Confusion blanketed her face as he shook his head.


    "You will understand soon enough," replied the boy.


    As he stomped his foot abruptly, a green glow emitted from the area he stepped on. He then dragged his foot around him, making a green glowing circle.


    "Show me the open frames of Time," bellowed the boy.


    A few green swirling vortexes appeared around him. He spun around to locate the correct Time Frame he wanted.


    "Activate the chosen Time Frame."


    The swirling vortex transformed into a stable portal. He then stuck his hand towards the teenage girl.


    "I can take you away from here, to safety."


    The poor girl took a step back, away from the Mage. With all that has happened, it was hard for her to tell foe from friend.


    "I don''t even know you, how can you guarantee my safety? I don''t even know your name," she said, with a hint of worry in her eyes.


    "I''ll protect you. I promise. We could go anywhere in time. A time that would be safe for you."


    "Fine then, anything to get away from those shadow things. But watch where you are bringing me, if I end up as a robot, I''m going to murder you. Got it, Time Boy?" sassed the girl as she grabbed the boy''s hand.


    "I''ve got a name, you know," complained the Time Mage.


    "Then pray tell."


    The Mage snapped his fingers, making the vortex into a gate.


    "Raiyen Phoenix E. Harmony," he replied, opening the gate.


    He then took a few steps forward, with her hand in his.


    "Phoenix, huh? Can you regenerate?"


    "If I could, I wouldn''t be a Time Mage. I would be a miracle worker. What''s your name then, Memory Princess?" sassed Raiyen towards the girl.


    She pouted and followed him.


    "The name''s Nova Melody Orlaith," she replied.


    "With the introduction done, tell me the itinerary," asked Nova, steadying herself.


    "About a hundred years back, then forwards. Pick which one you feel comfortable living for the rest of your life."

 Chapter 111 - The Ark Of The Guardians

    "And you are just going to drop me off like some passenger?"


    "I''m not from this Time Frame either. I''m already trespassing my own rules as a Time Mage. But while I am here, I might as well fulfill the promise I made years ago. To keep you safe."


    "But I''ve just only met you! You are not making any sense at all!"


    "Spoilers," replied the Mage.


    He then leaped into the gate, dragging Nova into it.


    "So, we went a hundred years into the future or the past?" asked Nova, her face seemingly disappointed at the trip.


    "Past, where the last sweep from the Barren Pillars took place. They won''t know you, but they''ll recognize me. And by the way, what''s up with your expression? Didn''t enjoy the hop through? Not comfy enough for a princess?" asked Raiyen, giving a small tap on the princess''s forehead.


    "Didn''t expect it to be that boring, that''s all," she murmured.


    "As I said, I''m no time traveler. I have no time machine, only me and my element. So don''t expect me to pick you up in a blue box and head to Valokia," explained Raiyen, walking towards the stone entrance.


    With a hundred years into the future or past, the layout should remain the same, that is if the kingdom didn''t get ransacked too harshly.


    "Is that another planet? Can we go?"


    "I''m not a Space Mage," said Raiyen, finally dragging the girl out into the open.


    Just as they left the vicinity of the castle, they were greeted by the fierce and bold footsteps of the shining armored giants of the Arks, the Barren Pillars'' strongest division; the Guardians.


    "They are huge!" gasped the poor princess.


    Royalty and title meant nothing against these giants. They loomed over the duo, inching forward with their massive legs. Instead of flesh, they were made of rock with moss as hair.


    "What do we do now? Shall I use my powers?" asked Nova, who got ready to strike.


    "Are you kidding? You don''t stand a chance against them. They aren''t just any old Knight in shining armor, they are guardians. Their Elemental Resistance is higher than most First Rate Mages. They might just deflect your Memory attack back at you."


    "So are you going to fight them?"


    "Why would I? Their boss is my friend, my partner in crime," he said, smiling.


    "What''s a boss?"


    "I am," said a voice from the guardian''s shoulders.


    A teen girl, about the same built as Nova, leaped down and onto the ground before the duo.


    "Winged Girl!" yelled Raiyen, opening his arms wide.


    "Time Boy!" replied the girl, jumping straight into the Time Mage''s arms.


    "Partners, eh?" asked Nova, with a cheeky smirk.


    "Who''s the memory person?" asked the woman, dressed in a battle suit that was unfamiliar towards Nova.


    The two had a showdown in staring. The Winged Girl was the first to break the awkward silence by clearing her throat.


    "Mavislin Roydon, I''m in charge of these big fellas," said Mavislin, patting one of the guardians'' legs.


    The Memory Princess remained silent.


    "Hmm, not of your time, eh? A hundred years too early for you to be here," explained Mavislin, grinning at the girl.


    "Nova Orlaith," replied the Princess.


    "Sounds familiar," mumbled Mavislin.


    "I''ll give you a little tip here, Royal One. Whatever you do, don''t piss her off. If you think those fellas by her side are formidable, then you should be very scared of the person who trained every one of them. Got that?" warned Raiyen, placing a hand on the royal girl''s shoulder.


    "How can such a small person train those giants!?" questioned Nova, looking at Mavislin in disbelief.


    "As I said, don''t piss her off. If you think the Giants are First Rate Mages, then she''s a few levels above them."


    "Raiyen, lunch is back at home. Baldwin has made our club sandwich. I''ll be continuing in my sweep through this kingdom. Princess Orlaith, nice meeting you. I shall proceed on in raiding your empire now. Good day," said Mavislin, hopping onto a giant''s shoulder.


    "Well, that was one quick greeting. Why didn''t you tell her about the Corrupted practices we encountered?" asked Nova, tilting her head in confusion.


    "Spoilers for her. If she knew, you wouldn''t have been born or had existed at all. The punishments by the Barren Pillars are not a handful to be messed with. The worse part is that the Giants aren''t the ones dealing with the punishments. Their boss does."


    "And exactly how powerful can she be? She''s almost the same size as me!" exclaimed Nova.


    "One small spell from hers can decimate an entire village if she''s in the mood for it. Same goes for the rest of the Founders of The Arks," replied Raiyen, swiftly.

 Chapter 126 - The Ark Of Invite

    "A hundred years in the past, are we in the middle of the Hundred Years War?" asked Nova as they weaved their way to a clearing.


    "Not really, about three years more towards the end of that war."


    "Ah, that''s comforting to note."


    "We are in the year 1450, Peru is known for child sacrifices, about a hundred. The human race, killer of their kind. Another revolt at England''s side against Old Henry and a monarch from far is assassinated," rambled Raiyen, as he tried to recall all that was occurring.


    "Ah well, better than that archduke, 464 years later," continued Raiyen, unable to clear his mind.


    "Why are you talking to yourself? And the things you don''t make sense at all," complained Nova.


    "A Time Mage that has traveled across Time itself, there is bound to be some setbacks."


    "One of which is not making sense?"


    "I''m making perfect sense, you just can''t keep up. Ah! Home at last," yelled Raiyen as he dashed towards the mini castle.


    "Used to be old Chapel, but was gone after a few fights here and there. Gillian and Ysabeau converted it into a home for all of us."


    The Old Chapel was huge, even for Nova''s time. The walls were still sturdy as if it had been untouched. It bore no look of war or fights but it screams of nostalgia towards anyone who came by. An upgraded cottage, if there was such a thing.


    Its roof had been repainted from gray to brick red. The walls from their normal grey and black color to a nice pale white. The windows retained their design. A chimney stuck out from the building''s top, the smoke indicated food was cooking.


    "Wait, did you just say Ysabeau and Gillian? As in, High Queen Meslander and Headmaster Gillian?" asked Nova, as the boy ran off.


    "Yea, what about it?" replied Raiyen, in a nonchalant voice.


    He then paused, just outside the garden.


    "How can a commoner like you be acquainted with the ones who in charge of the Arks?"


    Raiyen''s expression took a turn for the dark side as he approached the naive little human before him.


    "Don''t assume that I''m a normal Time Mage just because of the way I dress. Indeed, I do not come from a royal background but that does not define what my powers can do to you if I feel like it," cautioned Raiyen as he gave a fierce look towards the girl.


    "Any one of us, the Founders of the Pentacle Arks, are capable of committing genocide for leisure. People are bigger on the inside. This will be the last time I am going to tell you this warning, so heed these words," bellowed Raiyen as he warned the young girl.


    "This will come useful before your empire''s downfall. Royalty is just a mere title when it comes to the battlefield. It won''t help you once you''ve gone to war," he continued.


    "I''m well aware of that. I have lost family in a war before. I know that the battlefield knows no bounds when it comes to mindless slaughter," she replied, solemnly.


    "How long are you two going to stand there? Ysabeau and Mav worked all night to plant those flowers, so stop killing them and get your lunch, Time Boy!" shouted a man from the doorway of the Chapel.


    "Coming, Angry Man..." mumbled Raiyen, hopping out of the area.


    Nova went towards the cozy cottage shyly. A beautiful French lady came out to greet Raiyen, dressed in a lovely gown adorned with gems that would cost more than those on Nova''s crown.


    "Lady Meslander," greeted Nova, kneeling in respect. Ysabeau looked puzzled.


    "I may be second in command but I bear no title in royalty," said Ysabeau, coaxing the young girl to stand up.


    "But you are the High Queen! You rank higher than an empress! In other words, you are the second most powerful!" exclaimed Nova in protest.


    "All six of us who had founded the Arks are family. We do not divide ourselves into ranks, it would break our family bonds. And besides, little Mavis could easily beat me into a pulp in her full form," explained Ysabeau, leading the girl into the Old Chapel.


    The place had been transformed so drastically that it barely resembled a cottage, rather than a Chapel. It wasn''t bad, but it felt a bit poor for Nova''s test. A table made out of stone with some chairs awaited them, with Baldwin''s cooked lunch on top.


    "You must be famished from the trip, eat up, the both of you," instructed Ysabeau, gently.


    "Does she know about us Time Frame Hopping?" whispered Nova.


    "She does, now. Great sense of hearing," said Raiyen, rather casually.


    "Met Mav," said Raiyen, chomping down onto the club sandwich.

 Chapter 127 - The Ark Of Explanation

    "On patrol?" asked Baldwin, eyeing at the young girl.


    "She''s out with the Guardians, doing a bit of sweeping. Stop scaring the guest, Angry Man," scolded Raiyen, pointing at Baldwin.


    "Can''t a chef be upset when the one eating is picking at her food?"


    "Royal Ones..." complained Raiyen, giving another bite.


    "I''m not being picky, I just don''t feel safe eating in another timeline. Won''t there be a paradox of some sort?"


    "Someone''s going to destroy you either way if you don''t eat up, lassy. Starve or try something new, that''s called survival," explained Baldwin, rather harshly.


    "My name''s Nova Orlaith, not lassy," said Nova.


    She sighed and gave a few nibbles on the sourdough. Slowly, she devoured the whole thing.


    "So, Raiyen, are you their son of sorts? Since Ysabeau mentioned family," asked Nova, wiping her mouth.


    "You can say that. And I must warn you, princess, some of us aren''t human," said Baldwin, smiling dangerously.


    "So it is true! Those tales from the past are real! There are others amongst the stars," said Nova, excitedly.


    "But we''ve disguised ourselves to blend in with your kind. Imagine Mav in her true form."


    The mere thought of that as a reality was enough to send shivers down the two guys'' spine.


    "She was a child back then, so she won''t be that massive," assured Ysabeau.


    "You mentioned that you were a Founder of the Arks as well, how have you contributed?" asked Nova.


    Raiyen smiled when the rest laughed.


    "Child, do you have any knowledge on how the Arks were formed?" asked Baldwin, gasping for air.


    "I''ve heard stories from my elder sister about the Arks. A haven for Mages. A place to call home for those who are the last of their kind. From parallel universes to the stars above, their mission is to adopt those fallen from their usual home in the name of exile."


    "That''s not that bad of a starting. Please continue," said Baldwin.


    "Just because they wield Magecraft. Led by the most powerful couple, five separate branches bloomed to house all Mages that came from afar, or from the Lost Organisation. Is that correct?" asked Nova.


    "Somewhat true. Out of the Five, I am in charge of the Vigilante. Something like spies" explained Raiyen.


    "A Vigilante, huh?"


    "You know, she can''t stay here for long. Time will convulse," warned Baldwin.


    "I know, Baldwin. I''ve brought her back to keep her safe and away from the Corrupted Ones. One small trip around the next village and we would be heading off soon," explained Raiyen.


    "What are we waiting for? Let''s go for a walk!" yelled the upbeat princess.


    Ysabeau extended her wing, blocking Nova from her track. The young lass was immediately entranced by the gleaming feathers of the wing in front of her.


    "You are going not going anywhere in that gown of yours. Forward or backward, you have to dress appropriately. Come ''ere, Ma''s gonna teach you how to dress for Time Frame Hopping," said Ysabeau, dragging the young princess away.


    Raiyen looked confused as Baldwin got up to do the dishes.


    "Where''s Z?" asked Raiyen.


    "Out with Gillian. That girl, has no connection to us, right?" Baldwin looked at Raiyen, dead in the eyes.


    "She''s just a princess that I saved. This was to fulfill a promise that I made a few hundred years into the future," answered Raiyen, looking away.


    "Orlaith means golden princess in Irish. Your name means little Prince in the same language, just written wrong. You can fool Mav and Ysabeau, but you can''t deceive Gillian, Z and I. The truth will be unveiled soon. Be prepared for an explanation towards your partner."


    "I know. It seems that she could not recognize me. The trip back might have jumbled her memories. She''s just a friend that I''ve met before. She''s important, but I''ve forgotten her identity."


    Just as Baldwin left the room, the Princess and the High Queen came back, with the young girl in a modern type of wear. A long coat and small, black, plain dress.


    "Not too showy, Raiyen got this by accident, was thinking to let you try it. Never knew it would fit so perfectly."


    "How can a teenage boy get hold of a dress by accident?" asked Nova.


    Pin drop silence overwhelmed the room as she swayed around.


    "Some things are left to one''s imagination, eh?" said Raiyen, uncomfortably.


    "It''s quite comfy, I prefer this over the gleaming gown."


    Raiyen looked amazed at Ysabeau''s handiwork. She managed to turn a royal princess to a modern street girl from the future.


    "Come on! Let''s go sight-seeing!" cried the princess, for the umpteenth time.


    The nearby village was a small settlement, with about a few hundred people living there. As such, it was quiet. But the people there were friendly.

 Chapter 128 - The Ark Of The Common Village

    "I''ve never been to a village before. I didn''t know the young ones would be so cute!" screeched Nova in excitement.


    A small girl with a flower garland danced around with her other friends. Nova gave them a small jewel.


    "Thank you!" shouted the girls as they continued prancing about.


    "Do you not greet your subjects?" he asked, as he raised an inquisitive eyebrow.


    "I have not talked to anyone non-royal until these past few days. They wouldn''t allow me."


    "They?"


    "My parents. They thought Royals should not interact with commoners."


    "Hmph, that''s selfish of them. After all, how could lead a kingdom if you could not understand the hearts of your people? How would you know what would your subjects want?" asked Raiyen.


    Nova froze, unable to give a proper answer. It was true, how could she have failed to see that?


    "You missed a bunch of things. When you return, be sure to remember what it feels like to be living a proper, non-royal life. A life of bliss and happiness. Get a real taste of working, go hate or love someone. That''s how you live like a human," said Raiyen, picking up an apple to bite.


    "Without luxury?" asked Nova, holding an orange.


    "Without bounds."


    "It''s the town''s norm for star gazing," explained Raiyen as the crowd began to gather at a small empty piece of land in the heart of the village.


    As soon as dusk fell, the entire backdrop of the village changed as well. The sky changed from blue to orange, followed by a dark shade of blue. The stars started to appear, shimmering as it tore open the night sky. Like a huge slash of stars.


    "Why isn''t there an attraction of people around here at my time? This could be great for guests! I don''t recall this village being around here at my home," said Nova, seemingly captivated by the sight before her.


    "The village here would be later destroyed, no denying it. The survivors would live on, build their lives back up in another area. That''s how they lived around this time. A small settlement would be bound to fall in a couple of years. It''s just the way it is," explained Raiyen, looking at the rest of the villagers.


    "So that''s how you live..."


    "I beg your pardon?"


    "You go around different times and witness so much. And there''s always something wrong. You meet and greet others from different times, and then, you leave. I... I don''t even know you, and I trust you with my life," said Nova, eyes wide with shock.


    "This is my life. It''s not fun, as most people would think. Its like school; at first it looks interesting, exciting even. After a while, it gets boring. Then, it gets painful. The stress would get to you."


    "It''s like being Royal as well..."


    "Well, it''s the same thing for us Time Mages. Our day is a normal person''s month or even years. We run through time, meeting new friends, seeing new sights. But soon, we won''t feel stressed, we would feel sad. Heartbroken," explained Raiyen, gazing at the night sky.


    "Then why do you continue?"


    "If I told you that I''m suffering now because of my Time Element, would you take it away from me?"


    As she wanted to reply, Raiyen shot a fierce look at the girl.


    "The cost would be that I would''ve never been born," finished Raiyen.


    Nova looked down.


    "Why? You''d just live a normal human life. A bit boring, but it would be better than suffering like this," explained Nova, tilting her head.


    "You would assume that I would live a normal life without Time Element?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Time Mages aren''t made by handing over knowledge of the element, unlike the normal path. We are born out of time. Time Mages are also called the Children of Time. Quite literally, in fact."


    "I will not question why," sighed Nova, standing up.


    "You took it in faster than expected."


    "Well, I''m a princess from the future, talking to Time Mage and having Memory powers. Somehow, that explanation doesn''t seem too perplexing compared to the other things I''ve learned today."


    "Shall we head to the future then?" asked Raiyen, putting on his hood.


    As they slowly made their way towards the Old Chapel, the Giants were back from their chore.


    "Mav!" yelled the Time Boy.


    "Thought you''ve popped back to the Time Portals," said Mavislin, smiling.


    "We are about to," replied Nova, catching up.


    "Well, you can do the Hopping in your room. The ''you'' now is out on a mission, so you were lucky. Try aiming for a time in which you are not around this area, that would reduce the signs of Time Poisoning," explained Mavislin, leading them to the Founders'' bedrooms.

 Chapter 129 - The Ark Of Born Out Of Time

    "You mean a Time Paradox," corrected Nova.


    "Nope, if a Time Mage is anywhere near his past or future self when Time Frame Hopping, their bodies would start to convulse. After all, they are made of Time."


    The princess looked confused once more, Mavislin sighed and gave another example.


    "It is similar to the event of having two powerful Ice Mages being with each other. Both would start to freeze. With infinite possibilities of the Element of Time, a Time Mage can never cross his or her timeline," explained Mavislin.


    She started pushing a white door to a room full of things that derived from across time. A suit of armor, a few daggers, and clutter.


    "Could be a bit cleaner."


    "A bit more? I''d suggest an entire makeover. Or move out," commented Mavislin, leaning against the doorframe.


    Raiyen then dragged his partner out into the corridor, leaving the Princess rather confused again.


    "What''s up with the girl? She''s not of her time. And I mean that she isn''t meant to be a princess," said Mavislin, nudging the boy.


    Raiyen let out a defeated sigh.


    "Baldwin sold me out?" asked Raiyen, trying to find a way to get back at that Angry Man.


    "Your name and hers did."


    "It''s just the same language, that''s all. There''s no need to be so confusing," complained Raiyen.


    It''s only their names, right? What did it matter towards any of them? This matter was starting to infuriate the Time Mage. Why can''t names be just names?


    "Complains the Time Boy..."


    "Look, she''s just another passenger. Nothing more than that, alright?"


    "To you, everyone''s just another passenger, isn''t it? You can hop around through time, leaving the ones that care for you worried sick."


    "Mavis..."


    "Ysabeau constantly checks the history books to see if you are there if you''d gotten hurt. When are you going to settle down? I don''t even know what period you came from... "


    Mavislin trailed off, turning her back towards the boy.


    "You are not some kind of passenger to me, Mav. You are my partner in crime. I''d risk anything to protect you. I won''t leave you behind. I''m from the future, trying to fix all the promises I have made throughout Time," explained Raiyen as he gave a hug towards the girl before him.


    "Bear with me for a bit, please," pleaded the Time Boy.


    Mavislin turned around and buried her face into his chest. He then planted a kiss on top of her head.


    "Don''t leave me alone...please..." she whispered.


    "I won''t, you are talking to a Time Mage. I can come to you at any time you wish."


    "There are times that you can never reach. Remember that. Don''t try to rewrite anything that you aren''t supposed to. I don''t want to wake up to the Old Chapel on a floating platform or something," reminded Mavislin.


    "Even if I come across your demise?"


    "Don''t tamper it. Let me die. Living forever isn''t seeing everything happen and not aging. It''s knowing that your loved ones will die while you are forced to continue forward. Unable to die. It''s isn''t fun, it is a curse."


    Raiyen went back into the room in silence. What she mentioned was true. It''s a curse to see others suffering or dying and yet you aren''t able to do anything about it.


    Even if you are the most powerful being in the world. Nothing lasts forever. Raiyen and Mavislin gripped onto their chests, knowing of the burden they held.


    "Everything okay with your woman?" asked Nova, looking at his serious expression.


    "She''s not my woman. Enough of that, let''s get you out from this Time and to 200 years into the future," said Raiyen, spinning around the room to get his Elemental Energy stash.


    After gobbling those down, the few portals reappeared. The only difference between the ones Nova had seen first was that now they were blue instead of green.


    "Off to the future, in the year of 1650," said Raiyen, choosing a particular portal.


    Nova gently grasped his hand. After one more glance at the dark doorway, both Mage and Princess stepped into another time once again.


    "Idiot, bringing an innocent child through and fro Time... There are bound to be some consequences," noted Gillian, as Mavislin passed through the Headmaster''s study.


    "It''s only a melody if there''s a harmony," recited Mavislin, flipping through one of the Ancient Notes that Gillian handed her a few days ago.


    The only person who can predict a Time Mage''s footsteps, the one who can rewrite events itself. The one who oversees all of creation, not all at once though. That would destroy anyone''s mind.


    The most Gillian can achieve is plucking words from the future and into the past to give others a somewhat of a cheat. A premonition. Clairvoyance.

 Chapter 130 - The Ark Of Disappearance

    "A bit bumpy, but we made in one piece," said Raiyen, shaking his foot.


    "At least its a tad bit fun compared to the last time. The house looks the same," commented Nova, following behind.


    The area was still in a mess, so not much as changed in 200 years.


    "Mav?" asked Raiyen, as he stood at the doorway.


    The entire house looked and felt empty. A foul stench of grief awaited the duo as they descended the stone stairs. Mavislin sat at the empty dining table. When she sensed a presence, she threw something soft towards where Raiyen once stood.


    A blue light flashed before Nova''s eyes as the stuffed toy landed on the hard ground. Raiyen was now closer to the Mage who initiated the fight.


    "Mav?" asked Raiyen as he slowly approached her.


    Her eyes were bloodshot, tears had stained her pale cheeks.


    "Where the hell were you?!" yelled the angered girl at the table, throwing a punch towards the Time Mage.


    Raiyen glitched out of danger once more. With that, Mavislin collapsed, sobbing.


    "She''s gone...They''ve taken her. You promised..." mumbled Mavislin, clenching her chest.


    "Mavis... I''m so sorry. I had no idea," replied Raiyen, gingerly placing a hand on the Valkyrie''s back.


    "You promised!" she yelled, once more, slamming her fists onto the table.


    "She was the pride of my life, my joy, my hope. And you left her alone. You are a monster. Who leaves their two-year-old alone amid battle?!" yelled Mavislin, smashing her hands onto the floor.


    By this time, Nova had tears falling onto the ground hearing the poor Mage yelling her pain out.


    "The worst part is that I knew it would happen. I knew that marrying a Time Mage would result in this. The ultimate trade-off, the sacrifice of having a Time Mage as a partner. I should''ve never placed any form of faith on you..." cried Mavislin, palms getting bruised as she continuously slammed onto the stone floor.


    "Please, Mav... Calm down... Don''t be upset. Your heart can''t take anymore," warned Raiyen, voice cracking.


    He grasped her two pale hands firmly. She started to thrash around wildly, even kicking Raiyen square in the face. But not once did his expression changed.


    "Your heart can''t take this much stress... Mav, you have to calm down!" shouted Raiyen, his voice booming throughout the empty chapel.


    "Memoria Obliviscatur!" yelled out Nova, palms shaking in midair.


    After a single moment of stale silence, Mavislin collapsed. Nova had problems trying to contain her tears, she couldn''t imagine how much pain Mavislin had to go through to be in this state.


    "What did you do?!" yelled Raiyen, looking at Nova with sheer anger.


    "I made her temporarily forget the memory that was causing her to be upset," explained Nova.


    "You''d better make sure it''s temporary, or I''ll make sure your reign would be temporary as well. Don''t you dare use any form of Magecraft on my partner," warned Raiyen, his tone drenched in ferocity.


    Nova let out a gasp as she examined the object that Mavislin had thrown earlier.


    "It''s a stuffed toy of a star," commented Nova, gently stroking the toy.


    Raiyen eyes widened.


    "It had belonged to Abigail, Baldwin''s late daughter. She was not only Mavislin childhood friend but a pillar of happiness for Baldwin. Abi was burnt on the stake by humans. Mav made a promise to herself to name her first child after the stuffed toy. How could I forget that day..."


    "When you mentioned... about Time Frame Hopping, I thought I''d be able to experience all sorts of things. Stargazing, trying future food, what commoners usually do," murmured Nova, stroking the stuffed toy.


    "When I trusted you, I didn''t expect to see this kind of pain and suffering. The result of messing about with Time. Losing a loved one," said Nova.


    Her voice shook as tears began to trail down her cheeks.


    "Let''s get her onto a bed first," instructed Nova, checking the fallen one''s pulse.


    Raiyen stood there, frozen. Unable to think or move, he dropped to his knees. His head started to spin as well. Was that how it is like to have fear take over a person? Or was that the guilt of being a Time Mage overcoming his young body? Nova sighed as he fell into the world of unconsciousness as well.


    "Great, more work," mumbled the Princess, as she tried to move the two bodies.


    Just then, a particularly huge and plump being opened the door, looking at the mess that had occurred seconds earlier.


    "Mavis got upset again, huh? And Time Boy showing up at the pinnacle of the era got greeted by the wrath of the third strongest Mage in the current time? Not surprising. These two are such a handful," commented the plump being.

 Chapter 131 - The Ark Of Meeting Igor

    He then used his Igor hands to grab the two unconscious Mages. Without breaking a sweat, he tossed the partners on his shoulders using his big, strong arms.


    "Sorry ''bout the argument you had to witness, Princess," replied the being, casually sauntering off with the two people as if he had stolen two pillows.


    "Oi! You can''t just walk off with them like that!"


    "And why not?"


    "That''s called kidnapping!"


    "It''s not called kidnapping if I''m one of the Founders as well, Banphrionsa," stated the huge man.


    "One of the Founders?!" asked Nova, shocked at what the being had said.


    "The name''s Z, and I''m in charge of these two kids here," said Z, gently shaking the two Mages.


    He steadily made his way up the flight of stairs and plopped them down onto a huge bed in a particular room. Unlike the others, this room was vibrant, filled with ice sculptures or objects. The ceiling and walls were dark blue, somewhat mimicking a night sky all around.


    "These two should be fine, no major injuries..." noted the big man.


    "Raiyen got kicked in the face though," replied Nova, skeptical on whether she should trust this huge man.


    "Believe me, he has gotten worse for stealing Mavislin''s lunch and messing with Baldwin''s cooking," explained Z, shaking his head.


    Mavislin was the first to stir in her rest.


    "Z?" she said, weakly.


    "Hey, Bright Eyes. Your heart received quite the punishment from your anger, so take it easy," intrusted Z, placing a hand on Mavislin''s head.


    She craned her neck slightly to find the guilty princess.


    "You are lucky that my Magecraft surpasses your level, or else I would have accidentally deflected the spell back at you once more," said Mavislin, sitting up.


    "Sorry, Lady Roydon. I had to calm you down, didn''t expect to work," explained Nova, twiddling her fingers in nervousness.


    "It didn''t," murmured the young male Mage, who was awoken by his partner.


    It was now Raiyen''s turn to join in the conversation.


    "Did you think the third strongest would get affected by a pint-sized spell of yours? Don''t make me laugh,'' said Raiyen, darkly.


    "She took the last ounce of her strength to contain your spell, that''s why she collapsed. If the Mage defending from the attacking spell has a higher Elemental Aura that the attacker, you can bet that the defending Mage can crush the spell in an instant," said Z.


    He looked towards the terrified princess. Mavislin stood deathly silent throughout the conversation. Nova shyly placed the star toy on Mavislin''s lap.


    "I won''t be able to locate her anymore, no matter how hard I try. Perhaps I could change what had occurred if I could control Time."


    Mavislin smiled bitterly.


    "Where''s Gillian and Ysabeau?" asked Raiyen, glancing at the huge man at the bedside.


    "They''re out looking for you," answered Mavislin, gently stroking the stuffed toy.


    "What was your baby girl''s name?" asked Nova, sitting by the female Mage.


    Raiyen had hopped out and was discussing some stuff with Z in the hallway.


    "I named her after the event that had caused the downfall of my planet. Avon Harmony, she was quite the bouncy one," said Mavislin, bouncing the stuffed toy star about.


    Mavislin smiled through her tears, remembering the fond time they had shared. Nova giggled as the stuffed toy ''bounced'' on top of her head, ruffling her hair. The princess pouted.


    "I''m not a child!" protested the Memory Princess.


    "Compare to the rest of us, you''re merely a baby," said Mavislin.


    Raiyen returned to her side, along with Z. The Time Mage held a face of regret while Z was just tried.


    "Ysabeau should be returning any moment now. Gillian is trying to fix the aftermath of the Thirty Years War, so he would be taking a bit longer to arrive back here. In the meantime, you two can work things out without fighting," commanded Z, swiftly turning his back on the young couple.


    "You don''t get to stay."


    With that last statement, Z dragged the Princess out of the awkward situation in the room. After moments of eerie silence have passed, Mavislin was the first to spoke up.


    "Forget it. I am not going to bother you anymore. No point apologizing or crying. It won''t bring her back. No matter how much I hate you or wish you to be gone, it would never bring my baby girl back," said Mavislin, turning around to hide her tears.


    Raiyen gently embraced the broken girl from the back, placing his chin on her shoulder.


    "I know you are not the Raiyen of this era. The one that I know, the one who left me. You are the future version, the one holding memories of the days yet to come. It must be painful to recollect the memories of the past, my future."

 Chapter 132 - The Ark Of Give And Take

    "It''s not as painful to know that the one I vowed to protect was broken because what I''ve failed to do."


    "You must feel like God in the end. The power to go back and forwards time, to meet others, to undo the mistakes that you''ve done. You run around, doing all those Time Hops of yours, leaving those that care for you behind. The power of Time Element," said Mavislin, bitterly.


    "You know what would happen if I did so. Even if I could, I would not choose that method. I''ve already made you lost enough, the next thing to do is to go back to you at my own Time and take care of you."


    Raiyen fought hard to hold back the torrent of tears.


    "I''m no God, if I was, I would be holding our baby girl with these hands with yours," replied Raiyen, gingerly touching the stuffed toy.


    Something was bothering him and the answer was lying right in front of him.


    "You can''t rewrite Time, but that doesn''t mean you can''t warn others about it," said Nova.


    Raiyen''s ears perked up. Mavislin glanced at the girl at the doorway.


    "What do you mean?" asked the couple.


    "Yes, I would like to know what are you doing, or suggesting," said Z, pulling on the Princess''s hair.


    "Be gentle, Snow Cap," warned Raiyen.


    The big man huffed as he let go of the Princess''s hair.


    "If you can''t physically change or alter the event that happened, you can at least warn them. Give some clues or whatnot," elaborated Nova.


    Mavislin glanced at the Time Mage, eyes filled with hope and desperation. The Time Mage''s eyes widened.


    "Don''t fall for it. Even if you were able to do so, none of you lot would be able to handle the consequences. Time must flow according to its path, no cheats. If that was possible, would Baldwin be with us? Would we be able to come together and create the Arks? Would you two even have a child together?" asked Z.


    Mavislin and Raiyen looked Z, dimmed of the hope they held just before. Mavislin sighed unhappily.


    "Don''t forget, whatever you change in the past, the future gets implicated as well. A fair trade. To save a life, you must first give another to replace the saved one," explained Z, firmly.


    "What would you know?! All those are just speculation, have you guys ever tried it out yet?!" yelled Nova, upset at what the Snow Cap had stated.


    "Would you warn yourself if you''d knew you are about to die? How long would you extend the day of your death? Are you going to keep saving everyone you meet or care for you?"


    The princess was shocked. This was the first time someone could argue against her.


    "Think logically, girl. Just because you want to save a life you use another one to replace it. Would it be worth?"


    "It''s her baby girl! It''s her child! She''s got every right to do so!"


    "And risk someone else''s child?"


    Nova fell silent, tears brimming, fist clenched.


    "You are of royalty, you are not able to grasp the consequences of each solution. Your version of saving someone, being good, is not definite. To others, it is bad. Whatever you do, there would always be setbacks. Whatever decision you make, they are bound to have negative feedback," explained Z, with a heavy tone.


    "Remember this closely, child. Just because it''s her baby then she''s allowed to rewrite Time to get her back. We''ve got no right to go against the flow of Time, not even a Time Mage is capable of doing so."


    "It''s not fair... A mother should never have to lose her first baby girl and be unable to do anything about it. I mean, isn''t that what Magecraft is for? To save others? To make things easier?" asked Nova, weakly.


    Z looked away while the duo stared at each other. What was Magecraft for? Why did they try to teach others of it if there was no point to it? Was it right to use Magecraft to change things? Or wrong, since it is capable of killing others?


    "I''m sorry, Nova. After this ordeal has smoothed out, I''ll return you to your own home," said Raiyen, softly.


    "If you can''t save a simple child, then what''s the point of you, Time Mage? What''s the point of having Magecraft if you can''t save the people that you care for? Tell me!" shouted Nova, stomping her feet onto the ground.


    "There''s no such thing as a rainbow without rain. There''s no such thing as peace without conflict. Just because we go around teaching Magecraft means that we expect every single Mage has to save every person they encounter. That would be akin to suicide."

 Chapter 133 - The Ark Of Avon Harmony

    Everyone looked surprised as they heard that formidable voice. For Raiyen and Mavislin, they found the voice comforting. For Nova, it was downright scary. As for Z, he remained indifferent.


    "Victories aren''t just about saving everyone. It means so much more. Magecraft is an aid towards these victories, not necessarily meant to use it for saving the world purposes. The only reason why we go around, spreading the word of the Arks is to make a home for those who can''t control their powers," continued the mysterious voice.


    "We don''t teach from scratch, most of the members we''ve found were born with Magecraft. Exiled from the normal band of humans. That''s why we created the Arks, we were born with these powers. But we don''t have to be cursed or held back by them," explained a powerful voice at the doorway.


    "Gillian!" yelled Raiyen.


    "Headmaster!" shouted Mavislin, hopping out to greet him.


    Raiyen peered behind him, the High Queen smiled gently.


    "Mama," he said, quietly.


    He then shuffled his numb legs towards Ysabeau. After the many events that had occurred, he had never gotten a single chance to hug his parents. The one who raised him. Traveling through so many Periods, he was never able to settle down.


    And that point of time, he''d just wanted to hug the ones who had nurtured him during his darkest times. Raiyen let out a cry as he dived into Ysabeau''s waiting arms. So many times he''d been challenged, faced with the choices he had to make.


    From saving Nova to facing Mavislin''s mental breakdown due to their first child being captured. And everyone expected him to change the events that had transpired. As if others were blaming him for what had happened when he was merely a being who was born of Time itself.


    An ability which allows him to manipulate Time, but not what had already occurred. Time Mages aren''t responsible for the deaths that they witness during their trips. It was only a matter of time that others would understand how Time Mages felt.


    "And I hear that some girl is upset at Z for stating the facts of Time Changing," said Ysabeau, blinking at the royal one.


    Nova darted her eyes somewhere else, anywhere but the Hawk''s eyes.


    "She had lost her baby girl, it''s not fair if a mother is not able to see her child again," murmured Nova, biting her lip.


    "And who''s to say that she won''t?" asked Baldwin, grinning happily.


    Everyone took turns to look at each other.


    "Has the Dark Element gotten hold of your mind too much, Angry Man?" asked Z, poking at the Knight''s head.


    Baldwin slapped the Snow Cap''s hand away in annoyance.


    "What makes you guys think that the couple isn''t looking at their daughter right now?" asked Baldwin, smiling brightly.


    "Wait, what?" asked Mavislin, obviously confused at what the Angry Man had said.


    "Can''t believe you two didn''t get it," laughed Baldwin.


    His laughs died down as he looked around. Nova and Z looked at each other as smiles found their way to the Headmaster''s and High Queen''s faces.


    "I don''t think I''m quite catching up. Say what now?" asked Nova.


    "What was she named after?" asked Ysabeau, smiling brightly.


    "The thing that destroyed the planet of Valokia, so what?" asked Nova, perplexed.


    "How do stars die?" asked Baldwin.


    "By collapsing onto itself and..."


    Realization hit as Z figured the piece of the puzzle.


    "Come on, Snow Cap. It''s not rocket science, it''s just Timey stuff," said Baldwin, rubbing his head.


    "How am I supposed to know?! I''m not the one who named the brat," argued Z, having a showdown with Baldwin.


    "But still, it can''t be. No, that would be too coincidental. I mean, it''s a very common name," said Z, looking at the rest with widened eyes.


    "Becoming a supernova?" asked Nova, not knowing what she had said.


    "But her name''s Avon," complained Mavislin, still trying to keep up.


    "What''s Raiyen''s last name?" asked Z, flicking the couple''s foreheads.


    "Oh my stars," said Mavislin, looking at Nova.


    "I''m a lump of stupid! It''s only a melody if there is harmony. Gillian, I swear, you and your confusing language," continued the Valkyrie.


    "She''s our child?!" asked Raiyen.


    "I''m their kid?!" yelled Nova.


    "How slow can you two be? Yes, you guys are related," complained Baldwin as Mavislin jumped for joy.


    "If that''s true, why was her name changed?"


    Raiyen made a good point; if she was their kid, why would her name be changed?


    "How am I supposed to know? Do I look like I was the one who planned all this?" asked Baldwin, shocked at why he was being questioned that statement.


    "If it was me, I would''ve planned for a better ending," murmured the poor princess.

 Chapter 134 - The Ark Of A New Struggle

    "Don''t think it was a bit strange if Nova had powers but her ''parents'' did not? Recall, Nova. Did you ever question why you had powers?" asked Gillian, scanning the Princess, top to bottom.


    "I wanted to ask about it, but I had seen what would happen if any person was found to practice Magecraft. Thus, I kept quiet," explained Nova, scratching her hair.


    "Then why did you not convey to your parents, the only ones you would ever trust the moment you find that you''ve got the Magecrafties?" asked Z.


    She opened her mouth to reply, but no sound came out. It was simple; if a child does not trust her parents, there''s a possibility that those parents aren''t the actual ones.


    A bit of a huge jump, but if the parents knew that their child was going to have powers, wouldn''t the parents react accordingly as well? Not fair if the child was born with powers and the parents were not enchanted or possess any form of Magecraft in the first place.


    "But you''ve just mentioned that we can''t alter Time or something bad would happen. Aren''t we doing that right now?" asked Nova.


    "Just because we can''t alter Time directly means that there isn''t another way of getting ''round the issue," said Z, patting the child on her head.


    "Time said that you had to be separated from your parents. But it doesn''t mean that you guys can''t see each other again. They will never get to see their baby girl ever again, but they would know that their child would grow into a fantastic, young woman. A princess."


    Nova looked at Mavislin, scooting closer her mother with trepidation.


    "A child should never be afraid to go into their mother''s arms."


    As the two embraced, Raiyen joined in. However, there was still something amidst.


    "Why was I captured?" asked Nova, eyes on both of her parents.


    "Not sure, but it could be because of your powers. Memory Elements are quite difficult to come by. The Element is known to be called a Lost Element, usually attainable after passing it down from other Mages with the same Element," explained Z, putting his huge hand on her head.


    "Not to mention you are the child of a Time Mage and a Valkyrie, the only race in the universe capable of Amalgamation of Elements. Combined those two and you would probably get a very strong child," explained Gillian.


    Normally, every Mage gets their powers from their parents. They don''t exactly inherit the Element from their parents directly, but a mixture of it. Nova may look similar to her mother, but her Elemental Aura was closer to her father''s.


    Since Mavislin was known to have almost all Elements, deciding a power for the child would be difficult as there would be no main Element to give the kid. Raiyen was a different case, the Time Element is a whole lot simpler, yet complex.


    Time gives off a whole array of other Elements. The manipulation of other''s ''Time'' in their heads was one of them.


    "This is all sweet and all, but don''t forget the rules of Time," said Raiyen, upset that he would have to cut the reunion short.


    "Why?"


    "You are meeting us when you aren''t supposed to. It''s not gonna hurt anyone, but once you go back, you''d probably forget about this whole journey we had," explained Raiyen.


    Her eyes changed from happy to pure devastation.


    "Head Knight!" yelled a Knight, bursting into the room without warning.


    "A little privacy, First Knight Matias?" asked Baldwin, attending to his underling.


    "Sorry to intrude, Sir. But we''ve got complications on the East Sector," explained the First Knight, kneeling in the presence of the whole family.


    Nova awkwardly hid behind Raiyen as the Knight proceed to continue laying out the news.


    "What complications?" asked Mavislin, worried at the situation.


    "Mav, you don''t have to worry. I''ve got the Knights there, it''s not under your sector," assured Baldwin, sighing.


    "Uhm, Sir, I believe that is the complication. The squadron from The Barren PIllars has been annihilated, including our East Assault Group," said the Knight, worriedly.


    Mavislin looked at the Knight in terror.


    "That squadron I had sent out was amongst the best in my arsenal. How could they have fallen so easily?" demanded Mavislin.


    The Founders looked confused yet afraid as if they knew what the answer was. They were just too shocked to believe that it was true. Mavislin glanced at Baldwin and Matias.


    "It''s still a simple operation to protect the town within the East, so I won''t be backing out anytime soon. My men may have fallen, but it doesn''t mean that I should sit back do nothing. Time for me to get payback on the enemy," said Mavislin, readying herself for battle.

 Chapter 135 - The Ark Of Stepping Foot Into Battle

    "That was such a quick change. Are you okay to battle?" asked Nova, unsure of what to do.


    "Don''t fret. All of us are supposed to be ready for battle in times of emergency," explained Mavislin.


    Her eyes shone bright golden as streams of her Valokian power seeped through her body. Her body was engulfed in a huge column of golden light before it faded, revealing Mavislin''s battle suit. A full-body, black leather suit, back exposed, allowing for her gargantuan wings to sprout freely.


    Her hair faded out from chestnut brown to white. Her black fingerless gloves allowed the Elements that she''s got in her arsenal to flow easily. Her Elemental Aura was downright suffocating everyone, along with the Aura of Baldwin''s Dark Element in the room.


    "It''s been a while since I''ve stepped foot into the battlefield," commented Mavislin, shaking her wings.


    Nova and Raiyen looked at the Valkyrie in awe. Just a moment ago, she seemed so broken, powerless. And now, she looks completely fresh, unharmed.


    "Just don''t slow me down within the heat of the battle," reminded Baldwin, dishing out his battle suit.


    He was in charge of the Knights of Dawn, so it made sense that his battle suit would be of a Knight''s armor. Though it looked bulky, Baldwin was able to move around with ease. Matias had too changed into his suit, a little thinner compared to the Head Knight''s set.


    Both of the Knights drew out their swords. Mavislin let out a chuckle as she propped herself into position.


    "Provided if you can get to the battle faster than me!" she yelled, propelling herself towards the Eastern Front.


    The shockwave of her jump caused the entire place to quiver. Nova cried out as she flew backward.


    "I swear this girl''s gonna be the death of me," complained Baldwin, through gritted teeth.


    "I kinda forgot how she''s like the moment when there''s a battle to be fought," said Raiyen, smiling.


    "You sayin'' that she had stopped being violent during the Period you came from?!" asked Z, in disbelief.


    "She didn''t continue being violent or stopped being that. She became ruthless," explained Raiyen, eyes darkening for another second.


    Baldwin scoffed as he whistled. Two horses adorned with heavy armor galloped towards the Old Chapel, halting just underneath the opened windows. In a split second, the two Knights jumped off the window sill and landed softly on the horses'' backs.


    As they galloped away with inhuman speed, the rest of the group was left somewhat dazed and confused, with the only one to suffer being Nova.


    "Well, I''ll let those two handle their battles. I''m gonna pop off to sleep," said Gillian, yawning.


    "You''re just gonna let her go off by herself like that?!" asked Nova, confused.


    "Don''t take your mother too lightly, child. She could easily take us all on if she transforms into her true form. A battalion is nothing to her, let alone a few skilled warriors," explained Z, smiling.


    "Raiyen, aren''t you gonna go and help her? After all, she''s still your partner," suggested Ysabeau.


    He sighed and looked at Nova.


    "Yea, but I''ve got this baby girl to take care of," replied Raiyen, rubbing the back of his head. Nova childishly stomped on her father''s foot.


    "I''m not a baby girl!"


    "You are, to all of us."


    Nova pouted.


    "She hasn''t seen a fight before, hasn''t she?" asked Ysabeau, calling out to something or some pet in an unknown language to come into the room.


    A small bird with a fluffy neck hopped into the room and onto her shoulder.


    "We''re gonna travel by that again?!" yelled the Time Mage in horror.


    "Some things don''t change much, do they?" laughed Z, patting the Time Boy on the back.


    "What do you mean, ''travel on that''?" asked Nova.


    Part of the whole trip of Nova traveling would be at least a third of the poor Princess being dunked into confusion.


    "Don''t look so worried, she won''t bite," said Ysabeau, patting the creature on the head.


    "Be very afraid," whispered Raiyen, into Nova''s ear.


    A cold shudder erupted from the Princess''s body.


    "Stop giving her wrong ideas, Child of Time! Anyways, I call upon thee, Wings Of The Skies!" chanted Ysabeau, throwing the creature out of the window.


    A flash of a pale blue light blinded the rest of them. The small creature was now huge, resting on the garden.


    "Can''t believe that we have to ride this behemoth," said Raiyen, hopping down onto the huge creature''s back.


    Nova followed alongside, albeit hesitantly. She''d never ridden on horseback, let alone a creature of this size.


    "It''s not a behemoth! Meet Fluffy, otherwise known as Rukh," greeted Ysabeau, sprouting her own set of wings.


    Though it was not as sizable as Mavislin''s shockwave, the power emitted from them is on par.

 Chapter 136 - The Ark Of Battle At The Eastern Front

    They weren''t joking when they said they could finish off the human race without thinking. All of them are formidable, but are they strong enough to go up against the ones who first started the trend of Mages on Earth?


    "Won''t it be weird for us to openly ride the creature in broad daylight?" asked Nova, as Raiyen took hold of its reigns.


    He adjusted the abnormally huge bird towards the direction that Mavislin and Baldwin had headed towards.


    "That''s why you gotta hold tight now," instructed Raiyen, slightly squeezing the beast using his legs.


    The creature extended its wings and within a single, swift movement, propelled itself into the air. With Raiyen in control, the Rukh proceeded to go further into the clouds, away from human sight. Ysabeau caught up after a few moments, due to the shockwave that Fluffy had made.


    "Never thought you could control Rukh. The last time I had encountered you, you won''t even go near her," joked Ysabeau, flying alongside the duo.


    "I picked up a few tips along the way," replied Raiyen, proudly.


    As they arrived at the scene, the battle had devasted most of the area''s structures. Bodies were strewn all over the decimated wasteland. Nova gasped in horror as she realized what she was looking at.


    "So this was the fate of that common village we were at?" asked Nova, voice cracking ever so slightly.


    Raiyen shook his head.


    "That was already destroyed a long time ago."


    She heaved a sigh of relief.


    "But that was the village which housed all the survivors of the Thirty Years War and the common village that you''d visited," explained Ysabeau.


    Nova spun around to look at Ysabeau, inevitably falling from the creature. Her screams tore through the war-torn sky, while a flash of blue quickly caught the falling princess.


    "Hold on!" yelled the Time Mage, engulfed with a pale blue Aura.


    After glitching through the air for a couple of minutes, Raiyen could only manage to drop his daughter off on the remains of a house.


    "Stay here, you''re gonna be safe. Ysabeau! Take care of my baby girl!" yelled Raiyen, looking at the sky.


    The screech from Fluffy was all that he needed for assurance.


    "Where are you going?!" asked Nova, tugging on the Time Mage''s sleeve.


    "To fight alongside with your mother," replied the Leader of the Vigilante.


    Instantaneously, he zipped through the air, destroying any obstacles in the way using his two best weapons.


    "Look who joined in the fun," asked Baldwin, smiling as Raiyen tore through the enemy''s frontlines with ease.


    "Shut it, Angry Man. Where''s my wife?" asked Raiyen, slashing another soldier.


    "Where she likes to play," answered the Dark Mage, plunging his sword into two soldiers.


    Raiyen caught a glimpse of the bright golden light within the clouds. Mavislin burst through the clouds, creating havoc in the area.


    "Cascada Helios!" she yelled.


    A stream of fire engulfed her left hand as her right got submerged with water instead. She clapped her hands, merging the two Elements, creating a huge attack towards the area she was in. Soldiers screamed as they got consumed by the spell.


    "Looks like the girl''s very happy," said Raiyen, taking cover.


    During this time, Nova had gripped onto Ysabeau''s hand and was once again, airborne. As she climbed onto the bird''s back once more, she can''t help but feel uneasy.


    "What''s wrong, child?" asked Ysabeau, gently.


    Nova shivered uncomfortably. The bird started to squawk loudly, indicating that there was a disturbance within the area.


    "There, there, both of you. It''s only the fight, nothing to worry about," cooed Ysabeau, patting on both Princess and beast.


    "It''s not that..."


    "Then what''s wrong, young one?"


    Nova''s expression displayed a huge amount of stress as they hovered above the battlefield. She gently closed her eyes and muttered something under her breath.


    "I beg your pardon?" asked Ysabeau, trying to listen to what the child had said.


    "Every time I visit a place, I can''t help but listen and look into the Memory of that area. It can be quite annoying but useful at times. Useful, since I would be able to know where every person had been in that place, knowing their present locations," replied the girl.


    "Sounds like a gift," said Ysabeau.


    "A cheat in some way, since I would be tapping into what powers the enemies possess and use it against them. I get upset sometimes when I look into the area''s past, especially like this village filled with death. But this time, it is different," explained Nova, eyes blinking furiously.


    Ysabeau''s face indicated a level of intrigue as she listened to Nova''s explanation.


    "It''s like, the battlefield is singing. The Auras are singing as well. I''ve heard Raiyen''s Aura''s song before, and it goes well with Mavislin''s Aura. But there''s another Aura that is breaking the unity. Something is disturbing the Auras and that is upsetting."

 Chapter 137 - The Ark Of Pond Is Back

    "Meaning?"


    "If the Aura''s song is louder than the rest, it would mean that the Mage would be significantly very powerful."


    "Could it be the effect of Baldwin''s Dark Aura? His power is quite difficult to estimate," reasoned Ysabeau, shrugging the worries off.


    The Princess shook her head.


    "I''ve thought about that too, but it doesn''t seem so. And besides, there''s a single word bothering me as well. Not a memory but just a single word," replied Nova, closing her eyes again.


    "And what word would that be?"


    Nova was silent for a few seconds before opening her eyes.


    "Pond."


    Ysabeau''s eyes turned dark the moment she heard those words. Her hands gripped hard onto Fluffy, causing the bird to squawk loudly.


    "I''m gonna take a look at Fluffy, something went wrong," said Mavislin, taking off once more.


    Raiyen, Baldwin, and Matias stood near each other, attacking enemies within a huge radius.


    "What happened? Why was Fluffy so noisy?" asked Mavislin, approaching the girls.


    Ysabeau''s expression was filled with worry as she relayed the information to Mavislin.


    "And so?"


    "Old Man Pond is back."


    When those words left the High Queen''s mouth, Mavislin immediately dived down, towards the battle below. A huge cloud of lime green smoke blanketed the area. Baldwin was unfazed, but the same could not be said for the rest.


    One by one, the reinforcement troops began to fall. Fluffy was forced to go higher, rendering the two women on the creature unable to see the battlefield.


    "It''s gonna kill them! We have to help," pleaded Nova.


    Ysabeau flared out, showing off her Aura slightly. This caused Nova to buckle.


    "My orders were to take care of you. Your parents are old enough to handle themselves. Besides, you''ll die even before you can see the enemy," warned Ysabeau, voice thundering through the clouds.


    Nova shivered slightly at the aggressive High Queen. Meanwhile, Raiyen was trying desperately control the Poison Cloud but had been overwhelmed. Mavislin swooped in and grabbed the Time Boy by the collar.


    "Need some assistance?" asked the playful Mage, sparing through and above the Cloud.


    "I''ll try to control this using my Earth Elements," explained Raiyen, looking at the mess below.


    "No point," replied the flying Mage.


    "And why not?" asked Baldwin, who calmly stepped out of the fog like it was nothing.


    "This is Commander Pond''s Poison Cloud."


    Baldwin looked shocked while Raiyen looked indifferent.


    "And to think I''ve been trying to find that troublemaker, he turns up here," mumbled Raiyen, glitching out of Mavislin''s grasp.


    "True that I''ve wanted to get away from the radar, but I had no intention of causing trouble," said a voice within the thick fog.


    With a single gust of wind from Ysabeau, the Cloud cleared.


    "Hmm... Looks like the lovely Ysabeau is around, eh?"


    "Shut it, Poison Thing! And besides, you are the trouble, killing our allies in that way," said Raiyen, disgusted in the method that the man used.


    "Not my wish, by someone else," replied Old Man Pond, shrugging his shoulders.


    "You''re the main enemy for us to go against, who else would it be?" asked Baldwin, summoning his Ancient Relic.


    The staff was outlined in a dark purple hue, the pentagram spinning slowly. He pointed the staff towards the Old Commander.


    "I think little Mavislin here would have a clue," chuckled Old Man Pond, upsetting the Angry Man further.


    The Commander tilted his head at Mavislin, causing a shock wave towards her area.


    "Don''t you dare touch her!" bellowed Raiyen, launching himself against the mighty Commander.


    The old man merely placed a single hand up and it was more than enough to send Raiyen flying back. Landing properly, Raiyen went back to assaulting the mighty Commander. Glitch after glitch, it seemed that he wasn''t running out of any Elemental Energy any time soon.


    Mavislin could hardly keep up with the speed that Raiyen was attacking with. It was true; Time truly helped in growing his abilities. With both hands wielding his best daggers, Baldwin and Mavislin could only see slashes of gold and silver light.


    Though Raiyen''s power had significantly improved, Old Man Pond had yet to move.


    "Semiramis'' Weapon," chanted the Commander.


    Two serpents appeared from the palms of his hands, aimed straight for Mavislin.


    "Black Wave Hibiscus!"


    Despite throwing up her shield, Mavislin still had to duck from the poison pests.


    "No way, it dissolved the flower in an instant," mumbled Mavislin, in a daze.


    "Looks like the cloud has cleared, can we go get a better scene of the battle?" asked Nova, determined to not stay by the side and enjoy the show.


    Ysabeau sighed as she silently agreed. With one sharp turn, Fluffy was once again hovering above the battle that was unfolding beneath them.


    "I doubt that they can defeat him," said Ysabeau, disappointedly.

 Chapter 138 - The Ark Of Saving Everyone

    "Why not? They are quite powerful, there''s no telling of the outcome."


    "Old Man Pond, otherwise known as Matthew Pond, was the one who founded the Congregation. In other words, he was the boss of Gillian and me," explained Ysabeua, point down.


    "But the fact that the Congregation had crumbled is proof that you guys are much stronger than him," questioned Nova.


    Ysabeau let out a bitter laugh.


    "Tell me, young Princess. How are you able to defeat the teacher that had taught the current two most powerful Mages when the duo were just rookies? Just because the organization had failed would mean that the people who founded were weak."


    "If that''s the case, why did they gave up on the organization? Did something tragic happened?"


    "They were simply bored with saving everyone."


    The Congregation was erected to help lost Mages to find their place within Earth. But as humans decided that they were better off without Magecraft, the Congregation was thrown into the pit chaos. Many lost their lives during that period, the almighty war between humans and Mages.


    Echoing throughout Time, the Siege Of Mutants devastated both sides. The result was destroying the minds of countless civilians. A single Mage that came from the stars passed some form of a curse called Corrupt.


    Unlike any other, it was able to affect armies in a heartbeat. The power of that curse took a long time to die down and even after so long, it was still impossible to eradicate the curse. There was no denying the sheer damage it had done on both sides.


    The Congregation was thrown into a state of frenzy as they were being held responsible for the amount losses that had piled up. Sentences after sentences, blame after blame. This weakened the bond between Humans and Mages significantly. Families were torn apart.


    Children were unable to see their parents and babies were dragged away from mothers just after birth. Shelters meant for recuperation were bombed constantly. All because of a failed Time Movement and a stray Valokian.


    In Valokia, the people there were all Light-based Mages, harnessing the power of judgment and goodness within the realm of Elements. Pure light, was what they were called. All except one particular Valkyrie. He seemed like the rest but was very mischievous and playful.


    His wings were indigo while others were either white or gold. The Aura that he produced reeked of death, unlike the other Valkyries. Despite all that, he was able to function normally as a Valokian amongst the rest. It was when he had to join the military where everything started to crumble.


    Within the military, the Aura that the fella had produced started to be contagious, eventually leading an entire army filled with the same Aura. They were like zombies, getting up even when they were beaten down. It was unknown as to why the Aura became so lethal and contagious.


    All armed forces were activated to stop the Aura but collapsed the moment it hit the capital. To top it all off, the Valokian responsible went back to his hometown and murdered every being there.


    With his mind being broken to no return and the Corrupted Aura swallowing his soul whole, he began to ravage other areas. The Aura within the planet started to become unbalanced within a short amount of time. This resulted in the ancient planet converging on itself.


    As the last being walked amongst the desolated wasteland, the lone Valkyrie decided to use the last of his power to get away, called Time Movement. However, as he tried to open the Time Streams, the supernova had occurred, causing the Time Stream that he was aiming towards to convulse and break.


    This tore him into a million pieces, scattered throughout Time. Thus, his Aura was also broadcasted to other areas, including Earth. After the massacre made by the Siege of Mutants, there was a particular project called the Husks Program that surfaced in the guise of being a Protection Campaign.


    Its title was far from the truth as those who got rounded up were split into two groups, Mages and Humans. Normal and Abnormal. The initial ''advertising'' had started that the ones with powers would be quarantined in a ''safe area'' to make sure that weren''t able to suffer through the war as a prime target.


    However, when the Husks program came to light, it was finally unveiled to be a hoax. It was uncovered when the program''s hosts were too desperate and took infants from Mages to fuel the program.


    It was terrifying when the authorities of both sides recovered bodies. With their minds being the biggest victim of trauma and torture, it was no doubt that the experimented ones had died with broken minds. Whoever who made that Program was very determined to destroy between Mage and Human as if it needed more bonds to be broken.

 Chapter 139 - The Ark Of The Blade And Shield

    The reason for the program was simple, to create and duplicate more of the case that started the fracture of both sides. The Husks were meant to hold the Corrupt Aura and spread it by touch. Low-level Mages had succ.u.mbed to the Corrupt Auras, causing another mass war.


    This time, it was a war within the Mages'' area. By the time the second battle rolled around due to this problem, the Congregation was almost non-existent while the Pentacle Arks were starting to rise in both power and popularity ranks.


    It was subtle but everyone knew that it was time for the Congregation to fall and let the new generation take over. But it was to every Mage''s surprise when Old Man Pond, the founder of the Congregation, stepped forward to say a single sentence.


    Those few words reminded everyone why it wasn''t a great idea to provoke those who reign powerful. It made them realize how cruel and ruthless can one be if they were high enough within the ranks.


    It made them realize that the Mages that were responsible for taking care of everyone truly did not bother if others were dead or alive. And that they should now be very afraid.


    "Is there no way to hurt this guy?!" asked Raiyen, glitching back to Mavislin''s side.


    Forget about trying to defeat the Old Man; laying a single scratch on him currently poses a great difficulty towards the three of them now.


    "Stand back! I''m gonna try this thing out now!" yelled Raiyen, spinning on the spot.


    Mavislin and Baldwin retreated, Old Man Pond raised an eyebrow as he remained in the same position. Raiyen stomped his foot, dragging it along the ground around him. As the circle started to glow, three different Auras were produced from the Time Mage.


    Baldwin was in awe while Ysabeau was impressed once again. Mavislin, however, looked concerned. He had pulled that move before; back when they were all trying out their newly formed Ancient Relics.


    At that time, Baldwin easily withstood the attack, while it took Raiyen everything he had. If Baldwin was unfazed by the attack, then Old Man Pond would cancel out the attack even before it could be unleashed.


    "Time! Electric! Nature! These are the elements I wield, I command. Come forth, bind yourselves and become one. Voltaic Creation Era!" yelled out the Time Mage.


    The circle he had drawn earlier had fragmented into three parts, each being the source of the different powerful auras. Nova watched in awe as the circles'' glowing colors, green, blue and yellow, were visible from the sky.


    The circle then erupted into a pillar of light, with its top converging back into the interior, where Raiyen stood, holding his palm in the air. As the mixture came into fruition, it launched towards its prime target.


    "Protection of Nightshade," chanted the Commander, forming a concentrated cloud at the Time Mage''s attack.


    The two attacks started to fight with one another, in an attempt to overwhelm each other. The disgusting color of Old Man Pond''s nearly consumed Raiyen''s vibrant attack until a huge metal thing soared through the air and divided the two attacks.


    As the huge metal returned to its owner, Raiyen looked at Mavislin questioningly. Catching the thing with ease seemed to impress Baldwin, who stood at the sidelines.


    He had long decided to not interfere if the partners were fighting alongside each other. Or fighting each other. Both ideas were bad in his dictionary.


    "And since when you were able to throw Lord Atlantia like a discus?" asked Raiyen, placing his hands on his h.i.p.s.


    The shield landed with a clang as she stabbed it into the soil.


    "I was getting bored of waiting for you all the time, so I''d decided to invent a new way of passing the time," she replied.


    "You mean when you are happily destroying towns and doing the sweeps with the Guardians?" asked Raiyen, rather sarcastically.


    "Why is my mother''s hobby inclusive of killing others?" asked Nova, terrified at what she''d just heard.


    "Long story. By the way, don''t look for me for answers as to why Mavislin behaves like this. I haven''t got the faintest idea. I merely came along as a teacher figure for her powers," explained Ysabeau, as nonchalant as her kid down below.


    The Valkyrie smiled as she held the shield above her head and threw it at Old Man Pond. He dodged it with ease, though the area that he once stood in was abolished.


    "Looks like we finally got him to move," said Baldwin, panting.


    "Don''t celebrate just yet. This will be the first and last thing you get out of me," said the Commander, changing his Aura slightly.


    Raiyen then fired another attack of his special move, Luminera Nova.

 Chapter 140 - The Ark Of Old Pals

    Compared to the previous encounter with his family, Raiyen had grown in both terms of power and endurance, firing endless attacks on the Commander.


    A slight smile crept up on Mavislin''s face as she knew that wasn''t the Time Mage''s true potential. That''s the small problem with Valkyries, they are hard-wired to believe in the potential and good of every being in the universe.


    Some see that as a great asset to wield, but for Mavislin, she finds it rather annoying and a harrowing thing to deal with. Mavislin snapped back into reality and joined in the fun, adding onto the flurry of attacks using her shield.


    Lord Atlantia, due to its immense resistance and weight, could not be stopped by mere hands. This forced Old Man Pond to continuously throw his shield in different directions since the partners in crime attacked unpredictably.


    The more times the two shields collided, the brighter Lord Atlantia got. It''s weight increasing even further, but Mavislin displayed no signs of slowing down.


    "Looks like it''s my turn to launch an attack. Lord Atlantia: Turbinis Vasti!" chanted Mavislin, launching a huge waterspout which leaped out of the front of her shield.


    "Hmph, such a minor spell. Did you think it can touch me?" scoffed the Old Man, holding his hand up.


    "Nope, but it was enough for Time Ripper to drag in this!" shouted Raiyen, pulling out a huge bow and glowing arrow from the giant gap in the air near him.


    He whirled his small blade and placed it back into the gap, opening it further.


    "Something from my past! Taken from the First High Queen''s arsenal. The attack was responsible for the creation of what humans fear as an atomic bomb. The one attack which reigns terror over those who had witnessed it in battle. This version was one of the mighties throughout her reign," explained Raiyen


    He held the bow and arrow in position. Ysabeau''s eyes widened in shock as Nova smiled brightly.


    "Devour the hatred, expel the aura. Link them together, unite them. Archery of the Frosted Heavens!"


    A torrent of arrows emitted from the single-shot, making his way to Mavislin''s attack. With the two attacks merged, it finally sent the Commander flying.


    "Hmm, looks like I''ve underestimated you, kids," laughed Old Man Pond, standing up with ease.


    Both Mages before the Commander started to pant heavily. Baldwin smiled as he took a step forward, placing him face-to-face an old pal of his first days on Earth.


    "Out of everyone, Baldwin, you were the only one whom I thought could be anywhere near to my power level. A Mage that wields the most dangerous Element throughout the Universe. The only type of Mage that is immune to Curses and Corrupt Auras," said Old Man Pond, shaking his head.


    "We could have built a new empire together," offered the man.


    Baldwin simply let out an evil cackle, waving his hand up in the air.


    "Well, you thought wrong. And besides, you were never one that I liked," replied Baldwin, as winds started to pick up.


    The greenery around the battlefield had started to blacken and die. The fallen structures were in a state of black dust as the winds started to pick up more speed. Fluffy let out a painful squawk as the Dark Aura became present in the sky.


    "Corrupt the aura, surround me with it. Absorb all sadness, let me have wings. Good shall be bad¡­


    Fade to Black!" commanded Baldwin.


    Soon, the entire battle was drenched with the dark purple Aura that had been looming around Baldwin for the past few centuries. Mavislin used her shield to stand herself up as the powers within her started to fight with the Dark Aura around them.


    Raiyen was unfazed, just had his sight hindered due to the foggy area. Within the cloud-ridden area, two serpents abruptly shot out and attacked the duo.


    "Watch out!" yelled Nova, randomly.


    The silence was unbearable as she got worried. She felt a wave of relief as Baldwin protect her parents.


    "Leave this part up to me," said Baldwin, taking the two wiggly things by hand and tossing them away.


    "How are you able to see what''s going on down there?" asked Ysabeau.


    Nova looked at confusingly.


    "Can''t you do the same using their Auras?"


    "Of course not. I can only know barely a fraction of what''s going on using their Auras. I can hear whatever that is happening down there. But I can''t pinpoint exactly," explained Ysabeua.


    Nova sighed, facing the battle down below.


    "Way to go, using others'' pets to attack the pet owner," said Raiyen, wiping away the blood from his mouth.


    The acidic mist was starting to annoy Baldwin, so with a quick snap, the poison around and from Old Man Pond dispersed fully.

 Chapter 141 - The Ark Of A Childish Act

    "Expected from one of my prime students," praised Old Man Pond, taking back his pets.


    "Roar of the Poison God!" yelled the Commander, with a breath of death coming out from his mouth.


    "Howl of the Valkyries!" yelled a weakened and pissed off Mavislin.


    Light and green met head-on with each other, causing a massive shockwave. As both attacks dispersed into Baldwin''s Auras, Old Man Pond let out a laugh.


    "It seems that I''ve underestimated that weak Princess from above. The one out of her Time Stream. Looks like the girl wants to fight me as well. Sorry, but your Memory mess won''t affect me," explained the Poison Thing.


    Raiyen had a fierce look on his face while Mavislin gritted her teeth.


    "Don''t you dare try to harm her," said the two, in unison.


    Baldwin raised his staff into position, in an answer towards the raging Aura coming from Old Man Pond.


    "I may be an Angry Man, but I''m not heartless."


    He then lunged at his enemy in an ungodly speed, one which even Raiyen could not rival.


    "You can do anything towards me. Stab me, kill me, torture me. Poison me. But don''t you dare lay a single disgusting finger of yours on my family!" yelled the Angry Man, grabbing his opponent''s hand.


    More pressure was added as the two had a showdown in staring.


    "You have no family, Baldwin Noble. Your only daughter died," said Old Man Pond.


    His eyes darkened while his smile got brighter. A tear fell from Ysabeau''s eyes followed by several more. Mavislin wiped away the tears as she covered her mouth.


    "And whose fault was that?!" yelled the angered Dark Mage, Auras clashing with each other.


    "Don''t take my threat lightly, Poisoned Pond. Don''t assume that I won''t do it. I''ve sacrificed so many things to get here, another on the pile won''t make much of a difference now."


    "Oh, how amusing," smirked the Old Man.


    "I have got no mission of vengeance, but a duty of care and protection for the two kids that have brought the meaning to continue with my pitiful and dark life. And I have a promise to keep. A promise that has kept me going," warned Baldwin as he held up his Ancient Relic.


    "Do all Mages need a promise to continue moving forward?" asked Nova, stroking Fluffy gently.


    "Why?" asked Ysabeau, voice shaking.


    "Because that''s a heartbreaking thing to know. Life is only worth living if there''s a promise to uphold," replied Nova, in sadness.


    "Accusations of the Betrayed!" called out Baldwin, as the Pentagram on the staff started to spin rapidly.


    He then did the unimaginable, he took the Ancient Relic and began bashing at the Commander. This surprised everyone, both on land and above.


    "What in God''s name are you doing?!" yelled Raiyen.


    "Bashing the enemy?"


    The Commander was both in shock and amazed that his old student would do such a thing to his teacher. Baldwin merely chuckled as he continued. Old Man Pond continued to block the attacks using his bare hands while the others watched in confusion.


    "Has the Dark Element got into the Angry person''s head too much?" asked Nova, worried at the scene below.


    Ysabeau merely let out a laugh as she shook her head.


    "He is a Dark Mage, Dark Elements don''t affect the guy. And besides, why did you try to meddle with the Commander''s mind?"


    "I did not. I simply tried to look in-depth into what actions he was planning to use. Call it witnessing the battlefield without being there."


    "Isn''t that the same thing?"


    Back to the battle below, the childish hitting had ceased and the once teacher and student pair prepared to standoff with each other once again.


    "Feels like old times," said Old Man Pond, closing his eyes.


    The Poison Mage let out another roar, all being absorbed by the Pentagram and Baldwin''s Ancient Relic. As soon as the Dark Elemental Energy was enough, the staff let out a huge shock wave, destroying the two serpents that Old Man Pond had let loose.


    As more Dark Energy gathered, the ground became more withered. It was as if it became tired. Soon enough, the gathered energy merged into a huge whip, connected at the Pentagram of the Ancient Relic.


    "I''ve forgotten that Baldwin had to charge his Ancient Relic before he could use it," said Raiyen, looking at the gigantic whip that Baldwin was swinging.


    The whip may look light but the damage dealt towards any surface proved that it weighed a tonne. While it constantly destroyed buildings with one hit, it had yet to push Old Man Pond from his position.


    "Stubborn one, aren''t you?"


    "Same goes for your little toy. Looks like my poison isn''t able to destroy that annoying rope of yours."

 Chapter 142 - The Ark Of Sacrifice

    With that being said, both beings lunged towards each other, clashing with their weapons.


    Their Auras were visible from above. Their Elemental Energy could be felt from a mile away.


    "Why would it be sad to uphold a promise?" asked Ysabeau, questioning what the Royal child meant.


    "It isn''t sad to uphold a promise. It is sad if the only thing to live for is to fulfill that promise. There''s so much more to do, not just live for the sake of a promise."


    "You''ve got it wrong, my dear child. You don''t live just because of a promise. You carry on with strength because of that promise. You move on because of that promise. Promises don''t give life or an answer to live, they give people the strength to fight on."


    "You can live for a thousand years but still be an empty husk if you don''t see the purpose of carrying on," explained Ysabeau, smiling sweetly.


    The two continue to clash as Nova received footage and information in her mind. Ysabeau''s words remained in her head for quite some time.


    "How about love? Is that a thing to strive to continue living? Or is that an excuse to seal the deal with the person you care for the most?" asked Nova, unsure of everything that was happening.


    "It''s not an excuse and it''s not a thing either. Love isn''t an emotion. Love is a promise and because of that, the people down below are using what they''ve got to protect you."


    "Cascadia Helios Windfall!" yelled the Valkyrie, aiming both her wings and hands towards Old Man Pond.


    Raiyen continued his ambush by using both the Glitch and Holy Trinity attacks. With simultaneous Elements attacking each other, the entire place looked like fireworks going off on a holiday.


    "Propel, Thrust! Rain down. A world without end. Let the unknown guide you. Allow these weapons, To bring you¡­ Oblivion of Spears!" yelled Baldwin.


    The attack rained down on the enemy in torrents, similar to Ysabeau''s Archery of the Frosted Heavens. Despite the number of attacks that were being launched, Old Man Pond swiftly dodged every single attack.


    "The Valkyrie... Just like the boss," said Old Man Pond, pointing at Mavislin.


    "I wasn''t trying to mess with his mind by altering his memories. I just wanted to look at the battle through their eyes. I didn''t realize that he was able to sense my powers."


    Ysabeau looked worried as the fight continued to drag on.


    "Are you able to alter his memories if he lowers down his guard and Aura?" asked Ysabeau, looking at Nova directly in the eye.


    "What do you mean?"


    "The Poisoned Pond is just playing around," replied Ysabeau, looking at the battlefield.


    "I''ve got no knowledge of how your power works, but I presume the baseline is the manipulation of others'' memories?" asked Ysabeau, lowering Fluffy, getting closer to the battle.


    Nova nodded as she gripped onto the beast firmly.


    "Tell me, what is your strongest move? What is the strongest spell that you possess within your arsenal? One that you think is powerful enough to kill Old Man Pond," asked the High Queen.


    "There''s an ancient spell that one of my servants had mentioned to me. It requires the darkest memory of the target to activate. But the effects can be devastating," replied Nova, closing her eyes to grasp more information about the spell.


    "Are you able to wield it?"


    This posed a challenge to the young princess. Sure, she had used her powers to defend herself when Raiyen helped her escape the castle. But she had not used Magecraft to kill anyone before.


    Sure, she can wield it, using her Memory Element, she can implant the Memory on how to properly conjure the spell in her head. That was no problem. The real challenge was to ability to shoulder the burden of being a killer.


    "Would you sacrifice your mind if it meant to save those that you love?" asked Nova, giving a challenge to Ysabeau.


    Were the lives down below worth the young Princess''s mind?


    "He''s changing his Aura, get ready," instructed Baldwin, leaping back.


    Mavislin and Raiyen did the same, sensing the Aura to be on a danger level. Mavislin closed her eyes, slowly absorbing the remaining Light Elemental Energy within the barren wasteland. Without another heartbeat to lose, her open palm''s fingertips started to light up.


    Her thumb had grown a small flower, while her index finger had conjured up a mini tornado, just floating above the fingertip. A small white orb engulfed by a pale blue flame was hovering above her middle finger, small pearls of both ice and water droplets danced above her ring finger.


    At last but not least, a bright orange fireball just barely touched the skin of her pinky fingertip.

 Chapter 143 - The Ark Of Memoria Astrum

    "Fire of the Salamander. Water of the Mermaid. Earth of the Elephant. Wind of the Eagle. Light of the Dove. Darkness of the Bat. These are the elements I govern!" shouted Mavislin as her eyes started flicker through a series of different colors.


    The few items in her open palm started to amalgamate together, with the help of her other hand.


    "It''s been a long while since you used that move," said Baldwin, smiling.


    The attack was now a huge ball of rainbow light within Mavislin''s grasp. Unlike the last time, she did not need to concentrate it to be bigger, it was enough to deal damage.


    "Array Of Elements!"


    As the ball of light got released, Mavislin summoned her fully-grown Valokian wings. It was beyond massive as each movement rivaled that of Fluffy''s wings. Hell, it was even bigger than Fluffy''s pair.


    Raiyen whipped out his twin daggers and aided in the fully matured attack. In a glitch, the playful Time Mage appeared right in front of the Commander.


    "Light seeps into the air, Hope fills the land. Let there be joy, Let there be no pain. Heaven Sent!"


    With that, he slashed the golden dagger at Old Man Pond. Rising his silver one, he finished his attack.


    "Darkness seeps into the air, despair fills the land. Let there be pain, let there be no joy. Hell Bent!"


    Old Man Pond clenched his fist as he tried to brave the duo''s attacks.


    "I wonder what we''ll you do after I throw in this attack," asked Baldwin, smiling.


    "The Chains of hell. The Bounds of the Earth. The Power of this spell. Release the Hell Hound!"


    A huge Cerberus manifested out of the Ancient Relic that Baldwin wielded. With a single shockwave of poison, the three mages were sent flying as the enraged Commander stood proudly against their attacks.


    "Wakie, wakie... Boys and girls..." said Old Man Pond, dropping a glass flask.


    As it shattered, a purple smoke escaped and soared through different directions. He held a maniacal smile as the dead started to rise. Quite literally.


    "I didn''t sign up for a zombie apocalypse," complained Raiyen, looking at the oncoming horde.


    Meanwhile, as the grounds below started to be clouded with Corrupt Aura, the clouds above were starting to converge on each other.


    "It''s the Husks. That means the Corrupt being back then is around now," said Ysabeau, eyes peeled on the battlefield.


    "The fire burns as darkness lurks. Hearts of the past. Faces of the forgiven. Truths are gone, Liars are born. Their screams and pain, Calls of help in vain and going insane. Heal, their broken hearts and minds. Their pain or cries. I call upon all that have lost their way and their minds. Combine," chanted Nova, placing her fingers on her head.


    Her mind started to whirl as all the memories that she had just summoned pulsate through her head. Seeing that much could potentially destroy any normal healthy mind, but for Memory Mages, it''s quite different.


    Their resistance to illusions and memories is exponentially higher than other Mages. Though she was young, compared to Ysabeau, Nova would still have a better chance of pulling the spell off.


    "Memoria Astrum!"


    The sky started to warp and change into a light purple color. Those down below caught sight of what was going on, especially the two beings who were heading to aid the fight.


    Nova was at her limits as she tried to conjure the spell fully. It was taking her time but had steady progress. Raiyen caught the wind on what Nova was trying to achieve and was worried about it, especially the price that had to be made.


    "There''s no way she can fully harness that power without burning her mind!" yelled Raiyen, scaring Mavislin slightly.


    Mavislin felt a sense of unease. Yet, she had felt the same power years ago. As the couple looked at each other and nodded, Raiyen flew off and towards Fluffy with the help of the Valkyrie.


    "What in the world do you think you are doing?!" asked Raiyen, angrily.


    "It was I who asked of her to do this. Do not be angry at her," said Ysabeau, giving a hint of authority in her tone.


    Raiyen looked away and onto the fight below. Two Auras were approaching fast but no one could determine who were they. Baldwin and Mavislin could only pray that it was from their side. Raiyen dived down from Fluffy, prompting Mavislin to catch him.


    "Follow me, head to Fluffy," commanded Raiyen.


    Mavislin looked skeptical at his words.


    "What for?"


    "We''re a going for a family trip," replied the smiling Time Mage.


    Mavislin could only shake her head. The couple grabbed their daughter''s hand, surprising all the people on the poor beast.


    "What are you doing?! I haven''t finished the spell yet," complained the poor girl.

 Chapter 144 - The Ark Of Price To Pay

    "You aren''t strong enough to throw the spell yet. We are going someplace else to help you master it," instructed Raiyen, using Time Ripper.


    He slashed the blade in mid-air, causing a huge gap in the sky. The Void was soon replaced by a landscape filled golden grass.


    "Great, the couple has left me alone," complained Baldwin, readying his staff.


    As two more beings continued to make their way there, a third contestant has decided to show his face. Meanwhile, Baldwin and the Poisoned Pond continued to dish out attacks against each other.


    "Looks like my boss is here," smirked Old Man Pond, looking at the mass pile of purple mist just over a heap of dead bodies.


    "So is mine," replied Baldwin as he felt cold.


    "Never thought I would be so happy to feel the chill from Igor," whispered the Angry Man.


    "Flames of the Phoenix, Waters of the Kraken. Wind of the Griffin, Land of the Gargoyle. Light of the Angel, the darkness of the Hell hound. These are the foundations of the world..."


    Within the darkness, a handful of Kunais soared through and landed around the Commander. Baldwin smiled as Old Man Pond tried to escape from the circle that trapped him in. The Kunais started to glow in different colors.


    "Oasis of the Elements!" yelled the master of ice and stars, arriving with the Headmaster.


    Old Man Pond laughed as he threw another attack towards the trio.


    "Adhere to my plea. Forge the protection I demand. Howling winds. Corrupt flora. Black Lotus Of The Storm!" yelled the Headmaster, throwing up a black flower to absorb the poison.


    "I am quite honored, fighting against the mighty trio. Isn''t it unfair for the couple to leave the battle to their parents?" asked Old Man Pond, smiling.


    "It isn''t if they are going to come back," said Headmaster, throwing his cloak away.


    "Aren''t you going to introduce us to your new best friend?" asked Baldwin, folding his arms across his chest.


    The two allies went towards the Angry Man, ready to aid him. The shadow man that had appeared within the Husks trudged towards the four beings in the battle. Z was petrified as he began to remember what monster was capable of producing such an Aura.


    "What is this place?" asked Nova, as the family approached the area.


    "Old Valokia, my home," stated Mavislin, looking around.


    the sighed, taking in the old scent of home.


    "This place should be locked, separate from the main Time Stream of this area. You should be having memories of the area and the people around here," explained Raiyen, as the orange ground and evening purple skies met the family.


    Mavislin, comfortable with the training grounds, began to stretch out her wings. As she grew into full form, her daughter and husband could only stare at her in awe. Her wings increased in number as she transformed. Now, four shining pairs of wings stood out in full glory.


    Her hair remained white but her legs had changed into serpent''s tail. Her hands were now like the claws of a dragon. Her size was downright terrifying.


    "So that''s how a fully mature Valkyrie looks like?" asked Raiyen, mouth slight agape.


    Mavislin lowered her head slightly, before rising once again, snout pointed towards the sky. She then let out a huge howl, causing minor tremors on the ground that they were standing on. There was a reason why Valkyries are the most powerful beings across the Universe.


    "Great, I had no clue I was related to a dragon," said Nova, trying to stand back up.


    "Believe me, dragons are nowhere the size of Valokian babies," commented Raiyen.


    "I hope I won''t turn into that."


    "With my genes in you, I highly doubt so."


    Nova held her hands, prepared to soak in all the memories of the area that she was in. Her mind was once again put to the test, enduring all the memories. Though Raiyen had told her that there was a way to master the spell, she''d still needed to pay up the price.


    She wanted the spell to work, with or without the payment. Victory does not come without a cost. After all, to break someone else''s mind, you need a strong mind to do the job. As the Trio continued to battle it out with the Poisoned Pond, the shadow soon came to join the show.


    "The source of the Corrupt Aura," said Baldwin, retreating slightly.


    With a flick of the wrist, the being threw an onslaught of dead bodies towards the Trio. In an instant, the group was separated, spreading towards different directions.


    "Meet the Corrupt Valkyrie," said Old Man Pond, gently patting the being on the shoulder.


    "So, when am I going to meet my twin?" asked the being, coming out from the shadows.

 Chapter 145 - The Ark Of Everyones Flashbacks

    Everyone''s minds are the smartest from the dumbest.


    Her mind started to burn as the flashbacks started to flood into her young mind. Tears streamed out as her fists clenched. But it wasn''t the area''s fault, it was the Time Mage before her. She had tried to pry into his mind. Was she far too young to comprehend the mind of a Time Mage?


    The past may hurt, but the future was unpredictable. That was what resides in his mind. The different alternatives that an event was able to go with, the different Time Streams jumbled up in his brain. It''s enough to make normal being go berserk.


    It made sense now, why he''d talked to himself at times. Would you be able to handle all those Time Streams altogether? Only a madman could pull it off.


    Everyone''s feelings are the strongest from the weakest.


    A person who can recreate every spell of the universe. The last of its kind, unable to remember its birthplace. The power of language. However, he was known as the runt of the litter. Failing classes due to the incapability of his powers.


    He was the weakest, others around him questioned the boy. Bullied would be a good term to describe the strongest Mage of Earth. An incident had caused him to awaken his powers, the Knowledge Element. An Element unheard of, the only one person who can use it.


    Everyone''s eyes are the friendliest from the loneliest.


    Why was everyone interested in things she had found boring? Or it was her interests that bore everyone around her? Her parents were of no help as their constant beatings had nearly crippled her painting hands.


    Others were frightened when she was able to master the Element of Wings. All those pain and hurt that she had to endure, she''d still did not hate them. It was time to be friendly for once.


    Everyone''s fortunes are the richest from the poorest.


    He came from the rural areas of Philipines, tossed and thrown away by those who were richer than him. After a few special people who were patrolling the area noticed the young boy''s abilities of technology, he was immediately hired.


    He was the one who introduced a particular language called Coding, into the world of technology. It allowed AI to flourish and grow, allowing the Philipines to be the leading country of that parallel universe. he rose to the top from absolutely nothing.


    Everyone''s memories are the happiest when the saddest.


    So many suffered in the name of peace, war flashed before her eyes as she dived deeper into her parents'' past. Why did it make her tear up to see the young Valkyrie and her twin playing together? Is it because of the oncoming betrayal Nova had seen that made the young princess cry?


    Or was it because those were only happy memories that the Valkyrie could only keep? It was the opposite for the next flashback for Nova. She witnessed one of the darkest moments of her mother''s life.


    The day that the Maiden Of Orleans was burnt at the stake. The one only time Nova truly feared her mother, the particular scene of which the mother threw the young girl into the raging inferno.


    During the darkest of times, was where she had decided to make the Arks, the light of the future Mages. The following flashbacks were filled with adventure and fun, all because of a sad moment in a Mage''s life.


    Everyone''s faces are the prettiest from the ugliest.


    Her father was ridiculed for being an odd child. A child unwanted, never knowing his actual identity. Forcing him on the streets of London to live and die. Never knowing where he came from, he walked the same era as Jack The Ripper did.


    The constant beating from others had caused scarring on the poor infant''s face, causing parents to abandon him in disgust. And yet, after a mishap of tampering Time Streams at such a young age, the boy went and became a playboy, a handsome man for the ladies to adore.


    Until he decided to settle down with a family of complex backgrounds.


    Everyone''s hearts are bigger on the inside.


    After the flashbacks had brushed by, a single being stood before the young Princess. Who was that being? She did not feel that it was her parents. Anger struck around the being. A Dark Aura loomed over the area. Nova was naturally scared and yet sad.


    However, the person turned, holding a small figure of a child. Another, slightly shorter person went towards the Angry Man and child. The family was happy. But Nova''s feelings changed when a pair of hands snatched the slightly shorter person away from the taller being.


    It showed a few moments of the father and child moments before a sea of arms and fire took the child away from the being.

 Chapter 146 - The Ark Of Reasons

    Everyone''s actions are the wisest from the silliest.


    Nova was unable to understand the reason behind the Arks trying to achieve peace with the humans. They were the ones responsible for killing so many of their allies, yet they deemed fit for the killers to live.


    They knew that their only allies had gone and will never come back, and probably a whole lot more, and yet, they continued to fight. Do they realize that whatever they try to fight for or protect will eventually die?


    Or they are aware of that fact and thus they try their best to fight and protect, no matter what the circ.u.mstance? Or was it because of a promise? What''s the point of fighting so hard if whatever they try to protect will eventually die?


    It seemed like a silly action to follow throughout a thousand years.


    "There is a reason behind this madness. The same reason why you can sacrifice your mind to save people that you''ve just met. We tried to fight for peace, but that itself was contradictory. The very meaning of peace means no conflict, but that was impossible to get by."


    "It was inevitable, there was no way we could bring peace without using methods of violence. For stars to shine, it needs the darkest of nights. Nothing can bring back those who we''ve lost, back. But we have to keep moving on. We are fighting to protect."


    "Because we''ve left so many loved ones behind. We can''t change the past, we tried doing that. But by doing so, we saved one but lost another. And some ask why bother to protect? We lost almost everyone, so why try to protect others when they are going to die anyway?"


    "Did they think, after years of having loved ones die before our very eyes, enough for us to give up hope? To run away? Don''t make us laugh, its the only reason why we are making a stand now! It''s the backbone of why we choose to protect."


    "And it was the very same reason why the Arks were born. Because if we don''t, who will? If we did not move on, who is going to protect the remaining ones alive? The ones gone have sacrificed themselves to help us all, and by running away, we would be making them very displeased."


    "We fight to protect so that no one would have to go through the pain that we''ve experienced. No one would have to see their loved ones die. And we stand strong, for them to have hope. To keep moving forward. To know that among the clouds and debris, there is still hope."


    "We will keep fighting, gladly putting our lives on the line, just like the fallen ones did. We fight to protect, always have been and always will. That''s what it takes to be a leader, a soldier. That''s our reason, so what is yours?"


    Nova thought long and hard. What reason did she have to put her mind on the line for the few strangers that she''d just met? The more time she used to ponder about the reason, the slimmer the chances to defeat the Corrupted and Poisoned Pond.


    The Trio had already done their best to gain the upper hand but now they were starting to lose ground within the battle.


    "Poison Of The Ivy. Power Of The Sword. I gather thee, Twin-Tail Ivy Blade!" called out Old Man Pond, turning one of Z''s Kunais into a long sword, encased with putrid green smoke.


    The hilt was made out of the Poisoned Pond''s pets'' tails, curling, and twisting its owner''s hands.


    "That''s some nasty weapon you''ve got there, Poisoned Pond," commented Baldwin, blocking the oncoming slash from the enemy.


    "Humans were the ones who took your family away, yet you''d still side with them. Enlighten me," asked Old Man Pond.


    Gillian appeared from behind, assuming to kick the Commander in the neck. Old Man Pond wasn''t pleased as he ducked away from such a childish attack.


    "Not like you, Gillian, to resort to such cheap tricks. So tell me, the Mighty Trio. Why is that you continue to protect humans? What is your reason for opposing your kind to save a species that had murdered millions of your own?"


    Old Man Pond dashed towards Baldwin, successfully breaking the Angry Man''s arm as he held it up for defense.


    "Tell me!" bellowed the enraged Commander.


    In a fit of rage, he gripped Baldwin''s broken arm and tossed the Dark Mage away. As Baldwin slammed against with ungodly force, his entire body convulsed. Z looked horrified.


    Baldwin wiped away the blood that had spewed out from his mouth and continued his assault towards the Commander. He let out a chuckle, furthering angering the Old Man Pond.

 Chapter 147 - The Ark Of Regrouping

    "Why do you need to know the reason behind everything?" asked Baldwin, smiling through the blood-stained lips.


    "At least I can remotely understand why you are all insane," replied Old Man Pond.


    "The Butterfly of Hope. The Symbol of Protection. The Power of the Mages. The Bond of Family. The Elements of the Great Five. The Cry of the Lark. The Barriers of the Heavens. The Wall of Strength. Heaven''s God will test, so let this spell manifest! Tuar Ceatha ¨¢bhair!" yelled the Headmaster, hands clamped together.


    As he plummeted his hands onto the ground, cracks appeared as the entire began to shake. However, the spell''s destruction only applied to the enemy''s minds. Baldwin and Z were utterly confused yet gave a small smile.


    With the terrain warped and vibrating, the two continue to assault the weakened opponents. The only problem was that Gillian had to remain at the same spot for the spell to work. This meant he was open to attacks. The Corrupt Creature took notice and aimed straight at the vulnerable target.


    "The Creation of the Cold. The Smallest of Particles. Freezing Dust!"


    Snow Cap conjured the massive spell just in time, surrounding the Corrupted thing before it could attack.


    Meanwhile, Nova was still fighting the memories that she had mustered up in her spell. There was only a barrier left. She needed to know the actual reason why the Arks were known to help others in the days to come. Why it was made. Sure, the voice had explained to her, but it wasn''t the answer.


    It was the answer to Nova''s question but not the reason why they, the Founders, continue to push forward. The barrier needed a straightforward answer as to why the Founders continuously protected humans. She laughed as the answer struck her right in the face.


    As Baldwin got another punch to the face, he smiled.


    "You don''t have to have a reason to save others. You save them because you want to. No shenanigans, no complex answers. You save and protect them because of your own free will, not because of some high and mighty reason."


    "What a joke," replied the Commander, knocking Baldwin off from his feet.


    Gillian had no choice but to leave the spell and help out.


    "Nova! Are you alright?" yelled Raiyen, finally get her to wake up.


    The Aura around her had changed drastically, her hands felt tingling. She gently opened her eyes, seeing that her mother had wrapped her whole body to protect her daughter.


    "Mav had insisted to do this. In case the memories were too much, at least you would wake up with someone who can comfort you. Anyways, how''s your progress?"


    Nova nodded as she scanned the beast surrounding her.


    "She''s absorbed most of the effect, no need to worry."


    "I am ready to unleash the spell."


    "There won''t be any going backs. It will create a fixed point in Time. You alright with that?"


    "Yes."


    Her answer was short, straight to the matter. Her tone was of determination while her eyes were fierce. Raiyen sighed and gently patted Mavislin on the claw.


    "Mav, we''re going back."


    The beast opened her eyes and reverted to the form that everyone knew and loved.


    "Thank goodness Baldwin or Z doesn''t get to see that," whispered Raiyen, using Time Ripper once more.


    "Let''s join back in," said Mavislin, extending her wings.


    The family nodded at each other, gently stepping into the rift.


    "Quite disappointing," said the Corrupted being.


    A huge tornado of Dark Element was launched towards Z, causing quite the problem for the Lost Mage. Baldwin managed to step in to counter the attack but was beginning to feel the effects of the Poison Element.


    "How much longer..." thought the trio.


    Suddenly, the two enemies stopped their attacks.


    "You''d said that I could meet my twin. Where is she then?" asked the Corrupted being.


    Twin? Who could be related to anything like that?


    "She should be arriving back soon. When she does, I''ll leave it up to you to fight her," said Old Man Pond.


    A huge slash in the cloudy sky appeared, spitting out the family. As they landed, Mavislin recognized the Corrupted being in an instant. Her eyes widened as she was unable to comprehend the person before her.


    "That''s not possible, that''s the opposite of possible," murmured Mavislin, covering her mouth.


    The being stepped forward and revealed a sinister smile. Just then, dark streams of light shot out from the ground and entered the being''s mouth.


    "Howl of the Abyss!" yelled the Corrupted being, aiming his mouth straight at Mavislin.


    She answered the opponent the same, yelling out a similar attack.


    "Howl of the Valkyries!"


    Two contrasting colors, black and white, clashed at each other. The impact was enough to send the rest flying. Raiyen caught Nova just in time.

 Chapter 148 - The Ark Of Twins Of Valokia

    "I''ve got you, pipsqueak," said Raiyen, grinning.


    "It''s been a while, Mavy..." said the being as he pulled the spell back.


    Mavislin did the same, remaining silent. The two then lunged at each other, fighting with the powers that only the mighty Valkyries could master. Their Auras were deafening, the area was affected severely as it was engulfed by both golden white and purple-black streams of light.


    "I''ve heard stories but I''d never thought there was a possibility that it could happen," said Z, helping the Angry Man up.


    "Twins of Alternate. Some say that they were born like this. Others recollected that he used to have the same power as his twin. Whatever it was, the main point was always the same. The Twins of Alternate must not fight, it will spell the end for all that is around them," explained Gillian.


    The Headmaster''s gaze was strong as he witnessed the duo fighting it out.


    The Corrupted enemy was fighting unpredictably, his attacks and spells were erratic. But no matter which fighting style he used, Mavislin would answer following the change. The two were neck and neck in terms of both Aura and Elemental Energy.


    "Dear Mavy, how I''ve missed you," cooed the enemy, blocking a kick from his sister.


    "Benjamin."


    It was the only thing she said as she continued fighting. She couldn''t help but wonder, how was he able to survive that night? As she pondered about the answer more, another person was getting bored with the fight.


    "Ivy Dart!" yelled out Old Man Pond, aiming a finger at Mavislin.


    The Valkyrie had been too engrossed in her duel that she failed to stop the small but deadly attack. As she fell, the Corrupted being wanted to take her down. But seeing his twin falling, screaming out in pain, something snapped within the Corrupted being.


    With one swing, the smoke cleared, revealing Benjamin''s look, if he were a human. About the same posture and size as Mavislin, just with dark purple eyes and black hair. His purple eyes lit with fire and rage as he managed to catch his twin.


    Without missing a heartbeat, he appeared at Old Man Pond''s side, still holding his sister. Anger seared through his body as he grasped the Poisoned Pond by the neck.


    "Don''t you dare touch my sister," growled Benjamin, immediately blasting Old Man Pond into dust.


    "What did you do?!" shouted Baldwin, eyes fixated at Benjamin.


    "Why are you concerned? Do you not hate him as well?" asked Benjamin, genuinely confused.


    "Even if we did, there was no need for you to kill him," bellowed Baldwin, gritting his teeth.


    Benjamin then tossed the limp body of his sister towards Raiyen. The being did not reply as he lunged towards the whole team. Nova stood from afar, unable to determine if she should ready the spell that she had been training lately.


    Though it felt like years for her, it was only a few minutes that went past.


    "What a fool, trying to attack us all at once. A single being Vs the four of us plus the one above. That''s gotta be suicidal," replied Raiyen, easily dodging the spells.


    "Don''t underestimate him, Time Boy. The only thing that can be on par with that being is his sister, who is now defeated," said Z, rolling away from a huge Howl once more.


    It was as if the enemy had changed moods drastically. At one point, he was fighting the opposite party and the next thing he''d just destroyed his ally with one single attack.


    "Didn''t the books say that he went insane because of the Corrupt Aura, Gillian?" asked Raiyen, launching another Holy Trinity attack.


    This managed to startle Benjamin, falling into one of Gillian''s traps.


    "You''re asking someone that hasn''t got the power of Time Travel about the past?!" yelled Gillian, raising his eyebrows as he tried to control the enemy.


    Just then, Benjamin laughed, looking directly at Nova.


    "What''s so funny?''


    "That girl over there. It''s sad, isn''t it? To constantly look into my memories. How I lived a life of mischieve and wonder. A life of freedom and happiness. That little girl you see, always holding my hand, is my twin. And you keep denying it, how can such a nice person with a family be the enemy?" he asked Nova.


    He knew fully well that she was hearing into the battle.


    "I''ll tell you one thing; if you live long enough, you''ll end up seeing your progress of becoming the villain. No matter how much you wish not to, try not to notice or help others, it''ll always be the same."


    "Aren''t you scared of that, the mighty Founders Of The Arks? Or are you more afraid of what would happen if you drag this young girl into your adventures?" asked Benjamin, pointing at Nova.

 Chapter 149 - The Ark Of Child Of Memory

    Raiyen dived into the direction of his daughter and shielded her.


    "Leave her out of this, she is not the one who you are fighting against," growled Raiyen, tone furious.


    "No, but she''d decided that she wants to fight me herself. Memoria Astrum, otherwise known as the Memory Star in Latin. Or, in simpler terms, the Memories of all creations would be better to understand," said Benjamin, smiling.


    He then broke free of the trap and extended his arms. The rest of the group looked confused as Nova conjured up the legendary spell.


    "Would you take the risk? Could you handle it? I''m not a being that can be so easily defeated, you know. Don''t insult me or my kind, since you''ve been into my head, you should know that a measly spell won''t be able to defeat me!" shouted Benjamin.


    Gillian was ready to attack once more when huge pillars of light rained down from the sky, encircling and caging the Corrupted being. Nova''s eyes had was blanketed by a red shade, her hands aimed at the fallen Valkyrie.


    "I''d said I wanted to fight you, I didn''t say anything about defeating you. I am the child of the Mighty Valkyries and a whacky Time Mage, so go figure on what I''m about to do," explained Nova, as the light started to converge on the Valkyrie''s mind.


    "You didn''t just lock me away in my mind for a few hours, Dad. It was a few years I''ve been stuck in my mind. I''ve seen the memories needed to power this spell. The memories of the six of you should be enough for both my power and mind. Barely enough."


    The cage started to shake violently as Benjamin smiled a crooked smile.


    "It won''t be enough to hold me off. If I survived a supernova, then I''ll come crawling back again. Watch me. Child of Memory..." warned Benjamin.


    With another shout of the spell''s name, the cage convulsed and converged on Benjamin, before a tiny black hole behind the enemy started to swallow the Valkyrie.


    The spell happened rather quickly, not much hullabaloo, no-nonsense. But Benajmin''s Aura still lingered, which meant that the Corrupted being was not fully gone.


    "He can never die. When Valokia fell, he got swallowed by the supernova that Valokia had become. But since he was trying to do a Time Frame Hop, at the time it was unheard of, he got fragmented. When he opened the Time Stream to get out in time, the opening got fragmented," said Nova.


    "This caused him to scatter all of Time. So no matter how many times we''ve defeated or killed him, he''ll always come back. And because he''s been exposed to the Time Element for far too long, it''s been said that it made go berserk."


    "Imagine if all of Time was happening around you all at once, your mind would burn. Unless you were born out of it, otherwise known as Time Mages," explained Nova, looking at the empty spot.


    "You know, he wasn''t cursed or Corrupted or fallen. That would only happen if you break a law or get on some demon''s bad side," replied Mavislin, softly.


    Raiyen held his partner, trying to check her wounds.


    "Rest for a bit, Mav. Poisoned Pond got you too well," said Raiyen, gently trying to hush his girl.


    "He was born with Corrupted Powers, the Corrupt Element. It is kinda similar to Baldwin''s Dark Element. But in the end, he was my twin. Is it wrong to fight your family if it is your enemy?" asked Mavislin, before passing out once more.


    "That girl, she woke up just to ask us that. How problematic," said Baldwin, shaking his head.


    As Ysabeau dived down to take care of Mavislin''s wounds, the Memory Princess collapsed.


    "Thank the heavens she didn''t die, or else it would create some nasty anomalies," commented Baldwin, laying the blanket down onto the girl.


    Mavislin stood by the bedside, looking at Nova''s sleeping face.


    "Baldwin was right, no matter how hard we try, we''ll always end up losing our daughter. Just in multiple ways," lamented Mavislin, ruffling her child''s hair.


    Raiyen gave a punch towards Baldwin.


    "Oi! Not my fault!"


    "The fact that she said ''multiple ways'' is a hint that someone allowed my girl to Time Travel behind my back," huffed Raiyen, crossing his arms.


    "Not that, it''s just... We''ve spent over four years trying to find her."


    Raiyen was taken aback. Four years?!


    "Problem now is trying to get her home," explained Gillian, who stood by the doorway.


    "Isn''t this her rightful home?" asked Z.


    "If she stays here, the Time Stream will be affected. It would mean that there would be two Raiyens running around. And besides, if she doesn''t get to her actual Time Stream soon, she''ll be captured once again or even worse," said Raiyen.

 Chapter 150 - The Ark Of Being Alone Again

    Mavislin plopped down beside the sleeping princess.


    "She won''t be able to remember all of this, would she?'' asked Mavislin, in a sorrowful tone. Raiyen shook her head.


    "So how do you plan to fix all of this and place her back into her kingdom?" asked Baldwin.


    "She''s not an item I can just ''return'', you know," answered the Time Mage.


    "You''re right. It''s going to be difficult. We''ve got to take her back to a Time where does not know about her power yet," said Gillian, expression mixed with feelings.


    "What do you mean?"


    "She didn''t lose her mind. There''s a reason why the spell is quite forbidden. It''s not sacrificing her mind, it''s sacrificing her powers."


    "When she wakes up, she''ll forget about everything from the moment she''d met Raiyen and her powers would be gone. She''ll even forget that she had powers in the first place," added Z, with a solemn look.


    "There''s no way to fix it, the only thing you can do now is getting her back to her own time. And meet us at your own as well, Time Boy," explained the Headmaster, walking away.


    Raiyen hung his head in shame as the other began to leave the room. Had he not tried to save the princess, none of this would have affected her. He had, once again, failed to keep a promise.


    Opening the Time Portals, he closed his eyes and selected the proper Time to fit her back into. Before he could move, Mavislin abruptly embraced him from the back.


    "You alright, Raiyen?" asked Mavislin, burying her face into the boy''s back.


    "Yeah, I''m fine. After I''ve placed her back, I''ll go back to my time as well. I''ll continue with my journeys. I won''t be tampering too much though. I don''t want to have another repeat of this kind of scenario again," explained Raiyen, facing forward.


    He tried his best to hide his feelings about the matter. As a Time Mage, he shouldn''t have allowed these emotions to cloud his judgment. Had he been too soft?


    The room sparkled as the Time Portals were fading in and out of existence, accompanied by the fact that stars were beginning to appear outside.


    "Alone?" asked the girl.


    "Yeah. After all, I''ll always be alone in the end."


    TThe Valkyrie sighed, looking at the man in sadness.


    "Being around me, look at what happened. Perhaps I should go back home to see that daft face of Angry Man''s. Or learn how to make my Club Sandwich. Or I''ll give another try on the Coding thingy that Z had been interested in. Surely this Time should have that..."


    Mavislin gave a gentle squeeze.


    "Just... Be safe," said the Valkyrie, releasing the Time Mage.


    With a heavy heart, the partners parted ways once more. As Raiyen placed the sleeping princess down, he whispered words of encouragement.


    "You were great, Nova Orlaith, Avon Harmony."


    As he stepped foot outside of the palace, he witnessed the stars gleaming as the commoners around laid down on the grassy fields to look at the night sky. Being the sweet tooth that he always would be, Raiyen then pulled out a chocolate bar to eat.


    "What''s that?" asked a young woman, approaching him in a gown.


    Raiyen turned around in shock, still having a piece of it in his mouth.


    "Chocolate," he mumbled, looking at the young woman before him.


    Her dress sparkled in the dark as so did her crown. Chestnut locks streamed down freely, her eyes were red, an effect of using the spell. That didn''t seem to bring any problems since she is a princess.


    "What''s ''chocolate''? Can I try?" asked the girl once more.


    Raiyen sighed as he tossed an extra bar of ''Cadbury'' in the princess''s direction. She looked perplexed as she tried to open the piece of wrapper.


    "It won''t kill you, try it," said Raiyen walking away.


    As the girl slowly began munching it, her eyes brightened.


    "This is fantastic! I''ve got to show Big Sis!" cried out the princess.


    Her smile went away as she tried to find the mystery person who gave the most remarkable thing she''d tasted.


    "Princess Nova! What are you doing outside? You''ll catch a cold," said a woman, approaching the youngster eating the bar of chocolate.


    "Mama! Please let Chef Jake remake this wonderful item. It''s called chocolate and I want more of it," pleaded the young princess.


    The mother smiled as she nodded, taking the girl away and back into the castle.


    Raiyen looked from the hilltop, underneath a huge oak tree. He smiled as stepped back into the Time Portals once more. There was no need to say goodbye if it did not matter anymore. But nevermind that, these are just the saddest moments in this Time Mage''s life. Only a tiny fraction.

 Chapter 151 - The Ark Of New Intrusion

    "If only I had known, I would''ve saved you earlier. I''m so, so sorry, Minwoo..." said Mavislin, her entire body shaking.


    She then clenched at her heart. It was starting hurt, badly. She tried to regulate her breathing but it was to no avail as the pain was unbearable.


    "Shouldn''t that Valkyrie be used to death?" asked Duchess Midford, looking at the sobbing mess.


    "How can anyone be used to killing their family member?" asked Earl Yan, lighting a cigarette.


    "Well, that''s just mean that she''s rather weak. Never expected that from a powerful being like a Valkyrie," stated the Duchess, shrugging off the poor girl''s pain.


    "Well, right in the middle of the Umbra incident, eh? This brings back memories," murmured the Time Mage as he stepped foot into the area.


    He spun around, trying to get a sense of which Time he was at. It reeked of death. And the painful wails of a Valkyrie. Dawn was breaking.


    "If I hadn''t known better, I would''ve thought that I was back home," he said, with a painful smile.


    He shook his head. Those were memories that were not worth remembering. He thought to find Mavislin but the situation wanted him to not interfere. The Valkyrie needed to know that not all victories include the winner smiling.


    He then caught a glimpse of a brightened up room. It was located on the top of a building. Using Glitch, the Mage could easily reach right up to the window.


    "Don''t be too quick to assume," warned Earl Yan.


    "Earl''s got a point. People cry, not because they''re weak. It''s because they''ve been strong for too long," boomed a voice on the balcony.


    The group spun around, readying themselves for another battle. But instead of finding an enemy, they found a very cheeky Time Mage. The boy glitched through the room, landing just beside the two women.


    "Hello, ladies," he said, bowing down to them.


    He then frowned the Viscountess. But gave a cheeky grin to Duchess Midford. She turned away in disgust.


    "What do you want, Time Boy?" asked Earl Yan, glaring at Raiyen.


    "Hmm... The few Kings of the underworld. Oh, looks like the Marquess has fallen and the Baron isn''t here," commented the Time Mage, as he scanned around.


    "Who the hell you?!" screeched the Duchess, whipping out a bow and arrow.


    "Let''s just say that I''m a Time Mage. Back from a certain ordeal, came to fix another problem," explained the cheeky boy, glitching out of the room once more.


    "The Marquess might be down for the count, bringing along the alpha of the Umbras and one member. But, it''s still no time to celebrate. We''ve got bigger issues to handle."


    "And if I were you, I would be careful with the Viscountess," warned Raiyen, standing at the balcony once more.


    "Why is that so?"


    "Because the Viscountess is with Mavislin right now," replied the Time Mage, pointing at the ''Viscountess''."


    The Viscountess forced a wide grin on the poor human face. Her features melted away, leaving only a black figure, with a purple hue as an outline. The group looked horrified. The Earl instantly grabbed the Duchess away from the imposter.


    "An Umbra who took the ability to shapeshift?" asked Raiyen.


    "Wrong. The Element Of Impersonation," replied the shadow, with a sea of voices.


    "Same thing."


    "We can only shapeshift who we have seen but not consumed."


    Raiyen shrugged as he turned away from the room and looked outside.


    "Where are you going, Time Mage?" asked the Umbra.


    "You are welcome to follow me. Let''s play tag, shall we?"


    "Such childishness will not bring you victory."


    "I don''t care for such poetry."


    "We will claim victory soon."


    "This battle is far from over," warned the Time Mage, before leaping off the balcony and into the sea of buildings below.


    The shadow then dived towards the Mage. Both beings disappeared to the outskirts of the domain. The group could hardly see where the two were headed towards.


    "Hold on!" yelled the Duchess.


    "Wait, let''s meet up with Ling first," said Earl Yan, grabbing the Duchess by the shoulder.


    The young Duchess nodded and headed out with the Earl. They had finally caught up with the sobbing Valkyrie and the Viscountess. The real one, they hoped. The Viscountess could summon up a small smile but had tears coming out.


    "She''d sustained too much stress. If we don''t get her proper treatment, her heart might give out," explained the Viscountess.


    The scene was quite painful as Mavislin was lying down, with her entire body bruised up. She was tired, both physically and mentally. She was breathing heavily. Her arm that used the lance was completely immobile.


    "That last performance took too much. We''ve got to call the High Queen," said Earl Yan.

 Chapter 152 - The Ark Of An Angry Parent

    "You sure? I don''t think it would be that easy to locate her, let alone ask her for help," said the Duchess as she caught up with the Earl and Viscountess.


    But before he could dash off, a huge purple serpent came hurling down from where Raiyen was. The Earl was frightened as the giant serpent looked dauntingly at the group. With the Valkyrie too weak to fight, the creature couldn''t be killed.


    The serpent stopped in front of the Earl but soon resumed its advance by striking using its head. But the area started to drop in temperatures. Frost started to creep around the stone buildings and pavements. An entire cloud of dust appeared around the serpent.


    "The Creation of the Cold. The Smallest of Particles. Freezing Dust!" boomed a powerful voice.


    The serpent was forced to stop its assault as it was encased in ice. Purple ice, to be exact. A huge, towering figure loomed beside the monster in ice. With a simple knock, the entire thing crumbled.


    "Leaving her alone to fight something else... What a chore to get you kids to behave..." complained a familiar voice.


    Another serpent tunneled down from Tiamat. But the group''s savior grabbed it without missing a heartbeat. The moment the creature touched the hand, the Mage made no effort to strangle the serpent to death. The Mage then threw the monster to the next continent, hurling the thing away.


    "And how many times have I told you to keep both your feelings and heart in check?" chided the chubby man.


    "It''s..."


    The Duchess looked afraid and confused while the Earl looked concerned. As the Valkyrie turned her head to see the Mage, she felt a sense of home once more.


    "Leader of the Blizzard Faction, Z!" greeted the Viscountess.


    "There''s no need to alert the High Queen, Earl Yan. I wouldn''t want to bother the couple now. Thus, I''ve come to pick these pesky kids up," said Z.


    "Peanut?" asked Mavislin, softly.


    She tried getting up but the being was set on making her lie down.


    "Bright Eyes... You went too far again, right?" asked Z as he looked at the poor girl.


    "You made advances without the approval of the Headmaster. Or any of us. Even if we don''t function as a hierarchy built, children must seek permission from the parents if they want to go out and play. It''s for your safety," explained Z, kneeling towards Mavislin.


    "Ysabeau is worried sick about you. You may have grown, but you''ll always be her child. The Old Chapel tipped us off to your whereabouts. Even the Angry Man was concerned."


    "You know about the current situation?" asked Earl Yan.


    "Yep. The Headmaster had known about the Umbra attacks before Mavislin''s disappearance. He knew that he won''t be approving Minwoo''s request about helping the Five Kings, so Mavislin decided to head out by herself," explained Z.


    "She ran away from home?!" shrieked Viscountess Ling.


    "Calm down. Usual trips for long periods are common within our household. But the only reason why I would find this trip strange was because of the quarrel."


    "You guys fought?"


    "As I said, Minwoo did appeal to all of us for help for the Umbra case. We rejected him since there''s no actual evidence nor it was deadly enough for us to care. Mavislin did not see this lightly and quarreled with Gillian about it. Baldwin chimed in but was quickly shut out," explained Z.


    "Of course she would run away. She and Minwoo were very close," reasoned the Viscountess.


    "The thing is, we did not go after her when she left without saying anything. It was only when we had found out that Minwoo had died weeks ago then the Angry Man activated me to go after the Valkyrie."


    "Then how does the leader of the Vigilante fit into all this?" asked the Earl.


    "Him? That pesky Time Boy? He isn''t the one from this Time. He is the version of Raiyen from the future, so tread lightly if you ever cross paths with him again."


    "Speaking of Baldwin, he came after the Valkyrie, right? Mavislin did mention she had met him before meeting the Marquess," asked the Earl.


    Z gave a very puzzled look as he then gently stroked the Valkyrie''s hair.


    "Alleviate," said Z, as he placed a green Kunai on Mavislin''s chest.


    The Kunai glowed in an emerald hue as it worked its power. Both her breathing and heart rate started to slow down, with Mavislin trying not to close her eyes. Her wounds were healing slowly, but the Ancient Relic could not fix the sadness in her heart.


    "Baldwin hasn''t left the Old Chapel. He was still there when Gillian sent me off to find Mavislin."


    The Earl''s eyes widened in shock.

 Chapter 153 - The Ark Of Eternal Unity Spark

    "Then who was that person?"


    "Whoever it was, that''s not the main issue now. The pressing thing now is that we can''t stay here. That Umbra is using the Headmaster''s power. That thing is virtually impossible to kill. We''ll all die within the crossfire," said Z.


    "So, where shall we head to?" asked Earl Yan.


    "I will allow you guys to take shelter at my domain," offered the Duchess as she brought out her sniper rifle.


    She then fired at the oncoming serpents, directly at the eyes.


    "Venice..." said the Viscountess as she looked at her childhood friend.


    "Don''t worry. Focus on getting the Valkyrie away from here. Without her, there''s no way we can stand a chance against this monster," replied the Duchess, firing another shot.


    "The Urnsfield was once our home Headquarters. It should suffice. That area has supplies from the olden days to take care of the Valkyrie. Many thanks, Duchess Midford," said Z, as he carefully picked the young Mage.


    Without much effort, he had tossed the poor Valkyrie onto his back. With a surge of Energy, Z leaped forward with inhuman speed.


    "Let''s go," said Viscountess Ling, looking at the Earl.


    "You catch up to Mavislin and Z. I''ll go get Gab and help the Time Mage," said the Earl as he whipped out his rifle.


    "You can''t defeat that thing."


    "No, but I can buy enough time for you lot to seek help. Go," ordered the Earl, rushing off to the monster.


    "Vernice? You coming?" asked Viscountess Ling.


    The Duchess placed her sniper rifle back onto her back and ran towards Z and Mavislin. The area was now on lockdown, no one was to come out as the Mages are currently in war with the Umbras. Earl Yan''s orders were strict, with no human interference unless it was necessary.


    As the sun shined brightly, the day had started with two Mages soaring through the sky. Playing a nice game of tag. With the Umbra as ''it''.


    The Time Mage was having the time of his life as he glitched through the air. He was teeming with blue sparks while having a smile on his face. The Umbra could not have been more pissed at the playful Time Mage. It was getting tired at the game of cat and mouse.


    "You can''t keep running, Time Mage," warned the Umbra, as it caught up with the Mage.


    "Have been, and always will be running," replied Raiyen.


    "Besides, what''s the point of doing your job if you can''t find the fun in it?"


    He then tossed a ball of light towards the Umbra.


    "Let''s play dodge!"


    "Luminera Nova!" yelled Raiyen as the ball exploded in front of the Umbra.


    After recovering for a split second, the Umbra seemed more pissed than ever. It was livid. Raiyen, with his cheeky grin, glitched through the air while flinging balls of light towards the Umbra. After a few more, the Umbra ended the game swiftly by trapping the Time Mage within a ball of darkness.


    Raiyen smiled as he looked around. He hasn''t tried this before. And if Mavislin could do it, so could he. The place seems great to try out a new spell. If things go wrong, he would only hurt himself. If it goes right, he might be able to break out from these confines.


    "Play in the dark, Fight in the war. This will leave a mark, And it won''t go anymore. The Mages have done, Power has been used. This war has begun. This spell has fused."


    As he chanted, his hands were placed right in front of him. His position was odd as if he was holding onto a handle. He concentrated the entire pool of Elements that he used into his hands.


    "Invoke the wise, Seek the old. The power of sunrise, The danger to behold," continued the Time Mage.


    As the Umbra felt the fluctuation of Elemental Energy within the cage, it then added a few more layers. But this did not deter Raiyen one small bit.


    "Master the Peace. Master the Sacrifice. Master the Time. Master the Energy."


    The cage started to shake while a blue, green and light purple mixture of Auras appeared within Raiyen''s hands.


    "With one hand I bear this ability, And the other, I bear this mastery. Merge. I call for It, in capability, These two are the ones. Execution and dexterity. This is the symbol of my Ark..."


    He then took a deep breath. The Time Boy''s Aura grew, combining all of the Elements he could wield. His eyes then flew open as he finished the spell.


    "I offer thee... Eternal Unity Spark!" yelled the Time Mage.


    The Elemental Energy created the symbol of the Vigilante Ark and appeared on the shell of the dark cage.

 Chapter 154 - The Ark Of Weapon Of The Vigilante

    The ball of Auras in his hands produced started to peek through the confines of the ball. The entire thing was starting to crack. The cage gave way, allowing a few beams of light to pass through. In the end, the entire thing collapsed, leaving a Time Mage standing strong.


    In his hands held a brand new weapon. He looked at it with awe and admiration. The Umbra looked at the new weapon in fear. It was an oversized weapon, compared to the ones that Raiyen had initially wielded.


    The Time Mage had to wield with both hands. It was a combination of a knuckleduster and a dagger, but bigger. Though it looked heavy, Raiyen wasted no effort as he swung it about, testing the flow of the weapon.


    The gold-colored handle was in the shape of a lightning bolt, allowing the Time Mage to get a good grasp. A Peace Lily, white as snow, posed as the handle''s guard. The blade was curved, tinted with purple. The spikes near the handle were orange. On the edge of the blade was a design of part of a clock.


    "I never thought I could pull that off so easily. Perhaps I''ve overlooked my experience," smirked Raiyen, pointing weapon right at the Umbra.


    "Behold, the weapon using the crest of my Ark. I am Raiyen Phoenix E. Harmony, leader and founder of the Vigilante Ark."


    "You are the Child Of Time. You''ve consumed Time for you to grow in your powers," replied the Umbra.


    "It''s called growing up," replied Raiyen as he launched himself towards the Umbra.


    The swirl of shadow dispersed and reformed right behind the Time Mage. It started to morph into a figure, the figure of someone the Time Mage feared. Raiyen flashed a look of distress before shaking his head and smiling.


    "Copying him doesn''t deter me one bit," said Raiyen, shrugging his shoulders.


    "We have the power to copy his powers as well."


    "Not convincing enough for me."


    The voice, though it was mimicking someone else now, it was still sounding like a crowd of people talking. This was beginning to annoy Raiyen. As well as the fact that the Umbra took on that form, of all things.


    "Do your worst at me. I''ve fought harder obstacles than him. Like riding that Behemoth or fighting a Valkyrie head-on," said Raiyen as he unleashed a bit more of his Elemental Energy.


    "I can summon up so many Beasts, stronger than a Behemoth in this form. I can bring the entire world down to its knees if need be."


    Raiyen shrugged his shoulders once more.


    "Are you sure? He is the Headmaster, after all," replied the Umbra, smiling awkwardly using Gillian''s face.


    "Headmaster or not, I don''t care who you are when it comes to taking revenge and protecting the ones I love. You were about to kill someone I cherish. I don''t take lightly to those tricks. So whoever you take form, I will still bring you down."


    "You talk as if you know the outcome of this fight."


    "Those who trample on others who are weak. Those who kill a weakened victim doesn''t get any mercy from me!" roared the Time Mage as he gripped the new weapon tightly.


    "Using your feelings as a boost, huh? That''s such a boring cliche," said the Umbra, as it summoned up one of the Headmaster''s strongest ability.


    Before the Umbra could continue, Raiyen instantly swung his blade at the being. He missed but created a giant crack on the ground. The area shook as Raiyen tried again. This time, the Umbra caught the blade but Raiyen channeled his Electric Element gave the Umbra a little jolt.


    The Umbra had just about enough as it shot out its arm. A swirl of blue Elemental Aura gathered around its arm. Raiyen braced himself for the upcoming spell. He then looked around for the weather forecast.


    With the sun shining brightly, there was only one spell he could try to do. The basis for every Fire Spell in the Universe.


    "The disc that illuminates the skies. The Orb of Fire. Without it, life will not grow. Too much, you''ll be burnt. Too little, you''ll freeze. I borrow the power from this object..." chanted Raiyen as he held up the weapon.


    He then pointed it towards the sun. A huge beam of light came down and created a growing fireball on the weapon.


    "Helios Metropolis!" yelled Raiyen as he propelled a huge fireball towards the Umbra.


    "Open! Gate Of The Primordial Beasts!" yelled the Umbra.


    The powerful shockwave of the gate opening destroyed the Time Mage''s spell instantly. Thought it was completely gone, it had helped to cushion the impact of the surge of Elemental Energy. Raiyen could barely see the Umbra and Glitched away from the sight.

 Chapter 155 - The Ark Of Primordial Beasts: Tiamat

    He landed perfectly at a nearby tree. Masking his Elemental Aura, he retreated into his Time Pocket. There was no way this won''t alert the rest of the Mages. And especially Gillian''s radar. At the same time, the Umbra was getting ready to complete the spell.


    "A W.o.m.b Cast Aside. The Symbol of Chaos. She glistens amongst her children. The Mother Of Creation. A powerhouse of havoc. The Peaceful Creator of the Cosmos. She is good, yet she yearns for pandemonium. She hates humanity, but is proud of being their Mother."


    "If humans want advancements in their life, they have to overcome the Orginal Woman," replied Raiyen, softly.


    Raiyen shook his head he tried to find the reason behind the Headmaster''s powers. Why must he have the power to call upon Primordial Beasts?!


    "Of all the Primordial Beasts, why her?! And just my luck, I''ve got to fight this thing alone," said Raiyen as he witnessed the Umbra gaining power.


    The area shook as the Umbra completed the second part of the spell. Raiyen clenched his fists. He had seen this spell before, but it was one of those things Time Ripper is unable to conjure up for him.


    "Door Of The Salt Sea Goddess; Tiamat!" yelled the Umbra.


    The moment her name was uttered, the Umbra''s surroundings were immediately drenched as waves exploded outwards from it. As the water level increased and further spread out, black mud soon followed after.


    The Umbra turned into a giant. It was still holding onto Gillian''s facial appearance but its body was far from different. Its hair was now long, colored with the sea. Its body was that of a woman''s, with two huge, blue, reptilian, wings.


    "If I ever had to picture Gillian with a girl''s body, this would not make the final cut," complained Raiyen as he looked at the atrocity.


    The thing finally caught sight of Raiyen and opened its eyes. It revealed two huge orbs with bright red flowers in the middle of them. Slowly but surely, the thing started to open its mouth as well. And it started singing.


    Not words, but similar to an opera''s singing. Just a very high-pitched sound emitting from that giant hole. Both Elemental Energy and Aura rose whenever it opened its mouth to sing. As Raiyen approached it, the soundwaves repelled the boy, effectively tossing him off-balance.


    Raiyen landed on one of the damaged trees and looked at his opponent. As it continued to grow in size, a couple of purple sea serpents shot out from its back. One was heading to the fallen Valkyrie and the rest of the Kings.


    "Damn it," cursed Raiyen as he failed to stop that serpent.


    But Raiyen halted in his tracks as he felt a familiar presence near his Valkyrie. He reached out and a snowflake had found its way to him. He then gave a proud smile, eyes gleaming with hope once more.


    "I never thought I would be so happy to feel the cold. Protect her, Peanut," whispered Raiyen as he directed his attention back to the Primordial Beast of the Salt Sea.


    "I highly doubt that Umbra is still in control of that massive flesh," said Raiyen, looking at the way that the Umbra had moved.


    The Umbra, unable to converse anymore, gazed at its surroundings. The way that the Beast scanned the area was odd as if it was trying to find a single target. Not only that, Raiyen had himself plain as day. Yet, the thing could not target the Time Mage properly.


    The ''water'' that it was emitting had destroyed most of the forest area as well as the outskirts of the town. Thank goodness it had ceased its advancement. No matter how many shots Raiyen took, there was no way of harming the Mother of Creation.


    So long as she was in the world that lives, Tiamat could never fall.


    "So this is what it feels like to have no hope in victory, eh? It sucks," complained Raiyen as he continued to look at the giant.


    "I''ll just have to try this then. Holy Trinity..." murmured Raiyen, as he aimed his fist right at Tiamat.


    "Time! Electric! Nature! These are the elements I wield, I command. Come forth, bind yourselves and become one. Voltaic Creation Era!" he shouted.


    Summoning the Elements, a torrent of light emerged and hurled down to Tiamat''s head. That did not even reach Tiamat, let alone harbor any damage towards her. He then tilted his head up to look at the skies. Finally, it had given the poor Mage some clouds to play with.


    "I sincerely loathe and love my Nature Element," mumbled the Time Mage as he shot his arm up.


    With his palm opened up, the clouds within the sky started to converge in his area.

 Chapter 156 - The Ark Of Backup Arrives

    Swirling on top of him, a single bolt of lightning hurled down and onto his palms. He then clenched his fist with the bolt. An orb of lightning appeared on his knuckles, growing as he aimed at Tiamat''s head.


    "Flashbang!" yelled Raiyen as he directed the shot at massive Beast.


    As the being sang, Raiyen''s attack was futile. It merely dispersed right in front of the Time Mage''s eyes. The being then stuck out its arm and tried to fling it towards Raiyen. But the Time Mage was concerned about his Elemental Energy pool, failing to see the oncoming attack.


    But before Tiamat could touch him, a loud gunshot was heard and the being''s attention was diverted from the Time Mage. It was then followed by a landslide of synchronized gunshots.


    "Raiyen!" yelled the familiar voice of a barista.


    The Time Mage dodged the oncoming attack, landing nicely on a large boulder. Tiamat started howling as it readjusted its attention to the armies. Meanwhile, he glanced at the outskirts of the town. His eyes widened as he gave a bright smile.


    "Long time no see, little boy," greeted Baron Tuazon, with the entire firing squad from Albion.


    "Same goes for you, Gabby," smirked Raiyen as he chanced upon the entire armada.


    But his smile soon diminished as he looked at ''Tiamat''. The army of soldiers continued to fire endlessly at the Beast. Bullets dealt no harm towards the Mother of Creation. If Raiyen continues, he would be on the losing end. Not only that, Tiamat might kill everyone as well.


    "What is that thing?!" asked Earl Yan as he landed beside his partner.


    "That''s Tiamat. A knock-off version, at least," explained Raiyen, glitching right behind them.


    "The Mother of Creation?!" yelled the two.


    Another high-pitched sound came out, this time it decimated the forces from Albion. Its serpents were intent on hunting each human down as it wreaked havoc around the area.


    "If only Minwoo and Ashley were still here... Minwoo could kill that thing using Gemini..." mumbled Earl Yan, as he aimed at Tiamat''s eyes.


    "Don''t hope for something from the past to come true. Focus on the things you have now," instructed Gab as he threw a few grenades to the Beast.


    "You are right," replied Earl Yan, turning 180 degrees to shoot the oncoming serpent behind the barista.


    "Thanks"


    "Something from my past..." chanted Raiyen as he brought out his Ancient Relic once more.


    Time Ripper, in its fullest glory, was engulfed with Raiyen''s immense Elemental Aura. It was a beacon for others to see. The armies stopped to see what was happening.


    "Continue to fire! Let him finish the spell!" ordered Gab, pointing at the armies.


    "Buy him some time!" yelled Earl Yan, firing his rifle as well.


    The firing squad, now joined by Teuton''s forces, increased their firepower against Tiamat. Though it did not affect her, it did hinder her vision of Raiyen''s Aura.


    "My hero. My girl. The One Who Hails From Mightiest Planet..." continued Raiyen.


    He then used the Time Ripper to slash the air in front of him. With an immediate effect, the Void was shown through the cut made. He then stuck his hand to search for a good spell.


    "My Partner In Crime."


    After some rummaging, he could finally grab the spell that he needed. But Tiamat started to thrash around as the Time Mage''s Aura turned into the Valkyrie''s golden light.


    "This one of the Five Major Spells of Ancient Valokia..."


    "But it has been tainted by the stench of Darkness and Despair. An Alter version. Where the Light has turned its back on her..."


    His eyes flew open with sheer ferocity as he fully pulled out the giant black shield from the Void.


    "Let the light flow. Let the dark fade. Divine punishment descends from the heavens. Overturn this spell for this land to strive and flourish once again..."


    The shield was the same as the Valkyrie''s, years ago. But its power has been amped up.


    "Heaven''s Wheel Alter: Monody!" yelled Raiyen as he glitched upwards and in front of Tiamat''s face.


    The Beast tried to protect itself by singing but was met with a similar attack. The same ode of tragedy played when Raiyen unleashed the torrent black, smoky arrows right at Tiamat. Both attacks were repelling each other, forcing the arrows to be held up in mid-air.


    Raiyen was desperate as he clung onto the shield of Valokia. He used the remnants of his Elemental Energy and tried to hold down the spell. Allowing the shield to suspend in mid-air, he decided to whip out his twin daggers.


    "Heaven Bent," he yelled as he used the golden dagger to strike the back of the shield.


    "Hell Sent!" yelled Raiyen, using the silver one to finish the dual move.

 Chapter 157 - The Ark Of Tiamats Escape

    Pulling out the Eternal Unity Spark, Raiyen slammed the weapon into the shield. With the three most powerful spells he could come up with fighting against Tiamat, Raiyen would highly doubt the monster would sustain no injuries.


    As he made the two spells to further support Monody, Raiyen had essentially pushed the entire attack into overdrive. As Tiamat continued to sing, her voice started to change into a howling scream for dominance.


    "Get down, all of you!" yelled Earl Yan as he witnessed the entire area shaking.


    The clash of the two spells overwhelmed the area, sending the battlefield into a second of pure white. The last thing everyone saw was the emblem of Valokia.


    As the blast died down, so did the Time Mage''s pool of Elemental Energy. The two Kings tried their best to take care of their armies while the Time Mage tried finding signs of life in Tiamat.


    "She can''t be defeated so easily, right?" asked Raiyen as he tried to find the Umbra.


    After the giant spell, Tiamat had fallen onto the forest floor. It was able to take down some trees and made quite a dust storm. Raiyen glitched all around but could confirm that Tiamat was not moving anymore. He then regrouped back to the Kings.


    "She''s down, for now," replied Raiyen.


    "That monster''s not dead yet?" asked Gab, shocked.


    "I would find it hard to believe she could be so easily defeated," replied the Time Mage, sitting down.


    "The Umbra copied the Headmaster''s powers. It won''t be as powerful as the real deal," reasoned Gab.


    The group sighed as they concentrated on fixing the well being of the fallen soldiers. The Time Mage possessed no healing powers so he had to use ''human'' methods of healing. But a soft rumble of the ground alerted the Time Mage.


    He then dashed towards the fallen body of Tiamat. It was starting to rise. Its wings, though ripped, managed to stretch out. The serpents were long gone but Tiamat still tried to get up. The body was battered and bruised but Tiamat refused to back down.


    "No way... I haven''t got enough Elemental Energy left in me to defeat that thing," said Raiyen, as he stared at the monster trying to get up.


    The army of humans looked terrified but they were still prepared to fight once more. Earl Yan gave the command to aim, but not to fire just yet.


    "On your command, Leader of the Vigilante," asked Earl Yan, preparing his sniper rifle to fire.


    He was aiming as Raiyen tried to find a possibility out of the situation. The Time Boy glanced at the remaining army. There was no way in hell that the army can pull this off. And around this time, the Vigilante was not strong enough to deal with an assault of this caliber.


    But as Raiyen wanted to give the final command, Tiamat shot up into the sky and made its way towards the Urnsfield domain.


    "At least it escaped. I don''t think we can handle more casualties on my side," said Gab, wiping the sweat from his forehead.


    The Earl quickly grabbed hold of Raiyen, scaring the Mage.


    "Go after that thing!"


    "Why? Urnsfield has the best Mages living there, so it should be alright for them to handle Tiamat. Besides, I need some rest," said Raiyen, pushing the Earl away.


    "Z has taken Lady Roydon to the Urnsfield to recover!" yelled the Earl, in desperation.


    Raiyen''s eyes flew open as he took hold of Yan''s collar.


    "Why did you not tell me earlier? That''s where the rest of the Umbras have gathered!" shouted Raiyen as he prepared to chase after the group.


    "Oi! Wait for us!" yelled Yan, in a tired voice.


    "He is a Mage, there''s no way we can get there as fast as him," said Gab, placing a hand on his partner''s shoulder.


    "No, but we have our method of travel," said Earl Yan with confidence.


    "Oh no... You still think you can ride that thing with confidence?" asked Gab, with fear in his eyes.


    "Why not? To catch up with a Mage, one must use a pet of the same level."


    "How did you manage to get hold of that thing?" asked Gab, looking at the Earl with a whole bunch of questions.


    "Baldwin gave it to me. He said he had a spare," replied the Earl, rushing towards the stables of his mansion.


    "A spare horse? That''s unusual."


    Gab stopped outside, waiting for the Earl to come out with the Puka.


    "One of the offspring of his horse. It was a gift for defeating Vernice in a shootout," explained Yan, getting up on the horse of Dark Elements.


    "You won against Vernice?"


    "I was the one who taught Ashley," said Yan.

 Chapter 158 - The Ark Of Activation

    The Earl then grabbed Gab''s hand and pulled him up onto the horse. With a slight yank and a squeeze, the Puka rushed off towards the Urnsfield domain.


    But using the Puka in the war would signal to the Old Chapel that the situation has turned for the worst. As the Puka that Baldwin took care of in the Old Chapel started to act strangely, Baldwin knew that something was off.


    "Hush, girl. I''ll be going in alone. Don''t worry," comforted Baldwin as he tried to calm the horse down.


    "Are you going to help?"


    "The Raiyen fighting in this war is not the current one we know. He is stronger, so I can kick back and relax for a while more," answered Baldwin, sitting down with her girl.


    "That doesn''t answer my question."


    Gillian stared at Baldwin with anger. Baldwin could only look at the Headmaster and give another heavy sigh.


    "Fine, I''ll be helping them. But it won''t any time soon. Unless the Umbras have touched the Knights, then I could figure out something. But for now, there''s not much I can do."


    "And I''ll make sure to give her a scolding."


    "If she''s hurt, heal her up, then do the scolding. Otherwise, Ysabeau would slaughter us if Mavislin comes back battered and bruised," ordered Gillain as he turned towards the Old Chapel.


    "You''re not going to participate?" asked Baldwin, standing up.


    Gillian froze before he looked up at the sky. From the time that Mavislin had run away from home, the skies around the Old Chapel had been grey. And the little Time Mage was also missing in action as he had traveled forwards in time to see the World Wars.


    Without the children of the Chapel, it was starting to get unbelievably dull. Even Baldwin felt there was something wrong when the two pranksters were absent. For Ysabeau, she was just worried sick. But it was different for Gillian.


    After Mavislin had fought with the a.d.u.l.ts, something just did not sit right with Gillian. Both Mavislin''s sudden temper and the timely appearance of Minwoo seemed odd. And when Z came back with information that Minwoo had been missing or dead for months before his visit.


    "Nope, I don''t see a need for me to aid them," said Gillian, as he walked out of the stables.


    "You sure? I''ve heard that one of the Umbras has copied your power. I can feel the use of Tiamat, so I''ve sent Z out to check on them," said Baldwin.


    "Ah, that solves one problem. I was wondering where did that Ice Mage run off too."


    "Whether the Umbras have copied my powers or not, I won''t waste my energy or time to deal with them. If anything, you should be the one clearing this mess. They are your kind, after all," said Gillian, pointing at Baldwin.


    Baldwin could only stare at the Headmaster, wide-eyed and confused. He blinked a few times before opening his mouth.


    "And since when did I ever mention that the Umbras are my kind?" asked Baldwin, walking towards Gillain.


    Now it was the Headmaster''s turn to be confused.


    "But I''ve received reports on the Umbras. Mavis did mention about what she knew about the Umbras to Ysabeau and that information has been passed to me. On top of that, we had a meeting last week, with you telling us all about the Umbras!" exclaimed Gillian, utterly lost in confusion.


    "Um, Gillian. I''ve only come back about a day ago. I wasn''t here last week. I was out to train the new Knights, remember?" asked Baldwin, knocking on Gillian''s forehead.


    "And before all that, how can you believe that the Umbras were under my kind without checking with me first?"


    "The descriptions seemed to fit perfectly. So I assumed it was your kind," replied Gillain, rubbing his forehead.


    "You numpty! Whatever you assume, it''s going to make an ass out of you and me. Besides, we Shadows are made out of the Dark Element. The Shadows on my planet specialize in the Necrotic Element. Other than that, none of the Shadows can devour other Elements," explained Baldwin.


    "But Shadows are made from swallowing whatever being was on the planet, right?"


    "Yes, but only its physical form. Other than appearance, all of our Basic Elements are the same."


    "So, you guys can''t change your Elements at all?"


    "Mate, if I could, did you honestly think that I would stick to the Dark Element? If I could choose, then Abi won''t be dead," replied Baldwin, walking pass the Headmaster.


    "The Five Kings and Mavislin have been running with false information all this time."


    "Great. And Minwoo has died without knowing the truth. I wonder how many more lives will this fight claim," said Gillian, making his way back to the Old Chapel.

 Chapter 159 - The Ark Of Healing

    Following the battle between Raiyen and the Umbra, the giant emblem of Valokia beamed through the entire area, alerting the Valkyrie and Z.


    "That''s..." said Z, looking at the Beast''s direction.


    "Why does he always take the spells that I use..." complained the fallen Valkyrie on Z''s back.


    "You''re finally awake now, huh?"


    "Just barely. I still want to sleep."


    "Can''t sleep without your plushie?" asked Z, with a cheeky smile.


    "Shut it, you. I''ve grown up."


    "Yea, but not old enough to stop getting into trouble. You bit off more than you could chew, Bright Eyes."


    "I did say I will go after Minwoo to help him out. I would defy anyone who got in my way."


    "Hmph, such fiery words for someone who got defeated. And using his twin daggers to back the spell up... Just how many years does he intend to waste?'' asked Z, shaking his head in disapproval.


    "Years?" asked the Viscountess, catching up to the two Mages.


    "Whenever Time Mages go out of their way to increase their Elemental Energy, they would use up their ''years''," explained Z, trying to heal the Valkyrie while making their escape.


    "Meaning?" asked Venice, as she leaped from building to building.


    "The years that would never come. In other words, he is using his future years to increase the spell''s power," replied Z, looking back the blast.


    "Hang on a moment. You can take ''years'' of your life and use it for Magecraft?!" exclaimed the Viscountess.


    "We prefer to call it ''lifeforce''. But yea, some Mages do tend to back up their powers using this method. It doesn''t only apply to the Time Mages. Any Mage willing to give up some years to finish a spell can use up their lifeforce to make it work. The days that would never come."


    "Why would he sacrifice his future?"


    "To him, years might not matter. But since he has an abundance of those, he would fail to see how important those lost years would mean in the future. How many times have I warned you about being so reckless, Time Boy?" asked Z, running away from the blast radius.


    "With that much power, I''m sure the Umbra has been defeated," said Mavislin, drifting off to sleep once more.


    "I hate to burst your bubble, but the power of a Time Mage is not enough to bring down the Primordial Beast of Tiamat," murmured Z.


    "Even if it was just a knock off."


    The group managed to escape before feeling the rumble of the ground. Z placed Mavislin in one of the Congregation''s rehabilitation centers. It was located under one of the village ponds. Venice and Ling had a hard time finding the area but Z was kind enough to wait for them.


    After creating a makeshift tunnel in the water using Ice, the group headed down into a small trapdoor on the lakebed. A rusty old ladder awaited them.


    "Ladies first," said Z, making way for the two girls to go down.


    "No, we can''t see anything in that tunnel of yours. And how is it that you can see in the dark so well?" asked the Duchess.


    "I can''t see in the dark. I rely on my ears and memory of the place. I''ve got a good memory, most of the places I''ve been are right up here," explained Z, pointing at his brain.


    "Let''s go, shall we?" asked Z, as he freely jumped down the gaping hole.


    "Be careful, you have got a wounded person with you!" yelled the Viscountess as she peered down.


    "Don''t worry, she sleeps like the dead!"


    "She will be joining the dead if you are too reckless," mumbled Vernice as she tried going down.


    "Don''t worry. Mages aren''t as fragile as humans. With one fatal blow, humans are down for the count. It''ll more than earlier to kill a Valkyrie."


    After a sheer few moments of silence and walking, the group finally reached to a metal door. Z placed the Valkyrie down and placed his hand on the door. Within a second, the door froze and crumbled.


    "You could have just broken the lock or something. It''s a 50-meter high door!" exclaimed Ling.


    "Too much work."


    The room was small, lit up using a single torch. There was an old bed with a pillow and blanket. On one of the walls were cabinets filled with ingredients and medical supplies. On the other, there was an empty desk and a few chairs.


    "Thank god these were still protected. Even after the Congregation collapsed, the Mage over here managed to keep this place well-hidden and taken care of," said Z, placing the Valkyrie on a bed.


    The Viscountess looked happy when Mavislin decided to smile in her sleep. Z ruffled her hair as he checked for her pulse.

 Chapter 160 - The Ark Of Umbra Of Urnsfield

    Everything was alright, her Elemental Energy was back at full tank. In a while, she''ll able to wake up fully. But her wings had sustained quite the damage from the battle.


    "I wonder what she''s dreaming about..." asked Ling, looking at the Valkyrie as if she was her sister.


    "Probably about playing with Raiyen in her early days. She does tend to dream about the past quite often," replied Z.


    "That''s cute."


    "It''s not if it''s about constantly biting Minwoo. When they first met, Minwoo kept touching her. At the time, Mav hated humans touching her. If they got too close, she''ll bite. Even if she''s happy."


    The Viscountess laughed as Z cracked a smile. Vernice, on the other hand, displayed another form of emotion apart from the two.


    "What''s wrong?" asked Ling.


    "It doesn''t add up. If the Congregation has been gone for so long, why is this place left untouched?" asked Vernice, looking at Z.


    The Igor of the Arks sighed and looked at the Duchess.


    "You humans live in houses built by the dead. Isn''t that normal?"


    "Yes. But after years of not occupying this area."


    Vernice then held up a bucket of ice and shook it slightly.


    "How has the bucket of ice not melted?" asked the Duchess, with a concerned face.


    Z and Ling looked at each other in fear. More importantly, the place had been deadlocked for over the years. How could someone prepare a bucket of ice from within?


    "Looks like we''ve been had," said a voice from the walls behind the Valkyrie.


    Vernice drew out her pistol and started shooting at the Umbra, which harbored nothing.


    "Don''t waste your bullets! It won''t harm it!" yelled Z as he grabbed the Duchess''s pistol.


    The Duchess lowered her pistol immediately. Z quickly snatched the sleeping girl away from the bed. This left the poor Valkyrie dazed and confused.


    "What''s going on?" asked Mavislin, reopening her eyes.


    "I should have known. The one who used this room during the Congregation''s time had just recently gone missing," explained Z, hugging the Valkyrie closely.


    "Z?" whispered the Valkyrie.


    Mavislin then laid eyes on their next opponent. Though she had healed, she was in no condition to fight just yet. It would risk using her wings, which had been badly damaged.


    "How did you find out? You should not have memories of her," said the distorted voice.


    "I''m not human. At least, not from this Universe. Back in my world, there were multiples of you Shadows to deal with. One is simply not enough to satisfy my thirst for war," replied Z, placing the Valkyrie down with Ling and Vernice.


    "Your powers aren''t enough to trick the major players of the Arks. The Headmaster is so disappointed in you lot that he has decided to sit this fight out."


    "Are you insulting us? Who does he think he is?"


    "A person from Akhaten."


    The shadow froze as it tried to stand strong. If the Umbra had wanted to attack, then attacking the Headmaster would be utter suicide. Even if they could copy his powers, it still won''t be enough to defeat or kill him.


    As he stood back up, Z summoned up his Kunais and prepared to fight. The Umbra seemed to chuckle as it turned into a physical form. A plump woman appeared. She was standing at an average height. Her complexion was dark brown while her hair was long and with a rusty color of orange.


    Her eyes had no whites and were just two black ovals on her face. Though her figure was on the heavier side of the scale, the Umbra could dodge every Kunai that Z threw at it. The Ice Mage was getting quite bored with this Umbra.


    "Hail, the billions of stars that gathered! Gaze upon its glory! I invoke thee, Kalasag ng Milky Way! (Aegis of the Milky Way)" yelled Z as he summoned up his galactic shield.


    It could block an oncoming kick from the Umbra. But it wasn''t enough to protect Z from the next surprise move.


    "Cascada!" yelled the Umbra, as a torrent of water came raging down from its palm.


    Z quickly tumbled out of the water''s way, dragging out his previous spell to transform into a whip. As he slowly regained his stance, the Umbra attacked using the water from earlier. The water was increasing as the more the two moved.


    A whip against liquid was not the best choice for now, so Z went back to using his Kunais. Z then noticed the Umbra''s arms. He conjured up Freezing Dust, forcing the water manipulated by the Umbra to freeze.


    But the Umbra swung its hands about and the frozen water became liquid again. This caused Z to be shocked, allowing an opening for the Umbra.

 Chapter 161 - The Ark Of Sagittarius And Leo

    The thing struck his arm as a sharp spearhead emitted from the water droplets near him. The Mage winced and landed on the ground.


    "Wind to Water conversion? That''s an old trick," said Z.


    "You have been mistaken. I do not rely on such powers only."


    The Umbra replied with another slash using water. Z tried freezing the spell but the Umbra simply used the wind to conjure up the water spell again.


    "Only? You''ve got more up your sleeve?" asked Z, wiping a stream of blood on his forehead.


    "You can never defeat me!" yelled the Umbra as it used Z''s blood to create a spike.


    The spike launched out and hurled back towards the Ice Mage. He then blocked it by tossing a Kunai. Whatever the Ice Mage tried to freeze, the Umbra had the best way to counter it. And vice-versa, making this battle checkmate at both ends.


    And if the water spells had been dispersed by Z trying to destroy it, the small water droplets would transform into spears. They will then directly attack Z, no matter how many times he could freeze or destroy them.


    Mavislin looked at the duel in awe. There were only a few times that she had witnessed the second strongest fall to his knees as the Umbra continuously dished out attacks. Her worries increased as Z began coughing out blood. Blood that was used to further injure him.


    "Hmm, it seems that we''ve got standstill in our duel. Never expected an Umbra to be this strong," said Z.


    He took in a deep breath before looking at the Umbra, who took no damage from Z at all. Meanwhile, Z had slashes from head to toe. His body was slightly arched as he was busy collecting his thoughts. With such a powerful foe, there was no choice but to switch Elements.


    Z smiled as he tossed a few Kunais upwards. The entire group looked confused, including the Umbra. It took Mavislin a while to understand what the Ice Mage was planning. It was only when the Kunais thrown started to glow and emitted a bright light, which honed in at Z.


    "Your efforts are futile!" yelled the Umbra as it tried to attack the Galaxian Mage.


    "When The Stars Shine!" yelled Z as the Kunais created something from the stars.


    This pushed the Umbra away and blinded the whole room. As the light faded, Z held up a bow with a single arrow. Both the weapons were made out of stars, shimmering in and out of existence. He then drew the bow and launched the arrow towards the Umbra.


    Another set of Kunais glowed behind the Galaxian Mage.


    "Leon(Lion)!"


    As the few beams of light shined onto the bow, the bow and arrow were engulfed in flames. The flames built the symbol of the zodiac sign of Leo right in front of the arrow''s tip.


    "Hah! Fire against Water is simply foolish!" yelled the Umbra, as he prepared to fight the oncoming attack.


    The Galaxian Mage gave a proud smile as the flames flared out.


    "Don''t be so sure. If there''s enough heat, you can boil water," replied Z.


    With the heat aggravating his opened wounds, Z wasted no time in completing the spell. He gathered just enough Elemental Energy to fire off the attack. He tensed up and aimed.


    "Mamamana (Archer)," called out Z as he released the bowstring.


    The arrow of stars plunged into the Umbra''s neck, pinning the being onto the wall. The Umbra tried its best to use water to put out the flames while thrashing about but the flame soon engulfed it whole.


    Z smiled and Mavislin''s eyes sparkled, a sure-fire win for the Galaxian Mage. But then, the Umbra smiled as well. Vernice, as Z froze, quickly whipped her sniper rifle and shot a few rounds at the Umbra.


    The Umbra staggered for a moment before fully slumping down onto the floor. The Umbra was out cold, with a few bullets holes in its body and a single arrow at its neck. It was charred, from head to toe. Any signs of overcoming this seemed impossible for the Umbra.


    After such a long, draining duel, Z collapsed onto his knees. With his Elemental Energy depleted, he tried to heal himself up. But that held no results. Vernice, on the contrary, still held the fallen Umbra at gunpoint.


    "There''s no need to fear. I''ve hit the Umbra''s Elemental Core. It won''t be getting up any time soon," said Z, panting heavily.


    Mavislin quickly rushed to Z''s side and tried to heal some of his wounds. She slapped his hand away as he tried to conjure up his Ancient Relic. Z looked puzzled.


    "The Ancient Relic needs Elemental Energy to use. Something that you haven''t got enough now."

 Chapter 162 - The Ark Of Not Down Yet

    "Of all the time we''ve been together, this is the first time I''ve seen you using your powers to heal others," said Z, chuckling.


    "You daft thing, I''m made out of the Light Element. My Elemental Core is Light, the Element of Healing. Of course, I will have healing powers," said Mavislin, increasing her Light Element on Z.


    "Yea, but your arsenal holds more offensive spells. Looking at you heal is like looking at a blue moon."


    "Tell that to Akhaten. They''ve got four blue moons."


    Z let out a laugh while Mavislin smiled.


    "By the way, I don''t recall Meena to have such powers," murmured the Valkyrie, looking at the fallen Umbra.


    "She was not a Water Mage. She was a Crafter. She can''t conjure up spells without some ingredients," explained Mavislin.


    "Perhaps the Umbra that we faced took another set of powers from another Mage?"


    "This seems odd though. I thought the only person here was Meena. And how could the Umbra come here without breaking any door or changing the place."


    "It is. Until you realized the Umbras are Shadows. They can sneak around without anyone noticing it."


    The Ice Mage winced slightly as the skin around the wounds began to close up. Both the human girls looked away in disgust.


    "Can''t blame me, Mages heal in other ways," replied Mavislin.


    "I thought you would at least do it more gracefully," said Vernice, reloading her sniper rifle.


    "At least it closes the wound within an hour. You humans waste years just stitching up one. We can stitch up multiple in a day. Hell, I can even grow back my arm if I''ve lost it."


    "And you had to ask Z for help in that past battle? I find that odd."


    "I ran out of Elemental Energy to heal my wounds. But I''ve regained my energy and can use it to heal others."


    Vernice glanced at the healing Mages.


    "You use your Energy to help others... I was thinking that Mages only cared for themselves."


    "Yes, we only care for those who we think of as family."


    "But Minwoo or any of us are not your family members. So why help us?"


    "The Kings of the underworld were made by Minwoo. But Baldwin was the one who instructed him to do so. In our eyes, the Five Kings are part of my family. So, I''ll help in any way I can. To protect my family. Even if it goes against others, even if I have to use up my recovered Elemental Energy."


    "So that''s why you were intent on going after Minwoo," said Z.


    "I was intent on finding him ''cause I rebelled against you guys."


    "Like a child running to their grandparents'' place to hide," replied the Duchess.


    "Minwoo would have been one hell of a young grandfather," commented the Viscountess, remembering how Minwoo looked like.


    "He was something special to me. And well."


    Mavislin looked down and smiled. Her cheeks were lightly dusted with pink as well.


    "You had a crush on him?" asked the VIscountess.


    Mavislin shook her head.


    "I owed him. For all those years of constantly biting his hand. And pranks."


    Z laughed as he witnessed the poor Valkyrie blushing madly.


    "He made a promise to help the Arks in times of crisis. And we should honor the same as well. Even if it was none of our concern."


    "Fools."


    The group was shocked. Mavislin ceased her healing while Vernice aimed at the fallen, charred body. The Umbra shook around. But Vernice didn''t give it a chance to move any longer as she fired off a bullet rain.


    "Did you Mages think that you can defeat me that easily?" asked the Umbra.


    "Die already!" yelled Vernice, as she took two pistols and started firing at the Umbra endlessly.


    But the Umbra took it all in. It then converted the arrow into a water spike and attacked Z, aiming him at his leg. But before it could reach, Vernice shot the arrow away, causing it to disperse. But the bullets fired from her rifle were turned into bullets of water.


    The ones in the Umbra''s body aided it to recover its Elemental Energy quicker than normal. Mavislin tried her hand at attacking the Umbra, with her Amalgamation of Elements. But all the Elements or projectiles thrown at it turned into water.


    "Stop firing! There is no way you can fight it!" yelled Mavislin as she witnessed her Helios being turned into water spikes.


    Vernice instantly halted. That move made the Umbra laughed as it kicked Vernice away. Upon impact, the Duchess spewed out some blood. Ling could only watch the poor Duchess fly towards the opposite wall. She was beginning to quiver.


    Without the second strongest, this battle was starting to get stale once more.

 Chapter 163 - The Ark Of Viscountess Ling Snaps

    Mavislin had enough power to fight, but not the right Magecraft or strategy to be victorious. As the Valkyrie''s Elemental Energy started to wane, the rest of the group was done for.


    Vernice was unable to move and had run out of bullets. Z was barely breathing and the Valkyrie was hanging on to the fight. One good attack and she would be down for the count as well. Mavislin summoned up her Ancient Relic but that was quickly turned into the Umbra''s weapon.


    "Water Scythe," chanted the Umbra, as it made a gigantic scythe.


    It then plunged the giant, water blade into the Valkyrie''s abdomen. Mavislin''s eyes widened, coughing up blood as the Umbra sadistically moved the scythe about. Once the Umbra ran her through, it pulled the scythe out.


    But in a horrific twist, the Umbra used the scythe and pierced it through the Valkyrie''s chest. It then swung the scythe towards the wall. The Valkyrie flew out of the blade and was tossed beside Z. Blood continued to pour out from the still Valkyrie.


    Her eyes remained closed, covered by her fringe. Her Elemental Aura ceased.


    "Finally caught up with you!" yelled Gab, waving at the still Time Mage.


    "What''s wrong?" asked the Earl.


    "I can no longer track down or sense Mavislin''s Elemental Energy..."


    The Time Mage''s body trembled with fear. He looked down at his hands. They were quaking.


    "This can''t be... Even with Z around... I couldn''t protect her?" asked Raiyen, tears threatening to come out.


    Gab went at him and struck him right at the top of his head.


    "Snap out of it! If we don''t get a move on, then all of them are good as dead!" chided Gab, pulling on the poor Time Boy''s arm.


    "But I can''t find her Aura. When a Mage loses their Aura, it means that they are..."


    "Have you forgotten?" asked Gab, cracking a smile.


    "What?"


    "Mavislin''s a Valkyrie. What are the Valokians masters of?" asked Gab, running towards the domain of Urnsfield.


    It took the poor Time Mage a while to process the information. After his mini revelation, he smiled.


    "And likewise, we''ve got the best close-quarters fighter over with Mavislin. With her there, the battle there is good as won."


    "Vernice?" asked Raiyen, regaining his composure.


    "That duchess? Of course not."


    "Bright Eyes!" yelled Z as he scrambled towards Mavislin.


    He gently shook the fallen Valkyrie, before increasing his strength. She failed to respond. The Viscountess covered her mouth as she looked her defeated comrades. She was fighting to hold back her tears as Z''s constant shouts rang through the area.


    "Wake up, damn it!" scolded Z, shaking the poor Mage with vigor.


    No response.


    "Please, just wake up..." sobbed Z, as he clutched onto the Valkyrie.


    The Umbra laughed inwardly at the sad sight. Z turned and shot a terrifying glare towards the Umbra. He placed the Valkyrie down. It merely cracked a sinister, crooked smile.


    "Such a pitiful sight. I can''t believe one of us died to the likes of you. It was a mistake to consume that damned Korean White Rat. Pity, we wasted so much effort to use him to our advantage as well," sneered the Umbra as it picked up the fallen Duchess.


    "After that Umbra devoured Minwoo and used him, his powers and thinking got warped. Along with one of the younger Umbras, they were easily defeated by you lot. But don''t think that all of us are that weak."


    As Vernice started to squirm about, Ling squeezed her eyes shut. Z tossed a few Kunais, in a vain attempt to stop the Umbra from breaking Vernice''s arm. Her howls rang throughout the area.


    "Please...Stop it... Don''t hurt her anymore..." whimpered Ling, covering her ears and crouching down.


    Tears rushed out from hers as she refused to understand the situation in front of her.


    "Run, Ling. Just go. I''ll be fine..." mumbled Vernice as she faced her friend.


    "If Minwoo could deal with such a horrid death. Then this is nothing..."


    "In fact, out of the four of us here, you have yet to meet the strongest one," said the Umbra, fully pulling on the poor Duchess''s arm.


    Two things snapped. One was Vernice''s arm. The other was the Viscountess''s sanity and patience. Her eyes flew open, she seemed to lost control of her senses as she got up. Her body was acting creepily as she slowly made her way to the Umbra.


    "Wait!" yelled Z, trying to get up.


    The Umbra looked at the hypnotized Viscountess. It then threw the Duchess aside and laughed at the Viscountess who had gone insane.


    "You think you can beat me? You''re just a..."


    Before the Umbra could finish, he was being silenced by receiving a kick to the stomach.

 Chapter 164 - The Ark Of Pankration

    The rest of the group widened their eyes in shock.


    "Li Ling..." murmured the Duchess as she witnessed her childhood friend utterly decimating the Umbra.


    Ling proceeded to lock the Umbra''s neck, bending the entire body. She then let it go, switching positions and holding her stance.


    The Umbra then tried to kick her in the face, but the Viscountess skillfully caught the foot. She then pushed the Umbra onto the ground, still onto its leg. She delivered punch after punch on its face.


    "She''s never shown us that!" shouted Vernice, trying to get a look at the fight.


    "That''s the Greek way of Martial arts," said Z, in utter shock.


    The Umbra then dematerialized and appeared behind her.


    "I praise you for doing such a bold move. But a human is only human. this limits what you can do."


    After the Umbra''s warning, it then tried to strike the Viscountess''s head from behind.


    "Pankration!"


    But Ling, without hesitation, pulled on its arm, yanking it forwards. The Umbra was slammed onto the floor, from Viscountess Ling''s back.


    "And you are only a Shadow. This limits your expectation of us Humans. Because."


    The Viscountess ran towards the Umbra''s front, crouching down slightly. It looked pissed as it prepared to strike her face. But Ling pushed the attacking punch away.


    "We don''t rely on Magecraft to survive. What you can''t do with your powers is what we can do, using human ways."


    With her other arm, she hurled her attack. She gave an uppercut towards the Umbra, sending it flying towards the corner of the wall. The Umbra landed easily on the wall, pushing itself up and quickly dashed to the Viscountess.


    The Umbra appeared, trying to punch her. The Viscountess dodged each attack. She went on to attack its legs, making it fall onto the ground. She sat on the Umbra''s neck, her legs restraining its head.


    The Viscountess fiercely pulled on its arm by hooking the Umbra''s arm around hers. Pulling on it, the Umbra howled in utter pain. With its neck locked and arm breaking, the Umbra was forced to lie there. The more it struggled, the more it hurt.


    "This is payback!" yelled the Viscountess as she pulled on the Umbra''s arm.


    The small and weak Viscountess image in Vernice''s mind quickly dissolved as she saw her childhood friend utterly send the enemy into a world of turmoil and pain.


    "How is that possible? I thought she couldn''t fight..."


    "Then it''s time for you to learn more about your friend," replied Z, looking at the fight.


    "But why did she keep it from us?"


    "Even until now there are things that I do not know about Mavislin. So I treat every day as a surprise."


    "Don''t view anyone as weak. Because once your lower your expectation of them, the easier it is for them to lower your head in defeat."


    "Hmph, this is nothing!" replied the Umbra, disappearing.


    It appeared in front of her, trying to punch her face. But she continued to dodge attacks, shifting from left to right. All of a sudden, Ling ducked down after the Umbra delivered a strong punch. She grabbed its waist and hauled the being above her shoulder.


    Without missing a heartbeat, she slammed the Umbra down onto the cold, rock floor. The Umbra landed with a huge thump, arching its back and coughing up blood. But it quickly recovered, firing off water spearheads right at Ling.


    "I''ve already told you..." murmured Ling as she looked at the flying water spells.


    "Dodge it!" yelled Vernice, her eyes widened.


    "Magecraft does not affect hand-to-hand combat," finished the Viscountess, with dulled eyes.


    Ling effortlessly caught the spearheads and crushed them all with one hand. She cracked a proud smile and gave thanks to the fallen Valkyrie.


    "Never thought your backup plan would work," murmured Ling, looking at her palms.


    As she looked at her open hands, the feathers that were inserted under gloves glowed, albeit slightly. She then clenched her fists and looked at her current opponent.


    "Impossible! She destroyed the Umbra''s Magecraft!" shouted Z, with shock.


    Beside him, the Valkyrie cracked a small smile as she peeked at the duel in front of her. Z was too petrified to notice the Valkyrie waking up.


    "You go..." whispered the Valkyrie.


    "Win the fight."


    "Those feathers are what''s left of my remaining strength, even if I were to fall. They are my Elemental Core, the strongest defense on any Mage''s body. Place my feathers on any body part, and that place will be rendered invincible," explained the Valkyrie, as she recalled how she gave Ling a secret plan.


    If Z or Mavislin loses, Ling was to use the given feathers to her advantage to destroy the Umbra. Ling placed the feathers into her gloves.

 Chapter 165 - The Ark Of Li Ling

    "Why your hands?"


    "Because I''m the best at hand-to-hand combat. I don''t wield a weapon. I don''t have to."


    "Funny, you never told me that."


    "I don''t dare to tell anyone about my strength. It''s not a gift, it''s a curse."


    The next thing by the Umbra was a flurry of water attacks. They were utterly useless against the Viscountess.


    "Use what you have. Those bound by frivolous rules are weak, unable to defy the odds. And those who do not use their pawns to the utmost are fools."


    "But are my pawns powerful enough to beat the opponent?"


    "That''s for you to decide. Your strategy. Your game. Don''t let the game manipulate you. Manipulate the game. No point having a thousand weapons when you don''t even know how to use a single one."


    Her reaction and moves were smooth, even if it was up against an otherwordly being. The Umbra used water blasts, spikes, and chains to secure the higher ground against the Viscountess. All of it, even trying to drown Ling with a water bubble around her head was futile.


    "Why are you so intent to learn to snipe? None of us are doing it."


    "All of them know how to use a gun! Why can''t I learn that?"


    "Don''t let your difference get a hold of you. Grab it and use it to your advantage. Not all have to learn to snipe or fence."


    She used her head to headbutt the Umbra, effectively destroying the Umbra''s concentration. And all Ling had to do was punch or kick through the water. Even when the Umbra conjured up a water shield, the Viscountess merely passed through it, like it was nothing.


    Another punch allowed the Viscountess to go upside down and lock the Umbra''s neck using her legs.


    "What the hell are you?!" asked the Umbra, shakily.


    "A human who can use Pankration to its greatest," replied the Viscountess.


    As she caught the Umbra without a warning, she threw an earth-racking punch right at the Umbra''s abdomen. The Viscountess''s punch, once again, passed through the water barrier.


    Not only the punch''s shockwave could felt by everyone in the room, but it was also powerful enough to go right through the Umbra. Her fist was covered in blood.


    "So what if you can''t snipe? What if you aren''t good at fencing? What if you can''t do poison drinks? Or act like a proper lady?"


    "But everyone can do those! So...Why am I forced to learn such an old technique?"


    The Viscountess pulled her arm out and made a solid beeline to the Umbra''s eyes.


    "Because having a weapon means that you would be dependant on it. Once your weapon breaks or you run out of bullets, the battle weighs favorably on your enemy''s side."


    "At least I would have an edge on the modern battlefield! We don''t have to be so old-schooled."


    "And when the fruits of advancement are taken away, you are back to square one. And what did humans use in ancient times?"


    "But I want to be like the rest..."


    Viscountess Ling then gouged out the Umbra''s eyes without mercy. This is much to the horror of Vernice.


    "You are the master of hand-to-hand combat out of the Five Kings. Use that proudly. Flaunt it without shame. Because that''s what makes you special. There''s no need for you to be like the rest."


    "But...But.." sobbed the young Li.


    Leonard smiled as her daughter began to tear up. The mother placed a hand on her child''s head, ruffling her hair.


    "That''s what makes you a true Ling. Your name, ''Li'', is part of the phrase, ''Mei Li''. That means pretty in Chinese. But you don''t have to be pretty. ''Li'' can mean powerful, or strength. It directly means power. And that''s what I want you to strive for. Being a pretty face on the battlefield is nothing."


    "But being strong when life gets you beaten... Being strong in the face of death and despair..."


    The young mother hugged her child with warmth.


    "Is the proudest thing you can ever do for me."


    The Umbra lied there, defeated. Limp and lifeless, the Viscountess regained her sanity and looked at what she had done.


    "It''s alright, you did what you had to..." comforted Vernice, attempting to talk to Li Ling.


    "The Umbra won''t die just yet," warned Z.


    "Stop it! That''s enough for her!" yelled Vernice.


    "Silence!" boomed the Ice Mage.


    "It was her choice to defend us. Her choice when she assaulted the enemy. So now, do it properly. Finish off your enemy without letting it resurface. That''s how you win a battle."


    But Ling was undeterred as she focused on the task on hand. Picking the Umbra up, she annihilated its neck by using Mavislin''s feathers.

 Chapter 166 - The Ark Of End Of Umbra Of Urnsfield

    A beam of light exploded within the Umbra''s throat, severing the head and body. With that, it brought a gruesome end to the Umbra of Urnsfield.


    "Well, that''s all over. Let''s get you healed up," said Z, scooting towards the Valkyrie.


    "I think that''s too late... I don''t see any signs of breathing," said Vernice as she got closer, with the help of Ling.


    "I can''t seem to feel any of her Elemental Aura as well," said Z, in a defeated tone.


    Z slumped down, beside the Valkyrie. He had expected no reaction since her Elemental Aura had ceased. So, one could imagine the shock that Z had when Mavislin randomly got up.


    "I thought you were dead?!" screamed the group.


    "If I was, then what kind of Valkyrie would I be?" asked Mavislin.


    "However, the wounds are real. But not enough to do me in just yet."


    "But how?!" asked the shocked Viscountess.


    "I''m not human. Simple."


    "Yea, that doesn''t solve the mystery on why I could not find any Elemental Aura on you," said Z, placing his hands on his h.i.p.s.


    "Mate, I''m a Valkyrie. We are masters of hiding our Aura. If I''d wasted more power on that, I won''t have enough to defeat the actual enemy," explained Mavislin.


    Z sighed as he placed his Ancient Relic on her chest.


    "You''re my priority first. After you, then I will take care of myself."


    "So, you used Ling''s ability to win the fight. Just because you didn''t feel like wasting your energy?" asked Vernice, slowly getting angrier.


    "Ask her for the full story. She was the one who requested it."


    Vernice looked at Mavislin with stern eyes, unconvinced with the Valkyrie''s words.


    "Her question was, ''what if the Mages fell?''. That''s when I passed her a part of my Elemental Core."


    "For the love of God, why did you not tell us about your plan?" asked Z, trying to heal the Valkyrie.


    Poor Mavislin had to get rid of the excess blood before replying to the Igor.


    "Well, it''s a secret plan for a reason."


    "You could at least give us a heads-up," replied Vernice, as Ling was busy bandaging her arm up.


    "And you seem surprised that she could pull off such a stunt," replied Mavislin, trying to move about.


    The Duchess kept quiet as she looked at the Viscountess.


    "You had no idea, right?"


    "She''d mention that she could not join in battles," replied Duchess Midford.


    "The Five Kings of the Underworld. The alliance that governs all five of the domains'' underground tampering and crimes. They are the band of people that binds all three societies on planet Earth. They are the face of the domains by day and resides in the shadows by night," explained Mavislin.


    "And in conjunction with handing issues with humans, they are in alliance with the Mages of Earth. This makes them well-rounded. The five of them are all Kings of certain areas of combat. That''s what you''ve advertised yourselves, right?" asked Z, looking at the two girls.


    They both nodded.


    "And in that agreement, all of you had to specialize in something within combat. Thus, having a King unable to be in combat would be impossible. So, why were you unaware of Ling''s ability?" asked Z.


    "I could only tell Minwoo..." murmured Ling.


    "But you are my best friend as well. You could have told me."


    "You didn''t want to, because you were afraid of being cast out of the group. So, to make do, you told everyone that you would be focusing on capturing intelligence. But you told Minwoo that if needed, you can indeed fight," explained Mavislin.


    Ling, too shocked to respond, nodded silently.


    "How many secrets do you know about all of us?" asked the Duchess, glaring at Mavislin.


    The Valkyrie shot another look of surprise but sighed while looking at how upset Vernice was.


    "You wanna know?'' asked Mavislin.


    The Duchess nodded firmly.


    "Marquess Minwoo Kim Dalles was the King of blades. The leader of the Five Kings. Earl Asriyan is the King of Explosives. But the reason why Yan was second-in-command was that he could step in as a backup sniper," continued Mavislin.


    "Baron Gabriel Tolentino Tuazon is the King of Apothecaries, a Poison Master. Though he is the lowest out of the Five in terms of noble rankings, his title allows him to freely roam about. This allows him to gather information first, acting as a messenger."


    "He may have an odd way of combat, but combining with Yan''s bombs, he could decimate a battlefield with the right mixture. And destroy a toilet if someone took his weird concoction. But, Gab remains as the most well rounded, having brief knowledge in pistol arms and martial arts."


    Mavislin then looked at the Viscountess and smiled.

 Chapter 167 - The Ark Of Band Of Clowns

    "Viscountess Li Ling. You are the King of Pankration, a hand-to-hand combat expert. Knowledgeable in all types of martial arts around the globe, your got-to type is Pankration. Though you aren''t proud of it, I can say that it''s quite good compared to the rest."


    "Good?" asked Ling, in a small voice.


    "Yea. The rarer the technique, the harder it is for newcomers to counter. Mix in some other forms of fighting and you''ve got an unbeatable fighting style that best suits you. So, don''t be afraid to show off what you can do."


    For a long time, the Viscountess could finally summon up a smile full of hope and wonder.


    "And last but not least, youngest out of the Five, Duchess Vernice Midford. You are the King of Guns. You mostly act as a backup sniper, right? But I heard you are trying to change to pistols and revolvers," asked Mavislin, looking at Vernice.


    "How?"


    "Minwoo and Baldwin, along with the couple planned out this alliance years ago. I was there as a young child. But, as I grew older and learned how to control my powers, it was when the Arks had been established. Baldwin relinquished the responsibility of the alliance with the Five Kings, to me."


    "And in turn, I had to read about the way the Five Kings'' functioned as a whole. So, Marquess Dalles passed down some information to me to use to my battle knowledge."


    "Hmph. He could have at least asked us permission."


    "Young one, no one asks permission to kill in war. Yet, here we are."


    "But they are our enemies."


    "And so were you lot, once upon a time, long ago. But, here we are, not killing each other," said Mavislin, standing up.


    After all that discussion, both Mages were back to full health. As a bonus, Mavislin worked on healing Vernice''s injured arm and Z replenished Ling''s stamina. With a bit of side help from the Valkyrie, the Duchess managed to get a few more bags of bullets.


    "You... You quite the Mage...I''ve never seen any Mage done that," said Vernice as she looked at the bullets.


    "It''s the same ones that you''ve fired. Just in a restored shape. Most high-ranking Mages can accomplish this."


    "Is that a special Element to have?"


    Mavislin blinked a few times at the young leader before realizing Vernice was a human.


    "Oh! It''s not an Element, it''s more of a skill if you can manipulate metal or the object."


    She then picked a large pebble and crushed it.


    "Since I can do the Earth Element, I can do this skill. It''s called Manipulation of Element. Where the Mage commands the physical form of the Element."


    The broken pieces of the pebble floated towards her open palm. With a flash of green light, the pebble became a stone brick.


    "Incredible!"


    But the small, peaceful moment was ruined by the heavy footsteps of Tiamat.


    "I don''t think that''s Gillian," said Mavislin, looking around.


    Right at the correct moment, the Time Mage and the rest of the Kings came tumbling in. Quite literally as they broke down a stone wall. Once they were in, piled on top of each other, Mavislin cleared her throat.


    "Well, hi there," greeted Gab, somewhere in the pile of rubble.


    "It''s been some time since I''ve seen you. Where did you come from?'' asked Mavislin.


    Raiyen looked up at the Valkyrie as he laid next to her feet. He smiled his signature goofy grin.


    "Ah! You''re back to normal, eh?" asked Raiyen, getting back up instantly.


    Yan recovered first and tried to find his best friend amidst the pile of rubble. After a certain chubby head emerged, Yan pulled Gab out.


    "Since when are you guys normal?" asked Gab, with sarcasm as he brushed the dust away.


    "You''re one to talk, Poison-hands," retorted Raiyen.


    "Enough, we haven''t got the time to deal with this. Care to explain what''s happening?" asked Z, staring at the group of clowns that came tumbling in.


    "Tiamat is happening," explained the trio of clowns.


    "Yea, that ain''t gonna help us much. What''s going on?" asked Mavislin as Tiamat started singing once more.


    The shockwave reverberated through the air, shaking the entire chamber. The two human girls covered their ears while the rest tried to hold onto whatever they could find.


    "We''ve got to get out," said Raiyen as he proceeded to run through the hallway.


    "Turn right! There''s a staircase that leads to the Congregation''s old hall!" yelled Z, pushing the girls out first.


    "The tryouts area?" yelled Mavislin as she released her wings.


    "Right! Get over there, we''ll have enough protection against that Umbra."


    "How sure can you be?" asked Yan.


    "The tryouts hall was built with Element-durable walls. Meaning it could withstand Elemental attacks."

 Chapter 168 - The Ark Of Explosives

    "I''ll lead the way!"


    Mavislin, as the beacon of light, lit up the dark hallway. She flew towards the tryouts area.


    "The Umbra had access to Gil''s Primordial Beasts Arsenal. He chose Tiamat," replied Raiyen, as he tried to get everyone out.


    "Your Time Ripper doesn''t help?'' asked Z.


    "I can''t pull out something if I haven''t seen it before, Snow Cap!" said Raiyen as he glitched through the area.


    "Ah, so you are older."


    "Well, I''m not the Raiyen of this time. I''m further in the future."


    "How far?"


    "Does that matter now?"


    "Gate of the Primordial Beasts is counted as a Physical Element. You have to gifted with that ability. Unlike Copying, there''s no way he can pull it out," said Mavislin, destroying a couple of falling boulders.


    However, Tiamat''s pets had other ideas for the team. As a few serpents followed the group, Yan halted. He then pulled out a couple of grenades, much to Z''s surprise.


    "Here ya go!" he said, ripping out the pins using his teeth.


    Quickly, he threw towards the pests'' eyes, effectively blinding them. But after the smoke cleared, the area around the serpents'' eyes started to freeze.


    "Hurry! It won''t work for long!" yelled Yan, pushing Gab to hurry.


    "And since when do you have such bad boys?" asked Z, looking at Yan.


    "There are some things left unsaid."


    "Yea. Nevermind finding when he got those. My question for him; where do you put them?" asked Raiyen.


    "Somewhere. I''ve always got a few sticks on hand, just in case," explained Yan.


    As they reached the surface, the hall was not empty. There, stood a very familiar face. Mavislin halted while the Five Kings looked at it in disbelief. Z folded his arms in discontent while Raiyen gripped onto the Valkyrie''s hand.


    "He must have come because of the Puka," whispered Gab.


    "I highly doubt so. Puka or not, he shouldn''t be here," whispered Raiyen.


    His eyes flashed a hint of anger towards that being. The area shook once more with the howl of Tiamat. Another grave problem piling up, great.


    "That thing over there doesn''t belong in this Universe," growled Raiyen.


    "Pot calling the kettle black," replied Yan.


    Raiyen scoffed as he shook his head. His grip remained firm on Mavislin.


    "You''ve joined the fight?" asked Z, smiling at the figure.


    "It was about time. I can''t have you guys galavanting about, killing all my kin," said the Angry Man, getting closer to the group.


    "Killing all your kin?! Mavislin nearly died because of your ''kin''!" shouted Ling, stepping forward to challenge Baldwin.


    "And they were successful in killing Marquess Dalles," replied Mavislin.


    "Yea, that''s why I want to come back."


    Yan smiled as he approached the Angry Man.


    "Well, the more the merrier! We''ve got an extra pair of hands to help! Why are you guys so tense?" asked Yan, patting Baldwin on the back.


    Mavislin wanted to follow Yan but the Time Mage refused to let her hand go. Even Z was hesitant in going near that man.


    "Why aren''t you letting me go?" asked Mavislin, extremely confused.


    "You don''t have any idea, do you," murmured Raiyen, under his breath.


    "What do you mean?"


    He said nothing. Z stepped forward. But as he got closer, a large explosion occurred around Yan. With the sudden smoke bomb, the Earl jumped out of the area and back to the group.


    "You think it was that easy to fool us? Don''t make me laugh," growled Yan as he threw a few more bombs.


    Lighting up a Molotov c.o.c.ktail, he threw it towards the small explosives around the being.


    "Of all the people to fool, you picked the wrong dude," said Yan, smiling devilishly.


    As the Molotov caught fire, it automatically ignited all of the explosives around.


    "Sure, Mav couldn''t tell, but we are not your friends," said Yan, proudly as he produced a few more explosives.


    Mavislin looked quite upset to be insulted in such a manner and shot a beam of light towards the figure, with Yan close by.


    "Oi!"


    "Watch your tongue."


    He happily threw a few more bombs at the figure, whilst running around. With the figure standing oddly still, a bombardment of explosives rained down. Dynamites and flashbangs to regular bombs, all did nothing to move the figure.


    "You stand pretty strong against these attacks. How about trying this!"


    Yan then threw a particularly big grenade at the figure. But before it could land on its target, Yan quickly pulled out a pistol and shot at the bomb. This caused it to burst out in flames. Setting fire onto his enemy, Yan looked pretty happy.


    "Ah, this reminds me of how I used to play within the corners of the domain. As the sewer rats," murmured Yan, smiling.

 Chapter 169 - The Ark Of The Sewer Rats

    "I''m back."


    "Any luck on getting food?" asked a dark-skinned woman, who was busy washing a small boy.


    The boy was about eight years old while he had the stature of a five-year-old. The woman looked well into her forties but her eyes looked younger.


    The boy winced as the mucky water mixed with the lice in his hair. The woman kept scrubbing the poor boy''s hair, finally clearing it out by dumping another bucket of dirty water. She proceeded to dry off the young child.


    "Got some bread. And an apple," replied the man, sitting down on the concrete pavement.


    The man broke the large bread into small pieces.


    "And you''ve got yourself another bruise. Got hit again?"


    "The bread was stolen but the apple was given."


    He gave the apple to the young boy.


    "Eat up, Yan. You won''t be eating for the next few days."


    The child nodded and took a small bite.


    "We''ve got to move, the one that had been sheltering us has a new tenant. The new tenant is a nobleman. We can''t afford to stay here any longer. The others are hunting down us thieves."


    The man gave them a Wanted Poster to look at. It demanded to clear out the Teuton domain of filthy rats like them. To give a fresh start on the entire domain, the authorities were determined to flush away the poor and dying. Every captured rat, dead or alive, could provide the captor 20 silver coins.


    "Then we have to get a move on."


    "I''ll find a night, most likely it''ll tonight. Our district is the only one that hasn''t been checked. I''ll go and secure a place that has been raided. You two stay here first," instructed the man.


    The mother and child could only nod in agreement. As the family tried to sleep, Yan could not help but stay wide awake. He could only blankly stare into space as he thought about the past years. When was the last time they had a shelter? Clearwater to bathe?


    Where were the good times, back when the Congregation was still up? The Mages took care of the people in their respective domains. Back then, there was no such thing as leaving on the streets. No matter if you came from abroad, born the wrong color or if you talked differently.


    The Mages would never turn their backs way from you. So long as you need help, they would give it to you. They demanded nothing but acceptance. But alas, that small demand was still too much for the prideful race of humans.


    When the Congregation collapsed, so did their happy family. His sister fled to the neighboring domain when news of Mages being burnt on stake surfaced. They had been living in a Mage''s house but got kicked out when the Mage was hanged by the village chief.


    From then on, for years, their little family had been surviving on the filth of the world. Barely able to eat or even shelter to protect them from the elements. But at least, they were alive and together. But for how long, was his next thought.


    His trance finally ended when his father picked up a few things and headed off. The last thing Yan could ever remember was the silhouette of his father leaving them.


    He never came back. Days turned to weeks. The raid finally came, they chose the dead of the night to strike, where most people were vulnerable.


    "The nerve of them. Choosing to attack at a time like this," murmured the shopkeeper, who peeked around the corner.


    Yan looked at the shopkeeper with fear.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll do my best to find you and your mother a place to hide," replied the shopkeeper.


    "My husband hasn''t returned either. I''ve got no clue what to do."


    "It has been this long. I highly doubt he''ll come back for you two. I''ll prioritize on getting you guys somewhere safe to hide. Fleeing to the other districts isn''t a good choice now. You guys should hide ''til the storm is calm.


    "There''s still a few sewer rats running about. Go find them. Then we''ll rid our home of rats," said the authorities as a whole group of them marched through the district.


    "We''ve got to get you somewhere safe," said the shopkeeper as he looked around for somewhere to hide.


    The mother thought hard while the child shivered. The area that they were living at was a fruit store, so the fruits were being delivered to there were large wooden crates. They had small openings all around. It was enough to breathe but not enough to see what''s inside.


    "Hide in those crates. They won''t find you," instructed the shopkeeper, as he let the mother and son towards the pile of empty crates.

 Chapter 170 - The Ark Of Broken

    Yan, being the small, malnourished child that he was, chose the smaller crates to hide in. Despite his timid nature, he made quite the fuss when he wasn''t allowed to be next to his mum. But, the young woman smiled gently as she squatted down to his height.


    "It''ll be better. If one of us gets found, the other will be ignored. Don''t worry, I won''t lose so easily," assured the mother as she patted the angry child.


    With that out of the way, Yan crawled into the small crate box. His mother and the kind shopkeeper began to cover the small box with other boxes, to reduce the chances of finding him. His mother tried to crawl into a large box, but the sound of the authorities yelling halted the process.


    "Drag him as well!" shouted a few guys as they pinned the shopkeeper down.


    The shopkeeper''s shouts were quickly silenced as Yan watched the attackers deliver a fatal blow to his head. He winced but feared what they would do to his mother. As the group surrounded her in the corner of the alley, Yan endured the sheer hours of torture that was about to come.


    His mother, beaten and bruised. Refusing to cry, refusing to tell them about her only child''s whereabouts. But he could have never imagined what the gang had planned to do next. Ripping off her clothes, the gang had their way with his mother.


    Her fierce and strict demeanor broke down as the group of males shredded her humanity. Took what was left of her dignity and sanity. Yan peeked through the small openings of the crate and witnessed the horrific scene from the start to finish.


    He could not scream, he could not shout. He could only cry in silence as he saw his mother''s lifeless eyes looking back at him. Tears flowed freely as he continued to stay as silent as possible. As his one strand of hope was gone, the light in his eyes finally died.


    As he stepped out from the crate at dawn, he dared not look at the two mutilated bodies and took off. He ran as fast as he could. No money, no food, no home, no family. With nothing left, Yan kept running, using whatever energy he''s got left.


    Until he bumped into two boys, who were begging for food around the borders of the Teuton domain. They were around his age but could be older. They looked similar, most likely identical twins. They both had short, dirty red hair and wore tattered clothes.


    As passerby continued to throw rubbish at them, Yan stood still and watched them. One of them scooted slightly and gestured Yan to join them. Yan was hesitant but quickly mustered the courage to sit next to the poor boys.


    The two kids looked foreign their faces implied that they came from the other side of the world. After an hour passed, the two foreign boys stood up. The one who invited Yan to come gripped on the Yan''s hand.


    "Come on, we''ll dig for scraps from the big bins. It''s better than nothing."


    With a small tug, Yan found himself following the two boys and dug for scraps. A few rotting foods, scraps of meat, the three children tried to best to find edible things to eat. When the three kids gathered back, each of them showed their findings.


    The twins found bread each while Yan found a can of unopened tuna. As they sat down on the ground to eat their late lunch, Yan could finally speak up.


    "I''m Yan," said Yan as he looked at the twins.


    "I''m Ciel," said the one on his right.


    "And I''m Cordelia," replied the one on his left.


    "Uhm, it''s quite hard to tell you boys apart. You''ve got anything to use to differentiate yourselves?'' asked Yan, eating some more tuna.


    The twins looked at each other in confusion. They then glanced at Yan as if he was mad.


    "I''m Ciel, I''m a boy," replied the twin on his left.


    "I''m a girl," replied the other as she pushed out her chest.


    "But you look like him!" shouted Yan, as a bit of tuna fell out of his mouth.


    "We are considered mirror twins but our genders are not the same," explained Ciel.


    "Wanna have a look-see down under to confirm?" asked Cordelia with a cheeky smile.


    "No thanks!" yelled Yan.


    "Come on! No need to be shy!"


    Yan looked embarrassed as he tried to continue to eat his food peacefully. Ciel shook his head and pulled his sister back.


    "You''ve got a home?" asked Ciel, looking at Yan.


    "No, haven''t got one in ages. Do you guys steal?" asked Yan.


    "We can''t, we don''t have the strength to do that."


    "At least you''ve got each other."

 Chapter 171 - The Ark Of Enough Is Enough

    The little session continued for the next few weeks. Begging for scraps and digging for food to eat. Moldy bread was the only thing they could get, Yan had just about enough. Day by day, eating rotten food, starving in the cold.


    The last straw came when Cordelia started throwing up the moldy she had been eating. A loaf of bread that was left out in the rain for a few days. With the horrid conditions they had to live, it did not help that the poor girl''s stomach was starting to fail. Even drinking clear water was painful.


    They endured this for about a few more weeks until Yan tried to follow what his father did. But this time, he wasn''t going to allow himself to get hurt. Arming himself with a flint and steel and a bag of sand, he went straight for the kill.


    Yan robbed the nearby shop for a couple of bread and managed to get away with a baguette and some cookies. While running, he managed to pick up a random sack of potatoes. A few village folks started shouting at him, baring their pitchforks at him.


    When he ran towards their usual hiding spot, the chef came out and started chasing Yan down. Without missing a beat, Yan threw the goods towards Ciel and held his ground against the chef.


    "Go! Run! I''ll handle him," shouted Yan as he cracked his knuckles.


    Ciel nodded as he passed the goods to Cordelia who had been hiding beside him. The male twin took off while the female stayed behind with all the goodies. This led the others to give chase, running only after Ciel.


    When the coast was clear, she ran off in the opposite direction. But as she tried getting away, another pesky guy followed. Noticing that she had been tailed, Cordelia rounded a corner and pulled out her weapon.


    She pretended to dash away after rounding the corner, baiting the man to run right into her machete. She pulled it out, albeit hesitantly. She nearly gagged at the sight of the bloody corpse. But she steeled herself back and continued to make her way to their rendezvous position.


    Meanwhile, Ciel had no trouble zipping through the streets with an oversized gummy sack. When one of them took hold of the sack, Ciel willingly tossed it away and leaped onto the rooftops. He then continued running towards the outskirts of the town.


    The villages quickly opened the bag to discover the trash they had been throwing at the three. They started cursing the boy. Ciel smiled as he continuing heading south.


    "You reap what you sow. Feed us trash and we''ll give it back," smirked Ciel, as he jumped from roof to roof.


    Yan''s memory of Silat kicked in and could provide him with ample time for the twins to run far. At least, towards their actual spot. After running out of gas, he needed to devise another escape. He quickly took out a handful of sand from a little pouch and threw it right into the man''s eyes.


    The chef howled in pain as Yan dashed through the busy district. With an angry mob on his tail, Yan finally managed to reach the domain''s borders. When he reached, he was met by the twins.


    The twins quickly found their hiding spots, deep trenches, and hid their food source. They quickly moved the large rocks and stockpiled into the mini cave they had made. Meanwhile, Yan stood guard.


    As predicted, the angry mob was starting to form right in front of the three kids.


    "We ain''t gonna hurt you, just give us back those things!" shouted one of them.


    But the three kids weren''t born yesterday. They''d rather sacrifice themselves and let the remaining eat than to hand the goods over. This wasn''t their first robbery, but it was their biggest. Earlier, when Yan had just met the twins, he taught them how to use weaponry and tactics for a quick getaway.


    They spent a week of nights digging out the trenches to store their inventory. They used their hands for the first night and used a shovel when Yan managed to steal one for the following night. And they had makeshift one when Ciel made that out of some old, driftwood.


    They chose to eat half-eaten, moldy pieces of bread and the scraps of whatever they could find first. And in secret, Ciel would steal extra fresh food for Cordelia to eat, so that she shouldn''t have to eat those expired foods. Yan could still remember Ciel''s words on getting food.


    "My kidney''s already failed, I''ve got no hope. At the very least, she still got a chance to live. She''s my sister, I''d give up anything for her to be safe and sound."

 Chapter 172 - The Ark Of Doomsday Heist

    "That''s the job of the eldest sibling, to protect the ones that come after," replied Ciel.


    "All the more you should survive! Cordelia only has you!"


    "No, she doesn''t have only me. She''s got you now. So, if I can''t go on, you can fill in the position."


    "But I don''t deserve that title. You are her brother, I''m a nobody."


    "You daft boy. The moment she gripped your hand those weeks ago, you became part of her life."


    Yan''s heart broke when he heard those words. He was trying to survive only for himself. And yet, this boy could throw away his life, just for the chance of his sister to get better. Even if his sacrifice was in vain, he was still happy that he tried saving his sister.


    On the usual topic of food, they saved the better-looking ones in their trenches. The twins, during the day, got their chance to steal bit by bit from the stores. They also went undercover to see the latest news about the raids.


    But during the night, only Yan snuck out, while the two are sleeping. He failed to let them know because it might not work in the future. After all, those were only rumors. At the very least, they could learn how to make bread.


    Whenever he reached the town, he would only take one thing; the smallest sack of flour he could ever find. With no one around, he would take his time in hauling the mass towards the trenches. Carefully stacking them up. He has about quite a few stockpiled.


    With the entire week under their belts, the trio pulled off the Doomsday heist. And it has brought them to where they are now.


    "Stay in the trenches," instructed Yan, trying to push the twins into the holes.


    "But!" protested Cordelia as she stood behind Ciel.


    "Do as I say!"


    Yan nodded firmly at Ciel.


    "Don''t mess this up," murmured the twin.


    Ciel dragged his twin into the deepest trench. With no knowledge or idea of what he was about to do, Cordelia hugged her twin tightly.


    "Are you sure it''ll be okay?" asked Cordelia, whispering.


    "Remember that mill explosion, a couple of years back?" asked Ciel, looking at the sacks of flour behind them.


    "What about it?"


    The small smile was enough to let his twin know the circ.u.mstance.


    "Pretty brave of you to fight all of us at once," said the chef, who had bloodshot eyes.


    "I''ll give you payback," growled the man, pointing a bread knife at Yan.


    Yan looked around. The place he was cornered at is a dense forest, but the mob was currently packed together in a clearing. There were some large rocks he could get to if he needed it. The plan would fail if he doesn''t make it to high ground at the end of it.


    The trees were another option of high ground, but being on top of a burning one isn''t viable. If he messed this up, it could spell danger for him and the twins. But shaking off the thought, he was determined to pull off the stunt.


    "Ciel! Now!" yelled Yan, as he placed his hand behind his back.


    Ciel, along with his twin, threw an entire sack of flour towards Yan. As if on cue, the mob charged forwards, and destroyed the sack of flour. This made the flour spread and fly all around, hindering the mob''s vision.


    Yan ducked and weaved about in the flour cloud, making the villagers hit each other instead. When he was satisfied, Yan quickly sprinted out of the mob and shook himself off from the powder. He then launched himself upwards and onto the highest boulder.


    Yan then plucked out a branch from the nearby tree and wrapped the end of it with some cloth. The mob, still trying to find Yan, was completely unaware of the sound of something igniting. Using the flint and steel, Yan took the time to set fire to a long branch and created a torch.


    He smiled as the flour cloud started to settle but still covered the villages. They looked at Yan but the chef had wide-opened eyes as he saw the bright flame.


    "I''ll give you the same payment, you did. Four years ago," said Yan, as he tossed a rock towards the trench.


    Ciel got the hint and braced his twin and himself for impact. When Yan heard a slight clap from Ciel, he sighed in relief. If he gets caught in the aftermath, then at least the twins can get out alive.


    The chef stuck his out to Yan and pleaded, one last time, for mercy.


    "Mercy on us boy..."


    "You didn''t have any mercy on us when that mill exploded."


    The chef''s eyes started to water.

 Chapter 173 - The Ark Of Boom

    "You were the one who did it. That mill, home, and person..."


    He took a large breath and shouted.


    "They were all mine!"


    Yan''s eyes darkened after he said those words. A surge of adrenaline kicked in as he tossed the torch towards the mob.


    "Here comes the boom!" he yelled as the fire touched onto their skins.


    Devoid of life, numb to pain, Yan watched as the mob caught fire and screamed amongst the flames. It took only an instant for the entire mob to completely explode and combust. After the bright light died, Yan looked at the aftermath of his work.


    "So this is who I truly become. Someone who does not feel anything when others pleaded for mercy. Someone who willing kills even after they show fear. Wonder if that makes me a bad person," murmured Yan as he looked at the charred bodies.


    But shaking his head, Yan realized that he was smiling. Finally, it was over. That small strand of hatred for the man who destroyed his home was gone. He had finally come to terms with the loss. The horrible things he had to endure after. And when the explosion occurred, he felt happy.


    He gave another laugh as he looked at what he had done.


    "But if it''s to protect the ones I cherish, perhaps it isn''t bad after all."


    Yan smiled as he thought of the twins and quickly rushed towards them. The only people he had left.


    "You guys alright?" he asked, as he looked at the duo.


    "What the hell was that?!" screamed Cordelia, looking at Yan with teary eyes.


    "You could at least said what you were going to do with that!'' yelled Ciel, as he hugged his twin tightly.


    "Cordelia doesn''t do well with fire," explained Ciel as he slowly pulled himself out of the hole.


    Yan gave a hand to Ciel and pulled him out first. Together, the two boys hauled Cordelia out.


    "Sorry, I didn''t want you guys to get involved. I didn''t know if it would work. I only knew the base of the explosion, like what was needed. But I didn''t know if the explosion was directly the cause of those mixtures," explained Yan.


    "But weren''t you there during the mill explosion? That was your inspiration, right?" asked Ciel, as he dusted himself.


    "I was sleeping when it exploded, so I didn''t know the direct cause of it. My father only told me that it happened at the mill behind our house and that the perpetrator had a huge torch. My elder brother was caught in the middle of it, and didn''t survive it."


    "So, you assumed to put two and two together?" asked Cordelia.


    Yan nodded as the twins looked around. Cordelia looked upset but that was to be expected. Ciel covered his twin''s eyes but nearly gagged at the sight of exploded, burnt body parts. Yan felt nothing.


    "Quite the mass grave we''ve got here. And I assume that large explosion just now was from you?" asked a man''s voice.


    Yan stood on guard while Cordelia ran behind her twin. A man, with scrawny stature and black hair, walked out from behind a tree. His complexion was white as snow, a complete opposite of Yan. The fringe was acc.u.mulated and combed back onto the top of his head.


    As he walked towards the trio, his fringe kept bouncing. He looked quite mature, a lot older than Yan or the twins. His smile was captivating as he extended a hand to Yan. But Yan noticed the sniper rifle behind his back and backed away.


    "Ashley Dalles, nice to meet you!" exclaimed the man.


    Yan blinked twice as he looked at the man. With a bunch of questions on top of his head, Yan took Ashley''s hand.


    "I''m Yan."


    Ciel looked shocked and pulled Yan back.


    "What are you thinking?! We don''t know if he''s about to kill us!" whispered Ciel, upset at Yan.


    "Yea, but I''m just telling him my name. And besides."


    "For a killer, he has some very good manners."


    "I won''t profit from killing you three. Especially what I''ve seen. I could use some helping hands if anything," explained Ashley, placing a finger under his chin.


    "Are you giving a bunch of thieves jobs?!" yelled Cordelia.


    "I''ve never said anything about calling you kids ''thieves''. You did what you had to. Can''t blame you for that. I''m hiring you three because you work as a team and I need that."


    "You need us?"


    "I need a team that can work for me and kills without hesitance. I''ve been tailing you guys the past few weeks and all of you have what I need."


    "What''s your game then?" asked Yan.


    "Nothing. It''s what I''ve said. I need a team to help."

 Chapter 174 - The Ark Of The Human Hawkeye

    "And what if we don''t comply?" asked Ciel.


    "Are you sure about that?" asked Ashley, folding his arms.


    "You''ve got no home, nothing. And you''ve just killed most of the townsfolk. If you don''t get a move on, you won''t be having any heads left. Do you think rejecting me would be smart?"


    The three kids looked at one another. The twins gulped while Yan felt hesitant to take up Ashley''s offer. But the man seemed pissed at the kids for taking so long, so he pulled out his weapon.


    "Honestly, If it''s so difficult, then I''ll help you lot decide. After all, I only need you," said Ashley, pointing the gun right at Yan.


    "But you said that you needed a team!" argued Cordelia, sticking her head out from behind Ciel.


    "I can always get more. Besides, you guys didn''t do too much. I only need Yan''s expertise. If I could somehow nurture him in terms of combat, think about how much he can achieve," explained Ashley, as he lowered his gun.


    He then walked up to Yan.


    "Your command on explosives is unique. It''s what we need in fighting against the Mages," said Ashley, with a sly smile as he placed his finger under Yan''s chin.


    Yan instantly slapped his hand away and looked at Ashley with anger.


    "Step away from us. We won''t accept your offer," growled Yan, as he prepared his fighting stance.


    "You think you can challenge me?" asked Ashley, as he looked at Yan.


    "The Mages were the ones that helped us. You bastards are the only reason why they aren''t here anymore!" yelled Yan, through gritted teeth.


    "Oh, are you sure about that?"


    "Ciel! Cordelia! Run!" shouted Yan.


    As they tried to run, Ashley laughed.


    Yan immediately threw a punch at the laughing stick figure but was caught easily. With man towering over him, Ahsley wasted no effort in throwing Yan onto his back. With that one move, it rendered Yan useless.


    "Damn it!" cursed Yan, as he stood up shakily.


    Ashely shook his head at the pitiful sight. He then aimed his rifle around. When the twins were about to reach into the village, Ashley immediately fired at Cordelia, with the bullet going right through her head. Ciel caught her limp body just in time and started crying.


    "You think you can escape from me?" asked Ashley, smiling proudly.


    "Cordelia!" shouted Yan as his eyes began to water.


    "And you can still laugh!" screamed Ciel as he drew out Cordelia''s machete.


    "Ciel! Wait!" yelled Yan as he struggled to stop the sniper.


    Before he could even turn around, the man fired another shot. Bullseye on Ciel''s skull. The twins had been so far away, their figures were barely visible. It was hard to see such a small target, let alone one so far away. And yet, he could land a perfect headshot.


    There was no way an average human''s eyes could see that far. Yan was like a deer in headlights as he saw the twins fall so easily. His eyes widened when he realized Ashley was not using any scope at all. The man smiled as he walked towards Yan, who was still standing rooted to the ground.


    "Not one, but two targets..." murmured Yan as tears started rolling down his cheeks.


    "Do you what the people of Campania call me?" asked Ashley, smirking.


    Crap, he''s from the Campania?! Yan was shocked as he heard those words.


    "The Human Hawkeye."


    Yan''s face was ridden with fear. The human that had bionic eyes. No wonder he was so proud. He could have killed all of them if given the chance! And that means this man was of a noble ranking! What was he doing around these parts?


    "You didn''t have to kill them! They were just running away!" shouted Yan.


    "Those who know about me and doesn''t go with me won''t return alive. Since they did not comply, then I''ll have to exterminate them."


    "I could have joined you without them... You didn''t have to kill them..." sobbed Yan as clenched the ground.


    "I highly doubt you are the type to double-cross. You haven''t got the guts to."


    "If it means to keep them safe, then I''ll do anything."


    "Careful what you say, those words will come to bite you back."


    "It already did, judging by what you''ve done."


    "As I said, I only need you. So, will you use that unique talent of yours, for us?" asked Ashley.


    Yan did not flinch as he looked at Ashley dead in the eyes.


    "Are you still on about the Mages thing? Or are you upset that I killed your friends?" asked the sniper as he folded his arms.


    Yan''s face was going through an ocean of emotions while Ashley was getting quite tired.

 Chapter 175 - The Ark Of Joining The Nest

    "Listen, a few Mages were responsible for killing those villagers around your area. And that mill explosion, that chef was only a puppet. His puppeteer was one of the Mages."


    "You are lying..."


    "And a small girl around the Campania''s area. She became a dark blob of energy and started sucking everyone''s souls. I''m on my way to kill her. Well, I was, ''til I saw this fine mess. So, I''m heading back home to put there and go off on another journey."


    "I don''t believe your words. I refuse to believe it!" screamed Yan, shivering.


    "If you think I''m lying then riddle me this. Where were the Mages when your brother died?" asked Ashley, as he leaned towards Yan''s ear.


    "Where were they, when your mother was..."


    "Shut up!" screamed Yan as he pushed Ashley away.


    The poor boy hugged himself as he sank onto the ground. His two best friends had just been killed. He lost his mum, he doesn''t know if his father will ever come back. There was nothing he could do now. He was barely a child, who should have a home.


    Yan didn''t know what to do. If he accepted Ashley''s offer, then he would have a home, possibly things to eat. If he doesn''t, he''ll be killed, and all he has live for will be naught. He can''t stop now, not when he still can move. He still got his body. His techniques, his knowledge, his organs.


    "So, I''ll ask again. Will you join me?" asked Ashley, extending a hand.


    "If I do, what will you give me?" asked Yan, shivering.


    "A family, protection."


    "And will they accept a small person like me?"


    "If by ''small'', you mean young, then it won''t be a problem. I''ve got lots of kids under me. So long as you can complete your missions, you''ll be awarded. And if they don''t accept you, then I''ll erase them. I''m in charge of the nest, anyways."


    "I meant, a poor person like me. You are noble, right?"


    "If I was, I wouldn''t be here. My brother is the next Marquess, so I''m left behind. And my brother wants to work with the Mages. I''m the total opposite. I loathe them," he replied, waving off that matter in disgust.


    Yan sighed and looked at Ashley.


    "Fine, I''ll join you."


    "About time! I thought I''d have to kill you too. Come on, let''s get you changed. No good being scruffy in my nest," said Ashley, happily dragging Yan towards the Campania domain.


    Yan sighed once more as he followed Ashley to the dock of the Teuton domain. Tossing him a fresh pair of clothes to wear, Ashley looked around before finding a boatman. As Ashley quickly got himself of a little wooden boat, Yan''s stomach began to growl.


    "Oh, right! I forgot. Here, take this," said Ashley, tossing Yan a bag.


    "It''s not poisonous," replied Ashley, as he paid off the owner of the small boat.


    Yan looked skeptical but opened the bag anyway. His jaw dropped as he reached in and took out a loaf of bread. In that entire bag, it was filled with many different types of bread. From sourdough to baguettes, everything was fresh.


    Though it was still cold, it was so much better than what he had before. Yan took a small nibble off from the tiny loaf in his hands. As he began munching, a surge of emotions racked through his body. before long he was sobbing while downing the loaf of bread in hunger.


    "I got the boat!" yelled Ashley, motioning Yan to get onto the boat.


    Yan rubbed his eyes, clearing his tears and went over to Ashley with the bag of food. Ashley then untied the ropes and started sailing towards the Campania domain.


    "That was one difficult boatman. he refused to let this old thing go. Had to pay him in gold coins to convince him," complained Ashley, as he rowed off.


    "Gold coins?!" exclaimed Yan, in disbelief.


    "What do you expect? I''m of noble ranking. Even if I don''t acknowledge it can''t be denied that I''m the brother of a future Marquess."


    "And yet, I don''t see any nobles helping us..." replied Yan, in sadness.


    "Don''t expect those who have the power to always help the weak. Learn to stand on your two feet, walk on those legs you''ve built. And you''ll realize that you can be much more powerful than those born with power."


    "What do you mean?"


    "The fact that you can withstand nights after nights of torture and you were pushed to the brink of death. Yet, you refused to stand down, refusing to allow the weight of the world to crush you. You stood up and used your techniques to change your world. That''s how you become powerful."

 Chapter 176 - The Ark Of Terms And Conditions

    Yan hugged the bag tightly and continued to chow down.


    "Liked it? You can have the whole bag if you''d like. Doesn''t make any difference to me."


    Yan''s eyes widened with a smile starting to show.


    "But don''t get your hopes too high. This bag is for your recruitment and performance earlier. If you fail your missions, you won''t be getting any food at all. Fail more than five times and I''ll kick your sorry soul out," explained Ashley, sternly.


    "And how frequent are the missions? Is it every day?" asked Yan, stuffing his face.


    "If you can kill more than 10 people on the wanted list, then I''ll reward you a hearty meal. If you kill less than that, then each person killed equals to a loaf of bread."


    Yan''s mouth was agape when he heard the terms. He looked at his loaf of bread.


    "So, I have to kill just to eat?" asked Yan, shaking.


    "That''s how the world works. Learn how to step up before others steps on you."


    "That seems fair."


    "But if you were to kill a bunch of easy targets, be it a hundred, then I''ll revoke that meal and give something less. If it''s four easy targets, like villagers or poor kids like you, then the best I can give you is a loaf bread. For all four."


    "That sounds difficult."


    "Worry not. If you do kill only one, but that one as a ranking of a Baron or above, then I''ll reward you handsomely. In terms of your language, I''ll be giving double of what you are hugging now."


    "Double?" asked the young boy, as his eyes sparkled.


    "It''s worth the trouble. Most mobles are packed to the brim with bodyguards, so it''s quite the normal reward, nothing too special. And the higher the ranking is that target, the better rewards I could give you. Even a promotion, perhaps."


    "Promotion? Ranking?" asked Yan, tilting his head.


    "That''s right, you are not rightly educated. Baron is the lowest for the noble ranks. Next is a Viscount, followed by an Earl. Then, it''s my brother''s title of Marquess, following that would be a Duke, and then a King."


    "So, the Marquess is not the highest? And what about the promotion?"


    "King would be the ultimate ruler. And the promotion thing I''ll tell you when you are successful in your missions. Do well and you''ll reap what you sow."


    "So, you are not close to Marquess Minwoo?" asked Yan, trying to keep up.


    "We used to be. But as we grew up, he and I started drifting away from each other. Our parents raised him as the future Marquess of Campania. And I was raised to protect myself."


    "Didn''t your brother help you in any way? I find it hard to believe that he won''t," replied Yan, scratching his head.


    "He ain''t me. And I ain''t him. We walked on two different paths. He walked on the path of good while I was tossed into insanity among the shadows. He pushed me aside, my entire family did, because I was not next in line."


    "That doesn''t seem very fair."


    "It ain''t. I hated my brother for that, but I can''t blame him. If I had been in his place, I would do the same. That''s how we nobles work. We trample on each other, even our family members, just to rise to the top. Selfish to the core."


    "And us little fellas get left behind amongst the chaos."


    "My family worked together with the Mages before the Congregation collapsed. When it did, Minwoo stuck with the Mages while I was led by others to hate them. I hated that they took my brother away from me. And thus, I grew to hate the Mages."


    "But why hate the Mages?" asked Yan, utterly confused.


    "I guess I grew up with the wrong company. Mingled with the bad side of society. They gave me another look at Mages."


    "But why follow their ideals? Why not have your view and decision on Mages?"


    Ashley sighed as he closed his eyes for a slight moment. He then reopened it and looked into Yan''s innocent eyes. He''d seen so much yet he''s still got a long way to go. Maybe getting such a naive child was a mistake.


    "Listen, kid. It ain''t easy to determine which side you''d be on. It''s near impossible to pick a side if you haven''t understood how the world works."


    "That doesn''t answer my question to you. If you have learned about the world, that you''d understand that not all is bad. The Mages helped us when we had no one. With them gone, my whole family is as well."


    "Your family relied on the Mages. My family kicked me away while allying with the Mages."

 Chapter 177 - The Ark Of Five Years

    Yan paused for a moment.


    "My family was the mafia, the people who worked in the shadows. They disliked the Mages but hated nobles with a burning passion. As I drifted away from my nobility, I understood how the mafia worked and joined them," explained Ashley.


    Yan continued to stay silent.


    "They were my parental figures. When we were little, Minwoo would be spoon-fed every ounce of good in the world. I, on the other hand, had more freedom to learn how the world worked. The darkness of it, the true nature of Mages."


    "And what would that nature be?"


    "That they only worked with us because they want these lands. The Mages, despite all their kind deeds, are all for show. Beneath that innocent figure hides a terrible beast. If their child could kill so many, then what will happen to us?"


    "Perhaps she was scared. After all, I did just annihilate a bunch of people. But you recruited me, gave me a job. Aren''t we all the same, in that sense?'' asked Yan, as he hugged his sack of gold.


    "Acceptance was too foreign so they thought to hate each other," murmured Yan as he looked onto the ground.


    "Pardon? What do you mean by ''acceptance''?" asked Ashley, leaning down towards the kid''s ear.


    Yan paused while looking at the barren wasteland that was in front of them. The boat knocked onto shore with a loud thud. He didn''t realize that it had been hours of sailing.


    "Don''t you think embracing others feels much better than hating?" asked Yan, as he hopped off from the boat.


    "Keep that kind of thought up and you''d find yourself in hot water soon. The world ain''t kind."


    And with that, Yan kept quiet and followed Ashley to the nest. It would only be the next five years of hell as the child endured many beatings and betrayal. He was mixed into the mobile groups and tossed about.


    Throughout the years, he survived countless attacks, both from friendly and the enemy. He had to learn the hard way of knowing your friends are just as cruel as your enemies. He had been exploited and misused while others got away with most of his rewards.


    There were a few months that he''d survived through without any rewards. Yan went back to the main town of Campania to dig for scraps. But after using his skills to blow up other Mafia leaders, especially the ones that had betrayed him, he became the talk of the town.


    The one incident that triggered him was the incident of a person stealing his reward. When he went to claim the mission''s rewards, his friend had already taken it. Yan finally snapped and snapped that man''s neck for all to see.


    And when that was done, it was not enough for Yan. In a trance-like state, he carried on to utterly destroy the rest of his group who had betrayed him. He gathered all into a small room and drugged them to sleep forever.


    He then tied them all together. When they were out, Yan took his time to find and make some little bombs. He stuffed his little makeshift bombs into every one of his group members and lighted one person. As the entire thing exploded, Yan felt a surge of adrenaline.


    This made the rest of the mafia heads quite upset but Ashley gave Yan a month''s worth of food and a brand new home. Ashley laughed when he heard the news.


    He learned how to survive by himself, never relying on his team to do the job. He clicked well with expert killers and soon formed a group with them. Yan was silent throughout, perfecting his amazing skill of explosives. As the missions got tougher, so did he.


    The more people he blew up, the more fame he had gained amongst the mafia. Ashley was undeniably proud when he granted him the promotion of being a Mafia head in the Teuton domain. That would entitle Yan to control the entire Mafia within that domain.


    When he heard the news, Yan was shocked. He felt a sense of relief that he could finally go home, but some part of him still felt uneasy.


    "How can you grant me that?'' asked Yan, confused.


    "Fear can do that. You''ll be a small lead for the Teuton domain but once you''ve established yourself, then the title of Mafia head will be automatically for you. Don''t worry I''ll handle the admin stuff. But there''s the last task I want you to fulfill," instructed Ashley.


    "Bring down the Marquess of the Campania, Minwoo Kim Dalles. I won''t tolerate failure."


    Yan was shocked but quickly retreated his expression.


    "I understand."


    Yan bowed to Ashley one last time and made his way towards the grand domain of Campania.

 Chapter 178 - The Ark Of The Plan

    "So, he lives around here?" asked Yan, looking at the dense forest.


    "Yep, you won''t miss the building once you''ve seen it. He''ll be in there," instructed the woman, who had a brown cloak covering her appearance.


    It looked like a shady drug deal, the way both of them had dressed. But Yan did not care, only she could tell him where the Marquess had been hiding.


    "Thank you," said Yan as he gave the woman a loaf of bread in exchange for information.


    "Be careful, lad. I''ve heard that Marquess is quite close to some Mages. Might want to watch your step if you meet them."


    "Roger that. Don''t worry, I''m armed."


    "Are you sure?'' asked the woman, once more.


    She then looked at Yan, her chestnut locks moving slightly to reveal a pair of crimson eyes. Yan seemed surprised but shrugged it off instantly. He had seen weirder people.


    "Yea," replied Yan, waving off her warning.


    Yan proceeded to walk away and towards the Old Chapel.


    "You need more than ''arms'' to kill those beasts," murmured the woman.


    Yan walked through the town for a bit. He had to plan some escape routes in case of a quick getaway. His mind recalled the specific instructions from Ashley for this particular mission. he knew that it wasn''t going to be an easy job, so they were going to tag-team on this.


    "Listen, Hornet*. Remember, five years ago, there was a child I told you about?" asked Ashley.


    "Yes. The case of Abigail Esther Noble, a child found to have cursed the entire village, or so they say," replied Yan, looking away.


    Whether it had been five years or not, the idea of hating the Mages for no good reason seemed to bother Yan quite a bit. But coming from Ashley, he was willing to keep his mouth shut. Part of him still wants to rebel but the other knows better not to defy him.


    "Well, she''s long gone. Someone else stole my kill. I was close to finding her, had been chasing that girl for so long after the Congregation''s downfall."


    "If she''s gone, then why bother? If you don''t mind me asking," questioned Yan.


    "But, there''s still hope. Her friend, I''m after her. Rumors have it that she is no ordinary Mage. They call her a Valkyrie. But, I highly doubt she would be an angel. She is also known as the Mage of Amalgamation, where she can use all Elements at one go. Thus, I''ll be taking that target."


    "And the locals have said that she is revealed to be a small child, so taking her life would be easy," smiled Ashley as he started loading his rifle up.


    Yan froze when he heard those words. Killing a child shouldn''t bother him, especially after what he had done. But could he ever do the deed? After all, he was a child himself.


    "She''s hiding in a place called the Old Chapel, within the outskirts of the Campania domain," explained Ashley.


    "What''s her name?" asked Yan.


    "Mavislin Roydon."


    Ashley started drawing a rough sketch of the Old Chapel. Yan seemed intrigued as he carefully drew out the village next to the target''s location.


    "Coincidentally, word has come about that my brother has randomly gone missing. My parents can''t find him. Not that they would care anyway. As the future Marquess, he should not be missing. The people of Campania kinda need help right about now."


    "I thought you''d hated him?"


    "It''s not that I want him to come back because he is my brother. It''s because the people of the domain needs him. If he doesn''t come back to restore order, then the entire system will collapse."


    "Then shouldn''t it be a chance for the mafia to take over?"


    Ashley widened his eyes at Yan for a bit and shook his head while smiling. He then primed his rifle and took aim to the wooden targets.


    "Kid, there''s no way we can take control if we don''t have enough trust with the people. The Marquess automatically has it since the family has been in power for so long. And me, leading the mafia to dominate the area? That has got to be a joke."


    Ashley scoffed as he fired some rounds with his rifle.


    "No one would listen to the runt of the litter."


    "Well, here I am. You created the mafia of Campania, you should raise your head higher. That''s how I feel. You turned a little insect like me to the Hornet. Be optimistic in my book," explained Yan as he aimed his stick of explosive at the straw target.


    He threw the stick. Upon impact, the straw doll exploded. Ashley smiled. He then placed his rifle down and shot Yan a grateful gaze.


    "And I thank you for that."

 Chapter 179 - The Ark Of No Ordinary Area

    "And so, how would I find the Marquess?"


    "I''ve got a gut feeling that he''ll be with this girl. You see, the Old Chapel houses a few Mages. The last surviving few Mages from the Congregation. Minwoo always liked siding with them. If that is a haven for them, then it''s where the biggest target would be."


    "They are quite strong, in terms of hand-to-hand combat. But against the likes of you, a sneak attack should be no problem," assured Ashley, giving Yan some gear to work with.


    "What if they resort to their powers?"


    "That should not be an issue for you. Serve them up a molotov c.o.c.ktail*, Ford* style."


    Yan nodded and went on to search for the Marquess. But, Ashley gave him one last warning.


    "Fail this mission and you are good as gone, Hornet."


    "Roger that, Ash."


    Yan closed his eyes as he remembered the last part. As he walked around, he sat down by the fountain. A child soon came up to him, a girl with long chestnut hair and similar color eyes. His expression changed the girl looked familiar.


    "I''m sorry, have we met?" asked Yan, confused.


    The poor girl was even more puzzled as she shook her head.


    "Are you looking for someone?'' asked the young girl as she sat right next to him.


    "Somewhat. I just thought you''d looked like the person I just met earlier."


    "Why would you think so?"


    "She looked like you but had different color eyes."


    The young girl kept quiet and played with her hair.


    "Do you have a home?" she asked, looking up at Yan.


    "I''ve got no home to go to."


    "Well, you''d better find a home to go to," reprimanded the girl.


    "Nah, I''m used to not having one," he replied, yawning.


    It was starting to get dark, he hadn''t realized it was past sunset now. The night sky had an entire tear through its coat, allowing the stars to shine brightly as a cl.u.s.ter.


    "Shouldn''t you be going home?" asked Yan, towards the little girl.


    "Yea, but I want you to come along too," she said, pulling his sleeves.


    "Why? You just met me!" yelled Yan.


    "Because you have no home to go to. My home is quite big and it''s not far from here. We''ve got food and warm beds. Oh! And plushies!" exclaimed the girl.


    Yan looked skeptical. He might be dead if Ashley found out he was hiding somewhere else and not doing the mission. Then again, maybe a shelter isn''t so bad.


    "And I would suggest that you get indoors quickly. Nighttime here is a bit different from the capital," warned the little girl.


    "Or at least, out of here," she said, as the temperature dived beyond the human comfort zone.


    Ice started to creep up the walls. The fountain they had been sitting around was slowly turning into an ice sculpture. The girl smiled as she gave her hand to Yan.


    "Get me out of here," ordered Yan as he took the girl''s palm while shivering.


    The girl smiled as she bolted out of the area, with Yan trying to keep up. Not only the temperature was affecting him, but in the corner of his eyes, he caught something out of the blue. The shadows were not normal that night.


    But he shook it off, trying to get out of that deathtrap is his priority. With the little girl reaching the dense forest, his body temperature gradually rose once more. The young girl halted by some thick, low hanging vines.


    "After these vines, is my home," said the little girl proudly.


    "Stand back," she ordered, as Yan complied.


    Placing her small arms out, she murmured a little for the vines to part like a theatre curtain. Yan was still trying to conceive the are that he was in. But after recovering, he was shocked at where the little girl had taken him to.


    "This is..."


    Yan''s jaw was left hanging as he saw the area, especially the giant building in the middle of the forest. The entire scene before him had perfectly fitted the description and sketch he was given by Ashley. Even the waterfall was on point.


    And to put the cherry on top of this wonderful revelation, the area behind those vines was daytime. Yan could not fathom such a place like this. It was nighttime at the village, but this place had the sun out like it was normal.


    "What in the world is that thing?!" yelled Yan as he took a step back.


    "Welcome to the Old Chapel," said the little girl, brimming with happiness.


    As she smiled, she gracefully extended her wings. She flew upwards and went in front of the frightened assassin.


    "You are not human..." mumbled Yan as he looked at the girl.

 Chapter 180 - The Ark Of Enemys Den

    "Hm, I haven''t realized. I thought humans could fly," sassed the little girl.


    She flew around in random circles, continuing to enjoy the attention she was getting. Yan could only watch the little girl in abject horror. He was supposed to corner the enemy, not the other way ''round. The imagery of the vines closing sealed his fate as he could not find a way out.


    "What''s wrong? I thought you would have seen Mages by now," asked the little girl, scratching her head.


    Yan kept quiet as he tried to hide the weapons in his little sack. She then abruptly flew down and grabbed his hand.


    "Come on! Let''s play!" yelled the little girl as she dragged the poor boy to the Old Chapel.


    "Oh, yea! I forgot to ask what''s your name," said the girl, stopping her flight.


    "Yan, Asriyan," replied the confused assassin.


    "I''m Mavislin!" said the little Valkyrie happily.


    Yan''s face went pale. The target of Ashley''s mission... If she''s still alive, that means... Yan''s felt his legs lose all energy.


    "Let''s go!" yelled the cheerful Valkyrie.


    When they finally reached the doorstep, Ysabeau swung open the door. A middle-aged lady stood by the door, wearing a blue dress with a white apron. Her normally unkempt strawberry blonde hair was tied into a neat bun with a white hairband. Her smile was like a mother''s.


    "Welcome home, little one. You''re just in time for tea," said Ysabeau, straightening out her dress.


    She stopped midway when she caught a glance of the human boy beside her little girl.


    "You''ve brought a friend?" she asked, placing her heads on her h.i.p.s.


    "Yes! He''s Yan!" said the happy girl.


    Meanwhile, Yan''s heart was racing like mad as he had been invited into the enemy''s den. Infiltration like this was not what he had planned in his head. He had already messed up the operation, Ashley ain''t going to be pleased.


    "Can I bring him in?" asked Mavislin, looking at Ysbau with her puppy eyes.


    "Of course, but you''ve got to keep your wings. The Old girl doesn''t like it," said Ysbeau, before going into the building.


    Mavislin landed gracefully on the front porch and shook her little body. Her wings disappeared.


    "Old girl? You''ve got a pet int here?" asked Yan, looking around.


    "No, silly. The Old girl is the Old Chapel."


    Yan shot a questioning look at Mavislin.


    "You mean, this building is alive?" asked Yan, frightened once more.


    "After all you''ve seen, this should be the least of your worries," said Mavislin, shaking her head.


    She then headed inside, with Yan following her. the moment he stepped into the house, the smell of something foreign hit his nose. The door slammed shut, snapping Yan back to reality. As Mavislin led him to the dining area, Yan''s mind was in a mess.


    He could barely sit as Mavislin happily asked Ysabeau what was for tea. The young girl pouted when Ysabeau said it was a surprise. His body began to shake slightly. Uninvited, he could feel a hostile Aura coming from the Chapel.


    "Don''t tell me, this home can sense evil thoughts?!" murmured the poor human.


    "If so, I gotta get out of here, pronto!" thought the poor boy.


    "Tea''s done!" chimed Ysabeau as she sat in front of Yan.


    But as he tried to get away, the rest of the family came to the table. A tall, formidable man with neatly combed bluish-black hair took his seat next to Ysabeau. He was followed by a very Angry man who sat right next to him.


    Yan sank back onto his chair in defeat. There was no chance of him escaping now. With this many people, blowing himself up might help the situation but there''s still the possibility of them surviving such a minute attack.


    "So where''s that White rat? Don''t tell me you''ve killed him," asked the formidable man.


    "I''m not as strict as you, Gil. I''ve some sympathy for the poor rodent," answered Baldwin.


    Right on cue, the door from the garden swung open to reveal a very tired human. With his jet black fringe in disarray and clothes disheveled, the man came in with all heads turned.


    "Looks like you came back from war, mate," laughed Gillian.


    "And I wonder whose fault was that?!" yelled the poor fella, trying to clear his boots.


    "It was just a simple errand," said Baldwin, unimpressed.


    "To you, it might be. But having the entire mafia on my tail ain''t so easy for a human!"


    Ysabeau shook her head as she guided the man upstairs to get changed.


    "Mafia?" asked Yan, looking at the man.


    "Yea, this Angry Man here wanted him to get some intel on the next town over. But it turns out they were out to get him," explained Gillian.

 Chapter 181 - The Ark Of Beef Goulash

    "Can''t help it, can he? Being a Marquess is hard work," said Baldwin, shaking his head.


    "Marquess?!" yelled Yan, abruptly.


    "What''s with this kid?" asked Baldwin, raising his eyebrow.


    "He''s probably one of the commoners. It takes time for people like him to adjust in the area of nobles," said Gillian waving it off.


    "I''m back! Thank you, Lady Meslander," said the Marquess as he took his seat next to Mavislin.


    "You sure you''re gonna sit there? Mav might bite you again," joked Baldwin.


    "Nothing beats what I had to run from today."


    "And what would be a Marquess running from?" asked Yan, peering to take a better look at the Marquess.


    "From the bloody mafia. Those bunch of misfits keeps tailing me about... Pisses me off," mumbled the Marquess.


    Yan was taken aback at the Marquess''s appearance. It fitted nicely with what Ashley had told him. Pale as a ghost, with small eyes. He looked slightly like Ashley. But, he did not look like a leader or anything like a noble. He looked like a common folk with that get up.


    "Oh? Didn''t see you before," asked the Marquess looking at Yan.


    "He''s my new friend," said Mavislin, cheerfully.,


    "Not fair! I thought you could be mine..." said the Marquess, in a saddened tone.


    "Not a chance," said Gillian and Baldwin in unison.


    "Hmph. Anyways, I''m Minwoo," said the Marquess, extending his hand out to Yan.


    "I''m Yan," stuttered the poor boy.


    "Today we''ll be having beef goulash. This time, it has got potatoes and carrots. And I''ve dwindled on the paprika for the kid''s portion," explained Ysabeau gestured the bowls of soup to be placed onto the table.


    Yan was amazed as the dishes flew from the big pot in the kitchen and landed in front of him. It seemed impossible. How easy would life be if humans had those kinds of powers?


    "Don''t worry, you''ll get used to it," assured Minwoo, before digging in.


    Yan looked hesitant to eat.


    "If you think that it''d been poisoned, then change your thinking. Not all Mages have a nasty heart," said Baldwin, enjoying the dish.


    "Mind your manners. What that Angry Man is trying to say, is to enjoy the food. We have no ill-intention against you," said Ysabeau, smiling warmly to Yan.


    "It''sh nice! Eat, eat!" said Mavislin, with her mouth full.


    She then gave small head pats to Yan, ushering him to eat. He nodded as he took a spoonful of the steaming dish. His hands shook but quickly recovered. As he bit into one of the beef pieces, his eyes started to water.


    "It''s... It''s real meat... And it''s hot," cried Yan, body quivering.


    "It''s not spoiled. It''s edible..."


    Tears came down like a waterfall as he continued to chow down on the stew. His heart was filled with so much pent up pain from throughout the years. From the time that he had lost his brother to losing the twins, he had been only surviving on rotten foods.


    When Ashley adopted him, he''d upgraded to eating bread and rice. But even those he had to work for it. He had to start by eating stale bread and cold rice. Even at his peak of glory, he could only eat cold dishes.


    Tasting meat for the first time in years made Yan crack under pressure. His mouth could not comprehend the taste, he was just too overwhelmed. And not only he could eat meat, but there were actual side dishes in the stew. Potatoes like that were meant for the wealthy.


    He had been killing, stealing blowing up houses, all just to have stale bread. He''d joined the mafia, he hid from authorities. He watched his mother being tortured. He went through so much just to earn so little.


    But now, just because he sat down with a little girl, a little Mage, he was being treated like a human. All his life, after the mill explosion, he was treated as nothing by humans. The irony of everything made Yan laugh on the inside.


    "Fancy that... For so long, I was treated like crap by my kind. Tossed aside, the filth of the domain. And with other kinds, you treat me like..." mumbled Yan, through his tears.


    "Like family? Don''t be so surprised," said Baldwin, waving the boy off.


    "Us Mages have almost nothing left. The least we can give others is a sense of home and family when we had nothing," explained Ysabeau.


    "But why are you so nice to an outsider?" sobbed Yan.


    "We know how it''s like to have no family or home to go to. So, we try to make the best of what we have. And to give back those who are kind to us," said Gillian, smiling at the poor boy.

 Chapter 182 - The Ark Of A Choice

    "You didn''t hurt our little Valkyrie, despite what you''ve heard. Even when you were scared, you still did not ignite your Molotov. And we thank you by giving this dish in front you," said Baldwin, giving a cheeky smile.


    "You knew?!" said Yan, engulfing the whole dish down.


    "Yea, all of us know that Mav is been targetted. But those who had ill intentions were all killed by her powers. But you, little one, are special. We heard that the Hornet would be coming to town, so we prepared a bit. "


    "Well, I couldn''t kill her. You guys would''ve survived the attack. And besides, no one told me that she would be a small child."


    "She might look like one, but she''s old in terms of human years. About 70 to 80 years. But her lifespan is much bigger, so she''s still a child," described Ysabeau.


    "You had a choice to kill her when she was not with us. Yet, you didn''t take it."


    "But I couldn''t have taken her life... I would have failed that mission instantly."


    "It''s the fact that you let her do what she wanted. Look at her, you''d think you''d stand a chance against her?" asked Baldwin.


    "Hey, her not constantly biting you is the best thing that can happen to you. Nevermind having a chance against her powers. Her bite is enough to kill," said Minwoo, reminding himself of all the painful moments.


    Yan kept silent as he asked for more in his heart. To his surprise, the Old Chapel heeded his wish and gave him another helping. He inwardly thanked the Old Chapel, who gave him a bit more meat.


    "I''m, well..." was what Yan could muster for the time being.


    "You''re?" asked Minwoo, tilting his head.


    "I''m not supposed to kill her. That was not my mission."


    The entire room went dead silent. Baldwin, Gillian, and Minwoo blinked in confusion.


    "Then whose was it?'' asked the men.


    "That was supposed to be Ashley''s job," murmured Yan, taking his second round.


    Minwoo''s eyes darkened on the mention of that name. He folded his arms as he leaned back on the chair.


    "I thought you were on good terms with him?" asked Gillian, shooting a questionable look to Minwoo.


    "We used to be. He went haywire when I told him I''d sided with the Mages. That was quite a few days back. On top of it, I didn''t know that he''d disliked me from the beginning. I always thought I was good with him," said Minwoo.


    "Well, you thought wrong of your family member," said Baldwin.


    "I''ll have to agree with you on that one."


    "So, we''ll count him out?"


    The Marquess nodded.


    "The Human Hawkeye is out to get her? I''m quite impressed," said Baldwin, downing the last mouthful.


    He too ordered a second round. Meanwhile, Mavislin had been happily stuffing her face with meat and ordered the third round.


    "Why would you be?" asked Yan.


    "Do you think to target the last child of Valkoia to be an easy task?" laughed Baldwin, while swaying his head.


    "Is she that powerful?" asked Yan, looking at Mavislin.


    The little Valkyrie looked at him with a mouth full of stew.


    "I''m quite impressed that mere human could ever think of assassinating little Mavislin. If she can kill Mages, then rest assured that humans are nothing to her," explained Gillian, smiling proudly.


    "Ah, but the thing I''m interested to know is your mission. Who were you supposed to kill?" asked Minwoo.


    Yan looked guilty as he put out a bony finger towards Minwoo. The Marquess looked shocked.


    "Me? What have I done to you?!" asked Minwoo.


    "No, no... It''s just a mission from Ashley. He''d said that if I could pull it off, I could be the mafia head within the Teuton domain," elaborated Yan.


    "The poor lad hasn''t got much of choice, does he?" asked Gillian.


    "Well, I''m going to give him one. Since this involves my little brother, Ash, then I''m taking matters to my hands. I don''t want Mavislin to get involved with my sibling rivalry. Or any outsiders to mess with my family affairs."


    "I find that troublesome," finished Minwoo as his expression darkened.


    Yan''s ears perked up as Minwoo looked at him. By now, Mavislin had her fill with beef goulash and hopped out from her seat. With a small plea, the Old Chapel gave Mavislin her little toy bunny. She plopped down right in the middle of her play area.


    "If Ashley gave you the chance to be mafia head of Teuton for killing me, then I want to give you something even better. Join us in the new system we are planning out with the Mages. Where we work with each other to restore order in the domains," said Minwoo.

 Chapter 183 - The Ark Of The New Earl

    "But what will I get?" asked Yan, eyes big.


    "Geez, humans are always looking for rewards, huh? A truly corrupted mind. Do it for the sake of being kind to others," reminded Baldwin.


    Yan looked at him confusingly.


    "But isn''t that how the world works? If you do something, then you must get something in return!" yelled Yan.


    "That''s how your world works. Not others. We live by a very principle. Everyone has their version of the world. Yours has been clouded and stained. Hopefully, you''ll find a way to make your vision of the world clear again."


    "At the very least, do I get to have this every day?" asked Yan, pointing to his empty bowl.


    "You could if you ordered them to. I''m giving you the chance to be Earl of the Teuton domain," smiled Minwoo.


    "What do you mean?" asked Yan, with a blank face.


    "You see, the Earl of the Teuton domain has recently fallen from power. The riots were quite grand over there, so there''s an empty spot. As a Marquess, I could get you the spot, since Teuton is under the care of the Campania."


    "What do you mean by that?'' asked Yan, scratching his head.


    "Think of the Campania being an older brother to Teuton. It may be larger in size but the Campania as more manpower."


    "And all I need to do is..."


    "Join us to help the underworld of human society. And work with the Mages."


    "But isn''t there the system of the mafia? We rule the underworld of the Campania."


    "Yea, but it ain''t too effective. You aren''t close to Mages, because you think that they are monsters that will kill for no reason. But with what you''ve seen, I highly doubt you feel the same way as the rest of the mafia."


    "Frankly speaking, did you have the same vision as Ashley did? Or did you do it for the sake of being safe? For the sake of keeping yourself alive?"


    He stayed silent before opening his mouth to answer.


    "I thought the Mages were truly out to get us. But, after what I''ve seen, my vision has shifted to somewhere else. Somewhere that I''m uncertain of."


    "When you lose sight of your path, listen for the destination in your heart. It''ll guide you for the rest of the journey."


    "And being with the Mages, will help me in finding it?" asked Yan.


    "You are the only one that can see your destination. The Mages are just another family that wants others to find their way in the fog."


    "Do you understand what I work with every day?" asked Minwoo.


    Yan nodded.


    "I don''t work with friends or a mafia or people who mindlessly follow me around. I work with equals. I work with a family. And besides, what we have in mind is far better," said Minwoo, smiling.


    "Alright then, I''ll join you," said Yan, grasping Minwoo''s hand.


    "My life is yours to play with. I will heed by your rules from now on," said Yan, bowing down.


    To his utter surprise, Minwoo laughed wholeheartedly. He then placed a pale hand on top of Yan''s head. Ruffling his hair, Yan peered upwards to see what was so comical.


    "Your life doesn''t belong to anyone. Not me, not the Mages, not anyone but you. You are free to use your life however you like. But, you''ve got a path. The path of how to use that life. Use it well, or you''ll find yourself in the wrong face of the world."


    "I''ve already been to the wrong side of the world. Nothing can beat what I have gone through," murmured Yan, softly.


    "Trust me, Senor. You''ll go through much worse with us. But don''t worry, we''ll be by your side."


    He then gave a big, warm smile to Yan.


    "Every step of the way. We promise. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the w.o.m.b."


    That sealed his fate as he joined Minwoo and the Mages. From then on, he found countless allies and witnessed how Ashley nearly died from the hands of the same girl that invited him into the Old Chapel.


    He learned even more than what the mafia had taught him. Minwoo kept his promise and gave him the role of the Earl of Teuton. The citizens were unhappy at first, but Yan grew to be someone that cared for the little ones. This won the hearts of many.


    Soon, the entire domain wanted him to remain in power. Though he had a soft heart, his mind was steel when it came to wars and conflicts. Crimes were still on the high and the people were still scared. With Yan''s reign, he collectively gathered some old friends and made another police force.

 Chapter 184 - The Ark Of Last Memories

    The new force consisted of mafia dwellers within the domain and a few well-abled people. Those that tried to turn their backs against Yan were promptly blown up. Or assassinated by Yan''s hand. This struck fear to those that followed him but also gave a sense of belonging.


    They knew that Yan had an explosive nature, but his heart was at the right place when it comes to the safety of the people. That was what made him so likable. He could not stand those who only bring harm for nothing and they were eliminated straight away.


    He found the authorities and shined the light on the many heinous acts they''ve done. With them publicly hanged, the domain knew that this Earl was not messing around. Stalls opened once more. Those in hiding could finally see the blue sky. Children started playing once more.


    But, the path paved ahead was not pleasant, many obstacles lied ahead. But all in all, he had fun. He met Gab and found a brother in him. Grasping Minwoo''s hand was the best thing he had ever done. The journey may be tough but it was his comrades that made it enjoyable.


    He stopped loathing the world and embraced the matter of killing. He did not need to kill to make a living. He used his skills to protect the living, expecting nothing in return. It was then he finally understood what the Mages had been doing.


    Yan closed his eyes as the memories flooded back to him. The trips, the wonderful moments... He was happy, in the end. He could risk his life for the sake of others. Like how all the people that were once in his life did.


    "As the ones left to continue living, it is our responsibility to carry out the wishes of the ones who are gone."


    But he didn''t have to go out with pain. He could fun while doing so. This thought made the Earl smile. From the filth of the world, he became the domain''s Hornet. What''s the point of doing your job if you didn''t fun in the end?


    Back in real-time, the figure threw out his hand and gave a swing. The flames immediately went out, leaving the being unscathed. But despite this little surprise, this setback did not deter Yan. He then gave a flurry of explosives and shots towards the dark figure.


    However, whatever he had done, the figure remained still. As if it was halted there to charge up its energy. Well, it looked like it was absorbing the attacks. Its Aura grew ominous, more dangerous. But that was to be expected of such a powerful being.


    Yan halted his onslaught and looked at his enemy in curiosity. As he stepped closer, the Valkyrie''s eyes widened at the sudden familiarity of Aura. With the Aura finally hitting home, the Valkyrie could finally ease the odd feeling of dread within her.


    The second to remember would be Raiyen, but he could not tell just yet. But as the Aura fluctuated ever so slightly, his Time Mage instincts triggered. His mind flashed a scene of Memoria Astrum and the two pieces of information clicked. But Glitch could not save him.


    "Stop!" shouted Mavislin, rushing towards the Earl.


    As the Earl turned, a large, smoky spike came out from the figure and impaled his chest. As the figure held the spike higher, for all to see, it tossed the Earl away. The body flew across the room, slamming against the pillar with a loud splat.


    Gab freaked out when something flew out of the body and rushed to catch his buddy.


    "But how? Isn''t he?" asked Gab, frantically.


    "He was never Baldwin, to begin with. Think about it. You even had the nerve to challenge Mav about it, right?" explained Z, arming himself with his Kunais.


    He then pointed one at the figure.


    "That misinformation, wrong turns, assumptions. I knew it was too easy to be true, that I''ve found the solution. The one I met with Jeanne..."


    Mavislin stuttered slightly.


    "Was never Baldwin, to begin with."


    With wide-opened still eyes and a large gaping wound of where his heart had been, Earl Yan was down for the count. Gab began to cry as he tried to figure out a way to reanimate his buddy.


    "There''s no use. Even we can''t stand a chance against that spike," explained Raiyen.


    "Leave him be."


    That was the only words of comfort he could tell Gab as he laid eyes on the Corrupted One once more. He stood up and clenched his fists.


    "Just like a Time Mage. The last time I saw you, you got trapped in a special spell that fractured your entire existence. So, which one are you now?" asked Raiyen, brandishing his daggers.

 Chapter 185 - The Ark Of The Fourth Umbra

    "Or have you forgotten?" he asked again when he got no response.


    "Stand back, Raiyen. With your powers, only she can be on par with him," warned Z, blocking the Time Mage''s way.


    "But!" protested the Time Mage.


    The Valkyrie stood in front of the two squabbling Mages and took out her Ancient Relic. Water surrounded the shield and the winds started to gather into her hands. A large gust wind unraveled from her palm, showing off the Emerald Wave Sword.


    "I''ll defeat him alone!" she yelled, as her eyes brightened with fury and determination.


    As she slammed the shield into the ground, it revealed itself as Lord Atlantia, accompanied by the torrents of water around it. With the Ancient Relic in full activation, Z gave out the last thing for the Arks to mobilize.


    "The final Umbra. Benjamin has returned."


    Mavislin leaped from her spot and attacked the Corrupted One with a clang. Her speed had been enhanced, her strength was god-like as the two duked it out. The shadow being was not on the losing end either as his attacks were on par of his twin.


    "How can we help her?" asked Ling.


    "Yea, that''s gotta be a way to help her."


    "There''s no chance of helping her in this fight. She''s got to settle things by herself. Meanwhile, we can try to kill that thing," instructed Z as he pointed at the stained-glass window.


    The silhouette of Tiamat passed by the building, along with some screams and howls around.


    "Vernice, it''s your domain. You''ve gotta take charge now. Your forces are here, they know the area well. Use them to your advantage now!" commanded Raiyen as they rushed outside.


    "I''ll get some more help! For the moment, try to stagger that thing," said Raiyen, as he glitched away.


    The Duchess thought for a moment as Tiamat continued its rampage. Right then, the firing squad from Albion had arrived along with the remaining forces from Teuton.


    "Vernice! I''ve given you backup! It''s your turn to command them. I''ll do my best with what I have!" yelled Gab as he rushed towards the Beast.


    Z shot a few Ice spells towards the Tiamat, getting its attention away from the humans. Vernice whistled a particularly loud tune and most of her forces came to help. Her team consisted of mostly snipers but some fought using spears and swords.


    Those who could fight using weapons were sent towards the danger zone via Vernice''s command. With the firing squads of three domains, the area was filling the sound of guns ringing endlessly. Ling continued to wrestle with the serpents that were shot out.


    But as the Viscountess was running low on power against the serpents, flashes of daggers and swords appeared. In a matter of moments, the serpents were all dead. Ling was shocked as the things landed right in front of her.


    "Hiya! We''ve come from the Campania! Minwoo sent us to help!" said one of the guys that slew the serpents, as he saluted the Viscountess.


    "But he''s..." replied Ling, sadly.


    "We know. Yan has been keeping us up to date with everything. Thank the Time Mage, he was the one who gathered us just in time to do this," said the man as he leaped towards Tiamat.


    Meanwhile, Z was having a hard time trying to damage the Beast''s defenses. When the humans tried to poke it with their little sticks, it merely got tickled.


    "Great, I never thought it''d be this difficult," sighed Z as he threw another Freezing Dust at the creature.


    "Can''t you use Harmony Of Cosmos spell?" asked Raiyen as he glitched by.


    He then shot a massive ball of lighting towards Tiamat it blinded the monster for a bit but made it even angrier. The creature howled in pain as smoke appeared around its eyes.


    "I can''t keep this giant of a thing inside my mind! I''ll die!" yelled Z, giving another set of Kunais and icicles to Tiamat.


    "You think the rest of the Arks will move?" asked Raiyen.


    "Hard to tell. Perhaps the real Baldwin might show up but I highly doubt the couple will move an inch."


    "But Benjamin is around."


    "They''ll have to get through the Old Man Pond first then they can touch the Corrupted One. If any Mage gets in the way of the Valkyries'' battle, they''d be done for."


    "Crap, I''ve completely forgotten about the Old Man Pond."


    "What do you mean? How can you forget someone that fast?"


    "Well, I know how he''s going to go out but it won''t be soon."


    "I hope he won''t get himself into this mess," complained Z.


    "Yea."


    Raiyen sighed as he stopped on top of a building. He then ditched his twin blades and took out his Ancient Relic.

 Chapter 186 - The Ark Of Aetherial Bow

    "Never thought I''d have to use this. What a pain to charge it up..." grumbled the Time Mage.


    "Why do I always end up in situations that defy my lifestyle. What a pain in the neck to use this damned move. I''m an assassin, not an archer. If I wanted to be one, then I should''ve gone with Ysabeau."


    Raiyen then shook his head.


    "But this thing forced me to use something I hate. I honestly never thought this would be my last resort."


    "Use what?"


    "Snow Cap! Buy me some time!" yelled Raiyen.


    "Says the Time Mage to the Ice Mage," complained Z.


    Raiyen looked around and gave him a thumbs up.


    "Oi! At least tell me what you''re planning to do!" shouted Z, as he tilted his head to the boy.


    "Using my trump card," answered Raiyen.


    He then dived down, towards Tiamat''s head and collected his surrounding Wind Elements.


    "Bring glory to me. Bring the winds to my hands. Bring me the weapon of the Upper Skies..." chanted Raiyen as the winds started picking up.


    It was hard to chant a spell when you were right on top of your enemy. But luckily, the Primordial Beast comes from another plane of existence. Her real body lies within an area that humanity cannot touch or go to, just like the Upper Skies. This made the Time Mage''s job easier.


    "Only those wield the Forbidden Elements are granted this weapon. Only those who master the art of Lost Elements are gifted this. The power of this weapon cannot be comprehended by those on Earth or in Heaven..."


    The winds in his palm gathered and created a large bow, about the size of him. Its handle was painted lime green with cloud designs engraved onto it. Both upper and lower limbs were light blue and had a jagged design.


    He held onto the grip of the bow. Instantly, he could feel the weapon feeding off from his Time Elemental Energy. As he drew the bowstring, the streams of his Elemental Energy gathered at the sight window of the bow.


    "For I am the last Time Master. My entire existence is Time itself. This weapon is mine to behold. I draw thee, Aetherial Bow!" yelled Raiyen as the bow and arrow fully formed.


    The arrow was nearly the same as the bow but straightened out. As a large shockwave emitted from his body, Tiamat started amping her defenses as well. Raiyen then glitched upwards to the sky and turned to aim the weapon at Tiamat''s face.


    "Dosura Star: Gleaming Pulverise!" shouted Raiyen as he released the arrow.


    As the arrow flew down with immeasurable speeds, it morphed and opened a portal. As the large portal full activated within seconds, a torrent of light blue arrows rushed towards Tiamat''s face. This branched out to hit the serpents around.


    The number of arrows summoned was way more than Baldwin''s Oblivion of Spears, Ysabeau''s Archery of the Frosted Heavens or Mavislin''s Monody. The best part of this spell is that it only drains the Time Boy''s Energy to open the portal, not the number of arrows.


    The arrows are drawn from the Upper Skies, so they are not made or created by Raiyen. This allowed the attack to last longer than his other spells. Raiyen left the originally opened portal to rush behind Tiamat''s head. To Z''s amazement, the first portal stayed opened.


    Using glitch to his advantage, Raiyen opened up several more portals around Tiamat.


    "No way, I had no idea that pipsqueak could use such power. Or open that many portals," said Z, with a shocked expression.


    "What''s that giant portal?" asked Ling as she regrouped to the Ice Mage.


    "It''s a doorway leading directly to the Upper Skies. Aether, they call it. Where both Heaven or Earth cannot touch. The realm beyond the skies."


    Z pointed at the Time Mage.


    "Only those who have been there could''ve grabbed out this drastic of a weapon. Which means that..."


    A wave of sadness engulfed Z as he stumbled upon Raiyen''s secret.


    "You damned idiot. How did you manage to get there before me?" scolded Z as he looked at the magnificent scene in the sky.


    With the Time Mage''s Aura beaming out like a beacon and the torrent of arrows creating an arch against Tiamat''s face, it created a very beautiful picture. As the colors clashed with one another, Z could not help but allow a tear to roll down his cheeks.


    "Are you okay?" asked Ling, looking at Z.


    The ice Mage quickly composed himself and wipe away the tear.


    "Yea! I''m fine! Come on, let''s get that thing down while Raiyen''s keeping it busy," said Z.


    "Way ahead of you, Igor," said Gab as he fired another round of his rifle.

 Chapter 187 - The Ark Of Clash Of The Valkyries

    Meanwhile, the Valkyries continued to clash against each other. Both of them were far from winning this fight but they still had the energy to continue. Making this fight a stalemate. The two mightiest beings of the Universe were now clashing on Earth.


    This was bound to draw unnecessary attention. Flashes of gold and blue light ran around the empty hall while black, purple ones fought against it. Mavislin was still using the shield and transparent sword ass Benjamin defended himself with his bare hands.


    The thought of them sparring like this brought back old memories. Ones lost forever along with Valokia. Benjamin jumped away from the Valkyre''s shield and landed on the ground while laughing.


    "What''s so funny?" asked an angry Valkyrie.


    "Nothing. This just gives me so much nostalgia. You know, back when we were young. When we had our home in Valokia," said Benjamin, smiling.


    "Well, if it wasn''t for you, we''d still have that home," grumbled Mavislin as she placed her shield in front of her.


    "All this time, you thought it was my fault?" asked Benjamin.


    The Corrupted One vanished from his spot in an instant and appeared right at the Valkyrie''s shield. Mavislin cursed as she could anticipate her attacker''s speed.


    "That hurts me!" shouted Benjamin as he punched the shield.


    The impact of the attack was so large that it flung both sister and weapons towards the end of the hall. As a large crash occurred, Benjamin''s Aura skyrocketed. Mavislin threw her shield away just to witness Benjamin get serious in battle.


    "Howl Of the..." chanted Benajmin as he sucked in the Dark Element from all around.


    "Crap!'' yelled Mavislin as she shakily stood up.


    She then concentrated on absorbing the area''s Light Element.


    "Howl Of The..." copied Mavislin as she placed her sword down.


    "Abyss!"


    "Valkyries!"


    The two yelled at each other, a torrent of the Light Element met a torrent of the Dark Element. This sent a ground-shaking shockwave out and towards the main battle against Tiamat.


    "What was that?" asked Ling, concerned.


    "Don''t worry! It''s just the fight between siblings!" yelled Z as he continued to fire attacks at Tiamat.


    "If anything, I''m sure we''ll find a way to use the fight to our advantage against Tiamat," murmured Z, looking at the Congregation''s old Headquarters.


    He then gazed at the Time Boy. He may have been from the future, but even his future self has got limits. Raiyen won''t hold on for much longer.


    "I guess it''s time to pull out my trump card," said Z as he placed his palms onto the ground.


    Ice started to form around the ground. The area''s temperature lowered. Tiamat had felt the effect and promptly sent the serpents to Z''s way.


    "Oh no you don''t!" said Raiyen as he shot an arrow towards Z.


    "You''re not getting away from me!" shouted Raiyen.


    His Elemental Energy shot through the roof with that last statement. The arrow dispersed in front of the squatting Ice Mage and opened another wave of arrows.


    "Thank you, Time Boy," whispered Z as smiled with a broken heart.


    "Hmph. Just do that spell well. I hope it would be as great as what I saw that day," murmured Raiyen as he closed his eyes.


    Back at the duel between the mightiest beings, Mavislin wiped away the sweat from her forehead. She gave a chilling smile towards her twin.


    "Impressive. I never thought that your Howl would be as strong as a normal Valkyrie''s," said Mavislin as she straightened her back.


    She then stretched out her arms and cracked her spine.


    "That feels great."


    "You should know, Mavy. My Howl is as strong, if not, stronger than others."


    "You seem pretty confident about that."


    "You know me well, twin sis," said the Corrupted One as he straightened up.


    "Hmph," said Mavislin, as she fixated her eyes on her opponent.


    Benjamin''s Aura changed for the worse as he mumbled a few words.


    "No! How could you?!" shouted Mavislin, in utter disbelief.


    "Come, Gemini!" yelled Banejmain as his eyes flew open.


    Two familiar scythes soared through the air. Mavislin dodged the two flying weapons and looked at what her twin caught.


    "That was... Minwoo''s weapon! How could you possibly use it?!" asked Mavislin.


    "Did you think that a human could wield it?" asked Benjamin, smiling.


    "What do you mean..."


    "Still can''t understand, little sis?"


    "No human can ever wield the weaponry of Aether. The twin Scythes of Gemini, they are from the Upper Skies."


    "No ordinary Mage either. And as sure as hell, you can''t."


    "And here I stand with it."


    "That means... You truly have died..." whispered Mavislin.


    "That''s right. Only those who have passed on can draw out weapons from the Upper Skies," said Benjamin as he brandished his two large scythes.

 Chapter 188 - The Ark Of Minwoos Weapon

    "But how could Minwoo have wielded that weapon? He had it since..."


    "Simple, I''ve been hiding within his body for quite some time."


    Mavislin gasped as she gripped onto her arm. Her voice wavered as she mumbled out the Marquess''s name.


    "Then everything... All those memories and moments that we made together... They weren''t the real Minwoo?" sobbed Mavislin as she started crying.


    Benjamin shook his head as he got closer towards his crying sister.


    "You''re telling me, that it was all just a lie? Everything, everything we did together?"


    "Yes. But there are some parts that Minwoo truly did manifest. Don''t you think how odd it was when he could stay up so late? He was a Marquess, but he had no battle sense at all. When in combat, I take over."


    "But how did you end up in his body? Wouldn''t Raiyen''s body be a better vessel?"


    "I can''t enter into a Mage''s body, their defenses are too high. But when it comes to human bodies, well... It''s like walking through an open door. If the dead can walk right in, a Valkyrie could just inhabit like nothing."


    "But why Minwoo? Did you work together or..."


    "Him because he was arrogant. He thought to pretend to be nice but he was nothing but a tyrant. Wanting only power, he could turn charity to animosity within a snap. In a way, he was like me. He wanted power so I gave him that."


    "But he was so nice! Why would he pretend to be nice?"


    "If he could earn the trust of his people, then they are more likely to follow his command. Humans are like sheep, you should know by now. His reign was toxic and painful, he preys on human guilt to attain power."


    "I still don''t get it..."


    Benjamin laughed as he placed a hand on his sister''s head. He then placed his other hand on her back and pulled her close to his chest.


    "He wanted to be nice to others so that he could gain their trust and loyalty. If you were nice to me, then I would feel obligated to be nice to you as well. It works like that, but he created a far more complex way."


    Benjamin then looked at his sister with a warm smile.


    "If I saved you from someone, then you would be obliged to save me from someone, right?" asked Benjamin, in a whisper.


    She nodded as she sucked in a deep breath.


    "That means if I killed the enemy, you are to kill my enemy."


    Mavislin widened her eyes as she realized what that rule meant.


    "Then what about the Umbra that was in the Campania domain? We all thought it was that Umbra that was inside him."


    Benjamin sighed as she scratched her head.


    "Let''s just say that I decided to take a walk from my house. When I had realized someone had broken in, I was quite pissed."


    "Don''t treat Minwoo like an object! He wasn''t some house that you could walk into freely!"


    Benjamin seemed shocked but gave out a laugh.


    "Ah, but all humans are like that. Nothing but tools for us Mages to use as we please. But at least, they are useful. Unlike that damned Umbra that stole my house. That weakling dared to fight me! I promptly crushed him, of course."


    Benjamin swayed his head as he gave off a pitiful laugh.


    "That Umbra was so arrogant, that he made Minwoo a saint! The nerve of him, after all the Umbras are created by me!"


    "I thought they were Baldwin''s cousins?"


    "You still haven''t figured that out?"


    "My. my... I never thought my sis would that slow. Well, I''ll give you a little revelation. The Umbras are made by me. To be more specific, they are the upgraded versions of the Husks."


    "Another lie forged..."


    "Don''t worry, that''s just a small matter. Anyway, to my surprise, Minwoo fought to have me back. For his loyalty, I rewarded him. We made a small arrangement. For a few days, I''ll give him back his body to use. Unless he''s forced to be combat, then I''ll just sit back and sleep."


    "So that was when I cooked with him?"


    "Yes, that was your memory with him. The only one without my interference."


    Mavislin bit her lips as she kept the waterfall going.


    "Don''t be disheartened, my little sister. I prolonged his life to be with you! You should be alright with that," said Benjamin, in a reassuring voice.


    "But there''s no point if it wasn''t his life that I had spent with."


    "Join me, my beloved sister. Join me in eradicating the race of humans. We could build a new Valokia, right here on Earth. We can adopt the other Mages, they can stay."

 Chapter 189 - The Ark Of Two Shadows

    Mavislin did not answer as her eyes darkened. Benjamin did not take the hint as he continued to embrace her closer.


    "For how long?" she asked, shakily.


    "Pardon?"


    "How long were you inside of Minwoo?"


    "Ever since he had met you."


    "No..."


    She backed away with fear from her twin. Her head shook, her mind unable to comprehend the information bombarding her.


    "That''s right," said Benjamin as he extended a hand out to Mavislin.


    "I''ve been by your side all this time!"


    "Shut up!" screamed Mavislin as she covered her ears and squatted down.


    "My, my. This won''t do..."


    Benjamin shook his head in disappointment. His eyes then flew open, filled with raw power and the desire to kill. Mavislin could feel the shift of Aura and backed away as far as she could at that state.


    "I can''t have you screaming like that, you might give our position away!" shouted Benjamin.


    He then gripped his weapons and aimed it at the sobbing Valkyrie.


    "Abyss of the Horizon, Eclipse!"


    A black hole appeared behind Mavislin, sucking all that was at a close radius. The Valkyrie was nearly hurled into the black hole, but a familiar shadow shot out from the windows. The shadow then caught Mavislin just in time and tumbled to the corner of the hall.


    "You... You are that shadow..."


    "Says the Corrupted One."


    "How dare you interfere with our family reunion?!" growled Benjamin as he closed the Eclipse.


    "It ain''t a reunion if one side doesn''t want to see you. Those were some nasty things you did to my precious lil'' Valkyrie."


    "She doesn''t belong to you!"


    "She doesn''t belong to anyone!"


    Baldwin composed himself from his rage and turned towards the sobbing Valkyrie in his arms.


    "It''s alright, I''ll take charge from here. Here''s your little bunny, he missed you," cooed Baldwin as he took out Mavislin''s eyepatch bunny.


    The Valkyrie''s eyes lit up as she quickly took hold of her bunny. After receiving her precious bunny, Mavislin squeezed it and nodded. She then sat back up while hugging the bunny tightly. Baldwin gave a warm smile as he stood up.


    "I never thought I''d fight you so soon," said Baldwin, raising his eyebrow at the Corrupted One.


    He then whipped out his Pentagram Staff. His Ancient Relic was now in half activation as he pointed it at Benjamin.


    "Corrupt the aura, surround me with it. Absorb all sadness, let me have my home once more. Good shall be bad¡­ Fade to Black!" yelled Baldwin as he smiled at Benjamin.


    "Hah! Did you think that would work on me?"


    "Nope, but it did drain half of your friend''s power out there," said Baldwin with a cheeky grin.


    The area around had started to decay, walls were starting to rot. Mixing it with Benjamin''s Aura, the entire place was dreadful. He twirled the staff around and stabbed it into the ground. A large amount of the Dark Element in the area was sucked into that one Ancient Relic.


    Baldwin smiled as he closed his eyes. Snow Cap, better brace yourself, thought the Angry Man.


    "Accusations of the Betrayed!" chanted the Angry Man.


    The Pentagram on top of the staff started spinning rapidly, absorbing more Dark Elements. Mavislin''s body started to burn but she maintained a focus on the fuel in front of her.


    "Never thought you could do this. I''ve always hated the way you entered into battle. All those years..."


    "You haven''t changed a bit!" chimed the two shadows.


    The two beings launched towards each other, bringing a huge shockwave that affected the arena outside. They were on par with each other in terms of Elements. Dark against Dark is a deadly combo as the Element used could start draining others'' lives.


    Despite being an expert in the Dark Element, Baldwin found himself beginning to falter. Benjamin was dead and a dead Mage was harder to kill than a living one. He was the creator of the Husks, after all, the one race of beings in the Universe that cannot die.


    As the two shadows clashed, Mavislin took a moment to rest. She glanced outside with what little strength she had left. Tiamat was still running rampant. She then felt the surge of Elemental Energy coming from Z.


    "I hate this feeling..." murmured the Valkyrie as she lay down.


    Her finger glowed slightly as she drew the symbol of Valokia on the ground. When she was done, she murmured a small incantation. The symbol of Valokia glowed slightly. Benjamin noticed the spell and sent another form of attack towards his twin.


    "Abyss Of The Horizon..." said Benjamin, collecting his Elemental Energy with one hand.


    His other hand was busy fending off Baldwin. The Angry Man slammed the staff at him but Benjamin caught it without effort.

 Chapter 190 - The Ark Of The Power Of Oceans

    He then threw the Angry Man towards the wall.


    "Heaven''s Wheel Alter..."


    Mavislin looked at her brother with soulless eyes as her Aura changed drastically once more. As dark, purple to black streams emitted out from Mavislin''s body, Benjamin was caught off guard.


    "Eyes here, Fool!" shouted Baldwin.


    This allowed Baldwin to slam him with the Ancient Relic once more. When Benjamin landed, he shot out his arm towards Mavislin.


    "Vortex!" he commanded as he swung a purple dust storm towards Mavislin.


    "Okeanos!" yelled Mavislin.


    The entire ground cracked, first starting from the emblem of Valokia. And from the cracks, golden streams of Energy were being wrapped with Dark Elemental Energy. The streams quickly shot out and raced towards Benjamin''s direction.


    "Heh! You think that could affect me?" asked Benjamin.


    His hands went into a defensive stance as the spell came into close contact. But before he could wave it away, the streams of light look a huge turn and ran outside. Benjamin looked surprised but sighed.


    "It wasn''t for you, dear brother," grinned Mavislin as she poured what little she had left into the spell.


    "What?"


    "It was for the battle outside," whispered Mavislin, before closing her eyes.


    Benjamin spun around to look at the battle against Tiamat.


    "Eyes on your opponent, man!" shouted Baldwin as he struck the Corrupted One down again.


    "Damn it, I should put you down before looking at the scenery outside," growled Benjamin as he pushed Baldwin away.


    "So how long are you going to stay at that position?" asked Vernice as she shot a few more rounds at the serpents.


    "Until I get enough power to do this."


    Z closed his eyes and placed his hands onto the cold ground. Ice had already formed and the Mage was now kneeling in front of the portal. He shivered slightly as Mavislin''s Elemental Energy came into contact with his surroundings.


    "Both Dark and Light? You sure you can handle this?" asked Z, mumbling softly.


    He then sent a small slither of Ice towards Mavislin. The Valkyrie smiled as she hugged her plushie close to her chest.


    "Don''t worry, have as much as you want. I''ve got the Angry Man by my side," explained Mavislin, sending a stream of both Dark and Light Energy back to the Snow Cap.


    "Alright then, I''ll go maximum overdrive with this then," smiled Z as he began the incantation.


    "The sky is just a cloak over the globe, covering us from the billions of stars that are out there. Thus, there is an ocean of stars above us. Not all oceans are made out of a liquid," said the Ice Mage as the ground around froze up to Tiamat''s base.


    "Any huge amount of something gathered all together, can be used as a weapon. I wield the Element of Oceans, not Water. I command thee, abide by my will. Gather," chanted Z as the area''s sky rained down a torrential shower of lights.


    "No way! There aren''t any stars out now!" shouted a soldier as he witnessed the stars beaming down onto the earth.


    "Oh please! Stars are always there, it''s just too bright now to see them all. Just because you can''t see them means that they aren''t there," said Vernice, in a scolding manner.


    "Shine, the stars among us! Wither, the Darkness within all. Freeze, the Ice I hold! Disperse!" shouted Z as he threw three familiar-looking Kunais towards the skies.


    "Wait! Tiamat''s a single enemy, how can he do that?!" thought Raiyen, losing power.


    "Well, I highly doubt that thing is counted as a single entity," said Gab, looking at Tiamat and her pets writhing about.


    "That''s right! That Ancient Relic counts by souls, not by living entities," said Reaiyen, smiling.


    At this time, Gab and Vernice had already asked all soldiers to stand down and evacuate the citizens upwind of the enemy. Those that stayed remained in firing stance but only shot the pets if they came too close.


    Tiamat howled as it looked at the weapons that shot out to the sky. Sending her pets were futile as the Kunais could easily dodge such small creatures. As the weapons broke through the atmosphere, they made a U-turn and plunged to earth with raging speeds.


    As the Kunais picked up speed, they started to grow in size as well. By the time they hit the earth, they were as tall as Tiamat herself. Finally, after waiting for painful moments to pass, Z heard three familiar crashes. The weapons landed all around Tiamat.


    "Fortify!" shouted Z, with the blue Kunai shining brightly.


    A single, white, Heather flower bloomed at the side of the Kunai. It was facing towards Tiamat. A snow cloud was starting to form around the monster.


    "Winter''s Castle!" yelled the Ice Mage once more.

 Chapter 191 - The Ark Of Three Kunais

    The flower spun wildly and gathered up more snow. A large appearance of castle walls formed from the dense snow cloud, caging the huge thing in its icy fortitude. All serpents trapped within were easily frozen, leaving Tiamat vulnerable.


    Her howls kept the ice away from its body but there was no telling how long it could last.


    "Damn, I''d better focus all on Tiamat," said Raiyen, closing some of the portals, including Z''s.


    Z shot out an arm, in the direction of the red Kunai. The red Kunai glowed as the Achilllea flowers popped out from the Kunai and shot towards Tiamat''s form.


    "Barrage!" called out Z as the flowers rained down on Tiamat''s body, causing explosions all around.


    Along with stardust gathered in the flowers, Tiamat screamed in pain as it tried to swat away the flowers. The more they scattered, the more explosions it caused.


    "Alleviate!" shouted Z, with slight hesitation.


    As the green Kunai lit up, the Eglantine roses on it rushed around Tiamat''s wounds and healed them up.


    "Hah! What was your best buddy thinking?!" laughed Benjamin as he witnessed the scene outside.


    "Healing an enemy? He might as well invite her for tea!"


    Baldwin held his staff tightly and aimed it at the laughing Corrupted being.


    "As I said, you should pay attention to the enemy in front of you. One step at the time, I''ll say," said Baldwin, smiling.


    "After all, you have no clue about the person standing right in front of you."


    "We are the same, in terms of Elemental Energy."


    "Not true. I hold more than the Dark Element," smiled Baldwin, cracking his knuckles.


    With his Ancient Relic in the first half of activation, its whip was then divided into smaller pieces. These pieces rushed to the back of Baldwin, hovering slightly in the air. As the ropes straightened out, Baldwin gestured his spell to decimate Benjamin.


    "Oblivion of Spears!" yelled Baldwin, sending a tsunami''s worth of spears to Benjamin.


    Being the Valkyrie he was, he simply extended his ebony wings. Similar to Mavislin''s just with different colors. But the wings that he held were small compared to his sister''s. For the record, it was dropping quite a few black feathers all around.


    "Abyss Of the Horizon: Chaos Reign!" shouted Benjamin as the feathers turned into mini bombs all around.


    "Black Wave Hibiscus!" summoned Mavislin, with what she had in reserve.


    The giant flower appeared as Mavislin shot out her arm, the same one used for the Fire Storm Lance. As the petals started to crack, her arm started to waver as old wounds reopened.


    "I thought you didn''t have wings?!" asked Baldwin.


    "All Valkyries have them. I''m still one, you know," shrugged Benjamin as he threw more spells at Baldwin.


    "Sorry if it wasn''t as grand as my twin''s wings. After all, she''s got the Empress Wings. I only possess the rank of mere Peasant," said Benjamin, flapping his wings.


    "Hmph," said the Angry Man, as he stabbed the staff onto the ground once more.


    "Mav!"


    Mavislin extended her wings and flew out of the building. Yet, she only had enough for a few seconds before plummeting onto the ground below. But a familiar blue light-tinted boy rushed over and scooped the Valkyrie just before she could touch the ground.


    "Yo, need a prince?" asked Raiyen, with a giant smirk.


    "I''ll have a little one please," replied Mavislin, with her cheeky grin showing.


    Ass the two rested their gaze on Tiamat, Mavislin''s eyes widened. Each time the monster''s wounds had healed, another wound would come to replace it.


    "Now that''s sadistic. Never thought he would pull off such a thing. Even if I''m older than the Time Frame now, this is still quite extreme. Operation Nemesis was far better off in this scenario. It was devastating but it was better than this," replied Raiyen, looking away in disgust.


    "I''ll call that heartless," said Mavislin, shaking her head.


    As the duo got to higher ground, the rest of the Five Kings regrouped with them. With Vernice visibly horrified.


    "You Mages are another thing entirely! It ain''t human!" complained Vernice, hiding behind Gab.


    Raiyen carefully placed the Valkyrie back onto her feet and shot a questioning glance at the Duchess.


    "I hope I''m not part of those ''Mages''," said Raiyen.


    "Of course you are! Which human can ever pull that off?!"


    "But I''m human..." pouted the poor Time Boy.


    Mavislin hugged the little prince and patted the Duchess''s head. After trying to calm her down, they looked at the entire battlefield. With the three giant Kunais shining, it was ready to be activated.


    But Z''s Ancient Relic was not the only Relic that has been mobilized. As both the Angry Man and Benjamin gradually got serious, Baldwin was just about to pop.

 Chapter 192 - The Ark Of Requiem Of The Stars

    "With the first, this power has been dispersed," said Z.


    A surge of light beamed from the red Kunai and towards the blue one, creating a giant white wall in between. As Tiamat touched it, the serpents sent froze over.


    "First Chapter; Absorb," said Baldwin as he took the staff and plunged it into the floor.


    Streams of Dark Elements began to leak from unknown cracks. Benjamin sneered as he realized what was Baldwin up to. The more he tried to conjure up his Element, the more fuel Baldwin had for his Relic.


    "With the second, this spell is beckoned."


    The blue Kunai shot out a beam of light towards the green Kunai, creating another barrier. Tiamat released another howl, trying to destroy the Kunais. But the three pillars of light were not budging. However, Z''s fingertips were showing signs of necrosis, an overhaul of Elemental Energy.


    "Second Chapter; Conserve."


    Angry Man''s staff grew slightly, in terms of size and weight. Cracking the ground, Baldwin''s Elemental Energy was being transferred over to his Ancient Relic.


    "With the third, this voice is heard."


    At last, the final wall was completed as the red and blue Kunai were linked together. Tiamat stopped howling and started thrashing about, inducing more pain onto her body.


    "Third Chapter; Unleash."


    Baldwin''s staff completely let chaos reign as Dark Elemental Aura engulfed the area. Benjamin stood still, allowing the huge wave of Darkness to slam him.


    "You sure about standing still?" asked Baldwin, raising his eyebrows.


    "Why not? It''s a free meal for me."


    "As I invoke these three pillars, I open up the lore of this weapon," said Z, as he stood up slowly.


    "As I implore the chapters, I unbind the chains of this solemn chant..." recited Baldwin as he increased his planet''s power within him.


    "What the hell?!" cursed Benjamin, looking at the Darkness around him.


    "Hearken these words... Trilohiya ng mga bituin (Trilogy Of The Stars)!" yelled Z, as the entire triangle beamed in full light.


    Tiamat screamed for one last time before the light engulfed her.


    "Sing this mournful song... Requiem of the Dead!" shouted Baldwin, as a deluge of power raked through the vicinity.


    Streams of darkness clung onto anything that could move. As it touched the old flags that had once decorated the halls, they were instantly broken down into shreds. Benjamin flew around, trying to escape but was useless against the last Shadow Being in the Solar System.


    The streams caught hold of Benjamin, forcing him to stop in his tracks. Whatever those streams touched would decay and fall apart. But against a Mage that had already died, no one could tell what could happen.


    "To be honest, I''ve no idea what would this do... I''m just taking a chance here," said Baldwin, with his smile beaming towards Benjamin.


    "Killing you ain''t an easy feat to accomplish, mate," added Baldwin, leaning against his staff.


    "Usually, no normal Mage can kill me... But," said Benjamin as he looked at his limbs.


    But it seemed that Benjamin was having trouble with the spell as his limbs started to decay. As he tried to yank his feet out, the foot instantly rotted and disappeared. This forced the Corrupted One onto his knees.


    "Perhaps, I could finally find the one thing to kill me..." mumbled Benjamin as he cracked a solemn smile.


    Mavislin looked at the old area of the Congregation, where Benjamin and Baldwin were fighting at. Her arm reached out as if to grasp something or someone. Raiyen gripped onto her slender hand.


    "Something the matter, Sweets?" asked Raiyen, tilting his head.


    "Huh? Oh, it''s nothing. I just thought I heard Benjamin call out to me..."


    "We tried, so many of us died because of your Corruption. And your wish was to die?" asked Baldwin, shaking his head.


    "You think I wanted to kill?"


    Baldwin widened his eyes.


    "Everyone thought that I wanted to kill... But must all bad guys in the book be murderers? Why do all enemies must have a want to kill?"


    He closed his eyes once more as Z''s Ancient Relic plunged the two into bright light.


    Benjamin awoke to a space of nothingness. He looked around and walked for a bit. He then chanced upon two young girls who were playing with flower crowns. One had a Dark Elemental Aura around her while the other had the polar opposite.


    Two Mages with conflicting power... Playing make-believe with the meadows underneath them.


    "Mavy?" asked Benjamin.


    A small, silhouette of a child ran towards Benjamin. Instinctively, Benjamin opened up his arms, only to have the little girl run right through him. He looked surprised but spun around.


    "All we wanted, all I wanted... Was to embrace my twin once more..."


    A single tear ran down the ex-Valkyrie''s cheek.

 Chapter 193 - The Ark Of Her Family, His Enemy

    "Yes, all I wanted was to fix myself. All I wanted when I signed up for that experiment, was to cure myself. I didn''t want to hurt her or mom and dad. I just wanted to be with my family again."


    His voice cracked as his tears poured down like a cascade.


    "Why... Did I have to... Bring so much pain to my sister? I only wanted to love her, that''s all I wanted!"


    The little girl with chestnut brown hair and matching eyes ran right into the arms of a renowned couple of the Congregation, Gillian and Ysabeau Meslander. Benjamin reached out but quickly retracted his hand.


    "That''s right. She found a family. The one thing I took away from her," smiled Benjamin as he looked from a distance.


    The small Valkyrie giggled as Ysabeau tickled her tiny tummy. The last of the Akis placed a small kiss on the girl''s temple. The child opened her arms and hugged the couple with a cheerful smile. A shadowy figure emerged behind Gillian and snatched the little girl up.


    But to Benjamin''s shock, the little girl merely squealed with laughter as she clenched both her plushy and the Angry Man''s strong arms. But a familiar flash of blue light and the little girl was gone. A cheeky Time Mage hugged the wee lass as the Angry Man hurled some insults.


    The Child Of Time stuck out his tongue at the shadow while the child laughed at the raging shadow. Just then, a plump-looking man with curly hair slapped the Angry Man''s head.


    "Peanut!" shouted the little girl as she launched herself to the Ice Mage''s face.


    Slowly, figures of the Five Kings emerged from the back. Z placed the Valkyrie back onto the ground. As she touched the ground, she grew slightly, to a teenager. Minwoo Kim Dalles, being the friendliest human there is, hugged the slightly older Valkyrie.


    Ashley stepped out from behind Minwoo, carrying a sniper rifle. But the young Valkyrie merely smiled and hugged the stick man as well. He looked shocked but conceded defeat. The entire group looked happy, especially for the little girl in the middle.


    "How I wished...That they were my family as well... But alas, how could I wish for something so foolish?"


    Benjamin gave out a pitiful laugh and threw his head back in sheer madness and shame. He then saw Ashley disappear, followed by Minwoo and then Yan.


    "I killed Yan without any remorse. I took out Ashley because I wanted to advance into Minwoo''s body. I used Minwoo as a vessel to get to Mavis. I destroyed the last Conjurer of the Stars using my Corruptions. I forced the event of the Mage Who Walked Through Time..."


    "I''ve done all these treacherous things... Her family, my enemy... How could I possibly think that I could win my sister back?"


    He let out another laugh of regret and pain. But it seemed that his self-reflection caught the attention of the star in the group. The Valkyrie broke away from the group and ran towards Benjamin.


    His eyes widened as Mavislin managed to hug him. He was reluctant but soon gave in the urge within him to hug his sister once more.


    "I didn''t want to harm anyone... I just wanted to..." sobbed Benjamin as he looked at the fading family.


    "I know, I know..." comforted Mavislin as she patted her brother.


    "Be with you again..."


    Mavislin gently pulled back to see her twin''s crying face. She then took out her stuffed toy for Benjamin to see. Her iconic grey bunny with a black bowtie and matching eyepatch. She smiled warmly as she passed the bunny to her twin.


    "Family!"


    With that said, Benajmin closed his eyes and awaited the dream to be over. One that he could never remember. One he could never hope of seeing it in real life. As the light died, both Tiamat and Benjamin were gone.


    "Finally, the last of the Umbras has died..." said Gab, heaving a sigh of relief.


    "Not quite," said Raiyen as he looked at the evening skies.


    "What do you mean?" asked Vernice.


    "The last Umbra can''t be killed. Even if we wanted to, even if he had wished to... He''s a being that cannot die," said Baldwin, walking towards the group with the help of his staff.


    "Cannot die, eh? Hmph, that''s a spoiler. Even for lil'' ol'' me," laughed Raiyen as he gripped onto Mavislin''s hand.


    "You''ve been holding my hand for quite some time. Are you ever gonna let go of it?" asked Mavislin, lifting her arm.


    "Can''t help it. I''ve missed you so much!" said Raiyen, ruffling the Valkyrie''s hair.


    "Stop!"


    Vernice looked disgusted while Ling started to blush. Gab and Baldwin both shook their heads in disappointment.

 Chapter 194 - The Ark Of Secrets

    Z merely went up to the two kids and proceeded to punch the rascal away from Mavislin. Everyone looked shocked while Z looked satisfied. With a pocket of silence came the giggles of the Angry Man.


    "I''d never imagined you would have the mind to punch him," laughed Baldwin.


    "What the hell was that for?!" yelled Raiyen as he got up from the ground.


    "For lying."


    "Ah. Took you a while to figure that out, eh?"


    "For the sake of our little girl here, I won''t reveal your tiny secret. But, that punch felt good."


    "We''ve all got secrets to keep, don''t we? Some of us have to take it to the grave."


    Just then, a few Time Portals started to open up around Raiyen. Some were flashing blue while others were shades of green. The Mages made sure that the humans weren''t in contact with those swirling things of Time.


    "Overstayed your Time here?" asked Z, raising an eyebrow.


    "You could say that as well. But, I''ll be seeing you guys very soon. That''s for me. For you lot, I''m not sure. But my younger self should be coming home very soon."


    He then walked over the Mavis gave her a tight hug. As he released her, he kissed her hand. The Valkyrie freaked out and looked away in embarrassment. He then smirked and walked towards a blue portal. He stopped in his tracks and spun around.


    "Well, it was fun, fighting with you lot! Just remember this note. Just because Benjamin isn''t here means that the Husks won''t come. Both can visit you guys. But by that time, you''ve got the planet''s strongest Mages with you," warned Raiyen, with a charming smile.


    "See ya!" said Raiyen, waving his hand as he fell backward into the portal.


    The group bid him goodbye but Mavislin was the only one who saw the beautiful gold ring on his left index finger.


    "Hold on a minute! Raiyen!" yelled the Valkyrie.


    She tried to grab hold of him but it was too late. The future Raiyen and his little Time Portals had disappeared.


    "What did you want to ask him?" asked Gab.


    "Nothing... Perhaps I''m just tired."


    "Aren''t we all?" asked Z.


    "So, what do we do next?" asked Ling.


    "You Kings have a mission to do and that''s to restore normality around here first. You guys are down with two members, so we''ve asked for some help to guide you guys," explained Z, showing two familiar faces to the group.


    That is, familiar only to Mavislin.


    "Jeanette!" yelled Mavislin.


    "Mavis!" shouted the French Maiden as the two girls approached each other in happiness.


    "I''m so glad you weren''t too hurt!" said the lovely young maiden.


    "I''m glad that you are safe too!"


    "Ahem," said a certain hot-tempered princess.


    "Oh? The whore of Babylon has returned?" asked Mavislin with a cheeky grin.


    "I''ve been standing here all this while!" screamed the girl.


    "Sorry, your existence was not important enough for me to render any attention for my eyes," said Mavislin.


    "Why you... How dare you?!"


    "Your book of insults is quite interesting, Mavislin," said Z, stifling a laugh.


    The rest of the Kings had lost control and started laughing as the princess started getting redder by the moment. Jeanne D'' Arc merely swayed her head and asked the two to knock it off. Soon, the Kings and the two helpers were on their merry way, leaving the Mages to their devices.


    "Well, no humans left around here. Let''s go home, shall we?" asked Z, placing his hand behind his head.


    Mavislin smiled for a split second, only to realize what was waiting for her if she ever went back. Her smile was comical as her mind created a bunch of scenarios on what the old couple would do to her. After all, she had broken their rules.


    "What''s wrong? Scared of what Gil and First Lady would do to you?" asked Z, raising an eyebrow.


    The Valkyrie nodded slowly, her expression never leaving her face. Baldwin gave a bitter laugh while arching his back.


    "Don''t worry. I''ve gotten the worst of it. It won''t be so bad once you reach there," grumbled Baldwin.


    "What did they do to you when I was away?" asked Z, confusingly.


    "Best not to bring up memories of scars, mate."


    The Angry Man composed himself and summoned up the Puka. He then pulled his old buddy up onto his stead. As he readied the Puka, the Valkyrie extended her wings and took flight. Though the battle had taken most of her energy, she should have just enough to go back home.


    "I''ll try not to think about it," said Mavislin.


    "Don''t worry, you''ll be fine," said Z, looking at the concerned Valkyrie.


    "You sound like Minwoo," laughed Mavislin in bitterness.

 Chapter 195 - The Ark Of After A Month

    "Took you rascals long enough to come back," commented Gillian as he sat down on his sofa.


    "Yea, didn''t expect we would meet the Corrupted One on the way," said Baldwin, making the Puka vanish.


    "Did you finish him off?"


    "Hardly, but I can confirm that the Umbras have been eradicated from the earth. With the leader escaping," explained Z.


    "The leader being?"


    "Benjamin himself."


    "Hmm, so that brat did not lie at all... I assume that we would be facing the Husks next?" asked Gil, sipping on some warm milk.


    "Let''s hope not. Most likely, Old Man Pond''s gonna pop back up. Which brat are you referring to?" asked Baldwin, raising his eyebrows.


    "Shall I let him explain the situation to you?"


    A familiar flash of light appeared and a certain Time Mage was met eye to eye with the Angry Man.


    "Hey, Gil said you missed me," said the young Time Mage.


    "Yea, I missed you for being my target practice."


    "You''ve got to have something called ''aim'' before having a target," laughed Raiyen as he approached Mavislin.


    "On the other hand, I missed my partner in crime," said Raiyen, cuddling the exhausted Valkyrie.


    His eyes laid on her burnt up arm. His expression darkened as he gently massaged the arm.


    "And how did you pull that off? That spell should be taxing, even for a Valkyrie. It requires a limb."


    "Fire Storm Lance. Never thought that lending that book to you would do so much damage," said Gil, pointing at Mavislin''s arm.


    "Well, it did manage to take down the Umbras. I''d say it did a tonne of damage," said Mavislin.


    The Aki''s wife stood near the crackling fireplace. For such a tense situation, the atmosphere portrayed warmth and comfort. As for Ysabeau, she could hardly control her tears when glancing at her little Valkyrie. All battered and bruised with a cheeky smile.


    "Ma, I''m home," said Mavislin, rubbing the back of her head in shyness.


    Ysabeau blinked a few times before rushing to the teenager to give her a warm embrace.


    "You silly child. You made me worried sick!" exclaimed Ysabeau as she let her tears flow freely.


    "I know, I''m sorry. But Ma..."


    The Valkyrie hung her in shame as recent memories of Minwoo and her twin flashed through her mind. Her eyes were the floodgates as hot tears pushed through. With a crying Valkyrie standing by the fireplace, the Time Mage was deniably scared.


    It was rare for her to cry, even if she had lost a match, she''d still get back up. Thus, seeing her in a state like this, Raiyen felt terror rack through him. He stood there, rooted to the ground. Z went up to the pale boy.


    "You... You didn''t do anything wrong, you know?" said Z, trying to unfreeze the poor boy.


    Ysabeau tried her best to ease the crying Valkyrie. It had been a while since she had this much tears going through her eyes.


    "Minwoo''s death had a huge effect on her, eh?" asked Gil, ruffling the girl''s hair.


    "It''s not Minwoo''s death that she''s upset about. It''s something else," said Z as he scooped the crying Valkyrie up.


    "Where are you taking her?" asked Raiyen, following the chubby Igor.


    "Back to her room. She needs a timeout for a bit."


    "I''d say that would be her punishment. After all, she left us for an entire month."


    "A month?! Sure doesn''t feel like it to me. I''d been away for that long as well?!" asked Raiyen, shocked.


    "How long has it been for you, Time Boy?"


    "A few days..."


    "And who''d you last see?"


    "The big three. On a cliff. In Russia. You called it ''Operation Barbarossa''. Gil used his Ancient relic. You three seemed to have an in-depth discussion but I was too far away to hear about it."


    "Hm. It must have been something bad since Gil rarely uses his Ancient Relic to attack. You seriously need to get your Time in check."


    As the two opened the door, a wave of nostalgia slammed into the Valkyrie''s face. She blinked a few times before fully opening her eyes. Her hands rummaged about, trying to feel the soft surface of where she had been lying on.


    But a set of scrawny fingers gently cupped her moving hands.


    "Raiyen? You still in here?" she asked, her voice raspy.


    Raiyen looked concerned as he took an entire pot of tea and fed it to his Valkyrie.


    "A month of leaving this place... I never thought I would be so happy to see this place again," smiled Mavislin as she got up slightly.


    "And I never thought I''d been away for so long. I meant it when I said I missed you," whispered Raiyen as he hugged the young girl.

 Chapter 196 - The Ark Of Mission From Gil

    "Yea, I missed you too," replied Mavislin, eyes darting away from the Time Boy.


    Her hands gripped onto her fluffy blanket once more. Her expression was serious as she looked at Raiyen once more. It felt like a huge weight to carry right after the elimination of two of the Five Kings. Raiyen snuggled her close to try to take her mind off of things.


    "The future you helped out in the battle against the Umbras. He warned us that the Old Man Pond will return soon," explained Mavislin, rubbing her arm.


    "Yeah sounds like what I would be doing. But the returning of that snake would not be my prediction," replied Raiyen, placing a finger under his chin.


    "Not your prediction? Then whose prediction will it be? You''re the only Time Boy here," replied the sassy Valkyrie.


    "Well, Gil was already discussing plans to seek out Old Man Pond. And currently, he''s got a job for me."


    "You''re going away again?"


    "Most likely after this upcoming feud has been quelled. But I can manage the mission in under a day, so it shouldn''t be a problem."


    Raiyen pulled out a piece of parchment from his coat and opened it up. He then flipped the intrusion over and passed it to Mavislin to read it. Her eyes skimmed through the page. She sighed and handed him back the parchment.


    "That''s asking the impossible. Going into the future, particularly that future."


    "You know about the event?"


    "Not enough to give you a proper explanation. All I know it''s that there are going to be two of them in total. The major event. But this particular even in just one of the many in those two instances."


    "And how''d you know?"


    "Gil is an Aki. They are the only beings in the Universe to have access to the Universe''s archives. That''s why they aren''t allowed out of the Akhaten Belt."


    "Prisoners?"


    "Imagine. All of time and space. Whatever information you needed, which empire fell, who had been born... All at the hands of Akis. They were the ones who wrote every single thing that happened and preserved them in the form of books."


    "Yea, I''d prefer those people to watch only. Hang on, why is the mission near impossible?"


    "Aren''t you worried about the missing event? If the unseen problem has the control of taking out certain events in history, won''t it be impossible to capture it? Just looking at the problems won''t be enough to fix the patches in history."


    "I know, but I have got no choice but to see and access the problem first. In total, three points in history do not add up. All results of these events have been eradicated from the books. If we allow that entity to continue, the whole foundation of history will collapse."


    "For the earth''s history or the Universe''s?"


    "If the earth''s history fell, then the Time Frame for the earth to thrive will also be affected. The Mages that have sought earth as refuge would never have existed., This''ll bring a ton of chaos for all Time Frames."


    "But the existence of different possibilities should debunk this, right?"


    "Not necessarily. Sometimes it doesn''t affect the rest of the Time Frames. But most of the time, the Time Frames get jumbled up. If you took away the root of a giant oak tree, then the whole tree comes crashing."


    "But how about Z''s case? Wasn''t he from a parallel Universe?"


    "Yea, but the roots of the Universe had collapsed."


    "Then won''t we be dead too?"


    "Each Universe has its set of Time Frames. We Time Mages view each Universe as a cinematic record. And each Universe represents a reel of frames. This Universe is one and Z''s original home is another. That reel had been destroyed so he jumped into this one."


    "But his transfer wasn''t a proper one. He''d arrived earlier than humans or Mages. These are the complications of Stitching, the act of combining two events that should never occur."


    Raiyen stood up and sighed. The Valkyrie proceeded to stand up as well but was promptly stopped by the activation of the Time Mage''s power.


    "You stay here. I can''t risk you getting hurt again," replied Raiyen, looking at his daggers.


    Mavislin looked defiant as she tried getting up once more. In a single strong push, Raiyen had the rebellious teen pinned onto her bed.


    "Look at you, you can''t even move... You''re in no condition to fight. You''ve done a lot to help us against the Umbras. Now, all you need is to recover your strength and leave this small matter up to me."


    As Mavislin remained silent, Raiyen gave her a small peck on both of her before releasing her. Her face turned red quickly.


    "I''ll be back."

 Chapter 197 - The Ark Of Snowy Plains

    After that argument with her, Z had headed over towards the cold country to meet up with Gillian and Baldwin. He steadied himself not to let the other two know about his little altercation with the High Queen.


    Meanwhile, a certain Time Frame Hopper was standing near the mountainsides, snugged in his little Time Pocket.


    "Why do I always get the coldest areas?" complained Z, as he looked around the snowy plains.


    "Well, your Ark is called the Blizzard Faction," replied Baldwin.


    "Well, Angry Man. Just because I''m an Ice Mage means that I would like the cold. It''s just something of my advantage."


    Gillian''s stare was the same as the area. He did not care about the two bickerings and had questions of his own.


    "Why did you let those soldiers go back to Amsterdam?" asked Gillian.


    Z''s gaze was complex but did not hide the truth.


    "Orders from the High Queen. Besides, she did go back to finish the job," he replied, swiftly.


    "Question was why," asked Baldwin.


    Gillian remained silent while Baldwin seemed annoyed. He looked irritated at Z''s plain defiance.


    "Answer is; I will not defy the order given from the second in command. I don''t wish for a death sentence," explained Z, calmly.


    Baldwin scoffed.


    "Her mission was to scout out, that''s why I''d order her to go, alongside you lot. Didn''t expect you guys to meddle with the civilian affairs," stated Gillian, in a rather annoyed tone.


    The blizzard did not hinder the three''s view of the oncoming German Army. If Raiyen and Mavislin were known as Partners in Crime, then those three were known as the Trio. Raiyen remained in his Time Pocket, only changing the location of it to be nearer to the Trio.


    Z turned abruptly, facing the Time Mage. Raiyen''s heart skipped a beat. Perhaps he''s underestimated their powers after a huge jump in Time. But he quickly relaxed when Z just wanted to look away from the pair''s eyes.


    Mavislin had known about Raiyen''s Time Frame Hopping, Z had played along by asking Raiyen why was he in Germany. Mavislin then explained to him that he was supposed to be in Singapore. That was the place he was buried at, where his family will start to bloom.


    Right the moment, Raiyen''s only mission from Gillian was to find out more about Operation Barbarossa. This particular moment in history had disappeared from Gil''s books. Not the entire Operation itself for the humans, but the dabbling of the Mages there.


    The powers used there remained blank in the books. There was no evidence or script for the aftermath, or which Mages were involved. things like these, empty small holes in Time, needed to be patched fast.


    "Pretty dumb for them to march through the coldest part of the USSR. They might as well invite the enemy for tea," commented Baldwin.


    "This would be an easy win for the Soviet Union''s side. The Nazis should''ve seen this coming," replied Z.


    "But they didn''t. Shows how ''power-hungry'' they are for the land. Creating more camps..."


    The thought of that made sent chills down the Ice Mage''s spine.


    "It won''t bother us since Z''s power functions well in these harsh conditions."


    "The USSR Armies has not been mobilized yet. They seemed too relaxed for an invasion. Looks like a surprise attack," said Baldwin.


    Gillian shook his head.


    "Soviets have arrived but are severely outnumbered compared to the Nazis,", explained Gillian, pointing at the activated Soviet troops.


    The two groups roared with adrenaline and began their fight. With the German''s army lack of knowledge of snow, it would seem that USSR would have the victory in the bag. Raiyen seemed confident but there was no telling of the outcome.


    Though the Germans were underprepared, they still held onto their battlegrounds. The Time Mage sneered at the power-hungry Nazis. What fools were they, refusing to die. But the next event caught the young Mage''s interest.


    Z stood in front, gathering up both the Elements of Wind and Ice. Soon, the blizzard was now in his command. Both sides of the battlefield were now engulfed by the raging wind. But USSR had grown accustomed to the freezing conditions even if the winds were behaving oddly.


    Hence, they continued fighting, leaving the Nazis at a huge disadvantage. The terrain was not their best suite and now the weather has changed for the worst. Explosives were starting to freeze, inclusive of other warfare.


    Z closed his eyes and concentrated a large amount of Ice and Wind Element in his palms, near his chest.


    "Assemble the winds. Conjure up snow. In my right hand, an evil storm gathers. In my left hand, I control the blizzard. My vision may be blurred but my heart is true."


    "Heed my command, Operation Barbarossa!"

 Chapter 198 - The Ark Of Rage Of A Headmaster

    He propelled the Blizzard directly towards about a battalion of the Nazis'' personnel, destroying their front line. Both sides were puzzled, how could the blizzard be biased, only affecting the Nazis'' side of the battlefield?


    "This battle is not over yet," said Headmaster as he stepped closer to the snowy cliff edges.


    Raiyenn instinctively stood away from the trio, appearing back to his original spot. In that area, he could witness how much damage did the Headmaster''s Ancient Relic dealt. The true power of the Book Of Code.


    "Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite! Confuse their strategy! Jumble their memories! Let them remember, what is fake. Let them remember, what is real. Destroy their minds, Memories of Nobody!" yelled Gillian as he engulfed both parties with the spell.


    Z was surprised that the man before him would pull off such a disastrous move. Blinded by rage, ignoring the fallen soldier''s words, he had wreaked havoc upon both sides of the battlefield with the single incantation from the Book Of Code he held within his hands.


    He could''ve been helpful, kind even. But today, he chose not to. That''s why the trio set out on this mission alone. To prevent the rest from seeing what Gillian was capable of when you pushed his bottom line.


    He wasn''t a hero, a warrior or a monster. Not even a Headmaster. He was just a bloke who just wants his brother back. Baldwin watched with a blank expression as if he had known that Gillian will respond to the humans in this manner.


    As the soldiers from both sides of the battlefield were screaming from the hallucinations, Gillian found it sadistically satisfying to watch. The man that stood above the rest, who was aloof from the fields of war was now taking part in one. Not for defending, but for vengeance.


    At that moment, he wasn''t himself. And Z knew that far too well, he knew what was going to happen if they don''t stop their leader from trying to kill the rest of the human race. And that was the most terrifying sight to behold; seeing your leader lose his sanity.


    The soldiers were holding their heads in agony. Dropping their guns, they fell to their knees. Twisting in anguish, they shook their battlefield with their tormented wails. This was the ultimate of the man who wielded that spell.


    A leader''s wrath. The anger of a respectable man. The rage of the Headmaster.


    "Do you think Raiyen would be proud?" asked Z, as he looked upon the carnage that the Headmaster had created.


    By the time the trio had spoken a word, the soldiers were trying to yank their hairs out from trying to stop the misery they felt.


    Raiyen felt empty, no sign of emotion ran through his mind. He was here because of an important mission, so looking at the state of delirium was redundant. Feelings in work meant nothing. The only thing to deduce from the scene now was just how powerful Gillian was.


    "They deserved it. They have taken our people and murdered them," replied the man who was seething with rage.


    "We''ve worked so hard for the peace treaty to be in action. Don''t you think you''ve gone a bit too far, Gillian?" asked Z, voice cracking.


    The Headmaster remained silent. Z looked at the Headmaster in distrust. Raiyen raised his eyebrow, that was the first time he heard Z''s voice crack. But in that situation, he would not be challenging the Headmaster''s words or actions.


    The man who willingly raised two kids and shaped them into great people was now killing, persecuting, the soldiers of the battlefield. The person who brought all of the Arks together was now going back on his word, the main mission of the organization he had founded.


    "What''s the point of killing the rest of them? Will you be able to bring your younger brother back?" asked Baldwin, seemingly able to trigger something from Gillian''s memory.


    Those words continued to ring within the mind of the Headmaster. Where had he heard it before? His wife? His brother?


    "It was from you and your wife, you know. Those are the words you asked me when I had destroyed the town which burnt my daughter alive."


    Z looked lost. Since when did that happen? Raiyen looked even more confused. He''d known about Abi but he didn''t know by that time, the couple and Angry Man knew about each other.


    "Time and time again, they''ve always betrayed us. How long more shall we wait to take action? How much more losses can we take?" asked Gillian, increasing the power of Memories Of Nobody.


    "But no matter what, we can''t stoop to their level. This isn''t what we wanted. This isn''t who you are," pleaded Z, trying to rescue the situation.

 Chapter 199 - The Ark Of Bravery

    "Isn''t that who you are? Man, I''ve done worse. I''ll keep a mental note not to share it with Z. He''s such a nagger when it comes to destruction or having mercy," whispered Raiyen, shaking his head.


    "How''d you think the kids would react if they see you like this? Mavis lost too much, we all did. You are our leader. What''s gonna happen if the leader buckles down from pressure?" asked Baldwin.


    Gillian clenched his fists in fury.


    "I''m sick of putting a front up against people. I''m tired of losing people. I can''t win, every time I try to, I always end up losing someone important. Because of our defeat, I''ve taken away the one that made Mavis happy," replied Gillian, looking at the soldiers.


    Raiyen looked confused. What did mean by ''taken away the one that made Mavis happy''? Certainly not him, right? Half of his mind wanted to intervene but the instruction in his coat said no.


    "I can''t continue to be like this. Every time someone dies, I would end up facing the rest of you guys with bravery. Always the one to withstand the pain, the agony, the urge to break down and cry..."


    Raiyen looked at the state of the Headmaster in front of him. He felt pity for the man yet he didn''t feel like helping him. If you are that weak within a war, then the battlefield is not for you. Never regret the choices made. Be proud of those choices.


    "Today, I''d have enough of this. Time to stop being brave," said Gillian, as his strong facade was starting to break down.


    "And who said you have to stop being brave to save people? Who says that you''ve got to suffer alone? And who determined that you had to put up a front against your family?" asked Baldwin, getting somewhat pissed.


    "I just want to win. If I''d won, he would''ve been still by our side. If I had tried to stop being compassionate for once, I wouldn''t have detained my anger and power. He''d still be alive. Mavis won''t be able to change into the ruthless person she is now. If we''d won..."


    Ruthless? His little Valkyrie, ruthless? Raiyen was getting even more confused at what they were saying. Just then, Z took hold of Gillian''s shoulders. And then proceeded to shake the crushed man before him.


    "It''s not about winning, man! It''s never about that. Any old bloke could win under the right circ.u.mstances. It''s more difficult to protect. Even harder to forgive. You would require great amounts of bravery to protect the ones that you love and not lose them."


    Raiyen nodded silently in agreement. Though Z may be overprotective, he''s got a point in his words.


    "If you stop being brave, then who else is going to be as brave as you? And, it is almost impossible to forgive the people that you hate. It sounds mad, but it is better than killing all of them at once!"


    "You expect me to forgive them for what they''ve done?! I turned a blind eye and lost a loved one!"


    Gillian''s voice rang through the icy atmosphere with sheer animosity.


    "Not all are like that. There''s still some good among these species. Don''t lump everyone in the same league as those killers. And certainly, do not ever be them."


    "Then what am I supposed to do, eh?! What person should I be, after losing someone so dear to us?"


    "Be that person who fights for not war or winning, but for the sake of defending the innocent. Be the one who stands up for the weak. And above all, be the one to forgive your enemies in the name of compassion."


    Raiyen shivered slightly. Maybe that tidbit of information won''t be so good to tell the Headmaster. Forgiving people is one thing, but forgiving your enemies is another. That ain''t very possible to do.


    "You would be applauded for winning, but respected for being benevolent. Hailed as a hero, known throughout history as a merciful. That''s why we appointed you as the leader. We knew, out of everyone, that you were the most capable."


    "Just because I''m the oldest, doesn''t mean it defines me of my rank. I can''t hold this title of Headmaster just by being old."


    "We chose because you are the bravest amidst us. You were the one who showed us all how to determine from right and wrong. Taught us the meaning of family. The meaning of kindness. You took us all in when you could''ve just let us die," said Baldwin.


    Raiyen was curious now. What relationship did the Angry Man have with Gillian, before the Arks were made? They fought the most amount of times but Gil seemed to allow Baldwin to talk some sense into his fractured mind.

 Chapter 200 - The Ark Of A Weapon

    "She''s not letting the word ''victory'' cloud her," said Z.


    "That''ll be her downfall. Like your judgment of my powers."


    "Wounds like these are nothing. I''ll show you another secret of mine," said Z.


    Z threw out a different weapon, crescent-shaped, to combat Raiyen''s daggers. The hook-like blade managed to grasp onto Raiyen wrist. This took the Time Mage by surprise. He made the right choice to back up.


    As he landed in front of his opponent once more, he quickly wiped off blood around his hand.


    "What in the world is that weapon?!" asked Raiyen, pointing the golden dagger at Z.


    "Care to explain your own first?" asked Z.


    Raiyen smiled, lunging towards the Lost Mage once more.


    "Let''s continue on the battle to learn, shall we?" asked the Time Mage, striking Z''s new type of dagger.


    With two weapons against one weapon, Z was at a severe disadvantage, or so Raiyen thought. Z was now back on par with Raiyen''s attacks, even landing scratches on the boy. His fighting style did not change, yet it felt different than when he wielded Kunais.


    It was as if the Kunais were used to keep Raiyen occupied, like some toy. The one he wielded now, rendered the Time Mage useless. Raiyen was unable to catch up. A massive problem was hindering the boy from focusing. The Lost Mage as yet to unleash his pool of Elemental Energy or Aura.


    "There''s no Aura from that weapon, how can you be so skillful with that?" asked Raiyen, as they clashed.


    Z smiled.


    "Did you think that I''d get to the rank that I am now using those scrap metals?"


    Raiyen''s eyes widened. Scrap metal?! Those pieces of ''scrap metal'' were able to obliterate the entire backyard of the Church. And to Z''s eyes, the Kunais were essentially nothing?


    Raiyen was aggravated. His eyes darkened as he sprung towards Z using Glitch. Despite all of the cuts that Z made, not one wound seemed to faze Raiyen as he faced off with the Lost Mage in malevolence.


    "Answer the question, Z," said Raiyen, eyes piercing at Z with sharpness.


    Z sighed, swiftly shoving the Time Boy into the air. Raiyen landed softly on the ground. As expected from an assassin.


    "Remember this well and forever, a weapon without its proper master is no weapon at all."


    "Huh?" asked Raiyen.


    "A sword is of no use if its master does not how to swing a sword. A shield with a master that has no heart to defend will lose its purpose. And," said Z.


    He then dashed towards Raiyen, catching the young boy off guard.


    "A blunt dagger can''t get an assassin anywhere if it''s not used properly!" yelled Z, launching a barrage of attacks on Raiyen.


    He was lucky for being born a Time Mage. Any old being who had to go against those attacks would surely have a hard time. But after a few minutes, Raiyen''s eyes grew dreadful each time they clashed. By now, the daggers were practically fused with his hands.


    This made his assaults increasingly accurate and dangerous. When Raiyen''s eyes were both silver and gold, he stopped attacking. Z held up his weapon, bracing whatever that was about to come.


    "Light Seeps into the air, hope fills the land. Let there be joy, let there be no pain. Heaven Sent!" yelled Raiyen, delivering a slash towards the defending Mage.


    The dagger''s Aura grew, pushing Z into the hard ground.


    "Darkness seeps into the air, despair fills the land. Let there be pain, let there be no joy. Hell Bent!" shouted Raiyen once more, adding the silver dagger to Z''s dilemma.


    The two slashes of light made it obligatory for the Galaxian Mage to show off the true form of his weapon that he had majored in. With a single movement, the spell from Raiyen was destroyed.


    "Pawalang-bisa (Nullify)!" called out Z, when the attack was being scattered.


    Raiyen could not believe it. With a mere curved dagger, Z was able to single-handedly annihilate one of the most powerful spells that Raiyen could perform at that stage.


    "Impressed?" asked Z, making the curved blade glimmer.


    "It''s called a Karambit, a dagger from my home country," explained Z.


    Raiyen was frustrated for being unable to be at the same level as Mavislin, he knew that Z was still holding back. The Time Mage quickly recovered and wielded his twin daggers once more. He had to win this match. He has got to.


    He was a Time Mage. He has got the Element of Time in his hands, how could he lose to a mere Lost Mage? It soon became apparent that Raiyen was more focused on winning than defending. He left a substantial amount of openings for his opponent to kill him.

 Chapter 201 - The Ark Of Monody

    "This is usually the result of being a Time Mage. Not only he is draining out his Elemental Energy, but he is also using his life force to power the spells," explained Z, dodging a few more spells.


    Despite his chubby appearance, Z was agile. Like Mavislin, he was dodging attacks with ease and propelling his own body up into the sky with just one hand.


    "What do you mean by life force?"


    "He is taking the years of his life to supply and make up for the lack of Elemental Energy he needs for the spells. In other words, he is aging quicker than us when using strong spells."


    Mavislin looked at the man in horror.


    "What type of Magecraft is that?!" she exclaimed, dodging another blast.


    "It''s not a type. If the Mage is desperate enough, they can take away years of their future to make sure the spell functions properly. It''s called ''Using your Lifeforce''," explained Z.


    "The days that never came, the moments that never were," she murmured as she looked at Raiyen.


    Z was surprised at the small child''s use of words. Whenever she was in battle, it seems that her words and behavior would mature significantly. Even the look in her eyes changed from a small child to an a.d.u.l.t''s in seconds.


    She knew she had to end the fight soon, even Z was beginning to waver. He was unable to finish the battle without killing the young boy, which was a huge hurdle on his part. Mavislin stood still as she allowed her Aura to flare up.


    "Let the light flow. Let the dark fade. Divine punishment descends from the heavens. Overturn this spell for this land to strive and flourish once again..." chanted Mavislin, as she closed her eyes.


    Streams of golden light were being brought from the area and towards the Valkyrie, but there was something out of the norm. As the golden light got absorbed, the Valkyrie''s fingers were laced with black streams instead.


    "What are you doing?!" yelled Z, as he took down another Flashbang.


    As he witnessed Mavislin, he couldn''t help but remember the good old days. Days that the Mages spent carefree. When the conversion of Elements was allowed. When it was used to defeat the Husks, all those years back.


    The true nature of the Elements. The reason why the Mages used Elements, why nearly anything could be used as an Element. It was due to the law of Conversion. The Elements were meant to be mixed around to extend the potential of what Elements and Mages could do.


    Mages who are experts on a particular Element would eventually learn how to convert their Elements. They usually start small but a Valkyrie is a different being altogether.


    She was converting her power. The streams of black soon morphed into a circular shape, still be controlled by her hands. Gillian took a peek at the battle. He realized the shape of the shield was making the same emblem that what she had conjured up in the tryouts.


    The Emblem of Valokia. Only those who were born there could ever come up with that symbol. The mark of the mightiest race in the Universe. Z was impressed. Since when was the young girl able to perform such a conversion?


    Unlike the usual conversion, Water to Ice, she performed a Contradictory Conversion, converting Light to Dark. Baldwin looked from the porch, while the couple was still in the Old Chapel. It was a huge jump, which could mean that she was finally embracing her true self.


    No more hiding. No more nightmares. No more deceiving herself. She finally dared to understand who she was and use it to her advantage. But the next question was the spell.


    Each Mage has spells that they have learned and spells that they have made. Common Spells, ones that can be taught are usually small spells. Spells like Negation, Combining Elements, and Cascada were all trivial spells for new Mages.


    Origin Spells, ones that a Mage invented, are like Ultimates. Those cannot be taught, copied, or handed down. Spells like Raiyen''s Radiant storm, Z''s Aegis, and Mavislin''s Fire Feather Whip are all examples of Origin Spells.


    The spell that Mavislin was currently conjuring was dangerous for one reason. It was a spell being created right then and there. No one knew if it was an Origin Spell or a Common Spell.


    "Heaven''s Wheel Alter: Monody!" yelled the Valkyrie, hurling a flurry of attacks towards the Time Mage.


    A tune was made. A melody. The circular shield was now shining brightly as it produced an infinite number of black, smoky arrows, all aimed towards the Time Mage. Raiyen finally managed to snap out of his frenzy as he faced with the opposing spell head-on.


    "Crap."

 Chapter 202 - The Ark Of True Body

    When the Time Boy collapsed, the Valkyrie caught him. Mavislin may possess a small body but when she extends her wings and enters into battle, her body matures slightly.


    Instead of her small figure, her body morphs slightly into a teenager, complete with a developed bosom and longer hair. Her speech is significantly more advanced and she becomes taller as well.


    "Raiyen!" yelled the young girl, hugging him.


    A gentle tear ran down his cheek and onto the dry soil. The grey clouds cleared as the skies were now evening purple, clashing against the setting sun. Mavislin slowly embraced Raiyen''s scrawny body, surprising the Time Mage.


    Raiyen felt a surge of excitement when he embraced the Valkyrie, noticing the drastic changes. It was the first time he''d seen her in this form. But then reality hit him when he saw her extended wing.


    "You did exceptionally well," murmured the Valkyrie, patting the crying boy with her wing.


    "Why did you save me? You could have killed me. Why didn''t you?" asked Raiyen, through his sobs.


    "Why should I kill you?" asked Mavislin, tilting her head in confusion.


    A single moment of nostalgia hit her as she asked that question.


    "Didn''t Baldwin sent you down to kill me before I could kill Z?" asked Raiyen, softly.


    "No. I didn''t come here to kill you. I came to stop you. You had lost control, so I wanted to let you know you aren''t alone," replied Mavislin as she hugged the Time Boy close to her chest.


    "What do you mean by ''alone''?"


    Mavislin froze as she tried to answer Raiyen. Her wings shook slightly. Her mind had tucked away years of living in Valokia. Memories of her childhood when she was allowed to play in the barren fields of Valokia.


    "Why did you leave me all alone, Mavvy..."


    Those words echoed in her mind. Night after night, her nightmares were all the same. Her guilt of not being there for her twin when he needed it the most. The entire Great Noble War could''ve been stopped if the twins had each other.


    Why were they separated? They had done nothing wrong. Why did she not follow him? And when they were finally reunited, why couldn''t Mavislin just accept her brother for who he is? But was he destined to be a monster? Or was he just misunderstood?


    Z walked towards the partners, panting heavily. Mavislin batted here eyelids, allowing some tears to fall out. She closed her eyes tightly and embraced Rauiyen closer.


    "Let''s not try that ever again, shall we?" asked Z, looking at the two.


    Mavislin smiled as she passed Z the sleepy Time Mage.


    "Agreed. Conversion Magecraft isn''t very fun for me," replied Mavislin.


    She followed the Lost Mage back into the Old Chapel. Baldwin stood up to welcome them back. Ysabeau gave a big hug to the children while Ashley and Minwoo were both surprised and relieved. Only Ashley was slightly confused and surprised, that is.


    "Wait, where''s Mavislin?" asked Ashley, confused when he looked around.


    The young Valkyrie giggled as Minwoo laughed. The rest of the group tried to stifle their laughter.


    "Why are you all laughing? I''m serious. What happened to her?"


    "You''re looking right at her, you daft fool," said Minwoo, trying to calm down.


    "That''s a lady! I''m saying that small kid. I wanna give her back her blankie."


    "Minwoo, have you forgotten to tell him about Mavislin?" asked Gillian, raising his eyebrows.


    "I might have..." mumbled Minwoo.


    "I''m lost. Very lost and confused," said Ashley still holding onto that blanket.


    "Blankie!" yelled Mavislin as she dove straight into Ashley''s arms again.


    "Hold on!" yelled Ashley.


    Ashley closed his eyes, awaiting the lady to send him on his back. But was surprised when that lady turned back into the little Valkyrie.


    "Hehe... Blankie..." whispered Mavislin, snuggling right against Ashley''s chest.


    "Are you still confused?" asked Minwoo, chuckling slowly.


    "I am. But I''m too tired to even bother."


    Ashley raked through his short, jet, black hair with his bony pale fingers. He twisted and cracked his neck for a second before stroking the little girl in his arms. It was hard to tell these two brothers were related. Both were cool-headed but had different thoughts.


    Minwoo gave no qualms when it comes to ruling as the future Marquess. He didn''t care if others had to die for the sake of the majority. He is caring but the King wanted something more challenging and rewarding. He was bored with the normal way of gaining power.


    "I want to work up the ladder, you know? But staying here, stagnant, it''s boring for me. It''s not an easy decision to leave here, but it''s one that I won''t regret doing. It''s gonna be tough, but I''ll make sure it''s worthwhile."

 Chapter 203 - The Ark Of The Perfect Being

    "Imagine the perfect being. They don''t have to eat or sleep. They feel no pain when you cut off their limbs. They do not care for the cold or hot. They are the Husks, the only beings that do not hold a soul to survive."


    "So, in other words, humans can be turned into Husks as well?"


    "Not only they can, but it''s easier since you lot don''t have powers to protect yourselves. But, back to the comeback of the Husks, why are they even around?" asked Gillian, turning to the Ice Mage.


    "Since the Congregation has fallen, Old Man Pond has a change of heart. He lost it," said Z, twiddling his fingers.


    "As if he needed to lose more sanity than what he''s got left. What is his plan?" asked Baldwin.


    "To revive the Husks and find the Corrupted One," replied Z, coldly.


    "So that''s the famous Poisoned Pond I''ve been hearing about. Quite the guy, I presume. The one responsible for ruling the Congregation to the ground."


    "He didn''t just rule it into the ground. He decimated us. But remember, this is the same person that gathered the Mages who lost their home from the stars. He created order and destroyed us," explained Ysbaeua, remembering the early days of the Congregation.


    When Poisoned Pond was truly the remarkable man. He rounded up those who lost and broken and created a family. He was the reason why Ysabeau and Gillian are married. The reason why Baldwin could earn a place in the higher ranks.


    A cloud of silence hung above the a.d.u.l.ts'' heads. Mavislin stirred from her sleep, causing the a.d.u.l.ts to awake. As she tried to get up, Ysabeau immediately enveloped the child into her arms. Ashley was finally able to pass the kid to her mother.


    "My back hurts," murmured Ashley, but soon kept quiet as Ysabeau started to weep.


    "They''ve been through enough, we can''t let them fight those things!" yelled Ysabeau, tears brimming from her eyes.


    "We can''t do anything about it. We can only fight unless you want the whole planet corrupted," explained Gillian, trying to soothe his wife.


    Ysabeau responded by hugging the Valkyrie with more strength. Minwoo felt bad and tried to comfort the poor lady. Ashley blinked a few times before lowering his eyelids. His eyes were heavy but he did not try to comfort the lady.


    It was the same in the Mafia. It wasn''t uncommon for small children to take a knife and slash others'' throats for money. There was no such thing as enough in the underworld. There was no such thing as baby steps. You are given the weapon. Use it or die, simple as that.


    "They are only kids... A child can only hold so much pain... " wept Ysabeau.


    "But I''m the child of Valokia, Ma," replied Mavislin, pulling away from the crying mother.


    Looks like Mavislin''s speech advanced once more, but her body was still a small child.


    "And I''m the child of Time. Nothing could be any worse than what we''ve gone through before, so there''s no point regressing now," said Raiyen, waking up.


    "I''m no stranger to war, not to mention I''m nearly matured. I''m not a child anymore," explained Mavislin, smiling.


    Ashley and Minwoo looked doubly shocked. But then they realized she wasn''t human.


    "You will always be my children, no matter what," whispered Ysabeau as she held the two kids tightly.


    Gillian smiled as Z got up with Baldwin.


    "Born out of War. Born out of Time. That''s what the enemies are up against. I don''t think they would have an easy time facing off against them," said Z.


    "Time will only tell," replied Raiyen.


    "Looks like the Husks are back, huh..." said Mavislin, looking at Ysabeau and Gillian.


    "You know about them?" asked Gillian, perking up his eyebrows.


    "Would you bet we were the one who created the Husks?" said Mavislin, eyes shrouded with darkness.


    Gillian looked towards the Valkyrie while Ysabeau continued to look shocked. Minwoo nearly fainted while Ashley gave a dark look.


    "I sincerely hope you won''t become one of those. And I hope you''ve got a solution to this mess. It''s starting to get annoying to deal with," complained Ashley.


    Minwoo hit his younger brother on the head.


    "Show some respect, Ash!"


    "It''s alright, he''s just being practical. I don''t blame him. But I wish I do have the solution, that others can use," explained Mavislin.


    "What do you mean?" asked Ashley, rubbing the back of his head.


    "The light of a Valkyrie is enough to kill a giant radius of the Husks, fully dispersing the fog. Other Elements help as well but aren''t as effective as Valokian Light," replied Mavislin, fidgeting her blankie and stuffed toy.


    "But you guys are creatures of pure Light! And besides, you said you were the last one," said Raiyen, utterly confused.

 Chapter 204 - The Ark Of Working In The Kitchen

    "When can I go back? Hwee''s gonna get worried about me," asked Ashley, unhappy with the Angry Man''s decision.


    "You can go back once we''re done. Don''t worry, I''ll bring you back," reassured Minwooo, getting ready to follow the Angry Man.


    "That''s the biggest worry I''ll have. You haven''t told your wife where you were for the past few weeks until you came back. And even then, you still kept quiet. I''m not gonna end up like you. I''m going home to her," said Ashley, getting up.


    He wanted to move away but felt his arm heavier than normal. He lifted it to find a small Valkyrie hanging on for dear life.


    "Let go, Mavislin."


    "No! I want Ashley to stay!" cried out the small child.


    "I need to go back to my girlfriend," replied Ashley trying to shake her off.


    "No! Stay for dinner!" yelled the child.


    "At least stay for dinner. Minwoo and Ysabeau are great cooks," reasoned Z.


    "It''s not as if I''d go hungry without my brother. I am a chef as well," said Ashley, still trying to pry Mavislin apart.


    "Ashley cook for Mavy!" said Mavislin, with pleading eyes.


    "Well, let''s have a little challenge then. Let''s cook two things for tonight''s dinner and let''s see whose dish the Mages likes the best," said Minwoo, giving his smile.


    "Bring it on, White Rat."


    Mavislin giggled while Ysabeau and Gillian sighed.


    "Well, that''s one way of keeping someone in," said Z.


    Thus, the two humans decided to take over Ysabeau''s poor little kitchen. Mavislin and Raiyen had fun peeking at the two work, expecting the two to fight or some sort.


    "At least an argument. You guys are boring in competing in the kitchen," complained Z, yawning.


    "What do you Mages expect from us? A huge food fight or something?" asked Minwoo, confused.


    "Nah, at least some sort of argument. You guys are helping each other as well."


    They were helping each other. At a few points, Ashley passed Minwoo some ingredients while Minwoo tossed his brother some extra tools.


    "Well, when humans cook, we don''t have a big fight like Mages. We don''t need to do such things," explained Minwoo, letting little Mavislin taste the dark brown sauce.


    "Sweet!"


    "Yea, it''s about the result. If we distract ourselves, then there isn''t gonna be any dinner for anyone," said Ashley, allowing Raiyen to try some of the fluffy rice.


    "Nice!"


    "And besides, we came from the same kitchen. We learned how skills within a team of chefs for a little restaurant in the Campania. But we didn''t last long," explained Minwoo.


    "You got fired or something?'' asked Raiyen.


    "Nah. The kitchen was made by our parents so getting fired wasn''t an option. But I would be glad if they did, though," complained Minwoo.


    "Yea, I hated the people there. The chef in charge and the senior ones were all idiots. They were constantly dragging their balls all around, which are unfortunately friggin small," complained Ashley.


    "Oi! Language!" scolded Minwoo.


    "What? Their egos are massive but their skill set and ability to work is garbage," reasoned Ashley.


    "You aren''t alone in that aspect. When working in a group, there''s bound to be those, especially when we needed to send out multiple teams to scout the area or do missions. They are a pain when it comes to the sting operations. They are just a handful to deal with," said Z, shaking his head.


    "If I were to ask them where the sky was, they''ll look for the sea instead," said Baldwin, bluntly.


    The room howled with laughter. Even Ashley cracked a laugh. Both humans had to pause their cooking to laugh.


    "It never ceases to surprise me on how dumb people could be. You could have the greatest power of the universe but if you have a small brain, it''ll be such a waste."


    Mavislin smiled at Ashley as he continued laughing. It was only when Ashley calm down and continued that he realized Mavislin''s sparkling eyes.


    "Do I have something on my face?" asked the stick man, stirring the murky brown soup.


    "It''s the first time I''ve seen you laugh! You can laugh!" cheered the young Valkyrie.


    "Of course I can!" said Ashley, seemingly upset.


    Mavislin merely giggled as the two went back to their work.


    The two children were finally led out into the dining hall and sat at their seats. The rest of the Mages sat down and the two chefs laid down the entire feast for dinner.


    "So I''ve made the meat for dinner today. Grilled duck with a honey glaze. It goes well with the garden salad I quickly made," introduced Minwoo.


    He shifted the spotlight to Ashley to describe the rest of the dishes.


    "I''ve made coconut rice with miso soup," replied Ashley.

 Chapter 205 - The Ark Of Combined Feast

    "Dessert will be by me later. Let''s eat," said Minwoo, proceeding to seat down.


    The power of the Old Chapel truly shines as Ashley watched each dish danced around and get portioned out for the family. He seemed intrigued as the plate landed in front of him slowly. And the best part is that none of the portions is the same.


    Ysabeau had more salad than meat, but her rice was the same amount as her salad. She had a small bowl of soup. Gil had lesser rice but the same amount of salad and meat. His soup portion was larger than his wife''s. Z had the perfect balance of all four, including the soup.


    The Angry Man had more meat than any of the dishes that he was given. Mavislin had more rice and meat than her salad but the sauce was much more than anyone else. Raiyen''s portion was balanced as well but the sauce was lesser than the others.


    Ashley looked down at his own. The right amount of rice that he''d take. The right amount of portion he usually takes. Minwoo''s portion was the same as his.


    "What''s in the soup? What''s miso?" asked Mavislin, tasting it.


    "It''s so salty..." complained the poor girl.


    "It''s a Japanese soup, made out of seaweed, tofu, and scallions. The tofu is the square, white things floating around," guided Ashley.


    "Try eating the soup with the fluffy rice, but don''t mix the meat sauce with it. It doesn''t taste good," said Minwoo, patting the girl''s head.


    "I wanted the rice to be sweet too..." whimpered Mavislin, pouting.


    "Well, it''s not meant to be sweet. It''s made from coconut but I can''t have too much sugar as well," Ashley.


    "But I like sugar!" said Mavislin, taking another spoonful of rice.


    "You can take more of the sauce, darling," said Minwoo, sweetly.


    "I also like sugar. Too much of it and I''ll see the future," replied Ashley, shaking his head.


    Z gave out a laugh. Ashley cracked another smile as he looked at his brother. Something did not feel right about this. Mages and humans aren''t supposed to mix, right?


    "Future? You have the Clairvonyance Element?" asked Mavislin, eager about Ashley''s new ''power''.


    "Nope, it''s just his way of saying ''sugar-high''," replied Baldwin, making the Valkyrie sad.


    The Mages resumed talking with each other while the kids focused on eating. This left the two brothers to clean up some personal issues.


    "Ashley, there''s still a place for you. You know that better than anyone," said Minwoo, looking at his brother.


    "Yea, right. You guys kicked me out," replied Ashley, stuffing a spoonful of rice into his mouth.


    "Not me. I wasn''t even around when that happened. When I heard what happened, I ran off to find you."


    "As if. You were always next in line to be Marquess. You couldn''t be bothered with me," said Ashley, slowly getting upset.


    "Well, that was just insulting. Do you know how many days it took to find you?" asked Baldwin, huffing down more duck.


    "I beg your pardon?" asked Ashley, puzzled at the Angry Man.


    "Minwoo came to us before we recruited Mavislin. Ysabeau had to use her true form to look for you while I used my original form to hone into your whereabouts. He had no idea where to find you so he came looking for us," explained Baldwin, pointing his knife at Ashley.


    "Luckily, you made a name for yourself in the Mafia so it was easy to find you, but not after the month-long search."


    Ashley felt slightly bad but did not let it show on his face. His expression stayed the same, blank stare.


    "At least give him some credit as an elder brother," said Z.


    "That doesn''t change anything. You are recognized as the Marquess of the Campania, the leader of the people. I''m the filthy rat, the brother that was tossed aside. That''s the reality, Minwoo. So don''t think you can change my mind about that," said Ashley, getting up to wash the dishes.


    "He is quite stubborn, after all. Perhaps you should look for others first," assured Gillian, patting Minwoo on the back.


    "Reminds me of Angry Man," laughed Ysabeau.


    "Excuse me, I''m still here."


    "Yea, but the first few days you adamant about leaving the area. But this little girl decided to force you to stay," explained Ysabeau.


    "By biting him?" asked Minwoo.


    "Nope. My daughter and Mavis were best friends. So looking at her... It reminds me of my girl. Taking care of this little Valkyrie is like giving me the chance of being a father once more."


    The feast was truly remarkable, both chefs'' dishes complimented each other. Raiyen preferred Minwoo''s duck but Mavislin loved Ashley''s coconut rice. Minwoo went to the waterfall to take a bath while the a.d.u.l.t Mages went into their respective rooms to rest.

 Chapter 208 - The Ark Of Resurfacing

    "You could be the king of the world, yet you were still contented with being the five of us. That''s the reason why we chose you as our leader, our Headmaster," replied Z.


    The Time Mage folded his arms. He was getting curious about the history of the big trio. He had already known that they were friends. But truly, how did an Aki, a Dark Mage, and a Galaxian Mage created an alliance?


    "So please, don''t throw away your bravery," reasoned Baldwin, as he grabbed Z''s freezing arms in an attempt to pry the two away.


    Another wave of gunfire reverberated through the air, piercingly loud due to the stillness of the area. The screams had stopped. Gillian merely gave a small smile as he turned his back on the sight before him.


    Raiyen heaved a sigh of relief as he felt the Elemental Aura around the area took a dip. He looked around once more.


    "This moment shouldn''t have been open to me... Something or someone allowed me in..." murmured Raiyen as he glanced back at the big three.


    "I still want that Club Sandwich, let''s go back before Mavis finishes all the avocados," said Gillian, beckoning the two men to follow him home.


    At the very least, in Z''s eyes for the day, it ended better than the earlier conversation with Mavislin. He''d hoped that she would have at least simmered down by now.


    He was right, as he found the High Queen sitting on Raiyen''s bed with a bunch of cookies that Z had been saving up. She glanced at the huge guy and looked away instantaneously.


    "Aren''t you gonna complain that I''ve eaten your stash of cookies?" she asks, nervously.


    "Nope, that was meant for you. I made them myself," replied Z, with a goofy smile on his face.


    "Are you an avid fan of peanuts?" she asked.


    He sat by her side and snatched one away and shoved them in his mouth.


    "Thank you, Peanut."


    Meanwhile, Raiyen walked around the snowy plains, trying to find signs of abnormality in the area. He was just here a couple of days ago and now he was back to revaluate the situation. How many more times this moment was going to let him pass?


    "No rips, none other than from me... So why was this moment forgotten in the books? It seems so significant, the Akis would have definitely included it in their archives."


    "They did. But not in a way that you expect."


    The Time Mage spun around instantly, pulling out his twin daggers, But he was met face to face with no one.


    "Identify yourself, Being," commanded Raiyen as he held his blades higher.


    "That was quite rude, Time Boy. Don''t you think that I deserve a better name?"


    A shadow appeared from the dense, winter forest. Raiyen''s face went pale as the figure fully emerged from the depths of the frosted kingdom.


    "How the hell are you still alive?!" yelled Raiyen as he backed away in fear.


    "I could say the same for you as well."


    "Hmph, I am a Time Mage. We tend to lie about our age and we can travel past the moment of our deaths as well. But the point still stands. I saw you die. You are not a Time Mage. How did you survive that?"


    "I didn''t."


    Raiyen blinked a few times in confusion.


    "Pardon?"


    "I didn''t survive that death. I''m a version before my death. An echo."


    "No way... Benjamin''s a problem, now I''ve got to deal with you as well?!"


    "Don''t be daft, I''ve only got one shot at this. I want to set things right with my old pal."


    Before Raiyen could react, the figure snapped his fingers and changed the area. The scene of the Old Chapel''s living room surrounded both the Time Mage and the unknown figure.


    "What the hell is going on?!" yelled Baldwin as he saw the two standing on the rug.


    "Damn you..." cursed Raiyen.


    With Mavislin''s condition, there''s no way she could help out in this fight.


    "Long time no see, Shadow man."


    "Why is this pest in our home?" asked Ysabeau, disgusted at the sight of their visitor.


    Even the Old Chapel was starting to get angry with this intruder. But her power was not enough to kick the retired leader of the Congregation out.


    "Well, well... I wanted to visit you but it looks like you paid me a visit instead," commented Gillian, with a devilish grin on his face.


    "Hmm... Your little Time Boy gave your coordinates away by falling into my Time Frame trap. Your home ain''t safe no more."


    "We''ll see about that. Let''s have a full-on duel, shall we? Just outside the Old Chapel. What do you say, Matthew Pond?" asked Gillian, pointing outside towards the back of the area.

 Chapter 209 - The Ark Of Headmaster Vs Poisoned Pond

    "This place looks good. Finally, a battle where we don''t have to find a reason to do so," said the Poisoned Pond as he threw out his serpents.


    The pesky pets followed the Aki as Gillian leaped from tree to tree.


    "How long are you gonna keep running? Are you not going to fight back?"


    "No point in wasting my power with such small flies," replied the Headmaster.


    "That''s so like you, Gillian. Back when we first met. You loved to conserve your energy for something more eventful."


    Gillian scoffed.


    "You, on the other hand, always like to go to your enemies with full power. You never knew how to conserve your Elemental Energy for something more drastic."


    "Well then, how about my trademark roar?" asked Old Man Pond as he faced the Headmaster with his emerald green eyes.


    He inhaled sharply, increasing his Elemental Energy. Gillian raised his eyebrows and immediately went into a protective stance.


    "Adhere to my plea. Forge the protection I demand. Howling winds. Corrupt flora..." chanted Gillian as he closed his eyes.


    "Roar of the Poison God!" shouted Old Man Pond as a torrent of poison hurled through the skies and went straight for Gillian.


    "Black Lotus Of The Storm!" shouted Gillian, as the familiar lotus sprung out from his palm.


    Black Lotus of Storm, in normal circ.u.mstances, would be any old defense spell. But with Gillian wielding it at its full power, it could bloom to its fullest glory. The giant, black lotus covered the Aki''s body, with a glowing purple hue around its edges.


    At the center of the flower was bright green due to the poison from the enemy.


    "That''s the actual Black Lotus, eh?" asked Mavislin, looking at the bright flower.


    She was completely mesmerized at the sheer beauty of the flower. Black Wave Hibiscus may be powerful but it doesn''t hold a candle to what the actual Black Lotus could do.


    "Yep. But it''s not pretty for nothing..." replied Raiyen, to himself.


    "The Lotus that earned the praise from the Gladiators of Valokia..."


    Mavislin then looked down from her windowsill and was met with a cheeky Time Boy.


    The two spells clashed, releasing a large shockwave throughout the area. Such minor spells were already causing so much fluctuation within the area. Who knows what will happen if the two started to go all out?


    Gillian smiled as he looked at his opponent with mischievous eyes. He then closed his palms and the spell took a turn.


    "Rebellion Squall!" yelled the Headmaster as he punched the heart of the lotus, causing the poison torrent to turn black.


    The flower flipped, inversing its petals to face inwards and absorbed the attack. With the petal folding inwards, the spell became a bulb, like a flower before it blooms.


    Gillian snapped his fingers, allowing the bulb to blossom once more. As it opened, the poison torrent went straight towards the Poisoned Pond.


    "Damn you!" yelled Old Man Pond as he braced himself for his original attack.


    The roar made a beeline towards Old Man Pond with great speed. As it met the Aki, he quickly threw up his serpents as a defense.


    "Still the same defense spell from Akhaten, eh? You haven''t changed much, Old pal," said Old Man Pond as he landed on the grassy plains.


    "Neither have you, Pond."


    "Black Lotus Of The Botanic Storm. Granted to you by the Captain of the vessel, Botanic. The same energy that once destroyed half of the planet. The only shield in the Universe capable of attacking and defending."


    "Some say it''s on the same level as the Ancient Valokians Five Major Spells."


    "You mean the Gladiators?" asked Gillian, instinctively looking at the Valkyrie''s bedroom window.


    Mavislin felt a chill down her spine. With him as an Aki, she knew that her true identity would soon be uncovered. Or worse, it had already been found.


    "On par with their Spells? Most likely so. If it earns their praise, then it should be worth it."


    The two sprung towards each other, fists meeting with the other.


    "You hated hand-to-hand combat. Never thought that you would be such a master of it later on."


    "That was back in Akhaten. Being on Earth changed me," said Gillian, pushing the Poisoned One back.


    "For the worst, I suppose," said Old Man Pond, giving a disgusted look.


    "Well, that''s for you to decide. But for me, I don''t regret the decision I''ve made."


    "Look at us. The last of our kind. The most powerful beings in all of the Milky Way Galaxy. Such a pitiful sight now."


    "I don''t see that as pitiful. You don''t have to always wallow in the past, you know."


    "To each their own. But the way I see it, we only need the land, not the people on it," replied Old Man Pond as he summoned up his serpents once more.

 Chapter 210 - The Ark Of Primordial Beast: Yggdrasil

    "We walk their earth. We breathe their air," murmured Mavislin as she glanced at the battle from her window.


    She clenched her blanket tightly. The recent events have truly tuckered her out. She squeezed her eyes tight in an attempt to push away the bad memories.


    The Time Mage felt the Valkyrie''s shift in Aura and glitched upstairs. Mavislin spun her head around to see who was at her door but was met with two scrawny but firm arms.


    "It has been only a few hours since I last saw you but I missed you so much, Mavy..." said Raiyen, snuggling his Valkyrie.


    "Hours?" asked Mavislin, confused.


    Oh crap, thought the poor Time Boy.


    "How long since we last met?"


    "About a week."


    "That''s not so bad."


    "You''ve done worse, right?"


    "Let''s not go that route, shall we?" asked Raiyen, focusing back to the fight.


    He snuggled his Valkyrie while Mavislin shook her head.


    "You and your Time Hopping needs a rest."


    "Hey, that wasn''t my fault! Gillian sent me to do a mission..."


    Raiyen froze as he realized what he was supposed to do.


    "Oh, crap. But I don''t think that''s too much of a problem. The second wave of Husks is coming up, from the looks of things," said Raiyen, giving the little bunny a small smooch.


    "You know it?"


    "Nah, I just... Feel it..."


    "Looks like I won''t get anywhere with conversing with you, old pal. Let''s settle this before the waves start again. By then, you''ll be fighting the Corrupted One once more," warned Old Man Pond as the area was blanketed with thick, green fog.


    "Well then, if you are going all out, then it is only common practice that I do so as well," said Gillian, bowing down with a sinister grin.


    The fog was enough to kill any human on sight but the two beings stood strong. Aki vs Aki. Poison Vs Gates.


    "Open! Gate of the Primordial Beasts!" yelled Gillian.


    He threw a punch towards Old Man Pond, earning a sneer from the man. A green vortex appeared around his wrists. The vortex had a brown hue and soon had tree roots growing around Gillian''s arms.


    Small seedlings began growing around the area that he was standing on. His Aura shot through the roof as the area trembled. The Old Chapel braced for impact as she increased the defenses from within.


    "Something the matter, Old Girl?" asked Ysabeau.


    "Hmm... Something''s not right, she''s increasing defenses from outside instead of within. There''s another attack coming..." explained Baldwin, as he signaled his Puka to come forth.


    "Go and find out the disturbance."


    The Puka neighed, raising up his front legs before galloping out of the Old Chapel''s vines. Meanwhile, the children widened their eyes as they witnessed the actual power of the Gates. For so long, the Headmaster as he prevented himself from opening up the gates in front of the children.


    With the recent events, the battle of the Umbras, Mavislin knew that the Umbra''s imitation came nowhere close to the real thing. The one using Minwoo as a host body could barely use Celeste to her fullest potential. The one with Tiamat lost control.


    But this time, it''s the true expert opening up their gates. The seasoned fighter, the strongest amongst all of the Mages.


    "We''ve fought Tiamat... Celeste... But this is truly formidable..." murmured Mavislin as she snuggled her old bunny.


    Her eyes were wide with fear, unable to comprehend the power of the Gates before her. The Time Boy looked unfazed as he saw the Headmaster transformed into Yggdrasil, some form of it.


    "Door of the Tree Of Life: Yggdrasil..." said Gillian as he fully transformed into the Connector of Nine Worlds.


    Wings made out of large, bright green leaves sprouting out from his back. About three sets of gigantic wings. His entire body was hovering above the grasslands, with his Aura increasing. As he continued the transformation, his hair turned into a shade of purple.


    Faded Pink petals adorned his waist, creating a skirt armor all around. The petals looked dry at the tips, twirling a bit as well. A large door appeared behind him, on it was the emblem of Yggdrasil, the writings of the Tree Of Life.


    When the smoke cleared, Gillian was truly a sight to behold. He looked like a king, with vines woven to be his crown and wings that could rival a Valkyrie''s. He finally but slowly opened his eyes to reveal two red orbs. He could say nothing as Yggdrasil was meant to be silent.


    Only those that could enter his heart could hear his words. For the Tree Of Life calls out without needing the use of words. In battle, there''s no need for such minor things. That''s why all of the Primordial Beasts aren''t able to talk, with their callout for spells being an exception.

 Chapter 211 - The Ark Of Door Of The Fallen Angel

    And the only one who can truly hear the words from his heart is his wife.


    The area around him grew large roots and boulders came falling from the skies, just narrowly missing the Old Man Pond.


    "Heh, at least let me do my part first," said Old Man Pond, promptly destroying the rocks.


    The Poisoned Man stood on his ground, retrieving his serpents. With a flash of green in his eyes, he cracked his knuckles and prepared to fight with his ultimate spell.


    "The Tempest Of Bloodshed. The Scapegoat. The Fallen Angel. He destroys humans with his blade. Extend, wings of darkness..." chanted Old Man Pond as his Aura too skyrocketed.


    "Wait!" yelled Ysabeau.


    "That makes sense. Only Akhatenians has the power to open the Gates, so it makes sense that Old Man Pond can do so..." explained Baldwin, looking at the Poisoned Pond.


    "So, you''re telling me, that all Akis can open the Primordial Gates?" asked Ysabeau, sounding exasperated.


    "Don''t be daft! If all could, then it wouldn''t have fallen in the Great Noble War. Each Aki can open a certain set of Gates. Gillian''s prime Gates are the Primordial Ones. Tiamat, Ifrit, Celeste, Aether, and Yggdrasil," replied Baldwin.


    "Then, what Gates can be opened by Old Man Pond?"


    "Hard to tell, since I thought he could only open Poison Gates..."


    "You''re right, he can only open the Gates with Poison. This includes if the Beast has a poison attack," explained Z, looking at the battle with stern eyes.


    "Hold on, won''t that allow him to summon more than Gillian''s pool?" asked Ysabeau, widening her eyes.


    "Yes, but the Beasts that he summons aren''t as powerful as the Primordial Ones. They are, after all, the ones who came first. Without them, there will be no Gates."


    As the sign behind Gillian, Z took a sharp breath in.


    "They aren''t called Primordial for nothing."


    A pair of black wings sprouted from the ex-commander''s back, with black feathers all around. As he flapped them, it seemed like the wings were wilting. His hair turned white with his lips turning black. Purple horns grew out from the sides of his head.


    His eyes flew open as his Aura darkened. With Gillian as a mute and Old Man Pond being the next batman, the two continued their brawl.


    "Axis Mundi," whispered Gillian as boulders started to form from underneath the opponent''s feet.


    "Hmph, that''s not gonna work on someone who has wings," said Old Man Pond, somersaulting through the air.


    As he was upside-down in the air, three orbs of Dark, purple energy formed at the tips of his fingers. He then aimed it at Gillian with a sadistic smile plastered on his face.


    "Thanatos Bane!" yelled the Poisoned Pond, firing the three orbs of darkness.


    Gillian instinctively placed his wings in front, shielding him from the attack. But the wings had shriveled up instantly, allowing for the attack to go through. But Yggdrasil''s protection was not to be messed with.


    "Luminox Genesi," said Gillian as his eyes flashed once more.


    A graceful hand pointed towards Old Man Pond and made the man crash onto the grass floor. A glimmer of light overwhelmed Gillian as the Poison spell was completely nulled.


    "Damn it, I can''t move my body," cursed Old Man Pond, who found himself at the mercy of the Tree Of Life.


    "Nether Veil."


    A wave of lava came hurling from the Gate that was behind Gillian. Old Man Pond widened his eyes as he made a last-ditch attempt to cushion the oncoming impact.


    "Brazen Wings!" yelled Old Man Pond, as he turned away from the attack.


    As the wave of liquid fire engulfed the scene, the Old Chapel tried her best to hide pain by regenerating the area. But it was to no avail as the sea of fire swept around the battlegrounds. Ysabeau summoned her wings while the two men hopped back into the house.


    "That''s one way of deforestation," replied Raiyen, earning a whack on the head.


    Luckily, the Old Chapel''s building is fireproof. Element-proof, even. Ysabeau continued watching from the skies. The scene up there was the best seat in the house as she had a full view of the damage done by Yggdrasil.


    But her eyes widened as Old Man Pond flew out from the sea of fire, semi-unharmed. There were some parts of his wings that were still on fire. But his expression was fuming.


    "Did you think that would work on me?" boomed the man.


    Gillian was still on mute but the words in his heart made Ysabeau laughed. With him being mute, he could make snarky and mean remarks without angering the opponent further. Ysabeau shook her head as she continued to watch.


    "Malice Wing!" shouted Old Man Pond, as he flew towards Yggdrasil.

 Chapter 212 - The Ark Of Azazel Vs Yggdrasil

    As he picked up speed, his wings extended slightly and started to glow a pinkish hue on the outline of his wings. As he nearly touched Yggdrasil, Gillian had the cheek to summon up Black Lotus once more.


    "Not again!"


    Old Man Pond increased his speed as he circled Yggdrasil, leaving black streams and purple Elemental Energy all around. Mavislin looked at what the demon was about to do.


    "I don''t think it''s very wise for him to go all out that quickly," said Raiyen.


    "That''s Old Man Pond for you. Always brash in his attacks, never taking a step back to think about the possible outcomes," replied Mavislin, shaking her head.


    Old Man Pond finally stopped, flying right above Yggdrasil. Gillian turned his head to look at the enemy. A sadistic grin came over Old Man Pond as he balled up his figure. With Black Aura looming over, he released all the years of frustration onto the Tree Of Life.


    "Merciless," started Old Man Pond.


    "Ancient," replied Yggdrasil.


    "Doom!"


    "Cry."


    A torrent of water came tumbling out from the Gate as Old Man Pond opened up his figure once more. His wings extended, allowing black ribbons of pure Dark Elements to soar through the air and pierce through Yggdrasil''s defenses.


    But the tsunami was proving to be a hindrance as the water could constantly regenerate and dispel some percentage of the attack. This infuriated Old Man Pond as he unleashed a few more orbs of Dark Elements. This time, with a red outline on all of them.


    As the orbs exploded all at once, Yggdrasil gave out another wave from its Gate. As it moved its slender arms, the wave of water followed. This kept Old Man Pond at bay for a bit but further increased his anger.


    "How many levels of anger can I get him to reach? I want to reach a world record," thought Gillian as he laughed.


    Ysabeau laughed slightly at his thoughts while Yggdrasil sighed.


    "I wish I could punch you, but Yggdrasil might get angry," replied Ysabeau, shaking her head.


    "Don''t worry, she''s already pissed."


    Matthew Pond decided it was enough running and stood, rooted on the ground. As he looked at the oncoming wave, he summoned up a single serpent. It stayed still, stretching its body to look like a staff. With its mouth forced to be opened, a dark purple orb rested nicely.


    "Bewitched Jewel, draw your power from chaotic darkness. Let the evil of the world roam free and consume all..." chanted Old Man Pond.


    The orb started to shine brightly, spinning within the serpent''s mouth. He then pointed it right at Yggdrasil''s head.


    "Blackfang Bite!" yelled Old Man Pond, allowing the orb to shoot out multiple black serpents.


    As each of them coiled up around Yggdrasil''s form, a single snap allowed all of them to explode all at once. This caused the area to shake and a brilliant light show for another visitor to see.


    "Of all the pets to come out from this household, I''ve always hated you. You damned Black Horse," complained the man in the shadows as he tried to shoo the horse.


    "I''m just visiting. Besides, I''m not going to harm them. I''ve already lost my brother, I''m not going to start another brawl. Hey! Stop biting on that, it ain''t grass! There''s plenty of that over there!"


    "Sounds like the Puka found someone, wanna go check?" asked Z.


    "Nah, I''m more interested in the light show over there," replied Baldwin.


    "The weapon of Azazel, I didn''t expect him to wield that so easily," said Z, deep in thought.


    "Shadow Viperlance, not everyone can withstand its power enough to hold it. Most people go insane just by looking at it, but this Mage can hold it."


    The two clashed once more, with Poisoned Pond endlessly thrashing on Gillian''s shield. Explosion after explosion, strike after strike. But Yggdrasil was having none of that. When Black Lotus finally broke, Yggdrasil took over.


    "Lifetree''s Aegis," mumbled the Tree Of Life.


    Yggdrasil placed an arm out, with its palm opened. Like it was trying to give someone a high-five. The symbol of Yggdrasil formed in its open palm, its outline shining in bright green. As the symbol grew bigger in the air, tree roots sprouted from the ground, at the base of the symbol.


    The Symbol of Yggdrasil was a sight to behold as it started to take a physical form. Much like Mavislin''s Lord Atlantia, the Ash Tree acts as a shield. The tree had three parts. The tree itself, a middle part where a green hoop surrounded the trunk and the roots, with three prominent roots.


    As it continued to grow, writings in Valokian, Behemian, Time, Abyssian, Atlantian, Voynich, Pyrophillian, Oracle, and Galaxian appeared on its roots.

 Chapter 213 - The Ark Of The Nine Worlds Council

    This represented the Nine Planets that are part of the alliance when passing Judgement under the police that is the Universe''s Council. The Nine Worlds Alliance, as the Council calls it. They are the ones who can determine if a planet gets destroyed or live.


    As the tree fully formed, nine circles formed all around as well. Old Man Pond gasped at the sight of the fully grown ash tree. All the Mages in the area had the same reaction, with Mavislin tearing up at the word Valokian.


    On top of the giant tree, where the leaves were, laid a circle with the emblem of the Ancient Valokians, the same one that is required for the Five Major Spells. The world of Light. Mavislin felt a sense home just by looking at the name.


    Valokia, the top of the Council. They are the ones in charge of all the Council, their one vote could overturn the entire outcome of the ruling. And if others did not adhere to them, then the Gladiators will eradicate the planet from the Universe.


    Just below that, on the left, was the emblem of Behemoth, the world of Wings. Ysabeau''s heart fluttered as she smiled sadly at her homeworld. One that, like most worlds during the war, was forever lost and gone. The world that soared in the Air Element.


    Behemoths, the second in charge of the Council, they are basically the ones responsible for scouting out new planets from the skies, without breaking barriers.


    Below Behemian, on the right side of the tree, was ancient writings of stars. The Language of the Stars, as they called it. It''s counted as a planet as the many people who can write or use the power of the Stars are limited. Z smiled as he looked at his original birthplace. The World of Stars.


    Going down to the tree''s trunk, was the many words of the Time Element. Like Galaxian, it''s not a world but rather the Time Mages across the plane of existence is enough to warrant a ''world''. Raiyen gripped Mavisin''s hand as he looked at the representation of his people. The World of Time.


    Time, Galaxian, and Oracle formed the Trio Affinity, where they function away from the Council. They are called in for major decision makings and such but they are the silent members for the most part.


    In the middle of the shield, where the green hoop is, was the circle that represented Akhaten. The Language of Akis, Voynich. The world where books and writings have more power than physical weapons. Gillian could not help but smile. The World Of Growth and Writing.


    The Akis is right at the heart of the entire tree, as it is when it''s in the Council. They, working together with Valokia, can pass the final decree and do the job. They and Valokia share the same roles but Valokia''s hold within the COuncil is stronger.


    Under the hoop, where the tree''s trunk continued was Oracle. Otherwise known as the World of Clairvoyance. A certain man from the sidelines watched as the emblem formed, making the person shake his head. The World Of Foretelling.


    Now, the rest of the worlds were at the tip of each prominent root. The one on the left and right were slightly higher than the one in the middle. Each of the roots was still bracing impact from Old Man Pond''s attacks but stood strong nonetheless.


    On the left root was Pyrophillian, the planet filled with the Fire Element. Where the Pyros lived. Imagine, a world were volcanos were considered as homes. The whole planet''s hot enough to melt other planets. The World of Flames.


    Pyrophillia has been the attacking piece of the Council. Whenever any planet needs to be put down or help with a major invading force, Pyros will always e summoned to the field straight away. Partly is because they like it.


    On the right root rested a calmer, Atlantis. Though there''s a version of one on Earth, the original home of the Mer-people was a planet by itself. A small slice of it survived and became the laying foundations of Earth. The World Of Aqua.


    They function as the opposite of Pyros in the COuncil. They are summoned purely for defense. They never attack, they can''t either.


    And finally, on the middle root, the lowest of the whole thing, laid a very dark world of Abyssinian. The place where all Shadow Mages were formed. An image of Abi flashed before Baldwin''s eyes as he looked at the final world. The World Of Abyss.


    As the final world finished appearing, the entire shield was complete. Not only it could repel the attacks from Old Man Pond''s weapon, but it also had the audacity to flip the spells into Energy for its consumption.

 Chapter 214 - The Ark Of The Return

    Old Man Pond tried his best to wreck Yggdrasil''s defense but to no avail. With Gillian''s added spells, this fight was weighing on his side.


    "How long is this going take?" asked Baldwin, looking at the one-sided battle.


    The entire scene was quite pitiful as Yggdrasil continued to stand strong. Though Gillian could use some of his spells, it seemed that Old Man Pond could not use any of his Poison moves.


    "Don''t know. Still waiting for Yggdrasil to snap and end him at once," replied Z, yawning.


    "But why Azazel?" asked Mavislin, confused at the sight.


    "Not sure, perhaps it''s one of the spells that counts as Poison," explained Raiyen.


    "The Aura, it''s not giving me the vibe of a Basilisk. It''s giving me something else," said Mavislin, still deep in thought.


    "Something else? What do you mean?"


    "Well, an Aura determines the being. If it''s a Valkyrie''s Aura, it would be one of pure light. Even a fallen Valkyrie would still have that light. Your Aura is pretty unique, with three types altogether but I can tell that your Aura fits you.."


    Mavislin shook her head. Her hands were pressed up to the windows, with Raiyen resting his chin on the crook of her neck. Her eyes felt heavy as if she was trying to comprehend what Poisoned Pond was trying to do.


    "That''s correct, but Poisoned Pond is emitting a Poison Aura, right?" asked Raiyen, looking at the man again.


    "It doesn''t make sense for an Aki to open the Gates in such a manner. unless..."


    The Valkyrie''s eyes widened as she came to a very disturbing thought.


    "The Umbras... They have the power to copy what others have... right?" asked Mavislin, slowly.


    "So? What about it?"


    "How did you find this version of Old Man Pond?"


    "He jumped me from the Time Frame that I was in. He said it was the only time that he can finally meet his brother again."


    "There is no way an Aki can travel through Tike. That''s why Gillian sent you on that mission. If he could, he would just ask you for Time Ripper."


    "Wait, this means that the Old Man Pond isn''t an Aki?"


    "At least, this one ain''t. The Umbras isn''t Baldwin''s cousins, neither are they a race of beings from another planet. They are Benjamin''s creations. An upgraded version of the Husks."


    "Pardon?!"


    "Benjamin told me that, himself. Even Baldwin did agree since his race can only use the Necrotic Element. Even Gillian was shocked. All this time, our assumptions could not be further from the truth."


    "Wait, wait! So, what you''re telling me..."


    "The Old Man Pond that Gillian is fighting isn''t him. It''s Benjamin, himself."


    Old Man Pond smiled as he heard the Valkyrie mutter those words. The two children turned their heads towards Old Man Pond''s standing figure.


    "Looks like I''ve been ratted out. Time for another quick knock," mumbled Old Man Pond as he reverted back to the first form.


    "Finally, he''s stopped," sighed the three a.d.u.l.ts.


    Yggdrasil left Gillian and the Aki reverted to his human form.


    "I guess that''s enough for now. Too much of Door Opening can affect the Old Chapel," said Gillian walking back to the house.


    Both Yggdrasil and Gillian failed to react to the next move. They both had thought the battle was over.


    "Door Of The Undead King..."


    Suddenly, the place was blanketed with a dark purple fog. A vortex of black Elemental Aura exploded around Old Man Pond. Baldwin was alarmed as he recognized that fog.


    "What the hell?!" shouted the Angry Man as he dashed into the fog.


    "Hold on! The fire is... What?" asked Z, trying to chase after him.


    Not only the fog emitted a potent feeling of dread and death, but it also ended up dispersing the fire that Yggdrasil made. The Aura felt dangerously similar to another enemy, worse than Old Man Pond by ten-fold.


    "The Corrupted One has returned?!" yelled Ysabeau as she tried to fly down.


    "Don''t! Your wings will wilt!" shouted Gillian.


    Ysabeau stopped midair. The fog finally cleared, allowing all to see who was Gillian''s opponent for the past day. A figure of Benjamin stood strong, surrounded by black streams of Elemental Energy. But it wasn''t what the rest was used to.


    He had a skeletal mask on the left side of his face. In his arms held a giant scythe, with his limbs fluctuating between skeletal and flesh. He was adorned with a tattered, purple cloak. He had no eyes, just two black abysses.


    "That''s not Benjamin either..." said Mavislin.


    By this time, Raiyen had already glitched downstairs to join the a.d.u.l.ts. The being that stood on the scene gave a glance towards Mavislin. A few black orbs appeared around the being, with all of the orbs having a small tail of Aura.

 Chapter 215 - The Ark Of The Stick Mans Return

    With a random attack hurling through the skies, Gillian quickly shot out Black Lotus but could catch the attack before it came close to Mavislin. But a certain gunshot deflected the quick attack.


    "Impossible! How can a human bullet deter an attack from a Valkyrie?!" shouted the being emitting Dark Aura.


    Mavislin shook her head as she saw the ''bullet''. That was no ordinary ammo. The Aura that the mysterious man emitted terrified her, more than her brother.


    "Ah, I used to be human. Until you came along," said the intruder of the Old Chapel.


    The man appeared, sitting right on top of the Puka. His arms held a familiar sniper rifle without a scope. He leaped from the pesky horse and allowed to gallop back its owner. He smiled slightly as he neared the being.


    "How can you still be alive?!" bellowed the Undead King.


    "He''s got a point. We saw you die!" shouted Baldwin as he stopped right in front of the intruder.


    Memories of his so-called death flashed before the group''s eyes, including the being. Mavislin clenched her fists as she looked at the man that stood on the battlefield below. She shook her head quickly and summoned up her wings.


    She quickly opened up her window and dived down to meet the man for herself. The reunion for the two was a heartwarming one, had it not been for the Corrupted being. She hovered right in front of the stick man before flying right into his arms.


    "Woah there! You aren''t exactly little anymore!" yelled the poor man, back on the grassland.


    "I don''t care!" yelled the Valkyrie as she flapped her wings with glee.


    "How heavy can you be with your wings?!" yelled the stick man as he looked exasperated.


    "Very. Valkyrie''s true wings make up nearly sixty percent of their body mass. But I''ve always been heavy, even when I was young."


    "Not the same! When you were younger, you''re a little girl with a bunny! I miss her!" whined Ashley.


    "But I still have it, it''s just that I chose to have my wings out today!"


    "I swear to god, if you were in your true form, I would''ve been a pancake," complained Ashley.


    "Hmm... Pancake Ash... Delish..."


    "Oi! Don''t go drooling on the battlefield!"


    The stick man rolled his eyes as he returned the hug while trying to get up. But a Valkyrie on top of a human body was still a problem. Ashley conceded defeat and laid there.


    "Hey, hey, it''s alright... No need for tears," cooed Ashley as he smoothed the Valkyrie''s hair out.


    "Hush now... I thought you didn''t like humans?"


    "You aren''t a stranger!" said the Valkyrie through her tears.


    "Well, Minwoo''s watching over you, just like how I did before he came along."


    "Speaking of him, the point still stands. How are you alive?" asked Mavislin, looking at Ashley with big round eyes.


    "That spell saved me. It couldn''t kill me. A cancellation of spells, of some sort. Heaven''s Wheel: Euphoria ended up trapping me in a Time Frame, one of the Time Frames from Valokia. Nice place though. Hey, at least I got a bit of a breather before heading back into the battlefield."


    "Then now, you aren''t human anymore?" asked Mavislin, standing up.


    "I am human in flesh but my thinking and power aren''t."


    "The fact that you have powers means that you ain''t human anymore, mate," said Baldwin, folding his arms.


    "Hmph. I wish I could be. But meddling with you lot caused this whirlwind of problems. Now, I''ve got a human body with some powers, memories of my past as a Mafia, during the Time Frame, and now. But my thinking is still the same throughout."


    "Naive?" chorused the rest of the Mages.


    "Listen, I''m not as bad as my brother!"


    "You guys are related."


    Ashley sighed as he was finally got up.


    "Great, you lot earned a gold star. Anyways, let''s focus on the task at hand. Respectfully, I don''t like it when this dude keeps appearing out of nowhere. It ruined the film that I was watching. So I decided to get my ass off from the couch and fix this show."


    Ashley shot a dark glare towards the being. He c.o.c.ked up his gun as he stood between Mavislin and the being.


    "Make no mistake, just because you came back from the brink of death doesn''t mean anything to me. I will still kill anyone who stands in my way," said Benjamin, showing an insane grin.


    "Likewise for my side, Benjamin. You never and have never intimidated me," replied the stick man with the same grin.


    "It''s amazing that you haven''t aged a bit since we last saw you. Or, since I last defeated you, that is," laughed the being.

 Chapter 216 - The Ark Of First Seat Marksman

    "Well, for everyone else, it has been nearly years since we last met. But for me, the same day is still occurring."


    "The same day? Meaning?" asked Mavislin, scratching her head.


    "That''s right. The same day you sealed me away with Euphoria is still occurring for me. For you lot, it has been years. It''s only been a few hours," explained Ashley, loading up his sniper rifle.


    He claimed that his bullets were not human, yet it looked like it. Perhaps he was using the physical weapon as a cover but Magecraft was in it.


    "But my body is way different than before. Like what I''ve said, the bullets in this bad boy aren''t normal," smiled Ashley as he aimed it at the being.


    "You take me too lightly, human."


    The being snapped his fingers, allowing his Aura to increase and circulate his position once more. He held up his signature scythe and began his spell to destroy Ashley. A dark, black ball of Elemental Energy emerged from the tip of the scythe.


    Ashley sighed, cracking his neck and walking closer towards Benjamin. Mavislin was worried but had faith that Ashley could stand his ground.


    "Are you sure about fighting him, one on one?" asked Baldwin, apprehensive about the situation.


    "Yea, you are, after all, still a human at heart," replied Gillian, skeptical about the situation.


    "Affirmative. I''m not human anymore, so why not use that to my advantage?" asked Ashley, facing the Angry Man with sheer aplomb.


    "Just because you aren''t human anymore, means that you can kill that. We''ve been trying to do that for years, what makes you so sure?" asked Baldwin, in disbelief.


    "I didn''t say anything about killing that, that''s much too tiresome for lil'' old'' me. And I don''t think it is possible to do so since he is just an echo. So, I''ll just defeat this thing."


    "Hmph, you make it sound so easy."


    "Oh, I''m not trying to. Actually, I am still on the fence if I should continue. But hell, I''ve already met Death straight in the face, what''s one more meeting?"


    His smile was twisted, like one of a madman''s.


    "After all, he made Mavislin cry. That is something," said Ashley, as his eyes darkened.


    He then primed his rifle, sending a huge Aura influx around him. And glared daggers towards Benjamin.


    "I''ll never let anyone get away with!" thundered Ashley as his Aura came to fruition.


    A giant explosion of turquoise light blinded the area. The rest of the Mages stared at it with awe. If a mere Valkyrie spell had the power to turn a human into a fully-fledged Mage, what else would it have done? Even Mavislin was shocked.


    "The Gladiators'' Five Great Spells of Divine Judgement. Okeanos, Euphoria, Downpour, Justice Rains, and Sacred Onslaught. And not even counting the Five Alter Versions; Threnody, Monody, Black Ocean, Melancholia and Blaspherous Blitz..." murmured Mavislin.


    Her mind whirled as she tried to figure out the meaning of this outcome. Euphoria was meant for a one-way trip. She sent her parents there, right after the explosion on Valokia. Did the Gladiators know about this ability of Euphoria? Then that would mean...


    She looked at Ashley with pleading eyes. He nodded, giving a thumbs-up.


    "Then he can still come back..."


    "Did you say something?" asked Raiyen, holding onto Mavislin''s hand.


    "Euphoria is not even that big of a spell..."


    "Hm?"


    "Oh! Nothing..."


    Mavislin shrugged Raiyen''s hand away. She then closed her eyes and focus her Elemental Energy onto her attacking piece. Afterward, she shot out her left hand, open-palmed towards Ashley.


    "Right before I sealed you away, I promised you a place in my Barren Pillars. Thus, I will follow suit with my order. You are the best sharpshooter in my pillars! I hereby give you the position of First Seat Marksman!" commanded Mavislin, sending him the emblem of the Barren PIllars.


    As she threw out her left hand, the emblem of Barren Pillars shined on her palm. A red circle with an X-shape, with the top and bottom spaces having circles. A surge of her Elemental Energy rang throughout his body.


    This pain was different, way different from the precious time someone had passed the Elements onto him. The pain was still there but it was no longer just to save the person he cared for. It was to defend the people he worked with.


    Two different feelings, two different situations. Last time, he was powerless, he had to witness Hwee in such a horrid state. Now, he can prevent that. Now, he can fight. Use the very skillset that everyone hated when he was growing up, to defend the people he chose as his family.


    As he opened his eyes, the emblem was on his right eye, shining brightly.

 Chapter 217 - The Ark Of The Barren Pillars

    The Barren Pillars of the Arks. They can function as an organization by themselves. Divided by something called their Pillars; Marksman, Spearman, Slayer, Traveller, Dementor, and Swordsman.


    The Pillar of Marksman is for members like Ashley. Those who have the keenest of sight and can fight within long ranges. This makes them excellent scouts. Their weapons usually consist of bows or guns but some have used their hands. They usually hide in the shadows, on the back lines.


    They are usually activated when the battle has not been too severe. They do not work together with other Marksmen but when war does hit, they can do damage. They have to be independent, so they can''t rely on others too much. Perfect for Ashley.


    The Spearman Pillar, like the name suggests, is for those who use spears to their combat advantage. Long poles, spears of many types are all welcomed in this pillar. They are fantastic with hit and run tactics. Granted with swift reflexes in combat, they are with the swordsman, at the front lines.


    Slayers are the best at, well, slaying. They are all-rounders, with them using almost every weapon on hand. However, they cannot master any weapon. Slayers are usually silent and covert when they are activated. They are positioned as a floater, they can go front or back. Same as Travellers.


    Travelers are those who have the gift of riding. From horses to Griffins, they are the masters of commanding their transport. Their ability does not just command one but to be in the first Five Seats, they have to command any types of mount.


    They can fight, using only their transport as a weapon. Sometimes, they use weapons, but it is very rare for them to kill. They are out and about to gather information, similar to the Vigilante. They can float around on the battlefield.


    The Swordsman PIllar''s members are masters of the Saber, of the sword. They are like the Knights but they have been picked out by Mavislin to be different than Baldwin''s side. How different? The ones in the Pillars are more bloodthirsty. They can destroy enemy front lines, head-on.


    They are agile, masters of close-quarter combat. Their skills as a warrior are top-notch, earning them popularity when mixing with the rest of the Arks. They and the Guardians are the faces of the Barren Pillars.


    Dementors, otherwise known as the Guardians, are the giants of the Pillars. They are the only ones who can''t act on their own will. They are considered as Crazed beings, beings who have no voice or have gone mad with sheer power. They''ve traded sanity for power.


    As the name suggests, they represent berserkers. When activated, they have the capacity to destroy mountains to kingdoms. During the Time Frame Hop to the future with Raiyen, they were the ones in charge of sweeping the many corrupted kingdoms.


    They hold no sanity within their giant bodies. They are a special case, as Dementors are not for the public to join. Mavislin had found five of them, lying half-dead within the Ring Of Fire on Earth. After some weird gestures, Mavislin convinced them to join the Arks.


    With these Pillars, Mavislin had handpicked the best of the best to be the ones fighting on the battlefield. Each Pillar is further broken down into the member''s rankings. Based on Seats, with First Seat being the top and the lowest being the Fifth.


    The members after that are lumped as newcomers and are not ready to take up the position of the Seats. Mavislin wanted more but commanding the Seated Members is tougher than the newcomers.


    For the Seats, she has to use them to their full advantage. For newcomers, she can easily place them on the battlefield and wait for something interesting to happen. And recently, she was still trying to find the First Seat member for the Marksman Pillar. Now, the position has been filled.


    "From now on, you are granted the protection of the Arks!" yelled Mavislin, with a huge grin on her face.


    "I''m liking this newfound power and position. Just one question."


    "Go on, Ashley."


    The stick man shuddered as she used his name. But turned to look at the Valkyrie, straight in the eye.


    "Will the pay be high?"


    The nerve... Mavislin nearly regretted her decision to throw the emblem onto him so quickly. But without that emblem, she can''t pass him the necessary equipment to fight.


    "I''ll pluck out your eye myself if I hear you talk about your pay again. We do pay our members. But first, you gotta prove that you are worthy of being in that position," explained Mavislin, through gritted teeth.


    "Then I shall prove to you as a Sniper that I am capable of taking down my enemy."

 Chapter 218 - The Ark Of Lynx Eyes

    "I will provide you with support Elemental Energy," ordered Mavislin, brimming with confidence.


    Ashley closed his eyes, taking all the newfound power in. His eyes flew open, ready to strike back at the enemy. His heart started to beat faster and adrenaline pumped through his veins. He quickly loaded up some special bullets into his rifle.


    "My eyes, I activate thee. Pierce all fragile hearts..." chanted Ashley as his eyes glowed in his Elemental Aura.


    "Abyss Of The Horizon..." chanted the being.


    "Lynx Eyes..." murmured Ashley as he prepared to fire.


    "Phantom Orb!" shouted the being, sending the giant ball towards the stick man.


    "Round One: Aqua''s Pellet!"


    The rifle he held glowed in a bright turquoise shade as more power flowed in. Streams of water were sucked into the barrel. His Elemental Aura loomed over the barrel of the gun. As Ashley fired the spell, a huge ball of water went straight towards the dark orb.


    Normally, the dark attack would have won, but with the help of a certain Valkyrie, it powered through. This sliced the dark orb and managed to blast a hole in Benjamin''s tattered cloak, despite being a ball of water.


    "Impossible... How can mere mock Mage defeat my spells?!" roared Benjamin, summoning more orbs to kill Ashley.


    As a bunch of them soared through the air, Ashley fired some more water shots at it. Each orb was destroyed instantly. This made the being livid. But Ashley was beginning to tucker out from all the running, while Benjamin merely stood there.


    And to top it off, the water used was saltwater, making Benjamin''s healing process slightly more antagonizing. Shot after shot, Ashley maintained his distance from the being, until Benjamin moved.


    "Crap," murmured Ashley as he failed to see Benjamin''s movements.


    There was a reason why Valkyries are dubbed as ''Creatures of Light'' since their movements are incomprehensible by other beings'' eyes. But as the figure got close, Ashley gave a wide grin towards the Corrupted Man. Benjamin growled as he tried to punch Ashley from the back.


    But the stickman dodged by launching himself into the air and delivering a tornado crescent kick right to Benjamin''s face. This sent the ex-Valkyrie flying towards a tree stump. As he tried standing up, Ashley then launched himself to the Corrupted one once more.


    He delivered a hook punch, which sent him flying off to his side. But Benjamin bounced back and propelled himself towards Ashley. But the stickman wasn''t intimidated as he struck the neck of Benjamin using the tiger claw strike.


    The impact was so hard that one strike managed to knock most of the wind out of the Corrupted One.


    "Wait, since when he could do hand-hand?" asked Gillian.


    "Since I was in the Mafia, the old one. To thrive in those streets, I can''t always rely on my weapons, you know."


    "You should''ve told me earlier, I would''ve concentrated my power on your limbs instead of your eyes," complained Mavislin.


    "There are some things that you''ve got no clue about me... And I''ll triumph over you for that," mocked Ashley, cracking his knuckles.


    Benjamin knew he was in for a treat if he didn''t resort to using the next spell. This time, hand-to-hand might not save him for something from another level.


    "Abyss Of The Horizon..."


    "Crap!" yelled Ashley as his body was beginning to falter.


    "Vortex!" yelled Benjamin with a sinister smile.


    A purple duststorm appeared behind Ashley, catching him off guard. It swirled into a tornado, trying to suck the stick man in. Mavislin''s eyes flashed a shade of green as she shot both her arms out, towards the flying stickman.


    "Zephyr Gait!" shouted Mavislin, sending the Wind Step Spell to Ashley.


    He had barely managed to get out of that predicament. He then landed right beside Mavislin and lost his balance.


    "I''m still not used to having extra boosts. Gotta give some time to adjust," reasoned Ashley, shaking his head.


    Another blast from Benjamin made a beeline towards Ashley. But the new Marksman of the Barren PIllars had other plans. Ashley leaped off from his feet, skillfully dodging the Spells from the shadow. With his new boost, he zipped through the air without a care in the world.


    "Hmm... It seems that he can adjust quicker than when he was a human..." murmured Gillian, keeping an eye on Ashley''s movements.


    "You damned fly!" yelled Benjamin as he missed another shot.


    "Hm, this is starting to get stale..."


    Ashley halted in his tracks while Mavislin retracted the spell. He then loaded another round into his rifle. Taking his aim onto the being, Benjamin decided to draw out more Elemental Energy from the area. The grass started to die and flowers began to wilt.


    "Lynx Eyes..." chanted Ashley as he honed into Benjamin from afar.

 Chapter 219 - The Ark Of Borrowed Power

    "Then what do you have?" asked Minwoo, confused.


    "I wasn''t kidding when I can see the future."


    "The Clairvoyance Element."


    Ashley nodded.


    "That''s why I don''t need a scope on my rifles. I can tell where my opponent goes and when they''ll move to the right spot. It''s for a split second but it''s better than nothing," explained Ashley.


    "But you couldn''t tell the future for the battle between you and Mavislin, right?"


    "I saw it, but I was too naive to care. At that time, my emotions and judgment covered the truth. I''m still not proud of that decision," mumbled Ashley, shifting uncomfortably in his spot.


    "I was given a choice to use the Time Element. A Time Mage gave me the power to rewind time on a person but warned me if I overused it, it might have side effects."


    "But why did you have to do that? What happened to Hwee that needed so much power?" asked Minwoo, concerned.


    "I was away on a mission when a suicide bomber detonated right behind the house that Hwee stayed in. I rushed back when my mates told me about the bombing. Most of the neighbors were awoken and tried to help out but things were looking grim," explained Ashley.


    His face twisted into pain and regret as he remembered the scene from that terrible night. Mavislin snuggled closer, trying to comfort the stick man. Ashley took a large gulp of air and calmed down.


    "When we found her in the debris of the house, half her body had been blown off. It wasn''t an accident, it was sabotage. I didn''t know what to do until a Time Mage came out from the crowd."


    Ashley closed his eyes once more as he remembered that little boy who squeezed his way out of the crowd.


    "She still has some signs of life. I can lend you a bit of my Time Element to reverse the damage done but it will render some side effects."


    "Why can''t you do it? I''ll pay you back."


    "I don''t want to be the one responsible for tampering with Time. It gives a bad name for me, I''m already a wanted criminal. Besides, if you truly want to save her, do it with your own hands," replied the young boy.


    "Then give it to me. I don''t care if I die or I lose an arm. So long as it saves her, that''s all I care about..." said Ashley, on the brink of tears as he held the love of his life in his arms.


    His eyes screamed for help when his voice was filled with desperation. The unknown Mage sighed and proceeded with the small exchange.


    "No turning back. From now on, you won''t be human again."


    A large blue orb emerged from the boy''s hand and into Ashley''s arm. As the newfound power shot through his body, the Mafia boss braced the fiery pain of his arm. It took quite a substantial amount of willpower for Ashley to reopen his eyes again.


    "Time Alter: Reverse The Shift!" yelled Ashley as the entire place plunged into bright light.


    "My arm ached for days but Hwee''s body was back to normal as soon as the light went off. The only thing was that I started to see certain events happening before it was occurring. At first, it started small, like knowing what mission I was assigned to before the boss says it. But then..."


    "It''s not really a lot of power. If a human uses any form of Magecraft, there''s bound to be some side effects. But my question is, who gave you that power? There are very few people who can do so," asked Gillian seemingly interested.


    "Wait, so not all Mages can transfer their power to others?" asked Ashley, confused.


    "That''ll be overkill. We are from different worlds. Hell, different Universes. Our bodies are only conformed to what powers we are born with," explained Gillian.


    "Could it be Raiyen?" asked Gillian, looking Ashley intently.


    "I never did get the fella''s name. I was busy being in pain and worrying about my girlfriend," answered Ashley, sarcastically.


    "And now, my whole life as a human has been turned into something that I loathed."


    "You hate us that much?" whispered Mavislin, pouting at Ashley.


    The stickman flinched slightly as he saw a tear forming in the young girl''s eyes. His eyes widened as he tried finding something to calm her down.


    "Not you... Others that are bad... Uh..."


    Ashley the stickman struggled to find his reply as the girl in his lap was starting to be quite upset. He could only cuddle her tighter.


    "Not her?! You were on a mission to kill her!" exclaimed Gillian.


    "Doesn''t mean that I hate her!"


    "I beg to differ!" yelled Minwoo.

 Chapter 220 - The Ark Of Sibling Anger

    "Zip it, White Rat!"


    "Says the sewer rat!" shouted Minwoo, getting closer to Ashley.


    Ashley stood up, causing Mavislin to grip tightly on his clothes. The Mages knew that this wasn''t going to be their usual sibling squabbles.


    "I''m only a sewer rat because of you!" roared Ashley.


    "It wasn''t because of me, it was because you were too weak! You fell into the wrong company by your choice, not mine!"


    "Weak?! On what basis do you have to call me weak?! Especially when you were loved by the country, Silver Tongue!"


    "I told you before! I had that silver spoon shoved down my throat, I did not take it myself! I didn''t want it!" roared Minwoo as he slammed his fist onto the rock table.


    "Didn''t want it?! Don''t give me such crap! And I don''t care, you were still being loved by all! Leaving me to fend for myself in the dark!"


    The two brothers'' fight caused the Mages in the room to stay silent as the two brothers sort their anger out. With the only concern being Mavislin was still hanging onto Ashley''s clothes, still trying her best not to cry.


    "Where were you when the bullies came, huh?! Where the hell did you go when the mob came through the backyard?! Where were you when I needed you?! When I was all alone, you were doused with Mom and Dad''s praise and love. And what did I get in return?! Kicked out!"


    Minwoo stayed silent as he looked away.


    "You can''t even look me in the eye, because that''s the truth! You are more loved than me!" yelled Ashley, at the top of his lungs.


    "I didn''t want to go. I didn''t want to be a sewer rat. They tossed me out! You think I want to be thrown out! The fact that I''m still standing here makes me the stronger one because despite what hardsh.i.p.s I went through, I''m still here! And I did it all alone!"


    "So why are you angry at me?!"


    "Because you are supposed to be my elder brother!"


    Ashley took another breath as he used his long arms to hug Mavislin into his chest.


    "So tell me, on what basis do you have to call me weak when you have no clue about the pain that I had to go through?!"


    "All of us go through pain, it''s just so petty to compare your pain to mine!"


    "I''m not comparing my pain to yours. And frankly, I don''t give a damn about yours either."


    "So what are you trying to say?"


    "I''m saying that you had the choice to save me. To be with me. But no, you turned your back towards me and sided with my parents. And I''m angry at that point. Because you think that I''m weak but in truth, you were the one who was supposed to be by my side."


    "Because no matter what..."


    Ashley looked at Mavislin as he smoothed out her hair. And smiled sadly. His body shook ever so slightly when Mavislin looked at him with worried eyes. He then slumped down onto the chair.


    "I''d hoped one day. Just one day, that you''ll eventually know that I was hurting and that you would stand up for me. Or just, be there for me. Like when we were toddlers. I don''t even know whether you remembered. Or if it''s just some useless memory to you," said Ashley, sadly.


    "Toddlers?" asked Minwoo, softly.


    "You were always there to comfort me when I cried. When I couldn''t figure out a puzzle or when I was just cranky. You were still by my side. It was the only time that I saw you as my brother and best friend. Until the announcement was made to designate you to be the head of the house."


    "Then am I not your bother anymore after that?"


    "I could ask you the same question. You left me behind. When I realized it, I refused to see myself as having a family anymore. Brother is nothing more than a title. It holds no meaning to me. Neither do I see my parents as people. I count them as nothing. And I hate them more than Mages."


    Minwoo looked conflicted as he tried finding the words to counter that. But alas, he couldn''t find any. Ashley was right, he couldn''t deny that. But it wasn''t without reason that he abandoned his little brother.


    "I wanted to be by your side too, Ash. I really did. But Mom and Dad didn''t allow it. They said only one could be at the top. And I..."


    "What a load of bull roar that is," boomed Ysabeau, shocking everyone in the room.


    "What do you mean, M''lady?" asked Minwoo, visibly shaken at Ysabeau''s darkened eyes.

 Chapter 221 - The Ark Of Seawater Element

    "Howl Of The..."


    "Crap! Ash, watch out!" shouted Mavislin, unable to foresee her twin''s next move.


    "Triad Starlight!" shouted Ashley.


    "Of the Abyss!" roared Benjamin as he released his breath towards Ashley''s direction.


    But the stick man stood still and took the spell, head-on. He then fired off, three bullets of light soared through the air. As the bullets reached the torrent of darkness, it flew away from each other, forming a huge triangular shield.


    Three beams of light connected the bullets together, making the shield shine rightly as it deflected the Mage''s spell. Ashley was brimming with confidence as his bullets'' lights were winning against the ex-Valkyrie''s roar.


    "How the hell?!" yelled Baldwin, amazed.


    "That''s... A Valokian roar! How the hell can he beat a Valkyrie''s howl?!" shouted the Angry Man.


    But as he glanced at Mavislin, Baldwin quickly drew back his expression of surprise and gave his usual prideful smile. Looks like this battle was two against one as Ashley borrowed one of Mavislin''s spells. Only a Valokian can beat a Valokian.


    It was the most basic, younglings back home used it all the time. But in this fight, it was powered by a Valkyrie and a human that had been turned into a Mage. As the shield began to falter, she channeled more Elemental Energy into the stickman.


    But of course, this being against the Corrupted One, it wasn''t going to last for long. The stickman''s lanky legs were dug deep into the plains, causing a slight dent in the ground. Mavislin was starting to lose her force as well since the Dark Element and her power was conflicting.


    "Sing the song of the siren... The only source of water in the forest..." chanted Ashley.


    Ashley, while trying his best to stabilize the shield, reached into his pocket to toss a turquoise pebble in front of the shield.


    "River''s Song!" yelled Ashley, in a last-ditch attempt to turn the shield of light into something stronger.


    The triangular shield now had a turquoise color shade as the pebble extended out, larger than the initial shield. It could push back the attack significantly, but it didn''t seem like it was going to nullify the enemy''s attack anytime soon.


    It was nearly a copy of Lord Atlantia but in no way could stand up against the Valkyrie''s Ancient Relic. It didn''t have enough power as the tips of both shields started to crack. Mavislin had just recovered from the previous Umbra incidents, so using more would be annoying.


    But Ashley, being the stickman filled with surprises, decided that it was time to unleash what he had up on his sleeve. The moment both shields shattered, Ashley shot both hands out and leaned forward.


    "Torrential Rainfall!" yelled Ashley as he took a step forward with all his might.


    A sudden wave of seawater came out from his palms. This shocked all of the Mages as it pushed the Howl back. And the battle was looking towards Ashley''s favor as the Howl got pushed so far that it was Benjamin''s turn to move backward


    "That''s, ENOUGH!" roared the Corrupted one.


    With that said, the tides changed when Benjamin fully unleashed his wings. As soon as those rotten things sprouted from his back, Ashley''s spell quickly got destroyed. His wings were wilted, decayed as his state looked disastrous. A complete opposite of Mavislin.


    A huge influx of the Corrupted One''s Aura decimated the area. And unknown to them, had alerted the other beings outside of the Old Chapel. But they aren''t human.


    "He finally appeared," murmured the hooded girl, as her crimson eyes looked at the direction of the Old Chapel.


    "After so many years... I finally get to use that spell again. And this time, I will not fail."


    The woman''s hands tingled. Ah, it has been nearly a decade since that incident. For her, that is. Not for the unsuspecting audience. But she was not alone as the shadows around town crept up and headed for the clearing in the forest.


    "This ain''t lookin too good..." mumbled Gillian as he prepared to face the ultimate demon.


    "Ash, I don''t think you can continue fighting with just a Valkyrie backing you up," said Gillian, resting his hands on Ash''s and Mavislin''s shoulders.


    "You''ll need to give the stage up to an Aki," said Gillian, facing the demon head-on.


    "Hey! That''s rather rude," complained Ashley, looking at the Aki.


    "Whelp, there no turning back. Mavis, you know what to do," instructed Gillian as he carefully rolled up his sleeves.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t allow him to die this time," said Mavislin, unleashing her wings.


    Looking at the two in comparison, Mavislin''s pair were nearly four times the size of her twin. As she gently flapped her wings to get off, the wind created was enough to be felt from afar.

 Chapter 222 - The Ark Of Dagger VS Dark

    She then grabbed the stickman by his waist and flew upwards into the sky. As Benjamin proceeded to follow after his twin and Ashley, he was rudely stopped by two shining daggers that flew through the air.


    "No way I''m letting you follow her," said Raiyen, catching his twin blades as it returned back to him.


    "One pest after another. This is so boring," complained Benjamin as he threw more Dark Elemental attacks towards Raiyen.


    "And you are no match for Z''s training. Looks like that Peanut wasn''t lying when he said our training was the advanced class from the start," explained Raiyen.''


    "And why is that so?"


    "Because your attacks are nowhere as fast his Kunais."


    "Don''t get too c.o.c.ky. You are only a Mage," warned Benjamin as he sent a torrent of Elemental Energy towards the Time Mage.


    But with the gift of Glitch, the Time Mage simply zipped through the air. Throwing out some balls of light, the clouds in the area soon became to form and converged to Raiyen.


    "Skies above, adhere to my chant. Obey me, O'' lightning and rain!"


    "Radiant Storm!"


    As the spell came from above and made contact with Benjamin''s arm, the entire area was blinded with the light of the spell. As the smoke cleared, leaving Benjamin''s outfit with burn marks and smoke still hovering about.


    "And you''re only a Shadow."


    He sharpened both his daggers with their blades and proceeded to slash Benjamin. Z was surprised as he recognized that move. It may look like a simple showoff but it is one of Raiyen''s spells.


    By brushing the two blades together, the two blades exploded with Elemental Energy. Heaven Sent was holding a golden hue while Hell Bent was silver. Both looked like beacons, with the blades being extended. He then launched himself towards the Corrupted One.


    Just like the very first time they sparred, Z''s assumptions were right as the Time Mage''s movements were rapid and unpredictable as he kept slashing Benjamin. The Corrupted One might not have a physical form but due to the situation, could feel the slashes stinging him.


    "Damn it, what annoying daggers," cursed Benjamin as he turned around to catch the Time Mage.


    "Mavis!" shouted Ashley as he tugged on the Valkyrie''s wings.


    "What?! Don''t just pull on my wings as if its a bell!"


    "Sorry, could you hoist me up? Like to your eye level," asked Ashley.


    Mavislin looked confused but did so anyway. With her current form, her wings were huge and her eyes and hair were shining gold. Her body also matured into a young a.d.u.l.t''s to fit the weightage of her wings. So holding Ashey was easy. But it looked awkward as he felt her chest on his.


    "Don''t get too excited down there. I''m much older than you," warned Mavislin as Ashley was stuck in an awkward hug with her.


    But Ashley was looking at Mavislin''s blindspot as he knew what to do when that Vortex came about again. He just didn''t know when.


    "Abyss Of The Horizon; Vortex!" yelled the Shadow, sending the attack right above the Time Mage.


    But as Raiyen used Glitch, both he and the attack disappeared. The Time Mage quickly disappeared and tried to catch the attack before it hit Mavislin. But Ashley was cursed with one thing he hated. The one thing that turned him into a Mage.


    "No way I''m letting you hit her!" exclaimed Ashley as he forced Mavislin to move from the spot with a smoke bomb.


    "I thank god for Yan''s bombs and Gab''s concoctions," murmured Ashley.


    "Since when?!"


    "No time! Just dive down there!"


    Mavislin was confused but understood quickly. She then flew towards the Old Chapel''s rooftop and placed Ashley there. And sat down with him. He looked perplexed.


    "Look, I''m tired, alright? Besides, this is a good sneak attack," explained Mavislin, retracting her wings.


    "Sneak attack? I was about to do something called ''run away''."


    "Why would you? The battle''s just begun."


    "All the more. I ain''t that dumb to risk my life again. After all, my main concern was for you to be out of harm''s way. And now, with you away, I can go back to my resting place," replied Ashley.


    "You still want to pass on? You don''t want to be here anymore?" asked Mavislin, looking at her stickman with utter devastation in her eyes.


    "I only agreed to come out to save you, to get you out of harm''s way. No point staying here. Hwee''s long gone, there''s nothing for me left. I can catch up with Minwoo as well. Hey, don''t worry. We''ll still be watching over you," said Ashley, playfully tickling her nose.


    "So long as I am his twin, I am never safe. He will always hunt me down."

 Chapter 223 - The Ark Of Three Way Fight

    "Don''t worry, he won''t be doing that after I rest up, and when she arrives," assured Ashley, ruffling the girl''s hair.


    "There''s no way you can kill him. There''s only one spell that can do so and it requires the last Stage of Heaven''s Wheel."


    "There is another. You just haven''t found it yet. I know her, I know the Mage that can end the Shadow once and for all."


    "Who is that ''her''?"


    "Oh, you''ll know it when you see her. She is closer to you than you think."


    "Hmm... Whoever she is, she''d better be aware of who she''s dealing with..."


    "She faced him before, just not before you," replied Ashley, with Mavislin''s facial expression twisting.


    "Huh? You''re not making any sense," replied the girl, shaking her head.


    "Well, you''ll understand it since she takes on her father''s hobby very well. Just, mixed in with your temper."


    But as for the ones down below, the Time Mage had no clue that the duo had made it out safely. Since it looked like the spell had s.u.c.k.e.d them away, Raiyen was livid as he glared at Benjamin.


    "Hmm... I guess they weren''t really that powerful after all. Now I hope that you won''t be so disappointing."


    "Over centuries of fighting you... Still pisses me off to the core," murmured Gillian.


    Gillian then proceeded to kneel, with his palms clasped, much like a prayer stance. As the area around the Headmaster changed, the fight was taking another turn. Raiyen clenched his fists as he gritted his teeth.


    "Don''t think that I''m the same level as stickman up there. I am the Child Of Time," explained Raiyen as his fringe covered his eyes.


    He looked up at the creature once more, his fringe flew up, revealing his eyes. His left eye turned to gold as his right turned silver. If his glare could kill, it might have wiped out an entire army, there and then.


    He then glitched behind the Shadow, with his golden knife at the creature''s neck and his silver one near its lower back.


    "Now I''ve gotten close enough... Prepare to meet your maker!" yelled the proud Time Boy.


    The two daggers exploded into their respective lights as the Time Mage continued to pour out Elemental Energy.


    "Heaven''s Sent! Hell Bent!"


    The combined spell engulfed the Corrupted one but it showed no signs of hurting it. Benjamin merely laughed as Raiyen''s attempts to even damage him were futile.


    "Hmph! That little trick won''t do me in..." said Benjamin as he prepared to throw the small boy away.


    "It can''t! But it gives him more time!"


    But as the Corrupted One tried to toss the boy away, Gillian''s power soared through the roof. The Symbols of all Five of the Primordial Beasts appeared around the Headmaster. Ysabeau gasped as she had no idea an Aki could pull that off.


    "Door Of the Salamander: Ifrit. Door Of the Sea Salt Goddess: Tiamat. Door of the Upper Skies: Aether. Door of the Sunken Shipwreck: Celeste. Door of the Tree of Life: Yggdrasil..."


    The symbols on the ground burst into beams of light. Red for Ifrit. Blue for Tiamat. White for Aether. Purple for Celeste. Green for Yggdrasil. The place shook as Benajmin tried to summon up more Corrupt Aura towards the Aki.


    But Raiyen had other plans. He continued slashing away Benjamin''s attempts to disturb Gillain''s preparations. Z laughed as he witnessed such a familiar scene.


    "I don''t get it. Why do you always end up as the distraction?" asked Z, inwardly.


    "No matter. If it''s enough to take that damned thing down, I ain''t complaining."


    "Open! Gate of all the Primordial Beasts!" shouted Gillian as all silhouettes of the Beasts appeared around him.


    The figures'' outlines shined in their respective colors. Gillian looked terrifying as he had the Primordial Beasts back him up. Cornered with both Mages'' powers, Benjamin could not be level-headed anymore. He answered the same to his opponents.


    "Abyss Of the Horizon: Melancholia..."


    Ysabeau instantly dived towards the Old Chapel and crashed right through the door. This scared Z and confused the Old Chapel.


    "Z! I need you to transport the Old Chapel into your mind!" commanded Ysabeau.


    "Harmony Of Cosmos is based on my mental capacity, there''s no way I can do that!" protested Z.


    Ysabweau was taken aback. If the Old Chapel gets into the spell, it might not live anymore. It can withstand a lot of powers from the stars but a converted Valkyrie is another level. Especially, using such a move.

 Chapter 224 - The Ark Of Gearing Up

    This terrified all the Mages on the battlefield. Including the Old Chapel. Right now, the only ones who can survive this are the Aki and the Shadow. Raiyen quickly leaped away from Benajmin and glitched into the Old Chapel for safety.


    "Sorry, Gil! I''ll give you some time in another way!" said the Time Mage as he shot a small spell to hastened the chanting process for the Headmaster.


    "You brat... Thanks."


    "That will not work..." said Benjamin, preparing to take all of the Mages down.


    "Hmph, you get a farewell gift from me too."


    Who knew manipulating the time for chanting spells could be so easy? Now, the Corrupted One needed more time to create Melancholia.


    With time running out, Ysabeau had no choice but to resort to her final act. Raiyen looked at Z and Ysabeau, unsure of what their next move was.


    "I hate transforming but I need to keep you three alive."


    "Oi! How about the rest?! You gonna leave them behind?!" asked Raiyen, in a frantic.


    "Don''t be stupid. Your body is human. And so is mine. If you touched Melancholia, your body would give out before your mind. It affects physically then mentally," explained Z.


    He then looked at Ysabeau and nodded. The High Queen then flew out and transformed back to her original state. The infamous Bahamut. Using all four of her limbs, Ysabeau picked the Old Chapel off from the grounds and into the skies.


    Raiyen glitched to the roof, expecting to see the legend but was met with great surprise. Though he had heard of the infamous race, he''d never once realised that it would be this huge. He gulped as he clung onto the roof. Her wingspan was nearly as big as Mavislin''s, if not, bigger.


    To give a rough estimate, Mavislin''s wingspan was 20 metres. At current form, the High Queen''s were double that size. She could wrap the Old Chapel with her wings. And bahamut wings were very tough. Unlike a Valkyrie''s, it can lift things up.


    Both are tough but Bahamuts'' wings are reptillian while Valkyrie''s are of feathers. And Ysabeau only tool a few flaps to get the entire building off from the ground. Mavislin would require a few more, since Valkyries'' wings are not meant for weight lifting.


    As Melancholia started to form, Baldwin and Gillian decided it was showtime before getting caught up in the spell. Baldwin had already activated his Ancient Relic and Gillian''s Gates were fully opened. Celeste helped to mitigate some of the Elemental Energy but it was still a beacon.


    This lured in more danger as the Husks were starting to fumble about into the main village of the Old Chapel. The common folk was now in mass hysteria as the Husks continued to chow down on the living. Truly, a zombie movie.


    The Old Chapel sent out an emergency siren towards the Mages but none could do anything about it. All were too afraid and tired from the earlier battle with the Umbras. Though the main fight was with the higher-ups, many of the Arks'' stations suffered losses as well.


    Mavislin quickly stood up from her place, with Ashley being on high alert as well. As the two rushed towards the area, the sight was terrifying. The Husks weren''t fumbling about, they were like warriors as they quickly engulfed the humans.


    The humans who were engulfed got up and started taking others'' lives. They were multiplying rapidly. If something isn''t done, the whole domain would be in trouble.


    "Wait, they aren''t supposed to take humans..." mumbled Mavislin as she took a step back.


    It wasn''t new to her, but it had been a while since she saw this scene. The last time, was the night when Valokia fell. Ashley placed a hand on his leader''s shoulder.


    "Keep your head in the game. Or else, we''ve got more problems," assured Ashley as he loaded up his rifle.


    "Hmph, naggy boy."


    "Hey, at least it helps."


    Mavislin closed her eyes as she readied up her spells. Her arsenal was mostly used in big battlefields but this was a controlled environment. So, spells like Array Of Elements were out of the question. Thus, she had no choice but to use that. But, seeing Ashley''s powers, it might go well.


    "The Tempest, The Hurricane, The Cyclone, The Storm, The Whirlwind, The Gale, The Typhoon. This is the Element that is responsible for those mass destructions..." chanted Mavislin as the wind around her picked up.


    The ground shook as the Valkyrie''s Wind Element poured into her hands. It was still quite unstable since she hadn''t use the sword like a normal weapon for a long time. She regretted using Lord Atlantia all the time.


    "All winds gather... And become my sword... Emerald Wave Sword!"

 Chapter 225 - The Ark Of Mysterious Help

    With such a show, it was bound to attract unwanted attention. The gusts of wind formed a transparent sword, with Mavislin clamping onto it. She wasted no time as she lunged towards the enemies.


    Having no physical weapon would normally be annoying, but the Ancient Relic allowed her some sort of weapon as it didn''t have explosions. Not yet, that is. Ashley sighed as he dreaded more work. He continued firing normally but Mavislin looked like she was having a bit too much fun.


    She looked like a dancer, as she soared through the air without the help of her wings. Her stabs were smooth, proof that she was deadly. Leaping sideways from the walls of the buildings, landing with a light touch as well as a kill. She was slightly smiling as adrenaline pumped in her body.


    "You are enjoying this?!" asked Ashley, confused.


    "Well, not really but it is fun. Besides," said the smiling girl.


    She plunged her sword into a Husk and pulled out to stab another.


    "I never got the chance to use this weapon. So let me have my fun."


    "Killing isn''t fun, you know," sighed Ashley.


    "Says the deadly sniper of the Campania."


    As she continued to kill more, the sword was starting to take a solid form. She was now holding a huge, emerald-colored sword in her hands. She then found a horde of Husks nearby and charged towards it. The horde had about 20 Husks.


    Seeing that the coast was clear, she readied up her charged sword and directed it to the Husks. She lifted her sword swung it down, towards the hustling enemies.


    "Wind Wave Slash!" yelled the Valkyrie, sending out an emerald crescent moon of water and wind.


    As the Husks were being clicked through the attack, the area around the slash started to freeze, much to Ashley''s surprise. Mavislin then went back to using the sword as per normal.


    "I thought you used the Light Element?" asked Ashley.


    "I''m born with it. I can use the other Elements with ease as well. It''s the same as you, you use the gun but you are born to run."


    Ashley shook his head in disapproval. He then fired a few more rounds. This went on for a bit but there weren''t any signs of slowing within the Husks. As Mavislin want to stab another Husk, a few, tiny crystal balls were thrown towards the Husk.


    "What the?!" yelled the Valkyrie as she instantly backed away.


    The balls exploded, causing the Husk''s head to explode. It wasn''t a huge explosion but it was a cl.u.s.ter of small ones, like firecrackers going off. Ashley and Mavislin looked perplexed as they tried to find the mysterious bomber.


    "No use aimlessly killing all of them. Try to find the actual ones and stop them first!" yelled the mystery man, shoving a small ball into a Husk.


    A bright light emerged from the ball and disintegrated the Husk from inside out. Mavislin looked confused before looking around her. The man was right; there was a difference between the actual Husks and the human ones.


    The human victims were merely sacks of flesh so they didn''t have any sort of advantage. The actual Husks are still weak but Ashley couldn''t kill them with normal bullets. Mavislin didn''t feel the difference since her weapons were always coated with Valkyrian Light.


    Ashley took notice as well and quickly changed targets. Alongside this new help, the three of them managed to reduce the Husks'' army into nothingness. But, casualties were on the high amount for today. Despite that, the commonfolk thanked the three heroes for a bit, even giving them soup.


    "The folks around here are kind of nice, aren''t they?" asked the man, wolfing the soup down.


    "Yea... They are the ones who still believe Mages aren''t evil, despite all of this," said Mavislin, drinking up.


    She knew that this would be the only window for them to calm down since the next wave was nearing again. This was not the end, it was only a small break period. With their puppeteer around, this fight was far from over. Melancholia was slowly finishing, so Mavislin had to act fast.


    But first things first, who was this mystery man? He surely wasn''t a normal human. Mavislin scanned him from head to toe. His statue was very similar to Ashley''s, just slightly muscular. Not a stickman but was thin. He had brown hair, a long fringe being pulled back by a black hairband.


    His skin was of pale decent, his lips were quite a prominent feature on his face since they were big. His eyes were black and wore glasses. Usually, combatants shouldn''t wear them but to each their own. His attire was like a commonfolk, with a sash around him.

 Chapter 226 - The Ark Of Bryan

    "How long are you going to stare at me until you ask my name?" asked the man, who shifted uncomfortably.


    "I had expected you to introduce yourself," explained Mavislin.


    "You first."


    Mavislin elbowed the stickman. Ashley nearly spat out his soup.


    "He can be best friends with you, Sassy Stickman," whispered Mavislin, with a deadpanned look.


    "I''d rather not be friends with exploding balls..."


    "Mavislin Roydon, leader of the Barren Pillars," said the Valkyrie, ignoring the stickman.


    "So, you are the infamous Valkyrie!" yelled the happy mystery man.


    "You sound surprised..."


    "Well, of course! You are quite well-known to us small fries. My name is Bryan, no last name given, I''m afraid."


    "Mage or Human?"


    "Do I get a choice of ''both''?"


    Mavislin remained quiet while she tried remembering the fella''s name. She had heard it before, somewhere during her small journeys. But the ongoing fight at the Old Chapel snapped her back as she quickly felt Melancholia.


    "Looks like you''ve used up all of your time, Time Mage," laughed Benjamin as he tossed the boy away.


    "I might have but they don''t call me a Triplet-Holder for nothing!" yelled Raiyen, glitching through the air.


    "What?! How can you still teleport if you can''t use your Time Element?" shouted Benajmin as his Melancholia spell inched out from the place he stood.


    "Glitch was never a spell of the Time Element alone. If I can''t use Time, purely, I mix it up with my other Elements."


    Raiyen then unleashed a huge conga line of Radiant Storms, all aimed towards the Corrupted One. With several bolts raining down, there was no way the Corrupted One could exscape.


    "Voltaic Dance!" yelled Raiyen, as his Aura exploded to full blue color.


    Streams of blue electricity danced his forearms as he launched himself towards Benjamin.


    "Raiyen can''t take anymore... I have to go back," said the Valkyrie, standing back up.


    "And where do you think you''re going? There''s no way you can defeat that Corrupted thing without a backup plan," said Ashley, quickly finishing his soup.


    "I thought I was the backup plan?" asked Bryan, scratching his head.


    "Who are you?" chimed the two.


    "That was mean... Anyways, Minwoo sent me to find you two. But the priority was still the Valkyrie. He''d said you lot would need my help. Though, that was a few months back... And I can''t seem to find him. But at least I found the Valkyrie," explained Bryan, pointing at Mavislin.


    The Valkyrie felt a wave of sadness wash over her face at the mere mention of Minwoo. There others that she had to kill but none had such a lasting effect as the death of the late Marquess. Ashley felt the girl''s change in mood and quickly answered this man.


    "He''s gone, he lost his life during the conflict between the Umbras," replied Ashley.


    "Him? Well, I guess he is still human so he can''t do much. Poor dude. But no worries, I''ll still help you, even if my master is dead. So I guess, I''ll be serving you, Lady Roydon," said Bryan, kneeling down to Mavislin.


    "What makes you think that you can help us defeat that thing?" asked Ashley, skeptical about his help.


    "Now that I think about it, you sound familiar... Do you know that Korean White Rat?"


    "Answer my question, it''s more pressing," replied Ashley, slowly getting irritated.


    Bryan nodded as he took some of the crystal balls and tossed them to Mavislin. She caught them with ease. They were small, roughly the size of gr.a.p.es. The Valkyrie and stickman look perplexed as Bryan merely smiled.


    "Earlier, I said I was both Mage and Human. Because of that fact, Minwoo thought that a Hybrid would beneficial to defeat the Corrupted One."


    "And how''s that gonna help?" asked Mavislin, playing with crystal balls.


    "Because my powers are not in those crystal balls."


    Bryan snapped his fingers. The empty pot exploded but was mitigated by Mavislin easily.


    "Using those as a decoy... Even if you can make the Corrupted One''s garments or weapons explode, it''s still not powerful enough to kill."


    "The Element Of Touch need not always explode. I only choose that because the Husks are easier to deal with explosions."


    Mavislin''s eyes widened as she heard what power this man possessed. The Element Of Touch could tip the balance of the Elements.


    "So this is what happens when a Hybrid is born..." murmured Mavislin, worriedly.


    "So, do I pass the test?" asked Bryan.


    "Well, I''m not responsible for your death or wounds." said Mavislin, nonchantly.


    "Yes!" cheered the new member.


    Mavislin and Ashley raised their eyebrows in confusion and merely shook their heads. The familiar roar of Ysabeau''s true form shook the ground, rendering impossible to stay any longer.


    "Hybrids are strong in their own ways but do remember that you have a limit. Your cap is way lower than us Mages."

 Chapter 227 - The Ark Of Cetos Revenge Vs Charybdis

    "Don''t worry. I pretty well-trained by a great woman. She''s the greatest mother I''ve ever known. You''ll like her, she''s a mage like you," explained Bryan, with a charming smile.


    "Well, if you perform well enough in this mission. I''ll give you a place in my Pillars. But first, stopping the Corrupted One would be a problem," answered Mavislin.


    "Well, I''ve got to face him again. Somehow, I don''t think this will go smoothly as last time..." explained Mavislin, fully summoning her a.d.u.l.t wings. As she became airborne, the village folk were in awe.


    Her wings, though not as magnificent as Ysabeau, were still grand in their own ways. They bore the fiery look of determination that Mavislin had to finally finish her twin off. At least, she hopes so. The wings were outlined with flames as her feathers were orange.


    As she flapped the massive things, she propelled higher into the sky. Ashley seemed impressed but remained cool while Bryan had let go of what was ''cool''.


    "She''s huge!" yelled the man with the exploding marbles as he pointed towards Mavislin.


    "Oi! That''s rather rude," shouted the Valkyrie.


    She then faced the Old Chapel. Or at least, where it had been. Melancholia was slowly engulfing the lush green forest in a thick blanket of night.


    "I''ll head there first, you guys can take your time. Meet you there," said Mavislin, with a smile.


    "That wasn''t the plan!" yelled Bryan.


    But before he could protest, Mavislin shot towards the battlefield once more.


    "Seriously, was she always like this?" asked the new member.


    "Better get used to it soon," replied Ashley as he took off, following Mavislin.


    As the Valkyrie returned to face her brother, the area looked like a wasteland. She froze in terror at how similiar it looked back in Valokia. But the howling scream from Gillian''s Celeste quickly shook her back into the game.


    "Looks like she made it out alive," commented Benjamin as he directed his attack to his sister.


    In the span of a second, Mavislin quickly drew up Lord Atlantia. Benjamin merely laughed at the sight of the shield.


    "Such a small thing, do you really think that a toy could stop me?"


    Raiyen was currently out of the game as his Elemental Energy had been depleted. Mavislin drew out her Light Whip and continued fighting her brother. Even if he continued taunting her, it bore no affect towards the leader of the Barren Pillars.


    As she soared through the dim skies, explosion after explosion cause the area around to be unstable. But due to Raiyen previously using Raidant Storm, the area still had storm clouds. Not wanting to miss out this rare opportunity, Mavislin faced her shield towards the sky.


    "Daughter of Gaia and Poseidon. Goddess Of The Tide. Once a beauty, now a monster. I call you out to play, the legend of the raging whirlpool..." chanted Mavislin, as her Water Aura engulfed the area.


    "Hah! Using Water to defeat me?! You must have underestimated me!" shouted Benajamin, summoning his own spell to counterattack.


    "Well, since you are using your Light Powers to summon a Water spell, I must answer in accordance," said Benjamin, smirking.


    As Mavislin prepared to slam the shield down, Benjamin''s Aura turned into the Water Element. This didn''t hamper Melancholia in the slightest bit.


    "Mother Of The Gorgons. The Goddess Of Sea Monsters. She has the ultimate control of the beasts of the seas. Alas, it is time she unleashes her beasts..."


    "Charybdis!" yelled Mavislin as she slammed her shield into the ground, causing a huge whirlpool of Light and Water to appear in front of her.


    The spell was a massive whirlpool forming vertically, with streams of Light Elements dancing about. the atmosphere felt heavy, as the water vapor in the air quickly turned into water droplets to fuel the two Valkyries'' spells.


    The large attack was right at Benjamin''s range as he blurted out the spell''s name as well.


    "Ceto''s Revenge: Ladon!"


    With only his hands as a weapon, a serpent of massive proportions hurled out, accompanied by its hundred heads. Each of their mouths opened, shooting giant beams of water towards Mavislin.


    "Crap," cursed Mavislin as she was pushed back.


    Even with the full backing of her a.d.u.l.t wings, it seems that the tide will be in favor of Benjamin''s attack. Benjamin was beginning to win once more and Mavislin was not liking the outcome. Reminding herself of the pain that Benjamin had inflicted, her rage ensued.


    She roared as she pushed her shield towards her twin. Abruptly, and to everyone''s surprise, she ended Charybdis by lifting her shield back up and slamming right into the body of the Ladon. Even Benjamin was taken aback by this change.


    Though she didn''t possess Time, her speed rivaled the Time Mage.

 Chapter 228 - The Ark Of Cetos Revenge Vs Charybdis

    Even if he continued taunting her, it bore no effect towards the leader of the Barren Pillars. As she soared through the dim skies, explosion after explosion cause the area around to be unstable.


    But due to Raiyen previously using Radiant Storm, the area still had storm clouds. Not wanting to miss out on this rare opportunity, Mavislin faced her shield towards the sky.


    "Daughter of Gaia and Poseidon. Goddess Of The Tide. Once a beauty, now a monster. I call you out to play, the legend of the raging whirlpool..." chanted Mavislin, as her Water Aura engulfed the area.


    "Hah! Using Water to defeat me?! You must have underestimated me!" shouted Benajamin, summoning his own spell to counterattack.


    "Well, since you are using your Light Powers to summon a Water spell, I must answer in accordance," said Benjamin, smirking.


    As Mavislin prepared to slam the shield down, Benjamin''s Aura turned into the Water Element. This didn''t hamper Melancholia in the slightest bit.


    "Mother Of The Gorgons. The Goddess Of Sea Monsters. She has the ultimate control of the beasts of the seas. Alas, it is time she unleashes her beasts..."


    "Charybdis!" yelled Mavislin as she slammed her shield into the ground, causing a huge whirlpool of Light and Water to appear in front of her.


    The spell was a massive whirlpool forming vertically, with streams of Light Elements dancing about. the atmosphere felt heavy, as the water vapor in the air quickly turned into water droplets to fuel the two Valkyries'' spells.


    The large attack was right at Benjamin''s range as he blurted out the spell''s name as well.


    "Ceto''s Revenge: Ladon!"


    With only his hands as a weapon, a serpent of massive proportions hurled out, accompanied by its hundred heads. Each of their mouths opened, shooting giant beams of water towards Mavislin. The beams were claashing against the Valkyrie''s shield, enough so that sparks flew about.


    With each serpent as powerful as a second rate Mage and with a hundred heads against her, the odds were really stacked against the poor lass. Raiyen wanted to intervene but was quickly and harshly pulled down by the Headmaster.


    "There''s nothing you can do in your current state. Keep that head down before it get cut," warned Gillian.


    "Crap," cursed Mavislin as she was pushed back.


    Even with the full backing of her a.d.u.l.t wings, it seems that the tide will be in favor of Benjamin''s attack. Benjamin was beginning to win once more and Mavislin was not liking the outcome. Reminding herself of the pain that Benjamin had inflicted, her rage ensued.


    She roared as she pushed her shield towards her twin. Her wings becoming a solid back for the Valkyrie, Mavislin''s shield became a level larger. Her Aura skyrocketed. Anyone who was born as a Mage could feel her Aura from the town beyond the borders.


    "Looks like your claws are showing, little sister," taunted Benjamin.


    "At least I''ve got my claws and wings. You''ve got nothing left that would call you a Valkyrie," growled Mavislin, her talons sharpening.


    "I still have my wings, in case you''ve forgotten," said Benjamin, brandishing his Corrupted wings.


    "In case you happen to blind after your conversion, those are not Valkyrian wings."


    "Even if she had full control since young to suppress her powers, up against a foe this powerful will surely break her human cover," commented Gillian, hearing her growls.


    "You sound as if that''s a bad thing. If anything, it might help win the battle," repliedd Raiyen, having a change in eexpression.


    "You do realise that the default of Valkyries is to kill and devour, right?"


    Raiyen laughed as he thought back to how Mavislin used to be contented in hunting. But the Time Mage slowly lost his grin the more he looked at Gillian''s serious expression.


    "She doesn''t go hunting just to have fun, it''s her nature to consume. Like a default setting and she won''t care if you are friend or foe. Because she can''t kill everyone around her in this planet, she can only resort to ''necessary'' killing."


    "But why? Why would she have such a thinking?"


    "The Valkyries see themselves as the top of the food chain. Don''t know if you know, but the planet of Valokia are strictly closed off for other planets. Trying to land on it, well, you''ll land right into their mouths. They called it pest control."


    "I guess it''s because of their real bodies. The more mass a being has, the more it needs to consume, right?"


    "Valkyries devour even if they had their fill. They are the inventors of ''bottomless pit''."

 Chapter 229 - The Ark Of Cetos Revenge Vs Charybdis

    "Daughter of Gaia and Poseidon. Goddess Of The Tide. Once a beauty, now a monster. I call you out to play, the legend of the raging whirlpool..." chanted Mavislin, as her Water Aura engulfed the area.


    "Hah! Using Water to defeat me?! You must have underestimated me!" shouted Benjamin, summoning his own spell to counterattack.


    "Well, since you are using your Light Powers to summon a Water spell, I must answer in accordance," said Benjamin, smirking.


    As Mavislin prepared to slam the shield down, Benjamin''s Aura turned into the Water Element. This didn''t hamper Melancholia in the slightest bit.


    "Mother Of The Gorgons. The Goddess Of Sea Monsters. She has the ultimate control of the beasts of the seas. Alas, it is time she unleashes her beasts..."


    "Charybdis!" yelled Mavislin as she slammed her shield into the ground, causing a huge whirlpool of Light and Water to appear in front of her.


    The spell was a massive whirlpool forming vertically, with streams of Light Elements dancing about. the atmosphere felt heavy, as the water vapor in the air quickly turned into water droplets to fuel the two Valkyries'' spells.


    The large attack was right at Benjamin''s range as he blurted out the spell''s name as well.


    "Ceto''s Revenge: Ladon!"


    With only his hands as a weapon, a serpent of massive proportions hurled out, accompanied by its hundred heads. Each of their mouths opened, shooting giant beams of water towards Mavislin. The beams were clashing against the Valkyrie''s shield, enough so that sparks flew about.


    With each serpent as powerful as a second-rate Mage and with a hundred heads against her, the odds were really stacked against the poor lass. Raiyen wanted to intervene but was quickly and harshly pulled down by the Headmaster.


    "There''s nothing you can do in your current state. Keep that head down before it gets cut," warned Gillian.


    "Crap," cursed Mavislin as she was pushed back.


    Even with the full backing of her a.d.u.l.t wings, it seems that the tide will be in favor of Benjamin''s attack. Benjamin was beginning to win once more and Mavislin was not liking the outcome. Reminding herself of the pain that Benjamin had inflicted, her rage ensued.


    She roared as she pushed her shield towards her twin. Her wings becoming a solid back for the Valkyrie, Mavislin''s shield became a level larger. Her Aura skyrocketed. Anyone who was born as a Mage could feel her Aura from the town beyond the borders.


    It was enough to make the first-rate Mages ill if stood next to her. With her claws returning and eyes flaming both gold and aquamarine, her Berserk side was starting to show.


    "Looks like your claws are showing, little sister," taunted Benjamin.


    "At least I''ve got my claws and wings. You''ve got nothing left that would call you a Valkyrie," growled Mavislin, her talons sharpening.


    "I still have my wings, in case you''ve forgotten," said Benjamin, brandishing his Corrupted wings.


    "And in case you happen to be blind after your conversion, those are not Valkyrian wings."


    "But it''s still enough to fight against your so-called friends!" yelled Benjamin, flying towards Mavislin.


    "But not enough to fight against me, Fallen One!" shouted Mavislkin, pushing the creature away from her.


    "Even if she had full control since young to suppress her powers, up against a foe this powerful will surely break her human cover," commented Gillian, hearing her growls.


    "You sound as if that''s a bad thing. If anything, it might help win the battle," repliedd Raiyen, having a change in expression.


    "You do realize that the default of Valkyries is to kill and devour, right?"


    Raiyen laughed as he thought back to how Mavislin used to be contented in hunting. But the Time Mage slowly lost his grin the more he looked at Gillian''s serious expression.


    "She doesn''t go hunting just to have fun, it''s her nature to consume. Like a default setting and she won''t care if you are friend or foe. Because she can''t kill everyone around her in this planet, she can only resort to ''necessary'' killing."


    "But why? Why would she have such a thinking?"


    "The Valkyries see themselves as the top of the food chain. Don''t know if you know, but the planet of Valokia is strictly closed off for other planets. Trying to land on it, well, you''ll land right into their mouths. They called it pest control."


    "I guess it''s because of their real bodies. The more mass a being has, the more it needs to consume, right?"


    "Valkyries devour even if they had their fill. They are the inventors of the saying, ''bottomless pit''."


    "I''m surprised that Mavislin lasted this long without giving in."

 Chapter 230 - The Ark Of Fighting In Twos

    "As I said, we were fortunate to influence her before her teen years. But it took a lot of brainwashing from all sides. But she did broke that fasacade during the earlier times, though only small amounts."


    "So, if we force transformation, it will backfire on us?" asked Raiyen.


    "Yea. She''ll do more than just a punch. She might just destroy your entire existence through Time, Time Boy."


    "What can we do to prevent that backfire?" asked Raiyen.


    "You really want to force her back to her form?!"


    "Using the true power and form of a Valkyrie against another Valkyrie would the only possible outcome I can foresee right now. Especially since our back ups are all down due to the Umbras. If there''s a way to get her back after her rampage, I''ll gladly bet on it."


    "Are you nuts?! The devastation that would cause would be irreversible to the planet. And no, there won''t be any survivors at all..."


    Abruptly, and to everyone''s surprise, Mavislin ended Charybdis by lifting her shield back up and slamming right into the body of the Ladon. Even Benjamin was taken aback by this change.


    Though she didn''t possess Time, her speed rivaled the Time Mage. The shockwave of the slam reverberated throughout the vicinity, with Benjamin being pushed back slightly. Mavislin jumped back into the air and landed down, recalling the shield back.


    "Not bad, to think you used the same trick against me. What an act of defiance, little brother," said Mavislin shaking her head.


    "Well, I can''t let you get the higher ground when you are my twin," answered Benjamin with a sly grin.


    To call the grin that Banjamin had ''evil'' would be a big understatement.


    "How the hell can he use the Water Element?!" shouted Raiyen, in disbelief.


    "Well, the two of them are twins, so probably it is natural for him to possess powers like his twin," explained Gillian.


    "But that''s near impossible! Mavislin had to hone in her skill of Conversion but he just did straight away?! Besides, if that''s the case, we have no way in defeating him, let alone defeat him!"


    "Nevermind figuring out the impossible when it''s a reality. Let''s get you back into the game. I think if I channel enough power to you, you can pull the Taboo off," explained Gillian, pouring a substantial amount of power into the Time Mage.


    "What are you planning, Headmaster?"


    "Why use me?! You''re the Aki here!"


    "I''m planning for another spell. I need yours to work first. If Mavislin can change Benjamin''s Element fully for just enough to use another spell, then there''s a slight chance in killing this thing."


    "Why can''t you use your Ancient Relic?" asked Raiyen, unwilling to break his Time Mage morals.


    "That thing is not enough to stop that freak. Hell, I don''t think that would even faze him. Comparing Melancholia and Memories Of Nobody together, Melancholia will overhaul my Relic''s power in an instant," explained Gillian.


    "Alright then. This better work," said Raiyen, whipping out Time Ripper.


    "If this doesn''t work, god knows what will," mumbled Gillian, preparing his stance.


    The twins continued dishing out attacks, with speeds that normal Mages can''t comprehend. Spell after spell, it seemed that both of them weren''t backing down. The more spells they used, the more the battlefield became like a vibrant display of fireworks.


    To top it all off, none of the spells that they were using were known to other Mages. If you weren''t a Valkyrie, there was no way that you would have known those spells. Sure, they seemed like normal Elemental spells on the surface, but it had a significant difference in power compared to the rest.


    Meanwhile, the two stickmen have been spending their time, peregrinating. Finding an opening to land an attack on the battlefield without getting too near was becoming quite tiresome. But as Bryan wanted to hide within the forest, Ashley quickly pulled him into another direction.


    "You''re a sniper, why do you prefer to be at an open space instead of somewhere that has full of coverage?" asked Bryan, seemingly perplexed at the sniper.


    "Not all snipers or archers are nemophillists. Using the forest as cover will do nothing but piss off the Mages even more. Those that come from the stars have an acute sense of hearing. A simple cracking leaf would alarm them, let alone a full forest of it," explained Ashley.


    "But at least we would have cover."


    "Cover ain''t useful if they can pinpoint your location just by your footsteps. You wanna sound them before attacking?" asked Ashley, finally arriving at his stakeout.


    "And this place can prevent that?"


    "I just mentioned that this place was devastated by her, which means the Elemental Energy of a Valkyrie is still here, it can protect us."

 Chapter 231 - The Ark Of Ultimatum To Fight

    "This area used to be a village but Mavislin took most of the townsfolk down so it''s become nothing but ruins now. The perfect spot for me to snipe," explained Ashley, as he readied up his gun.


    Bryan could feel a strong sense of kenopsia in the air, even if he had not known the place before. The area''s atmosphere felt heavy as if death still hung around for a cup of tea. But Bryan continued to follow the sniper, who felt nothing.


    "I don''t get it, Lady Roydon hates humans yet some of her best people are humans," complained Bryan as he looked towards the sky and then at Ashley.


    "Believe me, if I could continue being human, I would choose that a long time ago. Hell, the plot of my whole life doesn''t make sense anymore. And I''m not human by choice. In fact, I''m more zombie than human."


    Bryan shot a very confused and shocked look at the stickman.


    "What do you mean ''zombie''? You seem pretty human to me!" exclaimed Bryan, scanning the marksman up and down.


    "That Corrupted One killed me. But as a way to preserve my body, preventing me to turn into Benjamin''s puppet, Mavislin unleashed a spell that could house both my body and soul. To a world that no one could die and were stuck in the form they were sent as."


    Ashley took a deep breath and sighed heavily. Bryan''s face held the feeling of monachopsis until Ashley spoke once more.


    "That place was the definition of Euphoria. Imagine an idyllic world, it makes the person have eunoia. It was... Jaw-dropping, to say the least," said Ashley, finishing with a smile.


    "So why''d you left there?"


    "Well, I saw Mavislin in the jaws of death. And I hate people who attack their family members without remorse," replied Ashley, darkly.


    "Quite bold to say that, since you were known to go up against your own family. I never thought you were one to care."


    "I''m probably half a century older than you, in terms of your world''s Time. But for me, the same day I''ve died is still occurring. But looking at the situations that caused my death made me change my ways. But one thing is for sure."


    Ashley got ready to prime his gun and placed it on a piece of an old wall. He then aimed. As he felt the emblem getting brighter, he received the ultimatum to attend the warzone by his boss.


    "This is an order, First Seat Marksman. Do your utmost best to take him down!" yelled Mavislin, inwardly.


    "Yes, Lady Roydon!"


    "I do not regret the decisions I made to go up against my family. I''d rather live my life for who I am, not what others want me to be. And now, my family is in trouble. And I won''t hesitate to take down anyone who hurts them!" shouted Ashley as his gun powered up.


    Bryan watched in awe as Lynx Eyes booted up. Streams of his Turquoise Aura hugged the gun as well as his entire body. The new member took notice of his right eye''s emblem, burning brightly in anger.


    "So you are part of the Pillars then," said Bryan, recognising the mark.


    "Yea, just a few hours ago. You better ready up what you''ve got to take that thing down, rookie," said Ashley.


    "Says the one who just joined a few hours ago.." complained Bryan.


    "Oi! I didn''t go through all that training and death for nothing, you know!"


    Ashley let out a huff as the new member took out a few of his crystal balls. But the sniper stopped when he figured out a new trick to try. Bryan looked at the man staring at him uncomfortably.


    "What do you want?"


    "Can those things be ammunition?" asked Ashley, pointing at the balls.


    "I don''t think so, it''s too big to fit."


    Bryan looked confused as he looked at the sniper''s gun and earn another look from the other man.


    "Why? You wanna trying shooting the constellations out instead?"


    "Coupled with my Lynx pellets, it should be enough to do damage. But it can''t fit into the barrel, so we have to find another way," said Ashley.


    "Woah there, no need to change plans yet. I''ve got an alternative. The pellets you use, are they in a physical form?"


    Ashley nodded and showed them his ammo. They were small but had cone-shaped on the top and a flat, round bottom.


    "This should suffice. You''re gonna use a lot?"


    "One shot one kill for me. But I can shoot multiple."


    "Alright then, let''s do it."


    "Woah there, do what, exactly?"


    Bryan grinned as he grabbed the pellets with confidence. He then chanted out the spell that he needed to pair with Ashley.

 Chapter 232 - The Ark Of Water And Fire

    "The Sea that lives amongst the stars births the legend. The river poured from the legendary Water-bearer, Aquarius. Running from the stars of Cursa to Acherna, I call for your help..."


    The base of the pellets each lit up, with Bryan''s Elemental Energy pouring into them. He then abruptly tossed them towards Ashley.


    "We''ll do the attack together."


    Ashley nodded and placed a few pellets into the barrel of the gun. With that, he primed the gun. It nearly exploded with both Mages'' Auras mixing but Ashley managed to hold it all together. For some weird reason, Ashley felt at ease when working with Bryan.


    The young man had a vibe, a charming one that allowed anyone to work with him well. Ashley smiled as it reminded him of his fallen brother.


    "I activate thee, pierce all fragile hearts...Lynx Eyes;" chanted Ashley.


    "Drawings of the skies, lend me your power..." said Bryan, both in unison as they dished out their combined attacks.


    "The ruler of the Brine Reef. Major God of the Pantheon. Let his hatred of all that is not within his domain fuel this spell of mine. Let your jealousy of turning back into human destroy those I point at. Let the storms gather and center the area I choose."


    "Symbol of the path that Phaeton created, the final resting place of the son of Helios..."


    "Seething Rage Of The Brine King!"


    "Eridanus, Stars Of The River!"


    Both men were fired up as Ashley blasted the pellets towards the area of the main fight. Mavislin dealt another blow before the pellets could reach the area.


    "All winds gather and become my sword, Emerald Wave Slash!" cried the Valkyrie as she threw her entire sword towards the Corrupted One.


    A huge crescent moon of water came flying towards Benjamin, properly slashing him. Though he felt no pain, the deed was done.


    "Did you really think mere pellets could work on me?!" roared Benjamin as he felt the pellets coming straight towards him.


    Mavislin smiled as she fully embraced her form as a half Valkyrie and human. With her claws and wings, she began to slash and clung onto Benjamin. She forced Benjamin to take the bullets straight on, causing a huge pain for him.


    The power of Ashley''s spell took full effect, causing the target''s body to freeze up, stunning the monster. White foam began ooze out of the bullet holes, causing more pain since it was using saltwater.


    Meanwhile, Bryan''s attack was slightly weaker but it had its parks. It caused the entire constellation of the river to flow through the Corrupted One''s body. With the Element of the Stars within his body, there was no way Benjamin could get away unscathed. Benjamin let out a another howl but Mavislin summoned up Black Wave Hibiscus to stop it. She succeeded but her hand was quite hurt.


    "Heh, looks like those two get along well," replied Mavislin, with Benjamin trying desperately to fling her off.


    Seeing this as a good chance, Raiyen dashed into the close proximity of the enemy and began his attack, starting with his twin daggers.


    "Those two are such baby daggers, what made you think it''ll work on me?"


    "I never said it would work on you. Old pal behind me needed more time," said Raiyen, smiling.


    Gillian smiled as Benjamin realised he had lost the Headmaster''s Aura. By changing his Element to Earth, Benjamin had fatally miscalculated.


    "Open! Gate of the Primordial Beasts!" shouted Gillian.


    "I won''t allow you!" yelled Ashley from afar.


    Coupled with his new friend''s power, the Traid Starlight was much more grander and powerful. It shined brighter than before and could withstand Vortex.


    "Pisces, Star of the Twin Fishes!"


    Suddenly, two fishes made of water sprung out of the shield, forcing Benjamin back.


    "Door of the Salamander; Ifrit!"


    Flames erupted from Gillian as he launched himself towards the Corrupted One. Red, scaly wings emerged from his back. But the distance was still too far and Benjamin got ready to change his Element once more.


    "You owe me!" shouted Raiyen as he prepared his last ditch attempt at defeating this monster.


    "Glitch: Reverse The Shift!" yelled the Time Mage as he switched places with Gillian.


    Mavislin grinned as she too used her remaining strength for another attack. Pellets came flying through, unleashing the Fire Elements and constellation of Leo.


    "You''re done for!" yelled the twin sister as she pierced his stomach with her b.a.r.e hand.


    "Ruber Stella... Tripido! (Crimson Firefly... Dance!)" yelled Mavislin.


    As her hand exploded, it sent slashes of burning flames all over Benjamin''s body. Within each hash, balls of fire quickly detonated. Gillian instantly pulled the young girl out and both landed safely beside Raiyen.

 Chapter 233 - The Ark Of End Of A Fight

    Benjamin writhed around in pain, howling uncontrollably. When he started showing signs of regeneration, Gillian quickly summoned Helios but was stopped by a familiar face.


    "Memoria Astrum!" yelled the veiled girl with red eyes as she plummeted from the skies.


    Shining streams of golden lights appeared around and surrounded Benjamin, forming a cocoon. As the mysterious girl claps her hand, she yells out the final words.


    "Stardust Entrapment!"


    The area went completely white. When vision returned, Benjamin was nowhere to be found. The mystery girl bows down to both Mavislin and Gillian.


    "That''s the 3rd Entrapment. I will continue," reported the veiled girl, looking at Raiyen.


    Raiyen looked confused while he felt Mavislin''s piercing glare.


    "Ah, too early. No worries, you''ll be alright. Say hi to Verna for me. Toddles!" replied the girl before running off.


    Before anyone could react, the huge roar of Ysabeau deafened everyone as she dropped the Old Chapel onto its rightful place.


    "Come on! I think the battle is over!"


    "It''s never over when it comes to that thing," murmured Ashley, running after Bryan.


    "You need to lighten up!"


    Ashley shook his head and followed the man towards the opening of the Old Chapel. At least, where it used to be. The moment they tried to enter, the forcefield pushed them back.


    "Defenses are still high now. Stand back, kid," gestured Ashley, motioning Bryan to back off.


    "I''m in my late 20s, not a ''kid''," protested Bryan.


    "Compared to me, you''ve got some years between us. About a few good decades."


    "You look good for someone so old," said Bryan, eyes-widened.


    "Believe me, not the best way to stay young," explained Ashley, while he tried to break into the vines of the Old Chapel.


    It was pretty hilarious to see the Marksman tumble freely into the area, tangled up in vines while his lady boss stares at him confusingly.


    "You could just knock," asked Mavislin, extending out a hand to the shocked man.


    "On vines? What are you on about?!" asked Ashley.


    "So rude," noted Bryan as he stepped into the area.


    However, he was completely overwhelmed with the lushness of the area. Looking like nothing from the outside, it looked as if he had gone back in time. Where everything was tranquil and full of life.


    "Oi, Starry Eyes! How long you gonna stand there for?" asked Mavislin as she dragged Ashley back to the Old Chapel.


    The group embraced each other, checking if everyone was alright. Due to the last-minute attempt, Raiyen can''t use his legs for the next few weeks and was being piggy-backed by Z. And being forced to recuperate on the bed meant no fun travels. But Gil gave him extra food.


    And Mavislin''s arm, up to her elbow was badly burnt. Though she was a Valkyrie, she wasn''t able to heal up that arm. All went in, with the Old Chapel happily accepting Bryan and Ashley.


    "We wanted to call Z back to help us, but I think the knock-off sufficed this time," explained Gillian.


    "What do you mean, ''Knock-off''?! Don''t say as if I''m a cheaper remake!" protested Bryan.


    "A Human turned Mage is always the cheaper option since your body is likely to give way before the climax," replied Gil, with no hint of remorse.


    Bryan wanted to argue more but Ashley forced him to shut up.


    "Say anything wrong and the Old Chapel will eject you out of the place," whispered Ashleey in warning.


    "This place is alive?" asked Bryan, in shock.


    Just then, on the wooden floor, was the word ''Yes'' carved onto it. Bryan went pale.


    "Heh, even if you did call me, there was no chance I''m coming into the battle," replied Z, grinning.


    "You''d go against my orders?!" asked Gil, pretending to be offended.


    "Who was the one who trained you?"


    "My wife."


    Those two words earned a divine whack by Ysabeau, causing Mavislin to burst out laughing. Ashely shook his head in disapproval while Brayn was slightly disturbed at the sight of the most powerful Mages being in the same area. He nudged Ashley on the side.


    "What was that for?!"


    "Aren''t you scared?"


    "Of what? If you must know, they don''t like the taste of human meat. Except for Mavislin. Her favorite snack is eyeballs," said Ashley, earning a shocked gaze from Bryan.


    And the sound of a Valkyrie''s tummy rumbling isn''t exactly soft. In fact, it sounded like thunder. Mavislin, in the form of a young child once more, began tugging on both human''s shirts.


    "I''m hungry..." said the Valkyrie with a hungry voice and smile.


    Hell, she was drooling. Bryan promptly screamed as Z scooped the child up and took her to the dining room. After parking her at her favorite seat, Z dropped an entire stag in front of her.

 Chapter 234 - The Ark Of The Next Pillar

    She then looked at him for approval, with big, round eyes.


    "Go on, it''s your prize. Every day, I''ll get you an animal until your next mission or when you''ve recovered fully," explained Z, tying a bib around the Valkyrie.


    "Yay! All mine!" yelled the girl in happiness as she began to devour the stag.


    "It''s been so long since I''d seen Mav like this. Brings back memories..." said Ashley, passing a cup of water to Bryan.


    "I''ll get used to this... I hope..." said Bryan, gulping down the water.


    "And besides, since when did she became a child again? She was a teen when we were fighting," asked Bryan, looking at Z for answers.


    "She lost too much power. She was recently fighting her brother and the rest of the Umbras. To prevent her from going berserk, she reverts back to her child form. It also helps to recover her Elemental Powers even faster," explained Z.


    As the girl happily ate the stag, Ashley gave a ruffle on the kid''s hair. She smiled, albeit with her lower half face splattered with blood.


    "Now this is the little Mavy I remember," murmured Ashley, smiling gently.


    "Now that''s the first time I see your genuine smile," noted Bryan.


    "And the last. I don''t like showing emotions to others except for my family."


    "Ashie!" cried out the child, trying to hug the stickman.


    "Oi! Wash up first!"


    After having that feast, little Mavislin was being carried by Ashley and both went into her bedroom. As he placed Mavislin on her bed, Bryan was overwhelmed with the area once more. Literally, since a mountain of stuffed toys fell on him. But he popped out with ease, much to the giggle of Mavislin.


    "I think the place is trying to kill me..." w.h.i.n.ed Bryan, finally coming out.


    "With stuffed toys?"


    Ashley and Bryan stood by the young Valkyrie''s bedside, tending to the severe burns of her arm. Once it was quiet, Bryan sat down but Ashley continued standing.


    "Well then, everything''s alright for now. So, I best be off," said Ashley, cracking his knuckles.


    "To where?" asked Bryan.


    "Back to my Euphoria. I''m considered dead, remember?"


    "Yea, but who would be the Marksman then?" asked Bryan, looking at him confusingly.


    "Yea, besides, I''ve got a few things to ask and clarify," reasoned Mavislin.


    "Then those things have to wait. Be a little more patient, will ya?"


    Mavislin wanted to press on but there was a faint glow growing at the tip of his leather boots. Ashley knew that his time was up... For now.


    "Well, looks like I have to go. Good luck, I''ve exhausted enough for now. I''ll come back when my physical form is much more stable."


    "I know someone that could help... I''ll find him soon enough."


    "Alrighty. Let''s meet again. Hopefully, you won''t get too hurt by then," said Ashley, putting his hands behind his head.


    "Oh yea, it should be easier to summon me, since I have the emblem now," continued Ashley.


    "I highly doubt so."


    As the stickman faded back into Euphoria, Mavislin turned her attention towards Bryan. She tried to sit up but was refrained by Bryan, who was very concerned.


    "Using so much power at once, even a Mage would need to rest."


    "I''ve got something to ask you."


    "Fire away," replied Bryan, shifting closer to the Valkyrie.


    "I would need you to stand in as the Marksman for the Pillars since Ashley can''t be called on so easily," said Mavislin.


    "I reject. I hate long-ranged fighting. And my power is from the stars, so I can project my power into any weapon," said Bryan, shaking his head in disapproval.


    He had expected the young Valkyrie to scream or throw a fit in retaliation of him rejecting his position. Especially since she was in child form now. But Mavislin took in a deep breath and smiled sweetly. She then looked at Bryan with soft eyes and offered him an alternative.


    "I have another spot vacant. In fact, after the battle with the Umbras, all spots are vacant. Marksman is taken by Ashley since you don''t want it. There is a particular one that I think you''d like. You like going undercover?" asked Mavislin.


    Bryan was slightly surprised at Mavislin being so m.a.t.u.r.ed. It was hard to hear those words from a little child on her bed of stuffed toys.


    "Yea, I don''t mind fighting face to face. In my terms, all-rounder. I just don''t prefer sniping. From swords to bombs, I can use whatever weapon I have to my advantage," answered Bryan, in accordance.


    "Then, I shall offer you the First Seat of Slayer. Now then, shall I call you Slayer Bryan, or some other nickname you''ve got?" asked Mavislin, preparing the emblem of the Barren Pillars.

 Chapter 235 - The Ark Of Verna

    "I''d like to use my middle name, ''Verna''. But if you wanna call me Bryan, I don''t mind if we are in private," said Bryan, smiling.


    "Ah, so you are ''Verna''. Earlier, a girl using the Memory Element came to reuse us. She told us to say ''hi'' to someone called ''Verna''. I presume that would be you?" asked Mavislin.


    "Oh, that should be my mother. She uses the Memory Element," replied Bryan, nodding.


    "Isn''t ''Verna'' a girl''s name?" asked Mavislin, tilting her head to the side.


    "Yea, my mother thought I was a girl but realized later. But I seemed to like that name, so I''ve used it for some undercover missions."


    "So, from now on, you shall obey my orders as my piece within the PIllars. You shall now be granted the protection of the Arks, as my First Seat Slayer!" exclaimed Mavislin, with pride and joy.


    "I honored to be at your service. I accept my role, as the First Seat Slayer Verna!" replied Bryan, bowing down to Mavislin.


    The emblem of the Barren Pillars appeared on the back of his left hand, shining brightly in gold. Bryan looked at it in awe, amazed at how much power was surging through him. It was a lot, more than he expected. Unfortunately, more than what his consciousness could handle, his world turned black.


    "Looks like you poured too much power into the man..." said Gillian, looking at the poor fellow.


    "I didn''t know his body is that weak. I''d forgotten that Ashley was a special case," explained Mavislin, looking out the window.


    "At least he isn''t asking for the pay," said Gillian.


    "Yea... But I''m worried about his body failing during crucial moments."


    "Don''t worry, you can train him. Get some rest. Maybe you can read this letter. It was delivered here by Baldwin''s Puka. It is from the Five Kings," said Gillian, handing her a letter.


    She didn''t need a name to know who wrote that letter as the smell of coffee was all over the paper.


    "I will place the knock-off beside you."


    Mavislin glared daggers at Gillian.


    "He is my Slayer Verna. Not a knock-off."


    "Of course, Lady Roydon," said Gillian, before closing the door.


    With a sleeping Bryan by her side and the room finally quiet, Mavislin opened the letter.


    A few months had passed, after the Umbra altercation and battle between Benjamin. The Arks knew that they had just barely got through with the help of that woman. If she wasn''t there, they would have been killed.


    Raiyen had recovered and was busy training with Z using fast-paced attacks. Z tried his best to use his Kunais while receiving barrages of slashes from Raiyen''s twin daggers.


    Mavislin''s arm was fully recovered by the end of a month and proceeded to train with Bryan. Hand-to-hand combat first, later on using various weaponry to help Mavislin understand his fighting style better. He was right, there was no weapon he couldn''t use.


    But, there was also no weapon he could master. Every time he used a weapon, it never feels like he gets the hang of it, making rookie mistakes. This might prove fatal in a crucial fight.


    "Of all the weapons out there, I did not picture you with a whip," noted Bryan as he lost grip with his sword.


    "Well, I can use most weaponry but I prefer using wh.i.p.s. Baldwin uses a sword, Z uses Kunais and Raiyen uses daggers. Gil doesn''t really use a weapon since Akis prefers using their body as the weapon. And the oddest one should be Ysabeau," explained Mavislin.


    "She mains Bow and Arroow but she prefers..."


    "Wings," replied Ysabeau as she showed off her Bahamut Wings.


    She soared down towards the two, who made way for her landing. Though she was motherly, those features were gone with the sly smile she gave to those two. Bryan shuddered as he gripped his sword tightly. Mavislin remained unfazed as she made her whip vanish. All three were in fighting stance.


    "I haven''t trained with you in such a long while. Shall we make up for a lost time?" asked Ysabeau, with a devilish grin.


    There was a reason why Gillian is scared of her. Bryan remained in his stance but was crumbling on the inside. Her Aura was flaring up, not too much but just enough to intimidate third-rate Magus. Comparing the two, Bryan''s Aura couldn''t hold a candle against Ysabeau. But it bore no effect on Mavislin, who simply stared at her.


    The Valkyrie then extended her wings, which were shining in gold. They looked like angel wings as she slowly hovered over the ground. Her Aura flared up, but it felt less ferocious against Ysabeau. It was, by no means, weaker than Ysabeau. But it wasn''t scaring Bryan too much.

 Chapter 236 - The Ark Of Training With Ysabeau

    "If you think that I would go easy on you, then you are highly mistaken. I''m not Z, I have no restraint," said Ysabeau, getting ready to fight.


    "I''m not a child anymore. So do not treat my powers as such," boomed Mavislin, eyes shining gold.


    "Wait, you don''t have to fight to the death, right?" asked Bryan, trying to cut the tension.


    "Bahamuts, in nature, are competitive fighters. To death would be no problem."


    "And Valkyries hate losing."


    "Aren''t you guys family?" asked Bryan, once more.


    "Family does not matter, especially when it comes to fighting. We are not human, so we are not bound but useless words," explained Ysabeau, darkly.


    "You won last time. I will triumph this time," said Mavislin, lunging towards Ysabeau.


    The two clashed, sending both Aura influx rippling through the area. It happened so quickly that Bryan failed to see them clash another time. And the two girls clashing caused both Z and Raiyen to pause their training as well.


    "Should we go check it out?" asked Raiyen, landing on his feet.


    "Hmm... I don''t think Ysabeau would go that far."


    "Mav might. She doesn''t have full control of her powers as of yet. So I don''t know if she might go berserk," explained Raiyen.


    "Well, let''s hope not."


    "Continue with your training. I''ll make sure the two girls won''t destroy themselves," said Gillian, from afar.


    "Alright," chimed both men.


    Back at the girls, they had yet to unleash any spells and have been using physical attacks. Both were in the air, with speeds that far surpass the fastest of birds. But their style is completely different from one another.


    Ysabeau''s style was rushed, extremely unpredictable as she soared through the skies. She was like a mad person, zipping through and clashing with Mavislin without any restraint. Mavislin was like an elegant being as she swiftly dished out attacks to combat Ysabeau''s random attacks. The two were not acting like their personalities.


    Bryan had expected the mother to be more graceful and elegant in her moves. And he expected Mavislin to be like a mad person or rough with her flight. Though one thing is for sure, none of them had any bloodthirst within their attacks.


    They are only fighting because Mavislin has to get stronger. And Ysabeau wants her little one to exceed her expectations. Both won''t be killing each other. Ysabeau was smiling while Mavislin had no expression. Bryan was still waiting for an opening to launch an attack.


    "Hm, it seems like your junior wants to join in the fight. Shall I amp it up?" asked Ysabeau, throwing a punch towards Mavislin.


    She dodged with ease and backflipped, turning right at Ysabeau to deliver a kick near the older woman''s head. Of course, Ysabeau blocked it. But Mavislin changed her power from kicking to the side to kicking straight down. This landed a blow on Ysabeau''s shoulder but did no major harm.


    Instead, she grabbed Mavislin''s leg and tried flinging the Valkyrie but Mavislin was having none of it. Mavislin used Ysabeau''s shoulder as a stepping stone, leaping away to safety.


    The two then backed away, with Mavislin backing down, nearer to Bryan.


    "Looks like she''s getting serious..." said Mavislin as Ysabeau''s Aura turned bright blue.


    "Try your best to not get hit. Otherwise, I can''t guarantee your safety," ordered Mavislin, looking at Bryan.


    He nodded as he steadied himself. Anything could happen.


    "Battle Outfit: Sapphire!" shouted Ysabeau, as her wings and outfit changed.


    Her Aura seemed to bleed into her wings, causing her wings to turn bright blue. A lighter shade of blue surrounded her wings as well. Her battle armor became more revealing, with both her c.h.e.s.t and stomach exposed. She had a blue cape and a skirt of the same color.


    Her arms and lower legs were covered with armor, tinged with blue as well.


    And those weren''t the only things that changed as she vanished from the spot she was in. Bryan barely had enough time to dodge when Ysabeau appeared right in front of him.


    "Libra, Stars of the Balance!" yelled Bryan, pouring his power into the sword in his hands.


    Before the spell could be manifested, Ysabeau broke the sword with her b.a.r.e hands.


    "You are much too slow," said Ysabeau as she tried to punch Bryan square in the face.


    But the Valkyrie had other plans as she kicked Bryan''s lower legs, causing him to fall. Ysabeau was in the motion of the punch and this allowed Mavislin to counter it by grabbing her arm.


    "Do not touch any of my children," growled Mavislin, gripping Ysabeau''s arm tightly.


    If a human was in her grasp, Mavislin would have broken the arm. The Valkyrie swung the Bahamut away and destroyed a few trees in the act.

 Chapter 237 - The Ark Of True Aetherial Bow

    Mavislin wasn''t giving Ysabeau any rest as she followed the flying victim, assaulting Ysabeau with more attacks. The two battled it once more, still using their hands. They were essentially doing some deforestation but the Old Chapel didn''t mind.


    Only Bryan was left to watch, still trying to figure out the opening. However, the two were much too fast for the normal eyes to track. Soon, the first to pull out a weapon was Ysabeau as she drew out her Aetherial Bow.


    "Behold, this is the True Aetherial Bow. What Raiyen used that day was merely a replication. So don''t think you stand a chance at this," explained Ysabeau, brandishing the bow.


    "I am well aware of that thing. And the wielder as well," replied Mavislin, with her sly smile.


    While Raiyen used the bow by borrowing from the upper skies during the fight against Tiamat, this bow was different. Borrowing does not mean owning it. This bow was the original copy. The real one. It had always belonged to Ysabeau since she was the one who made it.


    The power difference between the two is game-changing since one is merely a copy. The spells that Raiyen used against Tiamat were miniature compared to the true capability of the real one. Instead of opening portals to use power from the Upper Skies, the actual bow can generate the power from that realm.


    That meant it could conjure up even the strongest of tempests and hurricanes without using much effort. And though opening portals doesn''t sound taxing, it was a hefty load on Raiyen during the fight.


    Meanwhile, if Ysabeau were to use any attacks that belonged to the Upper Skies, it doesn''t take a toll on her. For instance, Dosura Star: Gleaming Pulverise, doesn''t require too much of Ysabeau''s Elemental Energy.


    But if she uses one of her own spells, like Archery of the Frosted Heavens, she uses more power than the default spells of the Aetherial Bow. It is true when Raiyen said the Upper Skies were a realm that is beyond the understanding of beings.


    There were dwellers in the Upper Skies. That place houses those who had fallen but wielded the Lost Elements. Then there are messengers. As a form of stability, the Upper Skies'' dwellers are never to mingle with the other worlds or realms. And vice versa, unless granted permission by the messengers.


    These messengers, otherwise known as the Gemstones of the Skies, were like guardians of the Upper Skies. They determine who could go through or who gets kicked out. They defend the area since their massive form can wipe out battalions with ease.


    And to even reach them, one has to go through countless others. Only one planet births these creatures, Belfura, home of the Bahamuts. The only Lost Element capable of being an all-rounder.


    The Lost Element of the Bahamuts. Since Ysabeau is the only surviving Bahamut''s, there is no one left to wield this Element. It can be passed down but if one did not have the capacity or strength to wield, their body will crumble. This Lost Element was dubbed as the Element Of Gemstones.


    It was not as powerful as the other Lost Elements, but it had no true counter Element since Gemstones can posses another Element as well. For example, sapphire allows the user to use Water Elements. Whatever Element has been used, the Gemstone Element can produce it as well.


    Mavislin sensed the tide change and promptly drew out her battle weapon. Her whip won''t do any good against bow and arrow so she had to depend on her shield. The two both held their weapons up, only waiting for someone to attack first.


    Ysabeau drew her bow, making a blue arrow appear out of nowhere. Mavislin took a defensive stance, ready to face the attack, head-on.


    "Devour the hatred, expel the aura. Link them together, unite them. Archery of the Frosted Heavens!" yelled Ysabeau, as a torrent of arrows came hurling down towards Mavislin.


    Upon impact, it created a huge shock wave of ice and dust, spreading throughout the area. Mavislin was being pushed back, despite all the times Lord Atlantia had to counter other enemies. The Valkyrie refused to back down, standing tall as she braved the attack.


    She had to change this battle''s tide to favour her side, or else her results could not justify her running away. It had been so long since she crossed weapons with Ysabeau. Ysabeau always decided against it, Mavislin was too precious. The training was usually with Z or Raiyen.


    Baldwin was banned from entering the arena with her since conflicting Elements would destroy both at max capacity. Gillian''s fighting style did not match up to Mavislin so there wasn''t a need for him to train her too much.

 Chapter 238 - The Ark Of Emerald Wave Rebellion

    Mavislin slowed her mind down, trying to calm herself. Usually, she would be trying to push back her attack. She tended to fight back, deflecting the attack. But she wasn''t going to do that today.


    Why waste such a powerful attack when you could use it to your advantage? And you have to waste your energy just to deflect or throw it off. Why do that? Her mischievous, childlike thinking came to fruition as she pondered on. Mom gave me a ball, so I shall play with it with her, thought Mavislin.


    In most fights, the winner is determined by who is the strongest or who is the one that could kill the other party faster than the other. But this fight was different. This fight had a flaw. The power difference between the two was worlds apart.


    "If you can''t do that thing, focus on what you can do in the present. At that moment. Don''t take chances, because that chance might cost your life," said Z, within a memory.


    So, all she had to do was fight with whatever cards that have been dealt towards her. Whatever Ysabeau dishes out, Mavislin had to use it to her advantage., She can''t always be on the defensive all the time. There was no need to show off when the battle is about who can last the longest.


    A Valkyrie could never dream of killing a Bahamut. Especially when that Bahamut was just messing around. And this attack was just one of the many she has up her sleeve. If this attack can push Mavislin back, then this battle will end there and then.


    But Mavislin was determined to show Ysabeau that she was no longer a child. She thought about converting the arrows to hers, but the act of it used Elemental Energy, something that she was trying to control the cost of. She then recalled what her twin weapon could do.


    The Emerald Sword of the Seas.


    Ice is hardened Water, so there was no need to convert the Elements. The saying, ''fight fire with fire'' was beaming through Valkyrie''s mind as she placed the handle of the sword at the top of the shield.


    Since the clash of both weapons was too bright to be seen, Ysabeau failed to see the sword taking form. If Mavislin only used the shield, it would put her in danger since the power of Ysabeau''s attack far surpassed her Ancient Relic.


    "All waves rise and become my shield..."


    "All winds gather and become my sword..."


    But seeing that Bryan was out in the open, Ysabeau directed another attack on the boy. The attack never reaches him since Mavislin yelled out her attack instead, startling Ysabeau.


    "Emerald Wave Rebellion!" shouted Mavislin as she fully unleashes the power stored in her Ancient Relic.


    As the shield and sword seent the arrows back, there was no power change of the attack. Ysabeau barely had enough to ponder as she was struck with the force of her own attack. She wasn''t going easy anymore as she easily negated the attack, causing Bryan to panic.


    "As expected," said Mavislin, stabbing the shield into the ground.


    "Are we going to stand a chance in defeating her?" asked Bryan, worriedly.


    "Don''t worry, I''ve got other things in my arsenal. I just need to figure out which one to use at her," explained Mavislin, looking at Ysabeau closely.


    Two things are going through Mavislin''s mind. How to win the fight and making sure Bryan doesn''t get hurt in the process. If Mavislin took the chance, she can win the fight by unleashing the strongest attack she can muster as of yet.


    But Bryan might get looped into the crossfire since he was still a young Mage. On the other hand, Ysabeau might negate the attack as well. The Valkyrie had no clue what was her mother''s power level.


    Monody might be useful now but it might affect Bryan''s wellbeing. It was a good spell to use but it knocked her out the moment she used it. The grand spells of Valokia were not to be used lightly.


    Ysabeau dived towards Mavislin, clashing the shield with the Aetherial Boow as a weapon. Even if it was just a bow, it was one of the most taxing weapons the shield had to face off. Both weapons weren''t breaking anytime soon.


    "I''ve got to say, you have grown stronger since the last time we fought. But, you have not met my expectations of you. And especially with those puny attacks of yours!" roared Ysabeau as she pushed the Valkyrie off balance.


    Mavislin got knocked out of her defensive position with that push, causing the Valkyrie to be wide open for attacks.

 Chapter 239 - The Ark Of Ysabeaus Assault

    Ysabeau jumped on the chance instantly, swinging her wing to send Mavislin flying through the area.


    This time, it was Ysabeau''s turn to assault the Valkyrie as the two continue to duke it out within the forest. Both had not expanded much power yet so their footwork and attacks were still lightning fast. But Ysabeau still dished out Water Elemental attacks, though of the minute kind.


    But each time Ysabeau unleashes a Water attack, Mavislin made sure to send it right back towards her. Ysabeau felt confused since Mavislin''s Ancient Relic works by absorbing her opponent''s power to send an attack of her own back to them.


    Wait... An attack of her own would mean using her powers. But since she was only sending it back to me, that would mean that she had not been using any Elemental Energy? Ysabeau''s shocked look meant that Mavislin had to devise another plan to continue the battle.


    "I see, so you are planning to wear me down? What a naughty girl," said Ysabeau as she drew her bow once more.


    "Gemstone; Sapphire Mode..." chanted Ysabeau, as a bright blue arrow appeared within thee drawn bow.


    Mavislin fortified her shield as she prepared for the oncoming attack. But Bryan knew that arrow had something amiss and dished out his attack. He was well aware that he can''t add more power to the combined attack, so he played the defensive card.


    "Shine bright, the Five Stars of this constellation. Scuti; Alpha, Beta, Delta, Epsilon and Eta. Connect with the power used in the Battle Of Vienna..." chanted Bryan as performed his spell, using Mavislin''s shield as a weapon.


    Ysabeau took no notice as she continued pouring power into her attack. Mavislin did not seem to notice but knew something was up.


    "Scutum, Stars Of The Shield!" shouted Bryan, as the spell manifested on the shield.


    Five bright lights appeared on the shield, shining brilliantly as it faced off the opposing attack.


    "Come at me!" yelled the Valkyrie as a huge influx of Water Element swarmed her figure.


    Ysabeau had streams of Water encircling her as well. But as she released her bowstring, the streams of Water seemed to get absorbed by the arrow.


    "Water Ripple Pierce!" yelled Ysabeau, as the arrow stabbed right in the middle of the shield.


    The moment it pierced the shield, a ripple effect appeared on the stabbed area. Around the area, more individual puddles appeared, replacing the previous lights. Within the blink of an eye, each puddle transformed into Water Bombs, detonating simultaneously.


    This caught Mavislin off guard as she abandoned her shield to save herself from the multi-attack. But was vulnerable and was hit by another arrow.


    "Sapphire Rapids!" shouted Ysabeau as the arrow pierced the Valkyrie''s arm.


    As the arrow went into her arm, huge rapids engulfed the poor Valkyrie, crashing her into the forest trees. Bryan ran directly to her, trying to see if she was alright.


    "Stand back!" hollered Mavislin as she emerged from the mess, with a limp arm.


    Bryan stopped dead in his tracks as Ysabeau flew closer towards them. The Valkyrie was slighty annoyed. She didn''t expect that things would turn out like this. If Ysabeau wanted to get serious, then so shall the Child of Valokia.


    "Don''t think to use that arm, I severed the nerves of it. It is useless now. And to think, he had used his power to help cushion the impact, " taunted Ysabeau, with a smile that sent shivers down Bryan''s spine.


    He never felt malice behind that smile. It was like she was playing, toying with Mavislin. But the Valkyrie''s feelings changed. She could longer hold back her power and rage. She was about to pop but not in anger for Ysabeau.


    "Don''t ever challenge me again, Valkyrie," bellowed Ysabeau, with eyes that glared daggers.


    No, this feeling was proving to her mother that she was not to be taken lightly. She gritted her teeth as her eyes bore the fierce look of tenacity. Ysabeau was ready to leave the arena when Mavislin''s Aura shoot through the roof, scaring Bryan.


    "Don''t underestimate a Gladiator, Bahamut," growled Mavislin.


    Bryan''s mouth was agape as he witnessed his boss slice off her arm without any pain in her eyes. Ysabeau whipped around, just enough to see the severed arm of the Valkyrie hurling right at her face. The older woman deflected the arm away but was met with a pissed-off Valkyrie behind her.


    Mavislin gave a hefty punch right at the back of Ysabeau''s head, using her newly regenerated arm. The punch caused the Bahamut to descend with rapid velocity. The force of the blow sent Ysabeau''s body down to the ground, nearly destroying the terrain.


    "But doesn''t that hurt?" asked Bryan.


    "It''s not my Elemental Core, so I can still fight."

 Chapter 240 - The Ark Of Being Her Slayer

    Dust envelopes the area, making vision unclear for Bryan. Ysabeau''s crash made the area vibrate, nearly knocking Raiyen''s balance off as he tried facing one of Z''s Kunais.


    "That wasn''t you, right?" asked Raiyen, finding his balance once more.


    "Oi! I''m not that huge!" scolded the Galaxian Mage.


    "I mean, you are quite big."


    "I swear if you say that one more time, I''ll rip out your Element out of your body. Got that, Time Boy?"


    "I''d like to see you try, Z," taunted Raiyen as he Glitched through the air once more.


    "Ah well, I know one thing''s for sure. Mavislin is getting angry," mumbled Z as he dodged Raiyen''s Flashbang.


    Ysabeau jumped straight out from the dust cloud and back into the air. With one flap of her blue wings, the dust cloud cleared. She cracked her neck, a sickening sound to any human ears. Her eyes were darkened as she glared at the duo below.


    "Well, you truly shocked me again, Mavislin. But how will you fare with this oncoming attack?" asked Ysabeau, drawing her bow once more.


    "Sapphire Water Cyclone," called out Ysabeau as she released a flurry of arrows towards Mavislin.


    "Tidal Wave Rush!" shouted Ysabeau, changing the target of the arrows to be aimed at Bryan instead.


    Mavislin had to use her entire body to block the attack since she didn''t have time to react with a spell. Bryan had his eyes closed but was shocked to find a bloodied and wounded Valkyrie in front of him, with her hands holding onto her shield.


    Lord Atlantia was in bad shape, so Mavislin had faced off the attack with most of her wings and body. Bryan could not believe it. He had always thought that Mages would never defend humans, seeing that two beings histories were laced with despair.


    Now, he had seen a Mage sacrificing herself to defend him, in his very eyes. They had barely met as well, compared to the years that she spent with the other Mages. Yet, she still threw herself in harms'' way.


    Bryan caught the Valkyrie just in time before she hit the ground. He cradled her, with tears welling up in his eyes.


    "But why? Why would you protect sc.u.m like me?" asked Bryan, gripping onto her, tightly.


    "Don''t say that. You are my Slayer. Calling yourself a sc.u.m would mean that I''m rubbish too," said Mavislin, with a smile.


    "Besides, you remind me of how Ashley used to be. And he made me proud the moment he stood his ground. Your help was not in vain," continued the Valkyrie.


    "I don''t understand, why would put yourself into that attack when you knew you could attack her from another side?"


    "That could work but it would mean that you have to get hurt. I won''t allow a duel to involve unnecessary wounds."


    "Then let me get hurt! I am your worker, your soldier! I am your Slayer, right? I have to learn how to counter it!"


    "Stultus! (Stupid) Countering a Bahamut with a human''s reaction speed is a laughing stock. If I couldn''t react, what makes you think you can?!"


    "You''re right, I am just weaker than all of you..."


    "Silentio, parvulus! (Silence, child!)" roared the weakened Valkyrie in anger.


    Bryan looked dazed and scared the moment Mavislin scolded him. Seeing that her young one is scared, Mavislin''s face softened as she strained her neck to headbutt the boy slightly.


    "Listen. You are nowhere near as powerful as us. And you don''t have to be. During the fight with Benjamin, you''ve proved yourself as a commandeer of the constellations. You are not a discount Z. You are you. This is who you are. Embrace it!"


    Bryan''s eyes widened as he recalled someone else voice within those last words.


    "You may endure hardsh.i.p.s, faced enemies stronger than before. But none of that matters, for the true enemy is yourself! The only thing giving you those thoughts is your self-doubt. Erase it and set your mind and heart free from doubts."


    "You''ve got one thing, right? So master that one thing. Don''t ponder on what you lack. Ponder on what you have and use it to your full advantage. This is how my PIllars work! Each and everyone is born different but are strong because they master their niche!"


    Bryan felt that way ever since he never became the Five Kings. Minwoo did not see his strength in leading kingdoms. But then, Bryan realised where he should be in the field. No, he shouldn''t need to know where would be stationed at.


    He had to stop thinking about the picture now and think about his own strengths. Turn the tide of this face-off, like how those waves changed the outcome of the battle. It was his power, his choice.

 Chapter 241 - The Ark Of Bryans Weapons

    He''s got the cards now, the gambler''s luck to perform.


    "After all, it is the job of a parent to stand in front of their children. To protect them, even if their hopes were to give out at any moment," said Mavislin, before losing consciousness.


    "Looks like she hadn''t made any progress. I thought she would have at least give a better show," said Ysabeau, nonchalantly.


    Bryan''s eyes darkened as he heard those words. Setting Mavislin gently onto the ground. Bryan drew out a weapon that he had been carrying with him since Minwoo left him. The katana was still in tip-top shape as he unsheathed it from a scabbard.


    "You know your sword can''t cut me, right? It will just break off once more," said Ysabeau, shooting more arrows.


    Thinking that he would fall for the same trick, Ysabeau appeared in front of him once more. But Bryan was not having any of it as he pulled out the second weapon, a Wakizashi. Not only Ysabeau failed to break the katana, her head was nearly slashed off by the smaller sword.


    "How sly of you, hiding those things from us..."


    "There was no need to show these off. Especially after I learned about how Minwoo died."


    Had it not been her inhuman reflex and speed of a Bahamut, she would have been gone there and then. Bryan brandished his fraternal weapons, reminding Ysabeau of how Raiyen used to brandish his twin daggers.


    "Hmph, don''t get too c.o.c.ky, human. Mavislin may accept you, but I sure as hell won''t!" shouted Ysabeau, launching a torrent of arrows towards Bryan.


    Meanwhile, Mavislin had awoken within her dream. She looked around, puzzled by the area. White and barren. She tried getting up, losing her balance instantly. The ground was like a soft pillow, fluffy marshmallows.


    She finally stood up and moved from her spot. She thought she was dead, but shook her head when she could still hear the battle happening in real life. Though, it was quite faint.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t accept anyone who nearly kills her adopted daughter in a training session," replied Bryan, taking the attack.


    "Shut your mouth! You know nothing!"


    "Same goes for you. You know zilch of being a proper teacher or parent!" yelled Bryan, eyes filled with fury.


    "Which parent in the right mind would send her own child into the jaws of death so willingly?!" shouted the man once more as he flung Ysabeau''s attack away.


    His blades shined as he sliced through the wave of attacks with erase. At least, that was what Ysabeau had thought. But in reality, the Stars of the Balance were at work, throwing the attack off its gravity.


    "I order you to take back what you said, Slayer Verna."


    "Not until I hear you apologize to Mavislin first."


    "I am the second in command of the Arks."


    "And I don''t care. Just because you are the second in command means that you can belittle your juniors this way. Mavislin is my boss, I only answer to her."


    Ysabeau was shocked as he gave those words. And so was Mavislin as she smiled softly. The Valkyrie then saw someone in the distance and gave chase to the figure. But she was scared when she who it was.


    The ground around the figure was black, with a purple hue surrounded it. It turned, shocking the Valkyrie as she met, face to face, with her fallen brother.


    "Respect was never in my book. There is no one born with authority or respect. They are earned. And you sure as hell don''t earn my respect, especially beating up my boss without mercy," roared Bryan.


    "Sounds a bit like me, right? My dear sister," replied Benjamin, chuckling at Bryan''s attitude.


    Mavislin was silent as the laughter of her twin rippled through the air. But soon enough, he stopped. He looked at Mavislin with a gentle smile, as he extended out his hand.


    "My offer still stands. I can give you power, even if I am trapped in this area."


    "But why do I need more power?" asked Mavislin, reverting her childlike voice.


    "You wanted to protect, right? And now you are defeated. Because you did not have enough power to defeat your opponent. How will you protect that boy from Ysabeau''s attacks if you have been defeated?"


    Mavislin closed her eyes and listened intently.


    "That is true... But does that mean I''m weak from the start?"


    Benjamin gave another chuckle and neared Mavislin. As he extended his hand, the thing that touched her shoulder was of the real Benjamin. Mavislin widened her eyes as Benjamin pulled her into an embrace. He was no longer consumed with Corruption.


    He was back like all those eyes ago. As a Valkyrie, he was hugging his sister once more.

 Chapter 242 - The Ark Of Stars Vs Water

    She wanted to melt in his arms and run away with him. Back to the home that she grew up in. How long has it been? She had lost track. But the battle happening now meant she still needs to continue.


    Perhaps, she could take her twin''s powers to prevent Bryan from getting hurt. He was her only family member left, so taking his power should be easy. But she then switched to hearing the battle in real-time.


    Bryan then unleashed his Elemental Aura. It wasn''t as strong as the First-rate Mages but it far surpassed what Ysabeau had expected of him.


    "You should get back in line. Don''t forget your place, novice," said Ysabeau, through gritted teeth.


    "No, but it seems that you''ve forgotten yours. You can never command the lesser ones, only the leaders of the Arks."


    "Do not be so rude!"


    "From the beginning, I warned Mavislin. I have, will always, and continue to be rude to anyone."


    The two lunged at each other, fighting with speeds that surpassed what Bryan would ever dream of. All that training from Minwoo did pay off since he could keep up with Ysabeau''s attacks. Each time his blades clashed, it was trying to call upon a spell but fails due to Ysabeau''s Aura being too strong.


    Another arrow of Water Elements soared through the air when both backed away. Bryan crossed his blades and chanted out his next move.


    "Call forth, the 88 constellations of the sky. I gather those that possess the Element of Water... I draw all of you to my Wakizashi and Katana..."


    "My, my... You really are a copy of Z. Are you guys related?" asked Ysabeau, sending an onslaught of arrows towards him.


    The moment the arrows reach into proximity of Bryan, they vanish completely.


    "Sapphire..." said Ysabeau, as she drew her bow.


    "You want Water? I''ll give you bucketload full of it!" yelled Bryan, his eyes filling up with power.


    The area around Bryan began to shake violently. His hair became blue at the tips as his Aura looked formidable. Ysabeau looked at him with mesmerizing eyes. The image of a young Z overlaps the boy within Ysabeau''s eyes.


    But she wasn''t going to let that stop her as her spell manifested on the tip of a shining blue arrow. Water from her Elemental Pool started to converge on the tip of the area, causing a spiral effect.


    "Turbulent," continued Ysabeau, as both arrow and bow started shaking violently within her grasp.


    "Aquarius, Capricornus, Cetus, Delphinus, Dorado, Eridanus, Hydra, Hydrus, Pisces, Piscis Austrinus, and Volans..." murmured Bryan, as each constellation appeared in his mind.


    "Whirlpool!" howled Ysabeau, releasing the arrow.


    The force of the release was so strong that it snapped the bowstring off. A whirlpool of substantial size soared through the air and down below, where Bryan was patiently waiting.


    "Stars Of the Combined Water Constellations!" shouted Bryan as the constellations of the sky shined bright.


    They then beamed down, towards Bryan''s swords. Suddenly, a huge torrent of water hurled out of the swords. This overwhelmed Ysabeau''s spell and she was forced to fly higher. But even if she did, she could not escape the waterworks since the attack was being controlled by Bryan''s swords


    "No way, why can''t my attack absorb that Water?" asked Ysabeau, inwardly.


    She then remembered what Z told her about using the Stars as powers. The power of the Stars transcends the normal Elements. Meaning to say, it can''t be treated or absorbed like the Elements. In fact, the Element of the Stars is one of the founding Elements.


    Each Element is unique and some are derivative from other major Elements. But Lost Elements are like the forefathers of Elements. That''s why they can''t be copied or absorbed. They can only be passed down by blood, not even teaching can do that.


    What Bryan wields is the Element of Constellation, a derivative of the Element of the Stars. But because the Element of Gemstones is considered as a young Lost Element, it can''t absorb Bryan''s attacks. But it can block it or overpower it if used correctly.


    While still in thought, Ysabeau was nearly thrown askew by Bryan being behind, trying to cut her down. Using the Water as stepping stones of some sort, Bryan could be airborne. He could finally get within close range to attack, something he loved doing.


    But hand-to-hand combat was also the niche of Bahamuts as Ysabeau directed a powerful kick to Bryan, causing him to plummet down into the ground below. But she wasn''t through with him yet as she dived down to deliver another blow to the man''s abdomen.


    "Hmph. Too flashy for your own good. Learn to keep that mouth shut before it costs your head," said Ysabeau, hovering above him.

 Chapter 243 - The Ark Of Black Ocean

    Mavislin nearly yelled her lungs out as felt Bryan''s power nearly extinguish. Benjamin was still holding onto her as she panicked.


    "So, the battle has taken a turn for the worse. Will you take my power to help your Slayer?" asked Benjamin, looking into Mavislin''s eyes.


    The young girl was still hesitant but began to see that offer as favorable. Benjamin smiled as the Valkyrie began to accept her twin''s power.


    Before Ysabeau could deliver the finishing blow, a shine of light zipped right between the two fighters. Bryan was dazed and confused as he saw the Valkyrie holding onto him, bridal style.


    "Thank you for holding out this long. I''m sorry that I couldn''t wake sooner," whispered Mavislin, her fringe covering her eyes.


    "No problem. But my body hurts. Can I rest?" asked Bryan, visibly drained.


    Mavislin nodded as she laid him down. She then stood tall and summoned her shield once more.


    "I told you not to touch him, High Queen Meslander," bellowed Mavislin as her hands clawed onto her shield.


    "You''ve already expanded most of your power, what else can you do? You can never get the higher ground from me, Valkyrie," said Ysabeau.


    "No, I will never do so."


    Ysabeau smiled as she wanted to claim victory.


    "Not with this Element, at least," murmured Mavislin as she did something that shocked the people around her.


    Ysabeau was soon met with a flying shield. This surprised the Bahamut as she barely enough time to react when she was hit, head-on by the giant weapon. Lord Atlantia weighed a tonne when in its physical.


    The attack used nothing but the Valkyrie''s sheer physical strength, which was on par with an a.d.u.l.t Bahamut. Mavislin, in a sheer attempt to counter Ysabeau''s attack, threw her entire sword and shield. It was also an attempt fueled with fury.


    The same shield that Ysabeau and the others had forged was now being handled like a frisbee. This also braved the power of Tiamat and the Corrupted One and now Ysabeau''s neck was at the mercy of it as she flew through the forest.


    By tossing the shield, the impact of the throw sent Ysabeau flying towards the arena where Z and Raiyen were busy fightings. They had the shock of their lives when a flying Ysabeau crossed their paths. Mavislin, not wasting the opportunity, jumped from her spot to follow her shield.


    "Let the water flow and turn into Light within the emblem in my hands. Let this emblem get tainted and turn this Light into Darkness within all. Divine punishment descends from the heavens," chanted Mavislin.


    Raiyen''s eyes widened as he recalled a familiar-sounding incantation. It was very similar to Monody''s incantation. That meant she was going to summon a spell of the highest caliber. The Major Spells of Valokia...


    No, wait, she was creating a spell. The Alter versions were never written down, the main reason why Raiyen couldn''t use them without having to deplete half of his Energy pool. That would mean she was making up a spell right there and then.


    The same as what she had done before. Now, it was time to see if she would fall after this. The last time used that, the battle ended quickly. By using the Conversion of Elements, it gave off signals that Mavislin wanted to end the fight with a bang.


    "Sapphire Slash!" yelled Ysabeau, frantically trying to stop Mavislin''s shield.


    It bore no use as the Valkyrie''s power absorbed it in an instant. Mavislin''s eyes held no expression as she continued the last part of the incantation. This scared Ysabeau, knowing that something was very wrong.


    "Overturn this spell for this land to strive and flourish once again..."


    Gripping her shield once more, Mavislin called out the words that would change the tide of the current battle. Ysabeau had no time to dodge as she witnessed the shield morph into something that would haunt her memory forever.


    Souls of those who were once humans cried and wailed as the heads of the fallen appeared on the shield. Bones and skulls adorned the rip of the once majestic shield.


    "Heaven''s Wheel Alter: Black Ocean," called out Mavislin as Lord Atlantic became fully black.


    The Valkyrie''s Aura changed from gold to black in an instant as Ysabeau tried desperately to fling Mavislin away. But the worst was yet to come as streams of black water started to corrupt Ysabeau''s wings.


    "Sapphire Cascada!" yelled Ysabeau, in a futile attempt to push back the converting Valkyrie.


    Her eyes widened as Ysabeau witnessed her own spell get converted into a black mess with her very eyes. The spell did no damage to the Valkyrie whatsoever as Mavislin merely dispersed it into thin air. She then stood there, rooted to the ground, in shock and terror.

 Chapter 244 - The Ark Of Mavislins Corruption

    The Bahamut felt fear racked throughout her body as she saw what Mavislin had become. Her beautiful golden eyes, wings, and Aura were all pitch black. Her hair had always been c.h.e.s.tnut but now it was also jet black, flowing freely in the Elemental Energy she produced.


    In Ysabeau''s eyes, she looked no different from her fallen twin. That terrified Ysabeau, it had always been her nightmare to see her baby get turned into something so repulsive and horrifying. Tears started to form in the nook of her eyes as she steadied her bow once more.


    She was afraid that Mavislin had been corrupted. Ysabeau bit her lip as she regretted knocking her baby out. Maybe Bryan was right, she was never a good parent or teacher. Please don''t become like your brother. Those words echoed throughout her head as she continued fighting Mavislin.


    The Valkyrie was not acting berserk but she had not said a word after converting. The first step during conversion is silence and reason. Their actions, later on, become erratic and unpredictable. Once they lose themselves, they become the Husks.


    One Valkyrie turning into the Corrupted One was already a headache. If the last one gets corrupted, the battle will be even more difficult than before. And to top it off, both of them are twins. If they joined forces, the Universe will be done for.


    Another Noble War will emerge, countless will perish again. Ysabeau shuddered at the thought as she clashed with Mavislin once more.


    "We have to step in," said Raiyen, getting ready to fight Mavislin.


    "Don''t, you''ll just get in the way. Besides, you should have some faith in her. She is your partner, after all," explained Z, pulling the Time Boy by the collar.


    Though he was the one who said those words, Z was also on the fence if Mavislin had truly converted. Her speed was drastically enhanced, despite being knocked out a few minutes earlier. Even Ysabeau was starting to waver.


    But Gillian has yet to step in, which signaled the rest not to interfere.


    Faith. The word echoed in Raiyen''s mind. Mavislin smiled as she continued to fight her senior. With another huge swing, she faced the horrific shield at Ysabeau. The skulls of the shield faced directly at Ysabeau, with their mouths wide open.


    "Abyss Okeanos..." murmured Mavislin, with dazed eyes.


    "Wait!"


    "Who are you?" asked Mavislin, within darkness.


    "That''s Mama, right?"


    "She hurt us."


    "But she is our Mama! You can''t hurt Mama!"


    "Who are you? And besides, she hurt our Slayer. And she nearly killed me."


    "But she didn''t mean to! Mama is scared now. Look, she is crying."


    Mavislin''s eyes widened to see Ysabeau face the attack straight on. But she continued with the attack. Ysabeau had to summon her Ancient Relic, Rukh, to mitigate the force of the attack. Even with two powerful beings, the damage was still major.


    "She mocked us. Said we were weak."


    "We are! But now we showed her we are strong! So, please don''t hurt Mama anymore!"


    "It''s not enough. We aren''t strong enough. Couldn''t protect Minwoo, couldn''t protect Ashley, couldn''t protect Yan..."


    "But Mama didn''t kill them! Mama is not the enemy! She only wanted to test us, to know that her child is strong! We no need to kill her!"


    "Who are you?" asked Mavislin once more, trying to search the darkness.


    Just then, Benjamin''s arms emerged from Mavislin''s back and embraced her. Encouraging her to sink into this pit of despair, Benjamin smiled as his plan was working. The small voice she had heard earlier vanished, leaving her alone with her twin.


    "Don''t worry, you will be strong now."


    Mavislin continued dishing out attacks, using a warped form of Lord Atlantia. Ysabeau, with one wing, continued fighting as well. Both girls were dashing about, with Mavislin''s Aura increasing alongside Ysabeau''s fatigue. As the two clashed, it was finally time for Ysabeau to end this training.


    "Mavislin, that''s enough! You''ve done enough to prove me wrong!" yelled Ysabeau, with her voice cracking.


    She prayed that her baby was still sound in her mind. That she had not been fully consumed yet. But Mavislin pressing onto Ysabeau''s bow meant those words were not reaching her.


    "Please don''t despair... You don''t need to be in that darkness to be powerful..." murmured Ysabeau as she tried another time.


    But the words to wake her would be from the mouth of the Headmaster. His voice boomed throughout the area, scaring the Old Chapel as well.


    "Dinner is ready, playtime is over!"

 Chapter 245 - The Ark Of Kindest Defeat

    She couldn''t breathe. It was like the embrace, from loving had turned into choking her. It hurts. It hurts so bad. If this was the result of having power, then she won''t want it anymore.


    "I don''t want to hurt Mama anymore."


    Let go. Let go. Let go. Let go of the hatred and rage. Let go of these things. And you will find yourself at peace, at your most powerful. Using others'' powers does not prove that you are strong. What''s the point of winning if it was borrowing someone else''s power?


    "I love Mama. She made me the best stew. She cuddled me when I had nightmares."


    Are you proud of yourself? Using the same power that killed so many to use as your weapon. And using that same power to kill your parent? Do you feel pride in that? Why do you need so much power? To kill the ones that you love? Or do you want to use the power you call your own to protect them instead?


    "Mama is not the enemy! It''s you!"


    With those last words screaming in her head, Mavislin forcefully yanked her twin''s arms away. Benjamin tried fighting back but Mavislin pushed him away. She was livid, tears of anger started falling down her cheeks as she felt she had been tricked.


    Memories of her family rushed by her mind, from the Tryouts to the fight with the Umbras. The many friends and family she met. Most were lost because of her twin.


    "Get away from me! You made me hurt Mama!" yelled Mavislin, stomping a foot in front of her.


    This caused the area of the foot to create a ripple effect.


    "She was the one who hurt you!"


    "She raised me! When you should have been doing so!"


    Remember, no more getting angry. That was the reason why you fell from grace. Or else, my words would have been naught.


    Mavislin took a deep breath. She then sighed as she faced her twin once more.


    "I''m sorry. But there is no need for me to use your power anymore. Mama didn''t mean to hurt me or Bryan. She just wanted us to know what is the true feel of battle," replied Mavislin, smiling.


    Benjamin''s hands clenched up, shaking with anger. But he relaxed as Mavislin willingly hugged him. He was shocked but soon realized that he had to admit defeat this time.


    "I promise, I will find a way to save you. And then, we can go home together. I know that you are still my twin, somewhere inside. We just have to wait. For now, victory is in my hands," said Mavislin, closing her eyes.


    A small child tugged onto Mavislin''s coat. The Valkyrie then looked at the child and gave a sad smile. It was tragic to see the child form of herself. One that would be lost forever. The days that were gone.


    "Thank you," whispered Mavislin as she gave a head pat to the child.


    The little girl squealed, with a beaming smile.


    "I''m sorry I wasn''t able to be the girl that we dreamt of. But I am proud of the family that I''ve made," answered Mavislin, crouching down to the little girl.


    "No worries. I know you had it rough. I love the Mama that we have. I miss Benny, but I am sure someday we will find a cure," replied the child.


    "Go on now, be with the family of the past. Like the memory of distant history,": said Mavislin, with tears in her eyes.


    The silhouettes of her fallen parents came to fruition, glowing as a picture. The young child ran off, flying right into the hands of her mother. Mavislin reached out for a moment but did not walk towards them.


    "Shine! The Light Of the Valkyries!" yelled Mavislin.


    The entire world became overwhelmingly blinding as she shouted out those words. Benjamin had been defeated again, leaving Mavislin to wake up. She blinked twice as she saw Ysabeau crying. The darkness in her eyes and Aura had dispersed.


    The last thing she heard was dinner was ready and that playtime was over. Her shield had reverted its normal aquamarine color and the serpent tail had appeared once more. Mavislin was confused when she was hugged tightly by Ysabeau, who was missing a wing.


    "That''s enough... You are strong, my little Valkyrie proved me wrong... You don''t need to be corrupted to prove me wrong. Your Slayer already beat my expectations," cried Ysabeau as she stroked her baby''s c.h.e.s.tnut locks.


    "You really made her worried, Valkyrie," said Gillian as the two slowly descended back onto the grass floor.


    "She made everyone worried," said Raiyen, heaving a sigh of relief.

 Chapter 246 - The Ark Of Mission Of Albion

    "Dinner is ready?" asked the Valkyrie, tilting her head.


    "This child, I swear..." complained Z, raking his curly hair.


    "Yea, you can have whatever you wish for. Other than human meat, of course," said Ysabeau, ruffling the girl''s hair.


    "I want stag tonight," replied Mavislin, following Ysabeau back to the Old Chapel.


    "I won''t sleep tonight," grumbled Bryan, getting up from his position.


    "You did well, you deserve a few days off," permitted Mavislin as Bryan difted of to the land of sleep.


    Aftter a few days of rest, it was time for the founders to address the standing issues of the Albion Domain. With Gab''s letters on hand, it was time to embark on their next mission. Gillian seemed optimistic for once.


    "To reiterate, we will be going to the Albion Domain. We''ll meet up with Gab there as well. He will give more information. For now, get ready. Ladies, look your most beautiful to find the missing p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.es. Guys, do your utmost to get intelligence from Masters of the brothels."


    "Infiltrate the Red Light Districts. Where love and d.e.s.i.r.e flourish. Where the darkest of nights births the best crime scenes. Where d.e.s.i.r.e fuels the area like a rose having its petals plucked. This is your next mission. Find the missing ladies."


    Gillian''s voice boomed across the miniature meeting room. Ysabeau had already recovered her missing wing and was ready to take on this mission. Since Bryan was new. he was to be dragged in as well. And if a Pillar is drawn in, would mean that Mavislin has to follow as well.


    "Well, I shall continue in-depth about how we shall move in the streets. The whole place is called the Red Light District, which means there are going to be lots of brothels around. Like what Gillian has instructed, Ysabeau and I will be all dolled up," explained Mavislin.


    "Then what about me?" asked Bryan, feeling very uncomfortable.


    "No worries, I won''t be asking you to become a girl. First, you shall act as a ''seller'', trying to get Ysabeau and me into different brothels. We can''t be in the same one. Most likely, Gab will help you in this as well, once we meet with him."


    "I don''t like seeing women as objects to sell," protested Bryan.


    "Well, you gotta suck it up. Don''t worry, we won''t get taken advantage of. But make sure you can survive without us," said Ysabeau.


    Bryan opened his mouth but couldn''t come up with a good answer so closed it promptly.


    "In the meantime, as you sell us, make sure to get any tidbit of information from the Masters. They are the leaders of the individual brothels. Like managers. They have the most access to information on where the women are going and sold off to," explained Mavislin.


    "If everyone''s clear, then let''s get a move on. Four months to recover is enough for all. I''m sure Mavislin is itching to get back into the field," said Gillian, smirking.


    "Finally, one that doesn''t involve my twin," said Mavislin, stretching out her arms.


    "It''s too soon to say," warned Bryan, standing up.


    They have been in the meeting room for a solid four hours. They had been discussing which brothel to head to and where was the place to find Gab without raising suspicion. After all, Gab was the unspoken leader of the Albion Domain.


    He may be a Baron, but the Red Light District''s Masters refer to him as the big boss. He has access to all the beautiful ladies out there but he still chooses his wife. For business, he needs to pretend. But with the help of the Mages, he doesn''t need to do so.


    The first letter was given to Mavislin after Bryan had joined the Barren Pillars. It had started with the disappearance of some p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.es. Each p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.e that was recognized by the Domain had a track record. But some of the ladies'' track records stopped at a place called the Dome.


    This cost both manpower and money. Brothels within the area had to make money for Domain''s economy to be stable. Or else, everything would crumble. Mavislin wrote back this time, asking why should the Mages get involved once more.


    The Umbra incident got out of hand and caused a mess of problems. And calling the Arks for such small matters would be asking for a kick in the face. Not to mention he wrote in personally to deliver the letters to Mavislin herself, the leader of an Ark.

 Chapter 247 - The Ark Of The Pillars Leader

    In the third letter, Gab tells that during one of the auctions for the ladies, a Mage was seen buying a few young p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.es. The only reason why he thought that of her was because of her wings. She had fuchsia butterfly wings emerging from her back.


    "Before I could give chase, these girls and the butterfly girl were gone. She ain''t normal, she ain''t human. I''m betting my food on this girl being a Mage and she''s got a hand in these disappearances," wrote Gab.


    That became the turning point to tell Gillian. Since it was quite the minute one, Mavislin was allowed to bring a junior with her. Ysabeau tagged along since the mission called for females. One wasn''t enough for the mission to cover enough ground.


    "Is Gillian really fine with his wife going to such a dangerous area?" asked Raiyen, nudging Z in the side.


    "First, don''t do that when I am eating. Second, this is the High Queen we are discussing here. Gillian had no choice since Ysabeau was the one who volunteered herself. And besides, have faith in Ysabeau. You should be worried about Mavislin instead," replied Z, fl.i.c.k.i.n.g the boy''s temple.


    "No need to worry about me either. I can be a demon if I need to. And besides, no guy will like my appetite so I will be fasting for the whole time we are needed there. If a guy wants his way with me, I''ll bite off his..."


    "That''s quite enough," said Z, walking away with his hands covering his ears.


    As the Galaxian Mage went to clear his plate, Bryan laughed at Mavislin''s pouting face. But the Valkyrie composed herself and turned towards her underling.


    "Bryan, I would need you to use your charm on the humans there as well. You think you can do that?" asked Mavislin.


    "That should be easy. But I will still be faithful to you, Lady Roydon," said Bryan, bowing slightly.


    "I have confidence in your loyalty. But if need be, go for the chance. We need to save those ladies. They may be seen as objects but Gab sees them as his subjects. I do not mind at all," said Mavislin, smiling once more.


    "I know you won''t mind, but if I''m tied to an owner, it is my policy to stay loyal. Don''t worry, if the situation arises, I will be sure to honor your request."


    "Hey, I''m not a ''Master'', you know. And you are certainly not tied to me. I''m going to treat you like an object. I don''t treat my underlings as objects or weapons. I treat them with respect as if they are my fellow teammates, which they are. Which you are."


    "I''m used to Minwoo using me as a moving piece on the battlefield. As a weapon to destroy conflicting parties."


    "I''m not Minwoo. The Arks function very differently from the Five Kings. The founders or leaders make decisions together but it is up to the individual Ark to determine if they want to accept the mission."


    "So that''s why Z, Raiyen, and Baldwin weren''t in the meeting with us," said Bryan, understanding more about the structure of the Arks.


    "That''s correct. In fact, it was supposed to be Raiyen and I teaming up since this called for collecting intelligence. That is the niche of the Vigilante. But since Raiyen hates going to Red Light Districts, Ysabeau was called upon instead."


    "Why not send a lower-ranking Mage?"


    "Gab wrote me personally. If someone writes to a leader personally, means the situation cannot be handled by the lower ranks anymore. It''s better to send one of us instead of hundreds to their deaths. We are not mindless dictators. We are running a shelter not a concentration camp."


    "Well, that''s good to know. That I am in the hands of people who care for my wellbeing. Even if I was nearly tossed into the hands of death himself."


    "Believe me, we''ve all had our fair share of meeting with Death himself. I think he''s sick of seeing us. We are probably his regulars," said Raiyen, brushing past the duo.


    "I don''t think that that''s a good thing."


    "It isn''t, but it''s our life. Anyways, each Ark has its own rules and responsibilities. In the Barren Pillars, I command the First Seats as a group. Each First Seat can command their own Pillar since there would be four more seats lower than them."


    "So, I get juniors too?"


    "Yep. But if I see a lower Seat performing better than a First Seat, I will swap their roles instantly. My Ark has always been the attacking piece, so the more offensive your skillset is, the higher I''ll place you. But the First Seats are usually handpicked by me, as seen for these days."

 Chapter 248 - The Ark Of Two Beauties

    "I am thankful that you''ve chosen me to be your Slayer. I will not let you down."


    "You have not, so far. And besides, I am glad that I have earned your respect with inducing fear into you."


    Bryan''s face flushed red as he turned to look at Mavislin''s smile. Or grin, to be precise.


    "I thought you were down for the count?" asked Bryan, his voice getting higher.


    The Valkyrie could not help but laugh at Bryan''s changed voice. He was not one to be fl.u.s.tered.


    "Yea, but your insults and words made such an impression that it infiltrated my dreamland. But I''m glad I could earn your respect so quick."


    "You did it the moment you risked your life to protect me. Many of the people I worked for just throw me into the fire. They use me as a meat shield. But you are the first to treat me like a human."


    "Sometimes, humans are more monstrous than monsters are."


    "Yea. To think that the first boss to treat me like a human would not be human at all."


    "But I did mean what I say. I see my underlings as my children. I can''t stand to see them on the brink of death. So, I will do my utmost best to both guide and train you on this mission," promised Mavislin as she gave a warm smile.


    "You know, I''ve grown accustomed to your smile. You should do that more often. Makes you prettier," noted Bryan, pointing at her face.


    "Really?" asked Mavislin, tilting her head.


    "Yep," said Bryan.


    The two were being broken apart as Ysabeau came to drag Mavislin to the changing room. It was suddenly time to try out outfits to blend into the vibrant city of love.


    "Is this considered kidnapping?" asked Bryan as he watched his boss being dragged away.


    "Better get used to it," said Gillian as he walked by.


    An hour passed by, Bryan was spending time in the makeshift room the Old Chapel had for humans to stay. Since it was alive, it granted Bryan a sharpening tool to keep his swords in good shape. They went through a hell of a time during the ''training'' with Ysabeau.


    He smiled at the sight of his katana fully sharpened. Tilting it to reflect the sunlight, he could see his reflection on his sword. He smiled, checking his hair.


    "Boss said I look quite charming... But I think Minwoo would''ve been better suited for the job. Am I capable enough to land this mission?" asked Bryan, worriedly.


    The Old Chapel seemed to flap its curtains to assure that everything would be fine.


    "You think so? Thanks," replied the Slayer as he continued sharpening his Wakizashi.


    Bryan was nearly hit by a flying boot had it not been for his fast reaction skills. He caught the boot on time and turned around.


    "Why''d you do that for?!" yelled Bryan, seemingly annoyed.


    His jaw dropped as he saw the sight of Mavislin beautifully dressed in a gown. It was sky blue, with a very low neckline. Her hair was bunned up using a blue butterfly hairpin. Two strands of hair flowed freely down the sides of her head.


    She didn''t need powder since her complexion was so fair. Her lips are pink, putting lipstick on won''t look good. Some slight blusher on her cheeks made her face look so much more beautiful than usual. She smiled as she caught Bryan''s pupils dilating as he saw her bosom.


    "Like what you see? Remember, she is older than you by a landslide," commented Ysabeau, emerging as the one who threw the shoe.


    "I just didn''t expect her c.h.e.s.t to be so ample," mumbled Bryan, earning another boot to the face.


    Mavislin flushed red as she covered her c.h.e.s.t. After recovering from the flying boot, Bryan turned to look at Ysabeau. She looked more elegant, like a queen, dressed in a red gown with her c.h.e.s.t slightly exposed as well. Her strawberry blonde hair was done up in a bun as well, but with a bird hairpin instead.


    Her face was caked with makeup. Her full lips were painted bright red and her eyes were beautified by a violet eyeshadow. Her figure was much more voluptuous compared to Mavislin but the Valkyrie had natural beauty on her side.


    "Both of you guys are sure to impress the crowd there. Landing into the brothels would be child''s play," said Gillian, popping behind Ysabeau.


    "Boss, you look stunning," said Bryan, finally mustering the courage.


    "Thanks," replied Mavislin, still shy.


    "I know what you remind me of! An Oiran," replied Bryan as he pointed to Ysabeau.


    The trio tilted their heads in confusion. Ah, looks like these Mages haven''t gone to the other side of the world yet.

 Chapter 249 - The Ark Of To The Next Area

    "Oirans come from Japan. They are known as high-ranking ''courtesans''. Courtesans are another name for p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.es, those that have a wealthier background. Or a more luxurious aesthetic. They have skills within the traditional arts, painting or writing, etc, " explained Bryan.


    "And what will that information give us?" asked Ysabeau, annoyed that someone called her a ''p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.e''.


    "I just said what was on my mind."


    Ysabeau was about to toss this boy into oblivion. But her Valkyrie had other things on her mind.


    "Hang on... If they are high-ranking, do they get better control?" asked Mavislin, looking at Bryan with an idea.


    "Yea, they are allowed to choose their customers. Usually, the common folk cannot lay eyes on oirans. And the highest-ranking oiran, called ''Tayu'', don''t engage in any s.e.x work at all."


    "Looks like we''ve got another way to find out our enemy. Or gather our Intel. A quicker way," said Mavislin, with a sparkle in her eyes.


    "Why do we need a quick way?" asked Bryan


    "We''ve got only a few days to complete this mission. It is a minor job, so it should be quick."


    "That won''t ever work! That''s too little time to fully investigate this!" protested Bryan.


    "Watch us," chimed the two beauties in front of him.


    Indeed, they are not human.


    The group then headed outside, with all their bags packed. Mavislin didn''t need much since she was planning on using the clothes there. Ysabeau had an infinite amount of outfits to use so no need for luggage. Bryan was the only one who needed a bag.


    They were met with Raiyen and Z who were also embarking on their separate missions and duties.


    "The Faction has been called, gotta make my way back to the Teuton Domain," replied Z as he waved goodbye.


    "Gil is still sending me to find some confidential stuff, so I''ll be all around. If we do meet, I want some coffee," saluted Raiyen as he glitched of the area.


    "Well then, that''s all set. Let''s head to Albion and find that coffee connoisseur," said the Bahamut as she unleashed her wings.


    Mavislin nodded as she extended out her golden wings once more. It was massive, as usual. One flap was enough to nearly blow Bryan off his feet.


    "Uhm, aren''t you forgetting something?" asked Verna, scratching his head.


    "Not really?" asked the Bahamut.


    "In cases, you have forgotten, I can''t fly. I don''t have wings."


    "Oh. Not to worry. Come ''ere, Fluffy!" commanded Ysabeau.


    The area shook once more as the Rukh came into fruition, diving down from the sky. Bryan''s eyeballs bulged when Fluffy screeched loudly.


    "Hop on, it''s like riding a horse. It''ll be fun!" said Ysabeeau, cheerfully patting Fluffy''s temple.


    "Somewhere in Time, Raiyen is screaming," mumbled Mavislin as she helped Bryan get onto the beast.


    Bryan was silent the whole time as he tried his best not to freak out. But he wasn''t freaking out because Fluffy being abnormal. Mavislin soon learned why he didn''t want to be on the beast.


    "Are you alright? The rate that you''ve been sneezing, I''m afraid your lungs with come out!" exclaimed Ysabeau as Bryan sneezed once more.


    "Yea, you okay?" asked Mavislin, giving the man another tissue.


    "Get..." said Bryan, blowing his nose.


    Fluffy seemed concerned as it moved towards Bryan. It lifted its wing and wanted to comfort Bryan, but the man sneezed even more. The Rukh was shocked and reverted to its compact form. Just then, a familiar voice came to greet the group.


    "Get Fluffy away from him. He''s got an allergy to fur," instructed Gab as he pulled the boy away from the creature.


    "But Fluffy has feathers?" asked Mavislin, confused.


    "There is some fur around her neck, so that would probably affect him," explained Ysabeau, giving some grubs to little Fluffy.


    After the little creature had its payment, it flew upwards and disappeared into the clouds above. Bryan could finally take a look at his surroundings, and the person who saved him.


    "Baron Tuazon. My first name is Gabriel but you can call me Gab. Minwoo had spoken highly of you. I''m sure you are fit to be in this job," greeted Gab, extending out his chubby hands.


    He was slightly shorter than Bryan with a plump and chubby figure. His skin was slightly brown and his right wrist was in bandages due to the previous battle. His hair was black, short, and slightly spiky. Glasses sat perfectly with his round face and beaming smile.


    He reminded Bryan of Z but with a different touch.


    "Verna, but my real name is Bryan. Nice to meet you, after so many years," said Bryan, with a charming smile.


    "So this is how humans greet each other?" asked Mavislin, intrigued at the humans in front of her.

 Chapter 250 - The Ark Of The District By Day

    "What do you expect us to do?" asked Bryan.


    "To brawl," replied Mavislin.


    "We humans use something called ''speech'' first," said Bryan, shaking his head.


    "Enough talk, let''s get back to my place," said Gab, showing the way.


    The streets of Albion had changed significantly ever since the fall of Congregation. Ysabeau seemed impressed at the rate of recovery within the human community.


    "To think it was a peasant''s town just a hundred years ago..." murmured Ysabeau, looking around with intrigue.


    "Albion was called what now?" asked Gab, seemingly offended.


    "Peasant Town, since all the newbies from the fallen Congregation are housed here. If you were here a hundred years ago, these people would be begging on the streets, not selling anything," explained Ysabeau.


    "But now it''s so different!" said Mavislin, going nearer to a stall to see some flowers.


    "Yep. You did a great job, Baron Tuazon. You made the lowest thrive," praised Ysabeau, with prideful eyes.


    Gab smiled as well. Small huts were everywhere, selling things from food to clothing. They had baskets full of their items, situated at the doorways of the huts.


    The humans were quite noisy, especially the shopowners who were all trying to upsell whatever they had in their store. Mavislin''s keen sense of hearing was not a fan of this. Especially when she wanted a small snack from a random stall.


    "My! My! What a pretty lass! What would you like for the day?" asked the shopowner, with high-strung spirits.


    "I''d like something sweet, is this sweet?" asked Mavislin, holding a candied apple.


    "Yes! The finest, freshest!" yelled the shopowner.


    Mavislin was close to tears as she started pouting. Gab decided to step in.


    "Let''s get a score then, I''ll pay this time," said Gab, tossing the shopowner a pouch full of money.


    The shop owner was shocked as Mavislin peered at the sack of money. She then pulled on Gab''s coat.


    "What''s that?" asked the Valkyrie with her big, round eyes.


    "Money. Pieces of metal to exchange for goods. In this case, your candied apples," explained Gab as the shopowner rushed to pack the giant order.


    "Oh... That''s how trade works in the human community..." murmured Mavislin.


    "Well, what do your people use?" asked Bryan, seemingly interested.


    The Valkyrie pointed at her temple.


    "We use memories to trade. The more expensive the item, the more memories have to be revealed. Even secrets are used, though not recommended. For example, this apple would cost me a memory of what I ate yesterday, a bag full of it would cost me what I did for the whole week," replied Mavislin.


    "How about the ''secrets''? How is that used?" asked Bryan, looking at Mavislin.


    "One secret can be worth a whole century''s memories. That would be the base thinking but it''s more complicated than that. A secret of mine can probably buy a mansion if Earth was like Valokia."


    "That''s quite an abundance. A great way," said Bryan.


    "Not really, because if the information traded is too expensive, you use a secret. If that secret is given to the wrong hands, it would have crippled the kingdom," explained Mavislin, as her eyes darkened.


    "Ah! Thank you! Come back for more!" shouted the shop owner.


    With a sack full of snacks, Mavislin was contented. As she happily shoved apples into her mouth, Gab explained to Bryan why no one has recognized him as of yet.


    "Unlike my flashy teammates, I prefer to lay low. Out of the noble ranks within the humans'' eyes, the title ''Baron'' is the lowest, compared to the Five Kings. Thus, there is no reason to flaunt my title or for the common folk to know who I am," said Gab, walking towards his shop.


    "But you are sure to make a statement if you continue to buy stuff in bulk," replied Bryan, pointing at Mavislin''s sack of apples.


    Gab merely chuckled while Ysabeau tried to stifle her laughter. Bryan''s eyebrows furrowed in frustration.


    "What''s so amusing?" asked the Slayer.


    "My boy, haven''t you known? After the fall of the Congregation..." said Gab, shaking his head.


    "Albion is the ric.h.e.s.t Domain out of all the Five Domains. They can afford to buy items in bulk," replies Ysabeau.


    "Apple?" asked Mavislin, handing the young Slayer a candied apple.


    He gladly accepted it, with Mavislin smiling happily.


    "What is that smell?" asked Ysabeau, scrunching up her nose in disgust.


    "It''s called ''coffee''. The energy of humans. Muddy bean water," explained Bryan, rather rudely.


    "Be nice, she has no idea on human beverages as of yet," said Mavislin as they entered into the Baron''s cafe.


    The cafe was beautifully rustic, with the smell of freshly roasted coffee writhing through the area. Dark oak tables and chairs were all around with ceramic mugs hanging around the drinks area.

 Chapter 251 - The Ark Of The Cafe

    Each mug seemed handmade, stamped with the symbol of Albion. It was an etching of cliff with waves splashed at the bottom of it. The place was well-lit due to the daylight but its stained-glass windows made it even more beautiful.


    "I love these..." whispered Masvislin as she studied the windows.


    "Those were made by an anonymous glassblower. Reminds me of the Old Chapel as well. I wish I would''ve gotten more of it," said Gab.


    It''s hard to think that it would be turned into a place filled with alcohol in about a few hours.


    Gab ushered the girls into their rooms, situated on the second floor of the cafe.


    "Human rooms are rather boring," said Mavislin, pouting at the sight of her room.


    It was simple, with a single wooden frame bed, a desk, and a chair. There was a nightstand beside the bed while a small wardrobe was by its side as well. The view from the small and round window was not bad.


    "Sorry, it isn''t as flashy as your room in the Old Chapel. But I guarantee is the best room you''ll find around these parts," said Gab, carrying a blanket and pillow.


    As the two unpacked in their individual rooms, Mavislin decided to stretch out her wings. Unfortunately, she failed to notice the Slayer standing at the door.


    "Does it hurt?" asked Bryan, out of the blue.


    This startled Mavislin but she smiled as she continued unpacking. She took out the same dress that she tried on before leaving the Old Chapel.


    "Yea, being in a human form hurts my wings sometimes," said Mavislin, as she tried to undress.


    Bryan instantly turned around out of embarrassment, confusing Mavislin.


    "You are a girl, I am a guy," reasoned Bryan.


    "I have inner-wear. I''m not bathing yet so I won''t take that out."


    "But you were uncomfortable earlier."


    "That''s because you stared at my c.h.e.s.t for more than usual."


    Bryan sighed but still did not move or turn. Mavislin shrugged as she continued to put on her dress.


    "Bryan."


    "Yes?" he asked as he came closer.


    "Help me do my hair," instructed Mavislin, as she gave him the tools needed.


    "As you wish."


    As he was doing her hair, Mavislin was thinking about their next move within the district. She thought about what had happened to the girls. She knew that she couldn''t show her powers outright. If it happened to be a mistake, it will land the Arks into hot water.


    And who was that Mage? Gab wrote briefly about her but there was no record of such a Mage, both in the Arks or the Congregation. Part of her wanted to investigate this mysterious person but the other said to focus on the main mission.


    Bryan was right, a week might not be enough to cover the tasks on hand. And Bryan was still too new to be left alone with a single task at this point since he might encounter something or someone above his level.


    And speaking about the boy, Bryan had finally done her hair and was adjusting the butterfly hairpin. He then spaced out as well.


    "Sis, sis! Let me play with your hair again!"


    "No way! You got it tangled up last time!"


    "Pretty please! I just wanna do a braid..."


    "That''s what you did before too!"


    "Waaa!! I''m telling Mama!"


    "Okay, okay! Quit your whining! I''ll let you play with my hair."


    "Yay!"


    Who were those voices? They sounded so familiar in Bryan''s head. That could not have been Nova, since it sounded like the two were siblings. A quick holler from Gab coming in broke the two people''s daydream.


    "Let''s do a meeting so we''ll know what to do once the sun sets," said Gab, before going off.


    Mavislin stood up while Bryan moved aside. As Mavislin stood at the doorframe, Bryan hollered at her once more.


    "You look stunning, especially when you are in battle. I prefer you in your battle outfit and your wings. It truly makes you a queen," commented Bryan, with cheeks lightly dusted with pink.


    Mavislin was shocked at first but she gave another warm smile as well. She nodded and gripped the man''s hand.


    "Let''s go, Ysabeau hates people who are late," said Mavislin, cheerfully.


    As they arrived downstairs, a map was laid out on one of the tables. Ysabeau was waiting patiently with a pot of tea by her side.


    "Alright, we plan to infiltrate the two brothels narrowed down by Gab. This is what we have discussed before the trip here. Now, do ask questions if you both have any doubts about this or anything related to the area," instructed Ysabeua.


    "Not for the time being," answered the two.

 Chapter 252 - The Ark Of The Two Brothels

    "Very well. Let''s do a partner-up. Gab and I will team up while I leave Verna to you, Mavislin. Now then, Baron Tuazon, please take it from here," said Ysabeau, ushering Gab to continue.


    "This is the whole map of the district we are in. The pinned ones are the known brothels. You guys can decide on which one to go first," said Gab, pointing to the two areas.


    It was hard for Mavislin to decide on which brothel. In fact, the whole map seemed foreign to her. She had been at Albion before, a few decades ago. It was so different now. But the district was not complexed. The center of the district was marked by a circular building with a dome.


    "The one at the east is called ''The Velvet Pearl'' while the other in the west is called ''D.e.s.i.r.ed Roses''," said Gab, showing them posters of the brothels.


    As the group looked at the posters, Mavislin could make out that those buildings are unique compared to the other structures beside them. As per the earlier walk, most of the houses within the District were all small and hut-like.


    Brothels within the area were all disguised, usually as an eatery like Gab''s cafe. B.u.t.t the two special brothels that were in the mission were sticking out like a sore thumb. For starters, on the map, the brothels look huge. They were standalone as well, not linking up to any buildings.


    The Velvet Pearl looked like a two-story house with a dome-shaped roof, similar to the one in the middle of the map. The D.e.s.i.r.ed Roses looked like a pagoda, a building with several tiers. That building is native to the other part of the world, so it was rare to see a sight of that here.


    D.e.s.i.r.ed Roses seemed much grander than the Velvet Pearl, bigger in size and taking more space. But Ysabeau was looking at the center of the District, which was the earlier dome-shaped building.


    It was far bigger than any of the other buildings. It looked like a single-story fortress, with two small towers on each side. It reminded Ysabeau of the front of a castle, with a large base to support the dome. If it was massive on paper, that would mean it would be bigger in real life.


    "Wait, aren''t these buildings related? They have the same architecture," said Bryan, pointing the brothels out.


    "Indeed, the boy''s got a point. Any chance if they are somehow related?" asked Mavislin, glancing at Gab.


    But as the Valkyrie''s gaze shifted towards Ysabeau, her facial expression took a turn for the worse.


    "I''m surprised you''ve forgotten what those buildings were, Mavislin," said Ysabeau, in a serious tone.


    "If memory serves correctly, those areas were for the newcomers, right?" replied Mavislin, slightly intimidated by Ysabeau''s shift in tone.


    "During your time, that is correct. But during the Husks Wave, they were used as another thing. As quarantine facilities."


    Bryan''s eyes darted around the map, seeing if there was anything to help with the investigation while Mavislin went pale. Gab was slightly shocked but had a lesser reaction compared to Mavislin.


    "A quarantine facility? Like a concentration camp?" asked Mavislin, wavering slightly.


    "Nope, they were an area specifically made to house the ones that we''re turning into the Husks. The Mages were still clinging to their sanity and life. They were all in there," explained Ysabeau, in great detail.


    "Then I bet that those areas are connected?" asked Bryan, unfazed by the above revelation.


    This boy is rather ignorant about the Mages'' pasts. He might be getting on my nerves, thought Gab. But seeing that the rest was alright with his attitude, Gab decided to hold back.


    "Not necessarily, since it''s been a long time since that place was used as such."


    "I wasn''t talking about ownership."


    "Structure, design of a building. The fact that Gab doesn''t know about these two buildings would mean that there was no change in their structure. And best to my knowledge, quarantine facilities contain mass amounts of medical supplies, right?"


    Everyone agreed in unison.


    "When there was a small outbreak of disease a few years back, the higher-ups created a ''quarantine facility'' as well. But the place was parked right beside the graveyard. Before the sick was ready to buried, they''d store them in the bas.e.m.e.nt," explained Bryan.


    "Thus, my thinking is that those buildings might have their own bas.e.m.e.nts as well. If you get what I mean," continued Bryan, tapping on the two buildings.


    "Most treatment facilities within the Campania have something called ''Morgues''. I am pretty sure here should have as well," explained Bryan, looking at Gab for confirmation.


    He nodded, solemnly. Mavislin tugged on Bryan''s sleeve.


    "What''s a morgue?" she asked.

 Chapter 253 - The Ark Of Bas.e.m.e.nts

    "A place to store dead bodies. They are usually large rooms with metal boxes all around the walls. Like drawers in the wall. Bodies are being preserved there for further studying or identifying causes of death. Very cold in there, so humans don''t linger there for long," explained Bryan.


    "You are correct, those two had large bas.e.m.e.nts as well. To house the ones who fully became Husks," said Ysabeau.


    "Why did you keep them? You could have easily killed them off?" asked Gab, scratching his head.


    "Bas.e.m.e.nts, otherwise known as dumping grounds. You cannot deny this. High Queen. You housed the damned since you can''t kill them. What a way to send them off," scoffed Bryan with clear disgust in his voice.


    "They could only be killed Valkyrian Light. We had no way to turn them back. Or any way to kill them."


    "Don''t lie to us!" yelled Bryan, shocking everyone.


    "The Husks can be killed by other Elements. It just needs to be more powerful. Only the pure-blood Husks are impossible to kill. The Human Husks are nothing. Don''t you dare lie to them! Why did you house the Human Husks in the first place?!" shouted Bryan, angrily.


    Mavislin was shocked, the Slayer was right. When they had to fight the Husks in the village, Ashley and Bryan did not use any Valkyrie power at all. Yet, they''d manage to take down the converted horde.


    Thus, this begs the question. Why was the Congregation housing the Human Husks? Ysabeau silence terrified Mavislin while angering Bryan.


    Had Mavislin not hold him back, the Slayer would have nearly punched her right in the face. And that might just spark a brawl.


    "I''m sure she has an explanation! Calm that hot head of yours before you do anything rash!" commanded Mavislin.


    "The Congregation took p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e in experimenting with Humans Husks. There was an abundance of it, am I right?" asked Gab, who had been quiet the whole time.


    Ysabeau nodded slowly, unable to hide the truth anymore.


    "No wonder I couldn''t find my grandfather''s remains. Maybe if we infiltrate the correct place, I can give him a proper burial. Like he and all the fallen ones deserved," said Gab, closing his eyes.


    Mavislin felt Gab''s Aura changed. Humans do not have Auras the same way Mages have, they have figurative Auras instead. However, their ''Auras'' are determined by their emotions. How are they reacting, how are they feeling. Right now, Gab''s Aura was intense.


    He had the Aura of revenge and anger surrounding him. Mavislin felt conflicted, seeing the bubbly and funny man giving an Aura with the intent to kill. Gab is a family man, with his loving wife and baby. Charisma and one-year-old Kai.


    "You treated the fallen ones like trash, dumping them into masses. Leaving them to huddle and die in the worst condition possible. Not even giving them the respect they deserved to put their lives on the line to save others. That''s how you repay them," said Bryan, darkly.


    Mavislin was still holding Bryan back. She had the thought of putting them to sleep for a bit but she felt that was just cushioning Ysabeau''s scolding. Mavislin had to think about it.


    "What do you think the human life is, huh? Some disposable thing? That''s why I hated the older generation of the Mages. They didn''t care about the occupants of this world. Because of people like you, the future generation like us had to wage war and hate with your offspring," added Bryan.


    "Hell, if it hadn''t been for Mavislin''s wish for Humans and Mages to live alongside each other... You''d be chowing down on all of us right now," said Gab, pointing his index finger towards Ysabeau.


    "But she was roped into this. She didn''t do voluntarily, right?" asked Mavislin, trying to quell the situation.


    "The same way we taught our younglings to fear the Mages, you taught your underling to side with you. I feel sorry for Mavislin who believes in you," said Bryan, patting Mavislin''s head.


    "I''m not being taught to be like this. I just know she isn''t like this because I''ve seen her respecting the fallen," protested Mavislin.


    "That''s how you were being brought up. I am blaming you," said Bryan, smiling softly.


    "Don''t underestimate me. Do not feel sorry for me. If she has done the crimes, then I will know how to feel about the situation. Even I have things I''ve done that I am not proud of. Don''t think I''m brainwashed by her, I have my own judgement."

 Chapter 254 - The Ark Of Flowered Maidens

    "They are right, I did participate in this. We wanted to find a cure but when we saw it was futile, Pond ordered us to seal the facilities away," confessed Ysabeau.


    Mavislin was in disbelief, but not in shock. She knew Ysabeau was all along with a merciless person, as portrayed with the way she fought with Old Man Pond and the earlier fight between them. Mavislin was in denial because Ysabeau was keeping secrets from her.


    Silence blanketed the air once more. That is until the sun began to fall.


    "Let''s get this over. We''ve been doing tangents. Mavislin, what are your orders?" asked Bryan, getting a move on.


    "You told me Ysabeau looked like an ''Orian''. That''s in the other part of the world, right?" asked Mavislin.


    "Yes, what about it?"


    "Then Ysabeau shall be stationed at the D.e.s.i.r.ed Roses, while you and I will take the Velvet Pearl."


    "If there are no objections, then let''s get a move on. Unless you want to see this place get turned into a room filled with l.u.s.t and d.e.s.i.r.e now," said Gab, as his workers came scurrying into the room.


    The lights were changed, placing red, purple, and pink cloth all around. Mugs changed into wine glasses, the scent of coffee was gone, replaced by the stench of liquor. The whole area had a l.u.s.tful vibe, according to Bryan.


    Ysabeau was a bit more formal than Mavislin, with her charisma and figure being more elegant and grand. But Mavislin did not completely lose out as those who wanted natural beauty and young age flocked towards her.


    "Hmm... Mavislin is raking in the ones who would spend all their wealth on her without using much makeup or materialistic things. But, the customers she brings in would be temporary, since they are impulsive spenders. They spend everything at once," noted Gab, seeing the situation.


    Bryan''s first instinct was to grab Mavislin out of the area since the guys were busy throwing money at her. He was still unsure that Mavislin could actually stop them from taking advantage of her. But Gab held him back, so Bryan had to concede defeat for now.


    "Clear that head of yours. You won''t be respected by Lady Roydon if you continue to act out like this without thinking," ordered Gab.


    "Got it," replied Bryan, calming down.


    As the customers flowed in, Bryan and Gab took their place at the bar countertop while Mavislin and Ysabeau took a cushioned seat of their own. Both were far apart from each other. It seemed like the men of that night had two choices. Natural beauty or an elegant queen.


    The High Queen looked like, well, a true Queen. The men were not only flaunting their wealth on her, but they were all arguing on who she should take home first. Ysabeau smiled, her canines showing.


    "Look at the men she''s getting, they are all my high-spender regulars. Older men, willing to spend more in exchange for just her company. They have lots to spare, they can use everything now while still have enough for tomorrow."


    But though Ysabeau drew slightly more men to her, the men by her side did not dare to touch Ysabeau. Or even go near her. She was like a goddess. They were all like a meter away from her. She gave sweet talks to some of those that she liked.


    "Ah, Mavislin is indeed a great leader. I fully understand why she has decided to go with ''The Velvet Pearl'' while sending Ysabeau to ''D.e.s.i.r.ed Roses''," said Gab, closing his eyes.


    "And how is that so? To the best of my knowledge, both have not experienced nightlife like this before," asked Bryan, raising an eyebrow.


    "I do not how Mavislin could have predicted it, but she was spot on with who to place at those positions. The Velvet Pearl wants a much younger audience, while the D.e.s.i.r.ed Roses wants to showcase older women but with elegance," explained Gab, smiling with interest.


    "Not all brothels want the same demographic?"


    "Heavens no! Or else it would be such a bore. My place here is known for ''newcomers, thus everyone here is quite good to new ones here. Only those who I have worked with have access over here. My place showcases ''flowered girls''. And those who love coffee, of course."


    "Ah, hence the name then. I was thinking why would a cafe be called ''Flowered Maidens''. Smart idea and way to make the girls blend in without getting thrown into the fire. Though, I hope no evil intent is around," praised Bryan.

 Chapter 255 - The Ark Of An Angel

    "And are you sure Ysabeau is not a courtesan? She was born to be one, at least!" exclaimed Bryan, pointing at Ysabeau''s crowd.


    "Yea, her husband is not one to allow her into these parts..." replied Gab.


    "Maybe she did in her youth?" asked the Slayer.


    "Mate, her youth was spent on another planet."


    "I mean, no matter where we go or who are... There''s bound to be these kinds of places to be around. No one can stop d.e.s.i.r.e and l.u.s.t from blooming," explained Bryan.


    "That''s how humans are. We can''t control our carnal instincts. So, I doubt other beings would be the same."


    "What makes you think so? Behemoths are beasts. Mavislin''s fighting style is that of a berserk, despite being the Child of Light."


    "Look at this scene. If they truly are beasts, then we shall be worms. Look at the number of men wanting to be near them. And yet, they could not care less about us. I feel no l.u.s.t or d.e.s.i.r.e from them. Look at eyes. They are different, they can control themselves."


    "That;''s true but you are wrong."


    "Pardon? Which part?"


    "That they can control themselves. Mavislin lost control of herself when she fought with Ysabeau a while back. If it hadn''t been Headmaster, she would''ve been tearing up the whole planet."


    Just then, a young man felt frisky as he tried to lay a hand on Mavislin''s behind. But to the surprise of both Valkyrie and the Slayer, one man from Mavislin''s crowd stepped forward. And proceeded to sucker punch the toucher to the side of the wall.


    Mavislin learned that when drunk, human physiology will defy all logic. Either that man who wanted to touch her was severely underweight or the man who punched him was a regular boxer.


    "You didn''t pay at all, so don''t you dare touch her!" yelled the helpful man.


    "Yea! Hands off, she doesn''t deserve to be soiled by you!" shouted another.


    "Hm... Looks like these men have got a standard," commented Bryan.


    Soon, everyone else asked Mavislin if she was alright. They treated her like a child asking if that bad ''wolf'' had hurt her. She shook her head while thanking everyone. She then went up to the one who gave the punch and gently patted his head.


    "Good boy!" said Mavislin as she gently ruffled the man''s hair.


    "She''s... Her touch... Is like an Angel''s!" yelled the man, before being enveloped in ecstasy.


    Every guy around went berserk in their heads as they all cheered to have their heads touched by Mavislin. Bryan was confused, to say the least, while Gab looked amused. Ysabeau merely started laughing at the scene. Mavislin was scared at first, looking at the men going crazy.


    But to her shock, they quickly formed a single file as they each gave her stacks of money. All in exchange for a minute of her patting their heads. And a close-up of how little makeup she was using. Natural beauty up close was a godsend for them.


    Each one of them said their sweet nothings, giving her slips of paper as invitations to invite her to have some fun. This went on for hours. One even enticed Mavislin with sweets. But she didn''t know what was candy, so that trick didn''t work on her.


    In the end, the man with a giant flank steak won Mavislin''s attention. With a side of mashed potatoes.


    "She really loves meat..." said Bryan, smiling at the whole show.


    Mavislin was now quite exhausted as she sat on the chair, massaging her hands. She had used cloth as well since most of the men there had wet hair for some odd reason. She had learned that the man with the flank steak was called Clement.


    He works as a chef and was currently looking for a partner. He had short black hair and a pale complexion. But he was quite tall, rivaling Bryan''s height. The two continued to chat since Mavislin has deemed him to be a human with no Magecraft whatsoever.


    "You look quite young to be doing this sort of thing... Won''t your parents be upset?" asked Clement.


    "Well, I could ask the same for you. You look young yourself," replied Mavislin, smiling.


    "That''s one way to dodge my question. And I am quite flattered that you think I am young. I am already 25 years of age."


    Child, I am around 30 times your age, thought Mavislin.


    "I''m 20 this year."


    "And why is such a young soul dwelling in these parts? You know it''s not fit for you," asked Clement, getting closer to her.


    Tch, I have probably crossed paths with your ancestors, thought the Valkyrie.


    "I''m looking for a butterfly."


    Clement blinked twice, not understanding Mavislin''s codeword. She then sighed and asked for a drink.

 Chapter 256 - The Ark Of The Butterfly Incident

    "Bailey''s on the rocks please," asked Mavislin as the server came over.


    "I''ll have whiskey on the rocks," said Clement before turning his attention back to Mavislin.


    "Butterfly... If you are talking about the actual insect, then you are in the wrong place. But if you''re talking about the incident, then you''ve got my mind thinking," said Clement, taking a sip of his drink.


    "I''m talking about the incident. I heard that a butterfly has been seen in these streets, stealing girls," whispered Mavislin as she leaned closer to Clement.


    "Her name is Rie. From as far as I know, she has a petite frame. She had butterfly wings. Other than that, I have no other information. But you are welcome to get more info from the people who witnessed it," suggested Clement.


    Mavislin took a bite of the steak. Well, more like a whole chunk. It had been done medium rare, which was not what Mavislin liked. But she had no qualms about the taste, it was fantastic.


    "Do you know the location of the incident?" asked Mavislin, through her chewing.


    Clement sighed as he took a cloth to wipe away the bit of meat juice that had dribbled down the corners of her mouth. It was like wiping off the crumbs of a child.


    "It happened after the area held an auction for the girls. It was in the alleyway behind the brothel, ''D.e.s.i.r.ed Roses''. But the girls that she took were from my brothel. And yes, I am the one who reported the incident. Quite unfair, since they were sold at a very extraordinary price."


    "What is the name of your brothel?"


    "The Velvet Pearl."


    My, my... No wonder Gab and Gillian have chosen these two places to be the target locations, thought Mavislin as she quickly wolfed down the rest of the steak. At least to say, Clement was impressed at the Valkyrie for eating so much at one go.


    "Uh... Has someone been starving you?"


    "Nope, I eat fast. In my home, if you don''t eat fast enough, you don''t eat at all."


    "That''s slightly unnerving. Hang on, why do you want to find this butterfly? Aren''t you new in town?" asked Clement, jolting upwards.


    Damn, he''s good. He ain''t a no normal person, thought Mavislin. Quick thinking had always been on her side. But with alcohol thrown into the mix, here response was slightly slower. Only by a bit. That made her seem more human.


    "This butterfly has something that I want. More like, someone. She took my sister away from me. I was supposed to meet her, but the locals and Baron Tuazon told me she had disappeared. Then, one of the men said a butterfly took her."


    Clement sighed before gently patting her head.


    "Was she your older or younger sister?"


    "Younger," replied Mavislin, inwardly cheering.


    "Well, I think you should give up. Girls had been going missing for the past year now. None of them have turned up. And those who went searching never returned either. I''m sorry, but your sister is as good as dead," said Clement, with a sad look.


    Good grief! If it had been my real sister, I would''ve punched you right here and now, thought Mavislin. But she knew she''d still have to react like the news was a blow to her.


    "But there''s still a chance! There''s always hope! Please, may I get into your place to know more information?" pleaded Mavislin, changing back to her childlike tone.


    Clement''s eyes widened as Mavislin clung onto his shirt as she playfully begged him to know about her ''sister''s whereabouts. He then gave in when she threatened to cry.


    "Are you sure you are the older one? You seem like the younger one!" exclaimed Clement, trying to calm the girl down with head pats.


    "That''s my twin, she was a minute after me!" wailed Mavislin.


    Uhh, perhaps the alcohol was helping.


    "Okay, okay, Fine! I''ll let you into my brothel. But once you are in there, you can''t cry like this. Or else, I''ll have you removed. Got it?" said Clement, sternly.


    Bingo, she got in. She cheered inwardly once more, but still sobbed lightly while Clement continued consoling her. Though, he still held some uneasiness for Mavislin. He could trust her, for some reason. Why was that? He felt like he was sitting with a late bloomer of an a.d.u.l.t.


    "Of course. I won''t cry anymore. You said mean things, so I am upset," snuffled Mavislin, quickly wiping her ''tears'' away.


    "I''m only telling you the truth. In this harsh reality, you have to learn to accept the truth. However, you don''t have to accept it either," said Clement, finishing up his drink.


    Mavislin looked perplexed, trying to understand what the human meant.

 Chapter 257 - The Ark Of In Your Heart

    "Learn to accept the harsh reality on a surface level. But in your heart, you may refute it however you want. Just because I said you won''t find your sister anymore, doesn''t mean you should stop looking for her."


    "But then, won''t it be contradicting your own words? Accepting the harsh reality would mean believing in that truth?"''


    "When you lose something, let''s say, that hairpin of yours. You look at the table, it''s not there. Doesn''t mean that it is gone forever?"


    Mavislin shook her head.


    "Then? Same thing. Just because one person said something, doesn''t mean it''s true. Don''t listen to just one side, find others who can give you answers. Accepting truths are like finding items, you don''t just search for it in one place."


    "Don''t believe in one person''s words. Learn to find it out yourself. That way, you''ll learn to be more independent and your heart would be at ease," continued Clement, cracking his back.


    "Why would my heart be at ease?"


    "Because if you have a clear head, you won''t be cluttered with thoughts. You will end up filtering the lies out, making you free of it."


    Mavislin still felt slightly confused but nodded her head.


    "Don''t worry. You will get it soon. When the time comes, you will know it by heart," replied Clement.


    "Meet me tomorrow. In the morning, I''ll cook you breakfast while I give you a proper interview," said Clement, walking away.


    "Wait! I''ve got something else to ask from you..." asked Mavislin, tugging on the man''s sleeve.


    "If it isn''t too big of a favor, I might honor it. Since you are kinda cute," said Clement, smiling at Mavislin.


    "I need you to accept him as well."


    "I can''t accept males into brothels. They won''t make for good business," reasoned Clement, scratching his temple.


    "Not as a worker. I''m pretty sure he would be excellent at capturing girls to join the Velvet Pearl. Or, help with the paperwork. He is excellent at that. Or escorts for the high-ranking girls," suggested Mavislin.


    "Hm... I don''t see any harm with that. But bring me a strong individual, I don''t want a dandelion. You can grab him with you for tomorrow''s interview."


    "Thank you, see you tomorrow!"


    The first one has been done, how will Ysabeau and Gab make their way to the next one? Moreover, how will Mavislin manage to drag Bryan to her side in the Velvet Pearl?


    "You''ve got quite the find this time, Baron Tuazon. Don''t know how are you so lucky to get these two precious maidens," commented one of the guests.


    "No clue," said Gab, drinking a bit of martini.


    "May I have some whiskey? And a cup of green tea," asked Bryan, looking at Gab''s drink.


    The martini Gab drank didn''t look like the usual one, it was brown. A few coffee beans swam around the drink. But the moment Bryan asked for a drink, Gab had to urge to spit out his.


    "Whiskey with what now?" asked Gab, blinking a few times.


    "Green tea. I like the mix," said Bryan.


    "Now that''s an odd mix. You sure you won''t get a stomachache?" asked Ysabeau, finally joining the two.


    A few men were lingering around but all of them were wasted beyond relief.


    "Yea. Weird, but it fits me. Besides, I only get a stomachache if the food or drink goes bad," explained Bryan as Gab slides him the weird concoction.


    "Heh. That was once Yan''s words," chuckled Gab, with his tone being somber.


    "Yea, before destroying our toilet," said Ysabeau, annoyedly.


    "Hey, it''s not my fault that I didn''t know he was allergic to coffee!" protested Gab.


    "Speaking of him, I should visit him again. Need to know more about explosives and other ways to use them effectively," said Bryan, taking a sip.


    Mavislin was tired and had finished saying goodbye to Clement. She then slowly but steadily made her way towards the rest of the group. She then flopped onto Bryan''s l.a.p, much to Ysabeau''s annoyance.


    "Comfy man..." mumbled Mavislin.


    "Minwoo was ''Yummy Man''. Ashley was ''Stickman''. Now, Bryan, welcome to the nickname club. You are now ''Comfy Man''," said Ysabeau, clapping with sarcasm.


    "Somehow, those people she gave nicknames to are all related... A coincidence?"


    "I just like giving my family nicknames. I can''t call you ''brother'', can I?" asked Mavislin, slightly drooling.


    "I guess I would mind. ''Comfy Man'' sounds the most normal. And I shouldn''t ask why Minwoo was called ''Yummy Man''?" asked Bryan, rather perplexed.


    "The first time Mav and Minwoo met, Mav kept biting Minwoo."


    "Ah, so does Gab and Yan have nicknames too?" whispered Bryan into Mavislin''s ears.

 Chapter 258 - The Ark Of Bryan And Yan

    "''Poison Man'' is Gab and Yan was ''Bombman''," mumbled Mavislin, hugging onto Bryan''s veiny arm.


    Bryan gave a small smirk to Ysabeau. He claimed victory in his head as Ysabeau turned to Gab. He then focused his attention on the little Valkyrie as he gently patted her to sleep.


    "Wait, what do you mean ''was''?" asked Bryan, at Mavislin.


    "The news didn''t reach you?" asked Gab, with a hint of sadness in his voice.


    Bryan blinked before realizing what Gab had meant. His eyes were then downcast, slowly moving his drink from side to side.


    "Did he make a blast before he went?" asked Bryan, still looking down.


    "Yea, he did. In his own way. His death wasn''t in vain," replied Gab.


    "Yan gave everything. He was instrumental in the last fight..." replied Mavislin, drunkenly in her half-asleep mode.


    "He was a good boy..." murmured Mavislin once more.


    "Does he earn a head pat?" asked Ysabeau, smoothing out the girl''s hair.


    "Lots and lots... If I meet him again, I''ll give him a week''s worth of head pats. All for him..."


    Bryan''s mouth curved back into a smile as he heard those words. Minwoo may be the one who accepted and commanded Bryan but Yan was the one who taught him how to fight. More specifically, Yan trained him to hone his skills in explosives.


    Presuming that the Five Kings will never accept any Mages in their wings, Bryan never revealed his actual powers to anyone. It was only when Yan came across Bryan using his powers by accident, to save a young child from harm.


    "You risked your status as a normal human to save that boy''s life... You''ve won my tutorship from that. Enlighten me, why did you hide such as useful gift?" asked Yan, when he was questioning Bryan about that incident.


    "My powers aren''t strong enough. First, I have no idea what power it is. It''s not a straight answer, like ice or fire. I caused the ball to explode and the shockwave managed to blast the kid out of harm''s way. In the end, he still got scratched by the fallen roof. If it was bigger then..."


    "Then the kid would''ve died from the explosion instead of the roof. Listen, those who find raw power without knowing what their power truly is will find ruins and death lying in their wake. Don''t raw power is the answer to everything, don''t ponder on what you could have done."


    He then stood up and gently placed his hand on Bryan''s shoulder.


    "Hold your head high. You saved a boy. Be proud of that. Once in a while, stop blaming yourself for something you couldn''t control. Once you understand that, your focus and mind would be clear. Your understanding of your power will come as well."


    Bryan''s eyes began to water as he heard Yan say those words. It was the first time someone had praised him for having powers. He used to wear thick gloves and was instructed by his mother for fear that the townsfolk would burn him on the stake for witchcraft.


    But the moment Yan said those praises, Bryan''s heart opened up. His whole mind and heart were cloudy, to the point of being pitch black. He wanted to shut himself out but Yan gave him a chance to punch his way out. To clear his heart and mind from the clouds of doubt.


    And he cried wholeheartedly. Yan panicked slightly, wondering if he had said the wrong words but chuckled later on. He then comforted the young man. When one has pushed their pain away for too long, they would lose their feeling of having emotions.


    The former King then assured that it was alright for him to have powers. And to cry. From then on, Yan personally tutored him to place Bryan''s power to good use. During that time, his power was all over the place. He didn''t know how to control it or determine what element it was.


    But because he did not know what power he had, Bryan pleaded with Yan not to let the Arks know about him. Young Bryan was afraid that the Arks would take him out of the Five Kings and into the Arks. He was worried that he wouldn''t fit in as a half-mage.


    His power didn''t seem like the ones that Yan had come across. Nevertheless, Yan taught him to pour small amounts of his power into a physical object. When Bryan questions the act, Yan reveals it to be by Z, who had problems controlling his Elemental Energy as a young Mage.


    "Focus. Pour all your power into the glass balls that you''ve got in your hands," instructed Yan.


    "I''m worried that they would explode," said Bryan, visibly afraid to do as he was told.

 Chapter 259 - The Ark Of Questioning

    "Don''t worry, these glass balls are handmade by one of the founders of the Arks. I had them requested for you. It''s something they give the new students in the Mages section."


    By doing storing the Elemental Energy into physical objects, Bryan can use the powers whenever he needs them, without it going out of control. The glass balls that he used were the results of pouring too much power that it turned into make-shift grenades.


    "Whoever made this, I want to thank the person," said Bryan, in awe with the small but durable glass balls.


    "You can go find her when you are ready. She''s known as the youngest of the Mages, her mind is quite the child."


    "I''ll do so."


    "Once you''ve found out what your power is, you''ll know how to make the grandest of explosions. Your mind will be cleared, your target will be ahead."


    Those were the words that Yan told Bryan as he tried out the glass bombs.


    "Well, at least I''ve got some memories to keep of him," murmured Bryan as he looked at his sack of glass ammunition.


    "I can pass you more of those balls if you''d like. They are made for students so I''ve got a whole bunch of them. It''s quite durable and easy to make," murmured Mavislin,. pointing to the sack.


    "You made them?" asked Bryan.


    The young Valkyrie yawned and nodded.


    "Young Valkyries are trained to make our ''wallets''. They are used to store our currency, which was ''memories''. Our currency is slightly similar to powers so this was the best way to train and control newcomers that can''t control their powers," explained Mavislin.


    "Thank you, Lady Roydon."


    "I didn''t know striking up deals with humans would be this challenging..." grumbled Mavislin as she snuggled closer to Bryan.


    "You struck up a deal? With that man?" asked Bryan, shocked at the Valkyrie''s impulsiveness.


    "Yea, he said to meet him at the Velvet Pearl tomorrow. I''m dragging you too..."


    "You''ve got proof that he works there? You could have been conned! You can''t instantly trust anyone who gives you food, that''s dangerous!"


    Bryan felt chills down his spine as Gab''s atmosphere seemed to turn to the wrong alley. The scent of anger was pungent around Gab.


    "Do you really think my regulars would lie to one of the girls?" asked Gab, darkly.


    This question sparked Bryan''s confusion. And anger. He had felt something was amiss from the start, and that question had confirmed his suspicion.


    "Do you presume my finest customers would be liars? Or that they are so poor that they have to resort to such cheap tricks to lure people in?" chided Gab, slamming down his glass.


    "Don''t lump my area in with where you were raised at. My people are not of peasant standard like yours. As the ric.h.e.s.t domain amongst the Five, we do not need such cheap tricks by a peasant''s mind," continued Gab, eyes livid.


    The glass shattered but it fazed no one in the room. Ysabeau just shook her head while Bryan waited for the opportune moment to retaliate.


    "I meant to ask if she knew that person would be working at the Velvet Pearl. Using a few words isn''t enough to prove that you are working at a place. I did not mean to accuse your regulars of such petty crimes," replied Bryan, finishing his drink.


    As the bartender pours some more of his odd mix, Bryan sighed. It was time to flip the tables around. The questioner has become the questioned a.s.s it was Bryan''s turn to bombard Gab with inquiries.


    "Now then, if you are so dead sure that your regulars don''t lie or resort to cheap tricks. Why did that man try to grope Mavislin? Didn''t you say that all of these people here are your ''prized'' regulars? Are gropers part of your ''top'' regulars?" taunted Bryan, with a fierce look in his eyes.


    "Touching without paying would be a very cheap thing to do, even for my peasant standard. You''ve got no rebuttals? You''ve got nothing to say. But this peasant mouth still has got the bullets to shoot.. Do you want to challenge me with your questions? Answer mine first!"


    Gab was silent while Ysabeau smiled out of amus.e.m.e.nt. A junior taunting one of the Kings... A fight between two humans... This certainly piqued Ysabeau''s interest. Mavislin squirmed slightly in Bryan''s arms but he quickly patted her. A signal to say there won''t be any fights.


    "Hmm... That silence gives off a bad answer to me. So how about this? If you truly trust that the person Lady Roydon struck up a deal with was indeed telling the truth, why did you not introduce them first? Unless you are making things difficult for the Arks," asked Bryan, smiling sinisterly.

 Chapter 260 - The Ark Of Gabs Side

    "I don''t think Gab would do such a thing, Verna. He was the one asking for help first," reasoned Mavislin, trying to de-escalate the situation.


    "But that doesn''t mean anything. Why do the long way while you can have shortcuts? You are the Baron of this land. I do not believe that we have to dig through so many just to find who we need. Each brothel Master has to go through you first anyways," said Bryan, shaking his head.


    "Brothels can spawn from anywhere, it might have flown under my radar," retorted Gab.


    "That''s the worse excuse I''ve heard for the whole year. You know the brothels'' name. You''ve got connections, so you have to know about ways to get into the brothels. Are you not in charge of this Domain?" asked Bryan, slowly getting angry.


    "Now, now... No need to accuse the Baron. I''m sure he''s got his own story," said Mavislin, slowly sitting up.


    "Cough up what you truly need from the Arks. And give us what we need for it to happen. You''ve already asked us for help. What''s the point of doing so if you can''t give us the materials needed?" asked Bryan, ignoring the Valkyrie''s pleas.


    "I am aware of the two brothels. But the way it runs and how it was before. Even the people... Have all been changed. I was not updated on the changes nor I had checked it out. They kept reporting as per normal, so I left it at that," explained Gab.


    "So, do you know who runs the two brothels?" asked Ysabeau.


    "Not anymore."


    "I beginning to wonder if we asked the correct man for help..." grumbled Bryan, shaking his head.


    "He is one of the Five Kings, leader of the Albion Domain. It is your job to know each and every business within the chosen Domain. I am pretty disappointed to learn that he has not been doing his job properly. However, this is not the time to argue," said Mavislin, sternly.


    She then grew slightly, into her teenage form. Bryan nearly fainted out of embarrassment as a teenager sat directly on his l.a.p. This did not affect Mavislin whatsoever as she began two lecture the humans.


    "As we continue arguing and pointing fingers, girls are being stolen from the area. They have gone without a trace. Whether they are alive or not, it''s up to our investigation and teamwork to find out. No point dwelling on what could''ve been done. Focus on what we have to make it work."


    Mavislin''s words rang out in Bryan''s mind. Now he knew why Yan had placed the Valkyrie at the highest pedal stool. Why Minwoo talked highly and respectfully of Mavislin even if she was just a child. Bryan looked away and at the floor out of shame.


    "Since Bryan has managed to ask the questions that I have failed to consider, what is our next move? The man, Clement, might be a trickster but he is all human," said Mavislin, finally getting off from Bryan''s l.a.p.


    The Slayer thanked the heavens since he barely could hold on anymore. But he felt slightly proud that he was able to contribute to the mission. And that he earned praise from his beloved leader.


    "But being all human doesn''t mean you won''t get hurt. What if he makes you disappear like all the girls did?" asked Gab.


    "I''d like to see him try. Remember, humans, can''t do anything to us Mages. Give me a battalion and I''ll show you what are mass graves for," said Mavislin, eyes glowing gold.


    "Hang on... That might be a good plan..." said Ysabeau, who had been deep in thought.


    "What?!" chimed the rest.


    "I mean, we are finding out where the girls have been taken to, right?" asked Ysabeau, tilting her head slightly.


    "So, your logic is to say that we become bait?" asked Bryan, still astonished.


    "Isn''t that the plan this whole time? That''s why I was forced into such outfits to become bait," asked Mavislin.


    "Yea, so that shouldn''t surprise you. I thought we made it clear in the meeting," quizzed Ysabeau.


    "I''m surprised because I don''t expect to get nabbed by that butterfly. I thought it would be us witnessing an incident," argued Mavislin.


    "Well, it''s the only way we can truly find out where those girls are going."


    "Let''s not jump too far ahead just yet. There are other ways we can go about this, without risking anyone''s life. Moreover, we do not know if that butterfly girl is human or something else," said Bryan.


    "Verna, the moment we signed up for this, we would be risking our lives," said Ysabeau, fiercely.


    Bryan''s eyes widened. He then gabve a loud sigh and shook his head. This made Ysabeau slightly bit more angry.

 Chapter 261 - The Ark Of Mavislins Instructions

    "Look, ''Risking'' doesn''t mean throwing away your lives. It means that there would be a danger of death, not that you have to dive straight into it. Figure out any other way to go about doing this, without putting your life on the line. That''s the human way of solving things."


    "We aren''t immortal, we are just a bunch of people trying to find the best way to solve problems without killing each other. Call it cowardly, but that who we are. Like it or not, you''re working and dealing with human lives," replied Bryan, looking at Ysabeau directly in the eye.


    "I won''t call it ''cowardly''. I''d call it, inconvenient, at best. But, he''s got a point. If there are other humans around me, I can''t guarantee their safety. If there''s another way, we will tailor the mission to that. Now, Baron Tuazon, I need you to answer my questions," instructed Mavislin.


    "I''m all ears."


    "Alright, you claim to not know who has been running the two brothels. However, you had track records of them, right? What are the names that you can give that are related to the two areas?" asked Mavislin.


    "I had track records, but they''ve stopped since three years ago. As for the people, only one remains. And that person is not even in the brothel anymore. He was in the Velvet Pearl but he wasn''t the owner. He was a traveler who was a regular there. He settled down but far from the brothel."


    "How about the owners that were there three years ago? We can start finding things from there."


    "They''ve gone missing. In fact, their families are still finding their whereabouts."


    "How is it that people are going missing left right up down and you can be so nonchalant about it?" questioned Brayn, unable to comprehend how the wealthiest Domain had so many missing people.


    "I like that new phrase. I shall use it next time. He has got a point, it is your job to be aware of at least know their whereabouts. Failing to do so might cripple the Domain. But going back, did the owners hand over to the next people? Or what came of it?" asked Mavislin.


    "They did, but thee new people did not say their names or who were they from. At that time, they were silent for an entire year. When I sent people to check, it was reported that they were doing fine."


    "And when was the time you decided to check up on them? By sending yourself to see the operation?"


    "I was planning to, but another incident came. For the D.e.s.i.r.ed Roses, it was handed over to a nameless tycoon that refused to give his name or identity. But for the Velvet Pearl, I wanted to find out since there wasn''t any answer but the Umbra incident blew up."


    "So we''ve only got one lead to choose from. And according to the Clement guy, he had stated that the area of the incident was at the back alley of the D.e.s.i.r.ed Roses. Ysabeau, any ideas?" asked Mavislin, looking at the High Queen.


    "Is that tycoon still at the D.e.s.i.r.ed Roses?" asked Ysabeau.


    "Yes, he still reports back their incomes but in a very mechanical way."


    "Then that still leaves me with no choice but to infiltrate that place. However, I will try to see if I can find that tycoon. Any descriptions of him? Like what did he look like? Or smell like?" asked Ysabeau.


    Mavislin was born with a keen sense of sound and smell but her sight was always on the weak side. That''s why she is the only one out of the founders who can fight in the dark. Ysabeau was strong in her sight and smell but weak with her sound.


    Usually, to figure a person out, Ysabeau uses their scent to determine both Element and thoughts. She can spot several things the normal Mage can''t just by using her n.a.k.e.d eyes. Small features like a person twitching or reacting... Ysabeau can note all these and use them to her advantage.


    "He is slightly shorter than Bryan, but his stature is the same as him. Slightly more buff than Bryan. I have no clue about his face, but his outfit is all black. He is rather quiet. For smell, I can''t pinpoint since the area was full of alcohol," described Gab, trying to remember the tycoon.


    "Hmm... I can''t really see how that could help Ysabeau with her side of things. But I''m glad you know some stuff about him."


    "Don''t worry, Mavislin. I can handle my side well enough without getting anyone into unnecessary problems. Focus on your side instead."


    "And what information can you get for me on the Velvet Pearl? How about that traveler you''ve mentioned?" asked Mavislin, turning back to Gab.

 Chapter 262 - The Ark Of Human Experimentation

    "He is still around but I do not have his exact location since he became a family man. He does no work except for wooden sculptures. But since you have a small lead with Clement, I suggest going with it first. From what I know, I have no one named ''Clement'' in the hit lists."


    "Well, we will find out very soon if he would be in there. That settles it, I am still dragging you along. Now, I want to retire for the night," said Mavislin, reverting to her child form.


    She then lazily slumped into Bryan''s l.a.p once more.


    "Oi, you have your own room!" exclaimed Bryan as Mavislin snuggled closer.


    "Carry me there then! I''m too tired..." w.h.i.n.ed Mavislin.


    "You are such a child."


    "I''m older than you by centuries."


    The Slayer reluctantly stood up and carried the young Valkyrie to her room. This left Ysabeau and Gab alone, while the bartender slowly washed the area.


    "Not going to sleep?" asked Gab, finishing his drink.


    "No, I''m still on duty. There''s something that I had on my mind but I can''t confirm the existence of it," said Ysabeau.


    "Well, I''m not going to turn in just yet so might as well spill it out. And besides, why are you on duty anyways? This isn''t under the areas that you protect," asked Gab, confused on why Ysabeau was standing guard.


    "I''m not fully guarding the place. I''m just on watch duty. Any fights, I just watch. Unless it involves us Mages, I won''t be stepping in."


    "So what is it that you wanted to ask?"


    "About the recent incidents. I am positive that it does not concern the Umbra anymore. Mavislin and I could not find any trace of Corruption around the area either. Unless we can find that the incident does indeed involve the Mages, we might pull out," said Ysabeau, darkly.


    "That is quite a problem. Any other shining ways to go about this?"


    "There''s also one more thing I need to know about. Human experimentation. Has it hit these areas yet?" asked Ysabeau.


    "Not that I know of. But I heard of such cruel things before. They would use rats as test subjects but after they found out they were ridden with disease, they switched up their game. To humans. They were taking the weak ones and mentally ill ones," explained Gab, face caked in worry.


    "Any idea what was their goal?"


    "No clue. None of us has managed to infiltrate any laboratory. Those who came close could only come across an abandoned area. And those who got captured had cut ties with us instantly," replied Gab, standing up.


    "It was as if they vanished, just like the girls did," continued Gab.


    As he washed his glass, Ysabeau felt uneasy. How could human experimentation be possible? It was so odd to her. Humans seemed to love each other, always so arrogant. Dissecting themselves for no good reason doesn''t make sense.


    No, humans loved seeing pain. They loved to see their own kind twist and turn in pain. That''s why conflict is in the air, that''s why countries wage war. Why did they need land? Why can''t they just compromise and share the land?


    They''d rather splatter the land with pools of their own blood. Claiming victory on top of the mountain of corpses they''ve made and call themselves leaders. That was sickening to the core, praising yourself for such crimes. It made Ysabeau''s stomach turn.


    "Don''t let it get to you," said Gab, after placing his glass back onto the racks.


    "I beg your pardon?"


    "Don''t let such petty things get to you. The more you dwell on it, the more depressing it becomes. If you ponder on it longer, it would still not make any sense. This is who we truly are. Selfish. Cowardly. Arrogant. That''s what makes us human."


    "And that''s what I hate about working with you lot. I''m only doing this because my Valkyrie pleaded for us to do so. If we don''t ponder on their thinking, we won''t find the reason why humans think and act this way."


    "Sometimes, there is no reason. Not every action humans make must have a reason. And you will have to learn to accept that."


    There was a brief pause between the two. Ysabeau had no excuse or come back for the advice Gab had given. He reminded Ysabeau of Minwoo, guess he was trained by that Korean White Rat after all. Ysabeau only had one more question to ask the Baron.


    "The girls that were stolen. Do you have any idea about their profiles? Their similarities, features. Were they all the same age? Or hair color?"


    "All of them had one common ground. They were all from the Velvet Pearl, but snatched away at the D.e.s.i.r.ed Roses."

 Chapter 263 - The Ark Of Ysabeaus Research

    "So, still the same information as Mavislin... Any other new things I can go and research on?" asked Ysabeau, still trying to get more similarities between the victims.


    Gab sighed and gestured to Ysabeau to leave the bar area. With that, ''Flowered Maidens'' has closed for the night. As they made their way upstairs, Ysabeau failed to hear the flutter of butterfly wings.


    "They are an interesting bunch. I''d hope to get that young girl."


    Soon, the mysterious girl flew off into the night, with the fresh victim she carried under one arm. Meanwhile, the two made their way to Gab''s study. There, Ysabeau was given a huge stack of papers by Gab.


    Gab''s work area, or ''study'' as he prefers to call it, was bigger than the average bedroom. The left wall from the door was plastered with world maps and notes, while the opposing wall had bookshelves. The ceiling was tall, even for a Mage''s standard.


    Once someone enters, they would see the giant wooden desk that is right in front of a full panel of stained glass. A few candles in candle holders hung around the room, with a large one at the corner of the desk. And that desk had all of the reports, letters, and profiles of the Albion Domain.


    "Go read this through if you really have got the energy and time. You Mages don''t sleep, right?" asked Gab, yawning.


    "Sleep is a luxury of ours but we do need to replenish on our Elemental Energy. For Mavislin, it would be absorbing the positivity out of the area around her. For me, it would be just taking in the night winds. I can do that later. For now, I''ll sift through these things," replied Ysabeau.


    She then took the stack of papers and made a beeline to the door. Gab then took out a cigar and an old lighter.


    "No need. You can use this room for tonight. You may mess up the area as you''d need but do clean it up before you leave," said Gab, going out for a smoke.


    "Thank you, Baron Tuazon. I will try my best to keep it nice and tidy," said Ysabeau, bowing slightly.


    As the human left the room, Ysabeau sighed inwardly. Since Mavislin had made significant progress, she must not lag far behind. She then cracked her knuckles and sifted through every profile that Gab has given her.


    Hours passed. Mages can''t be exhausted mentally but this was indeed frustrating to handle. Even for the patient High Queen. Photos were strewn about and scribbled notes were flying everywhere. A map of the area was lying on the floor, with pins sticking right into certain areas.


    The areas represent the different places that the victims had been last seen at. It did not pose any similarities or patterns of any sort so Ysabeau decided to look for physical appearances instead. Photos of the girls were now laying in front of her as she tried to figure things out.


    "These are all quite different. Just as I thought I would have the pattern figured out, another misplaced feature comes out of the mix. Either all would be brunette and then a blonde would appear. Or their hand features... Or..."


    "Wait a minute... These few reports aren''t recent, they are over a year old!" exclaimed Ysabeau as she dug through the older files.


    Why? Why did these young girls vanish? And why did the Baron not tell them sooner? She held back that thought. The Arks weren''t supposed to get involved in the first place. It was only when a Mage was seen nabbing the girls then they got activated.


    But it wasn''t fair. Did the Baron see these as minor numbers so he didn''t try to resolve it on his own? No, Gab wasn''t like that. But... Bryan did prove that Gab wasn''t telling all the truth. Hell, these might be even faked! Just like what Old Man Pond did to the Congregation members.


    Back at the Tryouts, Ysabeau was forced to tell Mavislin a lie. Those who did not make it through the tryouts did not return home. In fact, they were being rounded up and tortured to death. By the same panel of judges that judged them.


    And the only reason why the Husks'' mass graves were formed was because of Old Man Pond''s lack of empathy to both humans and mages alike. In a cruel and twisted way, he wanted to take the bodies of the dead and create a fence out of their remains.

 Chapter 264 - The Ark Of A Breather

    He sent his own army out to die. And when the Congregation was going down, he fled the charges. This lead to many Mages losing their lives, paying the price of what that monster did and failed to do. And later on, led to Abi being...


    Don''t dwell on it.


    Gab''s voice rang in Ysabeau''s mind, but it wasn''t strong enough. After all, she never genuinely listen to humans.


    Focus on the task on hand.


    Mavislin''s voice was stronger but still not adequate to knock Ysabeau out of her thoughts. She treats Mavislin like her own child but that is also a double-edged sword. Sometimes, because she still sees Mavislin as a child, Ysabeau disregards Mavislin advice.


    Calm yourself down, don''t let your emotions take over. What''s the point of being emotional now when you''ve got other things to do?


    Those were the words that she needed to hear as Ysabeau quickly shook herself out of the trance. Looks like her husband is the only one that can break her chain of thought. It was always her weak point.


    She knew she couldn''t hyperfocus like what Mavislin and Raiyen do, so she needed to take a step back. The two Mages could go at it for days and still not stray away from their objectives. Her Elemental Energy was low since she hadn''t absorbed any Energy yet.


    Opening the big window, she flew out and landed on the roof. She paced about as she s.u.c.k.e.d more of the night''s wind. She was getting Energy so her thoughts are much more clearer now. It had been a while since she has done an investigation this mind-wrecking.


    The age thing was the closest that she finds as a majority. It is not considered as a pattern since one or two did not fit the age group, but compared to the other features she was trying to find, it was the closest. Another similarity to go off would the victims are just young.


    Doesn''t justify or narrow anything down. In the profiles and reports she has, Ysabeau calculated that at least 50 girls have vanished. The estimated age range was between 16 to 18 years of human age. But two stood out, one was 11 and the other was 25.


    But these numbers are also just an estimate. These kidnappings can go under the radar as well. 16 to 18 years... They are indeed the prime age of young girls, especially when it comes to such an area. Ysabeau shivered slightly at the thought of those girls being forced against their will.


    "They chose the life, they must learn how to deal with it as well."


    Ysabeau scrunched up her nose in disgust when she remembers those words. They were from the mouth of one of the old guys that were l.u.s.ting over her.


    "They came here for a living because they had no choice. Had Gillian not save me from my frenzy, I would have been joining this area as well. The least we can do as beings with morals is to keep them from death. That''s why they sold their body. To survive."


    "We aren''t beasts, we aren''t savages. We are lifeforms that have been given a brain to function and intellect to go with it. We are Mages who have powers. And at the very least, we have the brains to understand that girls are not playthings."


    Mavislin was no doubt right about one thing. Humans are truly low creatures. They can risk their own kind for the sake of climbing to the top. But even if so, some haven''t realized the cruelty of the world just yet.


    And unfortunately, they would be the first to die. They are probably the ones who got captured. Humans are interesting, in Bryan''s words. Of course, there would be some bias in his words. But he no doubts agrees that humans are poor creatures when reverted to a do-or-die setting.


    Even he can''t stand how some humans work.


    But the way that he mentioned humans as a whole was interesting. He ain''t no angel himself. If anything, he is probably close to the spawn of the Devil. Despite this, he did mention that some humans are still pure at heart. But in that same sentence, he added they are the first to suffer.


    "Enjoying the night winds? I wonder if they are strong enough to blow me away..."


    Ysabeau stood up instantly, spinning around to find the source of the voice. But all she could see was the pitch black of night. She tried enhancing her eyes, shining in the color of Emerald. That was the best gemstone of sight she had in her arsenal.


    And she still couldn''t find that voice. The sound of a giggle rang through the air, making Ysabeau turn around once more.

 Chapter 265 - The Ark Of Butterfly Vs Bahamut

    "If you continue to be that slow, you won''t be able to catch a butterfly''s wings. Even with your enhanced eyesight, you still can''t locate me."


    Ysabeau summoned her wings, as the voice continue to taunt her. Ysabeau closed her eyes, relying on her sense of smell to locate the butterfly, she picked up on her opponent''s Element. Her sense of smell was above average but nothing compared to Mavislin.


    Nevertheless, her sense of smell was at a high enough rank that could pinpoint her enemy''s Elements. A Mage''s Element is mostly kept secretive. Once the Element has been found out, it is easier for the opponent to counter with the opposite Element.


    For example, Ice Mages are susceptible to Fire Spells. A simple Helios spell could destroy novice Ice Mages. However, if the Ice Mage''s Elemental Power exceeds its opponent, then the Ice Mage can freeze the Helios spell.


    Each Mage in training, at least within the Arks and from original planets, is being taught the five basic Elements. Earth, Wind, Water, Fire, and Spirit. And since not all Mages are built the same, the Arks have chosen a basic spell for each Element to teach the newcomers.


    Helios for Fire, Terra for Earth, Zephyr for Wind, Cascada for Water, and Aether for Spirit. Spirit is usually taught verbally but not in practice since students complained that it wasn''t worth it due to the amount of Elemental Energy needed.


    But there was still a barrier preventing Ysabeau to sniff out what the butterfly''s intentions were. Looks like this opponent isn''t a novice after all, but she was nowhere near competent enough to earn a title in the Arks. Suddenly, a whisper came right at her left ear.


    "You are pathetic for a Bahamut."


    Ysabeau''s eyes widened as she tried to grab the person behind her. As it was futile, Ysabeau decided to be airborne. When she did, she finally grabbed the butterfly, whatever part that was of her.


    "I got you, pest!" shouted Ysabeau as she pulled the being towards her for a punch in the face.


    The butterfly then ducked and proceeded to use her captured hand and yank on Ysabeau''s. If the Bahamut was human, the arm would be pulled right off. This made Ysabeau bend her body downwards, allowing the butterfly to kick her face.


    Had she not let go, who knows what bones would be broken.


    "You are not bad for a physical combatant. But your reflexes are astonishingly slow. For the second in command, at least," said the butterfly.


    "There''s no need for me to go all out with you now. I don''t like to bully little girls."


    The butterfly launched forward with great speeds. But when the High Queen said there was no need to flaunt her powers, she meant it. All Ysabeau merely did was use her wings as a shield and covered her front.


    This was enough to create a rebound effect on the butterfly, sending her flying in the opposite direction. Crashing into the wall, Ysabeau shook her head as the butterfly refused to back down.


    "You know... While you''ve been running around me like a pest, did you realize I haven''t moved from my spot until now?" asked Ysabeau, appearing by the butterfly''s side.


    "I merely went airborne."


    The butterfly tried to land another blow on her by grabbing her wing but Ysabeau merely vanished away.


    ''I have yet to use my Element. You are getting too fl.u.s.tered. Presence Concealment must be taxing, especially for a human Mage. The fact that I know your Element before you''ve displayed it means that you are just a rookie to me," explained Ysabeau, with a gentle smile.


    The butterfly was silent as Ysabeau noted her mistakes. The being had no Aura coming out of her, a normal Mage wouldn''t have known what power wielded. But this Bahamut... Could.


    "Now that I know a Mage is involved, I can rest easier now."


    Ysabeau landed on a random hut''s roof, with grace like that of a royal being. This seemed to trigger the butterfly as she finally drew out her weapon. Looks like this butterfly was putting up a serious fight. Ysabeau sighed as she flapped her wings, creating strong gusts of winds.


    The butterfly''s weapon looked like a tree branch that she had plucked it out from a random old tree. Slightly shorter than her, the branch was similar to a staff, with its top having butterfly wings. The entire thing looked twisted and was colored brown.


    During this whole fight, the butterfly had been covered by a thick, dark purple mist. But as she took out the staff, the mist seemed to disappear. This revealed the butterfly''s identity.


    "Well, at least I know why you are called ''butterfly''," commented Ysabeau, examining the girl.

 Chapter 266 - The Ark Of The Butterfly

    The butterfly was wearing quite a revealing outfit. A purple mini-skirt while a matching purple blouse with long sleeves. Her blouse had a circular opening on her small c.h.e.s.t. She wore knee-high, pink boots with red laces.


    A dark pink hairpin pinned her fringe towards her left side. It had a small orchid on it.


    She had a petite frame, along with medium-long, pink hair, which was tied up in a ponytail. Her skin was as white as snow, an indication that she might not be human after all. She reminded Ysabeau of a child who stuffed too much food in her cheeks since her cheeks were quite big on her small face.


    But the reason why she was called a butterfly was because of her wings. They were huge, at least for someone her size. Her fuchsia-colored wings seemed to give off an Aura, her Elemental Aura of a Flower Mage. Her eyes flew open as an influx of power overwhelmed the area, revealing two violet orbs.


    "Flower Dance: Stage One," chanted the girl, as she began to lift her weapon.


    "Oh, come on! You barely introduced yourself and now you shout out your power without revealing your name?! That''s rather rude," pouted Ysabeau.


    Ysabeau then drew out her weapon. Usually, she uses her Gemstone Wings first before using a handheld weapon but it depends on the situation. Currently, Ysabeau has deemed the butterfly at a similar rate as her intermediate students, thus drawing her bow.


    But as she did, the butterfly seemed to falter at the sight of it. Ysabeau''s Aura shot up and out from all directions. Her Aetherial Bow had a yellow hue at the edges of it. With no arrows in view, the butterfly found it odd.


    "Well, since you know that I am a Bahamut, it''s befitting for me to tell you my name. I am Ysabeau Meslander, High Queen of the Arks," introduced Ysabeau.


    The butterfly paid no heed to Ysabeau and proceeded with her attack.


    "Malevolence of Lobelia!" yelled the butterfly, throwing her staff into the air.


    Instantly, the staff split into several pieces. Pink light engulfed the pieces and dispersed after a half-second, revealing them to be the petals of the Lobelia flower. The indigo petals then found their way to Ysabeau, who was preparing her attack.


    The High Queen stood still as she drew her bow to full length. Her Elemental Energy seemed to converge in the space within the bow. The hint of fire was felt by the butterfly, but the girl was too slow to counter it.


    "Archery of the Scattered Flames," called out Ysabeau as she was met with dozens of Lobelia petals.


    As she released her bow, the flaming arrow shot out. Upon contact with one of the petals, the arrow produced other tiny arrows of fire. Each arrow clashed against each petal, showing that the petals were abnormal. Both spells clashing caused a shockwave.


    It then caused a vibrant display of explosions, each arrow exploding with orange and red flames.


    This made Bryan wake up abruptly. He then rushed towards Mavislin''s room. The Valkyrie was found lying on her bed, with her arm hugging a soft toy bunny. Her eyes were opened, shining gold as she stared at the ceiling blankly. She wasn''t the least bit startled.


    "Sorry to barge in, I heard a noise. Is there a fight going on?" asked Bryan, slightly panting.


    Gripping his hand slightly, Bryan''s eyes widened as he began to understand why the Valkyrie was still. Mavislin remained expressionless as Bryan steeled himself to not react too much. If it requires so much energy for her to do it for herself, it must be difficult to share it with others.


    All Valkyries possess keen hearing but they have another special spell that only they can use to enhance their hearing. By forcing all their physical and mental energy into their ears, they can hear things from a distance away, even with walls between them.


    The faint murmurs of people talking are turned into loud voices within the Valkyrie''s enhanced hearing. A single shout would also cause pain to the Valkyrie but no lasting injuries. If Mavislin strained a bit more, she could even hear the faint sound of a butterfly''s wings fluttering.


    They don''t use up Elemental Energy so this makes the spell rarely used. Elemental Energy is restored in different ways with Valkyries consuming others'' positivities. But physical and mental energy can only be replenished by consuming actual foods.

 Chapter 267 - The Ark Of Element Of Flower

    And especially for Valkyries, their food intake is a hundred times that of a human''s. Thus, Valkyries would seldom use it, unless it was necessary. But since Mavislin had a hearty meal beforehand, she decided it was a good time to use it up to hear the battle unfolding.


    As one of the Gladiators, skills like this should not affect her too much. But she seemed to suffer drawbacks, being the youngest within the 13. Thus, she needed to use these skills more to test her physical and mental limits.


    But Gil had warned her not to use it too much since she was still quite young. M.a.t.u.r.e Valkyries have stronger bodies and higher endurance. Right now, not only it was granting her full access to the scene, but Mavislin could also pinpoint the two Mages'' weaknesses.


    As for Bryan, he was still in shock as he continued to hold Mavislin''s hand. The Valkyrie was allowing him to hear the battle as well. Every movement, every spell, and every word... He could hear it all clearly, to the point that he could slightly visualize the whole scene.


    Back at the fight, Ysabeau seemed to let her guard down slightly. A petal managed to land on Ysabeau''s finger, a small cut was made. Then her whole finger rotted off. Ysabeau was shocked at first but gave another smile. Specifically, a sly grin.


    "My name is Rie. I see that you''ve underestimated my powers," taunted the butterfly as both spells were gone.


    "Nope, I just didn''t expect that your petals would be so cute. Reminds me of my little Valkyrie when she was young. Innocent and pretty at first, but could take out anything that comes before her. However, you''ve still got a long way to go," explained Ysabeau.


    As she finished her last sentence, her finger grew back, much to Rie''s annoyance. She knew from the start to fighting a Bahamut would mean going all-out. But she still needed to remain as quiet as possible. If she was caught in public, her boss might kill her.


    "This Element of yours... Reminds me of someone that I hate. Another Poison pest, one after another," said Ysabeau, gripping onto her bow tightly.


    Hang on a minute... Did she say Valkyrie? Rie''s eyes widened upon realization. A Valkyrie was around?! Her hands shook as she gripped her staff. She needed to get out of the area and away from the Valkyrie as soon as possible.


    If she faced off with another one of those legendary beings, she would have to come up with another plan. Her equipment and powers weren''t enough. She''d be dead in no time if the Valkyrie chose to get serious with her. If she died, then her child would...


    "If I''m not mistaken, your Element of Flower is a derivative of the Element Of Poison. Most would think it would be directly from the Element Of Earth, but that isn''t the case. And your ''Flower Dance''... You adapted it from Heaven''s Wheel Stages by the Valkyries. Right?"


    Rie launched upwards and then forwards, in a hasty attempt to escape from the area. Ysabeau simply extended her wings and took flight. Rie turned pale as she saw Ysabeau beside her. She was already going at max speed and Ysabeau had no qualms about following her.


    "Hey, you haven''t answered my question. I want to see if I was right or not," said Ysabeau, similar to a child''s behavior.


    "Flower Dance: Stage Three. Petunia Rage!" yelled Rie as she turned to point her staff at Ysabeau.


    As she did so, a large beam of white and purple petunias shot out. Each flower had blossomed and was quite big. Then, every one of them exploded. It caused no harm to Ysabeau but it did hinder her sight for a while, allowing Rie to make a quick escape.


    "Don''t give chase anymore. The sun will soon come up."


    As Ysabeau heard Mavislin''s words echoing through her head, the High Queen halted. She had nearly forgotten that Mavislin was the leader of this mission. She then nodded and agreed silently, returning to the house.


    "Mav, you shouldn''t eavesdrop so often. You might get caught soon," warned Ysabeau, as she saw the Valkyrie in such a deadpanned state.


    "Getting caught is no issue. It''s not as if I would be killed easily. The main issue was you engaging in battle without permission. You might lose as well, the Element of Flower can be formidable as well," retorted Mavislin, slowly getting up from the bed.


    Since she wasn''t used to using that particular enhancement skill, her ears started to ring and bleed. It was not going to leave any severe damage but it was quite annoying to have ringing and bleeding ears. Bryan was rinsing and washing clothes to help soak up the bleeding.

 Chapter 268 - The Ark Of Derivative Elements

    "Can''t you do self-healing?" asked Bryan, placing another cloth onto her ears.


    "Valkyries'' Enhancement skills are made to enhance certain parts of our bodies. It''s used as a training method so self-healing myself wouldn''t make sense. Besides, I''m only bleeding because of you," explained Mavislin, holding onto another bloodied cloth.


    Bryan felt a pang of guilt hit him as she muttered the last sentence. Had he known that it would affect her this much, he wouldn''t have listened to the battle.


    "Don''t feel guilty, it was my choice anyway. When I said that, I meant to explain more. I''m not blaming you. The moment you held my hand, I was enhancing your hearing as well. But my ears are affected negatively because I was also protecting your eardrums."


    "It''s a simple skill called ''Symptom Transfer''. Where I transfer any being''s symptoms into my own body. In short, your ears would be suffering like mine now, while my ears would be perfectly fine. It''s considered taboo to use this but in a minute setting should be alright."


    " ''Should be''? She''s just lazy to do self-healing. Takes too much Elemental Energy and work," commented Ysabeau, who was still salty after her scolding.


    "This skill takes more Energy to work, how is it that I would choose that over a simple heal?'' questioned Mavislin, sighing heavily.


    Bryan could feel the tension between the two. He quickly came up with another topic to talk about before another ''training session'' erupts in Gab''s cafe.


    "Mav, you mentioned that the Flower Element can be formidable as well. Have you encountered before?" asked Bryan, changing the subject?


    Mavislin blinked a few times before looking at him. She then cleared her throat.


    "The Flower Element is a direct derivative from the Poison Element with a hint of the Valkyries spell structure. In fact, the first Flower Element was by a Valkyrie," replied Mavislin, trying to recall that particular Valkyrie.


    As she delved into her memories, she reecalled that she had long black hair with a flower garland around her neck. She was tall and had pink eyes and matching lips. She had a slender body frame with her legs looking like porcelain. She didn''t seem like the type to initate a fight.


    But before she could continue recaalling, Bryan''s question snapped her awake.


    "Wait, I thought all Valkyries were beings of Light?"


    "And yet I''m standing here, using almost all Elements without faltering. Our default is the Element Of Light, but once we reach a certain age, we are taught to use other Elements as well. Some might find comfortable using Fire while others use an Element similar to the basic elements."


    "This creates ''derivatives'', children of the basic elements. Meanwhile, I''m considered an oddity, since I was well-rounded with all of the basic elements. And when I started copying my playmates'' powers, my mother decided I couldn''t continue being out with the others," explained Mavislin.


    "Why not?"


    "It would cause problems since we didn''t know how to control our powers. For instance, the other kid was only using Helios Village while I mastered Helios Metropolis. I nearly started deforestation at my school backyard."


    "And just so you know, Helios Metropolis is the final and most powerful of the Helios spell. The first is Village, next is Town, followed by City and then Metropolis. The teachers were not impressed that I tried to cook them alive during outdoor time."


    Bryan wanted to laugh but thought twice about it, after looking at her situation. It must have been difficult to study, being forced to be at home, not playing with other kids of your age.


    "So what''s so dangerous about the Flower Element? If we count it as a Poison Element, it should be alright. Besides, it is smaller than the basic elements," asked Ysabeau.


    "It may be smaller, but the Element Of Flower has the structure of the Valkyrie''s Heaven''s Wheel spells. I mentioned earlier that a Valkyrie invented the Flower Element. It was one of the Gladiators who created it," said Mavislin, finally recalling that memory.


    "This would mean that there would be around Five Stages in total and a sixth one after mastering all of the stages. The final one is used only when nothing else works. From what I have been instructed, the Final Stage of Heaven''s Wheel can cause a lot of destruction."


    "Game-changing destruction. We are talking about annihilating a whole cl.u.s.ter of planets at one go," explained Ysabeau, eyes heavy with memories.


    The one spell that truly sets the Valkyries as one of the top Mages in the Universe. Even a whole battalion of a.d.u.l.t Bahamut had no way of escaping that monster of a spell. If that butterfly knew how they functioned, it was no wonder why she fled from the scene.

 Chapter 269 - The Ark Of Spell Structures

    "How would that affect the situation? I thought each spell is built the same, just with different Elements," asked Bryan, confused.


    "Take a good look at the people you fought with and against. For example, Ysabeau and I. I use the Heaven''s Wheel Stages and she uses the Gemstone Wings. How is it that those are the same spell structure?" asked Mavislin.


    "I reckoned that it was the same, just different incantation and names. And of course, Elements."


    Ysabeau stifled a laugh while Mavislin shook her head in disappointment. This is why she hated training human Mages. Her temper had always been the worse amongst the six so Ysabeau trains the newer ones while Mavislin and Z train the special Mages.


    And by ''special'', they trained the elite Mages. Those who surpass most of the Founders'' expectations.


    "Allow me to explain before Mavislin decides to use one of the stages to demonstrate to you. My Gemstone Wings are based on what I need for the battle I am in. There is no ranking, each of my wings has their usefulness in the different situations," explained Ysabeau, patting Mavislin.


    "Heaven''s Wheel Stages works differently. The First Stage is the weakest while the Fifth Stage is the strongest. But the Final Stage is as powerful as all stages combined, tenfold. But there is a catch, our Elemental Energy usage," continued Mavislin, as bleeding finally stopped.


    A headache to replace the annoyance of her ears as Bryan was still slightly confused. Mavislin pinched the bridge of her nose.


    "The more powerful the spell, the more Elemental Energy you need. Is it not the same for you?" asked Ysabeau.


    "Only when I combined the constellations. Other than that, each spell I use eats up the same amount of Elemental Energy as another constellation. Like, Leo and Virgo, I use the same amount of power."


    "But different results? Which would say is your most powerful?" asked Mavislin, slightly intrigued.


    "None. I think it''s similar to Ysabeau''s spell structure of her Gemstone Wings. Each constellation has its own use. Do your wings demand the same Elemental Energy overall or do some use more than normal?" asked Bryan.


    "Nope, they all demand the same Elemental Energy. Yes, in a way, it is similar to yours but it''s still different. My Gemstone Wings are part of my body, so once the wings get cut off, my power is gone."


    "So you''d be dead?" asked Bryan, seemingly happy about that fact.


    "No, since I can regenerate limbs. And that isn''t my Elemental Core. But I will lose my power for some time while my wings are gone. Are you still trying to kill me?" asked Ysabeau, suspicious of the man.


    "Yes, I wanna bring you down."


    "That was blunt."


    "Enough. First, I won''t let you two do such useless things now. Second, don''t wish for something so far off when you haven''t even grasped your surroundings. You won''t stand a chance, even you know her weak spots. She would end you before you see the opening thread," chided Mavislin.


    "Well, turning back to the butterfly, I presume that she would have a total of Five ''Dances'' we need to watch out for. The first and third were already shown to us, so I have a rough gauge on how to counter her," explained Mavislin.


    "And if she has learned the sixth, well, we need to ask for backup. But at least, I''m betting that she won''t use it in this fight. Since the sixth spell can also do irreversible damage to the wielder."


    "I have zero doubt that she won''t use that spell. Her first and third attacks were weak. It is highly unlikely that she has even mastered all of her Dances yet," commented Ysabeau.


    "That is true since only the Gladiators can use the final Stage. And they still need to train for more than a hundred years just to wield it without it going out of control. I had the easy way out since the Gladiators helped me to unleash the final Stage."


    "It wouldn''t be possible for me to do it alone. In fact, I have got the blood and potential to unleash all stages at once. But I''m just too afraid of the consequence. Plus, I''m still too young. Only fully m.a.t.u.r.e Gladiators can unleash the final stage," explained Mavislin, looking down.


    "Wait, are you able to? I thought no Valkyrie could pull that off," asked Ysabeau.


    "True, no normal one could. The same way we can''t kill Benjamin easily is why I can probably unleash all Stages. I am no mere Valkyrie, I am the Empress''s daughter. And that''s right, we are of royal descent," answered Mavislin, twiddling her fingers.


    Ysabeau nearly dropped her cup of water that she had been drinking from.

 Chapter 270 - The Ark Of The Corrupted Child

    "So the reason why Benjamin is so hard to kill... was because he is also the child of the most powerful Valkyrie?" asked Ysabeau, her voice trembling.


    "Unfortunately, yes. Though he would have killed us all if he was a normal Valkyrie," answered Mavislin, with a glimmer of remorse.


    Had she found out that her twin wasn''t acting like a normal Valkyrie, then the whole Husks problem wouldn''t have surfaced. She would still be living in Valokia with her family like the Great Noble War never happened.


    "What do you mean by normal?" asked Bryan, interested in the newfound words he was learning.


    "A normal Valkyrie is what I am. Abnormal is what my twin is. Like you''ve mentioned, Valkyries are creatures of Pure Light. But my twin, well, you''ve met him firsthand. He is of the opposite of us, he is a creature of Pure Darkness," replied the young Valkyrie, recalling the days.


    The days were filled with life and joy. Where everyone smiled and played together. Where they roamed the skies to no end. Where they laughed and unleashed every spell they knew. Valokia was grand, even by Akhatenanian standards.


    She closed her eyes as she tried digging deeper into her old memories. Those that she locked away in fear that it would affect her in her present state. But now, she needed that information to face her current opponent.


    She had nearly forgotten how old she was, ever since she locked her old memories away. She wasn''t a child anymore, she was in her early teens. But only an a.d.u.l.t Valkyrie can use the Fifth spell without a problem.


    "But you mentioned that each Valkyrie has their own Elements to use as well? Maybe your brother was using the Dark Element?" questioned Bryan.


    "Yes, but at least we possess the Element of Light first. He, on the other hand, could only use the Dark Element. From the beginning to the current form now, he had always used the Dark Element. But it was only when those experimenters injected a serum that he changed."


    "Changed?"


    "You fought the Husks, right? You should know that the Husks didn''t come from a planet. Once they injected some sort of serum into my twin, he went completely insane. He went on a rampage, killing those that stood in his path. I was scared," explained Mavislin.


    Her hands trembled uncontrollably as old memories poured in. That night, the sky turned fiery red. The Gladiators had been away when the disaster struck the hardest. Her parents had already died, at the hands of their own son.


    Mavislin had been out, playing with some friends. She had defied her mother''s orders to stay at home since the Empress had business to attend to. Since Mavislin could not control her powers, she wasn''t allowed to play with others.


    Despite that, she was a stubborn child and went off to play. You can''t stop children from living their childhoods. Let them have fun, let them get hurt... It is the only way for them to learn and enjoy the joys of being a kid. W.h.i.n.e a bit, laugh a lot. That''s what being a child is.


    And no one would''ve guessed that defying her mother''s orders would be the one thing that saved her from her brother. Bryan gripped his boss''s shivering hands. Mavislin took a deep breath and continued.


    "He destroyed the facility. After the serum, whatever he touched became the first recorded Corruption Element. His Aura did not change but his Elemental Power skyrocketed. He surpassed the Sun Pillars, the team that defended Valokia. And then, he killed our parents."


    "I''m starting to see an ongoing pattern for this round of events," whispered Ysabeau, still deep in thought.


    The Bahamut''s side of things was slightly different. From what she was told, Benjamin was born with the Corruption Element. And that ever since he learned about the existence of other planets, he made the other Valkyries into Husks to destroy the other worlds.


    But from the mouth of his twin, he sounded like a child forced into a monster. With no one to turn to, not even his own family. He didn''t willingly set out to destroy worlds, he couldn''t control it. If he was still sane, one would highly doubt that he would commit such atrocious acts.


    Her heart broke at the image of child thrown into chaos.


    "Pattern?" asked Bryan, tilting his head.


    "Nothing, just a whimsical thought. Mavislin, you may continue if you are alright," cooed Ysabeau, gently patting her adopted daughter''s head.


    "I''m fine. Anyway, everything he touched afterward became Corrupted. That included other Valkyries. The first generation of the Husks was fallen Valkyries. The first few who got affected did not know and went off doing the daily tasks. And when one went to another planet."

 Chapter 271 - The Ark Of The Gladiators

    "All hell broke loose. That''s where we learned about these Husks. They look like actual zombies, but with upgrades. And the younger planets stood no chance of survival when they got attacked. Small planets were consumed by the days. Even us Bahamuts had no way of helping them," said Ysabeau.


    She was still guilty for not being able to help the weak Mages. Had they, had she responded quicker, things would have gone better.


    Or stayed the same, since no amount of things could reverse the damage that those Husks had done. And if Valkyries themselves could not handle it, what made them think that Bahamuts could?


    "And the whole thing happened within the span of a month. But the deciding fate of Valokia happened within a single night. The night I became one of the 11 Gladiators. It wasn''t an easy task, it was also a rushed job. And I needed the backup of the other 10 Gladiators to pull it off."


    "The 11 Gladiators? I thought they were just a myth," asked Bryan.


    "I''ll turn you into a myth if you don''t stop asking weird questions and let her finish," growled Ysabeau.


    "Easy there. I''m not a Mage like you lot. Give some time to digest. Besides, all these things are new to me. I can''t possibly accept all of this info dump at once. Plus, I like her story and I want her to finish but I need to ask questions as well."


    "Don''t be so uptight all the time about me."


    The nerve of this damned brat...


    "I''ll digest you if you don''t get ahold of yourself and pay attention to the conversation we are having."


    "Ysabeau, don''t get angry at him. It isn''t his fault. He still has a mind of a human. Give the boy a break."


    "We''ve mentioned the Gladiators a couple of times by now. How is it that you only thought to ask this question now?" asked Mavislin, confused at how clueless this human was.


    "It slipped my mind. I was trying to grasp how the spell structures work when you brushed about the Gladiators. So, what or who are they? From what I gathered, they were like warriors, right? They existed to fight the other planets which Valokia deemed ''hostile''," asked Bryan.


    "Yes and no. I agree with you with the warriors part but I completely disagree on the ''fight other planets'' part. First, the Gladiators are the only ones who can use the Final Stage and unleash all Stages if forced to. Second, they are handpicked by the Empress of each generation."


    "If the Empress deemed that they were too weak or sick to continue, they would be cast out. But from what I know during my mother''s reign, she kept the Gladiators as it was from the previous Empress."


    "All the while, each generation has only 11 Gladiators? Then how did you fill in the position? Any requirements other than using the Final Stage?"


    The barrage of questions that came out of Bryan''s mouth made Mavislin super confused.


    "You sound like you want to join the ranks. From what I have been told, you can''t get hired from them. And I won''t allow you to either," said Mavislin, blinking.


    "I just want to know more about them. My mother told me about them and I was interested in them. They sound amazing," said Bryan, slightly blushing.


    "Well, I''m glad that you look at us that way. Unfortunately, the Gladiators existed only to defend Valokia from abnormalities. Like against my twin. That''s how that Gladiator fell, she was the first to end her own life to protect the citizens from greater harm."


    "She sacrificed the one thing that made us powerful, her Elemental Core. Arcadia and the surrounding areas were saved but a Gladiator has fallen. That created and incited fear into the citizens. Chaos ensued as the Husks woke up once more."


    "Even the might of the strongest Valkyries could not take him down. It is a wonder how we had faired against him all this time. He must think that we are playtoys," commented Ysabeau, thinking back to the fight.


    "But if the Final Stage was used, then why was he still active? You said that the Final Stage could turn the tide of battle," quizzed Bryan.


    "I said nothing about the Gladiator using the final spell. She had used a protection spell, Heaven''s Wheel: Okeanos. The full moon version, which engulfed the rest of the areas which had Valkyries in them. That required everything from her."


    "When a Heaven''s Wheel Stage is used at maxed power, it can become deadly to the user. That''s why caution must be shown when using any of the Stages."


    "Oh... I guess that was remarkable of her to sacrifice herself."

 Chapter 272 - The Ark Of Fifth Stage, Modified

    "That''s why I want to correct your thinking about them. They are warriors to defend their people. Not war starters. With one gone, there was havoc as the rest tried to fight my brother. But none of them succeeded," continued Mavislin.


    "With all the Gladiators being able to use the Final Spell, why is it that they couldn''t unleash it?" asked Ysabeau.??


    By this time, Gab was already up but not fully awake as he tried to make some early coffee for himself. The sleepy man sat by the Mages'' side and listened quietly to their discussion. He found it soothing and sad at the same time. That these Mages truly went through tough times.


    Though he was human, he had a better time understanding the situation than Bryan. After all, the Baron had spent some time with the Arks way before Bryan entered the Five Kings. But these are stories that have happened a long time ago.


    What counts now is the present time, but if the Mages have something from the past that can help them with the current opponent, then Gab has his ears wide open. The Campania had barely recovered from the Umbra incident and this mess popped out.


    To be fair, he did put this matter off when he was working with Minwoo on the Umbras. And besides, calling the rest would also be annoying for such a small matter. He felt lucky to even call on Mavislin.


    "They were all too afraid of losing their lives. No one had used the spell in such a situation before. And the last one to use it in Valokia''s land was my ancestor, the first one who invented Heaven''s Wheel. The Gladiators wanted to, but the aftereffects might do more harm."


    "If the rest of the Heaven''s Wheel Stages bore no harm against Benjamin, what made them think that the Final Stage would do the trick?"


    "So what finally ended the whole thing? And what has it got to do with the current thing we are fighting now?" asked Gab, finally alert.


    "It had ended with me using the Fifth Stage, slightly modified. Unleashing that was no easy task since all the 11 other Gladiators poured everything they had left into me, just for it to work. But even so, we could only delay him for a hundred years. And I lost my planet," explained Mavislin.


    "How did they manage to do so? From what I know, child Valkyries can''t use these methods," asked Bryan.


    "I don''t remember how they truly did it, I could only remember their embrace. And the power they gave me. It was like my wings felt the heaviest they had ever been and I''ve got huge wings. Plus, they used up their lives to do so. When I awoke, I was on Earth."


    "That was such a long time ago, back when we didn''t have guns. Or much of anything but mother nature. But when I heard the Husks came back, I hid out of fear. Knowing that the spell could do so much destruction, I was scared to use it," explained Mavislin, feeling a wave of guilt.


    "It''s alright to be scared. Who could blame you? You are just a child. I don''t rudely mean this, but you couldn''t have done anything to stop them. Don''t be so hard on yourself. It isn''t your job to protect everyone and no one should expect you to do it either," comforted Gab.


    He glanced at Mavislin, who was shocked at the Baron''s words. He shook his head as Mavislin looked at him in confusion. Ysabeau clenched her fist with slight anger.


    "Expecting a child to bear the cost of saving everyone should be illegal. If Kai ever had to go through that, I will punch the fella who told him that. Mages are born with powers so whoever is the strongest should be expected to win or protect the weaker ones."


    "That is commendable but at some point, you guys need to see that not everything is about power. It is also about your mentality, behavior, and personality. Because of power, you are forced into a situation no child should ever be in. And the thinking that you''ve got, I hate it," spat Gab.


    He wasn''t angry at Mavislin''s guilt, he was disgusted that the a.d.u.l.ts caused a child to adopt such thoughts. No kid should go through those thoughts. No one should feel guilty about hiding away from danger, especially a child who had lost her family.


    "I agree with you. I can''t help but wonder if those Gladiators came to help or gave you a burden," said Bryan, eyes darting to his side.


    "Both, I guess..." answered Mavislin.


    Ysabeau wanted to punch Bryan square in the face but Mavislin''s reply shocked her.

 Chapter 273 - The Ark Of Elements of the Gladiators

    "Using Heaven''s Wheel would mean that I have to carry on the job of protecting Valokia. But with Valokia gone, I didn''t know what to do. And I did ask for their help, so they are not fully at fault," explained Mavislin.


    Ysabeau closed her eyes for a bit before asking the question. There was something amiss. ??


    "Hang on, you''d say that one of the Gladiators invented and used the Flower Element. I thought the Gladiators represented the Basic and Sub Elements? And how did you manage to fit into the mix?" asked Ysabeau, tilting her head in confusion.


    "Each reign of the Empress has different sets of the Gladiators. They vary in numbers as well. My mother kept the previous set since my grandmother died when she was only a pre-teen. But the starting generation of Gladiators was indeed represented by the Basic and Sub Elements."


    "And the Gladiators are on rotation, so each generation has different numbers of the Gladiators. It isn''t fixed. I was the last to join, as a stand-in since most of them had fallen."


    "The Flower Element was derived from the Poison Element but using the same source for the Earth Element. Meaning to say, its attacks are Poison-like but the way the user powers her spells is similar to how Earth Mages gathers their powers to send the spell out," explained Mavislin.


    Bryan was nonetheless, very lost. Even Gab had to do a double-take. Ysabeau was the only one who didn''t look lost.


    "When Mages needs Elemental Energy to power spells, we gather it from a certain source. For me, it would be the positivity from beings around me. For Ysabeau, it would be the winds around the area. For Baldwin, it would be the Darkness within the beings around him," described Mavislin.


    Gab seemed to understand but Bryan did not.


    "But I don''t get my power from any source but me, myself, and I," said the Slayer, who truly did not get how the Mages get their ''sources''.


    "I just use my own energy as a human, I guess."


    Ysabeau sighed heavily but Mavislin shook her head.


    "Nope, he had got a point. Human Mages are different. They don''t gather up their powers the same way as normal Mages do. That''s why he doesn''t understand this concept," replied Mavislin, trying to calm her adopted mother down.


    "Then what do you use? And please, not just ''energy''," asked Ysabeau.


    "Stamina. The same thing for me to power a simple run or jog."


    "And how do you restore that?"


    "Food. Whiskey with green tea."


    "Coffee for me. Straight dirty bean water," added Gab, holding up his coffee mug.


    "I forgot humans require food and water to survive."


    "We do get our ''Energy'' from that. But still, how does this relate to that Flower Mage? I thought she was human?"


    "Are you sure humans have butterfly wings?!" exclaimed Ysabeau in disbelief.


    "I never know what these ''Powers'' would do to the human body," retorted Bryan, folding his arms.


    "The Flower Mage uses the Earth Element around her to power her spells. From what I know, specifically, it is taking the life out of the plants around the Mage," said Mavislin.


    "A Gladiator used the Earth Element, even before Earth was made?" asked Bryan, thinking back to the Gladiators.


    "Well, the ''Earth'' Element refers to the ''Life'' Element. At the time, it''s called the Life Element. But that Mage couldn''t master the Life Element since it was quite difficult to manage, so he called it the ''Earth'' Element, referring only to the animals and plants around him."


    "And besides, Earth existed way before humans walked the area. He probably found the young planet early on," explained Mavislin.


    "But when we fought, we were nowhere near any source of Earth Element that she could have absorbed. In fact, the battle was saying on my side since two wings were flapping at the same time, kicking up the winds," stated Ysabeau, thinking back to the brief battle.


    "You were near my wife''s flower garden. She ain''t happy when she wanted to pick flowers with Kai and saw the next apocalypse. I had to endure an earful before coming to sit down with you night owls. You guys have been talking for the past five hours," complained Gab.


    "And even with a garden by her side, her spells were still not up to our standard. Looks like she would be easy to take down."


    "If she uses all the techniques correctly and in a certain way, she would deliver quite a blow. But I am still torn if she is a pure Mage or a human. She does gather her Elemental Energy like a Mage but she still feels human to me. I can''t seem to shake that feeling off," said Mavislin.

 Chapter 274 - The Ark Of The Velvet Pearl

    "And we have to be careful, we can''t underestimate our opponent. The Final Dance of the Flower Element has the same effect as Gillian''s ''Memories Of Nobody''. If used correctly, I wouldn''t stand a chance against it either," warned Mavislin.


    After being ignored, Gab decided that it was time for the group to get out of the area. With Mavislin dressing up with an evening purple casual dress with flowery patterns and Bryan accompanying her with a suit and tie, they set off to find the Velvet Pearl.''''??


    "I hate navigating in this place..." complained Mavislin, as they walked around the streets.


    "I thought you have a good sense of your boundaries?"


    "There''s such a thing called ''sensory overload''. And besides, I have a keen sense of hearing, not sight. So any small movements from a distance away are considered loud to me. Imagine a setting like this, my ears would''ve been bleeding by now," explained Mavislin.


    "But you can identify the man that you met before in this crowd?" asked Bryan, buying a pouchful of trail mix.


    "Yes, but he isn''t here now. Let''s just head to the Velvet Pearl first," said Mavislin, stealing some of the man''s trail mix.


    Bryan sighed as she gave a sly grin. The two made their way to the Velvet Pearl and Mavislin could distinctively hear Clement''s voice once more. And the whiff of some meat cooking.


    "I smell seafood..." noted Mavislin as she closed her eyes.


    "Is it Mussels? I''d kill for some right now," said Bryan, eyes sparkling.


    But Mavislin was more interested in the design of the whole building. It stood out from the usual huts, just like what the map had shown. But Mavislin did not expect that the dome would look bigger than normal.


    It also had a single, thin metal rod sticking out from the top of the dome. And the building''s color is the reason why it was titled ''Velvet Pearl''. The whole place reminded her of those bars that her mother once forbade her to go to.


    The duo neared the entrance, which was decorated with the theme of velvet. It felt a bit like her mother''s old palace since velvet was known as the color for royalty back in Valokia. Two giant wooden doors were wide open. The two stopped right in front of it.


    A man emerged from the darkness. He wore a velvet suit with a magenta tailcoat. It felt weird since humans weren''t supposed to wear such things. His hair was wet and styled up. He adjusted his tie before greeting the two Mages.


    "Ah, welcome, welcome! Might I presume that the gentleman over there was the friend that you were trying to introduce last night?" asked Clement, as he straightened out his tailcoat.


    "Yes, he would be my close friend that we spoke about. Might I say that this place is truly grand? I simply adore the color you have chosen for this place," answered Mavislin, curtsying.


    "Velvet is the symbol of royalty, as we treat all guests as such. That includes beautiful girls like you, Lady Mavislin," answered Clement.


    "How flattering, I hope you treat the girls here equally as well."


    "They won''t get treated like royalty but the Elite will get the finest of things. But I don''t ill-treat my girls," explained Clement.


    "Hello, I am Verna," greeted Bryan, bowing down.


    "Isn''t Verna an odd name for a man to have? You don''t look like a girl to me," said Clement, inching forwards.


    Bryan''s eye widened as he tried to protest.


    "Ah! No worries, I''m pretty sure a strong and handsome like you would be able to help me out in this small business," said Clement, giving a big, wide smile.


    As the happy man ushered them to follow, Bryan whispered into Mavislin''s ear.


    "I think I will have a hard time getting along with this guy," said Bryan.


    "Why? He is such a nice person. And he is fully human, he won''t stand a chance against us," answered Mavisslin.


    "For some weird reason, I feel like I''ve met him before," said Bryan, staring at CClement.


    "Need any more assistance?" asked Clement, feeling two eyes drilling into the back of his head.


    "Nah. it''s just that you look familiar," mumbled Bryan.


    "Well, I''m well-aware about the Five Kings and what they are up to. As for the world of Mageecraft, I know nothing about that. And if I did, I would''ve called someone in that area to help out," said Clement, opening a door.

 Chapter 275 - The Ark Of Worry Not, Fear Me

    The door creaked as it swung open, revealing a large table for luxurious eating. Food was set out, seemingly like a buffet style. From seafood to poultry and even to pasta, the whole table was fit for at least 20 families to eat.


    Mavislin did a quick scan of the room. The windows were as tall as Bryan and there were six of them. Velvet curtains decorated the giant windows, with them being parted to let light in. Across the hall, opposite to the door they stood at was another door.??


    The glare of the windows did a great job in hindering Mavislin''s sight of the people at the back of the alley. But it could not deter the foul smell of humans starving.


    "That''s so much food! Is this how much you present for only two people?!" exclaimed Bryan, eyes sparkling.


    "Usually, not so much. But Mavislin struck me as a person who can indulge a lot at one time, so I''ve decided to get extras for this time. Do you not like these, Mavislin?" asked Clement, gesturing at the food.


    "Are you calling her a glutton?!" protested Bryan.


    "I can finish all this now," said Mavislin, drooling.


    Bryan swung his head to turn towards Mavislin.


    "Boss! Hey, why did you have to prepare so much? How about saving some for the other folks?" asked Bryan, still exasperated.


    "Other folks?" asked Clement, raising an eyebrow.


    "Yea, there were several starving people at the back alleys, how about giving some to them?" asked Bryan.


    Mavislin could not help but made her way to the piles of food. But before that, she decided to give another whiff of the area. She walked towards the few windows and touched the windows'' sills.


    "I can guarantee that they are free of dust," boasted Clement.


    "I can tell. I just like the design of the windows and the curtains. My home doesn''t have such beautiful things."


    After the inspection, Mavislin plopped down onto a cushioned seat, with a smile on her face.


    "They aren''t my concern," replied Clement, unaware of Bryan''s sense of compassion.


    "Aren''t you human? Aren''t they Albion''s people? Why can''t you spare some food for them?" asked Bryan, slightly annoyed at this man.


    Clement widened his eyes, a mere commoner was trying to lecture him? He smiled as he saw Mavislin drooling at the lobsters.


    "Go ahead, Lady Mavislin. Those are all for you," said Clement.


    The Valkyrie took a lobster and ate the thing whole, shocking and impressing the two gentlemen.


    "Don''t ignore me."


    "Give me a solid reason why I should give those sewer rats this food. They are nothing and they can do nothing. I''d rather throw it all away than give it to those good for nothing," challenged Clement with a terrifying smile.


    That expression, that smile, those words... They held no ounce of compassion or care to the people Bryan was fighting for. He clenched his fist and gritted his teeth.


    Yan was a sewer rat. Bryan knew about his story. As a child, fending for himself and his mother, Bryan''s heart burned with passion to slap the person in front of him. And it made him furious to know that people like Clement existed.


    "Humanity."


    The two men broke eye contact as the Valkyrie spat out that word.


    "You are human, right? That should be a good enough reason."


    The Valkyrie gave a smile of confidence as she got up from her seat.


    "With the words you''ve just said, I''m beginning to suspect that you were the one behind the disappearing incidents," said Mavislin, walking towards Clement.


    "Don''t be a fool! Why would I harm my own girls?! They are the only source of income for me!" protested Clement.


    "Oh really? Then riddle me this, why are they at the back alley?" asked Mavislin, tilting her head to her side.


    "What?" asked Bryan, blinking his eyes rapidly.


    "I commend you for catching me off guard. Placing the decoys around the area and the rooms near here... You really are sly, Clement. But your act is up."


    Mavislin snapped both her fingers, causing the candlelights to go out. The room was still illuminated so she decided to take it a step further.


    "You were worried about the powers of the Butterfly Girl. Rest assured, my powers are nothing like hers," said Mavislin, stopping at the middle of the room.


    Raising both her hands, thick tree branches began to grow from each windowsill. The seeds she had placed were a gift from Raiyen, in case of an emergency. She inwardly thanked the Time Boy.


    "I never thought it would be this effective."


    "I won''t make you worry. I will make you fear me," bellowed Mavislin as the room was engulfed in darkness.

 Chapter 276 - The Ark Of Environment Of Darkness

    Bryan''s survival instincts kicked in as his body relaxed and relied on his sense of smell. He tried using his sense of sound but the darkness had engulfed them so quickly that he resorted to using his base instinct.


    Ever since he was born, he had a very s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e nose. He would sneeze uncontrollably even if the flowers were a mile away. His keen sense of smell was nearly on par with Mavislin''s but couldn''t use it as a weapon as of yet.? ?


    The only thing he knew about it is that it was a hassle to have. Since he couldn''t be near people who emit smells. He would either sneeze or puke. He could even smell and tell the contents within a soup if need be.


    But in this dark room, the only thing he could smell was the anger of Clement and the brimming confidence of his boss. She had them both in the palm of their hands. One wrong move, she could destroy the two with another snap of her fingers.


    "So, answer me. Why are your girls starving at the back alley when you called them your ''girls''? Moreover, you referred to them as ''sewer rats''," asked Mavislin, increasing her Aura.


    Clement couldn''t feel it but it was driving Bryan insane. It was hard for him to think straight. The darkness was suffocating for both of the men. Meanwhile, Mavislin thanked Baldwin for training her in darkness.


    In the darkness, both humans and Mage can go insane. And in darkness, Valkyries are at their weakest. Thus, the whole target of training with Baldwin was to work on that. It was hell to go through since the Element of Darkness causes Valkyries to burn.


    But of course, Baldwin did not overdo it. Learning to fight in an area that is her ultimate weakness was the last thing she needed to prove to Gillian to run her own Ark. The moment she turned the tides of battle around to her victory, Baldwin ended the training.


    "When you truly master the environment of Darkness, you''ll find that both Mages and humans will go insane. They will lose all reason. And then, you can get anything you want out of them," said Baldwin, as he crossed blades.


    Mavislin smiled as she knew exactly what he meant now.


    "They are rejects. I had no clue they were still lingering there. The Velvet Pearl only accepts women of the highest quality. I''ve cast those girls out. They don''t belong here," explained Clement, seemingly taking breaths.


    "Are you sure? Some of them were wearing your brothel''s insignia flowers in the form of hairpins."


    "They had been kicked out!"


    "Then why didn''t you take those hairpins back? They are worth quite a bit," asked Mavislin.


    "I didn''t want those things, they had been dirtied."


    "You damned human," mumbled Bryan, nearly out of breath.


    He was confused, how can a dark room cause him to be short of breath? Was she really that powerful that darkness could suck the air from him? Or was she playing mind tricks on him?


    Mavislin smiled as felt the air of the room move with Clement taking breaths. She increased her Aura once more, this time, affecting Clement.


    Bryan collapsed onto his knees as he failed to keep a cool head. Is this what happens if someone lies to Mavislin? If so, he doesn''t want to be part of this. In fact, he would happily do anything to please the girl. Anything but this torture.


    She hasn''t even used any of her special spells yet and she got him falling onto his knees. It was way worse than facing off Ysabeau. Was he really that mentally weak or she was just too powerful?


    Bryan was gasping for air as he went into panic mode. Clement was the same but he was still standing.


    "And how about that incident? Am I to presume that you are an accomplice to that incident? Since you liked tossing away trash."


    "It wasn''t like that! I didn''t toss them away! She promised me!" cried Clement, coughing hard.


    Mavislin wanted the actual truth but then she heard Bryan''s lungs failing. She had nearly forgotten that Hybrids are very fragile since the human anatomy was wear compared to the Mages.


    "Reverse," murmured Mavislin, allowing the tree branches to retract.


    Light came back, pouring into the room. Mavislin frightened Bryan as she appeared right next to him as the boy''s knees fully gave way. Clement was in better shape but still shaken to the core.


    She gently carried Bryan and placed him sitting upright on one of the dining chairs. Meanwhile, Clement was on his hands and knees, wheezing as he tried to regain his breathing. The Valkyrie took a small leap, appearing right in front of the man.

 Chapter 277 - The Ark Of Hairpin Girls

    "Tell me the truth. Or I won''t hesitate to destroy your lungs," bellowed Mavislin, gripping onto Clement''s tie like a leash.


    "Alright! I''ll talk! Just, let me get some air..."??


    The angered girl threw away his tie before proceeding to the dining table. She then took a few things to eat, smoked salmon, four lobsters, and a bunch of gr.a.p.es.


    Bryan abruptly woke up, looking left and right in a panic. He wasn''t sure to feel relieved that he was alive or confused that Mavislin was enjoying her third round of food with a smile on her face. Clement was still shaken.


    "Whenever you are ready, you can spill out the truth. However, if I haven''t finished this table''s food, and I still don''t get anything from you," threatened Mavislin, holding up a lobster claw.


    "I''ll take this whole area down to darkness."


    She finished her sentence by smashing the claw into tiny pieces with only two fingers.


    "I''ll talk... It started last month. A man came up to me to ask for some young girls in exchange for more p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.es. He said that if I gave him healthy young girls, around the young a.d.u.l.t range, I would get more women," explained Clement, visibly worried and frightened.


    "That doesn''t make sense. Why would you trade healthy young girls in and accept the older ones? The market leans closer to young girls, and those were young girls that you threw out," questioned Mavislin, staring at Clement.


    "There was also another thing he promised to give. Money. He promised a hefty sum of money if we gave him enough girls for the day. But he couldn''t directly take the girls from us, since there is a fee payable."


    "Fee? Couldn''t you just, give him the girls?" asked Bryan, who seemed to be a bit dazed and confused.


    "Trading fees apply to the wealthiest business of each domain. Even if you were to bend the rules and call it a gift, the Head of the Domain might still come after you and your livelihood," explained Mavislin, gently massaging Bryan''s temples.


    "However, if you toss them out, they would be considered as the Public''s property. Thus, that man can take whoever he likes."


    "But how would he know who to take? It can be other girls as well," quizzed Bryan.


    "Hairpins. The hairpins were an indication so he wouldn''t mistake the other girls as ours," replied Clement.


    "So how did they pay you?" asked Mavislin.


    "They didn''t. That''s why I mustered up the courage to lodge a complaint to Baron Tuazon. However, I did not expect that he would send someone like you to carry the investigation."


    "You think I want to do this? You think I want to poke my wings into this business?" asked Mavislin, sounding quite pissed.


    "Well, why did you take up the job anyway?" asked Clement, standing up.


    "Because it is my duty."


    Clement let out a frustrated sigh.


    "This is why I hate getting the Mages involved. You send yourselves so high in your thrones that you give us commoners a headache," complained Clement, trying to pull out his hair.


    "A headache? People as despicable as you give me a bigger headache!" yelled Bryan, unable to keep his cool.


    "Who do you think you are, barging into our home and forcing everyone to obey you? And then when you do come and help, you claim that you have no care for us."


    "I don''t give a care if you were to die on the streets tomorrow. Frankly, I couldn''t care less if you''d drop here dead! So much for asking for help," retorted Bryan.


    "So which is which? Do you care? Or these things are so simple to you that you can''t be bothered? Are our lives that insignificant to you?!" shouted Clement, slamming his hands down onto the table.


    Bryan stood up and tried to shield his boss against Clement. But Mavislin gently asked him to back down by placing a hand on his shoulder.


    "It''s fine, he''s just angered and confused with the whole darkness thing from earlier. Let him be," ordered Mavislin, smiling softly.


    "But, Lady Roydon..."


    "Hush, no arguments, alright?"


    The boy slumped down onto his seat with a look of defeat.


    "Then tell me why do you help us," asked Clement, once again.


    "Compassion. Because I don''t respond to help. I hear you call before anything serious happens. I don''t need you to seek me or ask me for help, I will gladly give it to you. I can''t stand sitting around doing nothing. I was well aware of the situation, but I kept quiet."


    "Why would you do that? We arebn''t Mages," asked Bryan, tilting his head.


    "That''s precisely why. You guys are a young species, yet you''ve caused so much problems."

 Chapter 278 - The Ark Of Agile Quadruplet

    Mavislin s.u.c.k.e.d in a sharp breath of air, carefully accessing the situation. Any moment from now, her opponent would strike. Since the girls at the back alley had been taken to a safer place by Gab and Ysabeau.


    "You think that these are the right girls?" asked Gab, placing a blanket of a girl.??


    "Yes, I''m sure. Her statement is never wrong," said Ysabeau, checking up on the girls'' pulses.


    Ysabeau took out a shard of a crystal. It was small, but it had a rainbow glow.


    "This is our main communication within the Arks. Only the Founders are gifted these. Basically, these are called Crystal Prisms. Since it converts information into light when aimed at a specific angle, the information would travel within the speed of light," explained Ysabeau, wiggling the piece between her fingers.


    "But what if the recipient is in a dark area, where light can''t shine through?" asked Gab, lifting another girl.


    "I didn''t say anything about using natural light. We use our Elemental Power to convert into beams of light. Each Crystal''s hue represents the wielder''s Elemental Aura. Mine is rainbow since I can use the most basic Elements. Mav''s light is golden while Z''s would be blue."


    "Hmm... Such a neat device... Mind if I take a look at it?" asked a voice, appearing behind Ysabeau.


    The boy was hanging upside down, with his feet hooking onto a clothesline. He then tried to grab Ysabeau.


    "Duck!" shouted Gab, instantly dropping down to hug Ysabeau''s legs.


    He narrowly escaped with Ysabeau, with both lying on the ground.


    "Looks like we''ve got company..." growled Ysabeau, standing up.


    "No, your little friends are joined by my sibling too!" exclaimed the perpetrator.


    The boy grinned playfully as his whole body rotated a full circle before landing right behind Ysabeau. If she wasn''t human, she wouldn''t have caught that punch. He quickly recovered and delivered a powerful kick, knocking Ysabeau off-balance.


    She then grabbed the boy''s leg brought it down with her, but the boy was extremely agile. He managed to get out of her grip by launching himself up into the air, using Ysabeau''s shoulder as a stepping stone. He ended in mid-air, hanging upside down once again.


    Ysabeau was starting to get annoyed since she detested this type of fighting style. It reminded me of Mavislin''s fighting style, gracefully annoying. As he was facing away from Ysabeau, she thought it was a good idea to attack the back of his head.


    "You are full of surprises, but old tricks are easy to beat!" yelled the boy, still wearing that same grin as before.


    The moment he felt the wind of Ysabeau''s punch, turned his entire body and blocked the punch with his own wrist. This happened within a fraction of a second, Gab had no way of predicting what could happen next. And the boy was still upside-down when the two clashed again.


    He then flipped once more, dodging yet another kick from Ysabeau. He landed upright, staring right at his opponents.


    The enemy was a young boy. But something was off with him, Ysabeau couldn''t quite put her finger on it. But Gab could punch through it. He knew exactly who this boy was. He gritted his teeth as he remembered how upsetting it was to find their lifeless bodies.


    "I don''t know what power you wield. Or if you are just an echo. But you should rot in hell for copying him!" shouted Gab, angrily.


    "Oh, you know this kid?" asked the enemy.


    "Know?! Dig deeper into your memories! You''ll find out who I am! You''ll find that this boy you are acting as was very close to me!"


    He took out his rifle and loaded it in special ammunition. He was lucky that he managed to make some new bullets or else his usual ammunition might not work at all. But if he could predict the boy''s movements and tactics, then this enemy should not be the problem.


    Never thought he would have to meet his dead sibling like this. The boy was pale, dressed in rags. His eyes weren''t human at all, drowning in a deep sea of black. His brown hair was short and unkempt. He looked similar to the puppets by the Husks.


    But Ysabeau was sure that it was an individual of its own since his movements and words were too fluid to be controlled by someone else. Plus, his Aura may be hidden but did not alert Ysabeau of any significant danger. This was going to be an easy opponent.


    No, whoever this Mage was, he was pretending to look like this kid.


    "There''s no mistaking it, he was the only one who could be this agile. Each of the Quadruplets was known for their talents," explained Gab.


    "Talent of being extremely annoying," mumbled Ysabeau.

 Chapter 279 - The Ark Of Minor Arcana: Suit Of Wands

    "No, the talent of being this agile. His body is very flexible and his reflexes are quick, compared to his other siblings. He could dislocate his joints when needed and shift his organs about. His movements are like the flow of the rivers, smooth and flowing," said Gab.


    "Don''t be ridiculous! He isn''t being controlled by anyone, he is just a facade. Someone is pretending to look and act like him. This is not a puppet," said Ysabeau.??


    "No way! This is the real deal, he has become a puppet!"


    "Don''t let your emotions cloud you, those were your own words. You gotta focus now," ordered Ysabeau, staring intently at the enemy.


    "The boy in front of us is not your fallen friend. He is our enemy," said Ysabeau, stretching out her wings.


    "Fine..." replied Gab, angrily accepting defeat.


    "Ooo... They are so pretty! Reminds me of my own power..." gawked the boy.


    "Hang on... Did you say, Quadruplet?" asked Ysabeau, looking at Gab for confirmation.


    "Yea, why?"


    "We''ve three more to of this thing to deal with? Give me a break, the butterfly lady was already getting on my nerves," complained Ysabeau.


    "Hey! I''m not as mean as that butterfly thing! And besides, my power is better than hers! Watch!" w.h.i.n.ed the boy.


    He took out a deck of cards from his pocket. He smiled as he showed off his toy at Gab. He proudly separated his deck of cards into a fan shape. They were drawings, detailed drawings of people.


    "They are cool, right? My siblings and I drew the whole deck but these cards are all drawn by me. Aren''t they wonderful? See, they''ve got power in them!" yelled the boy, picking out a card as he kept the rest.


    His Aura finally came out, shocking Ysabeau. She had expected him to be of a Water Element, with how his movements were. But the fiery orange and red Aura caused them both to change tactics. Ysabeau readied her stance while Gab aimed.


    "Minor Arcana: Ace Wand," said the boy, facing the card outwards.


    It was a picture of him holding a single wand. A huge fireball tumbled out of the card and hurled towards the duo. They instantly dodged by ducking in the opposite direction of each other. But as he took out the next card, Dual Wand, the fireball split into two.


    Ysabeau negated it quickly but Gab needed to find the right time to intercept and destroy the fireball. When he could finally load up the correct bullet, he turned around and fired the special bullet.


    "Poison Frost," chanted Gab, as he fired that shot.


    The bullet headed straight to the two fireballs and separated into two. Each half went through the fireball, coming out on the other end. The fireballs were both frozen. The bullets managed to continue their journey and hit their main target, the boy''s foot.


    He quickly kicked his shoe away as it started melting.


    "Aww, looks like the basics can''t be used against you both. After all, you guys are quite powerful, right? So, I have to do my best! Time to bring out the Court Cards!" yelled the boy, holding out four cards.


    The child launched himself towards Ysabeau, who stood still with her b.a.r.e hands.


    "Poker! It''s like poker cards! The Court Cards are the strongest in his deck!" called out Gab.


    "Is that so? Well, I haven''t tried this out for a very long time..." mumbled Ysabeau as she faced the boy.


    "Minor Arcana: King''s Wand!" yelled the boy as he threw the card upwards.


    A large wand shot out of the card''s picture, with the boy catching it in mid-air. The wand looked like a training wand, brown and twisted looking. But it looked much bigger and had a bright red orb at the tip.


    "It was fun, playing and meeting with you. But, I am done with you, I''ve got stuff to do. Or else, that Valkyrie would start nagging at me again."


    Ysabeau cracked her neck as she lazily prepared her next move.


    "Time to end this quickly."


    She took a deep breath as the boy continued to run towards her.


    "Cascada... Third Moon..." chanted Ysabeau, holding her hands out.


    Water from her surroundings started to gather at her fingertips. The boy was starting to close in on her. And as he did, he prepared to swing his new weapon right at Ysabeau''s neck. But the influx of a new Aura caused the boy to change his assault in the nick of time.


    "Phoenix Rise!" shouted the boy, as he tried to smash right at Ysabeau''s head.


    The entire wand erupted with flames, but none of it seemed to faze Ysabeau.


    "Wave Of the Night," murmured Ysabeau, as the water within her hands began to form into a solid shape.

 Chapter 280 - The Ark Of Fastest Quadruplet

    It formed into a huge wave before being compressed into a circular shape. Both weapons met and the wand disintegrated into feathers, each burning bright.


    Within a blink of an eye, each feather exploded, causing a shockwave that blew Gab away. This also alerted Bryan and Mavislin since it was just around the corner.??


    Clement jumped from his seat as he turns his head to find the source of the explosion.


    "What was that? Another bombing?!" asked Clement, in a frantic state.


    "Nah... That was Ysabeau fighting off another pesky Mage wannabe. Besides, they are quite far away, about a hundred-mile radius," said Mavislin, shoving some mashed potatoes into her face.


    "Boss! This isn''t the time to eat! What if Ysabeau gets badly injured?!" protested Bryan.


    "Then I''ll rip off her wings with my b.a.r.e talons."


    Bryan looked confused and shocked. Mavislin swallowed another bite and continued.


    "Listen, I won''t forgive her if she loses to pipsqueak like this. In fact, I''ll slaughter her right in front of her husband."


    "Hang on, isn''t she your mother? Or at least, your foster mother? There is no need to be so strict on her just because she failed to kill someone."


    "She is my foster mother, by right now, she is my superior. And in the Arks, we are preparing to change positions. Especially with the second in command. Basically, I''m fighting with her right now. If she loses a simple fight, that would mean I can rise the ranks. And it is such a turnoff when your superior loses to a weak opponent like this."


    "Mavis! That''s not very nice, she is still..."


    "You don''t have to worry so much. She hasn''t even unleashed her powers yet. The most she did was use one of the Basic Spells."


    "That''s a relief..."


    "Put some faith in us, Bryan. If not, I''ll pound it into your soul."


    Bryan pouted but did not continue protesting. His stomach made a big growl, promptly making his boss laugh.


    "Well, why don''t you have a go with this food? There is quite a lot. You haven''t touched a single thing while we were arguing here," laughed Mavislin, passing some slices of ham to the man.


    Bryan took it hungrily. And with a small hint of embarrassment.


    "Besides, we''ve got only another minute before this one strikes us," said Mavislin, as she tapped two fingers on the table.


    It was a steady beat, thud, thud, thud...


    And exactly 60 taps later, their opponent slammed through the window. She landed gracefully on a chair before leaping off onto the floor. Clement cursed inwardly as the window shattered.


    "That''s another one gone this week... Why can''t you be normal and use the front door?" asked Clement, shaking his head.


    "I''ve been trying to knock, you never heard me. Besides, it was the only way to break the barrier around the place..." complained the young girl.


    "We never placed a barrier around the place. Don''t look at me for answers," said Bryan.


    "That''s not a barrier, that was my Elemental Aura," said the Valkyrie, grinning.


    "That''s impossible!" yelled the young girl.


    She wore a ragged dress with its helms torn. Her skin was pale with slight bruises everywhere. Her brown hair was messy and her full black eyes felt uneasy for Bryan to look at.


    "Well, ever since you were human, you never did like using doors," commented Mavislin, smiling.


    "You sound familiar... Who are you?" asked the young girl, tilting her head.


    "I was there to play with you four. I was the one who bathed you four. Have you forgotten the person who took care of you?" asked Mavislin, lifting an eyebrow.


    "Really? I can''t... Seem... To recall... But you are familiar..."


    Looks like her memories are all over the place, thought Mavislin as she stood up from her seat. Snatching another prawn, she prepared to face off the Fastest Quadruplet.


    "Those things don''t matter anyway. Time to eliminate you!" yelled the young girl, propelling herself towards Mavislin.


    The Valkyrie threw her prawn into the air and caught the girl''s high kick. The Valkyrie''s mouth just in time to catch the falling prawn as well. But the girl continued her assaults, throwing kicks and punches with ungodly speeds.


    But Mavislin could sense and predict her movements. With each assault, the Valkyrie blocked it with ease. And it was starting to bore her. And this was happening all within a few chews of her prawn. Bryan could barely keep up with the two as they continued to brawl.


    But alas, Mavislin won''t be able to use any good spells to finish the kid off. Or else, it risked the building collapsing. Nope, she didn''t need to pull off any of those fancy spells. Her hand-to-hand combat was enough to face this opponent.

 Chapter 281 - The Ark Of Minor Arcana: Suit Of Swords

    "You may be quick. However, you''ve got a long way to go to be as fast as my Time Boy," laughed Mavislin as she swiftly dodged another punch.


    Not only she dodged it, Mavislin had the nerve to grip onto the girl''s arm and launch the poor kid into a nearby wall. Her face planted straight into the concrete wall, creating a small crater.??


    "Make no mistake, I won''t go easy on you just because you are a kid. Us Mages don''t have such senseless concepts," wanted Mavislin as the girl slumped down.


    Mavislin backed off to prepare another kick but was taken off guard when the girl pulled out a deck of cards.


    "Minor Arcana: Dual Swords," chanted the girl as two shining blades flew out of the cards.


    They missed Mavislin and headed straight towards Clement. Thinking that she had missed her initial target, she summoned Jester''s Blades, which cause the two blades to go into a frenzy. The two blades switched directions and target Bryan.


    But they never reached him. Instead, they were met by a very familiar shield. It was bright purple with a black outline. Bigger than her usual, Mavislin''s truly has grown throughout these years.


    "That''s!" shouted the girl as she witnessed the Black Wave hibiscus in full shape.


    She had heard stories of that shield before. A sister creation to the actual spell, Black Lotus Of The Storm. But both had the ability to withstand vast amounts of spells and Elements. Those two shields are the only ones that can withstand any form of Elements thrown at it.


    They have no weakness at all, they are based on how much Elemental Energy the user has. And not only it defends the user or whatever is on the other side of the shield, but it gains power as well. The more stuff you launch at it, the more powerful and resistant it becomes.


    "I had only planned to use my physical combat on you. But I guess things have changed. Even for Ysabeau''s side," said Mavislin as she felt the winds changed their course.


    Mavislin''s eyes shined bright gold as she drew out her iconic Fire Flaming Whip. It was slightly modified, with its stats being adjusted. It was shorter and thicker. It was covered with flames as she waved it around.


    With another swing, the enemy''s left arm was sliced off. The whip had extended and cut off her arm. Not only it was hot enough to burn the lost limb, but it was enough to close the wound with its flames.


    "Playtime''s over," said Mavislin, instantly closing the gap between them.


    The enemy panicked as she felt the surge of Elemental Aura from Mavislin. She fumbled about her deck of cards before choosing the right one. The deck was strewn all over the floor as she picked out a single one.


    "Minor Arcana: Queen Blade!" yelled the girl, summoning her most powerful card.


    A beautiful long sword appeared within her empty hand grasp. But, no matter how pretty was, it was no match for an otherworldly weapon.


    Mavisln''s whip and body danced through the air. She twirled and her entire body rotated a full circle. A memory flashed right in front of the girl''s eyes as Mavislin approached with such fluent movement.


    It was a single memory. A single picture. A small child playing with four babies. All had smiling faces. It didn''t take long for her to realize that the memory she was seeing was of her own childhood. When she was still human.


    The girl blinked as she finally remembered who Mavislin was. That soothing yet stern voice, that gentle yet powerful expression. Nevertheless, it was much too late as Mavislin successfully lobed her head off without breaking her flow.


    It was so quick that even her tears couldn''t finish streaming down her face before her head was devoid of life. The shock on the other men''s faces did not faze Mavislin one bit. She turned her whip once more to slice the fallen head.


    Her body was engulfed with flames as if to add salt to the wound. Nothing but ashes and her deck of cards was left of her. At least, she was remorseful in the end. Unlike the girl who chopped her head off.


    "We could have waited for a bit. You could''ve gotten information out of her, at the very least," said Bryan, looking away from the scene.


    "She wouldn''t have given any good information anyway," replied Mavislin, gently collecting the deck of cards from the fallen enemy.


    "She mouthed an apology."


    "Pardon?" asked Mavislin, slowly standing up.


    "She said ''Sorry''. And you don''t even look the least bit upset in killing your kid," growled Clement, with his fists shaking in anger.

 Chapter 282 - The Ark Of Birth Of Four

    "She isn''t my kid. I happened to be the one to babysit them," said Mavislin, staring right at Clement''s livid''s eyes.


    "But you could at least look sorry for it!"??


    "There''s nothing to be sorry for! She took lives as well. And she made a bad decision of facing off with me. Thinking that she could have gotten another victim by going a left turn. This makes me wonder if I should give her a more merciless death."


    "She''s just a child! And it''s not as if you haven''t killed anyone."


    "And so are the young girls that you gave away! You have no right to say those words when you''ve been destroying young girls'' lives!" argued Mavislin.


    Clement looked offended but guilty. Her eyes were devoid of any mercy or remorse. It shook Bryan down to his core but he didn''t let it show. He couldn''t, or else Mavislin would probably kill him.


    "None of us in this room are saints! The only ones innocent are the meats sitting on this table!" shouted Mavislin, while pointing at the cooked lobsters.


    Mavislin took a deep breath before sighing.


    "It''s always the dilemma. She is a child, but that does not exempt her from the crimes that she had committed. I heard there some dead girls found on the other side of town. Those were her casualties. And that single moment of judgment can cost a lifetime''s worth of regrets."


    ''"Murder is murder. There''s no such thing as ''exemption''. And I can''t say anything to refute that, especially when I, myself, am converting girls into p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.es. But at least, you wanna let us know who she was?" asked Clement.


    "She was one of the Quadruplets of the Five Kings. More specifically, Gab''s siblings. The Five Kings were still in construction and we were trying to ask Gab to help us. The group was more or less done but we needed the last King. Someone from Albion. And Gab seemed like a perfect fit."


    Mavislin finished collecting the cards and neatly stacked them back into a deck. She then closed her eyes, as if to choose the correct memory to describe to the two men.


    "Gab''s age gap with his siblings was quite large, about ten years apart. His father had already passed due to the minor conflicts happening around the area. His mother was about to give birth when that happened and was devastated that she went into early labor."


    "She was quite near us, having contractions right at our doorstep. Unfortunately, the birth could only save the four babies. The mother died, her whole body just gave out. There was so much blood that even Ysabeau started puking."


    "I thought she should be able to stomach it, since seeing that your favorite snack are eyeballs," asked Bryan.


    "But Ysabeau has never faced me when I am eating one. She usually turns away. And besides, she never likes the sight of blood anyways."


    Clement blinked a few times, out of confusion before proceeding to stare at the duo. The atmosphere was dark in tone but this caught the man off guard.


    "What?" asked Bryan, uneasy at being looked at.


    "She eats, what now?" asked Clement, still shocked.


    "I thought you were confused or you couldn''t keep up with the story," said Mavislin, stifling a laugh.


    "Both actually. First, you are scary. Second, it is amazing that the woman could have so many children. Very rarely I would see twins, let alone four at once. The human body can''t stand it," reasoned Clement.


    "Nope. Perhaps if her body well-nourished or if she was resting instead of walking around, she would have had a better time delivering."


    "I would have to strongly disagree on this. Even my wife died during childbirth, and she was only delivering one kid. And the kid didn''t make it either. We gave her the best; plenty of rest, food and kept her hydrated. But childbirth is very unpredictable."


    A wave of silence and shock struck the two Mages. Mavislin remembered how it felt when Ysabeau suffered a miscarriage for the second time. Bryan regretted being so harsh on the man. Clement blinked away as he recollected his thoughts.


    He never liked dwelling on the past too much. Brings back bad stuff.


    "Don''t have to give me any apologies. You wouldn''t have changed anything either. And you can''t as well since she had already passed after the kid popped out. Fate just doesn''t want me to have a family, so I decided to do something else."


    "It tests the limits of the physical body. Looks like humans are not ready to have too many kids in them," said Bryan.


    "But Mages can handle it, right?"


    "Depends. Some Mages don''t even reproduce. They create another out of another being."


    "Like passing it as a disease?"


    "More or less."

 Chapter 283 - The Ark Of The Four Minions

    Mavislin cleared her throat as she continued the initial story.


    "As I was saying, Ysabeau had already given up, I stepped in to help, delivering the babies. At that point, I was only a child as well. I could only save the infant''s lives since the mother was a gone case."??


    "But I thought Mages could use powers? Why didn''t you?" asked Clement, in disbelief.


    "It was already a miracle that the four kids came out, they were not full term. And all of them had underdeveloped organs. We have no problem healing that, but no one had the power and right to revive the dead."


    "By the time the last baby had come out, the mother was so tired. She wanted to live, so I prepared a plan for her."


    No matter how many years had passed, she could never forget the tears that the mother shed as she begged Mavislin not to let her babies die. She kept telling the young Valkyrie to save her children. To her, dying was nothing if it meant she could save her four children.


    "When I told her I could save her, I would have to convert her into a Mage. But even then, the chances of the human body accepting Mage''s Power is so low. Especially one as fatigued as her. She adamantly refused, even when Gab was begging her to do it."


    Mavislin remembered when Gab was crying his eyes out for his mother to continue living. But she could tell, she could tell that the mother was tired. They''ve already lost their father and now they are on the verge of losing their mother.


    She wanted to be human to the very end. Back then, Mavislin thought it was such a selfish reason. To abandon your children just because you didn''t want to be a Mage. It''s not as if you can''t live a proper life, you still keep your powers hidden.


    But thinking back, she was thankful the mother did not take up on the offer. The mother might turn into a monster or some other nasty thing would have happened.


    "She wanted to die human and peacefully. She carried her children for the last time before passing on. Straight after that, Ysabeau and I got to work to make sure the babies survived. They did, at least for another decade."


    "So they grew up with Mages?" asked Bryan, tilting his head.


    "Yea, you would be surprised to know that Yan didn''t start as best buddies with Gab. We found the two at the back alley, beating the ever-loving life out of each other. But after the birth of his siblings, Gab became less hot-headed."


    "I was a young one so I had no problems taking care of all the kids. In fact, it made a big impression on me. Since their first thing to look at was me, constantly," said Mavislin, as she remembered the fun and cute moments they had.


    She fondly remembered how she''d be studying her elements before being pestered by four babies. Four pairs of shining eyes would stare back at her as she tried her best to try small spells to learn about control.


    It would always end up with her giving in or four little minions following her around. Usually, it''s the first, since she couldn''t do much with human kids in the way. Ysabeau would try her best to pry the children away from the Valkyrie.


    And that would usually result in a whole ruckus of screams and cries from the four kids. And having that amount of noise made it impossible to study, so the lesson was constantly delayed. When Mavislin gained better control with her powers, she could use her Magecraft with the kids.


    They were soon known as the ''Four Minions'', courtesy of Baldwin''s comment when he caught Mavislin walking around with the kids on her tail. Quite literally, since she had accidentally forgotten to keep her tail after her transformation.


    One particular thing the kids witnessed was Mavislin pouring Elemental Energy into a solid object. It was their first time witnessing proper Magecraft usage. Young Mavislin was merely stocking up some extra Elemental Energy when four kids were falling on top of each other.


    The Valkyrie sighed as she led the four kids to the waterfall. She then conjured a water mirage, a beautiful image of what Mavislin liked; bunnies. The kids all laughed and that''s where the young Valkyrie figured to raise them to accept Mages and their powers.


    Kids are smarter and more accepting than a.d.u.l.ts give them credit for. They don''t question too much, yet they ask a lot. But whatever you answer them, they have the capacity to accept and understand. They are more open to accepting explanations rather than refuting all the time.

 Chapter 284 - The Ark Of Death Of The Quadruplets

    And they are impressionable, so if teaching them or showing them that Magecraft can do certain things, they would grow up to understand the Elements. To know that not all Magecraft is bad.


    She looked at the deck of cards. These were all hand-drawn. They were all of the young girls holding swords and numbers on each card. And each number represented the number of swords drawn on the card. For example, the card with ''two'' had the child holding two swords.??


    All except the Court Cards had the same amount of Elemental Energy. The Court Cards consisted of the King, Queen, Knight, and Page. Each one had only a single sword was drawn with the young girl as the main aspect. But with different articles of clothing.


    The Court Cards had thrice the amount of power, but the whole deck was not enough to face even a new member of her Barren Pillars. She wasn''t even fully converted as a Mage before tossing her out into the battlefield.


    An imperfect experiment. If it had been Baldwin, he would surely have turned her into nothing before she could bring out her cards. After all, most of the Founders work on an area of attack spells, so that the enemy can''t get near.


    "She was quite skillfully in terms of hand to hand, but she wasn''t up to your standard. Perhaps coming back as a Mage wasn''t a very good choice for her. Maybe her physical body wouldn''t be able to take too much anyways, since each of us is built differently," remarked Bryan.


    "Aren''t you a Human Mage yourself? Why are you insulting your own kind?" asked Clement, tilting his head.


    "I''m just stating the facts. That is the obvious truth, we are puny compared to the real deal. Nothing but copycats. Humans are not built to have powers," shrugged Bryan.


    "Don''t have to be so negative all the time," commented Mavislin, remembering what Z had advised.


    He then peered to get a better look at the cards. He couldn''t believe that children''s drawings could hold power. A single image overlapped his vision, drawings of stars. But it happened so fast, Bryan chose to ignore it.


    "So, how did the Quadruplets die?" asked Bryan, resuming his usual expression.


    "They were killed by a crazed murderer. They were the only ones who died from the explosions. The street they were hiding in was littered with gasoline and flammables. And it just so happens, someone decides to detonate a single bomb behind a bakery shop. It was a total mess."


    "Not only foodstuff were flying everywhere, but houses were also gone and the pavement the villagers worked so hard on was gone in one night. The kids were merely passing by, they never liked to split up, so if all got injured, the rest would likely get harmed too."


    "I wanted to chase that fella down since the place still had a bit of his cent. But I just couldn''t find him. If I ever do, I''ll make sure atones for his sins. They were only children, they weren''t naughty either. They did nothing to deserve such fate."


    "I couldn''t tell Gab about what happened. And there was no way I''d let him see the state his brothers were in. They were his only family left, and now they were gone. But eventually, he knew the truth. He was furious, cursing and swearing at us until Ysabeau snapped at him."


    "Once he cooled down, I explained to him why I didn''t tell him. But I left out the gruesome part. He vowed revenge but Minwoo kindly talked him out of it, that''s when accepted to be in the Five Kings."


    Mavislin froze, she widened at what she had said. And what Bryan had briefly mentioned about the child''s physical body.


    "What''s wrong? Something doesn''t seem right?" asked Bryan, gently landing his hand on her shoulder.


    Mavislin was still in a daze as she slowly turned to Bryan. She was already pale but it seemed that her face was even paler. Her entire expression screams that there was something wrong.


    "You mentioned that her physical body couldn''t deal any more amount of power, right?" asked the Valkyrie.


    "Yea, she was already at her physical limit with that last card she used. Any more, and she would''ve died. The younger the body, the lesser the Elemental Power it can handle," said Bryan.


    "That child did not have the scent of an Umbra or any other Mage on her, right?" asked Mavislin, taking a deep breath.


    "Not a single scent of any Mage but herself. Though, she still had a scent of human flesh around her. All humans have that, human Mages as well," replied Bryan, remembering the single second she was close to him.

 Chapter 285 - The Ark Of Cascada And Wands

    "Because I was about to explain why I wasn''t able to revive the kids. Their bodies had practically exploded, their body parts were scattered about the place. It was devastating to see such a sight," explained Mavislin, as memories came flooding in.


    She recalled going to the site after the village chief rang the emergency bell. It was in the middle of the night in the normal realm but luckily it was daytime where the Old Chapel was. Mavislin rushed to the area, only to see the destruction from sky level.


    Her heart sank she saw all the body parts of the kids strewn all over the place. Due to her scent, she instantly recognized who the body parts were from. And when she did, her heart wept. She wasn''t crying on the outside as she carefully collected all the parts but she was heartbroken.


    The babies, merely a decade ago, were her little minions. She had always loved the idea of a mother duck leading her ducklings everywhere she went. She was so ecstatic that she could do so but reality hit her that she couldn''t do that for long.


    She gingerly separated the body parts of each child. They may be quadruplets, but they each have their own distinct smell. As she buried the bodies, Ysabeau had already arrived on site and was trying to check if anyone else was hurt.


    When everything died down and the debris was cleared, Ysabeau found Mavislin kneeling in front of four piles of things covered by blankets. She was about to tell Mavislin the good news that no one got hurt but when she saw the sight her eyes darkened.


    Ysabeau approached the young Valkyrie cautiously, preparing to comfort her. But was met with a blank expression. Mavislin knew deep down that she couldn''t be too close to humans, yet she dreamt of living alongside them peacefully.


    She was a fool to think that that dream would ever come true. With no tears on her face and a soulless pair of eyes, she asked Ysabeau to dig some graves by the side of the Old Chapel, where the waterfall resided. Ysabeau held back her own tears as she helped the Valkyrie.


    "That couldn''t have been her real body. It was impossible to put her body back together, even with Magecraft."


    The explosion threw Gab off his feet and he landed on his behind. But the kid was being flung far back. The only one who stood her ground was Ysabeau, with a beautiful mirage of her Water Element Shield.


    "To think all I needed was a Basic Spell to throw you off," said Ysabeau, shaking her head.


    "Don''t be so full of yourself! I will win you!" shouted the kid, gritting his teeth.


    Ysabeau blinked and merely let out a laugh as the boy got angrier. He was so pissed that he drew blood when his fingernails dug into his palms. Gab was still trying to recover from that fall.


    "I should have been fatter, then I would have more cushion on my bu??," grumbled Gab, standing up.


    "Don''t make me laugh, you''ll never be able to amount to anything. Not when you can''t even dispel a single of my Basic Spells!" shouted Ysabeau as she launched herself into the kid''s face.


    He didn''t even have the time to react before she used another water spell on him. This time, Cascada: Fifth Moon. Scalding Waves, by concentrating spheres of water to surround her hands, Ysabeau nearly burnt off the child''s face.


    But the boy wasn''t fazed at all, he only jumped away when Ysabeau truly punched his face away. Something was off. Everything was odd with this battle as she chose to unleash Cascada: Fourth Moon. Wave Whiplash, crescent-moon-shaped waters would shoot out from Ysabeau''s palms.


    It managed to graze the boy''s arms and legs but he dodged it afterward. In fact, he made it seem that he dodged the lethal part of the spell. He suffered minor cuts instead of sliced off limbs. But there was no sign of physical pain-inflicting him.


    The kid got aggressive as he launched another wave of attacks, using his other cards. Ysabeau merely threw more Basic spells of the Water Element at him. And each time, he was getting tired. His agility was starting to falter.


    "You really aren''t bad for a small kid. But it seems like Mavislin is having an encounter with your sibling. And it seems that she was won quickly," said Ysabeau, looking at the sorry state of her opponent.


    He bruised and scalded all over. He was panting heavily, without any way to close the power gap between him and Ysabeau. He had no choice but to use that method. He readied his deck of cards and picked out his Court Cards once more.

 Chapter 286 - The Ark Of Writings Of Truth

    "Minor Arcana..."


    "This thing again, when will you learn?" asked Ysabeau, shaking her head.


    She then stood rooted on the ground, preparing to use the Last Moon of Cascada. But as she figured another way out, she decided to withhold her spell. The boy felt something change and promptly withhold his own as well.


    "Well, at least before you use that, could you answer some things for me?" asked Ysabeau as she retracted her Water spells.


    The boy blinked in confusion before nodding. Of all the battles he had gone through, this was the first to suddenly turn a battle into a conversation. And since he couldn''t close the gap, a surprise attack won''t be effective, he agreed to do so.


    "I know I''m gonna die anyway, so I might as well answer your questions. What do you want to know about?" asked the boy, still holding onto the cards.


    "I know how you died. I am well aware, I helped bury you. I couldn''t recognize it at first, since Bahamuts can choose to store memories away by choice. But once Gab mentioned that you are related to him, I dragged out another incident which had Quadruplets."


    "If my guess is correct, you are Gab''s younger brother, right? The Four Minions of the Old Chapel. You did know how you four died, right?"


    "Yes, I am. I know how I died."


    "Are you sure? Because there is no way to put you back together," said Ysabeau, staring at him.


    That''s why his eyes are black. They weren''t black, they were empty. He had no eyes. He had been fighting without the Five Human Senses. This explains why he would only move when the impacts harm him physically, like getting punched but not to the boiling water.


    That''s why he didn''t flinch even when scalding water hit him, or lack the time to react to Ysabeau''s first attacks. He was able to do so only based on instincts. In his vision, he sees everything using Elemental Energy and Aura. And Humans appear as white figures.


    Solid objects appear as grey fuzzes.


    "What do you mean, put back together? Didn''t you bury him?" asked Gab, finally getting back into the ring.


    "That''s precisely it, I buried them. So I saw what condition was their bodies in. And there was no way to put your bodies back together. The explosion had literally segregated your body parts everywhere. By the time I got there, Mavislin had collected all your parts."


    "She tried to ask me if there was any way to put you guys back together, like some sort of puzzle. Like, if a Bahamut lost an arm, we could still put it back by using a Healing Stitch. But Human bodies are not Bahamuts so it was impossible."


    A Healing Stitch is a spell that manipulates the cells and flesh of a being to work together to heal the wound up. It is powerful enough to put lost limbs back together but if the being can''t handle the rate of cell regrowth, the entire thing will fail. The being will die.


    "Do you know how much time had passed?" asked Ysabeau, facing her opponent once more.


    "Time? What is that?" asked the boy.


    "What is the earliest thing you can recall?"


    The boy paused as he searched the furthest memory he could find.


    "It was with my siblings. Someone was talking to all four of us. And the only thing I know is to obey his commands."


    "What was your mission?"


    "To search for more experiments. For more girls, that''s all he said before asking us to split up. But I heard, just from earlier, that they reset our memories when we enter back into our pods. However, they don''t touch our battle logs."


    Hang on, why is he giving out such confidential information? If his commander is that strict, shouldn''t he be a bit more secretive? Gab was conflicted. But then, he glanced at Ysabeau, who was holding a single piece of paper.


    "One of Akhantenian''s spells, Writings of Truth. A spell that causes the chosen victim''s mind to be relaxed, allowing the victim to give out all the secrets they have. Use it wisely, since it is quite weak to counterattacks. You need to use it when you know you have the enemy compromised."


    "It has been nearly two decades since your death. Do you not recall that?" asked Ysabeau, with a very serious and stern expression.


    She wasn''t playing around as the boy got very confused and agitated. The spell was starting to lose its effect fast.

 Chapter 287 - The Ark Of What Makes A Human

    "What do you mean? I am dead? No, I am very much alive! I still can walk! I still can fight!" protested the boy, slamming his fist on his ?h?st.


    To Gab''s horror, the boy managed to punch a hole through his ?h?st. But when he pulled it out, the wound instantly healed.


    "Alive? You call this, alive?! Stop dwelling in your own reality and wake the hell up!" scolded Ysabeau, losing her calm demeanor.


    Gab was shocked as he heard the High Queen shouting. Her facial expression was more hurt than being cross at the boy. Almost as if she felt bad for the boy who still thought that he was human.


    "Wake up already! You! Are! Dead! Buried and gone, you are nothing but dirt now! It has been too long even to recover you now! You''re one with the Earth already! You may be walking around now, but you are definitely not human!"


    "Humans have got the Five Main Senses, and you''ve got none of that! You can''t feel anything, your vision is not true, you can''t hear me without my spell and you can''t smell the fact that your left for has been rotting this whole time!"


    "And I don''t need to feed you anything to know that you haven''t got any taste buds in there, So, what is left of you to call yourself human?!"


    The boy froze in shock and terror. She was right. He can''t see the way how a human sees. He can''t hear using his ears, all this while he could only hear Ysabeau''s voice, directly in his head. He can''t feel any of the major damage he has sustained, that''s why he constantly hurts himself.


    "But the biggest reason why I know you aren''t human is because of your actions. You lack the sympathy to care for those you''ve killed. Your actions have caused many to suffer, do you feel any sadness or guilt from that?" asked Ysabeau, clenching her fists.


    What makes a human, human? Other than having a specific physical appearance and the five main senses, humans are complex creatures. They can repair small cuts and bruises by themselves but they do not have the power to heal others. They are stuck in a single form, they eat mundane foods.


    They laugh, they cry. They kill, they make life. They are contradictory creatures. They are not afraid to lose their lives yet they weep and beg the heavens to live. They are boastful at first but start crumbling like a fallen civilization in the face of death.


    Some are selfish, they refuse to see others grow, skill sealing them to satisfy themselves. They get the thrill of trampling on other miserable lives because they can''t accept their own being so tragic. They are the ones who use others'' misery to climb on top of the food chain.


    Some are kind and compassionate, they don''t hesitate to throw themselves into danger when it involves others getting hurt. But the reality is hard as the kind and compassionate ones are usually poor and the first to die. That''s why humans are more likely to be selfish.


    Those who hurt others first would prevent themselves from getting hurt. Strike before your victim does. That is the way of survival, but not why a human is human.


    It''s their short span of life. They don''t live as long as the other beings from the Universe. Since they have got a short lifespan, their thoughts on living are truly beautiful. Live to the fullest, try something new every single day. And the same way they are quick to kill, they are quick to forgive.


    Because they have something called ''feelings''. Not to say that other beings do not have such things but humans are better at acting on emotions than practicality. They make life-turning choices and they willingly oppose laws and rules that govern and limit them.


    The question every single thing. But when in danger, they are willing to throw aside differences to fight the same enemy.


    The child looked conflicted as Ysabeau mentioned those words. Did he... Hurt anyone? Then... Why couldn''t he feel remorse? But he could feel the warmth and love with his siblings... Right? He felt so lost as he tried to remember the feeling. His sister was killed by the Valkyrie just moments ago.


    He tried his best to feel something, any sadness or anger. But he couldn''t. How could he? He doesn''t even know if what he had with his siblings is a true bond. His memories reset every time he sets foot into the pod.


    Pod... No human lives in that. They live in buildings called ''houses''. They don''t have to reset their memories. They are free. They are truly humans. And why was he forced to be such a creature?

 Chapter 288 - The Ark Of New Heading

    Wasn''t he human as well? Soon, deep down, he felt something stir within. Anger? Something like that, but not quite.


    "I don''t know who you are, or what you are. But whoever did this sick joke to a dead child should rot in hell! yelled Ysabeau, in sheer anger.


    "So, you are telling me, I used to be alive? And that I''ve got a family? Are my siblings all a lie, or were they my previous siblings as well?" asked the boy, as he teared up.


    The thought of him having a family seemed so alien to him, yet it was what his heart yearned for. He felt calm when working with his siblings, though they couldn''t communicate with each other. It was just the bond between the four, it was enough to keep him calm. Even if it might be fabricated.


    That''s why he thought he was alive.


    Ysabeau looked at him with pitiful eyes, but the mission was still in progress. That was her priority now. She buried her emotions, as such to be professional during work. Gil''s spell starting to wear off, so she''s got a few more questions before he breaks out of the trance.


    "You mentioned coming out of a pod. Where is that pod located at?" asked Ysabeau, trying her best not to sound too desperate.


    "It''s in an underground lab. The bu??erfly girl guards the main entrance to the labs. We send the girls via there. I don''t know the main way of getting there. After I pass through some sort of doorway, there''s nothing left when I turn back to look."


    "Any landmarks? Like what did the buildings look like around the area you stood on?"


    "Buildings? It''s a blank landscape with nothing but grasslands. There were some white flowers around but no buildings."


    Darn, perhaps he isn''t part of this, after all, thought Ysabeau.


    Don''t rule him out yet, he mentioned the bu??erfly girl. And he said that his mission is to collect the girls, so he must be part of the problem. Besides, his sister directed her attack onto me instead of grabbing the girls from upstairs. We are a threat to their mission.


    Mavislin must be getting close to her location if the Valkyrie could use her sense of sound again. Ysabeau took a deep breath before switching up her communication skill to the Valkyrie.


    Yes, but he might be related to another threat, not the one that we are dealing with. His base of operations is nowhere near here, replied Ysabeau to Mavislin''s reasoning.


    Not really, it is possible that they are being controlled by a hive mind. A central intelligence that controls other physical bodies to make them do their bidding. The siblings might be a victim of this since they lack their five senses.


    Or it could be that the ''doorway'' could be a Time Portal, but this prediction is highly unlikely. Enquire as much as you can on this kid, I''ve got what needed from the Velvet Pearl after I''ve killed the sister.


    Yea, we felt that from a distance away. What else can I ask? He claims that the man wipes their memories out on a daily basis.


    Man? What man?


    "Kid, you mentioned someone regularly wipes your memory out, right? What does he look like?" asked Ysabeau, suddenly turning to the boy.


    "Yes. He''s quite tall, but not as tall as some other guys. He has got brown skin with short black hair. I couldn''t see his eyes quite well but he was finely dressed. He is a human. He has no Elemental Aura or Energy."


    "Do you know about the Desired Roses?" asked Ysabeau, changing the question.


    "It is one of the brothels we were told to investigate. I am sure that my siblings have reached that area to get the girls. And it was quite near to our spawn site if you can call a few sprints ''near''."


    "Why are you taking girls? Are they for experimentation?" asked Ysabeau.


    "Yes. But I don''t know for what reason or how."


    Gab clenched his fists as he knew what this meant. The rumors are now confirmed true. If he lets the rest of the Kings know, they would be able to handle their Domains with ease. But this means that they might be too late since this has been going on for a long time.


    Gab cursed inwardly for putting this on hold. Ysabeau wanted to know more about how they got to Desired Roses from their spawn area but time was running out. The boy was starting to tense up.


    There was a graveyard near to the Desired Roses, he might have been from there. It is quite big but they destroyed the graves there. There''s nothing but grassland there. This time, it was Bryan who answered Ysabeau.

 Chapter 289 - The Ark Of Cards Against Tsunami

    How did you... Do that? Only the Founders can communicate telepathically. And how did you even listen to our conversation?


    I''ve been hearing things I couldn''t before after Mavislin did something to my ears. As for answering you, I am using one of my Constellations to communicate with you. This is from your Crystal.


    Alright. I only got a question left. Mavislin, what are your orders for me?


    We got all the information that we could and need. Feel free to kill him. Don''t waste too much effort either.


    Then what should be my last question?


    Ask if he can remember who Gab was. The one I was fighting remembered at the last moment who I was. And it feels like that they''ve got their memories but they''ve been repressed. See if you can jig up his memories. If not, proceed on with the mission.


    And if I do make a connection with him?


    If that''s the case, it would mean that they are the real deal. They aren''t reincarnations or artificially created. They''re not shapeshifters, from what I can tell. We are heading in your direction soon. We''ll be there in about a few stone''s throw''s away.


    "Last question. Do you remember who this man was to you?" asked Ysabeau, pointing to Gab.


    Since the boy can''t see, he was unable to make out specific features of Gab. He shook his head sadly, which devastated Gab.


    "Do you remember that you''ve got an elder brother?"


    "I... cannot remember... I only know that I have got three other siblings. I don''t have any parents," said the child, with his mind whirling.


    "Well, at least he got the last part right," whispered Gab.


    "Alright then, no more questions. Do whatever you want."


    With those last words, Ysabeau walked away, halting at a distance. She took a deep breath as she absorbed the Water Element from the air around her. She closed her eyes as she realized she would be acting on her emotions while using this attack.


    She was probably going against Mavislin''s orders of using such a lavish attack. But this had to be done, at least a thank you for telling them where would be their next lead.


    Blueish streams started to gather around her being, changing her Elemental Aura into the ocean''s blue. The young child froze as he witnessed and felt the change within Ysabeau. It clouded nearly all he could see. But he reacted promptly, drawing out his Court Cards.


    "Cascada: Last Moon."


    The ground shook as she muttered those words. A full moon appeared above the child''s head, drawing moisture from the area beneath it. Bright blue pillars appeared around the rim of the moon, slamming down onto the ground to trap the boy.


    "Minor Arcana: Court Cards..." chanted the boy, seemingly unfazed by being the center of the danger.


    The boy''s chosen cards burst into flames as wands appeared around him, turning the water created into steam. Each wand was different, representing each Court Card. The largest and grandest being the King''s. A slightly thinner and smaller one, though still quite a beautiful one being the Queen''s.


    The Knight''s wand was slightly more silver, less color but had intricate designs of dragons. Last but not least, the Page''s wand looked like a training wand, only slightly bigger. All of the Court Wands were around the same size. The boy snapped his fingers, activating the first part of the spell.


    The King''s wand''s flames flared intensely, sending a ball of fire to the Queen''s wand with a fire link in the middle. This created the same effect on the Knight''s and Page''s wands. This all happened as Ysabeau was still drawing Energy from the area.


    When they were all linked, beams of fire shot out from each wand, trying to destroy the water pillars of Ysabeau''s spell. But it was futile, and he knew it as well.


    "Tsunami of the Full Moon."


    The moment she said those words, water came pouring from all directions, mainly from the pillars. The boy lowered his wands as he saw that he had no chance in this battle. The monstrous bout of water overwhelmed the boy, drowning him instantly before he had the chance to finish his spell.


    But, the boy managed to give one thing to the duo before dying. A genuine smile of relief, a token of appreciation for liberating him from his curse. And as he did, he managed to see what his dead sister saw before dying.


    A flashback of how he used to be with his siblings. He answered his own question and he was indeed related to his siblings. He was sad that he could not live on with them. But he knew that he could join his sister in death, so she won''t be alone.

 Chapter 290 - The Ark Of Dynasty Of Wings

    Since he hated being alone.


    As she saw that smile, Ysabeau''s spell activated in its final phase, the giant moon collapsing. The moon did a smackdown, causing the area to shake. It dispersed quickly, leaving nothing left of the boy or his cards. She truly is deserving of being the High Queen.


    The entire thing was gone in a single minute. As she gazed upon the pillars that held up the moon, she remembered why she erected the Dynasty Wings in the first place. And she was hoping to find a successor to lead her Ark without her.


    She truly had a bond with the four siblings, even if they started out hating each other. She wanted them to take over the Dynasty Of Wings. But, that dream never came true since they were killed in that explosion. And Ysabeau doesn''t have the heart to their elder brother who caused it.


    The Dynasty of Wings was the Air Defense of The Arks. They would be skilled in terms of flight or anything to do with the sky. There''s an unspoken rule that humans can''t join any individual Ark but she wanted to make the siblings an exception.


    Each Ark has its own system of ranking, Dynasty Of Wings was no different. They are the largest Ark in terms of members. They function by Corps. There is a total of six Corps. Each Corp is further divided into another six smaller groups called Divisions.


    In each Division, there are a total of six Brigades. Each Brigade is broken down into six Battalions. Each Battalion has six Squadrons which further breaks down into six Companies. Each Company has six Troops with six Platoons. Lastly, a Platoon has 12 sections, each Section having 12 Mages.


    It was the first Ark to stabilize its force, with how fast recruitment was. Any Mage that could do the slightest of combat was drafted in as recruits. But each level has a level head. And the highest ranks would be the Corps leaders. Each of them is the elite within Ysabeau''s Ark.


    And they are the only ones who can directly talk to Ysabeau. The other lower ranks must go through the Corps'' leaders to pass on information to her.


    These elites are those who have experienced being on the field with Ysabeau herself. And each of them is the same level, so there''s not much competition. All of the Mages within the Dynasty of Wings are Masters of the Wind Element or any derivative of it.


    But the Dynasty of Wings was not meant to have six Corps or six of any groups. It was supposed to have only four, so she thought it was fitting for the Quadruplets. But after the accident, things changed and the army expanded.


    The Corps is represented by their own specialties. Attack, Defense, Medical, Weapons, Intelligence, and Special Ops. The special ops are the ones who are usually called when the Ark has no way out of danger.


    They are by no means stronger than the rest but they endure the harshest of training. Their job is to be the strategic pawn of Ysabeau''s Ark. They work well with the intelligence sector but at most times they rely on themselves.


    The Weapons Corp is in charge of making weaponry for upcoming wars or conflicts. Granted, Mages don''t usually use physical weapons but times have changed as the Arks moved forward to accept Human Mages. Most of them require a weapon thus this Corp was created.


    These two Corps, Weapons, and Special Ops were created after Ysabeau accepted Human Mages into her ranks. With much begging from her two adopted children.


    Ysabeau blinked as she remembered how her Ark worked. As she goes back into the present, she basically killed a child. That will haunt her forever. Whether it was for anyone''s good, she still took a child''s life once more.


    Normally this won''t faze a Bahamut, but she was always known as the defected, the one who cared about offspring.


    Mavislin, Bryan, and Clement reached the area. With Mavislin being the first to reach, she witnessed the entire scene unfold. But she managed to hear the boy''s last thoughts. She silently smiled as she agreed with the young boy.


    "Yea, I hate being alone too..." she whispered, much to the shock of the remnants of the boy.


    "You didn''t have to use such a strong spell. He wasn''t worth your Last Moon," suggested Mavislin as she landed at Ysabeau''s side.


    "It''s the least I could do. After all, the Water Element represents emotions and wisdom that come with age. It points to the end cycle of life. A fitting demise for him. And besides, he provided us with valuable information."


    "That is true. But we still have got a graveyard to find. Let''s see..."

 Chapter 291 - The Ark Of Phantomhives Catacombs

    Mavislin searched through her memories to see if she recalled having a graveyard near the brothel of Desired Roses.


    "It''s not near to the brothel. It is directly on the site of the Desired Roses. A graveyard is called a graveyard because it is linked to a church. Basically, a graveyard is the backyard of a church," explained Gab.


    "But didn''t he mention it took a few sprints to reach the brothel?" asked Bryan, playing with the fallen sister''s deck of cards.


    The group went silent before Clement decided to chime in.


    "That graveyard hasn''t been there since a few decades ago. It has since moved to the outskirt of town and now that has been gone as well. The Umbras took hold of the area to do a full conversion there. That''s why it has become abandoned again," explained Clement.


    Mavislin and Bryan were both dumbfounded as Clement spewed out that information.


    "Are you sure that you are human?" asked Gab, raising an eyebrow at the man.


    "Yes, I''m pretty sure I have got human parents and no funny powers."


    Funny powers? Was that how humans called Magecraft? The thoughts Bryan''s head was starting to hurt himself.


    "Then how did you know about the Umbras?" asked Ysabeau, slightly concerned.


    "While the Baron was gone, someone had to take charge over here. The Campania wasn''t the only one who had the Umbras. It was a short period of fighting but it was a fight nonetheless. It took place at a graveyard, which I am pretty sure was the one that the boy was referring to."


    "And if it wasn''t? This place has got quite a few graveyards in its history," asked Gab.


    "You''re the Baron over here, I''m just a mere Master. You''ve got any graveyards that ring that bell?" challenged Clement.


    "Not really. The most I remember is that they were doing some sewage tunneling at the old graveyard you mentioned... Why are you looking at me like that? I''m not food, you know," asked Gab, changing his sentence mid-way.


    "Sewage tunneling? Why would they do sewage tunneling underneath a graveyard and a church?" asked Mavislin, eyes widened.


    "I don''t think that''s the case..." said Ysabeau as she looked at Bryan.


    "Most likely, that''s what he meant about coming out from ''pods''."


    "Alright, we''ve got enough excuse to head in that direction. Unless anyone else has any suggestions, I''m trusting Clement for our new heading," said Mavislin as she looked around.


    "I''ll take another round trip to get to you guys. I''ll meet you there by dusk. I''ve got major things to attend to first," said Gab, going off first.


    "What was the graveyard called? Might have changed names since we knew about it," asked Mavislin.


    "Phantomhive''s Catacombs. Weird name for a graveyard, but that''s its latest name."


    "Alrighty then. Let''s go dig up some old graves,'''' said Mavislin as she extended her wings.


    And as usual, she took off without any moment''s hesitation. Bryan sighed as he gave chase with Clement staying put. In fact, he turned in the opposite direction and headed back to his brothel. Ysabeau was about to follow but caught Clement sneaking away.


    "Don''t you want to follow?" asked Ysabeau, looking at Clement.


    "I''d like to, but that''s none of my business. All I am tasked to do is to run my brothel in my own way. By hook or by crook. These Mages thing isn''t my forte. Neither interests me. I have no reason to put my life on the line to help you lot," explained Clement, waving goodbye.


    "Well, that was blunt."


    "But that is the truth. I have no d?s?r? to get mixed up with the likes of you Mages. Look at the destruction you caused during the fight against the Umbras. How many lives were taken? I ain''t gonna be part of that kill count," stated Clement.


    Ysabeau sighed as she followed her little Valkyrie. He was right. No matter how many battles they have won, there would still be a very high amount of kill count. Mavislin did try to cut down on the number of casualties but it''s still far from perfect.


    With another flap of her wings, she caught up to a sprinting Bryan. The poor man was slightly out of breath as he tried to keep up with Mavislin''s tail.


    "You''re not gonna make it there alive if you continue this pace. Allow me to help you," said Ysabeau, flying lowering to Bryan''s height.


    The Bahamut grew out her front claws to grip onto Bryan''s shoulders. The man instantly relaxed as he allowed the High Queen to kidnap him. To his pleasant surprise, her claws did not hurt at all.


    "You''re handling this quite well, I might have underestimated you," commented Ysabeau.

 Chapter 292 - The Ark Of The Grave Of Rina

    "Why would you say so? Who would be scared of this?" asked Bryan, as he tilted his head to look at Ysabeau.


    "That Time Mage would have spoken otherwise," replied Ysabeau.


    "Well, I like being in the air. It gives me a sense of freedom and flight. But that''s due to the fact that I enjoy the stars of the night. It''s a young lad''s dream of touching the stars," answered Bryan, with a gentle smile.


    "Hmm... If you hadn''t been chosen by Mavislin to be part of her Ark, I might have considered you to be in mine. But, that attitude of yours has to be brushed up."


    "No, thanks. I''d quite like to follow Mavislin''s orders and missions. They feel fantastic and interesting. And she doesn''t try to kill me all the time," reasoned Bryan, adding that last part with a hint of hatred.


    "If you must know, Mavislin is terrible at training newcomers. Her patience level is so faint that you can''t see it," said Ysbaeua, inwardly laughing.


    "But at least she''s got a knack for children."


    When the destination was within sight, Ysabeau started to descend slowly. When it was safe, she released Bryan from her grasp and kept her wings. There, they could see Mavislin was checking out the barren grasslands.


    The area was lush, especially for a place that had problems with a constant cloudy and rainy weather report. In fact, the grasslands were too vibrant for their own good. Something was wrong, but it seems that no one was around either. But it matches what the boy had seen.


    There was no hint of Elemental Aura except for their own, which dulled their sparkles to continue with the investigation. The group decided to split up again. Bryan was with Mavislin and Ysabeau was alone. There are some remaining graves but no sense of foul play around.


    "Here lies ''Rina Vermillion''. ''A loving daughter whom I cannot keep in this world.'' No date of birth or death. Not even a single flower. Guess everyone''s forgotten about her," said Bryan, as he paid his respects.


    "She isn''t forgotten. At least, someone remembered to put her full name and make this tombstone," replied Mavislin, as she stared at the intricate designs.


    "True, these carvings on the stone are not done in a day," stated Bryan, looking closely.


    He looked shocked at the designs the moment he got closer. It was as if he had seen it before. This time it was a flashback in the form of sound, as he heard a female child giggling and cooing an infant. Mavislin did not notice the boy going into a daze and was trying to decipher the carvings.


    Granted, it was overrun with heavy moss but for the keen eyes of a Mage, the designs were eye-popping. A whole lot of floral designs. But these floral designs were accompanied with inscriptions of old. A Mage''s grave? Highly possible but that did not make any sense.


    She was about to walk away until she did a double-take on the grave at a further distance. The inscriptions caught the Valkyrie''s eyes after giving some time to be translated into her mind. Being the child she was, Mavislin dashed right into the ground, scaring her poor disciple.


    "It has been such a long time since I''ve found someone from that planet. Thought they were just legends but they are real," murmured Mavislin, feeling a rush of excitement.


    She was on her hands and knees, crawling around the area like some beast as she constantly knocked on the ground. When she felt something other than the grass floor, she smirked to herself.


    "Boss! You okay?" asked Bryan, worriedly.


    "I''m fine. Help me to dig this up."


    "So... When you said ''let''s go dig up some graves''... I didn''t think you meant it literally," said Gab, with a perplexed look as he saw the two digging up the dirt.


    "That''s the only way to find our culprit. And besides, I had fun with it," replied a smiling Valkyrie, holding up her dirty hands to wave it about.


    Some sort of marble slab had been uncovered, but it had no markings on it. It was just a plain marble slab. But it wasn''t deterring the Valkyrie one bit. By this time, Ysabeau had caught up with the commotion and was looking at the mess they made.


    With some form of superhuman strength, Mavislin easily tossed the marble slab away, revealing a tunnel and ladder going down into the earth. The hole was big, it could fit two Gabs easily.

 Chapter 293 - The Ark Of A Watery Entrance

    But there was a major issue.


    "There is no way I''m going down there!" yelled Gab as he looked downwards.


    "It''s just water, it ain''t toxic. Getting a little wet is part of the fun too," said Mavislin, patting Gab on the back.


    "It has got nothing to do about getting wet! Look at how deep this thing goes and it''s filled to the brim with this murky water."


    "Oh? The Baron is scared by contaminated water? I didn''t know that you were such a clean freak," taunted Ysabeau, with a smirk on her face.


    "Water is fun!" cheered Mavislin, as she reverted into her child form.


    "I don''t know about you but I am well aware that I can''t hold my breath long enough to reach the bottom. My floating corpse would be the first to meet the surface before that happens."


    Gab looked so upset as Mavislin pleaded with him to go down. But knowing the limits of the human body, the Valkyrie knew that it would be suicidal. It was just fun to see if Gab would give in to her child form.


    And fortunately for the group, Gab did not falter when it comes to his own mortality.


    "Aww... Well, that was fun. But, we''ve got work to do. Stand aside," commanded Mavislin, as she reverted to her ?du?t form.


    She then stood at the entrance of the deep drop. She then lowered herself and gently touched the water with her hand, palm faced down.


    "Zephyr Tunnel," murmured Mavislin.


    A small tornado shot out of her opened palm, directly drilling through the body of water within the tunnel. There was now a huge circular tunnel running through the body of water, leaving the ladder dry. Gab was impressed but was still worried.


    "Well then, no time to be looking in. We best get going," chirped Mavislin.


    "You seem to be in a very fine mood now," said Bryan, preparing to climb down.


    "Yea, never seen anyone so excited to climb down into an abyss," said Gab, nervously.


    The two women looked at each other before bursting into laughter. Bryan looked shocked and Gab nearly fell into the tunnel.


    "Oi! Don''t laugh like that! You''ll draw attention to us!" yelled Gab, looking very upset.


    "Who says we''re climbing down? That would take ages," wh?n?d Ysabeau, with a sly grin plastered on her face.


    "It''s not every day I get to do this!" exclaimed Mavislin as she abruptly jumped into the tunnel.


    "Mavis!" yelled Bryan, ignoring Gab about the noise pollution.


    Ysabeau had to hold back Bryan to prevent him from going after the Valkyrie. And to remind him about his physical limits. The girl landed safely with a slight thump of her boots touching a stone floor. She listened carefully, looks like the place hasn''t got any hostages.


    Since the entrance was not very viable or convenient, the body of water actually blocked the initial entrance of the area. And with the spell active, the water was being forced to part aginst the door. It was lucky she jumped in before the humans did.


    The water pressure against the door was strong enough to be a reinforcement for a vault. Any human who tried to go for the knob would be trying to punch a row of stone walls. But for a Valkyrie, it was child''s play. But she still needed to clear this body water.


    "Gab was right, this water is harmful to humans. It''s filled with remnants of dead things..." whispered Masavislin, disgusted as she touched the liquid.


    She quickly found the source of where that nasty water was flowing from. Or, more accurately, had been flowing from. There seemed to be a plug at the initial place that the water came from. With this in mind, Mavislin decided to make Lord Atlantia using the water around.


    "What is she doing?" asked Gab, genuinely curious when the water level descended.


    "Looks like this liquid is harmful to humans but not toxic. Boss is kind enough to clear the water first we descend," explained Bryan as he looked at the whirlpool that was forming.


    "I didn''t expect her Ancient Relic would be used to collect toxic water like this," chided Ysabeau, shaking down.


    "My reasoning for this is the same as what Bryan has stated and for another reason as well. Lord Atlantia can remember each liquid it has absorbed. This includes Blood as well," answered Mavislin as she finished collecting the water.


    Lord Atlantia looked sick and Mavislin made a silent apology. Someday, she needs to pay a visit to the original place of this Ancient Relic. To apologize formally and thank them. She quickly diminished her Ancient Relic.


    "I''ll take a look around first before you guys come down," hollered Mavislin as she went to explore.

 Chapter 294 - The Ark Of The New Terror

    She thought back to the gravestone earlier. Rina Vermillion... She did not recognize the person''s first name but her last name was quite prominent in her mother''s study. Specifically for the Flower Element, since it was the last name for the creator of that Element.


    But that planet should have lived on, under the guidance of that Gladiator when in times of peace. The planet held no place in the Great Noble War since it vanished before the conflicts started. Mavislin shook her head as she stepped further.


    There were no signs of life for at least another few lengths away. But running water was still on the sides of the circular walls so it means that someone was using this place, just not this entrance. She took a deep breath, trying to get the scents in.


    She nearly vomited as the scents became visual for her within her head. Dissection and injections were all over the place. Screams of terror and begging of mercy appeared in words in her mind. If she was human, she''d be dead now.


    It was awful, so many kept against their will and died there as well. There were four ''pods'', the nearest she could find for signs of life. The Quadruplets'' pods were bound to be there. But no one was tending there. A safe place to head first, since the children were easy to deal with.


    But as she tried to relay the information to the rest, another scent passed through. The musky scent of a human man. He had the lingering scent of death and despair. No compassion, filled with dread and terror. If nightmares had taken form, he would be part of it.


    She dared say that even her brother had a saving grace. Even Old Man Pond wasn''t this revolting. How many lives were taken by him? He was the source of all these problems, and he was within her grasp.


    But Mavislin knew that if she gave chase, she would end up losing the remaining lives within these walls. She cursed inwardly, vowing to hunt down the man. Best to lay low first. Luckily, the group''s shouts and echos can''t reach his human ears.


    "How''s everything down there?" hollered Ysabeau, getting ready to jump down.


    "No living being here as of yet, but we are on the right track," answered Mavislin, returning to the door.


    "Alright, I''m throwing the kid down first," yelled Ysabeau as she dragged Bryan forwards.


    "Hang on! You just told me..."


    Before the poor guy could finish, Ysabeau threw him down into the tunnel. Much to Gab''s horror and shock. Don''t know how much the poor man''s heart could handle. But he didn''t have the time to see if the boy was alright before Ysabeau threw him down as well.


    Luckily for the two, they had Mavislin''s wings to break their fall. It was quite soft and comfy to land on. And finally, for a long time, Gab felt the adrenaline rush of a mission. Not worried, he had a big grin on his plump face as he got off.


    "I didn''t expect that to be thrilling," said Gab, slightly panting.


    "I should ask you to go onto more missions instead. It would help you boost your confidence and morale," said Ysabeau, gracefully landing beside them.


    "And boost my heart rate as well," murmured Gab, shaking his head.


    "Bryan, I know my wings are soft. But now it''s not the time to choose a new pillow. Get off, you''re not exactly lightweight," scolded Mavislin as she shook Bryan off from her wings.


    "27 years and this is the first time anyone has called me ''heavy''," replied Bryan, as he got off the fluffy wings.


    "And I want to snuggle those wings someday. They''re so comfy..."


    "After this, if we do make it out alive," said Mavislin, sighing.


    "Don''t worry, with the High Queen around, we''ll be able to make it," said Bryan, triumphantly.


    "Don''t get your hopes up, I''m not the mission leader here," replied Ysabeau.


    "And if given the chance, I would like to leave you to die. I have no intention of saving those who create problems for me."


    "Still salty," said Bryan.


    "What did I do?!" asked the poor Baron.


    Mavislin kept her wings promptly and showed the group their next heading. But before that, she had to light up the area. She had almost forgotten that humans can''t see well in the dark. She pointed out her index finger and conjured up some Valkyrian Light.


    "Let''s find the rest of Quadruplets and deal with them first. They should be back by now, according to the boy''s confessions. Then, we will split up since there''s a fork road after that room," instructed Mavislin as they began to walk into the lion''s den.

 Chapter 295 - The Ark Of A Gift

    Unfortunately, the entire group failed to see a little spy that was following them. A small child who had no features was hiding in the dark. But it didn''t last long as its master called for it. Knowing that a Valkyrie''s senses are heightened, it would be dangerous to get caught.


    "Hey, you think I could bring back something to give to Kai? I heard Charisma mention that he broke his toy," whispered Gab into Mavislin''s ear.


    "You sure you want to bring back any of these kinds of stuff to your toddler? I won''t call that ''fatherly'', you know. Since this place is a failure of a medical facility," said Mavislin, raising her eyebrow.


    "Then it''s a no..." pouted Gab, looking down.


    "Hey, hey. I didn''t say you can''t give Kai anything. I''m just saying that getting a memento from a place like this isn''t safe for children. Here he would like this especially for his age," said Mavislin, pulling out her wings yet again.


    She plucked out a few feathers and balled them up with her hands. She whispered a simple merging spell and a single blanket appeared in place of the feathers. It was also equipped with a small pillow. Both had a pale blue color.


    "Here, take this and hand it to your child. When I meet him, I''ll see if I can fix his broken toy," said Mavislin, handing the gift to Gab.


    The father of one was speechless. She does have a soft spot for children.


    "I, I don''t know what to say..." mumbled Gab as he took the gift.


    The legendary Valkyrie, the one who destroyed an entire village in her rage. One of the most powerful beings in the Universe, from what he was told. And she handing him a gift that was made from her precious wings to give to his child.


    "A ''Thank you would be a nice way to start," said Ysabeau, looking at Gab''s shocked reaction.


    "I haven''t rewarded you for the Umbra incident. Though you were late to respond to this matter, you are still deserving of a token of appreciation from me. It''s not much, but it''ll keep your baby warm. Heard that this place can get very cold," explained Mavislin, continuing.


    "Cherish it. I heard Valkryie''s wings are quite durable and warm," whispered Bryan as he nudged Gab''s side.


    "Of course. Thank you, Lady Roydon," said Gab as he bowed.


    "Let''s get moving, shall we? The quicker we get this done, the faster you can go back to show Kai this gift. Until then, that is your driving force to survive this," commanded Mavislin as they walked closer to the room.


    "That''s rare for you to show compassion for a human," teased Ysabeau, smiling at Mavislin.


    The Valkyrie turned to look at the Bahamut, unimpressed by her teasing.


    "If it was rare, I wouldn''t have asked the rest to create the Arks. I was the one who pushed to live alongside them, so I have to show some form of compassion to the ones that work and fight with me. Gab was instrumental during Umbra, despite being human."


    "He deserves something more than a simple gift," said Mavislin, remembering how Yan had died.


    "I know I can''t bring back the dead... So I will give him something that the living can use. If I was stronger and had known, I would have prevented Yan''s death. That would be the best gift for a soldier like him. This gift is not enough..."


    "It''s more than enough. Keep your head up. You don''t owe anyone gifts. You give them because you care for the individual and that gift is a token of appreciation. It is up to them if they cherish it or not," said Bryan, sternly.


    For the first time, Slayer Verna witnessed the genuinely shocked expression of his boss. She then blushed and looked at her boots.


    "Thank you, Bryan."


    This time it was Bryan''s turn to blush.


    "I''m just saying this based on experience. You give gifts because you care, not because you feel that you owe something to them. Don''t blame yourself for something out of your control."


    "Don''t worry, you two. I will cherish this present. I just hope Kai won''t swallow the feathers again."


    Kicking down the door was no issue, it was trying to keep a steady head when looking into the room. The place was filled with tubes and cylinders of greenish liquid that illuminated the room. It had bubbles in them, making a sick gurgling noise throughout the room.

 Chapter 296 - The Ark Of Farewell For Four

    Her eyes flew around, trying to take in any precious information that would be substantial for their investigation. But there was not much, just some tools and more of that sick liquid. It was only when Bryan stepped into the room and found a jar filled with fleshy remains swimming in a greyish liquid.


    The moment he lifted it, it sparked an alarm to wake the remaining kids. The pods exerted gas as their covers opened. The kids looked like they were in a daze as they stared at Bryan.


    "Put that down... Slowly," instructed Mavislin, looking at Bryan with big eyes.


    The man was in a state of worry and shock as he placed the jar down. But before it reached the floor, the siblings launched into action. Both aiming to kill Bryan as they drew out their weapons from their decks of cards. A giant chalice and a metal pentacle.


    "Minor Arcana..." chimed the two siblings.


    Both were odd weapons but these siblings are far stronger than their fallen siblings.


    "King''s Chalice!" yelled the boy.


    Mavislin was taken aback as the Chalice slammed into her blocking hands, the force was not human at all. In truth, their physical strength far surpassed some of the new Mages. And the added waterfall coming out of the chalice did not help at all.


    "Queen''s Pentacle!" shouted the girl.


    Mavislin huffed and produced more strength to push the boy away while catching the Pentacle from the girl. This Pentacle was odd as vines started to wrap themselves around the Valkyrie''s wrists. Half of her was drenched and the other half was part of a forest.


    This Valkyrie was getting sick of these small games. She needed to finish this small mission since it was nearly time for another event. She easily negated the waterfall by using Zephyr Wall and burned off the vines with a little Helios flame.


    "Ysabeau! Grab Bryan and Gab, get them out of this room. This won''t be pretty but it will be quick," ordered Mavislin as she cracked her knuckles.


    "Don''t destroy too much. You might affect the ones above," said Ysabeau, quickly shooing the two humans out of the area.


    "Yea, I know. The damage won''t be so much. We are nearly a few miles down into the ground. I''m not planning to make a geyser."


    Once the few were gone, Mavislin wasted no time in dealing with the brats. The two lunged at her on both sides. As she summoned her claws, she easily caught both of their skulls.


    "Sorry, I won''t be as kind as who you remembered me to be," murmured Mavislin as she crushed their skulls with ease.


    "If there was a way to reverse time like how Time Mages work, I would''ve changed your futures a long time ago. But now, things are different."


    The two siblings seemed to remember who the Valkyrie was before dying. They both murmured their apologies as they saw what their fallen sister did. The Valkyrie holding them all in her hands. Mavislin closed her eyes as she wiped away the excess blood from her deed.


    She then witnessed the four siblings, all in a circle, humming a soothing song. They then stopped and turned to look at Mavislin, breaking their circle.


    "Tessa, Azura, Ren, and Osgood..." said Mavislin, slowly.


    Each of them smiled as their names were called, they then ran up to the Valkyrie. But stayed a distance away from her.


    "I''m sorry I couldn''t give you a proper send-off and that it has to end with me killing you guys. I don''t expect you to forgive me either. All I want you four is to find happiness again and peace. And now, you are together. That''s how it should be," said Mavislin, smiling sweetly.


    "No amount for apologies could make up for what I''ve done."


    "Thank you for freeing us!" shouted Azura, leaning forwards.


    "Yea! We love you! Thank you for giving us a chance to rest for once and for all," explained Oscar, stepping closer.


    "We don''t blame you for anything. What you did was right. We were wrong to kidnap those girls," said a very timid Ren.


    "I''m sorry for hurting you, Mama..." said the youngest of the Quadruplets; Tessa.


    "You children don''t deserve this either. Your lives were cut short only for me to kill you again. You didn''t do anything wrong either," said Mavislin as she opened her arms out.


    To her pleasant surprise, all four came running to hug her. The image in their visions before their deaths was not a memory. They were imagining this moment in the afterlife. The four of them shouted ''I love you!'' before running off to the distant horizon.

 Chapter 297 - The Ark Of Partner Up And Go

    "Gab would definitely kill me if I did this in front of him. But I am not a good person. I am glad that they aren''t angry. I hope they can get reborn into a kinder world, where they can live freely to a ripe old age."


    She then released the limp bodies onto the ground, alongside the jar of remains. She took a closer look at the machinery and the remains. Tissue enhancement... Raiyen had mentioned this before. The act of using remaining muscle tissue and bones to recreate a dead person.


    And something scientific called cloning DNAs... Whatever that was. Mavislin wished she had paid more attention to the Time Boy''s rambles. There is no Magecraft behind it but it seems impossible to do with such little flesh left.


    Which meant that this person had the chance to dig up their graves way before the Umbra incidents. Hell, the person might have harvested it the moment they buried the bodies. But this technology should belong to the future, not in this era.


    Mavislin did not hesitate to cremate all of the remains as well as destroying the machines. This made quite a ruckus and light show as she used her Fire Element to burn the remains. She was now sure that no clones of them would ever surface.


    They could finally rest in peace. But though she burned the bodies, she left the decks of cards untouched. She gingerly picked them up and kept them.


    "I''ll make sure to give to someone who can continue your legacies," whispered Mavislin as she bowed to pay her respects.


    "Have you finished with the farewells?" asked Ysabeau, knocking on the door.


    Before she could knock another time, the door swung open to reveal Mavislin with darkened eyes.


    "That was quick... Must have been messy..." said Bryan as he looked at her downwards expression.


    "I didn''t expect this to happen. For once I had hoped that it was due to Magecraft. Looks like we might be dealing with something of the distant future," said Mavislin, sighing heavily.


    "So, do we have to call that Time Mage?" asked Ysabeau, looking at Mavislin.


    The Valkyrie shook her head.


    "Let''s get a move on. As I said earlier, the road up ahead would require us to split. So, choose your partners and which path you''d like to follow," said Mavislin, heading to the west of the tunnels.


    Bryan quickly followed her, leaving Ysabeau with Gab. The two remained in the dark until Ysabeau conjured up a simple fire spell.


    "Well, let''s get going," said Ysabeau, walking towards the east.


    "You alright to partner with me?" asked Gab, following the High Queen.


    "Well, it''s at least better than that Slayer. We are constantly at each others'' throats. So, this would be the best choice. Don''t worry, I''ll try my best not to kill you through the crossfire," said Ysabeau with a sly grin.


    "You sound like you wouldn''t mind doing so."


    "I still have to keep you alive. The best to my capability, that is. But you have to play your part in protecting yourself. Because I think this place is the ones with the most guards," said Ysabeau, summoning her bow.


    Impossible... They have just b?r?ly left their starting point and now they are facing the enemies?! Gab was speechless as he heard the clanging of metal. The first wave is here.


    "So, you gonna show off your moves again? Or will you land on your bottom again," asked Ysabeau, slightly poking fun at the man.


    Gab simply huffed as he pulled out two pistols. Loading them up, he pointed towards the ''wave''. Upon closer inspection, they were not from Albion at all. Thus, wherever they are from, they won''t be going back. But this means that Gab doesn''t have to hold back.


    "High Queen. Are these humans?" asked Gab, softly.


    Ysabeau scanned the guards. No trace of Elemental Aura or Energy. She was a tad bit worried that it might be the victims instead. But they weren''t, they were armored and armed. This was going to be easy.


    "Archery Of the Frosted Heavens!" yelled Ysabeau, drawing her bow.


    A giant torrent of iced arrows launched out, instantly piercing the wave''s armors. Gab looked at her spell in awe. She could have easily destroyed the whole thing if she wanted. Gab looked at his puny guns in comparison. The moment he looked at her again, she had wiped the entire wave out.


    "Compared to the Husks, this wave wasn''t that much of a group at all."


    "They sound terrible. Hey, at least you''ve managed to wipe out the wave."


    "But, this ice is a beacon. We have to get out of here. Now," demanded Ysabeau as she sprinted forwards.


    Gab got the hint quickly and followed the High Queen.

 Chapter 298 - The Ark Of First Clash

    Back at the west tunnels, Bryan walked in silence alongside Mavislin.


    "So you''ve stuck with me, huh?" asked Mavislin, looking at Bryan.


    "It is my orders to follow you, Boss. Besides, I think I would start another fight with Ysabeau," replied Bryan, looking away.


    "I see. That would probably happen. But partnering up with me doesn''t mean you can slack off."


    "Of course. I will do my best to support you, Lady Roydon."


    "Mavislin. You may call me Mavislin. I don''t like being called as a higher authority amongst peers."


    Bryan blinked in surprise. He smiled as he nodded excitedly. He seemed to be in high spirits while Mavislin was still thinking about earlier events. But both were oblivious to the figure who was following them. But nothing goes past Mavislin''s nose.


    "Flower Dance: Stage one..."


    "Move!" shouted Mavislin as she forced Bryan down onto the ground.


    "Malevolence Of Lobelia!" yelled the figure, aiming her spear at Mavislin and Bryan.


    "Black Wave Hibiscus!" yelled out Mavislin, with her shield clashing against the petals of her enemy.


    "You alright?" asked Mavislin, as she looked down to see Bryan''s face.


    The man blushed and nodded frantically as his face was inches away from the Valkyrie''s ?h?st. But Mavislin was focused on dealing with the figure. She gradually got up, much to Bryan''s relief.


    The poison from the petals started to break the Hibiscus'' defense, but the Valkyrie wasn''t done yet. Pulling out her Fire Whip, she managed to slice through each and every petal. All in a single move. The figure unveiled herself quickly as she knew who was facing off against her.


    "Ah... You are the infamous bu??erfly everyone has been talking about. You''ve caused quite a stir. Say, your wings are pretty cute," commented Mavislin, pointing at Rie''s pair of wings.


    Rie''s eyes widened as Mavislin vanished in a split second. The Valkyrie appeared behind the girl, gently grabbing the top of her bu??erfly wings.


    "It would be such a shame for me to rip these off," whispered Mavislin, with a wave of malice in her tone.


    Her eyes were that of a mad person, her smile was terrifying as Rie used her spear to swipe at the Valkyrie. Mavislin flipped, pushing the girl down while dodging the attack with ease. The bu??erfly recovered fast and kicked the Valkyrie away.


    But Mavislin still had that smile as she bounced off from the kick, landing in front of Bryan. Rie then used her spear to strike at Mavislin but the Valkyrie tugged and spun her whip. The whip twirled around the spear and Mavislin decided to pull.


    This ended with Rie forcefully flung towards the wall with terrorizing strength. She didn''t cough up any blood but she did convulse upon impact. She blacked out, but for only a few seconds.


    "Hmm... Your physical endurance is quite high. I might have to get rough with you," said Mavislin, winking at her opponent.


    Had she been an inch closer, her head would have been sliced off, clean from her neck. Bryan gasped in both awe and fear as he witnessed what that short whip could do to a tunnel wall, the damage it could deal was disastrous.


    Rie was forced to roll away, in a hazardous way to dodge Mavislin''s slashes. When Mavislin gave an opening, the Flower Mage wasted no time in grabbing her spear to block the incoming attacks. The two duked it out, Fire against a tree branch.


    "Flower Dance: Stage Four!" yelled Rie, stabbing the spear into the ground.


    A few cracks appeared, prompting Mavislin to back away from the enemy.


    "Ah, looks like you are going all out on me. I should be honored," said Mavislin, landing back onto the ground with her two feet.


    A few bulbs of flowers started to grow around the area where the spear had been stabbed. The flowers were called Wolf''s Bane, otherwise known as Queen Of Poisons. They were known for their potent poison amongst the humans but in the Mages realm, they hold a much deeper meaning.


    These flowers are the root of most Poison Mages. As its nickname, it was one of the main ingredients that Mages used to counter enemies. And giving one to a human would mean that the person hates the receiver but for Mages, it''s quite different.


    They willingly accept it, as it was seen as a sign of care. The same way a soldier gives a shield to another soldier to protect himself. Of course, this is only amongst the Poison Mages.

 Chapter 299 - The Ark Of Monody Against Wolfs Bane

    Mavislin smiled as she summoned up her own spell. Her Aura flared but her Elemental Energy Level remained constant. No, something wasn''t right. Bryan felt uneasy as the air around Mavislin changed.


    "It seems that you are using an Element used by a fallen Gladiator. This Element is quite similar to my Heaven''s Wheel. So, I''ll answer in accordance to your move," explained Mavislin, as she opened her eyes to reveal two black orbs.


    "I''ll teach you a lesson for using one of the Gladiator''s powers against me. Do not mock the Empress'' daughter," bellowed Mavislin, completely changing her tone of voice.


    The area became dark, very dark as her Element switched. Bryan was afraid as Mavislin''s powers were similar to her fallen brother''s. Rie''s wings were the only things that helped Bryan to see in the dark. But he has other things to worry about.


    "Heaven''s Wheel Alter...."


    This power... Is the same as her brother''s. But she wasn''t going insane, much to his confusion. Swarms of Black Elemental Energy crept onto Mavislin''s opened palms, forming a solid shield. The whole thing looked like it was starting to freak Rie out.


    She knew that this was the last standing Valkyrie in the known Universe. But never in her life, she would think that she would be the Empress'' daughter. Fear soon struck her as she remembered the days that her mentor trained her.


    Rie remembered how tough her training was as a young girl. She could b?r?ly walk when her wings blossomed. She learned to fly before she could talk. Although, that Gladiator was the only one who truly cared for her. While her parents threw her out, this Valkyrie took her in.


    She recalled that the Valkyrie was very happy to raise her as her own since she was not allowed to have kids. But living under her roof, Rie had to go through rough training to master or at least, control her natural powers. And she has given many lectures as well


    On the other hand, the biggest lesson she had was about the origins of the Valkyries. That Gladiator reminded her never to go against any of the Royal Valkyries. They are, to simply put it, ''overpowered''. But it was too late to run now.


    "Hateful Wolf''s Bane!" yelled Rie, activating the bulbs of the flower.


    Several million stings shot out but all were consumed by the Dark streams of Energy by Mavislin. Rie had expected that but not that it would be negated instantly. A flash of power overcame the Valkyrie, making her shine dark purple and her hair turned pitch black.


    She gripped onto the shield that looked transparent. This solidified the shield, turning it into a round shield that had the Valokian emblem on the front. It was black with purple for the emblem''s outlines.


    "Monody."


    As the Valkyrie murmured those words, an onslaught of arrows rushed out to overwhelm Rie. But the bu??erfly girl had more tricks up her sleeves, as she continued to throw other stages of the Flower Element at the Valkyrie. Each time, the attacks by Rie were countered by Mavislin''s shield.


    But that Valkyrie can''t hold out for long. The last time she had used it, it was in a controlled environment. If she was to convert too much of her power, the spell might end up bringing down the whole facility. It''s either she made this quick, revert or risk the lives of the area.


    Mavislin chose to revert after one more blast but the attack coming from Rie missed her. And it was on its way to Bryan. It was the Flower Mage''s Fifth stage: Dividing Cyclamen, which is the last stage that the Valkyrie knew of. The strongest stage that a Flower Mage could muster.


    To the Valkyrie''s knowledge, that is. As spoken with the team the day before, Rie''s Flower Dance works in the same that Heaven''s Wheel does. To this degree, if Mavislin could accurately detect Rie''s power level, countering it would be a breeze.


    Disregarding that fact, Mavislin was short of time. She only had time to choose one thing. To save Bryan or to attack Rie instead. Attacking her would be easy, figuring out a counter would be child''s play as well. But that would mean Bryan has to take the blow.


    Bryan had b?r?ly enough time to react when the spear outright pierced into his flesh. Or so, he thought. When he reopened his eyes, his face contorted in horror as Mavislin had shielded the attack using her own body.

 Chapter 300 - The Ark Of Slayer Vs Butterfly

    "Mavislin!" yelled Bryan, catching the Valkyrie.


    Her left arm had completely fallen off while she clung onto Bryan''s shoulder with her remaining arm. Just like with Ysabeau''s training, she risked her life to protect him once more. This time, it was severe. He didn''t know if she could make it.


    The bu??erfly girl was shocked as well, as she did not expect the Valkyrie to jump in. If she had such a speed, she would''ve gone for Rie''s neck instead. The Valkyrie should have a proper counter to negate her Stage Five but she used that chance to protect her underling.


    The choice to protect another''s life while using your own is not an easy choice to make. But this Valkyrie threw that thought away in a blink of an eye. Without a moment''s hesitation. The Valkyrie... Chose to protect the vulnerable one.


    Her mind whirled as she reminisced her hurtful past. Where her parents tossed her out at a tender age just because she was born different. If only she had such a kind brother to defend her, she wouldn''t have gotten so much hate.


    Anger and sadness swarmed her heart as she remained silent, looking at the duo. Why was she that hated? Why was she hated by life itself? Rie looked at Bryan as he kept calling Mavislin to wake up. There was something awfully familiar about this man, but she couldn''t quite put her finger on it.


    She gently shook her head as she prepared to stab his open back. However, her spear halted in mid-air. Gripping onto the weapon, Bryan was livid as his eyes struck terror and fear into Rie''s body. With another pull, he managed to fling the Flower Mage away.


    She landed easily but was still in shock as she looked at her spear. The power of his grip was strong enough to dent the spear. If he continued, he would have broken it.


    "You are going to regret pissing me off. I won''t end your life. I will make you end it yourself," threatened Bryan as his eyes pierced a hole right through her head.


    "Oh... I''m so scared. You may be in the Arks, but I can tell that you are still human. Just born with powers. Your physical limits are nothing compared to me," said Rie, scoffing at the man.


    "We''ll see about that. Don''t underestimate me, I am the Barren Pillars'' Slayer. And I will live up to my title," replied Bryan, with the intent to kill.


    "Don''t talk so much. You are nothing compared to the two I''ve faced."


    He laid Mavislin onto the ground. He begged in his heart that her healing capabilities could quickly cancel out the poison. It wasn''t healing up, but the poison did stop. Bryan inwardly thanked the heavens as he gently whispered into her ears.


    "I''ll take over. I won''t let you down."


    The Valkyrie smiled as he said those words. In truth, there was no way a Valkyrie could be knocked out by some third-rate poison. However, this would still render her immobile, but she was nowhere near dead. If it was that easy, the Arks won''t have such a hard time dealing with Benjamin.


    Before her healing kicked in, the poison had claimed her heart, arm, and left lungs. Her Elemental Core was left undamaged but she was still in slight pain. Sometimes, she regrets having her Elemental Core as her wings, since she was a vegetable now.


    Until her body can go back to normal, she was going to be lying there for a while. And to add salt to the painful wound, she was still using the Alter Form of her powers. Now, she needs to convert back to the original Element. Only then she can start the proper healing process.


    Bryan took his stand as he cracked his knuckles. He then drew out his newly sharpened Katana. He felt that the whole thing was reminiscent of Ysabeau''s training. But this time, the stakes are higher. The thrill is way more than last time.


    This was starting to be interesting. He knew that he can''t be too engrossed in his feelings but this was too good of a fight to miss. Now he knew why Mavislin likes to smile when facing off with new opponents.


    He had both the thrill and anger to fight this person. He took the first move, closing in the gap between the two. Rie was still lost in her thoughts as she tried her best to fend off Bryan''s flurry of attacks.


    But when he pulled out his Wakizashi to slash her face, Rie finally knew why he was familiar. But this cost her hand as she used it to block the slash. She then thrust the spear forwards, to impale Bryan''s abdomen.

 Chapter 301 - The Ark Of Constellation: Leo

    To counter, Bryan lifted his knee and forced down his elbow, to get a good catch of the moving spear. This rendered his Katana wielding arm, useless. But the spear was still incapable of moving. Realizing her mistake, she tried to yank the spear out.


    This caused Bryan to get scratched on his knee, but it was no bother for the Slayer. But she had forgotten that Bryan had another weapon on the other hand. Since she was too hyper-focused on getting her weapon out, she failed to see the attack from his smaller sword.


    She narrowly dodged it, sacrificing a bit of her fringe as she moved her head back. With his body unbalanced, Rie quickly got her weapon out by kicking her foot up in the air and leaped away. But Bryan swiftly changed his footing and angle to hit her leg back down.


    He took the chance to use the pommel of his Katana to dislocate her left shoulder. Though not her spear-wielding arm, Rie still found it ?umbersome to have an arm out of function for a bit. This man was a monster in close combat, so the only way to fight him was to keep a distance away from him.


    If she was facing off with another one of the more experienced Mages, she would''ve stabbed from the top of her head. She heaved a sigh of relief as she realized that Bryan may be fast in his reflexes, but he knows little to counter after an opponent dodges.


    Using her Hateful Wolf''s Bane to grab Bryan by his legs, Rie shot out Petunia Rage and activated her Wolf''s Bane at the same time. The explosion kicked up quite a dust storm, blinding Rie from Bryan''s whereabouts. With her sight blurred, she was hoping that Bryan got hit badly.


    To her utter horror, the man stood strong as he used Zephyr Tunnel to clear his path. With a major opening on the horizon, he threw a seed that he found back at the Velvet Pearl.


    "That''s impossible! You ran out of your Crystal Balls!" shouted Rie, in disbelief.


    "I don''t get my powers from the Crystal Balls, you dumb bu??erfly..." scolded Bryan as he readied his stance.


    "Malevolence Of Lobelia!" shouted Rie, attempting to thwart off the oncoming attack.


    But it did not hinder the man one bit, with his incantation and Aura canceling out the spell.


    "Symbol of Royalty And Power, Mightiest Of All Zodiac Constellations," chanted Bryan, as his Aura turned to fiery orange and red display.


    The tips of his hair were slightly tinted with red as he tried his best to control and unleash his best constellation. His eyes flew open, revealing two red orbs with rings of orange as his pupils. He felt his lungs were on fire and his body felt like an oven.


    With an influx of Elemental Energy, Rie found it hard to believe that she was facing a Mage born within the confides of Human physiology. The higher the Mage''s Elemental Energy, the more that their body can withstand.


    Right now, an entire pagoda with several stories could land right on top of Bryan and he won''t feel a thing. But since the night sky wasn''t on his side, he wasn''t able to reach his full potential. And even if it was, his physical body might give out.


    "Leo, Stars Of The Lion!" shouted Bryan.


    The constellation of the Horoscope of Leo appeared on the seed. This ignited the seed into a visage of a roaring lion made out of the fire. Rie knew that an attack was coming so she was prepared for it. Especially with her first move being negated so quickly.


    If she couldn''t use spells, then she would use normal weapon combat. Thus, she used another swift move to slice the seed in half.


    "Hah! Such predictability, shouldn''t have expected a lot from you. Human Mage," spat Rie, with a snobbish grin.


    But, the halves of the seed exploded in flames, slightly burning the tops of Rie''s shoulders. She wasn''t fazed by this, but it did hinder her sight within her side views. And this was exactly what Bryan wanted.


    "Gotcha," whispered Mavislin, appearing right behind Rie.


    The Flower Mage spun quickly as her neck could allow her to, only to see a grinning Valkyrie, unscathed and back to normal. Rie was taken aback, it was the only one move that she could muster without losing anything precious. And that Valkyrie just brushed it off like it was nothing.


    Not that she brushed it off, but rather that the Valkyrie was still standing tall. Like she had been getting a good nap. No way... That acid was several thousand times as potent as the stomach acid within humans. And how did she not see her move from her spot?!

 Chapter 302 - The Ark Of Lights Out

    The fire! It had cut off her entire side view so that she would only look straight ahead. The tunnel was dark but if one has a light source near their eyes, it would be harder to make out things in the dark. Especially if the light is not shining in that particular area.


    Rie hardly had any way of countering or dodging before it was lights out for her. Mavislin, within a fraction of a second, grabbed Rie''s head and did a Smackdown with it. With her entire body on the floor and her face in the ground, Mavislin sighed with relief.


    "So, what''s the next move?" asked Bryan, sheathing his weapons.


    "To interrogate her. I have to use my hair as a binding tool since that is the most durable thing around here," replied Mavislin, staring at the bu??erfly who had her face part of the ground.


    "Why did you cut the battle short? That attack didn''t do you in."


    "Are you kidding me? I lost an entire arm, heart, and lung. If I was a normal Mage, I''d be joining the rest of my family in the other realm!"


    "That doesn''t answer my first question."


    "She was beginning to bore me. Hell, the whole fight was boring. I wanted to stop it earlier, but I thought differently when you pulled out that seed. I knew you were bound to use a cancellation, but I was willing to see what it could do," said Mavislin, cracking her knuckles.


    "It was such an easy poison to get rid of. And one of the easiest knockouts I ever did against a non-human."


    "If it was that easy, why did you play out with her?" asked Bryan as he dusted himself.


    "Because I wanted to see if she could master all spells. Since her last one is a bit unstable, there was no need to continue. And her close combat is lower than the recruits so I decided to end it now. But, I still have to keep her alive."


    Mavislin was in the middle of dragging Rie towards the walls of the tunnel. She then paused to look at Bryan and continue her sentence.


    "Besides, without my interference, you were prepared to use Stars Of Gemini to create a double explosion, right?" asked Mavislin, smiling.


    Bryan shook his head as he smiled back. His eyes looked slightly shocked yet he had expected his own boss to predict his movements. Perhaps he was very predictable after all. He gazed at Mavislin, thinking if he should ask how he should change his ways to be more erratic like her.


    Lost in his own thoughts, he had completely forgotten about his wound. Or the fact about humans needed to breathe. Bryan collapsed to his knees as he tried to catch his breath. His hands were the only thing that prevented him to break his chin onto the stone ground.


    Meanwhile, Mavislin had sliced off part of her hair and was braided into a small rope. She then tied the bu??erfly''s arms behind her back and legs together. That''s when Mavislin heard Bryan coughing and wheezing.


    "I was wondering how long you were going to hold your breath for," said Mavislin, laying Rie down onto the ground.


    "I''m surprised that you don''t know how to regulate your breathing. It''s a must-have technique to fight for long periods of time. And an important necessity to have when against Mages in my Ark," explained Mavislin, as she went over to Bryan''s side.


    Bryan couldn''t say anything but took in more gulps of air. She carefully supported him to regain his proper posture. At such an angle, there was no way to get full capacity and use of his lungs. It was like someone choking him.


    "Looks like I have to train you in terms of your lung capacity and breathing techniques. You''ll be surprised to know that some humans have larger lungs than most new Mages. And some can even hold their breath longer than most sea creatures."


    "The fact that you have a vast amount of Elemental Energy but don''t know how to use it to your advantage shows how new you are to Magecraft. Quite fairly, I am slightly disappointed that you don''t know such basic knowledge."


    Bryan inwardly cursed at himself. He was such a noob in front of his boss. Looks like he has done nothing to earn the ranks of her Pillars. He was a disappointment. Somehow, that feeling wasn''t alien to him. He had evoked those words being said to him, a long time ago.


    Though he could hear that disapproving voice overlapping with Mavislin''s words, it was the Valkyrie''s hands grabbing his hands that shocked him out of that memory. It was his only fear, to be disapproved by someone that he respected.

 Chapter 303 - The Ark Of Breathing

    Seeing that her underling was hurt by her words, she couldn''t help but give praise to what he has done during this mission. She did something that usually won''t do; comfort a high-ranking Mage even if he could have died because of such amateur reasons.


    If it was Ysabeau, she would have let him die. If it was Gillian, if Bryan made it out alive, he would definitely kill him. If it was Baldwin, that Dark Mage would have made sure that Bryan never came back alive. As for Z, he''d probably knock the wind out of the Slayer.


    "But I''m not the type to give up on someone who proved their loyalty to my mission and my being. Those who are under my wings will never get left behind. I promise you, on my Elemental Core. I''ll teach you, especially since you are my Slayer. And peculiarly, you held out longer than usual."


    Bryan''s eyes widened as he looked at Mavislin''s gentle gaze. She looked more like a mother than a small kid. She didn''t feel like a leader, her tone was gentle and tranquil. He felt a sense of pride and joy rushed over him. He just wished he had the air to reply to his boss.


    "First, stop taking in too much air at once. You don''t have any reason to. I can ?ssure you that you are no longer in danger or combat. You only do so if you are ready to channel it into a physical attack. Right now, you are at rest. At ease, Slayer," commanded Mavislin.


    With that having no effect on the poor man, Mavislin resorted to another tone for Bryan. A more soothing and ?ssuring sounding tone, like how she cooed the Quadruplets.


    "Relax your body, you are not getting any air because you are still too tense. Calm your body down. Regulate your breaths. It''ll make you a bit dizzy but I can guarantee that the results would be better for your wound and intake for air."


    Bryan had no choice but to obey. He relaxed his body, but only for a bit. Mavislin shook her head. He wasn''t getting it at all. For some unknown reason, something was truly bothering him. He looked so nervous as if he was performing in front of a large crowd.


    His body was not listening to his mind. He tried small gulps of air, but he was indeed getting dizzy. His intervals were all over the place, some was an interval of five ticks while later he used three ticks. This caused him to wheeze instead of getting the air he needed.


    Then, when he inhaled sharply, it was as if a lightning bolt struck his lungs. He winced in pain, convulsing violently.


    "That''s why I said not to take in too much at once. Look, you are still too tense around your ?h?st. Slowly. Breath in through your nose, let your lungs blow up. Slowly."


    No, it wasn''t her fault. Well, it was, but it wasn''t her tone or behavior. It was her title of being the leader of the Barren PIllars. That''s why Bryan constantly uses the word ''Boss'' when calling her. He was nervous and tensed around her because she''s his leader.


    She then took another leap at faith and enveloped the coughing man in a warm embrace. She gave him a front hug, shocking the man. Bryan nearly lost balance as he didn''t anticipate that sudden move. This stopped him from inhaling for a bit but continued at a better breathing pace.


    He then wrapped his hands around the Valkyrie, returning the hug. The Valkyrie smiled as she felt Brayn''s arms wrapping around her body. It was working. All he needed was a hug. To say that everything was alright.


    He needed an embrace to let his body know that the danger has been thwarted off and that he did a great job. Words were not enough to ease his nervous heart. How long has it been since Bryan embraced someone like this? He couldn''t remember.


    But it was so warm and comforting, to know someone cares for him. It was lucky that Ysabeau wasn''t here. Looks like the High Queen was wrong about Mavislin''s temper.


    "Copy my breathing pattern, you''ll find it easier now."


    Bryan did so, instinctively. He was starting to return to his normal pace but Mavislin jabbed his diaphragm. He winced once more. He tried opening his mouth to protest but was quickly shut off the Valkyrie''s hand.

 Chapter 304 - The Ark Of Aura And Energy

    "I said, follow my breathing pattern. If you revert now, you''ll be wheezing and be wincing again. Until you can get that pattern memorized in your body and head, I will not let you get out of this embrace," commanded Mavislin, sounding like a stern mother.


    Well, it was not as if he wasn''t enjoying the hug. In fact, if he had the power to stop Time, he would do so right now. But, a command is a command. Bryan tried his best to follow. After a couple of minutes, Mavislin released him from her embrace.


    This saddened the Slayer but at the same time, made him happy that he could finally breathe properly. Mavislin adjusted herself to be by Bryan''s side once more. She then stretched her legs out from her kneeling position.


    "Now that you''ve got that breathing pattern down, it''s easier for you to go into combat. Just remember the pattern and you should be fine. After this mission, I''ll ask Z to coach you personally," said Mavislin.


    "But why the leader of the Blizzard Faction? I thought you would be training me," asked Bryna, who sounded slightly upset.


    "Would you prefer the High Queen again?" asked Mavislin, raising an eyebrow at her underling.


    "No, but you were able to teach me the starters. So I don''t see why you can''t continue training me," argued Bryan, pouting.


    Now it was Mavislin''s turn to be shocked as Bryan was questioning her. It sounded like a challenge, but she knew that he didn''t mean it that way.


    "Well, I would be joining your training with Z. But I won''t be getting in the way of you two. Keep in mind that Z was known to be better in teaching than Ysabeau or Gillian combined. He trained the recruits of the Congregation. You''ll be in safe hands, I promise you."


    "And besides, the next mission I am heading to is one that Z takes the lead. I owe my Ancient Relic an apology. It''s time I paid a visit to its original place of home. And to see if I can master it. I''m the only one left to master these dual weapons to their finest, I''m hoping that place would help."


    That made Bryan feel a slight bit better, but he wanted to find out more about the breathing technique. And why was it so important.


    "But will you be watching?"


    "Nope, I''ll be facing off with my Time Mage. It''s about time that I settle scores with that pipsqueak once again. The last time we faced off, I had just created Monody. That was a long time ago. Way before the founding of the Arks. When times were slightly tranquil than now."


    Bryan wondered how long did Mavislin reside on Earth. It must be quite a long time since she had mentioned that she knew Minwoo before he was a Marquess and Gab when he was just a child. And that was after they had established the Arks.


    There was also a period of time that she was a Mage who had nowhere to go. Bryan won''t be surprised if she knew his ancestors. But he quickly collected back his over thoughts and asked the questions he needed to know.


    "What will I be able to do once I fully master my breathing patterns?" asked Bryan, changing the topic back.


    "First, you''ll be able to fight longer, without collapsing. Second, you''ll increase your usage of Elemental Energy. Your Elemental Aura is fantastic for someone of your caliber and age. But it is a shame that you are learning this basic skill so late."


    "Is it bad?" asked Bryan.


    "It''s a small setback. This means that I can''t let you fight for long periods of time. Such a short duel like that and you were falling over. It''s either you learn to constantly breathe or you make sure you can end your enemy with a single strike. I''d rather you do the first suggestion."


    "What''s the difference between Elemental Energy and Aura?"


    "Elemental Energy is basically the supply pool to power your spells. With no Elemental Energy, you won''t be able to do any spells. But you won''t die. You can have vast amounts at one time and small amounts at another time."


    "But for Elemental Aura, it is different. Your Aura represents how many spells or damage that your body can take. For example, your Aura earlier was huge and terrifying. It was more than enough to survive a few bomb explosions. It''s like your physical endurance but does not affect internally."


    "In simpler terms, Elemental Energy is like my currency to use my spells while my Elemental Aura is to see how high my physical defense is?" asked Bryan, to summarise into his knowledge.


    Mavislin nodded her head.

 Chapter 305 - The Ark Of Butterfly Wakes Up

    "The way you get or increase your Elemental and Energy is the same. Through training, no shortcuts. They go hand-in-hand on most occasions. If you have a large pool of Elemental Energy you are bound to have huge Elemetal Aura."


    "Why do they have to go together? You mentioned that they have separate functions, right?"


    "Because you will die if they are not at the same level. Yes, they do have separate functions. But with one not having enough to support the other, both functions will fail to do their duties, right?" asked Mavislin, tilting her head.


    "You have too much of Elemental Energy and you try to use it at one go, you''ll tucker yourself. And if your Aura is smaller than your Elemental Energy pool, your body will convulse and die without having the spell finished."


    "On the flip side, you would die a slow death during combat. You''d be able to resist a lot of attacks but you won''t finish the duel if you can''t overpower your opponent with your attacks. Sure, you can use physical attacks but your enemy will likely kill you with something else."


    Bryan had thought that his physical combat was his best. It was the go-to method for those who lived in the streets. But of course, that was up against humans. Mages are different, in terms of endurance and power.


    As he realized how important it was to know the basics, he understood the reason why Mavislin kept asking him for his background.


    "Well, we will expand about it when we get back. For now," said Mavislin, going towards Rie, who was still out.


    She then flicked the bu??erfly''s forehead. The girl woke up in a panic, realizing that she was bound.


    "Calm down. We are not here to kill you. Hopefully..." said Mavislin, eyes darting elsewhere when saying the last part.


    "With you using my face to stamp the floor, I would think otherwise! And what''s with the ''hopefully''?!" yelled Rie as she glared daggers at Mavislin.


    "I''d slice your tongue if you don''t stop screaming like that," bellowed Mavislin as her eyes glowed red.


    "As if! I''m being kidnapped here!" screamed Rie as she wiggled around.


    "I need you alive to tell me what is going on. But if I can''t get anything out from you," said Mavislin, getting closer to Rie.


    The Valkyrie gripped thin air as the Emerald Wave Sword appeared in her opened palms.


    "I''ll dispose of you instantly."


    Rie gulped as she saw the outline of the infamous Ancient Relic. But she refused to say a word. Two things were hanging by the balance for Rie. If she confesses and explains to them what was going on, she might get killed by her boss. And her child wouldn''t get the support he needs.


    The second one would be that she risks keeping quiet and test Valkyrie''s temper. She''ll end up dying as well. And she''ll be leaving her baby alone to the foreign world. She hated being abandoned so she won''t be letting him live alone But she was so torn.


    As Mavislin was getting impatient, she raised the sword and prepared to give the death sentence.


    "Wait! Maybe, we''ll give her some time? And probably untie her?" asked Bryan, showing a rare form of kindness.


    Mavislin paused and craned her neck to see Bryan''s face with confusion in her look. If this was a comedy, Bryan would''ve started laughing.


    "You. Want me. To untie. The enemy. That nearly killed you?" asked Mavislin, blinking her eyes.


    "Yes. I don''t think she is comfortable in that position."


    "Have you forgotten what she wanted to do to you while you were holding me? Are you weak in your upper stories? I don''t expect her to be comfortable either. I need her to speak the truth, about what is going on here."


    "Yea, but I don''t think she would answering any question if you are going to torture her!" protested Bryan, pointing at the bounded bu??erfly.


    "If she continues to be silent, that would be a great idea. Besides, Valkyrie can heal at alarmingly high speeds."


    "Boss! Please don''t. If not, we won''t get what we need. Just, give her some time to calm down. And she will talk."


    "If I do, will you let me live?" asked Rie, finally opening her mouth.


    "Yes. But you are welcome to challenge me if you want an early grave," spat Mavislin, looking at Rie''s pathetic position.


    "I need to live. For the sake of my child. I want him to grow up like a normal child. I don''t want him to get involved with any Magecraft. He is fully human, but he is in critical danger," explained Rie, looking at Mavislin with determined eyes.


    "So, will you cooperate with us?" asked Mavislin, shaking her sword slightly.

 Chapter 306 - The Ark Of An Accord

    "Boss! I think she might be scared," whispered Bryan, into the Valkyrie''s ears.


    "Yes, I am not a plank of wood. Any person looking at her now would know that she is scared. I''d be more furious if she wasn''t," whispered Mavislin.


    "If it means that you''ll leave me be and let me take care of my child. And I won''t challenge you anymore. I will never cross paths with you anymore," pleaded Rie, shaking with fear.


    The thought of her dying here and leaving her baby alone is the worst feeling that she ever felt. She''d rather get punched by Mavislin a few dozen times than have this sick feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach.


    The Valkyrie looked at Rie''s eyes. She wasn''t scared of dying at all. She was terrified that no one would take care of her child. The fear shared by all mothers... to not be there for your child. It must have been hard to be so desperate to protect her child.


    Mavislin relaxed her face from her fierce look and sighed. She reminisced on how Ysabeau was constantly worried sick when she ran away from home. She then gave a gentle smile at the poor bu??erfly.


    "Listen, I''m not oblivious to the fact that you are doing this because you are forced to. But I need you to know that I''m not messing around when I demanded to know what is going on. I am willing to help you. I''m not all that evil as you think I might be," explained Mavislin, with a gentler tone.


    Rie widened her eyes as she looked into the Valkyrie''s. She teared up as it reminded her of that Gladiator that took care of her. It reminded her of how that Gladiator promised young Rie that no matter where she was, the Valkyrie would always be looking after her.


    "Rest ?ssured, I will not harm you after you''ve given me the information. That won''t be a good appreciation gift. You are a Mage as well, so I won''t be killing you anytime soon. With that out of the way, is it alright for you to tell me what is going on?" asked Mavislin.


    "Yes, I will tell you what you need to know."


    The Valkyrie sighed as she withdrew her invisible sword. She then plopped herself down onto the hard ground. And gestured Bryan to do the same. With the two Mages sitting down, cross-legged, Rie tried to sit up to tell her side of the situation.


    But, she was still bound. Mavislin quickly realized and unbound her by snapping fingers. The ropes seemed to have a mind of their own as they loosened but did not fall off. The Valkyrie then had a very fun idea. She shrunk back to her child form and sat in the middle of Bryan''s legs.


    "What are you doing, Mavislin?" asked Bryan, shyly as she plopped down.


    "Getting comfy, I love storytime!" cheered Mavislin, smiling.


    "I''m confused... I don''t recall Valkyries being able to revert to child form," said Rie, scratching her head.


    "This isn''t my true form, so I can change my age if I need to."


    "You''ll get used to it..." said Bryan, sighing as he gently patted the Valkyrie''s head.


    "Explain to us what happened. I want to know why are the girls being kidnapped and why are they having experiments here. You should be well aware that such experiments are strictly illegal since you are kidnapping human subjects against their will," said Mavislin.


    It was hard for Rie to imagine those words coming out from a small child''s mouth. Then again, this child was the last of the Valkyries. And a few minutes earlier, had the strength to knock the bu??erfly out.


    "And if I feel that you are truly honest and not hiding anything else, I will help you to take care of your child. I am sure that there is a way to save your kid and have you hold him again. We''ve got an accord?" asked Mavislin, extending her hand.


    Rie nodded and grasped the young child''s hand.


    "Yes, we''ve got an accord."


    "This place isn''t just for experiments or kidnapping. This place, in recent times, has transformed into more of a breeding ground. Yes, this place still does experiments but on children instead," explained Rie, looking at Mavislin.


    "And you let your kid be experimented on over here? I don''t get your logic, woman," asked Bryan, tilting his head.


    "More accurately, this place is doing experiments on pregnant women to indirectly change the outcome of their babies. They affect the breeders to affect the new generation. They don''t really do too much to the kids. The babies who are girls become breeders themselves."

 Chapter 307 - The Ark Of Breeders

    "The guys will help with the breeding while kidnapping more girls or just getting supplies. And once the women complete their last phase, the doctors kill them off. That part I am not too sure, since I''m not that sector."


    "Then what is your main thing to do?" asked Mavislin.


    "To kidnap more girls since there was been a slight change. There are more guys than girls for now. Since the person in charge is going through the breeders at an alarmingly fast rate we need to get outsiders as well."


    "But why do you need so much? Women can give birth quite a lot.," asked Bryan.


    The two females in the area looked at him with confused and amused faces.


    "And, how did you come about that piece of information?" asked Mavislin, tugging on his shirt.


    "There was a woman near the place that I lived who had over ten children. I don''t know the exact ones since she gave a few kids away. They were quite poor."


    "Is she a trading cart? For babies?" asked Mavislin.


    "Nevermind that, how about the women in this place? Why are they being killed off just because they gave birth once?" asked Bryan, trying to shift the topic back to Rie.


    "Here the catch, the person in charge is a bit off the wagon. He thinks that women are a one-use sort of thing. Once they have given birth, he orders them to die. He believes that the first one will be the only one to continue for the breeders. That they will have the best results."


    Bryan instinctively placed his arms in front of Mavislin, as a small way of shielding her from Rie. Mavislin didn''t think too much as she loved the warmth.


    "So, what you are telling us... Is that the women you''ve kidnapped are made to be breeders? And their babies that are females get to replace them as well?" asked Bryan, trembling on the last few words.


    "Affirmative. It sounds terrible, I know that."


    "Then why would you agree to it? They are torturing and forcing women to go through pains that they didn''t deserve. You are a mother yourself, but that is by your own will. Don''t you feel any guilt for doing so?" asked Bryan, shaking his head.


    Rie clenched her fists and bit her lips. She knew what was the risks involved but she never once thought about how the victims felt. Had she been one of them, she would feel nothing but anger for herself.


    "I have no choice, he said that he would cure my baby. He developed a fever when he was less than six months old. He is turning one soon, and I like him to be alive to see that."


    "So you decided to take away those innocents lives to fuel your kids'' life? What kind of a sick trade is that?" asked Bryan, as he slowly got angrier.


    Mavislin quickly hugged him to calm the Slayer down. He looked at her softly like how would comfort a child. But he needed to get the information pounded into Rie''s face. That just because if single life, she had no right to take those girls away for such horrible treatments.


    "I was only doing what any mother would do! I didn''t know where to go, and I''ve been working here way before I had this kid. So the only thing I could do was to find a cure and to cooperate with my workplace for them to do so."


    "Don''t give me such a lousy excuse! Those girls have mothers as well! Who are you to take them away for such selfish reasons?!" said Bryan, trying his best not to attack.


    "I know! I know it''s wrong now, I was just so scared of losing my own kid! I love him, and I promised that I would do anything to cure him. He said that he would cure my baby, so long as I did what I am told to do. To continue kidnapping to find a cure."


    "When was the last time you saw your child?" asked Mavisklin, finally getting a say.


    "Not since I''ve brought him here," murmured Rie, softly.


    "This might be bold of me to say, but... Do you still think that your kid is still alive?" asked Mavislin, slowly.


    Rie was taken aback by the Valkyrie''s blunt words. She knew that he hasn''t woken up because it was to slow his fever down. But the fact that he was deceased did not occur in Rie''s mind. Now, the thought of death was dangerously near.


    "Because no normal human can without having a fever for nearly six months. Especially an infants The mortality rate is too high. Unless he''s Mage, there''s no way he could survive for this long."

 Chapter 308 - The Ark Of The Opposing Party

    Rie was silent as she tried to recollect her feelings and thoughts. This was when Mavislin knew she had to turn the conversation another way, lest Rie lashes out again.


    "If I''m not wrong, this place has been doing the breeders for how long?" asked Mavislin.


    "For about a few years, but it wasn''t always like that. This place has been functioning ever since the Congregation fell. We''ve been under the radar because we only took those that opposed the authorities. We work well with the Kings, in the beginning."


    "You used the opposition parties to do experiments, right?" asked Mavislin, as her eyes darkened.


    Rie nodded solemnly. Bryan felt shivers down his spine as he recalled being in the cross-fire in the early days of the Arks and the humans. Trying to fit during that period was hell on earth. A period where no one could trust anyone. But he did not know about the opposition parties.


    "What were the opposition parties?"


    "They were the few groups of humans that protested and rioted about being governed by the Underworld. They were the ones that refused to allow the Five Kings to rise. At first, they declared war on us Mages when we made the Arks."


    "They had just taken down the Congregation after so many decades and another one was forming again. They hated the fact that we wanted to live amongst them. So, they protested and tried attacking the Old Chapel."


    "Which human would have the right mind to challenge a being that can make the sun appear in their faces? That''s when they switched target and aimed their pitchforks at the Five Kings instead."


    "But, you were the one who founded the Five Kings, right?" asked Bryan, looking down at Mavislin.


    "At that time, no. I was not the one who pulled the Five Kings together. That was the head of the Knights, Baldwin. He had some ties within the Underworld and decided it was better to ally with them to help blend Mages in easily."


    "It''s hard to think that Sir Noble would be able to work with anyone who wasn''t a Mage."


    "Believe me, it was a nightmare for both Mages and humans at the start. He had a hard time with working with Mages, let alone humans. Gillian told him that he was better off jumping from the cliff behind the old Congregation."


    "That wasn''t very nice of him, Sir Noble must have been angry."


    "Stubbornly angry as the next day, he sent out a message to look for Minwoo. The future Marquess of the Campania. It was the very first time the Old Chapel had humans around."


    "Then, you''ve got nothing to do with the Five Kings, then?"


    "But I was the one who continued to handle matters under the guidance of Baldwin. After a few years, a year before the Umbra incident, I could decide independently for the Five Kings. As in, Baldwin gave me full permission to activate the Five Kings if the need arises."


    "This also grants me the direct command for the Five Kings. Basically, the Kings answer to me now. I can order them to activate their Domains to prepare for war if need be. And my Ark is the only one that can help them without asking permission from Gillian."


    "That explains why during the Umbra incident your Ark was the only present. The others did not help at all, because you never asked?" asked Bryan, trying to guess the past.


    "No. I had a big fight with Ysabeau and Gillian about the Umbras incident and chose to run away. That''s when I did my own sting operation under the radar and against Gil''s direct instructions. It cause a whole mess since we were late to find out that Benjamin had appeared."


    "More correctly, Benjamin had been in Minwoo for the longest of time, ever since he was in the Five Kings. But back to the point, I operated without their permission. It was only when Benjamin came into the picture that Gillian asked for Z and Baldwin to help."


    "Ah, now I know why the High Queen was going quite harsh on your during that training."


    "That has got nothing to do with the running away part. She has been always merciless and strict when it comes to duels. Anyway, once the opposition parties laid their fingers on the Five Kings," said Mavislin, turning to look at Rie.


    "The Kings handed the whole gang to us," continued Rie, agreeing with Mavislin.


    "More specifically, they challenged Minwoo. All 500 of them. They were armed with different ranges of weapons while Minwoo was armed with the two katanas that Bryan is using. And guess who came out on top," said Mavislin, shaking her head as she remembered that scene.

 Chapter 309 - The Ark Of The Kings Victims

    Finding Minwoo standing in the middle of the town''s square with 500 bodies laying around wasn''t her typical day of work. She was merely patrolling for the afternoon when she came across Minwoo''s body count for the day.


    "Sorry, darling. I made quite the mess," said Minwoo, smiling at the Valkyrie.


    "Don''t apologize to me, wait ''til Baldwin gets this. This is not amusing," replied Mavislin, shaking her head in disapproval.


    And it wasn''t funny when Minwoo got scolded upside-down by Baldwin for making such a commotion when the whole thing about the Five Kings was supposed to be under the radar. They were made to be called the Five Kings of the Underworld for a reason.


    At that time, Vernice was still crawling around and playing with her toys. Her mother, the previous Duchess, was working with the Marquess of the Compania, Minwoo. Gab wasn''t even in the picture and Yan had just been recruited by Ashley. Li Ling would only join after a month later.


    When news about both Minwoo and Five Kings became the talk of the Domains, people came flocking in to apply to be one of the Kings. But, when they found out the Mages were a slight part of this, they backed out. One of them was Gab''s father. He hated the Mages.


    But when he saw how Mavislin handled playing with Gab as a young child, his heart opened up. But when tragedy struck, he endorsed Mavislin to take care of his heavily pregnant wife. That''s why Mavislin felt that she had failed him. But Gab did not feel that way and joined the Five Kings.


    After that, Yan came into the picture as an ?ssassin to kill off the Valkyrie. But after beef goulash and some happy Valkyrie vibes later, he got coaxed into joining the Five Kings as well. With the title of being the Earl to the Teuton Domain. This enraged Ashley and prompted the two to quarrel.


    He was the main reason why the graveyard had to shift, he was the one who destroyed it. This incident overlaps with the rise of the experiments within the Albion Domain. Rie was one of the few Mages that was around, but she doesn''t remember about that.


    Rie could only recall when she was rounded up to do some experiments for a large sum of money. She had been wanting a job to sustain herself and still hide her powers. Minwoo accepted those kinds of people so she jumped onto the offer straight away.


    She had no ties with the Kings, whatsoever. Thus, she did not who was Ashley as she was working as a bar girl in one of the brothels he damaged.


    "But that wasn''t a killing spree. All Minwoo did was knock them out. He was human but with good reflexes and the strength of an ox. He then handed them to us. His exact instructions were quite grim, not the cheerful fellow he is meant to be," said Rie, remembering what Minwoo declared.


    His words were created quite a lasting impact on the preexisting members that worked in the facility. And he knew what his next move was before anyone could ?ssume. He seemed so... Misleading. His face would show kindness but his mouth spat out words of venom.


    Rie remembered how it was her first day as she encountered Minwoo during that order. Then place was meant for prisoners, those who had committed crimes that were worthy of inhumane punishments. But these 500 were the first that Rie would experiment on.


    And later, Minwoo treated the new members to a feast at the Campania.


    "What did he declare?" asked Bryan, genuinely interested to hear such things about Minwoo.


    He had always thought that the Korean White Rat was merciful. But that''s because he wasn''t very close to him. And Minwoo did die down on his toxicity by the time he meant Bryan, so there''s that.


    "He declared that those humans he brought to us were not humans anymore. He demanded us to treat them like nothing but bags of flesh and bones for the better of humanity. He wanted us to see them as test subjects. With each of their humanity stripped, we began experimenting."


    "Until the new person took charge. Then, we switched to create the perfect counter serum for poisons. To be precise, the antidote for a plant is called ''Bella Donna''. He then focused on getting girls from the Red Light District to fund the experiment while asking the Masters for financial help."

 Chapter 310 - The Ark Of The Magecraft Gene

    "And for how long have you guys switched to using girls?" asked Mavislin.


    "Around the same time, we heard the Corrupted One was active. It was before the initial launch and attack of the Umbras. We used the confusion during that period to kidnap more women but it blew our cover."


    "So, am I right to say that you have been with them since the start of the facility?"


    "Correct. But I only stayed on because of work and wanted to quit after some time. But that''s when my baby got sick. He promised me that he could keep my baby alive while we continued finding more test subjects to find the cure."


    "Do you truly believe that he is still alive?" asked Mavislin, for a second time.


    Rie looked down as she was afraid to see the truth. She wanted to continue to believe in the lie she was told. She then looked at Bryan and something hit her.


    "I remember who you are! I couldn''t recall but now it''s as clear as day. You look like one of the doctors over here," said Rie, abruptly.


    "Hey! Don''t try to change the topic! I ask you if you still think that your kid is still alive!" protested Mavioslin, pouting after her outburst.


    "I do think that he is still alive! But the doctor who attends to him looks like you, Bryan, right?" asked Rie, trying to confirm his name.


    "Yep, that would be my name. From what I know, my mother has no blood relation to me whatsoever. And I don''t recall having any siblings," said Bryan, trying to remember his non-existent family tree.


    "Oh yea, you are adopted, right?" asked Mavislin.


    Bryan nodded.


    "Perhaps, you''ve got a sister you don''t know?" asked Rie.


    "It''s highly plausible since you are a Human Mage. Maybe they kicked you out or something. It''s quite common for Human parents to give birth to kids with powers and abandon them later," said Mavislin, going back to her m?tur? tone.


    "Valkyrie, enlighten me," asked Rie, looking at Mavislin.


    "Call me Mavislin. I don''t like being called as if I''m some animal."


    "Mavislin, do you think that Magecraft can skip generations? Like if a generation gets powers but the next doesn''t?"


    Mavislin placed an index finger on her chin and closed her eyes. She had heard of this topic before when Raiyen and Z were yelling at each other about it. It was a conversation turned into an argument on where Raiyen''s origins were.


    "That''s possible since certain Magecraft goes by blood. Especially so for Lost Elements. But for Magecraft to skip generations would be rare but not out of the realm of possibility. But the chances are even lower if Mages mixed with humans too much."


    "What do you mean?" asked the two, Rie and Bryan.


    "The same way you add salt into a soup every few hours. The soup will eventually turn very salty. That''s what I meant by ''mixed in''."


    Bryan was lost.


    "From what I learned, all beings have something called ''features''. Like, that''s what makes an individual themselves. Raiyen calls it ''Genes''. Now, both humans and Mages have something called Recessive and Dominant Genes. In this case, I''ll make things simpler for you two."


    "Genes can be like your facial features like the color of your hair and eyes. Sometimes, it can be like sugar level, if you have lower or higher than the average. Are you two clear with this?"


    It sounded as if the child was teaching two ?du?ts the fundamentals of genetics. The two students nodded.


    "Alright, I will name the one we are talking about the ''Magecraft Gene''. Now, this Gene has two types; Dominant and Recessive. Positive and Negative. The chance to have powers and the chance to not have them. All Pure Mages possess Dominant Magecraft Genes."


    "If the kid does not have powers, that child would still have the Magecraft Gene, both the Dominant and Recessive one as mentioned but it chose to be the Recessive one. Meaning, negative to having powers."


    "It''s like hiding in him, but will not manifest in him, most likely in the next generation. But this has to be after a few generations of mixing with humans. With this in mind, a Mage and a human getting along and giving birth would have a 50 percent chance to get a kid with powers."


    "This kid with powers, can he be as strong as the Pure Mages?" asked Rie.


    "He could if he is well-trained since birth. Some human-born Mages are abnormally powerful. One of the founders of the Arks and the leader of the Vigilante, Raiyen, is a human-born Mage. Though he loves stating that he is a Time Mage."


    "For what reason he wants to show that off?"

 Chapter 311 - THe Ark Of Passing Down Powers

    "It was to convince me to bring his homeless backside to my house for a good hot meal. And to prevent Ysabeau from beating the crap out of him."


    "Was it foolproof?"


    "It was since we found out that his father is an actual Time Mage and his mother is a pure human. But his mother was a pr?st?tut?, so it was hard to tell if she''s got Magecraft in her. Apparently, as an infant, his father dragged the poor baby for Time travels, exposing him to Time Magecraft."


    "However, the bad side about this is the physical capabilities of the human body. Compared to the Mages, your bodies are very frail. If I were to force my powers into your small body, your organs will implode."


    "Is it that bad?" asked Bryan, worriedly.


    He took a big gulp of air as he concentrated on his breathing.


    "That''s if I force it on you. In due time and training, you''ll learn to balance between what you can or cannot handle. And there is no skill cap, so long as you pace yourself correctly and constantly. Learning how to breathe is a great start," said Mavislin, gently comforting the man.


    "So, what would be the flip side of the earlier scenario? If the kid does not get powers."


    "Let''s say, the kid has no powers and he gets together with a human to create another kid. This kid will have a 25 percent chance to get powers. If you continue the line with more humans, the lower the chances for a Mage to be born. This makes the Magecraft Gene a Recessive type but it can become Dominant. But even for a single percent chance, it is still a chance."


    "And that single percent chance can change the following generation, since the percentage as returned to its full 100 percent with that one kid. This means that the cycle continues with dividing again. 100, 50, 25, and so on. Even a fraction could still turn the tide around."


    "Remember, even if the kid does not have any powers, that child is carrying the Gene to have powers but just it''s being repressed. That''s why I mention skipping generations can be a possibility but it is very rare. But there are still some chances mixed in there, with the odds stacked high."


    "But that single percent chance has never happened before, right?" asked Rie, with sad eyes.


    "I''d say ''rare'', not impossible. You are looking at a single percent chance right here," said Mavislin, tilting her head.


    "Me?" asked Bryan, since the Valkyrie was looking at him.


    "If you must know, I dug around your past. You are the direct descendant of Z, which explains why you can use the Element of Constellations. That is a derivative of the Lost Element, Galaxian Element. And Lost Elements are not something you can wake up and find that you have."


    "Most likely, one of your real parents is a direct descendant of Z but has the Recessive Magecraft Gene. And the other parent might have been from a background of Mages as well. I was confused until he told me what happened."


    "But, I''ll wait when we get back. He should tell you in person. Because I am one of the youngest in the Arks. The seniors are hundreds of years older than me. Whatever they have done in the past is none of my concern. What is my worry now is this situation."


    "How about the other way around? If the kid who has no powers gets married to a Mage, will the offspring have a higher chance of having powers?" asked Bryan, trying to figure out how genetics work.


    "Hold, on, so Magecraft can''t be taught? The individual must have a ''Gene'' to use Magecraft?" asked Rie.


    "There have been some special cases before, but usually that is the normal way. Magecraft can only be passed down by blood or if a Mage willingly passes their power to another individual. But the latter results in some nasty side effects."


    "The only special cases are the ones that Mages transferred their powers into humans for emergency reasons. So far, only one has ever been reported on my end."


    "So, does blood transfusion count?" asked Rie.


    "Affirmative. But, the reason why it is not common is because of the mortality rate. The human body is quite feisty, it rejects blood that is seen as a threat. And worst of all, if the human''s physical endurance is too low, the body will convulse instantly."


    "This method was endorsed during the height of the Congregation. Makes you wonder if the humans were right to see us as monsters."


    "Then that means I''ve been lied to..." said Rie, hanging her head in shame.

 Chapter 312 - The Ark of The Poisoned Child

    "This place gives me the creeps. Why is it so quiet?" asked Gab, opening a heavy metal door.


    "Judging by the fact we cleared the area''s guards I won''t be surprised that we would be alone here for a while. However, it is odd that no backup has arrived," replied Ysabeau, stepping into the room.


    It was much larger than the Quadruplets pod room but there was only a single container at the back of the room. It was like a cylindrical container filled with purple liquid. A silhouette of a figure was prominent in it but it was hard to tell.


    The room was illuminated by that cylinder since the liquid was glowing. Tubes danced throughout the area and the heavy smell of chemicals wafted around them. There was an operating table beside the container. Glass flasks were strewn everywhere as Ysabeau neared the main attraction.


    And on the other side of the attraction was a large cupboard that had a glass door. In it were several sharp tools and more flasks. But the flasks were empty. The place looked old but the instruments on the operating table stated that someone was coming in here.


    "These are all poison. Many different types of poisons. Some of these aren''t native to the Domain. Whoever collected this must be a very frequent traveler. If I hadn''t known better, I would''ve thought this was my lab," commented Gab as he took a flask to inspect it.


    There were Water Hemlocks in the glass flask, still in its plant form, though it has been cut. One of the most toxic plants within the kingdom. Whoever eats will definitely die a horrible death. He looked by its side, a flask full of Castor Beans, another poisonous plant.


    A large cauldron caught his eyes as he turned to look at Ysabeau. She was standing still as her palm was placed onto the glass of the cylinder. She felt her heart race and her palms sweat. Her eyes widened as she took a closer look at the child. Gab didn''t notice it and investigated the cauldron.


    The cauldron was filled with small berries. They were black, around the size of a blueberry but slightly bigger. He took one out and rolled it between his index finger and thumb. He then crushed it and placed it near his nose.


    "Bella Donna. Deadly nightshade. Looks like someone has an unhealthy addiction to these berries."


    His eyes then caught onto another tube, just beside the operating table. It was connected to a large, rounded glass flask. The glass flask was half-filled with dark-reddish black liquid. Another tube was sticking out from the flask and was connected to the cylindrical container.


    It was only then Gab found Ysbeau immersed in looking at the giant thing. He took a few steps towards her, but he halted as he saw what was going on. He was horrified to find an incapacitated child within the confines of the cylinder.


    And to add salt into the wound, the tube that he had been following was being injected directly into the kid''s bloodstream.


    "Gab..." said Ysabeau, looking at Gab with tears in the corner of her eyes.


    The child was completely n?k?d, it was a male. He was b?r?ly old enough to have hair, but the color was pink. It looked malnourished, common for test subjects. His skin was a sickly purple. There was no way in this realm that the kid was still functional.


    Upon closer inspection, the kid looked the same age as Kai. It struck terror and fear into Gab''s hearty while Ysabeau entered into her panic mode as her vision blurred. She slumped down, her palm sliding down the cylinder.


    Gab had to choke back his tears as he concluded that it was poison being injected into that baby''s bloodstream. But unlike Ysabeau, he was still clear-headed as he tried finding the other tubes which were impaling the kid like some human pincushion.


    Unfortunately, everything that the kid had hooked up to him was poison. Different types, most were very toxic. But it seems that the kid is still alive since his ?h?st was still moving. His face seemed to be twisted in pain. But he was b?r?ly clinging on to whatever life is left of him.


    "He is a Mage. He is healing but he isn''t old or strong enough to fully cancel the dozens of poison circulating in him. He is suffering. He can''t die because he''s not old enough to control his healing powers, so his body is doing the work purely from instinct," explained Ysabeau, still hunched over.


    "Can he still be saved?" asked Gab, trying to save the situation.


    Ysabeau''s eyes widened as she heard those words. This man... Wants to save this child?! Sadness overwhelmed her as she abruptly started wailing.

 Chapter 313 - The Ark Of Ysabeaus Human Family

    "You are my pride and joy. You are my precious treasure. And I hope you will grow to be a strong, healthy girl. My little Jess. I will always love you, no matter if you have powers or not. Because you are my child."


    Those were the words Ysabeau could remember as she held her little girl in her arms. Her bundle of joy, which only lasted a brief period of time.


    At first, settling down on earth might be a mistake. She was so scared, everything seemed to be foreign to her. The humans didn''t seem friendly at all, talking about supernatural things being evil. Her wings were in bad shape since she had a bad crash.


    But that all changed when she met her husband and started her family.


    Over 500 years ago, Ysabeau touched down onto Earth. She met her husband, whom she had forgotten what his name was, on Earth. He was a human that knew about her secrets. Despite all of that, he loved her to the very end.


    Yes, once upon a time... This Bahamut truly thought Humans were kind creatures. She thought they were worth saving. But that changed after that night.


    She was living the prime of her life, recently married to the love of her life. They lived at a small rural side of the Campania, away from the main buzz of the area. Life was truly bliss as she constantly tended to her garden and cooked tasty meals for her love.


    They had neighbors as well. The first batch was understanding but it was when the generation started to pass over, then things started to go very wrong. Especially when a young woman moved next door, who was a previous admirer of her husband.


    She became good friends with Ysabeau since Ysabeau was a first-time mom. The villager gave good tips about motherhood.


    "So, you''ve got another baby on the way?" asked the woman, taking a peek at Ysabeau.


    "Correct. I thought it was just one of her mood swings, but she started vomiting. So, we suspect there''s another one coming."


    "There''s no need for suspicion. That baby bump can be seen from a mile away," joked the woman, pointing at Ysabeau.


    "True, she was quite big when we had Jess. I do hope the baby would be a bit smaller this time, she had such a hard time pushing."


    "Hey, have you heard? There''s some weird organization blooming in the main town," whispered that villager, who quickly remembered what she wanted to talk about.


    "Oh? What are they gathering for?"


    "Some type of people who can do miracles. They call themselves ''Mages''. They seem like a lively bunch since they''re parading all over town," answered the villager, who went by the name Alice.


    She spouted white hair, extremely rare for her age. From what Ysabeau knew, she was supposed to marry her husband but she got rejected. But she was good friends with Ysbeau beforehand, so everything was fine.


    "Ah, those people... They are quite fun to hang around, right?" asked Ysbeau''s husband, as he glanced at his wife.


    Ysabeau was busy cradling her baby in her arms, she had just finished feeding that hungry child.


    "Yes, but there''s something you need to know..." warned Alice as she gently cupped her hand onto his left ear.


    "This current village is under strict rule by the Church. They see all Mages as evil and spawn of Lucifer. Right now, the organization with the Mages has been boycotted by them. And they recently pledged a new campaign," whispered Alice, looking at Ysabeau.


    "And what would that be?" he asked.


    "A reward for killing any Mages found within the village."


    "That''s a nasty thing to do."


    "Yea. That''s not the only problem now. They are having raids on small villages like us, throwing some form of explosives on top houses. Basically causing havoc everywhere."


    "They label Mages as monsters while they throw bombs at their own kinds. How ironic."


    The baby in Ysabeau''s arms refused to sleep and was asking for her father. Ysabeau sighed as she went towards her husband. The kid instantly smiled and reached out for her dad.


    "Even though I''ve carried her for nine months, she still prefers you," pouted Ysbeau, jealous that her daughter was a daddy''s girl.


    "Don''t worry, the little boy in you would be a mommy''s boy," said her husband, touching Ysbeau''s belly.


    "How would you know that he would be a boy? It''s far too early, even if you7 were back in my homeland."


    "Trust me. Our baby girl is going be a big sister very soon..."


    He gave a hearty laugh as he lifted his only daughter into the air. She squealed with happiness as Ysabeau cooed. Alice stood there, left alone.

 Chapter 314 - The Ark Of The Hidden Child

    The woman felt anger and jealousy pulsate through her body. She clenched fists so hard that it drew blood. The husband looked at her and called her to say goodbye. She turned to wave goodbye and gave a smile to the couple as she walked back to her house.


    She took a few spare gemstones and headed to one of the old dens where fights grew awry. But as she walked halfway down the street, she thought of another thing to trade for instead. She rushed back to the house and opened a dark room.


    A little girl squinted at her, eyes trying to adjust to the sudden burst of light. Alice gritted her teeth as she started cursing and swearing at the girl. Alice kicked and punched her, over and over again. The child had already suffered a broken arm and leg.


    Her left eye was punched to blindness and her memories were all full of pain and suffering. Her brown eyes were void of any happiness and her black hair was messy and in disarray. She was indeed an unlucky child to be born out of wedlock.


    The only thing she wanted to do was to play with the baby next door, which she saw within the crack of the wall of her room.


    "You should never have been born! You are the reason why I couldn''t be with him! Just die already!" yelled Alice, giving the last kick to the child, who was sent flying to the back of the room.


    "Other women have husbands that love them... And I was cursed to have one who drinks and throws himself to other women. And I just had to be one of the flings, cursed with you... If you hadn''t occurred, I would still be with him!"


    "Now that damned Mage is with him! They''ve even got another kid! But I won''t let that child be born. I want them all dead. And you are going to help me in that," commanded Alice, as her face twisted into an eerie grin.


    The child convulsed and coughed out a broken tooth as she tried to stand up. Alice grew impatient and yanked the child up onto her feet.


    "This sunset is my turn to clean the well. And that man I met had something that could kill Mages once and for all. It should be potent enough to go through water and kill humans as well. But that man only wants payment through humans."


    "So, I''m gonna sell you away. You are nothing but a burden anyway."


    The child listened intently, she knew something bad was going to happen.


    "Where are we going?" asked a small child, who was being tied up by a rope.


    The young girl was being bound by her hands and had a metal chain running across her neck. Alice held a chain that was tied to the one on her neck, like walking a puppy around town. The kid was b?r?foot, her hair was all over the place. She was flea-ridden yet did not fully grasp the situation.


    "You finally brought me out in the day, at least tell me where we are headed to..." said the child pouting.


    "Be quiet! I did not permit you to talk!" yelled Alice as she harshly yanked the kid''s chains.


    Onlookers were all staring at her, whispering amongst themselves as they continued further. She was used to this, using her child as a child laborer. Most of the time, the poor child would be out at night to do unspeakable things. But that kid was strong and smart.


    They finally turned the corner at the end of the street. They met face to face with an old alley that had a door at the end of it. As they neared it, the door looked wooden and very ancient. Two torches were at each side of the door, making it look creepy.


    Alice pushed opened the door, making an eerie creaking sound as she did., The whole place was dark, the brightest thing was outside. The area had some form of lights, but they were candles. Overall the whole place was dimly lit and the child had a problem seeing where she was going.


    "So, you''ve decided to take up on my offer?" boomed a dark voice.


    Both females jumped. with both their heads turning to look at the figure who was at the back of the store. Alice went up to the hooded figure, who sat by the end of the store. He refused to put his hood down as he handed her a vial of dark liquid.


    "She is not human, how will I know that this works?" asked Alice, swirling the vial around.

 Chapter 315 - The Ark Of Finished Revenge

    "Take it or leave it. I do not like mindless and useless chatter with lowly scum like you," spat the figure.


    Alice clutched onto the chain and the vial. She then glanced down to the child, who was looking all over the place. It was the only short she has to finally end this suffering. She sighed and gave the man the chain.


    "Here, I will give you one more bottle, it''ll be for if the first time doesn''t work. The child looks quite worth," said the hooded figure, holding up another bottle.


    Alice sighed and took the extra bottle and placed it in her pocket. But before she could leave, the child took the second bottle away and stuffed it in her pocket. She didn''t notice a thing since she was so happy about dropping her child.


    Alice walked out of the store with the goods, excited, and ecstatic that she could finally do away with her enemy. She made a beeline with her neighbor''s well. It was soon time. But was met with Ysabeau, heading out for a run.


    Eager to plot her murder, she asked Ysabeau to stay for a bit.


    "Why are you so excited?" asked Ysabeau, giving a gentle smile.


    "I managed to make a whole batch of grape juice yesterday, so I want to pass you some," said Alice, hurrying into her house.


    She rummaged through her pantry and found the grape juice. She then popped a few drops of the poison into the juice and rushed out.


    "Try it!"


    Ysabeau finished it within a second.


    "It''s refreshing! Thanks!"


    With that Ysabeau ran off. With inhuman speed, she really needed to feel the rush of the winds.


    "Alice! Are you going to clean the well?" asked Ysabeau''s husband, while he was busy feeding the baby.


    "Yea! I''m going to clean it now," replied Alice as she locked her gate.


    After a while, Alice managed to clean the well and popped the vial into the well''s water. She grinned with villainous eyes. She then gave a large bucket to Ysabeau''s husband and child.


    "Why was Ysabeau so eager to get out?" asked Alice, as the husband held the bucket.


    "She went to stretch her wings and look for something. Turns out, she saw this little girl at the local eatery last night and wanted to find her. But, Ysabeau headed out mainly to stretch her wings."


    "You''ve got something to give her?" asked the husband.


    "I''ve already given her the thing I wanted her to try, but I was wondering why she dashed off so quickly."


    "She gets quite cramped, living in small human space. She said that living in such places made her very uncomfortable, so she loves transforming back to her old self in the barren lands behind us," explained Ysabeau''s husband.


    Alice went back into her empty house and slumped onto the chair. With her hands shaking, she knew she had to pretend once more. Enough to convince Ysabeau that it had been an accident. But all of a sudden, the ground shook. A man was running around, screaming.


    "They''re here, the bombers are here! Run!" cried the man.


    Alice rushed out and ran towards the main town. But halted when she heard a bomb blast. She fell forwards after getting blasted by the shockwave of a bomb. When she regained consciousness, she witnessed her house destroyed and covered with smoke and flames.


    She looked at Ysabeau''s house, which was also affected by the bomb. Alice rushed in but was stopped at the sight of the bodies. Ysabeau''s husband sat slumped over on the dining chair, with the baby in his arms.


    She knew that her revenge was complete, but she was feeling dread over the fact that she killed an innocent child. It shouldn''t affect her that much, right? She locked her own child in the darkness for more than years. A simple infant''s death should not weigh on her, right?


    Meanwhile, the child left in the care of the creepy hooded figure was now standing in the middle of the room. He had yet to take the chain. As the hooded figure drew to his height, the little girl made a run for it.


    "Damn it!" cursed the figure, giving chase to the brat.


    She dashed out and into the light. Her feet were badly bruised but she kept on running. She knew that the vial was going to cause harm, but she didn''t know how her mother was going to use it. She looked behind but the hooded figure was nowhere to be seen.


    That is until she knocked onto something. Or someone.


    "She gave me a menace.. What a dreadful day," mumbled the hooded figure, who grabbed the child by her neck and brought her to his height.

 Chapter 316 - The Ark Of The Beast That Save A Child

    "I am not like the others. I will make you into my lab rat to test out all the poisons of the world. And when I finally get to my goal of making the Corrupt Element into a virus, I will destroy Earth as well. So, I will give you hell for the next few years," threatened the man as he tightened his grip.


    "As if! My whole life is already hell, you won''t be able to beat that!" spat the child, with a grin.


    "Why you..."


    Suddenly, a roar rang throughout the area. The man stopped and released the child from his grasp. He had forgotten, the two of them had run out of the town that they were in. He looked around frantically, trying to figure out where they were.


    The place looked barren like they were somewhere foreign. There weren''t any signs of life around, nor any greenery. All, except for the roar they had heard earlier. He then shook his head and grabbed the child once more, trying to head back.


    "Release that child. NOW."


    Now, the voice sounded directly above him. He looked up and was met with the giant underbelly of the beast. The famed Bahamut that Alice had been talking about. The man was fearful as he refused to let the child go.


    "And let you eat her? No way!" shouted the man, trying to shield the child.


    But at this point, it was clear that the kid wanted to get away from the area. The Bahamut was fearsome, with its wings conjuring up a storm. Its roar could definitely be heard from the next continent away. It struck fear into the child but she was hopeful that the beast was better.


    "Release her at once. That is my final order."


    "No."


    "Then you leave me with no choice."


    The Bahamut landed onto the ground, kicking up a dust storm. The ground shook as it landed, with her claws digging into the dirt. It let out a final roar before baring its fangs at the hooded figure. The child had already lost her balance and was on sitting on her backside on the ground.


    She then looked around and saw the terrifying beast in front of her, who was busy scaring the man. But there was something awfully familiar with this creature. Especially the creature''s eyes and wings. She then recalled the people next door.


    It was the mother and child who she dreamed about playing with. As soon as she knew it, the little girl stood up and shouted.


    "Help me!" she hollered.


    The beast then stood on its hind legs and stretched its wings as far as it could. It p[pointed its snout into the air and let out a deafening roar. It shook the ground violently, making the area seem like it was going through an earthquake. But with all the bombs happening, no one could tell.


    The Bahamut''s eyes widened as it lashed out onto the man. The man drew out a large scythe and proceeded to face off the fearsome beats. Though the man was small compared to the Bahamut, it would seem that he had experience in killing these types of beasts.


    The two battled it in grand style, with both using some sort of Magecraft. The area was dazzled as the child watched on. Her mouth was agape as she tried to hold her excitement. It looked magical, even if she knew was a battle.


    But things were going to end soon as the Bahamut drew up to its and height and threw its head back. There was some form of light or energy that surrounded the Bahamut. Unknown to the child, it was an Elemental Aura. It was difficult for the child to see but now it was clear.


    "Battle Outfit: Topaz," chanted the Bahamut.


    It opened its snout and prepared to aim for the man. But the man was also prepared. The child freaked out but caught the Bahamut''s eyes. She was right, the voice and the eyes... They were all belonging to the mother next door.


    "One of the frontline Bahamuts, huh? Well, that doesn''t scare me too much. But it is it ?umbersome," complained the man.


    The man stood strong and spun his scythe, creating a makeshift windmill. It conjured up a nasty wind, making the child cough with all the dust scattered about.


    "Cascada; Third Moon..." said the man, as blue light gathered within his scythe windmill.


    "Topaz Wings..." growled the Bahamut.


    "Wave of the NIght."


    "Burst Of Flames!"

 Chapter 317 - The Ark Of The Child Next Door

    A giant fire beam shot out of the opened snout of the Bahamut. The water around the area dropped to create a large Water Element shield in front of him. By this point, the child was already tossed into fantasy land and anything goes for her. But it was still brilliant.


    She knew about the existence of Magecraft, after seeing Ysabeau''s wings a couple of times. But this was breathtaking. The fire and water collided, colors from the red and blue spectrum danced within her vision. But alas, the red overpowered the blue.


    This caused the man to be burned badly. A few seconds passed and he finally fell onto his knees. The Bahamut took a step forward, getting closer to the man. It merely stomped on the man. When it lifted its feet, the man was nothing but ashes.


    "That was the most pathetic battle I ever had. Especially against another Mage. What a waste of my time" complained the beast.


    With the man dead, the child got off from her bum and ran towards the beast. She kicked the ashes and went to hug the giant beast. This shocked the beast, having a foreign human girl hugging its tail.


    "Aren''t you afraid? I am a creature of destruction. I just killed someone in front of you," said the beast, confused out of its mind.


    "Yea, but you are also a mother, right? You are that mother next door! And you saved me, I was sold to that man."


    The beast froze and gently prided the child from its tail. It then transformed into a human form, revealing to be indeed Ysabeau. She still had her wings out.


    "How did you know who I was? And how did you know that I am a mother?" asked Ysabeau, as the child ran into her arms.


    "I saw you! I was in the other house. My mother locked me in a dark room for most of the day, but I saw you playing with a baby within a crack through the wall," said the child, burying her face into Ysabeau''s dress.


    "But the only one living beside us is Alice... I didn''t know that she had a child..."


    "Well, it''s the woman with white hair, right? She is my mother, but she says that I''m just a tool, not a child."


    Ysabeau nodded but she felt sick in the stomach. How can someone call their child a tool? She knew that Alice had a husband that loved the drinks more than his family but she had no clue Alice had a child. And was torturing the poor kid.


    "I saw you walking with a man a few nights ago... Why?" asked Ysabeau, crouching down to the girl''s height.


    Upon closer inspection, the child was most like about seven to eight years old. That woman hid this child for so long?! And she was covered by bruises from head to her b?r? little feet. Her clothes could hardly fit her and her hair was laced with lice.


    "He was just one of my mother''s clients. Usually, these clients pay them to perform s?xu?? acts with them. But I''m alright, most of them don''t beat me up like my mother."


    The child''s eyes lit up as she remembered what she heard from her mother. She then grabbed onto Ysabeau''s dress and tugged on it.


    "I just remembered! My mother sold me for few bottles of liquid. He said that it could annihilate Mages once and for all. I wanted to escape to tell you that. My mother wanted to poison the well but judging by the bombs, I don''t know if she made it on time," explained the child.


    Ysabeau shook her head. No way, The only one that could touch the well later would be Alice. And that''s her best friend. Right? Ysabeau smiled gently and patted the child on the top of her head.


    "I don''t think she has it in her to do such a thing..."


    "She locked me up and broke my bones! Please, we have to go!" yelled the little girl.


    "Open it! That is the same bottle that my mother bought! I managed to take an extra that she bought before she left the shop!"


    As Ysabeau popped it open, her mind whirled with the smell of poison. Atropa Bella Donna, otherwise known as Deadly Nightshade. It was growing wild around these areas, so it won''t be farfetched to get them.


    But why would Alice want to harm her family? It wouldn''t make any sense. But she looked at how honest the child was. And then it dawned on her; Ysabeau''s husband was Alice''s ex-boyfriend.. She had been a great girl until something happened and the two split.

 Chapter 318 - The Ark Of Sickening Feeling

    However, Ysabeau was naive and still believed that Alice would not commit such a crime. Especially not when Alice was Jess''s midwife. The two found a cultural shock when a Bahamut prefers to stand while giving birth.


    Another explosion caught them both off guard as the child lost her balance. Ysabeau''s wings instantly protected the child from the dust and debris. As she flapped her wings, the dust cleared. The two looked at the village, particularly their houses.


    All they could see was smoke and Ysabeau felt sick.


    "Please believe me!" yelled the kid.


    Ysabeau''s eyes widened as she remembered how she begged the Guards to strengthen their forces. A small child, running around screaming that the Husks had arrived, but no one bothered to look her way. In the end, the area was devastated and their homes were plunged into darkness.


    Now, faced with the same situation, but the roles were reversed. Had they actually cared, had they took action when believing in a child, her sister wouldn''t have been dead. Currently, it''s now Ysabeau''s turn to make the decision.


    The lives of her family hung in the balance. But unknown to her, whatever choice she made would be too late. Either the bombs or the poison would have done them in. That''s when she breathed and a sharp pain shot through her abdomen.


    She rushed back to her house, with that sickening feeling in her gut. The sun was setting as she dashed across the forest. When she arrived at her house, the whole thing looked destroyed. Her body trembled as she walked through the blasted door.


    Windows were smashed, the roof had already caved in. She found her husband and child, on the floor. Their bodies laid lifelessly on the ground. Alice was on her knees crying as she looked at Ysabeau with her tearful eyes.


    "I just got here as well. When I found them, they were already gone... I am so sorry. He was holding her in his arms, but there''s no bruise or wound anywhere," said Alice, sobbing.


    Ysabeau stood frozen still as she looked at the lifeless bodies of her family. Her mind whirled, her heart broke. Her anger flared and her powers soared up to the skies. She was beyond angry, she was livid. And inconsolable.


    "It wasn''t the bombs that did them in... It was the poison. You humans... Poisoned the well. You, humans, killed my family!" yelled Ysabeau as she could not stand it any longer.


    Her only wish was to have a family. She lost her sister in the war, her parents had been long gone way before. And, she was forced to go through another tragedy of seeing her family die. And of all times, she wasn''t there in their last moments.


    She wailed and screamed as she dropped onto her knees. She clutched onto her lifeless baby girl and begged to the heavens that she would wake up and laugh again. But looking at the child, anyone could tell that she was long gone.


    "Please! Just wake up for Mama, please..." sobbed the Bahamut as she cradled her baby in her arms.


    "She''s gone..."


    Something snapped within Ysabeau''s mind. Her neck turned and she looked at Alice straight in the eyes. The woman shivered. Ysabeau placed her child down, beside her husband.


    "You. Are. To. Blame," said Ysabeau, through gritted teeth.


    "What?" asked Alice, confused.


    "Don''t play dumb with me. You wanted to kill me. You saw my wings. You were the only one I showed my wings to, other than my husband. I saw you handing that child over as payment for that bottle. You knew that you had a bounty to gain on me. I trusted you."


    "That child was a godsend, she ratted you out. And she was your child. You sold your own child to get a poisoned vial to kill my family. What kind of sick mother are you?!" shouted Ysabeau, as her wings sprouted.


    "No, you don''t deserve to be a mother!"


    "That damned kid... I knew I should have killed her from the start!"


    "Why the hell would you do such a thing?! To even have a child... Just for the sake of using her to do your dirty work and then sell her off as a child slave... What the hell is wrong with you?!"


    ''Shut up! You know nothing about me!" shouted Alice, her face changing from innocent to madness.


    Ysabeau was stunned as she heard that. Alice then started pulling chunks of her hair out, freaking out Ysabeau. The Bahamut had her fair share of seeing prisoners of war go insane but this was offputting even for her.


    "Do you see these clumps?! I''ve been so stressed until these keep coming off!" shouted Alice, shaking the fallen locks.

 Chapter 319 - The Ark Of Lovely

    "You know nothing about my jealousy! Every single mother had a husband, father to their child! But what about me?! I''m forced to have a child that I did not ask for! I was taken advantage of by a guy who loved the drinks more than his family?!"


    "I never wanted the kid! I but I don''t want to die either! I tried everything to get rid of her, I drowned her, I burned her... Yet she was being saved all the time!"


    "You could have just given her away from the start!"


    "Do you really think that I didn''t try?! I tried selling her, and she came back! Do you know how difficult is it to raise a thing that you don''t want?! She is trash, she is nothing! No one wants her!"


    "She isn''t trash! She''s your only daughter! The only one person that you can count on because she looks at you as her role model! And you want to kill her?! She never did anything wrong, other than being born to a sick mother like you!" bellowed Ysabeau, spitting those words out.


    "And why does your hatred for your family become the fuel to hurt mine?! I trusted you, you guided me on what to do for the motherhood of humans... So why did you kill my family as well?!"


    Alice was taken aback by Ysabeau''s shift of questions. She then backed up and threw her head back. She started cackling, much to the annoyance and anger of Ysabeau.


    "You deserved it! Who the hell do you think you are?! Do you think you can just come in here and steal the man of my dreams?! It was all going well until you came along! Did you how much effort I put into trying to get him to love me?!" yelled Alice, who was filled with jealousy.


    "He never liked you! I only asked him to talk to you because you looked pitiful! And your way of trying to snatch him back is to kill him?!"


    "I wanted to kill you! And your whole family! If I couldn''t be with him, then no one can be with him. I-"


    Her words were abruptly cut as Ysabeau punched through her abdomen. She gurgled up blood and dropped dead. But Ysabeau took off to examine the water that her family had been drinking. She then convulsed and panicked as she felt a sharp pain stabbed into her abdomen.


    Blood was gushing out from in between her legs. She knew what was happening. And she knew Bahamuts can withstand a poison as simple as Deadly Nightshade, so something else was in there in the mix.


    Corrupted Liquid, someone had spiked that vial with the Element of Corruption. The Element had been watered down but it was still giving side effects to the Bahamut. The inability to keep her child within her. Ysabeau widened her eyes. If she doesn''t destroy the infected child within her...


    The small child from earlier finally caught up with the convulsing Bahamut. She dashed across the room, just in time to catch Ysabeau''s head from colliding with the floor.


    "What''s wrong?! Why are you bleeding from there?" asked the small child, cradling Ysabeau''s head and neck.


    "It''s my baby... I''m a few months pregnant. I drunk that grape juice that your mother gave me, it must have been laced with the same poison," explained Ysabeau, as she began to take deep breaths.


    "He''s gone..." said Ysabeau, with tears forming in her eyes.


    Ysabeau gripped onto the child''s wrist, shocking the kid. The child was trying to wipe away the grieving mother''s tears as she listened to what Ysabeau had to say.


    "What is your name?"


    "Lovely Ann."


    " ''Lovely''? That''s a beautiful name and I know you are a strong kid."


    "I''m just a kid, I ain''t that strong."


    "You were strong enough to survive without your parents. Without any guidance. You braved the impossible and no child should ever have to go through that. And you were so happy to see me. And you still helped me."


    "You''re not like others. You are the kindest mother I''ve ever met. You don''t beat your kids and you love your husband. And I was too late, your family is gone as well."


    "No, you were the best at this task. You weren''t late. It was I. But I need you to do one more favor for me.. I''m sure that the brave and courageous Lovely Ann could pull this off," said Ysabeau, with a smile.

 Chapter 320 - The Ark Of Broken Heart

    Lovely let out her few more tears before sharply inhaling. She then gripped Ysabeau''s hand.


    "What do you need me to do?" asked Lovely, still sobbing.


    "I need you to take my claw and stab it into my wound. Basic instinct forbids me from doing that, so I need you to help me," said Ysabeau, as she stuck out her right arm.


    Her human hand then morphed and returned to its original form. A huge hand made out of bumpy lizard skin. It was child-sized, so Lovely could easily hack her hand. It was around the size of her real arm. The problem was that she couldn''t.


    "There''s a butcher knife over there, it should be enough to cut it off. Don''t worry, I got the skills to regenerate a single hand."


    Lovely nodded her head and placed Ysabeau down on the floor. She rushed to find the knife and got back, still heavily breathing. She then bit her lip and hacked off the hand.


    "Alright. You got it. Now, hack off a claw and stab that sucker into my w?mb. I don''t have much time, I''ll explain it to you later," said Ysabeau, as she felt the Corrupt Element awakening in her.


    Lovely did as she was told. She quickly chopped the claw off. She grabbed it with shaky hands and stabbed Ysbeau''s w?mb. The Bahamut let out a screeching wail, alerting the authorities nearby. But it lasted a second, and bombings were still occurring.


    "So, the infection has stopped?" asked Lovely, still scared.


    Worst of all, that poison must have damaged her w?mb. So, she felt that she would be infertile for the rest of her life. But even if so, after this painful experience, would she still have the courage to have kids again?


    Ysabeau kept crying as the small child tried her best to comfort the grieving mother. Lovely was starting to cough as she patted Ysabeau on the back. The Bahamut managed to pick up another scent as well. She wiped her tears and was horrified.


    Lovely was coughing out blood as well. Now the roles were reversed as Ysabeau caught the child in her arms.


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t know that you were poisoned as well," murmured Ysabeau, unable to help the poor child.


    "It''s alright, I got my wish of meeting you... The fight was so beautiful... Thank you..."


    As quick was their greeting, so was their farewells as the life went out from the child''s eyes. This was Ysabeau''s breaking point. She snapped badly, transforming to her original form. Even if she had killed the murderer, there was nothing she could do. The dead can''t rise anymore.


    Her mind had broken out of sadness and despair as she stomped throughout the main town. She went on a rampage to kill every human she saw. There was no stopping her, bombs were definitely useless against the Bahamut''s tough skin.


    She wanted to believe that humans were good at heart but after what Alice had done to her, she lost it. She could not see humans as good and now her mind was hard-wired to see them as enemies. But of course, this will alert the authorities.


    But they are not going to send humans after a Bahamut. No, that would be an early death sentence. Instead, they were going to ask the Mages for help to soothe the raging Bahamut. And they''ve decided to send their best Mage. A single being that came from one of the strongest worlds.


    "Well, it has been a while since I got to test out my powers. Especially against such a formidable creature," said the Mage that was called forth.


    "Make sure you are going to subdue it. Don''t kill it, it''ll make yourself a bad mascot for all the other Mages," ordered another Mage, as he looked out of the window.


    The Bahamut was in sight but the Mages needed to move it away. If they had the fight within the town, who knows how many human lives would be on the line. The Bahamut seemed to be unaware of its surroundings as it stomped into another Domain.


    "Looks like you''ve caused quite the commotion, fearsome beast..." said a very handsome man that stood right in front of the Bahamut''s tracks.


    He had a long black coat on with a white top and black pants. It was unusual to see that form of wear on humans so he must be a Mage.. He had a pale complexion and tall, muscular built.

 Chapter 321 - The Ark Of Aki Vs Bahamut

    The man was quite the looked with his short hair and dazzling eyes. But that did not deter a raging Bahamut one bit. It gave out another roar and prepared to charge at the Mage.


    "At least let me introduce myself!" yelled the man as it was met with the Bahmut''s Fire Beam.


    To its horror, the man merely stood there and took the spell with his b?r? hands. Impossible, that was the same spell that turned the other Mage into ashes. Was there another Mage that could standoff against it?! The Bahamut stopped the fire.


    "There... That''s better. Not a bad spell, after all, it should be one of your basics. It could have killed a low rate Mage. But I am not one of those," said the man, with a smile.


    The man had short bluish-black hair with the bluest of eyes. He did not wield a weapon but his hands were enough to stop a raging Bahamut.


    "My name is Gillian, I don''t remember my last name so don''t bother asking. And I am the last Aki."


    Ysabeau widened her eyes, someone from Akhaten was here?! One of, if not, the most powerful planets in the Universe was here to face her?! Fight him would be akin to suicide! IF that fella uses his Gates on her, she had no way of escaping or coming out alive.


    But she had no choice, she came this far. Maybe she should die like how her elders always asked her to. Within combat and in war. Not dying at some miserable old place. The Bahamut let out a roar, she hasn''t revealed her gender or the fact that she is sane to Gillian.


    "Within the ranks of the Congregation, I am one of the Elites. And I''ll tell you this, I am not afraid of you, Bahamut. So give me your best shot. And please, don''t hold back. This area has been contained and quarantined," declared Gillian as he took his stance.


    Ysabeau was still hesitant but as Gillian declared war, she did too. Her wings changed into their Sapphire Form. It was as blue as Gillian''s eyes. Her dull scales turned into the ocean blue as her Aura changed as well. She breathed in and let out a giant roar of raging water.


    "Water Element, huh? I thought that Old Man Pond said that you were a Fire Holder," said Gillian, facing the Bahamut''s wave.


    "no biggie, I''ll just use this," said the man, who negated the wave easily.


    Realizing her mistake was one thing, but another was the sight that Gillian created.


    "Open, Gate of the Primordial Beasts..." chanted Gillian, closing his eyes.


    He stood still as his Elemental Aura changed into a turquoise hue around his figure. Ysabeau tried to deter the Aki by shoving more Water spells to his way but they were all negated easily.


    "Door of The Salt Sea Goddess," continued Gillian, as water from the area started to swirl at his feet.


    Even Ysabeau''s Water Element was slowly getting su?k?d in. The area was starting to dry out.


    "Tiamat!" yelled Gillian as he fully transformed into the Primordial Goddess of the Sea, Tiamat.


    The Mother of all Humans was standing right in front of her. The remains of her divided body became Earth. The symbol of chaos itself. That goddess was enormous, as large as Ysabeau''s full form. The man had now transformed into a woman, so it was kind of weird for Ysabeau.


    Until it opened its mouth and howled. The area shook, even Ysabeau had a hard time standing her ground. She hardly had any time left before Tiamat''s serpents shot out from her feet, with the Seawater Element all around.


    The two battled it out, with Ysabeau catching the serpents by hand and crushing them. She then delivered a few more water spells, specifically a Water lance and a water move that causes the serpents to implode within their bodies.


    Ysabeau was getting frantic as she launched an attack that would destroy a small village, her Archery of the Frosted Heavens. This time, the arrows all came out from her mouth. Gillian too let out one of his stronger attacks, and Old Man Pond had a show to see.


    "If we don''t stop them soon, they might destroy both Domains," warned Z, as he appointed towards the battle.


    Old Man Pond laughed as he glanced at Z''s worried face.


    "Nah, leave ''em be. It''s interesting, is it not? To see such powerful beasts fighting. Add a Valkyrie to the mix and I''ve got my full show ready."


    "Be careful with what you say. You might end up cleaning up after that show."


    "I know it won''t happen because Valkyries hate anyone who gets in their way.. They are, if not, more territorial than a Bahamut."

 Chapter 322 - The Ark Of First Meeting With Gillian

    But of course, the Bahamut was losing ground. The more Tiamat was active, the more Gillian was absorbing the power out from her. As Gillian unleashed his move on her, the Bahamut stood dead still and allowed the spell to overwhelm her.


    As the light died down, all spectators and Gillian were shocked as a woman fell from the middle of the sky where the Bhamut once was. She was in a tattered dress with bruises all around. Gillian quickly transformed back and caught the woman on time.


    "Oi! You didn''t tell me she was a woman!" yelled Gillian, facing towards the Congregation''s Headquarters.


    "Neither did I! Don''t blame me, all we had on this thing was that it was a mad beast running rampant from the countryside. How am I supposed to know that it would be a woman, huh?!" yelled Old Man Pond, with Z laughing in the background.


    "Had I know that you were a lady, I wouldn''t have turned into that beast to fight you," said Gillian, the moment Ysabeau woke up.


    A sharp pain ran through her spine and abdomen.


    "Easy there, you took one of a Goddess moves head-on. So expect some kind of pain. Although, you do have some poisons running in your system. I can guarantee you that I did not do that," said Gillian, as he tried to restore Ysabeau''s Elemental Energy.


    "Why are you helping me? I lost, didn''t I? Why don''t you just go ahead and kill me?" asked Ysabeau, with dulled eyes.


    Gillian was shocked but then he flicked Ysabeau''s forehead, earning a small ''ow'' from her.


    "Don''t be ridiculous. I came here to stop your rampage, not to give you a death sentence. If you want, you can do it yourself. If you can''t confront demise then live the life you don''t deserve. Or, you can stop saying those things and see this as another chance."


    "You are not human, so you''ve got no excuse to say that your life is short. I don''t know what happened or what''s your backstory but I do know this. I need you to live on. You are the last of your kind. How would your ancestors feel that their last offspring was a coward who killed herself?"


    Gillian''s words were poison as Ysabeau kept silent. That was true, if she did kill herself or forced Gillian to, it would mean shame to her background. The Bahmuts were guardians of the Upper Skies. A strong beast like them should have a strong mind, right?


    "But, if you have been evicted from your home, you are welcome to join me in the Congregation. We would need a powerful Mage like you. Your Elemental Energy alone could destroy lots of low-ranking Mages. You would be a great ?sset to us," said Gillian, smiling at Ysabeau.


    The Bahamut looked conflicted until Gillian impatiently huffed and stood up. This scared the poor woman as Gillian began walking towards the Congregation''s Headquarters.


    "What are you doing?! Put me down!" yelled Ysabeau, kicking and screaming.


    "You''ve got quite the energy within you, I''m surprised that the earlier attack did you in," said Gillian, not caring at the fact Ysabeau sucker-punched him in the jaw.


    "Of course, I''m getting kidnapped!"


    "You were going to die just now, and you think that kidnapping is worth your energy?" asked Gillian, staring at Ysabeau while catching another punch.


    Finally, the woman quietened down. The two were in silence as they continued their journey to the Congregation. But in the middle, they decided to make a pitstop for some food. Particularly, a juicy stag. As Gillian did most of the work, Ysabeau was left to sit alone.


    Gillian returned with some firewood and got to work cooking the catch they made. Ysabeau stared into the flames, mesmerized by its little dance. Gillian sat by her side, enjoying the beautiful view of her face.


    "What''s wrong?" asked Ysabeau, noticing the Aki.


    "Nothing, I just thought you are quite pretty," replied Gillian, looking at the cooking dinner.


    "Well, that means you''ve not seen that many women yet. I am surprised since you are quite the looker," replied Ysabeau.


    "You meant that?" asked Gillian, shocked.


    "Yea, you are quite handsome. You''d make a fine husband but you should learn when not to sweep women off their feet. Literally," commented Ysabeau.


    "I was trying to get you to safety. The bombers were still around. Besides, my offer still stands. Will you join me in the Congregation?" asked Gillian, giving another smile.


    Ysabeau had nowhere to go, she had just destroyed her hometown. Her family was gone, yet again. She felt as lonely as she was when she first arrived on Earth.. And now, someone like her was extending a hand to help. How could she not agree?

 Chapter 323 - The Ark Of The Childs Blood

    "Ysabeau! Are you alright?!" asked Gab, shaking the poor woman.


    She had blacked out. Ysabeau was slightly dazed as she tried to absorb her surroundings. That''s right, she was on a mission and she came across a tortured baby.


    "So, what''s your next move?" asked Gab, carefully supporting Ysabeau.


    Her eyes darted around and she looked at the tubes that were running around the room. Just then, a doctor was stumbling about outside and went into the room. he screamed but was quickly subdued by Gab using his pistol to hit the man''s head.


    "You could''ve just shot him," said Ysabeau, looking at Gab dragging the man into the middle of the room.


    "I can''t do too much sound now. First, it''s gonna hurt my ears. Second, the sound will cause trouble after such a long period of silence. Shall we get back to work?" asked Gab, pointing to the kid.


    Ysabeau nodded and both got to work. They gingerly disconnected the wires while leaving the necessary tubes. Particularly the ones that ran down his lungs and into his heart. With those useless tubes out, they stared at the kid once more.


    Both knew that the kid was going to be gone soon, so they tried to devise a way to let the kid pass on without having tubes stuck in him. But the Bahamut was getting tired and angry at the situation. So much so that she broke the cylinder of liquid.


    Toi Gab''s shock, there was no trigger to the other areas the moment she broke the tank. She caught the kid quickly and tore off the tubes. She flipped the boy over and tried to purge the liquid out from him. He started coughing but it was no use. The baby was truly gone.


    "There''s nothing else we can do. I just wished that we gave him a better send-off," said Gab, as the baby laid limp in the High Queen''s arms.


    It reminded her of how she cradled her dead child in her arms all those years ago.


    "This was the best send-off for him, out from the tank that killed him. And whoever did this-"


    Ysabeau''s eyes grew with a hint of fury as she looked straight ahead of her.


    "Will have to pay."


    Gab sighed and cracked his knuckles. He then looked around to find a box where they could keep his remains. When he finally found a box, he emptied his contents and placed it in front of Ysabeau. That''s when they found out something was not quite right.


    "Ysabeau! Put the kid away now!" said Gab, as he began to smell a potent liquid.


    Ysabeau was shocked and placed the child into the box. She then looked at her arm which had acid marks and droplets of blood.


    "That''s interesting. Of all humans that I''ve known, this is the first for me. Human blood is the weakest and yet it can cause acid burns on me," said Ysabeau, looking at the marks with wonder.


    "Does it not hurt?" asked Gab, still confused.


    "It doesn''t, and it should not. But I must say, this blood is unique enough to hurt my skin. I do not have human skin, even if it may look human. To burn the skin is one thing, but to burn scales with just droplets is another level entirely. And coming from a child."


    Gab paused for a moment and whipped a small vial with a syringe. Ysabeau looked intrigued as Gab drew out some blood from the child. Syringes should not be made until a few decades later, so she wondering how he got that.


    "One Mage who likes to Time Travel got me this after I finished help[ing him on a mission a few months ago. He said it would be easier to go by my daily work of poisons but I told him that''s not what I do. The brat was persistent so I kept it. I guess he was right, it is useful."


    "I''m gonna whack that brat, he shouldn''t use his powers to override the past," chided Ysabeau as she saw Gab drawing some of the child''s blood.


    "He ain''t ''rewriting the past, he''s just bringing something from the future to help us," explained Gab, though he did not realize what Ysabeau meant.


    Ysabeau could only blink in confusion as she stared at the man. Her attention then shifted to what Gab was trying to do, testing the blood on his skin. But of course, he was promptly halted by Ysabeua.


    "Wait, let''s use something else. We can''t risk it," said Ysabeau, finding another test subject.


    Both of their eyes were drawn to the knocked-out doctor. Gab then dripped a few drops of blood onto him.. Yet, it did not affect the doctor whatsoever.

 Chapter 324 - The Ark Of The Hallway Of Doors

    "Well that''s a bummer," said Gab, keeping the blood.


    The doctor stirred in his sleep but was knocked out once more by Ysabeau''s foot. With the silence between the two, they managed to close the box on the child and murmured a few prayers. As Ysabeau took a deep breath, she realized something familiar with the child''s scent.


    "That kid... I know that scent. I''ve just come across it recently, but I can''t remember when or where," said Ysabeau, her brows furrowing.


    "What is your definition of ''recently? A few days ago or a few years ago?" asked Gab, though it was sounding like he was making fun of her age.


    "A few days ago."


    Lost in her recent memories, Gab found a small, white stuffed dog. It was an actual plushie, to his relief. It had bu??on eyes and floppy limbs. Its ears were small and pointy. It was quite soft to the touch, reminded Gab of one of the dozens of plushies Mavislin owns.


    He smiled gently at it and guessed that it might have been the child''s belonging. Ysabeau caught sight of it and her face lit up.


    "That bu??erfly! He had the same scent as that bu??erfly!"


    "Mavislin and Bryan faced off with Rina a few hours ago. Let''s keep this as proof first. We can tell her the truth," instructed Gab as they both got out of the room.


    They went down the hall, they halted at a narrow hallway full of doors. If each door would open to the same scene as what they encountered earlier, it would be such a pain to go through each room. But they had no choice, that was their mission. And so they went through the rooms.


    To their surprise, not all of them were grim and dark. Some were empty, with small skeletons lying with their bones in chains. Okay, those were the grim rooms, but at least it was less painful than the live ones. The duo had to interrupt some ''experiments'' and witness a child on the operating table.


    This went for hours, even Ysabeau was beginning to tucker out. Gab was beyond tired, he had already ascended by the time they took out the doctors from the 27th room. Despite them going through so many rooms, they have yet to find a kid that they can save.


    "This is the 33rd room and still we can''t save any kid''s life. We''ve seen more bones than what I had for thanksgiving last year. This is getting frustrating," said Gab, shutting the door.


    "I know, but we can''t lose hope. We are being sent on this mission to find the missing victims and whoever was being harmed in this terrible thing. So, we can''t give up now," said Ysabeau, unusually hopeful.


    As they went into the next room, their hopes lit up. But the sight of this room was dreary and tear-jerking. Over ten kids were bound by chains and on the brink of starvation and malnutrition.


    "Ysabeau, can you heal them?" asked Gab, hoping that the kids could be saved.


    "I can do it halfway, Mavislin would be a better candidate for this," said Ysabeau as she got to work.


    She placed her hand on the first child and enhanced the child''s organs. She made their hearts, lungs, and bones slightly larger and stronger. This seemed to work as color returned to each child''s complexion. Their looks were still sunken but they are nonetheless alive.


    Luckily, all of the children in that room were savable. Gab heaved a sigh of relief as the first kid''s eyes came back to life. All of them were at least four years old and above. But none of them could speak, they were all human, as confirmed by Ysabeau.


    "Looks like they''ve been locked up in here for their whole lives. They lack the mentality to move, speak or show any form of emotion other than that blank expression," noted Gab as he gently patted the first kid on her head.


    He was right, the kid had a response. The two tried asking questions but all of them failed to respond. They weren''t dead, they just do not know how to talk. In total, there were exactly 15 kids. All could not speak. The ones who looked older, the most was about six years old, were able to walk.


    But they were quite shaky. There were only five six-year-olds. The rest were all aged four years. Now, the two ?du?ts needed to find a way to get these kids to safety without drawing too much attention. They lack the power to move them all at once.


    "Well, time for me to use my Ancient Relic.. Come here, Fluffy," whispered Ysabeau as she extended her arms out.

 Chapter 325 - The Ark Of Getting The Kids Out

    The Rukh appeared in her arms, diving in for a hug. Luckily, it was in its compact form. Otherwise, the area would get destroyed. And Ysabeau would get flung back to the starting point.


    "So, you plan to load them up on this thing and take them away?" asked Gab, looking at the small creature.


    "Yea, that''s the simpler way to put it into words."


    Fluffy had her saddle on when she arrived, but it looked quite small. The whole bird looks too small to even carry a single child out of the area.


    "I don''t think it is strong enough to carry them all out of here," said Gab.


    "The same way it came, the same it will return. All our Ancient Relics can be commanded in any place, anytime. So, vice-versa, I can send Fluffy to any of the Founders'' areas. In this case, my husband knows about the situation and he has agreed to help out."


    "So that means, all of your Relics can appear anywhere you like and you can teleport them to wherever you need?" asked Gab, with his eyes wide.


    "Not exactly. It can only appear if one of us is in the area to receive it. Like now, I can only send it to Mavislin, Gillian, Raiyen, Z, and Baldwin. I''ll never send anything to Raiyen since I wouldn''t know where or when he would be. Mavislin is out of the question for this situation."


    "Z and Baldwin are both away at their missions so it would inconvenient to send the kids their way. Thus, it leaves only my husband, who is spending his time collecting the current data and recording them down."


    "Ah, so that''s how your Relics work," replied Gab.


    Ysabeau then ordered the Rukh to change into its teenage form, which was enough to hold five of the youngest kids. As they got loaded up onto its back, Ysabeau firmly demonstrated for them to hold onto the saddle. But for safety, she also bounded their legs.


    "it would be a quick trip, about a few minutes."


    She then patted Fluffy''s head and whispered for her to back. The creature nodded and vanished, leaving a breeze in its wake. A few minutes later, it returned with a handwritten note.


    ''I got the brats. They are quite far gone. But they can be saved, I''ll just use simple healing spells and give them some bowls of soup. Baldwin has returned, so he''ll help. From; Gil''.


    "I wonder if that Angry Man will help, or he''ll just toss the kids into oblivion," laughed Ysabeau as she read that handwritten note.


    "Hey! Please don''t say that, we spent the past hour trying to save those kids..." scolded Gab, as he whipped around to look at Ysabeau''s figure.


    The High Queen stared at him for a split second before laughing. Gab seemed offended.


    "What''s so funny? I''m not joking, you know. I know that the guy''s temper, we''ll be lucky if he hasn''t hacked off a brat''s head yet," said Gab, strapping a kid onto Fluffy''s back.


    "I''m gonna get a hernia if I don''t get to laugh out loud soon..." said Ysabeau, as she got another kid up.


    The child looked confused about why she was laughing. Ysabeau was finally calm enough to instruct the set of kids before sending Fluffy on her way. The High Queen then looked at Gab, who wasn''t very pleased with being laughed at.


    "Listen, ''Oblivion'' can mean ''nothingness''. But in Magecraft terms, especially for Akis, ''Oblivion'' is a generic term to call an area that can be morphed into anything the Mage wants. In this case, within the Old Chapel, we call the rooms ''Oblivion''."


    "So, when I say that Baldwin would just toss them into Oblivion, what I meant was that they would be placed into a giant room fit for the kids. And most probably;y let the Old Chapel take care of them, by giving them essentials to recover," explained Ysabeua, smiling.


    "Well, how was I supposed to know that? Have you seen the way that guy acts?! He looks like he''s about to rip off a child''s head just because that kid stole candy," murmured Gab, giving a rough sigh.


    "Baldwin had a kid once. He''s got a soft spot when it comes to kids. However, he does have a knack for scolding those naughty ones. But never once I''ve seen him laid a finger on them. He is verbally harsh but physically caring. He shows care to kids in other ways, not commonly understood."


    "I''m surprised that he did, he doesn''t seem the type to have a family or kids. He does seem to be the type that promotes family violence," said Gab, as they awaited Fluffy''s return.


    When the Rukh came back, the creature instantly headbutted Gab square in the forehead.

 Chapter 326 - The Ark Of The Headmasters Job

    "What was that for?!" yelled Gab, rubbing the sore spot.


    Ysabeau was perplexed as she took off the second note. And giggled as she realized that Gillian was well-aware of what Gab thought of Baldwin and their current conversation.


    "Here''s a gentle reminder from Baldwin himself; ''I''m called the Angry Man, it doesn''t mean that I am a Violent Man. If that was the case, Mavislin won''t be alive right now.'' Looks like he ain''t happy that you''ve badmouthed him," said Ysabeau, showing Gab the note.


    "Okay, but why does the oversized bird have to headbutt me?!"


    The Rukh flapped its wings briefly. She then turned to the back of the note.


    "Ah, clear instructions for Fluffy to portray whatever Baldwin wanted to do to you, Gab. In this case, a small headbutt," read Ysabeau.


    "A small?! I''m gonna use my skull to show him what a true headbutt is!"


    "Don''t try, he''s got a hard head."


    "Hang on, how one earth did the two of them know what we were talking about? And you mentioned that Gillian needs to record down ''current data''. What''s that about?" asked Gab.


    "Gillian is an Aki, their main Element is the Element of Words. They believe that each person''s life is recorded down onto books. And it is the job of an Aki to supervise the Library, filled with everyone''s lives. Thus, he has access to all of our lives, past and present. But not the future."


    "He isn''t able to write down on our books but he can help us check on past events that we might''ve forgotten. As for the current data, he is going through our books to record our separate missions into the Archives of the Arks. This is for proof if ever something needs to be followed up."


    "That''s highly unsettling, the fact that I''ve got someone reading the book of my entire life," said Gab, shuddering.


    "As I said, he has no permission to edit it. He can only read it, as a librarian of the Books."


    "Still, creepy. It''s kinda like a breach of privacy for me."


    Though he replied with that answer, Gab was highly intrigued, he never knew that such a thing existed. Then again, he never knew that Magecraft existed.


    "So, he''s kinda like the overseer of all your missions?" asked Gab, loading up the last set of kids.


    "Not just all our missions, but the Five Kings'' ones as well. That''s why Mavislin chose to take this mission up, Gillian had known about this situation but wasn''t sure if anyone would be fit to take this up. This mission demands quite the mental energy, something that the rest lacks."


    Ysabeau signaled for the Rukh to go back once more.


    "Isn''t Mavislin quite young, compared to the rest of you guys? Why would she have more mental energy, as opposed to the seasoned Mages?" asked Gab, finding it odd that they sent a child to see the torture chambers.


    "It''s not about the age, it''s about what the person went through. Their experiences model their mental energy. In this case, her backstory is that she lived through the center of the war. The Great Noble War was held on her planet and she is the only one to survive it."


    "She was at ground zero, in the middle of the crossfire. We never had any wars on that large of a scale before. Even the Akis were wiped out, us Bahamuts as well. We are the only ones left, but that''s mundane compared to what that Valkyrie has seen."


    "I''m not saying that the others are weak. They have their strengths, but they mostly lack the kindness or compassion to continue to investigate or help this mission out," explained Ysabeau, as she remembered how Mavislin loved to help the hurt and weak.


    The foster mother remembered how Mavislin used to help the children who had been displaced by the ongoing conflicts. That Valkyrie used to use her powers to show to the kids that Magecraft was a beauty, not a curse.


    "Frankly speaking, if it wasn''t for Mavislin, the Ark would never have formed. And we wouldn''t have saved so many lives as we did for the past couple of years. And the Five Kings wouldn''t have been created either."


    "Becasue of her kindness and naviety, this child of Valokia turned the tides around within the Mages'' realm and made peace wit the humans. She did back down even when the odds were stacked against her.. All because of her kindness and compassion."

 Chapter 327 - The Ark Of Gabs Niche

    "So, without that Valkyrie, you lot wouldn''t have met?" asked Gab.


    The final batch of kids was gone and Fluffy returned with another handwritten note. Ysabeau pulled it off and smiled when she read it.


    '' Adopting that Valkyrie was the best thing that happened to us. Becoming her uncle was the best thing that happened for a Dark Mage. Finding her as another Lost Element user was an eye-opener for the Galaxian Mage And being her partner was life-changing for a certain Time Mage. ''


    "Yes, without her, I wouldn''t have found the strive to continue being in this world. I can never have a child again, so I treat her like my own flesh and blood. She''s not only credited to the foundation of the Arks but also, the glue that holds our bonds together," said Ysabeau, with a small smile.


    "She was the one who found the courage to befriend Raiyen and brought him home. Then, she challenged Z along with her new friend to a duel.. Z then promised to train the two lads. But the most incredible feat was when she first impressed us."


    "She made friends with a Dark Mage. As a Valkyrie, a creature made with our Light Element, happily snuggling with a Dark Mage. Baldwin was adamant to not be under the same roof as her but she convinced him. That was truly remarkable to see."


    "She is one of a kind, huh?" said Gab.


    "Yea, she was the one who convinced your father to accept the Mages, right? That left a good lasting impression on you, even when she failed to save your siblings."


    "What happened to my siblings was an accident. But that wouldn''t have changed anything. I wanted to serve her as part of the Five Kings because it was my own volition and free will. Because I saw her as a great role model and person," replied Gab, placing his fist on his ?h?st.


    "Correct, but I do recall that your first meeting was you getting scolded by her, right?" asked Ysabeau, placing her hands on her h?ps.


    "Yea, but that was when I didn''t know her at all."


    "Still, we were quite surprised that you still wanted to follow her leadership."


    "Actually, it wasn''t her leadership. I was supposed to follow the Marquess of the Campania, Minwoo Dalles. I wanted to directly join the Arks, like how Bryan is right now."


    "Why didn''t you? She should''ve allowed it," asked Ysabeau, remembering the early days of the Arks.


    "Yea, but she said that you and Gillian would have forbidden it since I was fully human. Bryan could use Magecraft, even before he joined the Five Kings. And Ashley joined in after his death, coming back as a Mage. Am I right to say that?" asked Gab, tilting his head.


    Ysabeau paused as she stood in the middle of the hallway. She remembered the first generation of the Arks, which consisted of most members from the old Congregation. She, Gillian, and Z all pitched in to find the new members from their contacts.


    But when the Arks were established, they could not fully function since Mavislin could not find anyone to join her Ark. No one wanted to be the attacking piece of an organization, especially since they''ve just come out from a roaring conflict.


    They thought that they would have to find ways to comfort the girl but Mavislin merely shrugged it off. But she thought it was because that she was the youngest, that no one would look up to her as a leader, so she was alright with not having any members.


    "That would be an acceptable thought but she did not confide to us about it. I think I would''ve accepted you as well but Minwoo requested for you specifically. So there''s that."


    "Why did Minwoo want me? I was a nobody, a child that ?du?ts could not take seriously. I had always been ignored and forgotten by everyone but my parents. Why would he scout out someone like me?"


    Ysabeau widened her eyes as she stared at Gab with disbelief.


    "He scouted you out because of your knowledge of certain substances. He wanted to find out how you were able to point out different substances from a large mix. When we gave you a bowl of soup[, you were able to identify all the ingredients of it," answered Ysabeau.


    "But that was a simple soup, any person who can cook could tell out its ingredients," replied Gab, scratching his head.


    "Gab, you tasted something that even the chef did not know was inside. And you are a natural-born human. You do not have a lineage of having Magecraft so that ability was amazing. Though, you could be placed on the front lines."

 Chapter 328 - The Ark Of The One Who Fought The Wave

    Gab had a few moments to ponder about it as they went to the next few rooms. Luckily, or unluckily, these rooms were barren, say for a few empty beds laying around. Ysabeau remained silent as they continued walking down the hallway filled with doors.


    Gab knew that Valkyrie at a very young age. He witnesses the Valkyrie help deliver his siblings and speaking to his mother. And the first-ever meeting they ever had was an argument. He laughed inwardly when he recalled that scene.


    He was a child during that time. As a kid, he was very mischievous. He loved to lurk around the alleyways of the village that he grew up in. But he did not do any serious harm, he just loved to disturb the townsfolk, playing minor pranks on them.


    But it was to the point that the villagers were getting annoyed with him.. But in truth, Gab truly wanted to play with the village kids, not hide in the back alleys. But of course, with the ?du?ts around, no one wanted their children around a prankster.


    One day, he decided to pick on a young girl, who had a black hood and cloak covering her. Gab didn''t even know that person''s gender until the person pulled down the hood. Gab was surprised since the person had a sickly, pale complexion.


    He thought that it must be a sick child but as the person turned around to entertain the younger children of the town, he quickly crushed those thoughts away. There was no way she could be sick, she seemed so lively. He continued to follow her as she made her way within the bustling town.


    For some reason, she was warmly welcomed by all of the townsfolk, something that Gab never received. He was always shunned away by those people that gave smiles to that girl. A hint of jealousy was brewing but he meant no harm.


    As he took a closer look, Gab finally knew the reason why she was so welcomed. The young girl was one of the legendary Mages that helped the Albion Domain when the Congregation fell. She was seen helping the young children from the decimated areas.


    This village, however, welcomed her as a hero as she was the one who bravely stood up against the most dangerous thing on the planet. Mother Nature showed no mercy when it unleashed her wrath. Whether it was sick or healthy, she was indifferent when she rains judgment.


    The southern part of the Briton Domain suffered a major earthquake, killing quite a few people. But during that time, no one knew about the ripple effect, so after the earthquake, further precautions were needed. No one knew, not even the Mages.


    It was only when young Mavislin and Raiyen were out playing at the waterfall of the Old Chapel when the Valkyrie realized the ''ripple'' effect. When a land surrounded by water has an earthquake, it causes the ''ripple'' effect. It was eye-opening.


    The impact of the land shaking would send ''ripples'' through the water. She found this out by kicking a rock just under the water at the base of the waterfall. She realized it made small waves, despite the rock not getting too damage. She told Raiyen and they quickly rushed to warn the area.


    Though on a small scale, it wouldn''t have much issue. But this was the entire southern part of Briton shaking for about a good ten minutes. A few seconds was needed for the ripples to come out. When these ''ripples'' get translated to a large scale, it becomes tidal waves, or ''Tsunami''.


    And that Valkyrie, with the help of Raiyen''s Time Frame Hopping, managed to find this village and saved it before it could drown. The look of terror on the humans was something that would haunt her for centuries to come as she arrived.


    The Tsunami had already hit and had obliterated half of the area. Despite this, Mavislin stood headstrong as she order Riayen to take the rest to higher grounds. It was a sight that no one could forget, a young girl with golden wings and black clothing facing off with the Tsunami.


    The first wave took part of the village but the next wave was towering over the entire village, threatening to swallow everything whole. The only thing that was brave enough to save them was the young Valkyrie in front of them. She saved the lives of all two thousand people that day.

 Chapter 329 - The Ark Of Mercury

    The younger kids were tugging on her cloak as they laughed with her. She then bent down to carry one and toss her into the air. The toddler giggled, which echoed throughout the busy area. Gab wanted to play a prank, but thought better of it, seeing how many people would witness it.


    Somehow, this feeling could not be shaken off as Gab received to the outskirts of the town. The town was at a lower altitude, compared to the rest of the villages of Albion. Thus, the outskirts would be like small cliffs with woodlands.


    This allowed Gab to see the entire town at a higher ground.. He walked around, kicking things here and there. Leaves, branches, rocks. Lots of rocks. He pondered and pondered, why did that mysterious girl gain so much praise from the village when he was left in the dark?


    And he was born in that village, why couldn''t he get the same attention as she does? The ?du?ts could not remember anything else from him but the bad things he had done like playing silly pranks on them. They were annoying but harmless.


    But when he did help, like when he had accurately pointed out the taste of certain substance within a batch of odd seafood. Those kinds of seafood, which were turned into the highlights for a soup had been undercooked but the villages were unaware about it.


    It was a potluck, where every household would bring an ingredient of their choice. And the main thing they were cooking was a soup with its main theme being seafood. Gab was the first to try it and he instantly spat it out. In front of the entire village.


    He then begged his parents not to eat it, which they complied but gave him a scolding for rejecting the food. He said that it wasn''t safe since it reminded him of a poison he knew. But of course, the ?du?ts did not trust a mere kid''s taste buds.


    The villagers slowly got their share of the soup. But they stopped when a woman drank and started going crazy. As in, she was normal at first, but then things started to get weird. She was fine for a bit but complained that the soup tasted odd.


    But not to disrespect everyone, she finished it in one go. No one else has eaten it yet since they were preparing other things and had left the bowls to cool. Then, she started acting up. She complained about seeing stars.


    Then it escalated quickly, from migraines to full-on ramming her head into the fountain. Everyone was shocked as she did that. Blood spewed out from the wound that was caused by hitting her head. Her eyes were dazed as she went in for another try to ram her head once more.


    This time, the villagers were one step ahead and pinned her down. She wasn''t screaming but she was trying to fight back. She looked like a madwoman, flailing around like that. The children were quickly ushered back into their homes while the men pinned her down.


    In the end, the woman was fine. But when they revealed that it was Gab that knew the cure, they instead scolded him for keeping a secret from them. They lashed out on Gab, saying that he purposely withhold that part from them.


    It was so unfair, the fact that he tried to tell them but they brushed it off. And when he did step in to help, they blamed it on him instead. The only thing that his family brought was the vegetables, not the meat. The whole thing was caused by a certain substance called ''Mercury''.


    It was not known at that time but Gab was trying out different things with live animals. He found that out as he was reading scripts of travelers'' journals. They wrote of something that made them go insane. It was the same substance in that soup.


    Mercury is mostly found in seafood, which was the main meat in that soup. And since different meats all have different cooking times, it was plausible that some of them weren''t cooked through. But in truth, it was mainly because of the main fisherman.


    He had thrown in an entire swordfish into the pot, which was high in mercury levels. Gab knew about it but of course, being the kid that no one cares, he got ignored. And now, they pinned the blame on him. As Gab recalled that part, he angrily kicked a particularly large rock away.

 Chapter 330 - The Ark Of The Tumbling Boulder

    Unfortunately for him, he did not realize that the rock had been kicked with so much power that its target was destroyed. And that was a piece of driftwood, that was stopping a large boulder from tumbling down. As it collected speed, it gradually created a landslide.


    Gab, amid his roaming, did not realize how high he went. By the time that boulder reaches the village, the landslide would cover the entire town. As the boulder started to roll off its side, Gab had already started to make his way back to the village.


    It was only then he felt the soft rumble of something. A few seconds later, he witnessed the boulder tumble past him and b?r?ly managed to dodged it. Something clicked in his brain and he feared for the worst. As much as he hated the people there, he didn''t want them to die.


    There was still time before the boulder fully crushes the village so he quickly dashed towards it. When he reached the village, he started shouting and screaming that a large boulder was heading their way and they should evacuate immediately..


    This caught everyone''s attention, especially the young girl in the hood from before. But of course, this young girl being the Valkyrie quickly headed in the direction of the boy who kept screaming. But the village people started to restrain him and pinned him down.


    "Let me go! Please, there''s a huge boulder that''s coming our way! We have to get out!" yelled Gab, with his head being plummeted to the floor.


    "Wait! What are you doing to that poor kid?!" yelled the young girl, revealing herself as Mavislin.


    "Lady Roydon! Pay no heed to this scum! He is just a prankster!"


    "No matter what, he still a child?! Is this how you treat children in this village?! Did I save a child-torturing town?!" boomed the Valkyrie as she stood in between the ?du?ts and Gab.


    Everyone was shocked when she spat out those words of insult. Ah, yes. This was the time that Mavislin did not bother to have a filter for her words. She was just a kid, after all, so she did not know what kind of consequences words would have on others.


    The same person that they owed their life to years ago was now hurling words of insult at them. Gab finally managed to get his face out from the ground and the first thing he saw was that young girl standing in front of him.


    He was speechless as the Valkyrie turned to look at him with glaring eyes. He shivered, realizing that death by the villagers wasn''t so bad after all.


    "You! You kept shouting and screaming that something was wrong! What is going on?" asked Mavislin, in a demanding tone.


    Gab froze up before weakly pointing to the landslide behind Mavislin. She frantically turned around, finding that a large boulder was leading the charge. She then breathed in deeply, absorbing the moisture from around her. Her Aura shined like no tomorrow.


    It was aquamarine, signifying that it wasn''t as powerful as her present-day form. But it could still do its job, nonetheless. Any Mage from afar could see that she was still not as powerful as a m?tur? Valkyrie or high-ranking Mage, but that was enough for her.


    Yes, that was it. That was why Gab wanted to be under her leadership. Though in some cases, ''being enough'' is not good, Mavislin knew what was the limits of an individual. Showing too much and you''ll risk another thing. Too little and you''ll never reach your goal.


    She knew how much was enough. And right now, there was no need to put on a grand show. Saving the lives of the ones most in need was her priority now. Who cares if others talk down about yourself? You don''t let the demons of your past haunt your future.


    "See? He speaks the truth! He may be a prankster, but it doesn''t mean that you can turn away from his warnings! Had he not come to us to warn everyone, this place would be nothing but history!" scolded Mavislin as she made the threat vanish.


    "But, we thought it might be a prank! He loves doing that!" protested a villager.


    "So what if he is?!" shouted Mavislin.


    She then towered over Gab''s small frame and picked him up by his little waist. Mavislin, with determined eyes, held the kid up for the villagers to see.


    "He saved you. Twice. And this is what he gets?!"

 Chapter 331 - The Ark Of Kids Loves Pranks

    She shook the poor Gab in mid-air like some sort of toy. Shaking him caused the poor kid to go dizzy.


    "Have you forgotten that this boy warned you guys about certain things?! Like the poisoned broth and the well?! How can you guys be so cruel to him?! He''s just a kid! And besides, that''s what the youth do! They love playing pranks!"


    "And besides, I used to do quite the pranks. If you call his pranks such a nuisance, then you lot wouldn''t have survived the pranks that I pulled. I would''ve been the one to poison your foods or caused a tidal wave."


    Gab was stunned, the Valkyrie had played pranks before?! He was truly intrigued, he wanted to find out more. But first, he has to keep quiet, lest she lashes out on him instead.


    "I have been a child once. And the only reason why a child goes rough like that is that they are wanting attention. Because he''s lonely. Let''s see...."


    Mavislin closed her eyes as she placed the shaken child down. Gab, in all comical sense, plopped down onto his romp as he saw stars. Looks like Mavislin has gone overboard with her jolting. Gab came too after a few seconds and hugged the Valkyrie''s ankle.


    She then opened her eyes and snapped her fingers. This shocked poor Gab, who was trembling at her feet.


    "You wanted attention because they didn''t let you play with the village kids, right?" asked Mavislin, with a big smile on her face.


    "Yes, we didn''t allow him to play with our children. We feared that his prankster ways will latch onto our kids," confessed a villager, raising his hand.


    "Don''t give me that crap."


    The moments those words came out of the Valkyrie''s mouth, her true Aura came to fruition. The Aura wasn''t her Elemental Aura, it was like the feeling around had changed. At first, she was emitting a protective and pure Aura, now, she was seething with rage and disgust.


    Her Aura was now a feeling of dread and terror as she glared daggers at the ?du?ts. Her face twisted with disgust as she scoffed at them. She looked at them like she was looking at a bunch of trash, and everyone knew about it.


    "I said, why did he have to turn to prank as his way of going around? It was because of something else before his pranks, right, Gab?" asked Mavislin, switching her demeanor to be gentler to Gab.


    The poor child nodded. It was true that he wanted attention because it seemed that he was never allowed to play with the other kids. And never knew what was the reason. His parents were always working on the farm so he never got much attention from them.


    But Gab never blamed them, he loved his parents very much. But he was very lonely, left in the house for such long periods. That''s when he came across one of his uncle''s journals about plants and nature. Then, it turned into a large rabbit hole for the child.


    He used his pranks to see if he could test out certain substances, but not the dangerous type. For example, he used a bunch of flower pollen to make someone sneeze continuously. However, he stopped when he found out from a report that it could trigger nasty side-effects like fever.


    He collected lots of flowers and fauna and created his journal. He learned more about vegetables since he asked his parents who were growing the village''s main source of vegetables. His ways of creating fertilizers were eye-opening for his parents, who had bountiful harvests later.


    "We didn''t like him because he was scruffy and poor. He is not the same skin color as us either. So we felt that our kids would get nasty things from him," said the same villager from before.


    Mavislin felt something snap from within her conscience. If she doesn''t throw her temper out now, she was afraid that she might lash out by breaking someone''s neck. And at this point, she was forbidden to touch the humans. And she wanted nothing more but to kill them now.


    By right, she has all the power to do so since her way of judging an area was based on how they treat their children. Each of the Founders has a theme when judging an area. Hers was targeted to kids, the simplest compared to the rest.


    For Ysabeau, it would be how the village treats its women. And lastly, for Gillian, it would how untied the village is.

 Chapter 332 - The Ark Of Words Of Insults

    Those were what the Founders looked for in villages. The humans were weak so the Founders decided to help each village within their Domains to lead. And Albion used to be under Baldwin until he passed it to Mavislin.


    The placement of who to lead which Domain was constantly changing. Every year, to be precise. Because of this, they do interchange villages once in a while. That provides balance and cross-informations. Like, some things could be overlooked by another.


    But in terms of the current time, to the time when the Umbras attacked, each Founder had found a permanent Domain to lead. Mavislin chose Albion since it was where she first played with Abi. It was also the area that she came to after the incident on Valokia.


    Z was in charge of the Urnsfield Domain, seeing that it was the main area for the Congregation.. He was quite close to that organization anyways. So it was befitting for that Galaxian Mage. Besides, it was quite small to look after.


    Baldwin came to love his Domain after staying on guard with it for the past few years. The home of the later Earl Yan, the Teuton Domain was the best area for him since it was quite the stronghold for attacks. But, it was the largest to maintain, but the Angry Man had no problems with that.


    Ysabeau surprised everyone when she decided to take over the Briton Domain as its permanent protector. It was where she had made and lost her family, so it wasn''t surprising from a certain standpoint. But she was the one who destroyed half of it. Thus, it shocked everyone.


    But her reason was simple, it was to atone for what she had done. Despite five centuries going past, she still felt the guilt for killing so many during her rampage, that''s why she vowed to keep it safe forever. And Briton had two areas to control, something that was majorly difficult.


    And last but not least, Raiyen had chosen his Domain to be the Campania, despite the Minwoo''s protests. The Marquess wanted Mavislin to lead his Domain but Raiyen was picked for a better reason. His stealth was phenomenal with the way the Campania works with Minwoo.


    Gillian had none since he was the Headmaster. He was in charge of all the Arks, meaning to say that he would be the overseer and did not lead any particular Domain. Though, he has to step in for Raiyen from time to time due to the Time Mage''s missions.


    With the Domains Leaders decided, each Ark slowly established within the local communities. Picking out its soldiers and places of defense. And caring for their people at the same time. Those were the duties carried out by the leaders of the Domains.


    "So what you are confessing, is that you are all a bunch of paranoid scum, huh?" asked Mavislin, as she managed to turn her anger into mere words.


    "Look at you, all of you. So scared because of a single little boy who has different skin color than you. How pathetic. You are all worthless scum in my opinion. I pity your children, they should be ashamed to have such parents like you lot," cursed Mavislin, with a terrifying grin.


    "Maybe I should destroy this entire place so that none of you could ever have offspring. Not as if that they would be worth anything, anyways. Shall I do that? It would be my p???sur?. Since I used to pull pranks as well and am a different being than you lot."


    "After all, his little pranks are nothing compared to what crimes I have done. I destroyed the main village of the Campania Domain, which was home to over a hundred thousand people. Men, women, or children weren''t spared from me."


    "A simple few people here won''t add too much to the pile of bodies that I have created. I was a child at that time and all the more did not have any restrain. This kid has restraint. And I am very impressed. Human kids are on another level of passive."


    "And what do you think ''pranking'' is, huh? Are your brains underdeveloped or something? Who told you that ''pranking was contagious?" asked Mavislin, insulting the ?du?ts.


    "Listen, if you think that a small child would be able to influence others to cause pranks then you relook at how you should run your village. And the fact that you cast out a kid for having some good fun makes me pissed off."


    She then walked up to the villager that confessed and grabbed the guy by the face. She then lifted his face without breaking a sweat. The human was undeniably afraid that someone was grabbing his face. She could kill him any time now.

 Chapter 333 - The Ark Of Gabs Kindess

    "And remember, like how I can save your village twice. I can destroy your village twice fold as well. I can be your protector and I can be your worst nightmare. My judgment is based on how an area treats its younger generation."


    She tightened her grip, causing the man to flail about.


    "You can show me a facade and I may be able to fall for it. But once I uncover the truth, I''ll make sure your legacy and lives end here. I hate people who mistreat children. And if I were you, Gabriel," warned Mavislin as she let go of the petrified man.


    "I would''ve burned this village to the ground years ago," finished the Valkyrie, with her eyes flaming red.


    She threw the man onto the ground with such force, but it did not harbor any major wounds.. Thus, she won''t get into trouble with the elders. But she wanted to do more harm, though her words had already made them wounded and frozen.


    Everyone stood in silence. It was true, just because someone was known to play pranks doesn''t mean that he or she should be ignored for the rest of their lives. It wasn''t fair to treat a child or anyone like that. Besides, he is just a kid who wants to have fun, there''s nothing wrong with that.


    And what''s more, they had failed to find the balance between Gab''s pranks and his good deeds. His pranks were indeed annoying, but they were never life-threatening. They were mostly annoying, at most. And they were fun for Gab.


    But his words of wisdom and knowledge when it comes to dangerous substances were extraordinarily helpful and life-saving. He did not need to share such precious information with the folk that mistreated him, yet he did anyway.


    Because he''s still a child. And children are honest creatures. They lack the maturity to understand who to help and who to hurt. They don''t know the evils. Everyone is a friend in their eyes. Every ?du?t they see is scary and foreboding. But children are impressionable as time goes by.


    Plus, the early days of Mavislin and Raiyen were spent pulling pranks in the nearby village of the Old Chapel using Magecraft. The pranks from small humans these days are nothing compared to the ones that they did years ago.


    Flooding the town, freezing the well, and making the livestock turn against each other... Those were mundane to the Mages at the time. Sure, Gab''s pranks were also wrong on one level, but they did not earn him such a life of being ignored.


    Hell, his skin color and the fact that he was poor did not warrant him to be shamed for the rest of his life. If this community did not give him a place he deserves just because of his physical appearance, then he should not waste his precious time with this bunch of fools.


    "If the townsfolk hadn''t forgiven us, we wouldn''t have saved them either. But I envy you, Gabriel. You were able to help your village even if they hate you or ignore you. You gave certain advice to the village chief via your parents, didn''t you?" asked Mavislin, winking at Gab.


    Gab nodded slowly as he looked at Mavislin. When he had seen the village children being poisoned, he managed to dig through his writings to find the cure. But someone else took his antidote and claimed credit.


    When he told his parents not to drink from the rainwater, since it was from the clouds that got tainted by the volcanic smoke, no one believed him. Except for his parents, who believed that their child was a walking angel. Every other villager who drank it became ill.


    There were many more instances but they were all the same. Gab trying to warn everyone but every time, his warnings were ignored. Until today, when the Valkyrie shows up once more. And with her explosive mood swings, they would be lucky if she doesn''t decide to kill them all now.


    "And you!" yelled Mavislin, abruptly at Gab.


    Crap, I need to say my prayers now, she''s going to kill me! Gab''s thoughts were interrupted by Mavislin''s harsh questions.


    "If you knew that someone was stealing credit for your advice, then why didn''t you stand up to it?! Why did you let these worthless ?du?ts trample on you?!"


    "I didn''t know that they were doing so! And no one would have believed me, even if I fought for it. I just wanted to have fun and I found my new hobby while being alone. And I didn''t want anyone to die just because of my pettiness. Plus, they would have killed me anyway!"


    Finally, after hounding the village. Someone had the thought of kindness without reward.

 Chapter 334 - The Ark Of Ries Meltdown

    "Don''t be so weak! Learn to stand on your two feet. Make them look you in the eye and ?ssert dominance against them. They owe you their lives. Are you planning to live amongst the shadows for the rest of your life?! Or are you going to stand up to what is right?!"


    Gab widened his eyes as he remembered those words that change his perspective of life forever. It was the turning point for him as he held those questions and words dear to his heart. Even when that was said years ago. It did not change as time went by. It meant more instead.


    And as he came back to the present with those words fresh in his mind, the duo came across more rooms with savable children inside. In total, during the time that he recalled his past, the two has saved about a few hundred kids.


    It was supposed to feel sad and dreary but with the current circumstance, both were delighted to find that the children were mostly safe. But they weren''t sound as they were all underdeveloped in their mentalities.. When they finally reached the end of the hallway, they were met with others.


    Back to the other group, Rie was still being interrogated by Mavislin and Bryan.


    "What do you mean by that?" asked Mavislin.


    "If you mention that blood transfusion from Mage to human is toxic, that would have meant that I''ve been lied to," said Rie, with tear-ridden eyes.


    She then fell to her knees and started to cry. It wasn''t loud, it was quite soft. She felt so foolish, she was well-aware of the fact that her child was no longer savable but she didn''t want to face reality. Now, cornered with all the facts, her heart and mind gave way to sadness.


    It hurt so much to know that her child was gone and that she had been unable to save him. She felt ashamed that she was lied to, even when she was the superior one being the Mage. How could she be so foolish? She continued to cry while the two sat there.


    It was a perfect dream, just ignoring the facts and continue doing her work. Be it if it was right or wrong, at least she was working for something. For her baby to be with her again. But life isn''t kind, the world isn''t kind to anyone. Especially to those who shroud themselves in fantasy.


    But Mavislin knew how much it was, losing a child. When she saw Ysabeau that one night crying about her lost children, Mavislin vowed not to let any mother or child cry. It works both ways, if a mother loses her child, she''ll cry. If a child loses their mother, they will cry.


    It''s not just human nature, this was universal. The Valkyrie never wanted a child to grow up without their mother. And no matter what crime a mother does, even if it''s unforgivable, she was still a mother. In this case, Rie did all she could to the best of her ability.


    Mavislin switched to her m?tur? form and embraced the bu??erfly girl from the front. Rie was shocked as she opened her eyes to see the Valkyrie embracing her.


    "Listen, I might not be able to bring your child back, but rest ?ssured. If you join us to free this area, no one else would have to suffer anymore," whispered Mavislin.


    "Leave her! She''s fine, she''s good. She''s calm but she needs to say what she thinks now," said Mavislin, gesturing Bryan to stand down.


    Bryan wanted to protest but could not go against his boss''s words.


    "Why? What is the point of being a Mage when we can''t even protect our children?!" wept Rie as she held onto Mavislin''s collar.


    Bryan was at the edge of his seat as Mavislin allowed Rie to take her anger out on the Valkyrie. Rie kept shaking the Valkyrie but Mavislin remained unnerved. Her expression remained the same as Rie continued her verbal ?ssault. Soft and gentle eyes paired with a smile.


    Because... Those insults weren''t for the Valkyrie. It was for herself. She was shouting out all those nasty things because she was angry at herself. She was a failure of a mother in her own eyes. She was a Mage, yet she lacked the power to heal her child.


    "That Gladiator was so hopeful that I could finally find my happiness without having the burden to fight in that war... Yet, I couldn''t even keep my baby alive... I failed her... I did so many cruel things that were unforgivable and I still couldn''t save him..."

 Chapter 335 - The Ark Of Mavislins Comfort

    Rie stopped shaking the Valkyrie and looked at her hands. To be honest, if Ysabeau or Gillian were to see the Valkyrie now, they would be shocked. She remained silent and calm, for the whole time. That wasn''t like her, she was the type to speak her feelings out.


    She would''ve been shouting at the bu??erfly to wake up and wipe those tears. To stop blaming herself for something she couldn''t control. Or gave Rie a whack on the back of the head, something along those lines. But that''s the last thing that she should do.


    Sometimes, the worst punishment for a criminal is letting them know their crimes were via their confessions. And this time, it wasn''t the crime of kidnapping or experimenting on the brothel girls. It was the crime of sinking so low to save a lost life.


    Rie learned her lesson and that was enough for Mavislin.. Seeing someone on the brink of insanity and choosing the wrong path... Was not uncommon for the young Valkyrie. Many perished in that way, most not knowing that their enemies were themselves.


    But Rie still had hope, she was able to understand that what she did was wrong and that she did it for her child. And she knew that her dead child was never an excuse. Understanding all that at the same time will take a huge toll on any being''s mental state. Rie was no exception.


    Mavislin ignored the Flower Mage''s protests and continued to embrace her. The Valkyrie gently stroked the girl''s hair and allowed her to cry freely.


    "It''s alright..." cooed Mavislin, while hearing Rie''s soft whimpers.


    This was the first time she had been so patient and caring. Rewind a few years, Mavislin would have been shouting and screaming for Rie to suck it up. But as the years go by, she realized that she couldn''t always rely on that method.


    "Why... Why was I so foolish to think that I could give him to human to save him?!" sobbed Rie.


    It was hard for Bryan to feel bad for an enemy, so he admired his boss''s resolve to remain so calm. Even to go as far as to comfort the enemy. It wasn''t something any normal human would do. Then again, Mavislin was anything but human.


    Byrna tried to recall the amount times that Minwoo dragged him onto missions. Minwoo had no mercy when it comes to passing judgment to criminals. The Campania was under the strict rule with the way Minwoo had run the show.


    He didn''t care if you had an excuse or a family. If it goes against his laws, then Minwoo had no qualms about sentencing criminals to their punishments. But Mavislin was different since she didn''t like to kill others without hearing their side of the stories.


    But the reason why the true reason was that Mavislin saw what happened with Ysabeau and Gillian. Looking back, they had no reason to keep a crying Valkyrie under their roof. They were the elites of the Congregation, they don''t have to be babysitting a crying Valkyrie.


    Despite that, they still persevered. They still comforted her, even when her nightmares were at their strongest. They never left her behind. This was the turning point for Mavislin when the Old Chapel showed her those memories. The Valkyrie knew that being strict doesn''t help in certain situations.


    Now, it was her turn to carry that forward. She wasn''t going to pass judgment or kill Rie. Today, she was going to be kind and give Rie a chance to stand on her two feet again.


    "There''s no need for you to answer that question or ask it. Just know that you thought of it because you had no choice. With no one to guide you, left all alone. I am proud that you were able to hold out for this long without going berserk," said Mavislin, sweetly.


    Rie widened her eyes as she looked at the Valkyrie''s face. Mavislin truly resembled the Gladiator that took care of her a long time ago. The face, the expression, the tone, and the words... Rie began to see an overlapped image of her role model on Mavislin.


    "I can''t fault you for doing something that you thought was right. I can only let you know that your actions will have consequences. And whether or not you can bear those consequences is entirely up to you. However, I will not hurt you."


    "You did it because you thought there was no way out, right? Because you had no one to guide you, all alone needing help. I just wished you could have found us earlier, we would be able to give you the best advice and probably heal your child."


    Rie grabbed Mavislin''s collar once more.


    "There was a cure?!"

 Chapter 336 - The Ark Of Moving Forward

    "I''m sure if dealt early, there would be a way to help your child," replied Mavislin, remembering that she would constantly check on the newborns at the Old Chapel''s village.


    "So, you have the power to cure any sickness?" asked Rie, looking at Mavislin with pleading eyes.


    "No, I don''t. If I do, I don''t think I would be here right now. I''d probably be a doctor or some hobbit. But what I am known for is my Enhancement Skills. They are simple spells that were practiced on Valokia. To the rest of the Mages, they only pick it up after their teens."


    "But for Valkyries, because of the number of battles we partake, we hone these skills at a very young age. So, I have nearly perfected simple Enhancements, such as Enhancing one''s organs. But I can only help physically, not mentally or in terms of Magecraft.".


    "I used to be in charge of helping newborns at the village near the Old Chapel," said Mavislin, smiling.


    The thought of seeing those children all grown up now made her flutter. They were all so adorable. Some of them had underdeveloped organs and that''s where her skills came in. Most were able to adapt properly but others would die a few years after.


    Despite that, the villagers never hated her for it, so she was one lucky Mage. Instead, they showered her with tokens of gratitude by making stuffed toys for her, despite the Old Chapel making so much for her. And she kept them all. It became a tradition of some sort.


    When a baby is born, Mavislin would be invited to check on the baby. To see if there is any illness or physical disability. Once done and all is well, the parents would give her a stuffed toy to say thanks. But if the child dies, later on, Mavislin returns the toy by placing it at the child''s grave.


    It would signify that she didn''t deserve such a token for failing to do her duties. But, the parents would not know about this and the Valkyrie continued with her life.


    "I see... I wished I would have known you first," said Rie, softly.


    Bryan tapped on Mavislin''s shoulder.


    "Mavislin, I think we''d better get a move-on. The area is heavily guarded and we''ve made quite the ruckus. We have to get going," suggested Bryan.


    Mavislin nodded and stood up, leaving the girl on the floor.


    "We''ve got a few areas to check before we can meet with Ysabeau and Gab at the d?s?r?d area. I''m well aware that this place is small compared to the other area. But, we can''t let ourselves go," stated Mavislin, looking at Bryan with a changed expression.


    In a matter of seconds, her tone changed from a gentle mother''s to that of a commander. This was the Mavislin Bryan preferred but at times, he did like the softer side of her.


    "Let''s quickly finish investigating this part of the area. Hopefully, we would find our guy to end all of this."


    "Will we be killing someone?"


    "You seem pretty excited about murdering someone. But yes, we would be killing the person who cause all of this," said Mavislin, raising a confused eyebrow at Bryan''s joy of committing murder.


    "You won''t find him here. This place is for all the experimenters. That''s why I was here in the first place. This area has all the labs and testing sites. But it also has the girls that were kidnapped. But they, and you are looking for won''t be here," replied Rie.


    "This place can be a ticking bomb if it wants to, seeing that there are so much equipment and dangerous substances around here. In case of an emergency, the place will seal all exits. And breathing in some toxins here would be lethal for the human body."


    "Then where would he be?" asked Mavislin, looking at Rie with serious eyes.


    "I can''t say for sure, but I just know that he won''t be around if I am here. He said there wasn''t a need to, since I would be able to handle most of the questions and orders."


    "I feel the need to sucker punch the fella real bad..." said Bryan, glancing at the wall.


    Mavislin was deep in thought before she quickly absorbed what Rie had said.


    "Hang on, you said that the kidnapped girls are here?! Where are they?" asked Mavislin, abruptly to Rie.


    The poor girl was shocked but quickly regained her composure.


    "They are further down. But I must warn you, that the sight isn''t pretty. As I said, they are called breeders for reason. And we call the chamber that they reside in ''Birthing Chambers''. It might be a lot to take in, especially for a human," said Rie, looking directly at Bryan.

 Chapter 337 - The Ark Of The Valkyries Gesture Of Oath

    "I''m stronger than I look. I have seen far worse torture chambers than these. One more wouldn''t be enough to scar my eyes any further. You''ve got Minwoo to thank for that," said Bryan, nonchalantly.


    "Well, you were serving under the Five Kings as their primary ?ssistant. From what I heard from Baldwin, Minwoo appointed you to be his ?ssistant during his final years. After Yan talked highly of you, right?"


    "Yea, but it was Minwoo that showed me the gory stuff. Yan was afraid that I would have been scarred.."


    "Was he right to think so?"


    "Yea. I got scared for the first few mission but gradually it became repetitive and boring. I see new torture scenes every day and read about it as well. So, yea, that''s how I can take so much of these weird things."


    "So, that won''t be an issue for you then. I can lead you to the Birthing Chambers. Just be prepared for any outcomes," said Rie, standing.


    "Wait a minute, how would we know that you aren''t dragging us into a trap?" asked Bryan, still wary about Rie.


    Mavislin might have forgiven her but Bryan hasn''t forgotten that Rie was still the enemy. For all they knew, she could be faking everything. Bryan glared at Rie as he stood in between Rie and Mavislin. It seemed like he was trying to shield his boss.


    "Why would I need to do so?" asked Rie, challenging Bryan''s words.


    "Because you are part of the kidnappers as well. Why would you just lead us to our place of investigation?" asked Bryan, looking at Rie with uncertain eyes.


    "You are right, but I understand that I have been in the wrong. I still am on the fence about helping you two but I have no intention of reverting to my old ways. I don''t want to live a lie anymore and I am willing to move forward. And ask of you, Lady Valkyrie."


    Rie quickly moved away from Bryan and grabbed Mavislin''s hands. This stunned the two as Rie grabbed the Valkyrie''s hands to place them on her forehead. It was a gesture of oath and loyalty with the ancient Valkyrie''s eyes.


    It was how subjects of the kingdom would greet the Empress, by placing their seniors or leaders'' hands to their foreheads. But that gesture had two ways to go about it. If it''s with a single hand, the right hand to the forehead, it would be to greet that person.


    But if it was both hands, it was to signify the person was pledging themselves or whatever they say to the receiving person. Like, swearing an oath or being loyal to the person. This was very rare for Mavislin to see since she was much too young to see such things.


    But her mother, who was always transparent, told her about it. And that only the Gladiators would be the ones to do it directly to the Empress. What''s more, that there were variations of it circulating the kingdom. For the common thing, the hands had no proper placement.


    But for the truly traditional way, for a Gladiator to swear their oath and pledge their loyalty, the hands are to be crossed with one another. Which was exactly what Rie was doing. The fact that she knew of such a sacred thing meant that she wasn''t lying.


    Mavislin was amazed that Rie knew such a thing to do. It was befitting for the young Valkyrie, seeing that she was supposed to be next in line to be crowned Empress but never got a chance to. Now, she felt the memories rush back as Rie did that.


    "That you allow me to be part of your brethren. I understand what I did was wrong and I would like you to see a punishment befitting for me. However, please allow me to be of use to you. Knowing about this gesture, I am well aware that I''m pledging my loyalty to you," replied Rie.


    Mavislin felt an array of emotions build up within her. She was almost choking as she was never met with such a situation before. Not much was known about the royals of Valkyries but it never bothered her since she thought would know about it.


    The feeling of pride and dignity as someone was swearing to be under her guidance. The memory of it overwhelming her. Like the last time she saw this, it was when her mother was swearing in the new Gladiator. Back then, Benjamin was by her side. Both were mere babies.

 Chapter 338 - The Ark Of Empress Of Kindess

    Benjamin might have forgotten, but Mavislin certainly did not. She burned that image into her mind. That her mother was the Empress and that everyone bowed down to her. And yet, when it comes to being a mother, she made no excuses for that.


    Valokia worked in a very different way from the other worlds. In a galaxy that was filled with millions of planets, Valokia was the only one that placed females above the rest. The other planets were male dominant but Valokia had an Empress to rule overall.


    Her mother was the 42nd Empress to take the throne and the youngest as well. Mavislin had forgotten her True Name because she was never called by it. Each reign of an Empress was as long as the Empress was active, from the moment she gets crowned today she dies.


    Usually, a reign of an Empress spans for a thousand years. Unfortunately, early in the reign of her reign, the Great Noble War had started.. Thus, it had her era cut short. But she was able to earn of the Empress of Kindness.


    The Empress was to rule over the entirety of Valokia, ministering to the affairs of the common people as well as attending the Council regularly. She commands people to do so but decisions are made by her. And each Empress had something that they were known for.


    She was called the Empress of Kindness due to her acts of compassion. She placed her priorities on the weak. The young and the old were her major targets since she was well aware that the previous Empress was the Empress of Tenacity.


    It was already quite toned-down compared to the previous ones but it still struck terror into the citizens'' hearts. It wasn''t a bad thing, but Valokia''s people still feared their leader to the point that they could not breathe. They felt trapped.


    But being so high up meant that you couldn''t see the pains from the small ones below. The Empress of Kindness hated seeing children cry or when the weak were getting bullied. Growing up, she secretly detested how the Empress ruled.


    She refused to attend any meetings and acted like a stubborn child in front of all the leaders of the other worlds. Even the Bahamuts had sneered at her, saying that she would rule Valokia to the ground if her mother did not get ahold of her soon.


    On the surface, she seemed like she hated the throne. But on the contrary, she didn''t. She wanted to be in power so that she could use it to help the needy. They were already the highest seat within the Council, who they were trying to prove that they were the strongest?


    What''s the point of having such a strong front when the people inside are suffering? A kingdom is judged by how the ruler treats its people and how the ruler rules as a whole. They can have the strongest army in the world but isn''t a good leader because their people are in anguish.


    A ruler who fails to listen to the hearts of the commonfolk is no ruler at all! A kingdom is not something you can mess around with for the befit of your own, you are responsible for everyone''s lives in your kingdom. If you do not care for it, you are nothing but playing pretend!


    Things took a turn for the better when the Empress Of KIndess was seen playing with a group of young Valokians. She was helping them get over their fear of flying. The current Empress was so strict about having certain flight movements that some children refused to fly as a result.


    She carefully coaxed the children to play with her and spread their wings to take flight. That was the start of her reign. Where she constantly gave to those in need or when she helped when the weak ones couldn''t speak.


    Everyone kept having the misconception that she was just like the other Empresses before her. But they were all wrong. She may have the royal blood pumping within her but she was not as ruthless as her predecessors. She was a mother first before an Empress.


    Her mother gave it her all to protect her children. She didn''t care if the world was burning. Her only wish was for her children to grow to be strong or healthy. If they didn''t want to be ruling the kingdom, so be it. So long as they are happy, she was contented.

 Chapter 339 - The Ark Of Rina

    Now, at this moment in time, Mavislin felt that she was her mother. Never once she felt that she deserved such a thing but here she is. And the only thing to do now is to make her decision, like how her mother did all those years ago.


    "My actions may never be forgiven in your eyes but please let my next steps be of use to you. I only want to help you at this point, I do not have any ill intent up my sleeves," continued the Flower Mage.


    "And if you do, you know the ultimate punishment for lying during such a gesture, am I right?" asked Mavislin, nodding.


    "I am well aware."


    Mavislin smiled as she finished the gesture by pulling back her hands and kissing both of them. She looked at Rie who was crouched down and looking up at her.


    "However, I do not wish for you to be part of my Pillars just yet.. Until I see you fight for me, just like how this boy had done. But until then, will you obey my will and reason to do what I command you to?" asked Mavislin, giving off an Aura of an Empress.


    Bryan was utterly mesmerized by how Mavislin reacted. Her eyes and gestures were all like a beautiful Empress. She wasn''t the small child she was a few moments ago. But that''s going to show how much she has m?tur?d. When she first came until now.


    "Now, if that''s agreed upon, shall we make haste? I don''t have all night, you know," said Mavislin, with a big grin.


    "I humbly accept your terms. My real name is Rina ''Rie'' Vermillion. You may call me ''Rina''," said Rina, getting up.


    Bryan and Mavislin looked at each other in shock.


    "What? Does my name ring a bell?" asked Rina, tilting her head like a puppy.


    "Yea... We found your grave, it was the entrance of this place," explained Bryan, looking quite confused.


    "Oh, I know. I asked the guards to disguise the entrance as a tombstone. And I requested it to be using mine. Don''t worry, I''m very much alive. Let''s get a move on."


    She headed in the direction of the Birthing Chambers. Their destination was few doors down a large hallway, similar to the one Gab and Ysabeau were treading at the same time. Bryan was beginning to be light-headed and groggy. If he doesn''t find a place to nap, he''ll knock out for sure.


    "Say, what is the fella''s name? The one that you said that runs the whole show," asked Bryan.


    "His name is Kris. You won''t miss him, he is the only person that has a face charming enough to rival yours," replied Rina, pointing at Bryan.


    The human Mage blinked several times.


    "My face is charming?" asked Bryan, in shock.


    "You are quite the looker. You must have some girls hanging your way," whispered Mavislin.


    "Yep, he is around your height as well but he has got a bit more muscle on him. And he has tanned skin complexion, so he stands out from the crowd here," continued Rina.


    "Do you have any background information about him?" asked Mavislin, joining in the conversation.


    This might be a good time to get more things out of her, be it if she was telling the truth or not. Right now, if they were to face the mastermind, they would be going in blind. Some bits of information might be monumental right now.


    "He was some rich guy within Albion''s Red Light District. He was a frequent traveler, constantly going in out of the main town and the Red Light District. He does go out to the other Domains but he stopped recently. There was a brothel that he liked a lot, though I can''t recall it."


    "Would it be called ''The Velvet Pearl''?"


    "That''s right! Wait, how did you know?" asked Rina, tilting her head once more.


    This seemed to be a signature for her ever since they joined forces.


    "Let''s just say we solved a missing piece of the puzzle," replied Mavislin.


    "What else do you know about him? Is he human or has he got powers as well?" asked Mavislin, further questioning Rina.


    "He seems human, he doesn''t have Elemental Aura or Energy that I know of. But he is quite skilled in poisons and substances," noted Rina as she recalled the time that he introduced to everyone what was ''Mercury''.


    "Sounds like a poison master that we all know and love," said Mavislin, nudging Bryan at his side.


    "Yea, sounds like Gab''s long-lost cousin if he ever had one," replied Bryan, yawning.


    "I don''t think he''ll be thrilled to find that out," said Mavislin, shaking her head.

 Chapter 340 - The Ark Of The Head Of Research

    "Yes, he was quite well-versed in flora and fauna. He seemed to know what plants were poisonous and which were safe enough for humans to touch. He was also quite bossy," said Rina.


    Mavislin knew what to grab on to for the conversation, the fact that this man was bossy. That would have been enough to cause a rift between worker and leader.


    "Elaborate on that? Like, was he micro-manager? Or did he like to use his mouth more than his hands?"


    Rina was surprised with all the questions Mavislin was bombarding but tried to answer each of them as cool as possible.


    "He was the type to micro-manage but he did do the work by himself. Like, at times, he would show us or just give little nuggets of information here and there. But he wasn''t the type to just use his mouth. If I''m not wrong, it''s quite the opposite," replied Rina, thinking back. .


    "He wanted to pull off the important experiments by himself. But, from what I heard from my peers, he had quite the foul mouth," continued Rina.


    Mavislin''s ears perked up, this might be one of the reasons why Rina switched sides.


    "He likes to swear a lot? He can have a word war with Mavislin," said Bryan.


    Mavislin flicked the man''s forehead, earning a giggle from RIna. It was nice to see her smile since she''s been going through quite a lot.


    "Don''t be so cheeky," replied Mavislin as Bryan rubbed his forehead.


    "When I said ''foul mouthed'', I don''t mean to say that he uses profanities. I meant to say that he tends to insult the recruits. He would scold and insult them, saying that they were no good and overall being mean to them. Most of them quit after a few months."


    "If I was working under a boss like that, I would punch his face and quit on the same day as I arrived," replied Bryan.


    "I''m gonna have to say the same. Someone like that doesn''t deserve to be a leader, let alone the head of a research and development department. These types of things require a very supportive leader who can guide and manage each individual," replied Mavislin.


    "So that''s what this place is called... The Research and Development Facility?" asked Bryan.


    "I just call it that, I don''t know what this place is called. Usually, a facility like this is for researching and developing certain things like sure or substances."


    "You aren''t wrong to say that. And I kinda like that name as well. Anyways, going back to Kris''s bad habits, he does tend to sabotage quite a bit. And tell us lies, lots and lots of lies. I never liked him but I''ve got no choice, he was the only one who overlooked the fact that I''m not human."


    "Sabotage? Like, he sabotages experiments and delays research?"


    "Nope, he sabotages in different ways. He starts rumors about other researchers and passes them around. If he did not like the new researcher, he would purposely tell the seniors that the recruit is no good at their job. Or worse, trying to defunct the place."


    "I recall there was an incident that a girl just joined. For some reason, he hated her with a burning passion, which makes me wonder why he accepted her in the first place. This was the most extreme case I knew because he managed to sabotaged her to the point of no return."


    "He started spreading rumors that she stole one of the main substances needed for a certain cure that one of the partners was doing. My partner has every fiery temper, so he instantly lashed out at the recruit. At first, I tried to calm him down, saying that it must be a mistake."


    "I pretty sure it was, a new person on the job wouldn''t have a sound mind to steal things right off the bat," replied Bryan, trying to understand why would Kris badmouth a person he had just recruited.


    "I wish the incident turned out better because we found the substance hiding in her locker. But, I had suspected someone planted it there but I kept my mouth shut. In the end, my partner, in a fit of rage, splashed a highly concentrated acid onto her eyes, making her go permanently blind."


    Well, that took a very dark turn, thought Mavislin as she did not expect such an outburst from a human. Perhaps they do have the tendency to be a merciless but poor girl, she did not deserve that. Meanwhile, Bryan remained unimpressed.


    "That''s the norm for most people. It was his cure, his research. His temper or research does not excuse his reaction but doesn''t take it to heart. Hell, don''t think that''s the worse humans would do," said Bryan, shaking his head.

 Chapter 341 - The Ark Of The Massacred

    "And don''t think Kris won''t be afraid to get his hands dirty. On numerous accounts, he has laid hands on both colleagues and victims. He once stabbed a researcher in need of his rare type of blood that reacted to a serum. In the heart," said Rina, without minding her words.


    "Overall, he is a scum that needed to be erased from this world," said Bryan, feeling quite annoyed by the person.


    "I wouldn''t say that he needs to be gone. Perhaps I can take him in for a good ol'' pep talk with Baldwin," said Mavislin, raising her eyebrow.


    Bryan looked at her in disbelief.


    "The experimenter has become the experimented. I don''t know to applaud you or to back away from you," said Bryan, glancing at Mavislin with wary eyes. .


    Mavislin cracked her knuckles and gave a twisted smile, scaring Bryan.


    "Backing away from me is fine. But after the incident and if I do get to fight that man, you''ll find that you would come to fear me more than these researchers," said Mavislin, grinning.


    As they reached the entrance, Rina gave a final warning to the two of them.


    "I never liked to see this, that''s why most of the doctors don''t come here," said Rina, looking away from the door.


    "I get why the doctors don''t like it here, but why aren''t there any guards anywhere?" asked Bryan, yawning.


    Mavislin froze up. How can she not have realized? They have not fought off any guards for the past few hours. She turned to look at Rie, who was also having the same look.


    "I think there''s something wrong here... You are right, why wasn''t there any backup for me?" asked Rina as her wings sprouted.


    The three backed away from the chamber''s entrance. Rie went into another room instead, only to find that everyone in there had been massacred. Mavislin paused as she detected the stench of death. She took another deep breath in. And she nearly vomited.


    There was no doubt about it, the only reason why the Valkyrie did not detect any danger was that there wasn''t anyone around. All of the ones who were around... Were all dead. Guards and doctors alike. As Rina examined the bodies, she gasped in horror.


    "They weren''t killed by outsiders..." said Rina, as she carefully pried open one hand of the deceased.


    She then turned around and faced her two new crew members. With a look of grief and anger, she tightened her grip on the weapon.


    "They were killing each other," said Rina, dropping the operating knife on the floor.


    Bryan seemed slightly disturbed while Mavislin glanced around. Rina was livid as she slowly walked out. Bryan followed her out while Mavislin tried to find any other signs of intrusion or foul play.


    "They were close to you?" asked Bryan, trying to find another reason for the massacre through Rina.


    "Very. They were the superior ones in terms of experimenting and finding cures. They were making quite the progress but judging by the damage, I think they''ve all gone to waste," said Rina, with her voice slightly cracking.


    "Were they all seniors? Or are there some juniors lying around as well?" asked Bryan.


    "There seem to be only the seniors around. The ones in armors are the guards. But I don''t get it. I was just here a few hours ago and I left them because we heard a disturbance at the hidden entrance. They were all fine, just doing their jobs..."


    "Now, I''m seeing them as dead bodies. And worst of all, it looks like that they turned on each other. I don''t know why who or what did this, but I''m starting to get annoyed by these cruel acts. I had enough," declared Rina with tears threatening to come out.


    "I am done with my tears. And I know who did this. There is only one person that can do such a thing. But first, I need to lead you guys to the Birthing Chambers. Let''s settle there first. Then I will bring you to the main area," said Rina, wiping her tears away.


    "There''s another main area? I thought the Birthing Chambers was," said Bryan.


    "No, it is just one of the most tragic areas to be in this facility. The main area is called the Poison Chambers, where Kris holds most of his experiments there. But Mavislin told me that she was on this mission to find the missing girls first, so I brought you both here," explained Rina.


    Meanwhile, Mavislin was treading around the room with the dead bodies strewn about. She tried to detect a scent that did not belong to the room but it was hard with the smell of rotting flesh everywhere. It created quite the barrier-

 Chapter 342 - The Ark Of Mad Hatters Disease

    And the bodies have started decomposing. Something was wrong. Even if they had been dead for a full day, they won''t be as bad as the state they are in now. It looked like they died about a few days ago. But the reports around them all seemed to be the present day.


    Moments passed and now she could get rid of the decomposing smell. But at the cost of the bodies fully decomposing. This was extraordinary. These bodies were all human, no Magecraft was involved at all. And no foul play as well. Was it another thing?


    She tried remembering what Gab told her about poisons, that they could be both ingested and inhaled. Some would take quite a while to have a lasting effect while most have an instant effect. It''s usually those that can be ingested that have an instant effect..


    She looked at the bodies closely, it was hard to see if it was ingested or inhaled since most of the bodies have fully decomposed. But then again, no normal researcher would be ingesting any substances that they were testing. Mavislin tried to get another scent and she widened her eyes.


    She was wrong, there was Magecraft involved but it was mixed with whatever poison that the people have either ingested or inhaled. She rushed out of the room, scaring Bryan and Rina. The two were done talking and tried heading into the room when Mavislin suddenly barged out.


    "The two of you need to get as far from here as possible. NOW!" yelled Mavislin as she pointed towards the Birthing Chambers.


    The two were shocked but immediately complied and headed towards the Brithing Chambers. Since they were in such a rush, they failed to see what was truly going on in there. Mavislin followed behind, trying to rush them along. But they weren''t inside yet.


    "What''s the deal?" asked Rina, slightly annoyed that they had to sprint all of sudden.


    "The substance that was exposed to the people in there and the rooms around that was the same I''ve encountered years ago. It is a substance that can be both inhaled and ingested. It''s called ''Mercury'', and high levels of it can cause death," explained Mavislin.


    "But that doesn''t explain why they turn against each other," protested Rina.


    "Mercury inhalation can cause a wide variety of symptoms, but most commonly it can lead to something called the Mad Hatter''s Disease. That''s according to the Time Mage. That disease would be rampant during the 18th to 20th centuries."


    "That''s five centuries well into the future! That shouldn''t be known over here!" exclaimed Rina in shock.


    "Tell that to the meddlesome leader of the Vigilante. You can''t stop a Time Mage from doing what he does best," said Mavislin, shaking her head while placing her palm on her forehead.


    "But you can control what comes out of his mouth," murmured Bryan, to Mavislin''s ears.


    "He is still your superior!"


    "On the plus side, without his information, we wouldn''t have known about the Mad Hatter''s Disease," said Rina, in between laughs.


    "Despite being in the future for the human race, us Mages have information about this since some Mages has the power to decompose organic things into its base substances. We call it, ''Lunacy''s Disease''."


    "But the researchers showed signs of hurting each other as if they''d just turned on each other," said Rina, recalling the way that researcher held her knife.


    "Correct but if you had stayed to see the bodies properly, you''ll find that most of them showed signs of self-harm. Were the researchers suffering any mental illnesses before this?" asked Mavislin.


    "No, definitely not. It was one of the requirements to get a full mental and physical examination so that we wouldn''t risk situations like this. But I am positive that none of them are self-harmers," answered Rina.


    "How sure can you be? Most of them died while banging their heads onto the stone tables and smashing their heads with glass bottles," questioned Mavislin.


    "I am the leader of that particular brigade. They were all my partners and underlings. But most of them are around my expertise since they were in the facility for a long time. So, the substance caused the victims to go insane?"


    "That is correct. The recorded symptoms are paranoia, giddiness, a slight form of vomiting, and skin rashes. Some of the limbs showed signs of rashes but I couldn''t tell too much. The bodies started decomposing, which led me to believe that Magecraft was at play."


    "Which Magecraft? I don''t sense any Elemental Aura or Energy around the area," said Rina, looking confused.

 Chapter 343 - The Ark Of Poison And Mages

    "You won''t be able to and neither did I. I''m basing off on the looks of at how quick the bodies decomposed. Even so, I did not have enough time to correctly pinpoint which type of Element is at play. But rest ?ssured, it is not Corrupt," stated Mavislin.


    "It''s just a hunch but I am guessing that it would be the Element of Necrosis at play here. It''s the only Element that heightens the rate of decomposition and disappears without leaving anything after a few hours. It must have been mixed into the Mercury substance."


    "That''s a new Element, I''ve never heard of that before..." said Bryan.


    "It is as old as the Lost Elements.. It is one of the pilot derivatives of the Dark Element. It had been around since the Dark Element Mages perfected the base skills of the Element Of Darkness. It''s older than you for sure," said Mavislin, pointing at Bryan.


    "Anyways, you might want to read up on that Element as well, since it''s the main Element that Baldwin uses. Any wrong move and there won''t be any trace of you when you face off against the Angry Man," warned Mavislin.


    "Back to the point, I want to know how the person managed to get his hands on the Element of Necrosis. It''s near impossible to, even other Mages have a hard time handling it without going out of control," continued Mavislin.


    "Judging by the looks of things, it did go out of control," commented Rina, replaying the scene in her mind.


    "Not at all. The situation from earlier was one of the rare occasions that the Element of Necrosis was given carefully. It only came to play after the researchers had died. It had partnered up with the Mercury but waited for a bit before affecting the bodies."


    "So what would happen if the Element Necrosis wasn''t handled properly?" asked Bryan.


    "You won''t be standing here, asking that question to me. I''m beginning to think that it might not be such a bad thing after all..." replied Mavislin, looking at Bryan with disapproving eyes.


    "It was no wonder why you made us run away from that area. It had lingering traces of Mercury, am I right?" asked Rina, recalling that odd smell that she detected.


    Luckily, it was just a few minutes, and then disperse of the toxic air had been long dispersed. As such, Bryan and RIna did not show any signs of those symptoms stated above. But what got Rina''s curiosity up was the fact that Magecraft was at play.


    "So, Mages aren''t affected by this substance?" asked Bryan.


    "It can affect the Mages as well but my body is quite repellent against such small levels of it."


    "I wonder how effective is your body against these substances. It seems like you can endure quite a fair bit of these harmful things," asked Bryan, pointing at the Valkyrie.


    "I don''t know if you''ve noticed but it takes quite the effort to cut my flesh. Even Rina has to use one of her Flower Dance Stages to remotely make a wound on me."


    "How does the durability of your flesh has got to do with the inhalation of poisons?" asked Rina, truly curious.


    "It''s not about my skin or flesh, it''s about my weight. I weigh significantly more than a blue whale and I''m still not fully m?tur? yet. The more body mass a being has, the higher the dosage is needed for a poison to be in full effect."


    "That''s why unless you''ve got more than a million times the dosage, I won''t be going mad anytime soon," explained Mavislin, pointing to her footsteps.


    They hadn''t realized it since she was manipulating her weight and physical appearance but she did speak the truth. So far, the footsteps of hers left dents on the stone walkway.


    "Why would this place be better than the other area?" asked Bryan, confused.


    "No, but that place was concentrated with that poison. This place doesn''t. But, we can''t take any risks," answered Mavislin, summoning her wings once more.


    She then pluck out a few feathers and murmured a spell. The few feathers turned into pieces of cloths with a string attached. She then handed it to Rina and Bryan.


    "Put these on, this entire hallway is filled with different poisons that can harm the human body. Looks like the crowd back there didn''t receive the warning quick enough," said Mavislin as the two of them put on the clothes.


    "But how about you, Mavislin? Don''t you need one of these?" asked Bryan, pointing to his cloth.


    "Nope, these poisons are only harmful to the human body, not Valkyrie bodies. However, they are quite foul-smelling. Especially the one in this room," said Mavislin, finally heading into the Birthing Chambers.

 Chapter 344 - The Ark Of The Birthing Chambers

    The moment she stepped in, she was punched by the smell and sight of the area. It was revolting, both the smell and the sight. The smell was familiar to her, it was something that the researchers use before cutting up their test subjects.


    "They must be on Ketamine, it''s a substance we use before we perform surgery on our subjects. But, I think the whole place is filled with it, seeing as how the girls are all like that," explained Rina as she stepped in.


    "I don''t know how much of this substance that you''ve given them but it has sent them into a catatonic started at this point," replied Mavislin.


    The area was larger than any of the rooms that the group had been into, even bigger than the one Gab and Ysabeau were currently going through. It was dimly lit with the soft sounds of gurgling and whimpers. There were multiple pods lined around the perimeter of the room.


    At a glance, one could tell that they were at least more than 30 pods. Mavislin walked further into the room and placed a hand on the pod.. She leaned closer and stared at it carefully. She was slightly disturbed but not shocked at the scene. At most, she felt uneasy.


    A woman was in there. She wasn''t asleep but she didn''t seem to have a sound mind. Her eyes were devoid of life as she laid in the pod, n?k?d as a baby''s bottom. Her w?mb was inflated and her mouth was covered with a large tube. All of the women were breathing in Ketamine.


    And it was at such high levels that the entire area was filled with that smell. But it did not faze the Valkyrie one bit. Bryan and Rina weren''t affected either since the mask was quite repellent against the strong substance.


    The woman that Mavislin had been looking at started to move, causing the Valkyrie to back away. Rina appeared behind the Valkyrie.


    "She''s about to give birth. We collect the sp?rm from the donors from the town and implant them in the women here. Their sole purpose is to breed. These are the cream of the crop. They are labeled as the best breeders we''ve got. And they have given birth countless of times."


    The Valkyrie''s nose scrunched up in disgust at that statement. How could she so easily cough that up? She wasn''t a human but at least have some decency. And don''t say as if it amuses her, that would be going straight into creepy town!


    "The area that your other team members should have their children. But I can''t confirm if they are all dead or alive. But rest ?ssured, all of the women in this room are very much alive. Well, a child is coming out. But the drugs prevent her from feeling any pain," explained Rina.


    She then bent down to the bottom of the pod to try to catch the baby. The pod opened up from the bottom, where Rina was crouched at. A few moments later, a baby''s wails could be heard. Bryan looked on as horror swallowed his face whole.


    "The kids are made to be experiments for us. I know it sounds disturbing but most of LAbion''s medicines came from our facility. Without them, we wouldn''t have been able to save the ones above us," justified Rina as she caught the baby on time.


    Mavislin shook her head as she glanced around. Rina was right, no matter how loud this child was wailing, the rest of the pods remain undisturbed. Rina quickly covered the child with towels that just so happened to be lying around the room.


    The room was quite well-equipped, after overlooking the pregnant women in the pods. There were small bassinets to accommodate the newborns and lots of cloth and a running water tap system. But the bassinets were placed on stone tables that resembled the operating tables they''ve seen.


    She dampened a piece of cloth to slowly wipe away the baby''s face while rinsing the blood away. The child''s cries had toned down.


    "They won''t be sound in their minds, judging by this. I can''t believe the torture they would have to go through. All for the sake of a better humanity. I have a feeling that your morgue is huge. Either that or you have mass graves around here," said Bryan, with a repulsive look.


    "We keep the bodies for further experiments. Like, trying out new things. For example, if the baby is born with no arms, we find the dead one to sew on arms for it. And you are right, none of the children bred here are sound. They will never function as normal humans anymore."


    "And you are alright with that?" asked Bryan, raising his voice.

 Chapter 345 - The Ark Of How Many Lives Lost

    The Valkyrie was deathly quiet. She knew that she had to keep her mouth shut for this conversation. It wasn''t her place to justify a human''s way of upbringing a child or the morals of medicinal practice. If humans are against humans, that''s not her problem.


    And she has to remember that. Gillian and Baldwin have already chewed her out for meddling in human affairs too much. Right now, the mission that she was doing pushes the boundary between human and Mage morals.


    It was starting to fall on the human side of things but Rina was around to merge the two and blur the line. Enough for Mavislin to accept the mission, even if they only had a week to complete it. Though they couldn''t feel it, now was day three of the ordeal.


    But now wasn''t the time to think about how much longer they''ve got. Mavislin gave a small smile.. She was wondering how a human would fight against a Mage''s way of seeing the medicinal world. This was going to be interesting since both of them were the same.


    Born to humans and raised with Mageccraft. Both walked different paths but never got a chance to live within the ones in the above-world dwellers. They spent their lives trying to find a place on Earth as they are neither here nor there. But they are now fighting on who has the higher ground.


    "I am not but we saved so many lives within the Domain. They died for nothing. And besides, they were farmed by us, so it shouldn''t count as individual life," protested Rina, crossing her arms while pouting.


    "And that would be justifiable? I know you aren''t human, but for god''s sake! Hear yourself speak for once!" rebuked Bryan, giving a long sigh after the sentence.


    "Don''t the words that come out of that mouth of yours sound remotely alright to you? You aren''t okay with this, so why did you continue it? And never mind about continuing it, you are still justifying what you''ve done as ''correct''?! That pisses me off more than anything!"


    "How many lives did you take?! Ten, hundred?" asked Bryan, still raising his voice at the petite girl.


    "I..." stammered Rina.


    "How many?!" boomed Bryan, fully shouting at her.


    "I don''t remember! There''s no way I could remember the lives that I took, no one can!" shouted Rina, afraid of Bryan''s sudden outburst.


    Well, it wasn''t too sudden. Anyone could see that coming from a century away.


    "I don''t know about you, but I remember how many lives I took. I don''t think that''s something that you can stop remembering. The weight of an individual life should mean something to you if you are preaching about saving others with cures," argued Bryan.


    "Because that''s how you see humans as a whole and how much you treasure them. You talk so much about helping the Domain as a whole by using newborn lives as fodder. You are a walking hypocrite. I don''t understand why Mavislin agreed to have you on board," continued the Slayer.


    "There''s no way I could remember how many people I''ve killed. There were just too many. And besides, we killed hundreds to save millions," replied Rina, trying to recall how many kids were lying dead in her hands.


    "What''s the point of saving so many when you can''t recall the people that you sacrificed?" asked Bryan, placing his hands on his h?ps.


    "Without them, your team and yourself couldn''t have made the medical breakthrough with so many cures. And yet, for their miserable short lifespan, you can''t even remember how many lives you took. I don''t think you remember their faces either."


    "And how many times I''ve told myself that it would justify my actions," replied Mavislin, finally chiming in.


    Bryan lowered his tensed shoulders as he glanced at Mavislin''s darkened eyes. The weight that those eyes hold was more than anyone in the room. If Bryan was scolding Rina for such a small kill count, then he would kill her for her past.


    "How many times I wished that that excuse would be enough to stop the nightmares from coming all the time. But when I came to terms with it, I realized that how wrong I was to believe that stupid lie," said Mavislin, thinking back to her time when she first joined Gillian and Ysabeau.


    "Then, did you manage to count, the lives that you''ve taken?" asked Bryan, shyly.


    He may be the one shouting just now but she was on a whole different level in his books. He had always regarded her as a role model so he didn''t expect her to do mass murder. But he wasn''t very close to her. Only a handful knows that she annihilated her entire home planet.

 Chapter 346 - The Ark Of No Angels Here

    "Count? I never forget a face, be it if it was just a passerby. I never forget it, because I can''t. Remember I told you that our memories are stored as currency. Now, with my planet gone, I''ve got all these memories left. And it becomes my demons at night."


    "Sometimes, how I wish I could forget the faces within my memories. But alas, they are there to remind me of who I am supposed to be here. They hold me down to the mark. To remind me to never make that decision ever again. No matter how tempting it is, it was wrong."


    "But to answer your question specifically.... 3.47 billion children and 7.43 billion ?du?ts. They were all on the planet that I destroyed. My home planet. And I killed them all so that the Universe won''t have to continue fighting. It worked but the problem is coming back."


    "I don''t know if I can take the pressure up once more. And for my human victims, that would be about five hundred thousand people. No children are involved though, ''cause I hate killing kids," revealed Mavislin, without having to pause on the figures.


    Both were shocked for different reasons. Bryan''s reaction was normal since he had no clue about Mavislin''s past. He did not expect his role model to be a killer with that high of a kill count. It was still difficult to see that in her, seeing that how she smiles all the time.


    Rina''s reaction was more the complex side since she knew about the crime that the Valkyrie did. She was impressed that the Valkyrie was able to remember how many lives she took. Rina took about a hundred lives at that point and she can''t count how many it was.


    "But this is what I need to tell you both. I have no right to say how you should run your societies. I am a Mage, an outside, I''ve got no say. But, I''ll just give you words of advice. Just because it was the sake of something doesn''t mean that you can justify whatever that you do."


    "There''s no right or wrong in this situation. But what Bryan said was right, there was no excuse for you to treat the ones born in captivity as fodders. Be it if it was for the better of humanity. If word gets out about this, no one would dare to take any of your cures."


    Mavislin then turned to Bryan, bewildering the poor man.


    "And you! Don''t be so harsh on the recruit! Man, you make me sound like Z..." said Mavislin, changing the tone of her voice.


    She gave her signature smile and walked over to Bryan. The man was apprehensive about what the boss wanted to do to him. For all he knew, she could just whack him to the next area. But once again, she stunned both parties. This Valkyrie is full of surprises.


    She enveloped Bryan into her arms and pulled him to an embrace. Rina blushed slightly at the scene.


    "Your breathing was out of pace again when you shouted. Don''t get too agitated when we are on missions. Keep it at bay, if not, you might die from shock attack," whispered Mavislin into Bryan''s ears.


    Bryan was finally aware of his breathing once more and steadied himself once more. He followed Mavislin''s breathing to make it stable again. And it seems that the baby was following through by using Rina''s heartbeat and breathing to stabilize herself.


    "I''m sorry I didn''t tell you more about the past. I promise I''ll tell you the entire thing when we finish this mission," murmured Mavislin, patting his back.


    "You said that you used Heaven''s Wheel to win the war, but I didn''t realize that you used to kill everyone on your home planet. I just thought you shifted them to somewhere else far away. And you have slaughtered humans as well... I just."


    "I know, I know. I tried to leave that part out since I knew you would freak out about it. But I was wrong to withhold you from the truth. I have to remember that I shouldn''t treat humans as children anymore. Especially for my Pillars. But I''ll tell you more after this thing, alright?"


    "I understand, Lady Roydon. I respect your decision. When you are ready, then you can do storytime with me again," replied Bryan.


    The two pulled away and Mavislin continued to reprimand Bryan on his harshness to Rina.


    "Indeed, she doesn''t remember but she did make progress for the human race. And for the human race to proceed on, you have to get your hands dirty. I''m not saying that lives lost were for the better of humanity but some things have to be overlooked."

 Chapter 347 - The Ark Of Moving The Girls Out

    "After all, you were part of the Five Kings of the Underworld. Your hands have been soiled as much as her. There isn''t any angel here. All I see are humans trying to find the higher moral ground but you won''t find any. Not when the parties have both killed in their past."


    "Frankly speaking, I''m very patient with the two of you because I am focusing my anger on the final boss of this mission. But I need to be firm on this for you two because you are my juniors now. Rina, don''t feel too bad about the past. Focus on your present and future now."


    "Remember, every Saint has a past and every sinner has a future. Don''t let the demons of your past claim the new days of your future. But, don''t make the same mistake twice. Don''t sacrifice any life to save others. Do your best to use your power to help others instead of using lives."


    "If it gives you any comfort, I wouldn''t have known what to do either. I would''ve made the same mistake as you and I would still be as angry as Bryan. There''s no good or bad here. You both were right and wrong in your way."


    Looking at Rina washing off the blood and trying to coo the newborn was conflicting for the Valkyrie to look at. Why was she suddenly so trusting of this Mage? Bryan was right, it could have been a trap. But her actions, her words, and her tears seemed so real.


    The way she bathed the child and shushed her down... Reminded the Valkyrie of her childhood back on Valokia. But before she could continue any further, a thunderous squawk can be heard. The ground shook as Mavislin gave another grin.


    "Looks like Ysabeau mobilized Fluffy to help out. I am quite impressed though, never expect her to call Fluffy to such a place," said Mavislin as she established herself.


    "Fluffy? That''s the creature''s name for that racket?!" asked RIna.


    "Yep. It''s a Rukh, the largest bird on Earth. The feathers are quite fluffy, thus the name," explained Mavislin.


    "And one hell of a transport ride," murmured Bryan, remembering how they came here from the Old Chapel.


    "You took it better than Raiyen, that''s saying quite a lot."


    "Anyways, we''ve noted what we can in this room. I want to get the girls out now. But I need both of your help," instructed Mavislin, looking at Bryan and RIna.


    "I know the both of you are coming out from rocky paths now but to save the women here, I need you both to set aside your difference and work together. And if I hear any word of argument, I''ll use you both as transport rides, got it?"


    "Understood, Lady Roydon," chimed the both of them.


    "Alright. Rina, I need you to teach Bryan how to open the pods. Then, get them off from the toxic gas. Bryan, make sure you don''t inhale it. The mask might help but the gas is quite powerful if up close," commanded Mavislin, pointing to the first pod.


    "But first, I need to do a spell. And I would require a whole lot of water from the area. I never got around to use this before since Fluffy was always around for us. But she''s booked so time to pull that out," said Mavislin, apprehensive about what she was going to do.


    "How will we transport all these girls?" asked Rina, skeptical about the situation.


    "The same way Ysabeau is using her Ancient Relic, it''s time to use one of mine. But, you guys have to step back," replied Mavislin as she took her stance.


    She placed both of her hands out with her palms open. She took in a deep breath and started to absorb the water from the area. Streams of the Water Element danced throughout the room, illuminating the somber atmosphere.


    Rina looked at the display with awe, she never imagined that a Valkyrie could pull off such a stunt. Amazed, she absent-mindedly reached out to touch the bright blue streams of Water. To her surprise, it felt warm instead of cold. Mavislin did not seem to be too bothered about that.


    "All waves rise and become my shield."


    The Water streams increase in size as accordance Mavislin''s chants. They looked like they were shining brighter than ever before. But it could be due to the room being very dark. Either way, it was now Bryan''s turn to be mesmerized by such beauty.


    "From the depths of Okeanos, grant me the protection of the waves. Ruled by Neptune, son of Poseidon, the god of the sea. The lost legend, Lord Atlantia!" called out Mavislin, as the Water streams all converge to the front of her palms.

 Chapter 348 - The Ark Of The Familiar: Cetus

    Her entire form right now reminded Bryan of a goddess. She looked so elegant with the streams of Water Elements surrounding her. She had been closing her eyes but after her last sentence, she revealed two orbs of ocean blue under her eyelids.


    Her wings sprouted, possessing baby blue wings. Her hair tips were now turquoise and her Aura surrounded her with an emerald hue. She was going to town with this particular spell since she has never used it before. And powering another life is no easy task.


    As the shield of Lord Atlantia appeared in her palms, it appears to be that the spell was nowhere done. Her Elemental Aura shot through the roof, alarming the two Mages that stood in front of them.


    "One of Poseidon''s pets of the seas... The legendary sea serpent that deemed to kill Andromeda. Though slain, it lives on within the ''Celestial Sea''... Come forth to my realm..." chanted Mavislin as a portal opened in front of the large metal shield.


    "Wait! That looks like one of my Constellations!" hollered Bryan, pointing to the creature that was coming out from the portal.


    "Cetus!" yelled Mavislin, finishing the spell.


    The creature came out but only a silhouette could be seen for a while. When everyone recovered their vision from the bright streams of Water, they finally got to see what Mavislin had as a pet. But to everyone''s surprise, it turned out to be smaller than expected.


    "This was always the problem with my Ancient Relic... If I don''t use it regularly, the spell becomes minute. And since this is the first time I called him out, it would make sense that he would be this small," explained Mavislin, picking up the creature.


    "But he looks so cute! And I can''t wait to show him off to the rest when we get back. Out of all of them, I''m such a late bloomer..."


    "Late bloomer?"


    "Yea, each of us is granted use of the Ancient Relics. And each Ancient Relic as separate spells. A running spell between are six Ancient Relics is the ''Familiar spell. It is where our Ancient Relic calls out a creature from folklore, be it from the past, present, or future."


    "So, each of you has a folklore you follow?"


    "Correct. Since we wanted to tie our Ancient Relics concerning the history of Earth, we each chose folklore or mythology from Earth. My Ancient Relic uses creatures from the Greek mythos, Z uses his hometown, Philippines and Baldwin uses Irish folklore. Ysabeau uses the Middle East."


    "Raiyen uses spells from the Chinese Mythology and Gillian uses Babylonian legends. Though Raiyen was trying to use Japanese ones Gillian didn''t allow it."


    "The Familiars relate to the Ancient Relic or the user in some way. Like, Fluffy is the Rukh which attributes to being in the sky. Z''s familiar is the Bakunawa, a water-dwelling beast hailing from Philippines folklore, his birth town," explained Mavislin.


    "So, Z is from the Asian Continent? I didn''t know that, he looked so accustomed to this part of the world. I mean, Raiyen looks different as well but he acts different than Z," said Bryan.


    "It wasn''t an easy feat either. But he was from a different Universe, Parallel Universes are common but for someone to jump in is rare. Another Earth, another time. And he decided to jump into this one, though it was quite early in years, jumping at around X300 or before."


    Bryan was highly impressed. He had looked at the man before but he didn''t expect him to be as old as dust. Then again, he wasn''t a normal human. But he did rock the look of being a chubby source of happiness. He kinda looked like Z, the more Bryan thought about it.


    "Gillian''s familiar was used to scare Minwoo once but other than that, he doesn''t use it too often. If I''m not mistaken, it is called the ''Gugalanna''. It was also known as the ''Bull of Heaven'' that King Gilgamesh slew. This is within Mesopotamian Lore."


    "Raiyen''s familiar is my favorite, no offense, little one," said Mavislin, gently patting the creature''s head.


    The creature smiled and gave a little laugh. He truly loves his master, even if she hasn''t used him before. The fact that Mavislin uses her Ancient Relic in other ways might have strengthened the bond but it wasn''t powerful enough to use him at full power.


    "It''s called the ''Nine-tailed Fox'', which is a shapeshifter in Chinese mythos. Raiyen has a problem with that fox though since it took on a mind of its own. The Fox insisted on wandering the area outside of the Old Chapel and we can''t stop it."


    "So, we''ve got a shapeshifter in the loose as well?" asked Bryan, looking quite annoyed.

 Chapter 349 - The Ark Of The Familiars Of Ancient Relics

    "Yep, but I keep a close eye on him. He may be from the Chinese culture but he calls himself ''Tomoe'', which is a Japanese name. I have no clue why but I hope to see him soon, he has been gone ever since I ran away," said Mavislin, remembering that stubborn fox.


    "But he is my favorite because he uses fire, my favorite Element to use."


    Mavislin smiled as she remembered how she faced off the fox using her Flaming Whip. His foxfire was beautiful, to make it simple. It was called Foxflame and it was blue, contrasting it to a normal Fiery red or range. And when he is at his usual form, he resembled a samurai.


    He had a pale complexion and long silky white hair. His eyes were violet and looked very cunning. His nails were sharp and loving, earning a fair bit of scolding from Ysabeau at times. He wears a kimono with a bu??erfly imprinted blue haori.


    "I thought your favorite Element would be the Water Element, seeing how good you are at with it," said Rina, tilting her head.


    "I would''ve placed bets that Mavislin''s favorite Element would be the Light Element," said Bryan, recalling that Mavislin was a Valkyrie.


    "That''s my weakest Element. The ?du?ts forced me to use my Ancient Relic with the weakest Element I have since they said it would help me for future use. I love using Fire first since it was the first Element I ever used. Helios is the best for me."


    The creature whimpered at the thought of his master using an opposite Element of him. He looked sad so Mavislin gave another tickle.


    "Don''t worry, that was a long time ago. Now, I''m balanced with all my Elements. And I don''t hate the Water Element but my primal mind won''t be going near it anytime soon," cooed Mavislin.


    Tomoe and Raiyen always went head to head against each other. The two reminded them of how Ashley and Minwoo used to fight. My, the poor Old Chapel has got her work cut out for her. She always had such rowdy occupants in her enclosure.


    Thus, it made her cry when Mavislin left them and the deaths of both Ashley and Minwoo made her depressed. The moment Mavislin returned, the Old Chapel burst into joy and happiness, even Gillian commented that he had never seen her that way before.


    "And lastly, Baldwin''s Puka is his Ancient Relic, though he doesn''t like showing it off to others. Makes him annoyed."


    "Why? It seemed very tamed when I saw it," said Bryan.


    "It wasn''t acting like that because it was ''tamed''. It behaved tamed because it was trying to figure out if you were an enemy or not. It tends to trick humans into doing silly things like dragging them on a spooky ride. That''s Irish folklore for you."


    "But I don''t understand why my familiar looks so cute. It looks even cuter than Fluffy or TOmoe when he was a young fox," said Mavislin, happily playing with the creature.


    The creature was a chubby reptile with webbed hands and feet. Its tail was nearly the same as the one on her shield but the tailfin looked feathery. Orange feathers were also on his spine and under his belly. His eyes, skin, and tongue were all ocean blue.


    His head was quite large in comparison to its body and the whole thing was larger than a small child. His eyebrows seemed to be quite feathery as well but Bryan wasn''t sneezing so it would alright for him. He gave a big smile, revealing razor-sharp teeth, which freaked Rina out.


    "What shall I call you?" asked Mavislin, still playing with the reptile.


    "Ciel sounds like a good name to me," said Rina, looking at the creature with fear.


    The little thing seemed to agree.


    "That thing is too small to move the girls from out of this area..." commented Rina, stepping away from the creature.


    "Not to worry, I can always use an Enhancement spell but that would mean using quite a fair bit of my powers," said Mavislin, placing the little pet down.


    "A fair bit of your powers? Then, would you have enough strength for the final boss for the mission?" asked Bryan, slightly worried.


    "I had planned to step back from fighting for the rest of this mission. I don''t think it''s my fight, you know?" said Mavislin, making an upwards nod to Rina.


    "You mean, you are making her fight for you?"


    The creature hissed at Bryan to represent Mavislin''s annoyance.

 Chapter 350 - The Ark Of Cetus Becomes An Adult

    "No, you silly thing! I can still fight but this boss isn''t mine to fight. This fight belongs to Rina. I think it''s time for her to settle scores with the person who kill her child," said Mavislin, giving a thumbs up to Rina.


    She shyly nodded. She has tried to be calm the whole time, even when Bryan was shouting at her. But deep down, she was waiting for the moment to defeat that man who claimed to be the better of humanity. To make him repent for what sins he has done.


    Deep down, she had been feeling angry for the whole time, mixed with excitement. This was going to be the first major battle she had in a very long time. Last time it was in a controlled environment. Now, she was free to do use whatever power she wanted.


    "But make no mistake, even if he wasn''t my target, I would still fight for her! I don''t care if Mavislin uses me as an attacking piece within the battlefield, I owe it to her Ancestors so this the least I can do for the mighty Valkyries," exclaimed Rina, with a cute pout.


    "Don''t put me so high on the pedal stool. I may be one of them but I''m nowhere as powerful as the rest of the Founders. You might end up having to change your mind in the near future if you see them in action," said Mavislin, inhaling deeply.


    "That goes for me as well?" asked Bryan.


    "I''ll change your face before that can happen. Besides, I''ve asked all of them. No one wants you," spat out Mavislin as she crouched in front of Ciel.


    "That was blunt..." complained Bryan.


    "Sounds like an overprotective sister to me," said Rina, winking at Bryan.


    "Yea, with an age gap of nearly a millennium," said Bryan.


    Ciel was now a full-fledged serpent. The ratio between the body and the head was significantly lessened, he looked a bit like an actual serpent. It was now coiling its body around Mavislin, but not enough to suffocate her. It was like a protective stance.


    His stubby little limbs were now full-grown as proper limbs that could face off in a proper fight. His feathers were slightly longer now as well as his tail. He wasn''t as big as the Rukh but he could transport some people on his back.


    "Alrighty, let''s get the girls out from there. Starting with the one that just gave birth," commanded Mavislin, pointing to the first pod.


    "Where are you going to send them to?" asked Rina, rather anxious about going near the creature.


    "To where Ysabeau is sending the kids. Back to the Old Chapel. I think Gillian has some time to kill so I ?ssume that this should be an easy task. Besides, the girls aren''t going to run around anytime soon. We will be going by groups of five," elaborated Mavislin, patting on Ciel.


    Ciel extended himself to stretch, it could easily beat the size of a small alleyway.


    "So, we''ll be asking the girls to grab hold of this creature and they''ll fly off?" asked Bryan, still quite confused.


    "Cetus is a water-dwelling creature, there''s no way this thing is going to fly. Do you see any wings on him?" asked Mavislin, sarcastically.


    "I ?ssume that you can use Magecraft on it. So, how will we transport them to the Old Chapel?"


    "I can send the Cetus to the Old Chapel. The Ancient Relics are made by each of our Magecraft. And the Time Mage pitched in this feature where we can send our Ancient Relic to wherever another Founder is."


    "However, I can''t send it somewhere that doesn''t have another Founder to receive it."


    "Hopefully Sir Noble hasn''t returned yet, I don''t know if he would kill these girls," said Bryan.


    "How about the ones that are still pregnant?"


    "I went around the room for a bit while you two were arguing. None of them looked anywhere near to their labor date, so it should be fine. But I wonder if they can follow instructions," said Mavislin, going towards the first pod.


    "You mentioned that the amount of Ketamine in them is making them sleepy and forever sleeping. Rina, I need you to shut off the Ketamine, now," ordered Mavislin.


    Rina complied by shutting off the machine. The constant whirring of the room was now cut and eerie silence hung around the air. Bryan was slightly worried as he thought the girls would start havoc.. But Mavislin asked Rina once more to open the first pod.

 Chapter 351 - The Ark Of The Situation Back Home

    Rina nodded and fully opened it, revealing a n?k?d woman with long brown hair. It was indeed the same person that was kidnapped at the area of the Desired Roses within Gab''s reports. Bryan instantly turned away out of embarrassment as Rina removed the tube from her mouth.


    To Mavislin''s amazement, the woman woke up and stared blankly at her. The woman proceeded to wave at her. Rina was more amazed that the fact the woman was still alive after what she went through.


    "I thought they were in a catatonic state after inhaling so much. But, she looks rather alright and calm. She is even responding to my wave," murmured Mavislibn, surprised.


    "She''s in shock. The shock from the childbirth from earlier. Now it''s your chance to do whatever you need with her or give her instruction," said Bryan, still facing the other way.


    Mavislin nodded and asked Ciel to be in position.


    "OK, I need you to stay calm and listen to me. I need you to get on this creature here and grab it as hard as possible with your hands," instructed Mavislin while Rina draped a large piece of cloth on the woman.


    The woman stepped out and the creature lowered itself. Rina quickly grabbed a cloth and covered the creature as well, so it would be easier for the girls to sit on it. The woman sat on it with ease and did as she was told.


    "Alright, let''s get the next ones."


    The three Mages set to work after Bryan got over his fear of looking at n?k?d women during a mission. The first batch was done and Mavislin whispered to Ciel to go to the Old Chapel. She prayed that Gillian would recognize the beast and read the note.


    The creature shook itself and water came out from his feet and palms. The water then surrounded the creature and they all disappeared. After a few moments, the creature came back without the girls and a new note. Mavislin took it down to read it while Rina and Bryan loaded the next batch.


    ''I''m glad that you managed to use the Cetus. Hopefully, it doesn''t cause any trouble. All of the Founders have returned excepted for you and Ysabeau. Don''t worry, focus on the mission. We will take care of both the girls and the kids.''


    Mavislin smiled at the thought of the rest of her family working together to receive the victims. She could picture Baldwin getting annoyed with Z and Gillian constantly trying to break the argument up while Raiyen did his own thing of taking care of the kids.


    Unbeknownst to her, Ysabeau had sent nearly a thousand kids to the Old Chapel and there were going to be only 30 women from her current side. All hands were on deck for the day back at the Old Chapel and Baldwin was getting slightly annoyed.


    All of them except for Gillian had been on missions and wanted to rest but with this racket around, no one is going to get some rest. Not saying that they were reluctant but with the orders of both the women from the Old Chapel, they''d better help out.


    After all, all their missions were just about investigating. Ysabeau and Mavislin''s mission was a search and rescue call. When the first batch of ladies arrived, Raiyen jumped in on the action to take care of them, much to Baldwin''s annoyance.


    "If Mavislin finds out that you are looking at women, she''ll sentence you to painful death with her own hands," warned Baldwin, pushing the boy''s head.


    "And judging by the fact she has finally summoned her Ancient Relic Familiar, you''ve got another thing coming your way," warned Z.


    "Great, now I''ve got another thing to be afraid of! And by the way, I''m free to look at whoever I want! You should know since you are a guy!" said Raiyen, rubbing the back of his sore head.


    "Withhold yourself, boy. Or else I''ll tell Mavislin what you are up to. Don''t you have any shame?" asked Gillian, giving the girls some clothing.


    They were all quite patient and cooperative as they dress. It should be expected, they were all pr?st?tut?s so being n?k?d in front of guys isn''t a problem.


    "Mavislin likes you, more than just a brother, you know?" said Z, winking at Baldwin.


    Raiyen looked shocked and amazed as he pointed to himself.


    "She... likes... me?" asked Raiyen.


    "Yes," chimed the three grown Mages that were checking the victims.


    "That was something I didn''t see coming. And I''m a Time Mage around here."


    "So I think you should consider her feelings as well. Don''t push your luck with her, Raiyen.. It''s about time that both of you settled down together anyways," said Gillian, giving a smile.

 Chapter 352 - The Ark Of Tomoes Visit

    Raiyen blushed as he raised his hands to shake them.


    "Wait! I didn''t even know she has feelings for me!" protested Raiyen.


    "Well, it was plain obvious with the way she acts with you. You are the only guy she would allow to touch her. Even when the newcomers were trying to entice her, she kept saying that she had someone in her heart," revealed Gillian.


    "Yea, I thought it was because she wasn''t liking anyone and was trying to maintain a proper teach-student relationship[ with them. I didn''t know the person in her heart would be me..."


    "You two have been working together for about a century now. How could you not have realized that she likes you? From the moment she brought you home, we knew that our little Valkyrie had a crush. And you saved her. Usually, she is the one who does the saving."


    "But I don''t even know if I am ready to like her back. My head has been so wrapped up with dealing with my Domain''s events and problems that I didn''t think about settling down with her...Or the fact that she likes me."


    "Do you want to be with her?" asked Baldwin, looking at the boy with dulled eyes.


    Raiyen was hesitant to reply so he manage a nod instead.


    "If you don''t want to be with her, let me have a shot with her. She deserves way better than you, Time Mage," said a familiar, cool voice.


    "If Minwoo''s charm was annoying then yours would be unbearable, Fox spirit," complained Baldwin, grabbing the man by the tail.


    The man yanked his tail out from the Angry Man''s grasp and raised his eyebrows at the situation.


    "Who told you to come back, Tomoe?" asked Raiyen, annoyed that his Familiar was here.


    "No one. I just thought to come by for a visit. Seeing that you''ve got so many beautiful women here, I thought I might swing by to get some action," commented the fox as he came into the light.


    As per the previous description of him, nothing about Tomoe has changed. But his appearance did stun most of the women. Half of the women from the Birthing Chambers had arrived. But Raiyen had to admit, in the competition of looks, Tomoe would win by a long shot.


    "I want to be with her. So lay off your paws from her. And besides, it''s been a few years since you came around. I don''t think Mavislin would like a man who vanishes from her all the time," snarled Raiyen, against his Familiar.


    "Hmph. We''ll see about that. I trained with her more than you would''ve thought. The only reason why I keep coming back is because of her. She''s the only one who went out of her way to find me," boasted Tomoe, giving his devious smile.


    "That''s because you stole her hairband, you dumb fox," shot Baldwin, annoyed with the fox.


    "Language, Baldwin. There are children here. About thousand of little kids and we don''t want to show to the ladies that we taught them cuss words," scolded Gillian.


    Baldwin apologized as a child hugged his ankle. The Angry Man picked up the kids and placed them next to the other kids.


    "I wanted something to remind me of her, so I kinda took it. She wasn''t angry. She was the one who later asked me to train with her since all of you didn''t allow her to use her Fire Element," argued Tomoe as he turned around.


    He felt a little human tugging on his tail.


    "Fluffy..." said the kid, who had a sunken look in her brown eyes.


    She was fully human but unlike the rest of the kids, she dared to touch the fox''s tail. She was the only one who had some expression in her eyes. The rest of the kids were looking quite lifeless even if they were moving about. Tomoe crouched down and patted her head.


    "Let''s see which one Mavislin would choose when she gets home. But now, I would have to ask Tomoe to help us out. I have a feeling that there are going to be more victims than this," asked Gillian.


    "It would be my p???sur? to help Lady Mavislin with her mission. What do you want me to do?" asked Tomoe, looking quite happy to help out.


    "That''s rare to see, that you are willing to help. Anyways, we need you to find an empty building around here. Somewhere we can later take the children and women to," advised Gillian, pointing towards the opening of the Old Chapel.


    "So, you are just going to toss them there? Seems like a very nasty thing to do to them, especially what they just went through," said Tomoe, placing a finger under his chin.

 Chapter 353 - The Ark Of A Place For Recovery

    "Don''t be daft! Humans can''t stay here for too long, our Elemental Auras are enough to destroy human flesh if raised high enough. And we are at our limits. So I ask of you to help us in that," said Z, sounding quite tired.


    The same way it was tiresome to hide his ears and tail, it was also painful to seal their Elemental Auras. The three of them were nearly at their limit and Raiyen was just about to head out to release his Aura without killing anyone. Tomoe doesn''t have an Elemental Aura since he is a spirit.


    "Alright, I know of a rundown place that is just after the village outside. But it was badly burned by the previous villages that were rioting a few weeks ago, so it might be quite the pain to restore," said Tomoe, as he recalled the nearby places of the Old Chapel.


    "Did it have a large communal space at the main block? And the whole thing looked quite short but it had quite the number of rooms?" asked Raiyen, suddenly chiming in.


    "Yea, it had a few one-level huts. It was the one that was directly ahead of the Old Chapel. Like, if you just went straight, you would have bound to see it," said Tomoe.


    For a little geographical help, the Old Chapel was situated in the middle of a forest called the Crooked Forest. Since all of its trees are grown at an odd angle. And the body water that Tomoe was referring to was a long river that separates the Campania and Urnsfield Domains.


    "I have a bad feeling about using that building. There was a reason why it was getting burnt down by the villagers," said Raiyen, warily.


    "And why is that so?" asked Tomoe, with his tail wagging with amusement.


    "Because a few hundred years into the future, that place is going to be a place of hell. I''ve seen it in action. It was home to the aggressive side of the War, where most of the mass killings occurred. It was made to be a place to torture people."


    "But I think something''s wrong. If you claim to have seen that building, we''ve got a major problem heading our way. And later on, that building is called the State Sanatorium of Pediatric Neuropsychiatry of the area. Meaning to say that it was later for kids to go in."


    "Why would that be an issue?" asked Tomoe, wiggling his ears.


    "Because that place doesn''t exist until the 1940s. It should not be around here. If we send the kids there, we might end up having nasty abnormalities," explained Raiyen, suddenly looking serious.


    "Well, we could make a building next to it. The area should be quite barren, right? We can just copy the style of the building. Besides, Tomoe says that it''s quite dilapidated, so we are starting from scratch anyway," suggested Z, remembering that area.


    True enough, to all the Mages'' knowledge, there shouldn''t be anything at the place where Tomoe had described.


    "It might still be too close to the site of the abnormality. Maybe we could put it closer to the riverways instead?" asked Raiyen.


    "That could work. Look, the next few ladies have arrived. Who would be the one to help me look for the new area?" asked Tomoe.


    He was sounding quite jovial as he said those words. He wanted to be as far away from Raiyen as possible. At least to say, the two could not get along even if Ysabeau forced them to. Gillian wrote another handwritten note for the creature to take back.


    "Ah, it seems that Mavislin has named the creature ''Ciel''. And he looks like he loves his master very much," said Gillian, scratching the creature''s chin.


    Raiyen looked at the creature with fear. The creature was quite long in size so he dwarfed everyone in the room. The children were gripping onto his feathers while Z was carefully moderating both parties. The kids seemed to have been more active as the minutes go by.


    However, some of them were still slumped at a corner, unmoving. These will be the children that would suffer in the long run. Gillian glanced at his books once more. Looks like most of them won''t be lasting far into the future, judging by the thin books on his desk.


    But Gillian had hope that Mavislin could change the writings and give the children a longer life span than the predicted ones. He had faith in his adopted daughter. Ysabeau knew about it beforehand and helped out the Valkyrie to stop such a [painful end for so many children.


    "As for the trip, Tomoe, it would be none other than the person who gave you powers, of course," said Z, grabbing Raiyen by his shoulders.

 Chapter 354 - The Ark Of Not In A Relationship

    The fox''s ears drooped as he realized he was going to be stuck with the Time Mage. Raiyen wasn''t too thrilled either barring from the fact that he was more afraid of disobeying Gillian more than anything.


    "But how is he going to create a place for the humans to live in?! I have never seen him with Magecraft like that!" protested Tomoe, hoping that Gillian would follow instead.


    Tomoe preferred to have the Headmaster as Gillian was the strongest out of the group. And that his Element of Words would be easy to create manmade structures.


    Back to the facility, Mavislin was busy loading up the new batch while Rina popped her a very odd question. Well, to be precise, to both Bryan and Mavislin.


    "Are you both together or something? You both look like you are quite close," asked Rina, mindlessly.


    Bryan accidentally dropped the cover of the pod and onto Mavislin''s wrists. The scream of the woman in the pod as she saw a pair of hands severed right in front of her sna[ped Bryan out of his trance. That and Mavislin giving him a powerful kick on the back.


    With her hands chopped off, she raised the stubs at Bryan. And waved them at Bryan angrily. Bryan didn''t know if he should take a cloth to cover them or just throw up at the sight of it. He didn''t choose either since Mavislin healed the wound herself.


    "This is why you shouldn''t ask questions when someone is lifting something heavy. And Bryan, you are lucky you''re in my PIllars, or else I would have severed your head as well," said Mavislin as she regenerated her hands.


    As the two human hands emerged, Mavislin instantly cracked them. Stretching them out, she continued the process of getting the woman out from the pod. It was their second last batch and Mavislin had just received the second note from Gillian.


    ''Tomoe has returned and I''m sending him and Raiyen to make a haven for the victims of this mission. Stay safe on your side. Half of the children are still in a catatonic state while all the women are fine. They are pregnant but none of them are going into labor, so everything checks out.''


    The fact that Tomoe has returned sent Mavislin shivers down her spine. She hasn''t seen him for quite some time and she was going to answer him about the current situation. And if Raiyen didn''t get along with Tomoe, it would spark a war if Bryan meets him.


    And with the current question that was hanging in the atmosphere, Mavislin blushed slightly at remembering how she and Tomoe would create fake weddings during the rest periods of training. The empty promises and times that went by.


    What was she thinking?! Tomoe is Raiyen''s Ancient Relic, no way that that was going to work out. Not in a million years. And in the past, it was only for fun and games, nothing serious. Besides, Mavislin was closer to Raiyen than that fox.


    "When we meet again, I will try my hand on courting you. Alright?"


    But then again, she was secretly hoping that Tomoe would come back and train with her once more. She wanted to show him how much she has progressed since the last time they met. But first, she has to get through the mission in one piece.


    "You both still didn''t answer my question. Are you guys going out together?" asked Rina, irked at the fact that she was being ignored.


    "We''re not going out. I treat him like a child. there''s no way I''m ever going out with him. He is my underling and we''ve got strict rules on not dating our juniors. And I have my eyes set on someone else," replied Mavislin, dashing Rina''s hopes to be a matchmaker.


    "Yea, I wouldn''t want to be in a relationship with my boss. She is my role model and all but I don''t have any romantic feelings for her. I just happen to be very inexperienced in the Mages realm so she has to give me more advice and training than normal," replied Bryan.


    Both had the same answer as each other. They were both allies and nothing else. However, Rina was now interested that Mavislin was crushing on another person.


    "I wonder who would you like other than him, Lady Roydon," asked Rina, poking the Valkyrie''s shoulders.


    Mavislin caught the finger and held it tightly. She thought of breaking the finger but she knew that Rina didn''t mean any harm. She was still quite the child.


    "Focus on the mission. We are sending the second last batch. Be prepared, I think guards are coming our way.. We'';ve made quite the racket around here," said Mavislin, throwing away Rina''s poking finger.

 Chapter 355 - The Ark Of Versus The Guards

    She hated people who tried to poke into her personal space, peculiarly someone that was her enemy a few moments ago. She was still on the fence about trusting her so she had kept quiet the whole time.


    Rina seemed offended that she was being brushed off but she was reminded of her place by Bryan. She remained silent as the last batch was loaded up. Footsteps of soldiers were thundering throughout the area.


    "Alright, time for some action again. Slayer Verna, you can steal the show for this round," authorized Mavislin, pointing to the opened doorway.


    "Don''t come back until all threat has been nulled. Got that? You should be able to handle these small amounts," added the Valkyrie with fierce firmness in her tone.


    Bryan nodded and headed out. Like how she had predicted it, Bryan was now facing off with a small handful of soldiers. All of them were half-dressed in armor, making them easy foes. Bryan smiled as he drew his katana out. Only one weapon was needed.


    He launched forwards with inhuman speed, noting the fact that he was able to perform easier than normal. His breathing was constant and his movements were more stable and streamline as he sliced off the heads of the guards.


    And Mavislin was right, they were such easy opponents. He doesn''t need to use any Magecraft. Even a fight against Minwoo was much harder than this. He recalled the times that Minwoo scolded him for having wasted movements when wielding a katana.


    And he figured out the reason why Mavislin said breathing played a big part in combat, particularly long battles. This wasn''t a long battle but it was a group against one. And he understood why Mavislin had asked him to do it by himself. Somehow, this was quite relaxing.


    As he pierced a guard''S ?h?st, Bryan felt something had been lifted off from his ?h?st. He then tried something and placed his foot down firmly onto the ground. By bringing his sword arm to the right, his whole body turned.


    And his whole body adjusted to the new movement, causing him to spin momentarily. Like how a ballerina would. This resulted in another guard being sliced. Bryan was intrigued as he tried another move.


    This time, he used the wall as support as he jumped from a certain angle to miss the guard''s weak spear. The blade stabbed into the tip of the guard''s head. Another guard ran towards Bryan, hoping to find an opening since his blade was useless.


    Bryan scanned the rea, there were more guards ahead his way. He had already slain about ten of them and it looks like a hundred of them were around him with more to come. He couldn''t continue with just his katana anymore.


    When the charging guard was in close range, Bryan pulled out his wakizashi and swiftly stabbed the guard''s neck. As the body fell, Bryan concentrated and inhaled slightly. He then propelled from his spot, drawing the blade out from the other person.


    He later went on a killing spree, twisting and turning his limbs to slice every one of his enemies. His movements were now as graceful as Mavislin''s. When the last head was gone, Bryan looked at the mess he made.


    "Well, I did not expect to feel so alive while killing people. I love my job," said Bryan, gleefully sheathing his blades.


    He headed back, where the two girls had just finished saying goodbye to Ciel.


    "You took quite a bit of time. Enjoying yourself?" asked Mavislin as she glanced at the Slayer.


    "There were about a hundred guards. But I did enjoy it. I think I learned a few tricks, I might want to practice a bit more when we get back," replied Bryan, moving his wrists in a circular motion.


    "Well, I know the perfect person to train you. And it isn''t me, though I could help you point out your mistakes. Looks like Tomoe has got another person to train with him," explained Mavislin, grinning.


    "I thought he didn''t like to join the Arks?" asked Bryan.


    "If it''s by my request, I''m sure he would oblige to it. Besides, he is helping out the men back at the Old Chapel. He seems to be popular with the kids."


    "At this rate, I might become the Swordsman of the Pillars instead," said Bryan, rubbing the back of his head.


    "I don''t mind but that would mean you have to stop using other weaponry. I don''t think that''s very fun for you, since your first weapon is the glass balls you had."


    "True... So as long as I work under you, I should be fine.. Anyways, let''s head to the rendezvous point alright? We can''t let the other two beat us to it."

 Chapter 356 - The Ark Of Meeting Up

    The three Mages nodded and headed to the open area that joined the two ends of the hallway. When they reached Rina explained that they were near the final area. The place that they would meet the main puppeteer for this ordeal. But first, Bryan wanted to get some sleep.


    As Ysabeau and Gab met up with the rest, they were greeted by a Slayer, a Valkyrie, and a Flower Mage. And to be precise, a Valkyrie holding a stuffed toy while the Flower Mage laughs with her. Bryan was sat behind them, taking a nap.


    Ysabeau and Gab exchanged glances before approaching the group.


    "Oh, so you made this, using your feathers?" asked Rina.


    "No, my home gave me this. You can have it if you''d like, I''ve got a lot back at my place," replied the Valkyrie, plopping the white rabbit stuffed toy onto Rie''s ??p.


    She was silent for a while before turning to Mavislin with sparkling eyes. Her eyes looked just like the bunny''s as she smiled at Mavislin.


    "Really?! You mean it?!"


    "Yep! When we finish this mission, I promise I''ll let you see my whole collection!" said Mavislin, nodding excitedly.


    "Yay!"


    Right now, no one could tell the difference between the two girls, let alone that they were enemies a few hours ago. Bryan, as usual, could not be bothered and was fast asleep. Being awake for 36 hours straight was not a recommended thing for humans.


    It won''t kill them, but Bryan wasn''t taking that chance since the mission demands quite the physical and mental strength. As for Rina and Mavislin, they have been talking about random things from stuffed toys to delicious sweets and treats while waiting for Bryan to wake up.


    "Excuse me, mind telling me why you are talking to the enemy as if you were best friends?" asked Ysabeau, folding her arms across her ?h?st.


    "Well, she helped me... And gave me a better offer, so there was no need for me to be the enemy anymore..." mumbled Rina.


    She then held out the stuffed toy for Ysabeau to see.


    "And she promised me I could have more toys! Look at how fluffy this is!" cried out Rina, waving the stuffed toy at Ysabeau.


    She looked happy, too happy for her sake.


    "You helped the enemy?!" yelled Ysabeau, facing Mavislin.


    "I only did what I gotta. And I have to tell her to let go of her past. Her child most likely passed away and I have been calming her down with my stuffed toys," replied Mavislin, looking away from the scolding mother.


    Ysabeau froze. She went towards Rina and grabbed a lock of hair. She gave it a whiff before letting it go. This made Rina blush madly as she did not expect the scary Bahamut to do such a thing.


    "What''s wrong, Ysabeau? Found a similar scent to her?" asked Mavislin.


    Ysabeau fell silent as she produced a white, fluffy dog stuffed toy from earlier.


    "This must be yours," said Ysabeau, before handing it to Rina.


    Ysabeau''s tone changed drastically, from being annoyed to a forlorn tone. Her eyes darkened and her heart sank with sadness. To think that she was going to break the news of a mother losing her child to a girl like her.


    It reminded her of how she had to face the truth when she lost her children. Rina nodded as she hugged the little soft toy.


    "I''m sorry, but we couldn''t save him. He was far too gone for our abilities. I know it must be hard on you. But we did try to give him a proper send-off," said Ysabeau, crouching down to see Rina''s tear-ridden face.


    Rina let out the smallest ''thank you'' before laying down on Mavislin''s ??p.


    "The kid was ridden with poisons of the highest caliber. Whoever did it must have been a traveler of some sort, do you know who he is?" asked Gab, looking at Rina.


    "I thought you were asleep?" asked Ysbaeua, shocked to hear Gab speak up.


    "I need to tell her about what her baby went through. And I want to know the person who did... So I can beat the ever-loving crap out from him," said Gab, not caring if he was swearing in front of the High Queen.


    "No doubt about it, he was the one who told me he could save my child. He took my child away to find a cure...."

 Chapter 357 - The Ark Of Belly Of The Beast

    "Well, he deserves to die after what he has done. Lying to such a poor soul... Make my blood boil to know that my Domain has such a creep walking about," growled Gab, clenching his fists.


    It was so rare for Gab to exhibit such emotions. He tried not to let out his anger in any way because he was afraid that it might harm others around him. But against these types of criminals, he would gladly blow his top to make them pay.


    "I''m surprised that such a mouth belonged to a father''s face," commented Ysabeau, raising her eyebrow.


    "Sometimes, it''s okay to be toxic. Especially against your enemies. Say, who was the guy that did it anyway? Must''ve been quite the influence on you," said Gab, refusing to look at Ysabeau after answering her statement.


    "He has all the influence of each worker here. He is the facility head, Kris. He was the one I mentioned to Mavislin and Bryan about."


    "The one who took over from the previous person? You said he started to look for some cure for poisons, right?" asked Mavislin.


    "That''s right, he was that maniac that started the entire ordeal of kidnapping girls from the brothels. He forced the girls to perform such horrid acts as Mavislin and Bryan had witnessed. He is the true beast of the lair."


    "I''m shocked to know that you two haven''t cut out each other''s throats yet," said Gab, changing the topic.


    "Which two?" asked the Valkyrie and the Butterfly.


    "You both."


    "They did, it ended with Mavislin slamming her head into Rina''s. Lady Roydon fought with her first then after getting that wound, I stepped in. At the very last moment, boss woke up to knock Rina out," explained Bryan, who had finally got out from la-la land.


    "Are you done napping?" asked Mavislin, as Bryan rubbed his eyes lazily.


    The man nodded and Gab stood up from the spot to help Bryan up. The group was ready to open the door that led to the final area. The worst chamber that the facility had.


    "It''s called the ''Poison Chamber''. So whoever has got a human body better mask up," instructed Rina, taking out her ponytail.


    "I''ve been in my human form for far too long. It''s time for me to change back," said Rina as her eyes and hair color changed.


    Her hair was now long and flowing, with a vibrant shade of pink. Her eyes were now a deep shade of purple. Her wings sprouted in their fullest glory. Before, she was looking like a normal human girl. But now she looked like a fully-fledged Mage. Everything about her screams dazzling.


    "Well, I did not expect that to happen," said Gab, widening his eyes.


    "The door is right over there. You guys ready?" asked Rina, pointing to the heavy vault door.


    Everyone nodded in unison as Rina, with help of Mavislin, opened the heavy doors to the main battlefield. A man holding an infant had his back turned when they opened the doors. He had fit the description of the traveler that Gab mentioned early in the mission.


    "Welcome to the belly of the beast. Where the worst experiments are being held. Here, there''s no such thing as ethics. Only pain and agony, discovery and failure," said Rina, in a serious tone.


    "This place makes my skin crawl," said Bryan, shivering slightly.


    "This place makes me sick. I''ve got a mask on but just the amount of things and the scene makes me sick," said Gab, gagging softly.


    "This is terrible, I never thought something could beat the Old Man Pond''s house. Looks like this chamber takes the first place," complained YUsabeau.


    Mavislin was unwavering as she scanned the surroundings. They were there to fight, not to sight-see. As her eyes flew around, she realized that this was indeed the largest room in the whole facility. And there were lots of equipment and bottles of liquid lying around.


    Shelves were placed at odd areas, not leaning against the wall. They were loaded with body parts. Human or not, she had no clue. Multiple operating tables were strewn about and what got her skin crawling was the walls. The walls had glass cylinders of green liquid in front of them.


    And each glass cylinder was a living and breathing person. There were at least about 40 of them in the room. All still and silent. Mavislin could feel her Elemental Aura flare up the more she thought about the victims of this room. And the countless lives that had been lost.


    But she quickly snapped back to reality as Rina pointed to the man in front of them once more.


    "You want your culprit? There he is," said Rina, with sheer animosity in her words.

 Chapter 358 - The Ark Of Rina Vs Kris

    "You were the only one who was that loyal to me. Enough to get me so many girls and lab rats... And now you''ve betrayed me. You have been such a naughty girl. Looks like you have no care on what happens to your child, Rina Vermillion," threatened the man called Kris.


    He was tall with brown skin and he was wearing a black robe. He then shifted his position, revealing that he was prepared with the amount of armor underneath the robe. When he fully faced the team, Bryan noticed that the infant was turning green by the second.


    And then his eyes fell on Kris''s hand, which was injecting a liquid into the poor child.


    "You have no right to call Rina anything when you are killing a child right in front of us!" roared Bryan as he attempted to dash towards Kris.


    But to his surprise, Rina stopped him. With her true form released, her physical endurance was much stronger than before. Bryan was astonished when his blade did not cut into Rina''s extended arm. It didn''t even lay a scratch. Was this the true body of a Flower Mage?


    "Mavislin was right. I don''t want anyone of you to step in," said Rina, with her fringe covering her eyes.


    She turned back to look at Bryan''s appalled expression. She gave a warm smile as she knew that this may be the last battle she would do.


    "Please let me exact my revenge," said Rina, before turning to her opponent.


    "This is my fight. You gave me hope and you took it away from me. You lied and turned my child into nothing but a human pin-cushion. That''s enough to make anyone dangerous. I won''t stand for it anymore!" vociferated Rina, summoning her spear.


    Her Elemental Aura erupted, which caused Bryan to panic slightly. But he looked at the Mage who stood firm on her ground. She was engulfed by a pink cloud that was her Aura. A second later, she sprang out of it and got the first scratch on Kris.


    But Kris smiled as he revealed a syringe, similar to the instrument Gab had on him. Someone was giving him supplies from another time. Mavislin made a mental note to beat Raiyen senseless when they get back. IN the next moment, Kris stabbed the needle into his arm and smiled at Rina.


    "You think I wouldn''t have come prepared? I knew that when the Arks got involved, you would take their side. I never liked Mages so I decided to turn your child into my weapon. He will be my trump card today," said Kris, with his face contorting to a corrupt grin.


    Sensing that something was about to happen, Rina backed away. And just in time, as Kris began his distorted transformation into a half-Mage. His spine cracked as he cough out blood. Gab freaked and backed away from the scene. Mavislin and Ysabeau watched on without any expression.


    Kris arched his back, his limbs had ceased movement. On the spur of the moment, all his muscles started to spasm, causing his body to shake uncontrollably. A pair of dragonfly wings sprouted from his back. They were''t too huge, they looked proptionate to his size.


    His jet-black hair was now grey. His skin had a pale, green hue to it. As he stood up straight, he opened his eyes to reveal two green pupils and his scleras were now pitch black. His nails looked like claws, pointed at each tip. He dashed across the room, closing the gap with Rina.


    She b?r?ly had enough time to process as she defended herself with her spear. It was the claws against a spear now. And Rina wasn''t having any of it. She increased in speed as she dodged Kris''s ?ssaults. These were many physical attacks but the tides changed when he used Magecraft.


    "Storm Rising!" shouted Kris, in a distorted voice.


    A few clouds emerged from his opened palms and pushed Rina back from her attack. But she quickly recovered and flew out of the way. Kris then grabbed her wings and yanked her down. Rina wasn''t having any of that as she followed the motion and pierce through one of his wings.


    Before Kris had any time to react, Rina unleashed her Magecraft, deciding that it was time to fight fairly. She had now pinned the man down using her spear, which stabbed into the ground.


    "Flower Dance: Stage Four!" shouted Rina, gripping onto the spear tightly.


    Kris was still holding her wing, threatening to tear it out. But as the spell started to take effect, he released it. But to make sure Kris doesn''t get away, Rina used another hand to grab his wing to hold him down.


    "Hateful Aconitum!" screamed Rina, as the flowers bloomed.

 Chapter 359 - The Ark Of Gabs Sacrifice

    Kris yelled and cursed at Rina and she quickly pulled the spear out and landed in a safer area. He was writing around in pain as the flowers continued to stay on his flesh. Each petal stung and no matter how much he was shaking his legs, they wouldn''t come off.


    As he learned to use his Elemental Energy to help himself heal, the effect of the Wolf''s Bane wore off. Rina knew that was going to happen, but she didn''t expect it to happen so soon.


    "Stage One: Malevolence of Lobelia!" she cried out again, throwing her spear at Kirs.


    He quickly sprouted out a new pair of wings and faced off with the next move. He didn''t look impressed at all as he crushed a piece of the spar. Rina quickly called the spear back, in fear that her attack would be nullified.


    He smiled as he looked at her worried expression. But both of their expression changed as Kris got ready to push out another spell. And Rina was waiting to counter it. He cupped the sides of his mouth and took a deep breath in. Recognizing that stance, Rina prepared inwardly.


    "Gale Howl!" bellowed Kris as he released a powerful wind attack from his mouth.


    It was similar to a Valkyrie''s howl, resulting in Mavislin finally showing some emotion in her eyes. But she thought about it and quickly composed herself. That wasn''t anything like her howl. If anything, it reminded her of Old Man Pond''s Roar.


    The howl was powerful, anyone caught in the blast would surely have suffered major injuries. But Rina braved it with her spear. But since it was against the wind, she decided to try a new technique. Using both hands, she spun her spear, causing the attack to get dispersed.


    "I should expect nothing less from a Mage like you," said Kris, looking at Rina with the devil''s eyes.


    This went on for the next hour. The two threw spells at each other. And both sides weren''t going anywhere. This battle was long and drawn-out. And it''s taking a toll on the Flower Mage. Her hair was started to change color the more she used her Magecraft. The tips of her hair were now purple.


    "Flower Dance; Stage Five!" yelled Rina, as she propelled herself to Kris.


    She then dished out a multi-attack by slashing Kris''s arms using a swift movement of her spear.


    "Dividing Cyclamen!" finished Rina, as she heard Kris yelling out in pain and horror.


    "Why you, dumb bu??erfly! You made me sick with the moves you come up with!" yelled Kris as he witness his flesh melting off from his bones.


    "Says the one who became a monster. This Stage represents the flower ''Cyclamen'', which is a flower symbolizing ''Separation''. Pretty neat, huh? A fitting end to scum like you!" yelled Rina as she dashed forward to thrust her spear into his abdomen.


    But to her surprise and utter terror, Kris merely grinned as he grabbed hold of her spear. With his newly regenerated arm, he punched the bu??erfly away, square on her forehead. She flew back with such great force that her body dented the wall.


    She coughed out blood momentarily before slumping down. Kris, in a matter of seconds, had regenerated a new limb. Something that would take years for human converted Mages to do. Mavislin was in shock but Ysabeau wasn''t.


    "Take this!" yelled Gab as he finally slid into Kris''s side.


    He pulled out his syringe that was filled with Rina''s child''s blood and injected it into the man''s body. Kris howled but quickly recovered. When Gab lacked the reaction time to do anything, Kris grinned as he punched into Gab''s body. His fist was halfway through his body.


    "Damn it! Why did you risk your life?!" yelled Mavislin as she quickly caught Gab.


    Rina was furious as she saw what that man had done. That single punch would be an ultimatum to end any physical combat. A solid punch to the solar plexus, a bundle of nerves that is part of the body''s nervous system.


    "What a pathetic thing to do..." sneered Kris as he threw out another attack.


    Rina blocked the subsequent attack as the Whirlwind tried to hit Gab once more.. But Gab was down for the count and had blacked out instantly.

 Chapter 360 - The Ark Of Gabriel Tuazon

    Gabriel Tuazon, born into a perfectly normal human family. A person, whose whole life was dedicated to coffee and his family. He loved art, particularly coffee art. His hands may be short and chubby but it was agile enough to draw intricate designs on a cup of coffee.


    And later, this agility would prove to be useful in combat. When he became part of the Five Kings, he was known as the faster reloader out of the Five. But what sets him apart is his knack for mixology. More accurately in poison and drinks.


    His background of his deceased family was only one of the many stories the Arks had witnessed. There were many other adventures that this barista went through. From meeting his wife to his training with the Five Kings, he had indeed lived life to the fullest.


    Gab turned, within the sea of memories in his mind. He smiled as he remembered how he met Yan at such a young age. He knew that this scruffy boy did not have any happy memories yet so he decided to create some for him.


    At that time, Yan was already part of the Arks but was trained by Minwoo. When Gab said that he wanted to train with Yan, the Marquess had no choice but to train the both of them. It was hell for Minwoo since he didn''t really like kids too much.


    But it all worked out in the end, especially when both rose to be capable leaders for their Domains. The two worked well with each other since their majors could complement one another in any form of situation. But it did piss some people off.


    The two went on a mission after mission. Until one day, Gab found himself falling in love with a young woman that looked like him. She was quite short and chubby, her face was round like his. Her hair and eyes were both brown. Her smile was like an angel.


    Gab hadn''t been drinking at that time but Yan commented he was already wasted when seeing that woman. Yan could only shake his head while they called it a miss for both the task and Gab''s love interest. Which woman in the right mind would say ''yes'' to date in that situation?


    Charisma would be the one to agree, out of panic. Thus, the two hit it off. Even Yan was in disbelief. It took Minwoo a few nights to comfort the poor Yan as Gab was with his new girlfriend. But of course, being in the Five Kings, he did not waver.


    He and Yan continued going on missions, until one day, Gab requested Mavislin to create a special thing for Charisma.


    "So, why did come from the Albion Domain to the Old Chapel to ask me for a gift?" asked Mavislin, who was quite intrigued by how far a human would go to do for the sake of love.


    "I want to marry her," whispered Gab, rather shyly.


    Mavislin could not contain her laughter as she nearly fell from the Old Chapel''s stairs.


    "What''s so funny? Ever heard of ''tying the knot''? With someone you love?" asked Gab, seemingly offended by the Valkyrie''s laughter.


    Mavislin wiped a tear as she shook her head.


    "Sorry, that caught me off guard. It''s alright to tie the knot but I''m just surprised that you would be the first out of the Five Kings to get married. Yan has yet to even find a girlfriend and Minwoo refuses to tie the knot since the status doesn''t allow him to."


    "That is true, but I am just a Baron, so I don''t bother too much with titles. And I am older than most of the members of the Five Kings, so it is about time to start a family."


    "You once told me you were scared to have a family, right?" asked Mavislin, with a soft smile.


    "Yes, I still am. Because I fear that my kids would end up having a childhood like mine. I never want anyone to go through that anymore, so I tried not to start a family. But, looking at Charisma and how hard she works every day... All I want is for her to be happy..."


    The thought of his wife smiling and holding a baby in her arms while embracing him warmed his heart. He couldn''t let his old fears taint his new memories. Or his wife''s wishes.


    "Now you get why we Mages emphasize so much on not starting wars. We''ve gone through the hell that is war, so we don''t want the future generation to be brought up or live in the same way as we did. We build the future using the pains of our past so as not to let the new ones suffer."

 Chapter 361 - The Ark Of Gab And Charisma

    "Yes, I get what you mean."


    "As for your wife, I am glad that she wants to have a family with you. You should feel lucky, not everyone gets a partner that looks like the other. And she should be lucky to have such a brave husband by her side," said Mavislin, finally finding the gem.


    "I''m not brave, I hide in the shadows instead of doing the physical works. How am I brave?" asked Gab, smiling.


    "Going the extra mile for the person you love, even if it means to break your boundaries and beliefs. That is truly a brave thing to do. Not all victories need to have a pile of bodies stacked beneath someone. It can be the little things that matter more."


    "You are human, remember that. Within your short lifespan, you should be free to do whatever you want. Even if the risks are high because if you don''t try, you''ll never know. And Charisma would be more than happy to know that you want to be with her forever."


    Mavislin''s back erupted two beautiful blue wings, signifying her Water Element for a short while. She then forcefully pulled out a handful of feathers, scaring the poor Baron.


    "Hang on! Doesn''t that hurt?" asked Gab, slightly concerned at the Valkyrie''s sudden actions.


    "Yes, it does. But it won''t compare to the amount of courage you had to muster for you to make this decision. To be honest, of all the humans I''ve encountered, I''ve never encountered anyone whose story is as powerful as yours."


    "Compared to you Mages, my story is merely a fraction of yours," said Gab, sighing.


    "Don''t compare yourself to the Mages. As I said, you''ve already been through so much and yet you still strive to be happy on your own accord. That should warrant my praise to you. You have my full respect and I am very glad I can help you with your marriage," said Mavislin, with a grin.


    She held up the circular gem for Gab to see. It was a vibrant shade of blue, it would fill the ocean''s colors. Mavislin then cupped the gem with her hands a muttered a spell., along with the few blue feathers. Light spewed out from her palms and quickly died down.


    As she opened her palms, Gab was mesmerized by what Mages could do to inanimate objects. It was a necklace that had the blue gem from earlier. But now, it had two feathers at its rim, particularly at the Southeast and Southwest of the gem. It looked so simple yet so beautiful.


    "I guarantee that she would love this. I made it extra special, so be there to help her put it on. Alright?" asked Mavislin, keeping her wings.


    "It must be so small, to easily have made such a simple gift. But it''s still so perfect. All I ever wanted is like what this gem is, a simple but beautiful life," said Gab, keeping the necklace.


    " ''Simple''?" asked Ysabeau, as she joined in the two''s conversation.


    "Yea, that was quite a simple spell, is it not?" asked Gab, confused.


    "Mavislin may be well-versed with all of the Basic Elements but their weakest is Water. She hates using Water as her Element, right?" asked Ysabeau, nudging Mavislin''s side.


    "Yes, but after the training that you lot put me through, I don''t mind such a small thing. Though if I were to use a Fire gift for you, it would be easier for me to create and better gift. But the theme of Fire does not suit you two well," explained Mavislin, sighing.


    "Thank you."


    With the necklace in hand, off Gab went to propose to his wife. To their pleasant surprise, Mavislin did have another trick up her sleeve. The moment Gab helped Charisma to put on the necklace, the feathers grew out and covered her body with an elegant dress of blue.


    To top it off, frilly ends of the hem of the address and a bow on the back of the dress. Its collar and semi-long sleeves were slightly feathery. The gem sat nicely on Charisma''s ?h?st, shining proudly.


    "That Valkyrie... What kind of surprises was she thinking about?" asked Gab, smiling.


    "Whatever they are, it''s fantastic. I love this. Thank you so much," said Charisma, giving a twirl in front of Gab.


    "Nope, thank you for letting me start a family with you."


    Soon, the wedding was held with that same dress and a year later, Kai came into the picture. At the same time, the rise of the Umbras started but it was under the radar. And when they went full-force, Gab was the first to be drafted into action.


    He led his army to support the Arks when the others were compromised.. He witnessed the Corrupted One.

 Chapter 362 - The Ark Of Gabs Farewell

    The one who killed his grandmother all those years ago. And the one who indirectly killed his father, though he could not connect the dots at the time. And Gab was still too young to understand it as well.


    But one thing he would remember seeing the Corrupted One was the anger that he felt as Benjamin killed his best friend, Yan. And the power of the Mages within war terms. The Elements soaring through the area were so... Magical.


    But he didn''t have the time to stand around for sightseeing, he had a war to attend. His men pushed, full forced to protect the civilians and aid to bring Tiamat down. In the end, the Arks were victorious and the rest of the Five Kings were in charge of cleaning up the mess.


    "I''m home," said Gab, trudging his tired backside into his home.


    A baby came crawling from a pile of blankets and a cushion called Charisma towards Gab. He could not help but break down at the sight of his firstborn. Kai was oblivious to what was going on and started to cry as well, prompting Charisma to smile as she embraced her two boys.


    Gab was feeling an array of emotions. First, the emotion of getting home in one piece to see his child crawl for the first time. Second, the pain of remembering that Yan was now gone and he had to answer to his wife for him. Third and last, the emotion of cuddling Kai.


    After calming down, Gab managed to explain everything that happened to both his wife and child. But, he turned into a fun bedtime, with how the way Mages did most of the fighting in flamboyant style. But the next day, he was tasked to go back to help out.


    It wasn''t good, writing the letters for the fallen soldiers'' families. It was heartbreaking yet honorable that they threw their lives on the line just for the sake of their jobs. Wait, Gab paused as he recalled that sentence. He was like them, a person who threw themselves within the line of duty.


    But it''s not for the sake of their jobs. It''s for the sake of weaker ones who can''t defend themselves. It''s for the better of the newer generations. And this time, Gab did it to save the ones who would eventually win the fight for him. He did it to win his final battle.


    As the poison he injected was the amalgamation of the poisons that were pumping through that dead child''s body. It did not affect humans, but Kris was not human at that point, both physically and mentally. He was now a Mage.


    And if a few drops were enough to burn Ysabeau''s skin, then injecting a whole syringe full into the bloodstream should work wonders. With that single thought, it brought him back to the present moment, where he was caught by Mavislin''s arms.


    She held his head up while trying to heal him but she knew she was failing. She may be a Valkyrie, creature of Light but she was terrible at healing others. She could b?r?ly contain her tears as Gab softly asked her to stop. Bryan clenched his fists as he glared daggers at Kris.


    "You know, I never thought that I would be doing this. But I am glad that I did it," said Gab, gurgling out some blood.


    "Did what?" asked Mavislin.


    "I saved a child''s life. I saved Rina from that monster. I saved that kid to win this damned battle. I never felt so accomplished other than the fact that I''ve got a family," said Gab, smiling.


    "I failed to save Yan''s firstborn, that killed me inside, you know? And then, I failed to save Yan as well..."


    Mavislin quickly got out the blanket and pillow that were in his bag.


    "Come on, remember? You need to get back home to give this to Kai, right?" asked Mavislin, letting Gab hold the soft things.


    "I can''t, I''m sorry, I failed this mission, Lady Roydon. If I am so bold as to ask of you this, but please take care of Charisma and Kai. Please tell them that I love them very much. And I am sorry II couldn''t come home this time," said Gab, before fading away to the afterlife.


    "I will... I will take care of your family with all my heart. I''ll make sure that your child will learn the adventures you''ve been through, and that you are the best father I''ve ever seen," sobbed Mavislin, letting her tears run freely now.


    "Thank you, Mavislin. I''m glad that I was able to serve under your guidance, even if it was just a brief period in your terms.. I bet Minwoo and Yan felt the same way too."

 Chapter 363 - The Ark Of Berseker Valkyrie

    With that, Gab died with a smile as he entered another world. It wasn''t like the previous one, this one felt warm as he awoke to a foreign world, with meadows at his feet. He looked around, trying to make sense of his whereabouts. But, the place was peaceful and tranquil.


    He then heard a faint call, like someone was calling his name. He sprinted in the direction of the sound and paused when he saw the silhouette of his fallen comrade, Yan.


    "Been a while, hasn''t it?" asked Yan, as he turned to look at Gab.


    "Yea, it has been a while. Even if it was less than a year since I saw your weird face," said Gab, cracking a joke.


    "Don''t worry, you''re stuck with seeing this face for a long time," said Yan, extending a hand towards Gab.


    Gab''s eyes widened as he took Yan''s hand and both transformed into when they were kids. As they ran along the meadows, they were joined by Gab''s siblings, the Quadruplets. The children were al; all playing around, without any pains and cares in the world.


    But when figures of Gab''s parents came into their sights, the children all stopped playing and locked hands. They then got up and walked into the setting sun, ending the chapter of Gab''s life.


    Back at the current fight, Mavislin''s eyes darkened as she laid him on the ground. Tears started to form at the corner of her eyes as she glared at Kris. Her wings blossomed out, pure gold, signifying that she was going full force at Kris.


    Her human hands morphed into her claws, golden skin with long, sharp talons. Her eyes had no pupils and were fully yellow as she gave out a loud howl. She then leaped towards Kris, grabbing him by his neck.


    The man had no chance of fighting a berserk Valkyrie, especially when he was still using a human body. He then tried to punch her in the abdomen, but the Valkyrie leaped up and in the process, ripped out his wings. The transformed human let out a scream while trying to grab the Valkyrie.


    But it was not a victory for the team yet as Mavislin did not revert to her usual human form.


    "Don''t! She is in attack mode now, no one can touch her!" warned Ysabeau, as Rina tried to thank Mavislin.


    The Valkyrie growled and launched at Rina, who was still in shock. But Bryan intervened, blocking her attack using his katana. A pair of talons versus a katana, it did not end well when Bryan got pushed back. As the Valkyrie pushed forwards, poor Bryan got flung back.


    He slammed into the wall but did not go down. He still stood tall as he witnessed the sight in front of him. Somehow or rather, this form was scaring him more than the time she used her Alter form. Because this time, she wasn''t in control. She was acting based on emotion.


    "Bryan! I need your help, Rina as well! Try your best to do something to soothe her!" yelled Ysabeau as it was her turn to get ?ssaulted.


    Though Ysabeau knew Mavislin longer than the two, she could not come up with any way to calm her down. Without her stuffed toy, this was going to be near impossible to accomplish. The best one for this would be either Minwoo or Raiyen and neither of them is here.


    The two lashed out at each other, with Ysabeau defending every attack and not going on the offense. The Valkyrie''s attacks were relentless as she continued to battle the wrong opponent. Rina and Bryan stared at each other. Both had no clue what they were supposed to do.


    Ysabeau was losing ground and Rina felt that Kris was not completely gone just yet. He was still healing but at a much slower rate than a normal Mage. Either the shock from the Valkyrie''s attacks or Gab''s poison must have some effect on him.


    Meanwhile, Bryan was still racking his brain for a way to snap Mavislin back to her old self. He then recalled that she was like a little sister to him, like a kid that was throwing a temper tantrum. And the only way to calm down a child was to sing to them, that''s what she did.


    That''s what... His sister did comfort him when he felt scared... He had a sister.... But he had no sister, right?

 Chapter 364 - The Ark Of The Song Called Monody

    "I can''t hold her off much longer! You''ve got any solutions to calm her down?!" yelled Ysabeau as Mavislin pushed the Bahamut down onto the ground.


    The impact was so strong that Ysabeau''s feet broke the stone beneath her. Bryan took a deep breath and sang. It was the best thing he had on his mind now, won''t hurt to try it. Now, he just has to remember the lyrics. And the tune on how the song went.


    "Summer in the hills, those hazy days I do remember... We were running still, had the whole world at our feet..." sand Bryan as he closed his eyes.


    Mavislin started to slow down, her punches and kicks were getting softer. And she was trying to fight back to get to her normal self.


    "Watching seasons change, where roads were lined with adventuress... Mountains in the way, couldn''t keep us from the sea..."


    As Bryan continued to sing, he was taking small steps towards Mavislin from her back. The Valkyrie was still fighting Ysabeau but she was fixed on a spot. It allowed Bryan to get within close range.


    "Here we stand open arms, this is home where we are.... Ever strong in the world that we made..."


    When he sang that part, Mavislin''s pupils came back and her claws changed back into human hands. She ceased fire entirely, just as she was about to tear of Ysabeau''s wings.


    "I still hear you in the breeze, see your shadows in the trees..."


    Now Bryan was directly behind her and he embraced the Valkyrie from behind. She then started to cry, shocking both Ysabeau and Rina. He smiled as he finished the last line of the song.


    "Holding on, memories, never change..."


    With the song completed, Mavislin fully changed into her human form, with her wings vanishing. She then reverted into her child form and was snuggling in Bryan''s arms. She was still weeping as she tried to calm herself down.


    When Ysabeau was ready, Bryan gently passed the Valkyrie to her. Mavislin was also ready as in the midst of it, she transformed into her usual form of a human teen. But she was nowhere near fighting mode. One more time, she would be down for the count.


    And she might even harm the ones that are on her side.


    "How did you know that song?" asked Mavislin, looking at Bryan with a guilty look.


    "It is a song that was passed down in my old village. Most likely the one that my sister mentioned. My sister used to sing that song for me when I was scared. But I just don''t recall that it was my sister who did, I just hear that voice constantly," explained Bryan, patting her head.


    "You had a sister? I thought you said you couldn''t recall," asked Mavislin, sniffing slightly.


    "I think so. She''s been appearing in my mind a lot lately ever since we''ve been here. And I finally saw a face in my dreams that matched the voice in my flashbacks. But my memories are still all over the place," explained Bryan.


    "That song was the main thing that saved the village a long time ago. Old Man Pond wanted to bring back the Husks abruptly and we tried to stop him. We were going to lose until a mysterious Mage stepped in to help," said Ysabeau, as she recalled that song.


    "But that Mage did not offer help like coming into battle to use spells directly on Old Man Pond. No, instead, she used it on the humans. By enhancing their singing into actual attacks onto Old Man Pond. They essentially created their anthem. But the singing was led by her."


    "It''s been so long since I heard that song. It was the only time that we felt that humans were on our side, after so many centuries of casting us out," said Ysabeau, thinking back to when the Arks weren''t even set up yet.


    "According to Raiyen, he reports that the village constantly sings that song. It is taught by the village chief to the young children as a main song of the village. And every year, on the day that the Arks were founded and when we saved them, everyone would sing that song again."


    Rina was silent as she tried recollecting her thoughts. This wasn''t right, she remembered the day that the Arks were established. And the area. It was in the village called ''Monody''. She felt like she had sung that song before, during the incident that Ysabeau mentioned.


    But she was a human Mage, meaning that her lifespan would the same as a human. But the year that the Arks was established, where that song was sung and the incident was a good 50 years ago.. But Rina only knew that she was 31 years of age.

 Chapter 365 - The Ark Of Rinas Anger

    The rush of Elemental Aura shocked the remaining few Mages. Bryan felt terror stuck him. How could the man still be alive, after getting a knockout from a Valkyrie a few moments ago?!


    As the rubble shifted, Kris launched himself towards Rina, who was still trying to heal herself. Neither Ysabeau nor Mavislin managed to reach her. When Rina opened her eyes to see the damage that the opponent dealt, she saw a man standing in front of her in a protective stance.


    "Verna!" yelled Rina.


    But the two other Mages didn''t rush in to help, as Bryan had managed to summon one of his constellations without any incantation. The Stars of the Shield. Kris was thrown off guard as well since Bryan had not unleashed his Magecraft as of yet.


    "I had no clue you would be a Mage as well... How rare for me to see human Mages working with the Arks," said Kris, still trying to break the shield.


    "You did a fine job of hiding your Elemental Aura and Energy."


    The shield may be able to block attacks, but it was weak against opponents like Kris, especially without its incantation. Kris unleashed another Gale Howl onto the shield and that instantly did the shield in, shattering it.


    Bryan knew the limit of his spells, they were mostly only for one-shot kills. If he doesn''t land the kill, then it would be checkmate for him. But by this time, Rina was back in action. The moment the shield shattered, Rina launched her spear to land a hit on Kris.


    It stabbed his shoulder but it didn''t do any major damage. The wound got healed instantly and the two resumed battle. Bryan wanted to help out but Ysabeau stopped the eager Slayer.


    "This is her fight alone."


    Bryan halted. He desperately wants to go against the High Queen''s orders. But seeing that his boss was incapacitated, he had no choice but to obey her words. And until Mavislin was back in her normal state, she couldn''t do what she had planned.


    Bryan hated playing the waiting game. Rina and Kris clashed once more, claws against spear.


    "What a sorry person he was... He thought that such a simple poison could do me in... He and the rest of the researchers are all fodder for me!" taunted Kris, pushing Rina back.


    "And to think they all died in front of me! How laughable!"


    Rina widened her eyes.


    "Don''t you sully their deaths with that mouth of yours..." bellowed Rina, with her fringe covering her eyes.


    "They were stubborn... They insisted that they made a medicinal breakthrough. But I hate people who take credit for themselves!" shouted Kris, pouncing on Rina.


    "Rina!" yelled Bryan, taking a step forward.


    The Flower Mage was pushed back, but she wasn''t down for the count yet.


    "They wanted to claim credit for the cure for Mercury. Since they wanted to play with that substance so badly, I thought it would be nice to give them some. Don''t you think so, Rina?" asked Kris, with a twisted smile.


    "After all, they were all so fragile. A simple rumor was strong enough to blind another innocent life. How pitifully pathetic."


    Rina was silent as she kept concentrating on landing a hit. So far, she hasn''t laid a single scratch on him yet.


    "But I thought I was lucky enough to work with you, Rina. Had you not joined the Arks, I would''ve kept your son alive. Too bad, you decided to throw his survival away for the sake of your own. Common and selfish. I feel bad for Drake."


    "DON''T YOU DARE TELL ME ABOUT LETTING HIM GO! DON''T YOU USE HIS NAME WITH THAT MOUTH OF YOURS! " shouted Rina, as her eyes showed ferocity.


    "You made me like this. I was beautiful and gentle, made out of flowers. But you turned me into an angry, powerful and cruel beast of stone and lava. And when I melt the flesh from your bones, my anger will finally be sated!"


    She then delivered a powerful headbutt when in close range. Without missing a beat, she gripped the man''s neck and threw him onto the ground. This created a giant crater and Rina was still strangling him.


    "You have no right to tell me that I chose the wrong choice. You killed him from the beginning!" screamed Rina, punching Kris.


    "You told me that so as I did what I was told, my baby would be safe! But you turned him into a human pincushion!"


    She gave another punch, this time, on the mouth. She was planning to turn him into a punching bag.. Bryan was starting to feel his stomach turn at the sight of Kris'' messed-up face.

 Chapter 366 - The Ark Of To Be In The Arks

    "For so long, I''ve followed your orders. This time, this is my choice to make! And you will not have any leverage on me anymore. You caused my baby''s death and I will not forgive you for it!"


    "But the deed has been done. Why do you want to take another life? Do you still want to dirty those stained hands of yours? The Arks won''t accept that you''ve killed a Mage, you know..." said Kris, smiling.


    This caught her off guard as Kris managed to use his Elemental Aura to push her back. He then stood up, albeit shakily.


    "No one would ever want you. Your husband left you and the Arks will as well."


    Rina nearly lost it as she unleashed Flower Dances Stages One and Three. She hated people who abandoned her. She loathed the feeling of being alone once more. The Butterfly was out of control as she dished the attacks blindly, not knowing that Kris was countering all of it.


    Bryan caught on fast and decided to be loud about it. When she was left wide open, Kris went for the attack. But it never reached her.


    "Don''t let him get to you. Cool that hot head of yours first. Or else, Mavislin would never see you as a comrade," instructed Bryan, as his Wakizashi clashed with Kris.


    Ysabeau was slightly irked at the fact that Bryan went against her direct orders. And wanted to slay him right there and then. But a familiar handheld her back.


    "Mavislin, are you at prime state yet?" asked Ysabeau, stepping back from the Valkyrie''s extended arm.


    The Valkyrie nodded and surveyed the situation. It was going to be dawn soon. Time to end this battle. She stepped forward and unleashed her Elemental Aura, scaring the fighting Mages.


    "My, my. I couldn''t even take a nap without hearing some awful things fly by my ears," said Mavislin, as she walked towards the fighting trio.


    Her head was ???ked to one side as she looked at Kris with her murderous eyes.


    "Who the hell do you think you are, saying that to my Pillar? Who are you to determine whether someone can get into the Arks? Huh?" asked Mavislin, taking a step forward.


    With each step she took, her Elemental Aura increased. It was beginning to suffocate Kris and Rina. The Butterfly was quickly moved aside by Bryan, who couldn''t feel any pressure from Mavislin. Due to the emblem of the Barren Pillars.


    "You are quite the bold one, aren''t ya? Talking so much about how we won''t accept Rina as a fellow member... In front of the Founders of the Arks. You must have some guts... Or brainless. One of the two."


    "We accept Mages who were abandoned and left out in cold. We are the haven that the Mages seek out after the conflicts of war and abandonment. We give them a sense of home when no one else would accept them. I don''t care if Rina will be killing a Mage."


    "Whatever she was before, is none of our business. What matters is that when she joins, she feels safe and sound. And understand that there are people who love and care for her, despite her background. The Arks is a place of recovery and to find new meaning in their lives."


    "Besides, I won''t mind if she kills a disgusting hybrid of a human Mage like you. Hell, it would earn her a point in my book. To know that she was breaking out of her cocoon and that she was not bound by threats."


    "She lives her own life and no one else''s! What she does is by her own volition! That''s what makes a Barren Pillar!" shouted Mavislin, throwing Kris to Rina and Bryan''s side.


    "He is not my enemy to fight. I can easily do him in but it is not my victory. I don''t need any wins today, I''ve got enough to last me a lifetime. I only want to see you win against him. That''s my only requirement from you now," instructed Mavislin, pointing to Rina.


    Rina looked at Mavislin and then at Kris. He was still struggling to breathe as the Valkyrie''s iron grip was insanely strong. She wasn''t kidding if she could cut short the battle. With a burst of adrenaline, Rina focused on Mavislin with determined eyes.


    "I will agree to those terms! I will kill this disgusting thing!" shouted Rina, stabbing her spear into the ground, which Kris was at.


    He rolled away dodging the attack and got up once more.


    "End up, you are still a pawn for another organization. You are doomed to be in this loop for all eternity," said Kris, regaining his balance.

 Chapter 367 - The Ark Of Spearman Pillar

    "Shut that mouth of yours! This time, it was by my own volition! It is MY choice! Whatever I do now, whoever I choose to fight, for now, I am doing it all for myself! And I will fight for myself and the Barren Pillars, out of my free will!"


    That was the key that Mavislin wanted to hear. The power in her voice and the tenacity of her clashes. It was the passing words for anyone who wanted to join the Pillars. The person must be willing to fight not only for themselves but also for the sake of the Pillars themselves.


    The two must become one driving force to take down whatever enemy was standing in front of them. And this person must be willing to move on and decide to own their own will on the steps to take to complete their mission.


    Mavislin gave a big, wide smile as she heard Rina''s words of determination. The Valkyrie cracked her knuckles and prepared a familiar show. She did it for Ashley and then Bryan. Now, the Spearman Pillar has been taken. The First Lady of the Pillars has been determined.


    "You''ve shown that you are worthy to be in my PIllars, with the words and attitude that you hold!" shouted Mavislin, with joy and pride.


    The Valkyrie was elated as she shot out her palm. Her extended palm began to glow and a mirage of the emblem of the Barren Pillars hovered in front of her hand.


    "I hereby grant you the status of the Spearman Pillar!" called out Mavislin.


    Rina felt a surge of Elemental power rush through her. The floating mirage flew out and the symbol of the Barren Pillars appeared on the back of her right hand, shining in bright pink. It felt amazing to have such power at her fingertips but her opponent was still getting stronger.


    But Bryan saw the opposite happening to Kris. He was getting sloppier with his attacks, compared to when he first transformed. His movement wasn''t right. It might have been with help of the Valkyrie''s Elemental Aura, but he couldn''t confirm it.


    "This changes things. I won''t let my fellow Pillar fight this alone!" roared Bryan, jumping back into the fray.


    "But she just declared it''s her fight!" called out Ysabeau, still angry at the boy.


    "She didn''t declare that. She said she was fighting him, but she didn''t say she would be doing it alone!" shouted Bryan, blocking a few attacks from Kris on Rina''s blindside.


    "I am in the Barren Pillars, the Slayer Pillar! And I refuse to let my comrade fight alone!" roared Bryan, kicking Kris in the abdomen.


    Mavislin was impressed with the boldness and devotion of Bryan. The Slayer was tamed and obeyed Ysaebau''s orders when Mavislin was incapacitated. But with his boss in prime action, he wasn''t bound by Ysabeau''s orders anymore.


    He had dared to go against the High Queen''s orders multiple times, something that the other Mages wouldn''t get away with. But because Bryan belonged to the Barren Pillars, and the Arks works as a segregated department organization, Ysabeau can''t do anything to him.


    "Mavislin, someday you''ve got to take control of this boy. Lest he goes rogue on you," said Ysabeau, warning Mavislin.


    "You''ve got to be kidding me. Why would I do that? He is stubborn and righteous in his way. I love his passion to serve as my Slayer and his faith in his comrades. He should not be bound to anyone''s orders but his own..." said the Valkyrie, raising an eyebrow.


    "That''s what makes a Barren Pillar, you know?" finished Mavislin, with a smile that could melt YSabeau''s heart.


    The High Queen sighed and shook her head. Both minds were in the gutter but their sight was on the stars.


    "You hated to be alone or abandoned right? I won''t let you continue this fight alone then. We can fight as comrades, as fellow Pillars," said Bryan, smiling at Rina.


    Rina smiled back and nodded. She then looked at Bryan and blurted out her instructions.


    "I need you to distract him for me. Get him as far away from me as possible. Once I shout out the Last Dance''s name, do another one of your kicks and send him flying towards me. Don''t worry I won''t get too hurt."


    "The Last Dance?! You have that in your arsenal?" asked Bryan, slightly perplexed.


    "It''s the strongest in my arsenal but it had been forbidden for me to use since it would cost quite the power to unleash it. But now, it is my only shot at defeating that monster," replied Rina, as she lowered herself.


    "And I need a moment to fully dish out the spell.. Until then, watch my back, Slayer," said Rina, winking at Bryan.

 Chapter 368 - The Ark Of Forbidden Dance

    She vertically gripped her spear, while kneeling on the ground. Kris sensed something was amiss and sent a few Wind Elemental Spells her way. But Bryan negated them with ease.


    "I''ll gladly do so, Spearman!" yelled Bryan, braving against another Gale Howl.


    "Here goes nothing..."


    A ring of pink Elemental Aura appeared around her, with a purple outline. As she chanted, her Aura flared, creating a slight disturbance in the wind.


    "Nature has taken its course. Blossom, O'' poison children of mine. Bloom, O'' bulbs of mine," said Rina.


    Mavislin was impressed at the duo, they had just met and yet they''ve looked like they had been comrades for years. But the major thing was that ''Last Dance'' Rina mentioned. She mentioned that it was ''forbidden for her to use it.


    It can go two ways, either the Mage that taught her knew that she wasn''t fully m?tur?d yet. And that spell won''t take effect even if she risked her life. Or, the other way, was that no matter how powerful the wielder is, they must sacrifice something to power the spell.


    It might be the same as ''Sacred Onslaught'', which requires part of the wielder''s sanity. It was near impossible for her to pull that off, judging by the fact her previous stages can only last a few seconds. Thus, Mavislin was hoping it was the second option.


    "For these flowers are the symbol of my power. The emblem of my final Dance. I implore of Nature to fuel my spell to eliminate my foes..."


    And another thing was Rina''s age to the Last Dance. To use the Last Stage of any Spell, it would require the Mage to be at least a hundred years old. But Rina was only 30 plus. And to use all the Flower Dance Stages at such quick rates would mean she is at least half a century old.


    The Valkyrie had faith in her recruit but she guessed that Rina was being fooled by someone else other than Kris.


    "Power this spell with my Energy! Power it with the jealousy that looms and linger within us... For this is the Spell of Envy! These flowers will consume you!"


    Meanwhile, Bryan fought against Kris, both verbally and physically.


    "Both of you were fighting tooth and nail just a few hours ago... You''ve got something for her?" asked Kris, as he clashed with Bryan for the umpteenth time.


    "No... But I''ve got something for you if you don''t shut your mouth!" shouted Bryan, pushing Kris back.


    "Not much of a social person, huh?" asked Kris, producing another howl.


    He may have changed into a Mage but he could not create new spells. All of his attacks were all rehashes of the first few spells he showed. And Bryan had the stars as his spells, so it''s a sure-fire win. But he just couldn''t get that perfect shot.


    Sending out Gemini and Libra, Stars of the Twins, and Balance, Bryan finally caught Kris off guard and the man lost balance. This created a chance for Bryan to kick Kris into mid-air. Once he does that, the Slayer could kick him to Rina, who was about to release her spell.


    "I don''t like socialize with scum like you!" yelled Bryan, kicking Kris'' abdomen.


    "Flower Dance! Forbidden Stage!" called out Rina, as her eyes flew open.


    Her palms were starting to burn, her head felt heavy. Her eyes were now filled with blood as she was placing pressure on her sight. She was placing pressure everywhere to make this technique work. But her eyes were the most vital as she needed to drag the enemy into the spell.


    Since the eyes of a being are not the window to the soul, it was the doors. But it was too much pressure on something so delicate. Everything looked like a blur at that point, Rina knew she needed to choose between two things. And she chose the conservative option.


    "Catch!" shouted Bryan, delivering another kick right at Kris once more.


    But the freak wasn''t done yet as he grabbed Bryan''s wrist dragging him along in the journey.


    "Hyacinth Blasted Eyes!" called out Rina.


    The circle around her was longer just a ring of light. It had millions of little bulbs and each of them was blooming the moment she shouted out the spell''s name. She managed to look up to stab Kris right in the abdomen, dragging him into the climax of the spell.


    Unfortunately, Bryan was being su?k?d into the spell as well, since that freak wouldn''t let go.. The bulbs of flower bloomed in an instant and the area was drowned in a sea of Hyacinths, locking the three Mages in their world of peril and their past.

 Chapter 369 - The Ark Of Kris Agaraterum

    "I promise, I''ll find a way to cure you. I will never give up or forgive the one that poisoned you. And by hook or by crook, I''ll find a way to wake you up again."


    That was the promise he made. The driving force that kept him going. And created a journey of life within the poison arts for Kris. Unfortunately, it was a life ridden with anguish and pain. Mockery and theft to find what he needed.


    Kris was born into a lavish family, he knew nothing but wealth and greed. Yes, that was his life when he was a child. He was showered with gifts and praise. He played with new toys and wore the newest clothes. But he still clung to his mother, who gave the most caring smile.


    They were the Agaraterum Family, the distant relatives to the Dalles. Thus, this explains their wealth and living status. They were part of the alliance of the Five Kings, but they only helped to supply the Kings with their weaponry.


    Because of the amount of trade they did, they were known by a lot of the mafia. Even Ashley has bought supplies from them. And their clientele was paying exorbitant prices for it. That''s why Kris was born with a silver spoon.


    Unfortunately, it was shoved up his arse as he turned into a monster when he grew up. Playing with the village kids became a torment for the new parents as Kris would constantly poke fun of the poor kids. Parents would beat the ever-loving daylights out of him.


    But they would be silenced a day after. Anyone who dared touch a family belonging to the Dalles would be silenced in an instant. Because of this, Kris never understood the weight of his words and actions. He then took up a new hobby; sabotaging.


    The church was threatening to kick him out of service as Kris had messed with the priest''s children. And the fact that he had picked the wrong person to mess with, which was an older kid. She was quite big-sized as she started down at Kris'' scrawny feature.


    The older girl looked at Kris as if she was looking at an ant. Her eyes were fierce and her stature looked menacing as she stared down at Kris. The boy was on the floor with a single push from the giant girl. He could hardly muster his strength to get back up.


    Kris'' mother came rushing to find what was wrong since they were right in the middle of the town. Everyone stared at the scene with disgust. They knew that Kris had beaten the smaller boy a few moments ago, and that girl was his elder sister.


    Without missing a beat, the girl grabbed onto Kris'' collar and hoisted him up with both hands. The boy looked confused as snot and tears ran down his face. She began to shake him vigorously until he could stop wailing. Kris'' mother was confused. Onlookers showed no emotion.


    "Don''t. Touch. My. Baby. Brother," demanded the burly girl, shaking every time she said a word.


    That was the very first time Kris felt fear pump through his veins. But it was slowly covered with overwhelming anger and frustration. As the girl picked up her baby brother and proceeded to walk away, Kris got hold of a large rock and threw it at the girl.


    It was the first time his mother had seen her son do such a thing. Her hands shook as she tried to push that image away from her mind. She then stopped Kris and brought him back home. This was Kris'' memory, but the next one is something that he wasn''t aware of.


    The whole spell allows the victims to see into their past and realize the truth. It was like taking a frame out of Time and trapping them inside. And the current Kris was looking at his past events unfolding before his eyes. And the truth.


    He was looking at his mother, who was surrounded by letters and papers. All of them were villagers who wrote in to complain about Kris'' behaviors. And she was staring at the latest letter, that was from the parents of the burly girl.


    It was a threat, stating that if Kris does not change his ways, then they will have him taken away to another Domain. He had injured the youngest nephew of the Midford Family, who was Vernice''s cousin.. And at the time, the title Marquess towers over the title of Earl.

 Chapter 370 - The Ark Of Deaths Of The Innocent

    But the kicker in the letter is that the baby brother had suffered severe head trauma to the front of his skull, which was not fully developed yet. Thus, the physical abuse that the child suffered at the hands of Kris had inevitably killed him.


    And this alerted the Arks as well since the affairs of the Five Kings were being handed over for Mavislin to monitor. But because Baldwin felt that it was a small conflict, he failed to inform Mavislin about it. Thus, brushing the matter off.


    But the mother couldn''t bear to see her son tossed to another Domain. Not because she was worried for him, but rather, she was worried that he would harm the other kids as well. She was drowning in shame as she blamed herself.


    Had she controlled him, disciplined him, or said ''no'' to him once, he wouldn''t have taken an innocent life. A paralyzing fear of remorse surged through her body as her tears gushed down. Her hands couldn''t stop shaking. But she didn''t dare to hurt her son.


    She had all the time in the world to look through those letters and she did just that, only to find more problems with her child. He was a thief and sabotage. He was a murderer and bully. He took innocent lives to fuel his boredom.


    He made girls cry when he yanked their hair out. He may not have directly killed anyone, but his beatings to the younger children would cause permanent damage and at times, killing the child. Like how he had killed the Midford boy.


    "I''m so sorry... It''s all my fault that you turned out like this. If I wasn''t so smothering to you, you wouldn''t have done such a crime..." wept his mother, who held onto a small bottle.


    "I don''t deserve to be a mother... I''m such a failure... I caused another child''s death because I was too weak to stop my kid."


    His mother allowed her tears to smudge the papers below. She knew that she couldn''t live on with this guilt and looked towards the door.


    "I wish he was here with me. But I don''t think I would him to see like this either. We belong to the house of Dalles but I am ashamed of what my offspring has done. I hate this name that I bear. I hated this life that I have lived."


    Kris tried calling out to his mother, asking what was wrong and why was she crying. Lamentably, this was only a mirage of the past. He had no way of fixing or altering it in any way. A feeling of horror spiked within his voice as his mother took out a small bottle.


    The memory of what sparked his journey. But it wasn''t what he had envisioned. He glanced at the empty bottle, which had the engraving of a flower with a berry in the middle. It was the flower of the infamous plant, Atropa Bella Donna. Deadly nightshade.


    A sudden gust of wind came by as Kris turned to see who was there. He was staring at his younger self. They were a decade apart of the same person but they had similar expressions. Pale with fear and despair. The current Kris was watching as his younger self cradled his mother.


    Knowing the effects of poison, Kris, at a tender age, could confirm that his mother had poison in her system. But this was in the past, back when medical history was still poor in those areas. Hence, Kris had no cure for his mother.


    Kris felt a lump at the back of his throat as he witnessed this painful memory. He knew that his mother would never wake up again until he found the cure.


    "Have you forgotten what happened next?" asked a voice within Kris'' head.


    The voice sounded like his own, yet it wasn''t one he could familiarise with.


    "You remembered the promise you made that day. But do you remember what you did next?" asked the voice, once more.


    Kris shook his head and clenched his fists. He only remembered that he dragged his mother''s body onto her bed and tucked her in.


    "She''s sleeping, right? I tucked her in and the next day, I placed her in a glass tank to let her keep sleeping. That''s why I gotta find a cure to wake her up from this slumber! I need to...." begged Kris, as he looked up to find the voice.

 Chapter 371 - The Ark Of The State Of Delusion

    "She''s dead."


    Kris'' eyes were drained of life as he heard those words. No... No... That''s not possible...


    "You''re lying! You must be that damned Butterfly Mage! You have no idea about what you are talking about!" shouted Kris, with fury.


    "Listen to yourself. You sound like a madman. A child stuck inside a grown person''s body, refusing to believe the truth that is shown to you. You are a weak, spineless coward that feeds on others'' happiness. Because you are jealous of what they have."


    "That''s not true! I am not a coward! If I was, I wouldn''t have made those medical breakthroughs! Those equipment and ingredients were all created and found by me, and I braved through the elements to do so. How is that making me a coward?!" roared Kris.


    "Are you sure that those ''medical breakthroughs were yours? Are you sure that you didn''t claim the credit instead of doing the work? You severed hands and fired personnel to get the fame that you wanted. Are you sure that those truly belong to you?" taunted the voice.


    "The people of Albion owe me their lives, I saved them with the cures I have made!"


    "No. You did not. You stole the cures from the hard workers of your team. They slaved for days and nights to produce results that would be the better for mankind but you claimed it all for yourself. You selfish little coward."


    "Shut up! I won''t take any of your words for the truth since this is a spell. You are just here to mess with me. If I''d known I''ve got such troublesome Mage in my facility, I would have done you in sooner!" yelled Kris, covering his ears.


    "I am not a Mage. I am you, the you that you had forgotten. Or rather, refused to believe in. Because I am your true eyes. I am the one who remembered and captured the real world that you had rejected. The truth that you failed to accept or remember."


    Kris'' mind began to swirl as he entered a state of panic and fear. He fell to his knees as he clutched his ?h?st. He was panting as pieces of memories flashed through his mind.


    "Since you cannot remember what happened next, allow me to show you. The truth of your past. And why you would refuse to believe in it. To be honest, many would''ve entered into a crazed state and kill themselves or hide in a hole. But for you, you went on a journey."


    "A sickening journey filled with pain for those that came close to you. A journey for something that was never worth finding in the first place. Because the person you wanted to cure was long gone."


    Kris closed his eyes and opened them once more. This time, he was looking at a little boy hugging an arm from a rotting corpse. Kris flew back in disgust at the sheer smell and sight of the display. But when the man recovered, he couldn''t believe what he was seeing.


    It was him, as a child, hugging onto that rotten corpse. And the decaying body was wearing his mother''s clothes.


    "You couldn''t accept that she had died. In delusion, you hugged her to sleep for an entire week before someone found you."


    But... He had just spoken to his mother before leaving for work. No, this was an illusion from the enemy, to attack him mentally. To mess with his mind to win the battle. Kris yelled loudly as he ran over to the two people and tried to destroy the illusion.


    "There''s no use in doing that. This is just a flashback. I shall show you the remaining parts that had been blocked in your memories. Whether you like it or not."


    "To hell with you!" shouted Kris, before the memory changed once more.


    The next memory was of his father, who was the one who found him holding onto his dead mother. His father knew that his wife was going to commit suicide and had decided to do so by himself. But, he couldn''t bring himself to as he couldn''t find the reason to.


    He too blamed himself for his son turning out this way. But he couldn''t bring himself to kill his son either. He stood there, silent and still with a knife by his side. He managed to raise it and that''s when Kris remembered the part that his father tried to kill him.


    The glint of the moonlight that shined on the blade landed on the sleeping boy''s eyes. This woke the boy up and the image of his father preparing to murder him was forever burned into his mind.. No matter how many layers of delusion, Kris was never able to get that out of his head.

 Chapter 372 - The Ark Of A Murderous Monster

    The Kris within the memory jumped out of harm''s way and turned the tables to his favor. By kicking his fathers'' ankles. But his father was quite well-built and easily knocked the boy out. The real Kris, who was looking at the fight was standing still, trying to remember.


    His father raised the knife once more but he froze. Tears trickled down his cheeks as he couldn''t bear to kill his son. No matter how much damage he had done, no matter how many crimes he had committed, he was still his son.


    "If we had been poor... If we weren''t a rich family... Would things have turned out this way? Would we still have to go through this pain of bringing up a monster?" whispered his father, looking at his knocked-out boy.


    Kris felt rage pumping through his veins. How could his father call him such a thing?! Did he not realize that his son would be ahead of the Research and Development team in the future?! Did his father hate him so much?!


    His father lowered the knife as he stared into his son''s sleeping figure. The knife trembled within his grasp. An image of his happy family flashed through his mind. A family, filled with happiness and without pain or shame.


    "How could I kill you? You''ve got your mother''s eyes..."


    "You''ve got Anna''s eyes..."


    And in the end, his father just couldn''t bring himself to stab his son. Dropping the knife, he fled into the night and out of the memory. Kris stood there, confused as he did not recall this part about waking up.


    "You have no memory of this either. Because you were too far gone. To satisfy your warped sense of justice, you went on a ramage to kill everyone in the village. And the best time to strike would be in the dead of the night," explained the voice.


    "You started by killing the few people that offered to help you."


    "What happened?!" yelled a woman, opening the door.


    "Yea, I''ve got notice that a foul smell was coming through here but I didn''t realize it would be this..." said another woman, appearing behind the first one.


    They then carefully held up the corpse, trying to pry the child away from it.


    "Hey, the kid''s still breathing."


    The two women stopped and gently woke the kid up. Kris blinked a few times as he tried seeing in the darkness.


    "Hey there, are you alright? You feeling hungry?" cooed one of the women.


    The other stood still in the darkness as she realized who was the kid.


    "Everything''s gonna be fine. No one''s gonna hurt you anymore..."


    The other woman quickly tugged the woman away, shocking the poor girl.


    "What was that for?!"


    "That kid... He''s hiding a knife."


    The child pulled out the same knife that his father had dropped and instantly leaped from his spot. The women tried dodging but were both injured with the child''s fast movements. Hearing the women scream, the real Kris widened his eyes at the sight of the area.


    Kris turned around abruptly, meeting face to face with the same boy. This time, he held a knife and had a twisted smile on his face. He brandished his knife and proceeded to stab the two women that held his mother.


    "You are a murderer. And that night, you claimed the lives of the innocent. Not like it was any different than before."


    Kris has been transported yet again. This time he was looking at the village from atop a cliff. But the village was in flames, with a single child walking through the inferno and chaos. Kris couldn''t comprehend what he was seeing.


    The child was none other than himself. He walked through the flames with the same crazed look he had when he killed the two ladies.


    "You burnt the whole village. Out of anger that you created for yourself. You are to be blamed for this atrocity. I''ve got another surprise as well. Would you like to see it?" asked the voice, provoking the already beaten Kris.


    His mind was in a state of panic and his emotions were all over the place. He didn''t know what to do or feel. He just wanted this nightmare to end. He wanted the spell to end but he wanted to win.


    "It''s not as if you gave me any other choice," replied Kris.


    He found himself standing in a blank space. He was on flat ground but it wasn''t a room. A glass tank was in front of him.


    "Open it."


    He did as he was told and walked towards the tank. He opened it, only to see a skeleton.


    "It''s just another skeleton. What do you want me to see?" asked Kris.


    "Check its neck."

 Chapter 373 - The Ark Of Hell Of The Flower Dance

    Kris looked closely and realized this was his mother''s remains that he was looking at. Her necklace remained on her neck, untouched for all these years.


    "You made her that necklace. Surely, that would the one thing you would have never forgotten.


    "How is that possible? I could''ve sworn that I saw her body in my house this morning..."


    "Which morning are you referring to?"


    "Today..."


    "The morning of the day after she died?"


    "Shut up! She''s not dead!"


    "Insolent fool. Look at the truth and face reality. She has been dead for years. Her flesh is no longer on her and she has been reduced to nothing but bones. Your warped mind has been broken to the point of no return."


    "Your spell might be quite strong but it won''t be enough to deter me..."


    The voice was getting frustrated at Kris'' mental state. It decided that it was time for the true torture of the spell.


    "Since you won''t listen to my words, I''ll let you get a feel of how it is for your poor mother..."


    The corpse sprung back to life, sacring Kris. He backed away as the thing crawled out of the glass tank. He was going backward as he looked at the skeleton starting to take on someone. Flesh emerged from each crevice of the bones, starting with the face. A bony arm reached out to Kris.


    "Kill me... Let me go..." m??n?d the skeleton, who had half of a face.


    Kris was startled as he saw his mother''s face on that corpse. Within a few seconds, the corpse was no longer a skeleton but his mother. But she had no eyes. She screamed out in pain as she clutched her ?h?st.


    "End my suffering... I killed myself to end this... You worthless scoundrel, you couldn''t even change your ways after seeing what you''ve done to me. You went and killed innocent lives..." howled the mother, who managed to get a hold of Kris.


    "You brought shame to our family. You''ve taken so many innocent lives that you make the Devil look like a saint. You are nothing but a sham... And I want you to die!" shouted his mother, grabbing Kris'' neck with her hands.


    "I should never have birthed you! You should never be born! If I knew that you would become this, I would have killed myself sooner! How could I have created such a monster?! It''s all your fault! All your fault! If you hadn''t been alive, your father and I would have a better life..."


    "GO TO HELL!" screeched the mother, adding more pressure to the boy''s neck.


    Kris was in tears, begging his mother to stop saying such words to her son. But this did not faze the mother one bit. Kris felt something else grab him. He looked down to see hands. He was horrified to see so many tiny hands grabbing onto his legs.


    Mustering up his last ounce of power, Kris closed his eyes and delivered an uppercut to his mother, effectively getting him out of the struggle. He quickly pried away from the tiny hands and tried running away. But something held him down. He looked at his ankle.


    He was petrified as a baby held onto his ankle. The baby was green and was drooling out a purple liquid. But the appalling thing was when the baby turned to face him.


    "Mama... I want Mama..." wh?n?d the baby as he tugged onto Kris'' pants.


    Terror struck him as he realized that this was Rina''s son. The baby that he promised to cure was turned into a pincushion and became part of his experiments. Kris shook the baby away but was just in time to look at the horde of people in front of him.


    A few had no limbs, some were missing prominent features of their face. A few had extra limbs and some were sewn together. And a figure of a lady stood out, with her eye sockets being empty.


    "Did you forget about us?" asked the blind lady, reaching out to Kris.


    "You turned my partner against me and the professor blinded me... Give me back my eyes..."


    "Get away from me!" yelled Kris, taking off.


    But no matter how far he ran, he never did move from the spot. And, the swarm of the dead was catching up to him. They grabbed him and clawed onto him. The children that he had used for experiments. The ?du?ts that died from his sabotage.


    "Give us back our limbs..."


    "Give us back our lives..."


    The m??ns and groans of the horde were defining to Kris as he began to spiral into madness once more.. By the time the spell ended, Kris was in tears, bawling his eyes out at the horrifying scene.

 Chapter 374 - The Ark Of Bryans Past

    He was well aware of the nature of this spell. It allows the person to enter into their memories. But he was secretly hoping that it wouldn''t go too deep. Yet, he couldn''t shake off the feeling of excitement as he was about to uncover his true family background.


    He had no recollection of anything before the time he met Nova, his adopted mother. He just knew that he was adopted, according to Nova. He had just accepted that fact and carried on with his life. And when he had always known that he had powers.


    The spell showed the surface-level memories. The moments with the Five Kings and with Nova as a child. It even showed the time when Bryan hit puberty and when all the girls of the village wanted to be his girlfriend. But he gave the excuse that his mother wouldn''t allow it.


    This prompted the girl to think that he was a ''Mama''s boy. But in truth, Bryan was terrified of Nova and his powers There was nothing more frightening than a Memory Mage finding out that you were dating a normal human girl.


    Nova had forbidden it at the time since the village that they were at war against the Mages. In the years that went by, because of the rise of Minwoo as their Marquess, the village learned to accept the Mages. But during those times, they would gladly burn any Mage to death.


    At the time, Bryan kept his powers well-hidden because he didn''t allow anyone but Nova to touch him. Even the slightest contact could cause the human to fly away. He was very shy but once the Five Kings took over, he became more sociable, earning him praises from the ?du?ts.


    People loved his ideas, be it big or small. His decisions were quick and well-thought-out. He was very patient, showing care and concern to those who were less gifted. But when it comes to facing foes, he threw all that aside and mocked the ever-loving crap out of them.


    He was known to be quite ruthless when he was in missions or facing off someone he didn''t fancy. He was firm and strict when guiding the recruits of the Five Kings but he wasn''t cruel. He only shows that side to his enemies. He would often kill without any hint of remorse in his eyes.


    Armed with his glass balls, he was clearing large amounts of the opposing side without much help. However, he would never jeopardize the lives of the innocents to get to his foes. He showed more compassion than any recruit had during that time. And Minwoo liked that aspect of him.


    "Someone who could do their duties without using the lives of innocent people gets a thumbs-up in my book," said Minwoo, as he appointed Bryan to be his ?ssistant.


    And one thing led to another and now he was working with the Arks, as per Minwoo''s request to serve Mavislin. He remembered receiving the letter and later Duchess Midford relaying the information that Minwoo had died. And he went to look for Mavislin.


    He still couldn''t believe that Minwoo was dead since he was quite the strong person in combat. But he was just human, so perhaps humans had their limits as well... Right? Bryan smiled as he thought back to the training sessions he had with Minwoo.


    But the scenes don''t last long as Bryan found himself on a pathway. He spun around to get a hold of his surroundings. Two children ran through him and they had run from the houses in front of him. Bryan tilted his head before shrugging. He looked around.


    It was just a simple village, with lots of greenery around. There was a pasture just after the rows of houses. Some sheep were grazing upon the lush grass. The area was blanketed with peace and tranquility as he walked towards the houses.


    His feet seemed to remember where to go, as they stopped right in front of a house. The door was oddly familiar but Bryan couldn''t confirm. He just felt a sense of nostalgia. But he had no clue why. Just then, the door swung open, scaring the Slayer.


    Out came two children, a boy, and a girl. They seemed happy as they passed through Bryan and ran out into the barren streets. They were delighted, for some weird reason. They were cheering and holding hands with one another.


    "Yay! We get to keep him!" exclaimed the boy, in happiness.


    ''Yea, Mama is not going to give him away! Hurray!" yelled the girl, punching the air.


    They both looked so happy. Were they about to keep a pet or...


    "Yea, Mama said we have to take care of him!"


    "Let''s bring him out to play!"


    "When he gets older, though."

 Chapter 375 - The Ark Of Giving A Child Away

    Bryan tried to tail them but he felt someone behind him.


    "You guys take care! Get the things that I told you and hurry back, alright?!" shouted a man, who was holding a small infant.


    "Alright, Papa!" shouted the two children.


    The infant started crying as he heard his father shout that loud. Bryan cringed as he remembered how he had to apologize to a mother when he shouted too loud in the middle of the night. That was a nagging session he never wanted to revisit.


    But this scene was foreign to him. Too foreign to be part of his memory. He was sure that the spell could only show the person their memory. It dives within the visual cortex of the brain to project out what was taken in. In most cases, the person might have forgotten.


    But there was always a way to recover lost memory. And this spell was one of the ways. It''s only the final stage of the spell that would end up being an illusion. But that was up to the person''s inner voice. And now, it was time for Bryan''s inner voice to narrate the memory.


    "Sorry that the events are a bit in a jumble. It''s hard to piece out memories that you''ve been forced to forget. A Memory Mage has tampered with your early memories so I can''t show too much of it. Just the important parts should suffice," said the voice.


    "No big deal... But could you show me why the kids are so happy or what they were so eager to keep?" asked Bryan, unfazed by the fact that he was talking to himself.


    "Sure, that was what I wanted to show you next. Prepare to shift your position," said the voice.


    Bryan turned around to find himself in the middle of a bedroom. A girl was crying and a boy was pleading to a mother. Bryan rubbed his eyes as he recalled the family from earlier. The woman was on sitting on the bed, rocking a cradle while her children were begging her for something.


    Bryan slowly walked over, unsure if this was his memory or someone else''s.


    "Don''t worry. This is your memory, no one else''s. I can''t show you something that you weren''t present at. Your physical being must be around for this spell to show you the memory. These are the memories that have been locked away."


    "So you might find some discomfort with your mind, like a small headache."


    Bryan nodded and listened in to the conversation.


    "I can''t afford to take care of him... I am so sorry. He was a mistake, I didn''t know that I was pregnant. I promise that he would be in a better family..." explained the mother, who seemed very tired.


    "No! You can''t just give your baby brother away!" wept the girl, clinging onto the crib.


    "I am so sorry. I don''t have much time left... I can''t even get out of this bed. Your father has to work as well, to feed both of you. Another mouth to feed would end in more pain and suffering."


    "Please! We''ll help! Just tell us what we need to do!" begged the boy.


    "Yea, we''ll listen to every instruction you give us to take care of him. We''ll change his diapers! We''ll find a cow to give him milk!"


    "We''ll do the housework! We''ll go and buy groceries for you! We promise! Please don''t give our little brother away..." cried the girl, with her big, round teary eyes looking at her mother.


    She was paralyzed from the waist down. Her disease was not known and she was slowly dying. Having a child at the stage was a miracle. But keeping him alive after he comes out was going to be a tougher jaunt. But seeing her two older kids pleading like that, she could only give in.


    The two kids were both at least ten to twelve years old. They were past the age of harboring jealousy for a newborn. They might not be too m?tur? but they were kids. At this age, kids won''t retaliate too much. They will question why but their actions will follow the demands.


    And what''s more, how could she give away her baby just like that?! She carried him for months before suddenly entering labor. Moreover, it was the two kids in front of her that helped deliver him a few weeks ago. No one else could take care of him better than the children in front of her.


    "You do know you have to uphold your promise, right?" asked the mother, sighing.


    "We will!"


    "Alright then. You both win.. But, the first thing you have to do is the most important piece in the baby''s life," said the mother, smiling at her children.

 Chapter 376 - The Ark Of Bryans Names

    The two kids looked at each other. They both had question marks hovering above their heads.


    "His name. You both get to pick out his name. Remember, each of you can pick a name. We come of Chinese descent so give him a Chinese name as well. Alright?" asked the mother, ruffling both their heads.


    The two kids stared into the crib. For the whole time, Bryan had failed to see how the baby looked like. He too loomed over the crib, looking like a scrawny scarecrow about to eat a baby. But he managed to catch a glimpse of the baby giggling.


    He couldn''t deny it, he was smiling the same way like the other two kids were. The girl poked the baby''s cheeks. Luckily, the baby didn''t cry. Instead, he made an ''eh'' sound and used his tiny hands to wrap his sister''s big finger. The girl allowed the baby to pull on the finger.


    Tears formed on the corner of her eyes as the baby smiled at her. She couldn''t contain her emotions as she decided the English name for the baby.


    "You are my baby brother. I''ll always protect you, no matter what. Your name will be Bryan. It means ''High and Noble''. You were a strong baby, to survive in Mama''s belly for so long, even if she is sick. I love you, Baby Bry..." said the girl, holding the baby''s hand.


    Bryan was shocked, he had a family?! And that was him in the crib?! He had a sister and a brother?! Where were they, all this time?! Bryan felt confused and excited. Confused because he had always thought his family had abandoned him. Excited because Rina was right.


    And he could reunite with his sister. The girl''s voice snapped Bryan out of his daze. She was tugging on her brother to choose the child''s Chinese name. The borghther was older so he took quite some time to pick out name.


    "I want to give him a special name. Something on the lines of what you picked, Val," said the boy, still staring into the crib.


    The infant then stared at his brother. The two boys were having a staring contest before the baby made a very odd sound.


    "Rawr!" sounded out the infant, trying to grab the brother''s hand.


    "That''s it! You''ll be Ji Long... The ''Long'' means ''Dragon'' in Chinese. And since you are born in the year of the Dragon, this name should suit you best. I hope you would be able to live up top this name, as it also represents imperial power and authority, like your English name."


    Little Bryan laughed and gurgled. The three kids were smiling and laughing as Bryan watched on, still shocked at the fact that he had a family. He had found out about the meaning and origin of his two names and now he was keen to learn more about his family.


    Did he have powers from the beginning? Or was he given powers by Nova?


    "I can ?ssure you that the Memory Mage did not supply you with any powers," replied the voice, appearing once more.


    Bryan nodded and took another look at the family. Just then, the bedroom door flew open. The man from the earlier memory was standing at the doorway, holding his arms wide open.


    "Papa!" shouted the two older children, who flew into their father''s waiting arms.


    "How are my two stars?" asked the father, hugging the children.


    "Well, looks like we''ve got another mouth to feed. They kept begging me to keep Bryan," said the mother, shaking her head.


    "Who''s Bryan?" asked the father, confused.


    "Our baby brother!" replied the two kids in his arms.


    She placed a hand on the baby''s head, gently stroking him. The father blinked a few times at his wife before looking at his two kids. Their bright, beaming smiles burned through his retinas. There was no way he could get angry at them. But having a baby to care for now was an issue.


    "We promise we''ll take good care of him! We love him!" chimed the two children.


    OInce the two kids ran off back to the crib, the father made his way to his wife and sat by her side.


    "It''s alright, I won''t be long for this world. Soon, you''ll have one mouth less to feed," said the mother, weakly.


    "Don''t say that, love. No matter what, we are gonna make this work.. That''s what a family is, right? Working together to overcome any odds."

 Chapter 377 - The Ark Of Death Of A Mother

    "Yes, that''s correct. But this child... Was a mistake... We didn''t plan for him..."


    "Miracles can happen anytime, right? Bryan is our miracle for us. I wholly welcome Bryan into this world. I don''t regret or resent him in any way. And you try your best to stay alive, alright?"


    "I will. For our family''s sake. I will try my best," answered the weak mother, laying her head on her husband''s shoulder.


    The current Bryan tried to reach out to comfort his parents. But he stopped midway, realizing that was just an illusion of the past. It had already happened, there was no way he could change anything. He could only watch. And he feared the worse would come.


    "I''m sorry, this is all I have for this fragment. The next one is a bit heavy, so brace yourself," said the voice, as Bryan''s vision distorted once more.


    "You can''t leave us, Mama! You promise to bring us all to the beach again" cried a voice, sounding from a girl.


    "Yea, what about Bryan? He''s not even a year old yet... And he has no Mama..."


    "Mama..." cried two voices, as the scene began to fully emerge around Bryan.


    "Why did Mama have to go..." sobbed the little girl, hugging her brother.


    The two children clung to their father''s legs. He was cradling baby Bryan, who was fast asleep. He extended out an arm to pat his two children''s heads. A tear ran down from his cheeks and onto baby Bryan, who squirmed as it started raining all of a sudden.


    The family took cover by a tree near the grave they were standing at.


    "Let''s go home... Bryan will catch a cold if we stay here..." instructed the father, with a solemn look on his face.


    The kids must have spent a few hours there, crying. Their eyes were red and their noses were blocked. The two nodded and followed their father back home. Bryan was standing by another grave. And when the family left, he decided to pay a visit to his mother''s grave.


    "She died surrounded with all her family members. Including you. You were the last one to be carried by her. She succumbed to her illness when the first flower bloomed for spring. Looks like the area is mourning for her. It was sunny just before she died," explained the voice.


    "Any clue what was her illness? And if we have the cure in present time?" asked Bryan, nearly choking up.


    He was surprised, he was getting sad for someone he could not remember from his past. Was it because that it was his mother? Or that the whole memory felt so sad? He couldn''t even remember her, so why was he getting emotional? He didn''t deserve to either.


    "It''s something called ''Green Sickness''. It''s where she didn''t have enough red blood cells to go around her body. She was in the middle of the disease when she had you, that''s why she passed out for two weeks before she chose to keep you."


    "You were a miracle to be birthed by such a weak-bodied human. That fascinates me, a dying body could still give life to another. What odd potential a human body has. And people called Mages weird."


    As Bryan stood before the gravestone, he could not help but feel guilty. Etched on the grave was the words-


    ''Sarah Caenis Atalanta Irvine. Born 1370, Died 1405. A loving mother of three will forever be in skies, looking after them from above.''


    To think that, she was only 30 years of age when she died. Bryan was going to reach that age soon. And if he continues this line of work, he might end up having an early grave as well. Bryan shook his head, not wanting to ponder on those thoughts.


    The area started pouring after the family left. Bryan found himself surrounded by gravestones. Dark clouds loomed over him, as his heart sank. It wasn''t shocking, since the mother had stated multiple times that she was dying from an incurable illness. However, Bryan''s heart ached nonetheless.


    After all, she was his mother. Had fate been kinder, Bryan hoped to talk to her at least one time. He felt guilty for all those years thinking that his family abandoned him. It wasn''t his fault, it wasn''t anyone. But he still felt sad that he didn''t get to know her in person.


    But now, his goals had changed. He wanted to find out how did he get his powers. From as far as he could see, none of his family members displayed any form of Magecraft.


    "I''m ready for the next memory. I want to know how I was able to get powers when my family is all humans...." asked Bryan, looking away from the gravestone.

 Chapter 378 - The Ark Of Toddler Bryan

    "Don''t you want to stay here longer?"


    "What for? This is all in the past, I have no intention to cry over something that had happened long ago. She is dead, that''s the cold truth. That''s how I was raised, understanding when someone is dead, no point crying for them anymore. Besides,"


    Bryan smiled as he looked up to the sky.


    "She''s free from that disease that she was suffering from. Why should I feel sad? I should be happy that she is free from this wretched world. And I should be thankful that I got to see her as well. Without this spell, I would never have known about her."


    "In the end, it was Magecraft that made me remember that I am human. Ironically, it reminded me that I was human and will always be one, no matter what," finished Bryan, sighing.


    The voice was silent for few moments before finally giving into Bryan''s request.


    "Alright. I will show you how you got your powers. But I will have to narrate some things for you since the memories are still fragmented. That Memory Mage must want you to forget about this part a lot since it''s hard to get a visual."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine either way. I will finally know where and when did my powers came about. And if luck is on my side, I''ll find a way to control it through these memories. And maybe even use it to the best potential," said Bryan, closing his eyes.


    "Come on, Bryan. Let''s go to the town center!" exclaimed the sister, tugging on little Bryan''s arm.


    The current Bryan looked around once more. This was at the house again, and the sister was trying very hard to drag a toddler to play at the town center. But the child was screaming and crying like bloody murder as his sister tried her best to pick the kid up.


    He took a closer look at the child, the child was about three years old. But he didn''t seem very normal. And he is not keen on following his sister to the town area. Just then, the elder brother came out, trying to figure what was that racket.


    "Why are you forcing him to go with? If he doesn''t want to then so be it! We''ll just play with him here," said the elder brother, grabbing the whining toddler from his sister''s arms.


    Toddler Bryan instantly stopped throwing as he was placed on the stone floor of the backyard. He gave a big smile to both of his older siblings before babbling and clapping.


    "But Nic! If he doesn''t meet with the other kids, he won''t have any friends to play with!" protested the girl.


    Right now, Bryan realized that his two siblings'' names were ''Val'' and ''Nic''. They were probably short forms but it was much easier for him to understand who was doing what. Or which kid was yelling for which kid.


    "Yea, but we don''t have to force him to! There is no point in dragging a screaming and crying kid to the middle of the town. He won''t make any friends that way! Besides..." answered Nic, sitting beside Toddleer Bryan.


    "Why can''t we be his best friends?" asked Nic, smiling at his sister while placing Bryan on his ??p.


    The child gurgled and laughed as he was hugged by his elder brother. The older Bryan looked on as he started to fit the pieces of those fragmented voices in his head. And all those odd dreams that he had. His body froze as he heard the same song once more, sung by the two kids.


    "Summer in the hills..."


    "Here we stand, open arms... This is home where we are."


    "Holding on, memories never change..." finished the two children, with Toddler Bryan giggling and clapping.


    Just then, Toddler Bryan blurted out something no one expected. Not only his siblings were surprised, but the current Bryan was stunned as well.


    "Monody!" cried the child, laughing afterward.


    The siblings squealed in delight as they heard their brother''s first words.


    "Oh come on! Learn to say your name before that song''s name!" said Bryan, facepalming.


    "It was quite the important song, so I don''t think they mind," reasoned the voice.


    "I think their names would have been an easier word to say than ''Monody''. And I don''t see any of my powers coming forth. Where is that point?" asked Bryan, getting slightly impatient.


    "Hold your horses. You have to understand this part and particularly the part when they describe the history of your village."


    Bryan sighed as he focused his attention to the kids once more.. He had secretly wished that he could see his past, from the start to the end but was worried that the spell was going on for too long.

 Chapter 379 - The Ark Of Boy Who Loved The Stars

    "Yes! The song is called ''Monody''! Don''t forget, ok? It''s our village''s anthem. Long ago, a bad person wanted to destroy our home," said Val, gently patting her baby brother''s head.


    "And a powerful group of Mages came to our aid. But the bad person was too strong. And instead of focusing on the bad person," continued Nic, looking at the happy baby''s eyes.


    "They focused on our village people. They risked their lives to protect ours because to them, we were more important than winning a fight," chimed the two.


    Toddler Bryan''s eyes sparkled as his two siblings told the story of Monody. The Song that saved the village from the Poisoned Pond.


    "And then, a woman with red eyes and a hood began to sing. She asked them all to sing the song that we just did. And we helped the Mages to stop that mean person from destroying our village. Humans and Mages can work together."


    Humans and Mages can work together... That sounded like something Mavislin would say.


    "You''re not far from the truth. Those ''Mages'' she was referring to are the Mages that you work with now. She placed her wings on the line to fight the enemy that tried to destroy your village."


    Bryan remained silent as he watched on.


    "And the mysterious Mage with red eyes and a hood was called ''Nom''. That''s a funny name, right?" asked his sister, ruffling the toddler''s hair.


    He squealed and laughed. Bryan widened his eyes the more he thought about that name. He realized who it belonged to and took a step back.


    "Nova Orlatith Harmony. ''Nom''. My adopted mother... She saved the village?!" asked Bryan, flabbergasted.


    "Most likely. I don''t have solid proof but the names seem to match. Alright, let''s flash forward to when you first developed your powers. That would be interesting to see," said the voice, sounding happy.


    The scene changed once more, this time, it was Bryan sitting on the floor with a bunch of papers lying around. They were drawings of the constellations. And each piece of paper had a single cancellation with its name on it.


    "Bryan! What are you doing on the floor like that?" asked Val, who came back with a sack of things.


    To Bryan''s and Val''s surprise, the drawings were well drawn out with both the names and the meanings. Val picked up one that had ''Virgo'' on it.


    " ''Symbol Of The Maiden, Goddess Of Innocence and Purity... Virgo, Stars Of The Virgin.'' How did you get these things? We don''t have any knowledge about stars or constellations. Or about zodiac signs," asked Val, looking at Bryan with confusion.


    The current Bryan was impressed. His incantations and knowledge about the constellations started at an early age. From what he could recall, Nova was the one who taught him about the stars. He was a quick learner but perhaps it was because he previously had known about it.


    That was probably the main reason why he jumped from an amateur to an intermediate Mage when he showed Nova the extent of his powers. It was vastly unstable but it wasn''t a beginner level of Magecraft. He seemed to know quite a bit of his Magecraft as well.


    "You loved the stars more than anything else. You would spend an unhealthy amount of time outside at night to stare at the sky. Your siblings thought you were a special child since you were a quiet kid and refused to make any friends," explained the voice.


    "Your powers would show in this memory. But not in the way that you''d expect. In the end, it was to protect someone from getting hurt."


    "That sounds like what I would do, I guess. I have had a nasty habit of using my powers to save others..." replied Bryan, sighing.


    "Like I said, not in the way you expect. During this time, you only knew the main 12 constellations. And your powers were far too weak to be on the offensive side."


    "To protect others, I don''t need to be on the offense. I just need a very good defense. I just need enough power to protect others from getting hurt, I don''t have to retaliate or hurt anyone else. Right?" asked Bryan, giving a smile.


    That was what Minwoo told him when he first got recruited. The man was referring to his skills as a human combatant, not as a Mage.. You only need to give out enough to protect, you don''t always have to fight back.

 Chapter 380 - The Ark Of Virgo, Stars Of The Virgin

    "I learned the stars from my dreams. A big chubby man told me that Stars are like Magecraft. He said if I drew more, I would have powers too!" exclaimed the younger Bryan, holding up a picture of the Scorpio constellation.


    Val sighed as she looked at Bryan with sad eyes.


    "But we are not Mages, Bry. We don''t have powers. Only Mages have powers. I''m sorry..."


    Little Bryan pouted as he faced away. He continued drawing, ignoring his sister''s words. He was hyper-focused as he made another few drawings. His sister was unable to continue talking to him anymore so she left to prepare dinner.


    "I want to be a Mage... Why won''t sister believe in me..." asked little Bryan, with tears threatening to fall.


    The front door swung open, scaring the child and older Bryan. A large man with an ax had broken down their door.


    "Get out of there!" yelled Bryan, trying to push the child away.


    But this was a fragment of what had happened and Bryan could not touch his child self. The man loomed over the child, who was furiously trying to continue his drawings.


    "Where is she?" asked the man, getting ready to kill Bryan.


    "Shut up!" screamed Bryan, finishing the constellation of ''Virgo''.


    "Where is your sister?" demanded the man, gripping on the ax tightly.


    "Symbol Of The Maiden, Goddess Of Innocence and Purity," mumbled the child, under his breath.


    A faint glow began to appear around the child but it was too delicate for the human eye to see. That was an Elemental Aura but it was far too weak to do anything.


    "Why the hell are you here?!" yelled Val, entering the living room.


    "To make you pay up for your father''s debts. He owes us too much. I''ll sell your organs as compensation," growled the man, holding up the ax.


    "Get up, little man!" shouted Bryan, who was hoping that something positive would happen.


    Her instinct was to shield her baby brother as he continued to draw. Shutting her eyes, she waited for the impact of the ax. But it never came.


    "What the hell is this?!" cried out the man, as he held his ax.


    "Virgo, Stars of the Virgin!" yelled Bryan, hugging his sister.


    His Elemental Aura engulfed his sister in a ball of white light. After a second, the ball dispersed, revealing Val to be in a white dress with a crown made out of leaves on her head. She was confused and frightened as she looked at what she was holding. A sword and a pair of scales.


    The sword was called an ''English SHort sword since it was slightly shorter than her torso and the scales were made out of bronze. It was fairly heavy but she had no problem holding it with one hand.


    "I had no clue my Virgo Constellation spell was this?! And since when I was could use that spell?! I''ve been trying for years to use it but nothing would come out!" shouted Bryan, still upset at the fact that his child form knew how to use Virgo.


    "That''s because you used it wrongly, you numpty. The Constellation Orf Virgo is supposed to be a defensive spell, used on a woman. If the woman is a pure Virgin, then her powers would like what you see before you. It can''t be used by a man."


    "So, the Virgo Constellation Spells makes the person I choose become a warrior?"


    "Correct. And it must be female, or else it won''t work."


    Without any warning, the man prepared to attack again.


    "I will kill you!" shouted the man.


    Val could not control her body anymore as Bryan''s powers took full effect. She clashed with the man with her sword, with her body having a mind of its own. Her clashes and movements were that of a seasonal fighter, despite not knowing how to fight.


    The child continued to stare down at the fight, with his eyes glowing pink and his LEmental Aura fully coming into vision as a pink outline. Bryan looked at the child in awe as he gathered the entire situation. The child was using Magecraft to give his sister powers to fight.


    "Channeling Magecraft at such a young age... If Mavislin finds out about this, she would want me to train this spell..." murmured Bryan, watching the fight.


    "Are you sure about that? She might force you to have a female partner just for this spell.l Perhaps the Butterfly Girl would suffice if she had been a Virgin..."


    Bryan shook his head.


    "Hell no, no way that that''s gonna happen!" protested Bryan, blushing.


    "Let''s focus on how your sister wins this fight, alright?" replied the voice.

 Chapter 381 - The Ark Of Climax Of Bryans Past

    Bryan scoffed as he diverted his attention to his sister, who was still fighting the man. He was beginning to lose ground but Val doesn''t look like she was ready to land the finishing blow. She was still too hesitant on attacking him.


    Val was scared by she knew she had to protect her brother. Thus, she allowed the spell to fully control her and brought the man down after swinging her scales to his head. This knocked the man out for a while before he stood up and took off, cursing at the family.


    With the threat of the man gone, Virgo dissipated as well. Val returned to her normal form and quickly hugged Bryan. But something was off as the sister continued hugging him. He was limp in his sister''s arms as she hugged him.


    "Bry? What''s wrong?" asked Val, pulling away from him.


    The kid was dazed as his skin took a different turn in complexion, becoming paler. The child started to pant heavily as if he had trouble breathing. He then collapsed onto his sister''s ??p. Val freaked out.


    "What''s going on?! You were well just now, why did you faint?!" asked the sister ?ss she scooped him up in her arms.


    She bolted into his bedroom and placed him down on the bed. She quickly scampered around the house to find some home remedies to ease the child''s pain. When that was all done, she slumped down on the chair beside her.


    Tears welled up in her eyes as she recalled how her mother first showed signs of being sick. It was almost the same symptoms as her late mother''s. She could not bear to go through another bout of hell. Especially not with her baby brother the one being sick.


    "Don''t worry, you don''t have your mother''s illness. You just happened to use your powers all at one go and though it should be fine for a Mage, you were still having a human child''s physical body. Thus, it might have some side-effects like fatigue," explained the voice.


    "If I did, I don''t think I would standing here talking to you anymore."


    As a tear rolled down her cheeks, it dropped onto the child''s chubby cheeks, waking him up. He then blinked a few times and started crying as well. Soon, the two siblings were crying out loud.


    "I''m sowwy! I love you, Sister!" cried little Bryan, burying his face into his sister''s ?h?st.


    "I was so worried that you were going to get hurt!" cried the sister as she saw that Bryan''s sin color was back to normal.


    "Your family embraced the fact that you had powers. But to protect you, they did not allow you to use it outside of the house. However, when you were drawing in the backyard, the people of the guy earlier showed up. You''ve got no one but yourself."


    "What you will be witnessing is the most you''ve ever used of your Magecraft back then. But, it came with a price."


    The area shows Bryan once more, but slightly older as he continued drawing more of the stars. This time, he had more constellations than the main 12. And as the mob surrounded him, he looked at them with no emotion whatsoever.


    "Looks like you are alone. You don''t have your sister around to protect you now. Well, one kid should be able to get us enough to fund our project. Let''s get him," mumbled a guy that reached out his hand.


    Against a group of ?du?t men, Bryan would have no chance of winning against them. But he wasn''t a normal human anymore. The kid, now aware of his powers, tumbled out of harm''s way and stood up to face his enemies.


    "Damned brat. You are a slippery one, aren''t ya?!" shouted another guy, sprinting to get to him.


    Bryan dashed away and got hold of a stone. He then threw it at the man that was chasing him. The man caught it but the rock exploded in his hand, severing it completely. The man screamed and ordered for the rest to attack.


    "Water carrier of the gods, symbol of Ganymede..." murmured Bryan, squeezing his eyes shut.


    "Even if the stars are not seen by you, they are still there. Your power lies within the skies, the stars that draw pictures across the Universe. Whether it is night or not, you will still harness the power of our Lost Element, the Element Of The Stars!" commandeered a voice, that was not from earlier.


    It sounded like Z''s voice, someone with experience and wisdom.. And the knowledge of the Celestial Magecraft.

 Chapter 382 - The Ark Of Memories Of The Flower Dance

    "You may not be old or seasoned enough to use it properly, but all you need is enough to defeat your opponents now. You are not close enough to use my exact Element but you can create your version to fit your style!"


    With the child surrounded, there was no way he could get out of the men''s grasp. The current Bryan was hopeful that he''ll make it out but had no clue how. The kid was about to get nabbed as he murmured his favorite constellation.


    "Call it now!" shouted the demanding voice within Bryan''s head.


    Both the current Bryan and the child one heard it and felt the power seething through them. Aquamarine Elemental Aura surrounded the child as one of the men picked him up.


    "Aquarius, Stars Of The Waterbearer!" yelled the child, with his eyes flying wide open.


    The child looked dazed as he unleashed the spell. Twelve beams of aquamarine light rained down on the area, scaring all of the men. A second passed and the beams, now looking pillars, unleashed a torrent of water. The men scattered but the water seemed to have a mind of its own.


    Rather, the Water Streams were being controlled by the little kid who had shining blue eyes and an Elemental Aura of an Advanced Mage. One look at his target and he shot out a hand with opened palms to signify for the Water to attack that particular person.


    Water streams gave chase and turned into waves and engulfed each man. They screamed and shouted for help but the spell was relentless and ultimately killed them. The child sat there, surrounded by the dead bodies of the humans.


    Panic kicked in as the other neighbors tried to find what was going on. He grabbed all of his drawings and bolted into the house. But the guilt was too much and he decided to run away instead. The current Bryan felt confused as he was transported to a plane of white.


    "Why did I run away? Won''t my siblings be alright with me having powers? And wasn''t this the village that accepted Mages?" asked Bryan, trying to look for the voice.


    "You were afraid that you would be put to death for murder. It didn''t matter if you had powers or not, you killed a bunch of people by drowning them. That made you panic and fled from the area."


    "But I remember I was found somewhere else... Nova found me... Why did she seal my memories up? I thought she said that my family abandoned me?" asked Bryan, beginning to feel nauseous.


    "No, that was not the case. She sealed up your memories because you were thrashing around all night. Your powers activate when you are having nightmares. Have you forgotten that part?" asked the voice, sounding quite tired.


    "Your powers act the same as your emotions. The more out of control your feelings are, the more wild and spastic your powers become. Nova must have had a rough time trying to deal with a problem child like you since you could casually flood the house while you are sleeping."


    Bryan was silent for some time before understanding what the voice meant. All those nights that he complained about not having any dreams... Was because Nova had to seal his memories away to stop him from having nightmares.


    "You were never abandoned by your family. You looked rugged and were roaming around with no shoes. Your Elemental Aura could be seen miles away and you had roamed towards the Urnsfuield Domain, where people over there are not the most welcoming to Mages."


    "Thus, it wasn''t all her fault when she found you over there. When a child has powers, it was easy for their families to abandon them at the borders of the Urnfield Domain. She wouldn''t have thought so if she knew you were from the village near the Old Chapel."


    Another deep thought later, Bryan smiled and asked for the voice again.


    "Then this would mean, my family is still alive? I want to go and find them!"


    "I don''t know about your siblings but your father has been long gone. He died of a disease called ''Consumption''. When you were about eight."


    Just then, Bryan shouted and collapsed down to his knees. He held his aching head with his hands and started screaming out of pain as the memories rushed back in. The spell that Nova placed on him had been broken and his body was getting wildly out of control.


    It was also the main reason why he was able to get out of the Hyacinth Blasted Eyes spell. But he came out of the spell, thrashing wildly, scaring both Mavislin and Ysabeau.. He was screaming kicking as both lost memories and emotions poured in like a roaring wave.

 Chapter 383 - The Ark Of Rina Rie Vermillion

    "I can choose my friends, I can choose my family. If they won''t accept me, then others would have ME!"


    "Just because I was tossed out doesn''t mean that I give up. I move on and live. That''s my goal. To keep my head high and win this battle! I am not weak anymore! I''ll continue living and fighting because I won''t be denied!"


    Those were her driving force to continue on. Continue perfecting her skills and powers as a Mage. And she did not disappoint.


    Rina ''Rie'' Vermillion. The Flower Mage that the Arks fought. Also known as the Butterfly Girl, Rina was a Mage that used the Element of Flower and worked for the facility of the Research and Development Department.


    She led a normal life as an infant. But things changed when she began sporting bu??erfly wings from her little back. She was amazed that she had those little wings. By the time she was ten, Rina has a fully grown set of bu??erfly wings.


    With her odd wings, came a set of unique powers for the young child. When Rina was six, she found that she could dance around her garden with little petals appearing in the area where her feet previously stepped. It was a very faint trail of Elemental Energy but she thought it was nothing.


    She then started touching small leaves with her little hands. Dried leaves became her favorite flower petals. Soon, she learned how to control those petals with her little hands. She was so happy when she mastered it. Using a random tree branch as a wand, she prepared to show it off.


    "Why do you have such powers?! Where did you get that from?!" yelled her parents, when Rina showed that she could make a beautiful rose from nothing but dried leaves.


    Her father grabbed the stick she had been holding and broke it in two. Rina felt her heart shattering when she witnessed her father doing such a betrayal.


    "Why do you reject me? Am I not your daughter?" asked Rina, crying.


    "I''m sorry, but we can''t handle you now..."


    "We''ve always been human, I don''t know how to take care of a special child. If the villages found out about you, they will kill us as well."


    The light and excitement died within Rina''s eyes as she got rejected by her parents. Her world fell apart as she wandered around. How could her family treat her like this? Just because they wanted to save their skins... They tossed their child into the wild.


    They kicked her out and abandoned her on the mountaintop. Where ice and snow ran rampant around those areas. Before she could freeze to death, a pair of gentle hands took hold of her crying cheeks and wiped away her tears.


    "Tell me why a child so beautiful is crying so much?" asked the being who held her cheeks.


    "Mama and Papa hate me, hate my wings... They chased me here. They left me to die..." sobbed Rina, hugging the being.


    "I''m so cold... I can''t feel anything... I''m so sad..."


    The being was a Valkyrie, one of the Gladiators. Creator of the Element Of Flower. She had been on a mission to find and destroy any signs of the Husks coming out from this young planet. After walking around, she stumbled upon a dying little girl with beautiful bu??erfly wings.


    "Well, I don''t want you to die. Come now, I will get you warmth soon..." cooed the Valkyrie, extending her m?tur?d wings.


    "Who are you? Why do you want to save me?" asked Rina, groggily.


    "Because you are a maiden too beautiful to be frozen. A child who needs a loving embrace of a mother."


    Rina''s vision had blurred but she could make out that the woman''s wings were far bigger than hers. The Valkyrie gently scooped her up and took flight. Despite the raging blizzard on the higher part of the mountain, the Valkyrie soared through it like it was nothing.


    When they touched down, Rina finally felt warmth once more. The Valkyrie placed her down onto a green field. There were flowers all around and no signs of humans. Some woodland creatures roamed about, seeing that there was a forest nearby.


    Her feet had been b?r? and feeling the lush grasslands were way better than the rocky mountain top. She ran around in circles, giggling and laughing as she started chasing a few bu??erflies around the area. The Valkyrie smiled as she watched the young girl run freely.


    All of a sudden, Rina stopped when she saw a bunch of flowers in front of her. Without thinking, she took a deep breath in and held out her hands.. The Valkyrie was on high alert as she sensed a fluctuation of Elemental Energy.

 Chapter 384 - The Ark Of Rinas Element

    But she was relieved when it was only the little Mage in front of her. The Valkyrie shined as she continued to watch the little girl run around. Something was off about her. She looks like a Mage yet her parents rejected her for having wings, a normal trait for Mages.


    Rina was conjuring up the petals of all the flowers before her and making a vibrant display for all the woodland creatures and Valkyrie to see. The birds chased the dancing petals while Rina controlled its movements. She felt so free and she decided to pull off another trick.


    With her Elemental Energy at its peak, Rina thought it would be good to try out something new. Steadying her breath, she concentrated all of her Elemental Energy into one form and released it as she placed her open palm on the grass floor.


    Soon, a red glow appeared and in a span of a few seconds, a bunch of flowers appeared. They grew out and blossomed into Red Spider Lillies. They surrounded Rina''s little body. They looked remarkable and the Valkyrie was astonished.


    It was only then Rina fully looked at the Valkyrie. She looked like a young woman in her thirties but since she was not human, she would be older. Her hair was long and flowing gold and so were her eyes. She wore a white dress and had no shoes on.


    She had a weird emblem on the back of her left hand and a beautiful garland of Baby''s Breaths. But the thing that got Rina''s attention was an orchid hairpin that the Valkyrie wore on the left side of her head. It was purple with a faint pink hue at the tips of the petals.


    After the end of that display, the Valkyrie clapped and whistled. For the first time, Rina felt she had made someone proud and impressed with her skills as a Mage. She was so glad when the Valkyrie was smiling at her. She then came over to give her some head pats.


    "You were amazing!" praised the Valkyrie.


    "Thank you..." replied Rina, blushing.


    The child was shocked as she faced the Valkyrie once more.


    "You''re not scared? Don''t you think I am a monster?" asked Rina, with big, round eyes.


    The Valkyrie was taken aback. She then ???ked her to the side, trying to figure out what this special child was trying to get at.


    "I have wings as well. And I defied the Laws of Mother Nature by bringing you to the other side of this planet through a blizzard. I don''t think I should be calling a little girl like you a monster. If anything, I am the monster."


    "Don''t say that! You are an angel!" protested Rina, pouting.


    "My dear child. I am anything but an angel. I am a Valkyrie, one of the strongest beings across the Universe. We are the ones giving judgment on those who have wronged the masses. Our powers alone could decimate the night sky," explained the Valkyrie, with her eyes glowing yellow.


    "We are the Gods Of War but we are a bit on the defensive side nowadays. We love solving conflict and that''s why I was sent here. Because there was something wrong on this planet and we need to stop the bad beings from killing everyone here."


    Confusing words flew by poor Rina''s head. She had a hard time understanding all those terms. The Valkyrie sighed, this was a Mage being raised as a human by human parents. She must have been abandoned by her true parents.


    "Say, I am looking for a young one to teach my powers. But I can''t find any suitable students. All of them use the Light Element but I have devised a new Element to use. Your Element is the same as mine. Would you like to be my student?" asked the loving Valkyrie, extending out a hand.


    Rina felt conflicted. No one could blame her. Just a few days ago, her parents threw her out into the wild just because she had powers. Now, a teacher wants to adopt her and train her. The Valkyrie sighed and snapped her fingers, catching Rina''s attention.


    A large tree branch appeared in front of the Valkyrie, hovering in mid-air. The Valkyrie grabbed it and twirled it around, spinning it like it was a twig. It had turned into a spear. She then stabbed it into the ground and looked at Rina''s curious eyes.


    "Flower Dance; Stage Four!" shouted the Valkyrie, as her Elemental Aura flared up.


    Rina felt something weird as if a weight was on her shoulders the more she looked at the Valkyrie. She looked at the base of the weapon, where the Valkyrie had dented the area with the spear.. There were little bulbs of flowers appearing.

 Chapter 385 - The Ark Of Rinas Mentor

    "Hateful Aconitum," finished the Valkyrie.


    The small bulbs instantly bloomed into Wolf''s Bane. It was all around the Valkyrie and they looked like they were trying to grab her. With her wings coming out, she took to the skies and watched from above at the beautiful ring of flowers she made.


    Rina was mesmerized as she tried to touch the Wolf''s Bane but was halted by the Valkyrie''s authoritative voice.


    "Don''t touch those. The flowers will sting you."


    The little girl retracted her hand and stepped away from the ring of poisonous flowers. Another moment later, the flowers vanished, and the Valkyrie came back down.


    "That is what I will be teaching you. To use your powers to the fullest. The more you learn, the more you can master your abilities. And you''ll get strong enough to defend yourself," promised the Valkyrie, smiling.


    "Your emotions can be used both against and with you. I am here to teach you how to channel your feelings into your powers. The Element I have created specifically uses your negative feelings. The more negative you are, the more powerful you become."


    "So, what do you say? Instead of crying here and there, wouldn''t it be better you use it as a power? To defend yourself or do wonderous things?" asked the Valkyrie, extending out an open palm to the young girl.


    Rina''s eyes and hair were still black but the moment she accepted the Valkyrie''s hand, they changed drastically. Her eyes began to get clouded by a shade of violet and her hair changed into a sea of pink. For the first time, Rina felt so free as she flew around with her wings.


    She longer had to hide the fact that she wasn''t human.


    That''s where it had all began. A bond with her mentor and savior blossomed the trained together. There were times that the Valkyrie was called back to report to Valokia but she would always come back. Until that fateful day. Where Valokia had its last night.


    "Where are you going?" asked Rina, with sleepy eyes.


    She yawned a few times before going into the Valkyrie''s room. They had made themselves a log cabin at the same area they had touched down years ago. Thinking that it was going to be another trip, Rina had fallen asleep earlier. But she woke up because she felt something amiss.


    "I told you before you slept. I''m heading back to my home planet. I''ve been summoned by the Empress, I do not wish to defy her orders," explained the Valkyrie, looking at Rina.


    "Yea, you told me... But I think something is wrong. I don''t think you''ll come back as fast as you always do. I don''t know why, but I just have a feeling about it. A nasty feeling," answered Rina, tugging on the Valkyrie''s sleeve.


    The Valkyrie looked shocked that Rina would say such things. She wasn''t a child anymore, but she was sure acting like one right now. But as the Valkyrie wanted to give a good tongue-lashing at the girl, her heart softened at the terror and worry of the girl''s eyes.


    The Valkyrie froze and sighed. She knew that this summoning was to deal with a major ongoing issue. It was related to her mission but with this sudden callback, she wasn''t sure what would happen next. Rina was right, she won''t come back so soon.


    "I''m leaving my spear behind. You''re old enough to wield my spear so you can use it to defend yourself while I''m gone. Like how we always do, right?" asked the Valkyrie, pointing to the spear leaning against the bed.


    "But what if you don''t come back?" asked Rina, blurting out her fears.


    The Valkyrie was stunned.


    "I''m sorry! I didn''t mean to disrespect you!" said Rina, shocked that she would say such things. ''


    The Valkyrie merely chuckled and ruffled the young girl''s hair. She then tilted her head to the side and fumbled with the top of her hair. After a second she placed something on Rina''s head. Scared, Rina braced for impact for asking the Valkyrie to defy orders from the Empress.


    But she felt no whack or impact from the woman. As she opened her eyes, the Valkyrie held up a metal plate to show Rina her reflection. Rina was shocked and tried to pull it out. The Valkyrie quickly stopped her.


    "Don''t worry, it suits you. You don''t have to pluck it out now, you can take it off when you sleep. You can have it, I don''t mind. A prize for being my best student," said the Valkyrie, beaming with happiness and pride.


    "I can''t take this! Didn''t you say that it was your daughter''s? How could I take something so precious from you?" asked Rina, aghast that her mentor would do such a thing.

 Chapter 386 - The Ark Of Birth Parents

    "My daughter was long gone before I met you. You''re the only one I could pass on my teachings to. You''ve been like my child and I''m giving to this to keep remembering me. If I don''t come back, at least you''ve got something to remind you of me," explained the Valkyrie, embracing Rina.


    "I''ll never forget you! I promise..." said Rina, gingerly touching the orchid hairpin.


    As she witnessed her only mother figure in life flying off into the night sky, Rina could not help feel sad and scared as she took off the hairpin. And her gut feeling was right, that Valkyrie did not return. And RIna had no choice but to move on.


    She may have forgotten the Valkyrie''s name, but she would forever remember that there was someone who believed in her and never rejected her. That Valkyrie truly changed her and created a strong woman that does anything with her Flower Element.


    After years and years of training with the Valkyrie, Rina grew up to be a fine young woman. Her powers were top-notch for a young Mage. Or so, she thought.


    "Hey, what do you mean by that?" asked Rina, confused about the voice narrating and showing her memories.


    "Now it''s time for you to remember the truth. It''s your spell, so you will get the bulk of it. More than your opponent. The more secrets that you unfold, the more powerful this spell becomes. Remember, your feelings play a part with your powers."


    "I don''t have to be upset about it. I just need to be at peace with it. That''s what this spell represents. Death can be interpreted with different meanings. And I choose the meaning to be at peace with myself! So bring it on, I will not falter!" shouted Rina, with determined eyes.


    "What a strong resolve. Alright then, let''s see how you fare with this major memory loophole."


    Rina found herself on barren land. She looked confused as it was unfamiliar to her.


    "Why did you bring me here? This is not in my memories."


    "Precisely, I am here to show you where you''ve been at physically. Be it whether you remember it or not. And you were here. Or more specifically, you were left here to die," said the voice.


    "Knock it off!" yelled Rina, trying to get to the person.


    But this was a memory. When it struck Rina that it may be someone of importance, Rina quickly dashed towards the man. She got a clear look on his face despite the shadow. After a while, the man was gone, leaving the baby to cry her lungs out.


    "Please... Stop crying, it hurts me..." begged Rina, hearing the wailing of the child.


    It reminded her how much her baby used to cry all the time, especially when he developed that fever. The last sound she heard from him was cries of agony and this spell was triggering that same painful feeling.


    Just as she wanted to turn away, a sound of horses galloping rang through the air. Rina stared at the border of the memory as two horses appeared out of nowhere. They were carrying a woman and a man. They stopped just meters away.


    "Woah, we nearly ran over that baby!" said the husband, halting the horse.


    The young couple came down from their horses and hurried over to find the source of all the cries. The woman quickly scooped the crying baby up. Rina froze as she stared at the couple.


    "Who could be so heartless to leave this baby under the scorching sun?" asked the woman, trying to fan the baby with her hands.


    "Let''s get back to our house, okay? You''re such a pretty girl..." cooed the woman as the husband pulled their two horses to the area.


    "The parents that threw you out were the same ones that saved you. Twice."


    Rina shook her head as tears brimmed the sides of her tears.


    "That''s impossible, I was always human. They said that I was their only child."


    "Your real parents abandoned you, leaving you to rot and die because you were born out of wedlock. You''ve never been a human. You are a direct child to one of the most powerful Mages on this planet.. And that human couple saved you."

 Chapter 387 - The Ark Of Feelings Cloud Facts

    "You said ''twice''. What do you mean by that?" asked Rina, still trying to wrap her head around what she had seen.


    The area changed once more as Rina was transported to a very deathly familiar scene. Her fists clenched as she stood in the place of the same living room, all those years ago. Where her adopted parents kicked her out of the house after Rina showed them her powers.


    "Your memory only captured the words they said. But you weren''t old enough to understand what they were saying," said the voice, as the parents shouted at the frightened child.


    "What the hell are you talking about?! I was well aware of what they said! They forced me onto the freezing mountains just because I had powers and wings. What else was I supposed to understand?!" yelled Rina, losing her composure.


    "Well, so much for not getting upset about the past."


    "I have every right to get upset, thank you. Because I am sacrificing an eye for this!" shouted Rina, which was slightly shocking for the voice.


    "Alright then, let''s hear what did your parents say before they ''kicked'' you out of their home," said the voice.


    The scene continued to play out but in a slightly different way. Everything was the same but not the words. The words weren''t the same as what she recalled.


    "We can''t handle a special child. We had no clue that you have powers and we aren''t ready for that yet. You deserve to have parents that are the same as you."


    "Hang on! Those weren''t the words that they said... They were looking at me in fright! As if they''ve seen a monster!" protested Rina, looking at the scene with disbelief.


    "They will kill all of us if you don''t get out of here. This place hates special kids."


    "You were a child at that point. Memory tends to distort when the brain is influenced by the emotions you were feeling then. You knew that your parents were afraid because deep down, you knew they were human but they weren''t the same as you."


    "Your fears manifested into your memories. Your weakness was always having your emotions cloud what you see or hear in the real world. This weakness is common for anyone who feels insecure about themselves. Which makes this spell effective."


    Rina closed her eyes as she tried to soak all of this new information in. She was the one who unleashed the spell. She would have to be the one that sees it through without it overwhelming her too much. She has to take control of the spell to win this battle.


    This means she would have to keep her feelings in check.


    "Ready for the next part?" asked the voice, rather impatiently.


    Rina nodded as she took a deep breath.


    ''Get your head back into the game, don''t let your emotions overwhelm you. Lose that and you''ll lose the victory.


    Now, Rina was standing in her adopted parents'' room, as they had an old map on the floor. The two were discussing possible escape routes when howls of wolves could be heard. Flickering lights illuminated the windows.


    "She is just a kid, there''s no way she''ll survive that route!" argued her mother, pointing to the tiny triangles on the paper.


    "And she won''t survive she continues staying here either! Lucy, they are going to burn down our house right now! Look at the torches! Hear the wolves! Shew''s got a better shot at surviving in the mountains than here!" replied her father, slumping down.


    He then cradled his head in his hands. His body trembled as tears came pouring out of his eyes. His wife joined in the sobs''


    "We can''t leave her. We really can''t let her die alone."


    The father stood up and wiped his tears. He then gestured his wife to join him and head to their daughter''s room. Rina was conflicted at the scene as she had thought they kicked her out right after the accidental ''performance'' of Magecraft.


    But what she was looking at was a foreign scene. Her parents went into her room and cuddling her while she sleeping. The sound of the angry mob breaking down their doors, shattering their windows. The mob screaming and yelling with flaming torches at the family.


    Her father stood in front of the mother and child to protect them and argue with the rest of the villages. Her mother was covering her daughter''s ears with her body so that she wouldn''t wake up.


    "We''re so sorry for this. We promise we won''t let you die alone. Mama and Papa were bad parents for not knowing how to raise you... We brought you this hell..." cried her mother, tears streaming down.


    "Don''t say that, please...." begged Rina.

 Chapter 388 - The Ark Of Family, Forgiven

    "You did nothing, it wasn''t your fault... It was mine for hating you for all these years," wailed Rina, trying to reach out for the broken family in front of her.


    "I was such a demon for hating on both of you... I don''t deserve your love!" cried out Rina, sinking onto her knees.


    "I forgive you both! I''m sorry for hating you for all those years! I forgive you, please hear me... I am so sorry..."


    But deep down, she knew that nothing was going to change the past. No matter how much she begged, it won''t change a thing. No matter how many tears she shed now, her parents will never come back to her anymore. Because this was all etched into the past, her past.


    ''Don''t let the demons from your past take over your future!''


    Trying her best to keep calm, Rina watched on as her tears streamed down. She had to see the truth and she had to be strong but the tears wouldn''t stop flowing. Then, the mob went silent and left the house. But not before they hurled one last insult.


    "The Demon family will burn!"


    The villages all threw their torches at the house. He rather tried his best to put out the flames but was knocked out by a falling roof. Rina stood next to her family, which was still with her. Her mother was still holding onto her sleeping child''s arms.


    Rina couldn''t care about her emotions anymore, she was wailing and crying, shouting out to the demons to stop hurting them. But what she didn''t know was that the spell was activating in its final stage, where the spell truly attacks. The three of them were having these at the same time.


    But because she was the one making the spell work, the spell won''t get affected by her at all. And to top it off, the more unstable she is, the more power the final stage gets. So she was fueling Kris''s nightmare with her anger and fear.


    She was still calm, just upset at the scene. If she were to switch away, she would be alright once more. Scarred for life but she would still focus on waking up from the spell. She had to vent out the feelings out anyway so this would be the right time.


    The flames seemed to be getting hotter as her mother began to suffer from burns and started coughing. Her skin was red and her hair was getting singed. Her father had already been burned to nothing. Just then, the child finally woke up.


    But she didn''t wake up normally. Rina couldn''t understand the being in front of her as it screeched and burst out of her mother''s grasp. It wasn''t her, the creature truly looked like a spawn from hell. Rina had fear written in her eyes as she looked at it.


    "You''ve forgotten, huh? Most likely you acted on survival instinct. But whatever instinct you''ve inherited from your birth parents caused you to go on a mad rampage. A seriously, messed up rampage," greeted the voice as the scene ripped apart.


    Rina stood outside of the burning house where the villages were celebrating their twisted victory. The child shot out from the roof and with her large bu??erfly wings, soared through the night sky and landed in front of the mob.


    The villagers went unhinged as they began throwing their weapons at her. But with her small frame and agile wings, she dodged every one of them. And when it was her turn to strike, she did not hold back. She backed away from the villages and allowed her Aura to boil over.


    She had her tiny arms across her ?h?st as her Elemental Power flowed through her. Her eyes flew open, revealing full pink eyes, glowing in the dark. The villagers screamed in terror and some froze in horror. Some fell onto their knees and started begging for god.


    She stuck out both of her arms, stretching them out, her ?h?st sticking out as her head flew back with the sheer power in her. Her palms glowed in pink light and as she faced forwards once more. She shot a ball of pink Elemental Energy to the terrified villagers.


    As a villager got hit, he instantly turned into nothing but pink petals. And With another wave of her hand, the child commanded the petals to give chase to the remaining villagers. Each petal found its way into the body through the villagers'' mouths.


    The villagers began to choke as they ingested the petals. A few seconds later, the villagers burst into gardens. Painfully, the spore in their body has become an opening for a flower to grow.. This caused so much pain and agony, it was horrifying to die that way.

 Chapter 389 - The Ark Of Closure Of The Flower Dance

    Rina''s stomach turned as she saw the way she had killed those villagers. She felt so conflicted as the memory ended. Sure, she was angry but did they deserved such a horrendous end? Or the fact that she has such malicious power?


    Rina wanted nothing more than to bind her hands and burn them. Anger welled up deep inside of her as she remember her resentment for her powers and wings. Her mind was starting to whirl as she tried pacing herself once more.


    She''s always hated her powers. But this is what made her loathe it even more. Her powers weren''t good enough to help others. It can''t heal, cure, or fixing broken bones. And it was so dangerous if used in a negative mind. How was she supposed to accept her powers?


    Maybe she deserved the title of ''Demon''. She couldn''t believe that she had done such a thing. What else would she have done?!


    "It may not heal others or cure illnesses. But it can help in other ways. Your powers aren''t a curse. They are gifts. And they are uncontrolled ones. You have to tame them and the first step is to control your judgment and emotions."


    Rina''s eyes flew open as she frantically tried to find that foreign voice. It was foreign yet nostalgic, that Valkyrie''s voice.


    "You are born with this power. Not cursed with it. There is a difference. You were meant to have powers and they are not foreign things in you. So treat it like how you would treat your body. Your power and you are one. If you think that your mind is weak, then your powers will be too."


    "But if your mind is stable and your emotions are in check, then you can take the reigns. This memory was when you were so young. You had clue how to control anything. But you had no choice, it was to defend yourself. And sometimes, being selfish is all that matters."


    "They destroyed your family. You had every right to be angry. I''m not advocating murder but don''t blame your powers for doing such acts. Own up to the fact that you were mentally weak to allow such rage and anger to take over!"


    "Blame the fact that you weren''t strong enough to control them. And this is what is happening right now! So, take control!"


    With the final words of the Valkyrie echoing through her head, Rina shouted out the final words to end the spell and give its final blow.


    "I will not be denied anymore! I can control it, I can control it!"


    "Flower Dance; Sacred Barrage Of Melancholy!" shouted Rina, slamming her hands down onto the ground.


    The scene faded, signifying the end of all the three''s dreams. Slowly by slowly, the trio woke up in real-time but Rina was still stuck in her world. There was something she needed to do before she went. She quietly asked the voice to have an illusion in front of her.


    Rina ran into the arms of her adopted and parents as they embraced her in a loving hug. The little Mage wailed like a baby as she said a final and proper farewell.


    "We never once looked at you as a monster. You were so young, we had no idea what to do. We couldn''t just kill you either. So that was the only way to give you to the afterlife. But we never knew that you would have survived it."


    "So go on, living for us. Your chapter with us is over and done with, so you''ll start a new adventure again. A new family. Because this time, you can choose your family and friends. This time, it is your choice. Be proud of it, they look like a fun bunch."


    With those as parting words from her dead parents, Rina wiped away her tears and took in a deep breath. It was like a large boulder had been lifted off from her ?h?st. Rina squeezed her eyes shut as she backed away from her family.


    When she opened her eyes, her parents were gone and a trail opened up. She took off, heading in the direction where the path pointed at. Her true memories started to blossom like flowers by the path. Each flower represented a fragment of her memory.


    When she was an infant, when she took her first steps and when she met different people. What was once sealed was now revealed and free to bloom within her path. Rina stopped when a particular flower had a special memory.


    "The day that I first held you in my arms..." said Rina, going to pick that flower up.


    She held it close and ran towards the end of the path, where a familiar hand reached out to her to pull her back.

 Chapter 390 - The Ark Of End Of A Corrupt Creature

    But the voice had something to drop on her before she woke up to the real world.


    "I can''t say I blame you for not knowing. Because that happened a hundred years ago."


    Rina woke up, with her hand shooting out. Mavislin dodged it easily and grabbed it.


    "Easy there, you are the last one out,": said Mavislin, putting her hand down.


    "I feel dizzy. Wait a minute, what are you doing?" asked Rina, having half her vision blocked by a black block.


    "I''m trying to heal your eye. It burst the moment you three entered the spell."


    Mavislin pulled her hand away from the injured eye. She sighed and slumped at her place. Rina propped herself up, noting that she was now blind in one eye. Ysabeau came over to comfort the Valkyrie.


    "Bryan''s condition is back to normal, thanks to the emblem. And yours should be fine as well. There''s we can do about her eye. We can''t fix something that has been long gone," comforted Ysabeau, looking at the Valkyrie.


    Mavislin remained silent as she looked at her hands. Rina caught on and frantically grabbed the Valkyrie''s hands, shocking Mavislin.


    "It''s alright! I am okay to take this injury! I knew from the beginning I had to sacrifice something to fuel the spell and it''s just an eye..." said Rina, trying her best to comfort Mavislin as well.


    "You cannot regrow your eye, you know..." said Mavislin, slowly.


    "I know! But you don''t have to be upset about it, I can still fight with one! I know it is not gonna be easy but I''ll figure it out somehow. Besides, I''m used to fighting in the dark."


    "If you had stronger, you wouldn''t have to sacrifice that eye. That spell doesn''t require anything but your memories. You were supposed to sacrifice your memories not your physical body," explained Mavislin, getting up.


    "How about that disgusting thing?! Where is he?" asked Rina, suddenly remembering her enemy.


    "Having a good cry at that corner," said Ysabeau, pointing at Kris, who had a crazed look.


    Rina noticed that Bryan was at a corner, weeping as his head was still whirling from the memory overload. Because he truly had a human body and mind. Mavislin walked over to him and tried her best to comfort him. Ysabeau took the time to ?ssure Rina that her spell was masterful.


    "You''re liars! Your spell showed me hell and tortured me! Those are nothing but what you want me to see not the truth! And the truth is that my mother is still alive!" yelled Kris, his powers slowly fading.


    "And my family truly loves me!"


    Rina wanted to get up to fight but Mavislin gestured her to stand down. Bryan was halted as well.


    "You both made me proud. You won. Time to take a rest and leave it to the superiors to clean up the mess."


    As he tried to land a blow on Rina, Ysabeau protected the girl by hugging her. But the attack never came as Mavislin kicked the man away by his neck. He flew and created a crater onto the wall.


    "How pitiful. You are still living in that delusion of yours."


    Mavislin walked over and placed a foot on his ?h?st, stomping on it until he coughed up blood. The man was still screaming and protesting.


    "You''re a coward that believes that he has done nothing wrong. I wish for those who have fallen by your hands to drag you to the lowest level of hell if it exists in your culture."


    "And perhaps even the devil wouldn''t want you in his domain, because you''re such a wimp," spat Mavislin, with dulled eyes.


    "I''ll have to kill you quickly before you return to a human. You don''t deserve a family at all and even if it took a thousand years, You won''t be able to repent for all of your sins."


    Mavislin balled up her fists and prepared to make the final blow.


    "Those who refuse death shall be thrown into the hands of it. Especially as one, that''s as unsightly as you are. A true, corrupt creature."


    She punched through his ?h?st and pulled out his heart. With no mercy or c compassion in her eyes, she crushed it. Rina and Bryan looked at each other. Masvislin wiped the blood away with the dead enemy''s clothes and turned to her underlings.


    "Battle''s over. You both fought bravely.. I''m sure Gab would be happy to know that," said Mavislin, smiling.

 Chapter 391 - The Ark Of Tomoe And Raiyen Arrives

    "Now, let''s get out of here. I hate this smell," complained Ysabeau, calling on the Rukh.


    Fluffy came quickly as Ysabeau snapped her fingers. But the person on it was surprising for the group, especially when he jumped to embrace Mavislin from the front. That beautiful haori, long white hair coupled with large white painted ears.


    Bryan and Rina were both shocked as the man continued holding onto Mavbislin, who was now on the floor. The two of them were snapped back to reality and rushed to help their boss.


    "Get off from her! You''re crushing her," said Rina, pulling on the haori.


    "Pervert!" shouted Bryan, kicking the man on the back.


    "What the hell do you think you''re doing?!" yelled the man, who turned around.


    "Trying to save our boss!" chimed the two.


    Ysabeau couldn''t control herself anymore and burst out laughing. Mavislin could only lay there and sigh, wishing that Tomoe would stop pouncing on her as if he was a pup. Tomoe reached out to grab Bryan''s foot but was halted by Mavislin who in turn, punched him in the jaw.


    "Why''d you do that for?!" asked Tomoe, rubbing his wound.


    "Don''t touch my students!" yelled Mavislin, grabbing Tomoe''s collar.


    "You were gone for so long and now you''ve come back. And my first greeting was a tackle down and you trying to hurt my underlings?! You''ve got some nerve showing up like this," pouted Mavislin, releasing his collar.


    Tomoe blinked in confusion before remembering his sense of time.


    "If you must know, I arrived quite a few hours ago. I helped out the rest of the team by creating an area to house all the victims that your group has saved. And Raiyen and I were here before you summoned Fluffy. I went on Fluffy but Raiyen seems to hate that beast, so he went back."


    "Why were the two of you around?" asked Mavislin, confused.


    "Gillian told us to find the other victims since you were focusing on the main enemy. But you guys did most of the work. Either that, or there were too many casualties. Though, we did find some kids, just a handful. All of them are in the Old Chapel now and we are still preparing the new area."


    Tomoe cracked his neck and hugged Mavislin once more.


    "It has been so long since I snuggled with you! I missed you... Your head pats are the best!" said Tomoe, snuggling against Mavislin.


    "If you go back to your child form, I''ll give you plenty of head pats, alright? I can''t exactly do that when you are an ?du?t, not to mention that we are in public," said Mavislin, waving her head.


    Tomoe smiled and did just that, shrinking himself to a child and clinging onto Mavislin''s arms. She gingerly ran her fingers through his hair and tickled his ears. Bryan blushed while Rina came over to see the little fox.


    "He is quite cute... Is he one of the Arks'' members?" asked Rina, smiling at the little fox.


    She gently tickled his ears like she was taming a dog. Mavislin giggled and Bryan started to sneeze uncontrollably once more.


    "I forgot that you are allergic to fur!" exclaimed Mavislin, bringing Tomoe away from Bryan.


    Tomoe was happy to have his ears tickled by someone but when he realized it wasn''t Mavislin''s hands, he growled instantly, scaring Rina. Mavislin pouted and pulled on his tail.


    "Be nice! She is a Mage, not a human," scolded Mavislin, flicking Tomoe''s forehead.


    Tomoe jumped out of her arms and reverted to his ?du?t form, holding onto Mavislin''s waist. Bryan''s sneezes subsided but he still stood a distance away from Tomoe. Rina seemed unimpressed as he placed his chin onto the top of her head.


    "Don''t act as if she is yours, you know. You are still under my command," said a very familiar voice.


    "Oh, so you did follow me! How thoughtful of you, worrying about me like that..." smirked Tomoe, pointing at Raiyen.


    "I''m not worried about you! I''m worried what you''ll do the poor women within this facility..." replied Raiyen, shoving Tomoe away from Mavislin.


    "I have no interest in used women. I like the pure and naive. Cute and strong. I like my prey to put up a fight first. After all, your killing method is the same, right?" asked Tomoe, giving an evil grin.


    "Don''t lump my methods of execution with your taste in women. It''s foul," spat Raiyen.


    But Tomoe dodged the Time Mage''s hand and smiled at him. He gave a little chuckle and Bryan felt chills up his spine. Things were not friendly between the two. And Bryan was still wary of that Time Mage.. He wouldn''t admit it but he was more afraid of Raiyen than Ysabeau.

 Chapter 392 - The Ark Of A Kitsune

    The main reason is that he has seen that Time Mage in action. He was more ruthless than Mavislin and did not wait for the enemy to say their words before beheading them or slashing them down. And to put the cherry on the grim top, Raiyen does it in the shadows.


    The two of them were glaring daggers at each other as Rina and Bryan looked concerned. Mavislin was still in Tomoe''s embrace. Raiyen had a stern look while Tomoe was smirking at his owner. Mavislin sighed as pried his arms away from her.


    "As I''ve said, I''ve yet to choose who I like, so don''t go on being so close to me, Tomoe. How about you learn some manners and introduce yourself first before snatching me away. And you''ve been naughty to Rina, go and apologize to her," replied Mavislin, glaring at Tomoe.


    With his tail between his legs, Tomoe stood by Mavislin side and took out his fan. It had red, reflecting paper and oak wood as its frames. He covered half of his face as he introduced himself to the rest. Cocking his side by the side, he hid his smirk from the rest.


    "Sorry about that, Rina. And I should introduce myself then. My name is Tomoe and I am known as a Familiar for this Time Mage here," said Tomoe, keeping his fan to point it at Raiyen.


    " ''A kitsune'' then? I thought Kitsunes are for Japanese folklore? And isn''t that a girl''s name?" asked Bryan, tilting his head.


    "What''s that?" asked Rina, slightly puzzled.


    "Translated to Fox spirit from Japanese, Kitsunes are known to be quite sly and they have a habit of flirting with women," explained Raiyen, still trying to kill Tomoe with his glare.


    "I am from Japanese folklore but Kitsunes can come from Chinese folklore as well. And I do have a girl''s name, just as you have your nickname," answered Tomoe, pointing at Bryan.


    "Fair enough."


    "I am still considered to be a weapon, if Raiyen wants me to, I can turn on anyone one of you. You best be cautious when around me, I don''t have a very good temper. But I must say, the boy over there knows more about me without living with me, that''s quite impressive," said Tomoe.


    "My adopted mother told me about the other side of the world, particularly Chinese and Japanese folktales. And the meaning for Kitsunes in Japan is to be like guardians for their masters though most accounts of them are about being mischievous."


    "For the Chinese spectrum, Fox Spirits, ''Huli Jing'' can be seen as good or bad omens, depending which tale you are talking about. The bad ones are known to overthrow leaders by entering their bodies to do nasty things that caused a revolt, taking down the current dynasty."


    "Kitsunes also have different levels to rise to be the strongest, and I wonder if you follow that route or are you just a hybrid?" asked Bryan, after his lengthy explanation.


    "I am known as a ''Kasai Kitsune'', in your terms. This translates to ''Fox Spirit of Fire'', which is my main power. I don''t intend to go anywhere above that since I don''t want to be controlled. It''s much complicated for me since I do not technically exist In your world. Or time," answered Tomoe.


    "Parallel Universe?" asked Bryan, once more.


    "No, I can''t remember which realm I was before since abruptly plucking me out from my Time Frame would cause my memory to be erased. That was a great idea," said Tomoe, showing some form of resentment to his owner.


    "Hey, believe me when I said that I''d rather pull out a bunny instead of you. But no choice, you were the strongest Kitsune we could find that could survive the trip to our side. The rest were just not strong enough. You were the alpha of the pack, but you are a pain in the bu?? to tame."


    Raiyen glared at his Familiar for saying those words in front of his girl. The two were still fighting to be near the Valkyrie and Mavislin had no clue. Rina could see through the two males and she giggled slightly at Mavislin''s naivety.


    "And I don''t like to be referred as a pet to you. That''s why I only listen to Mavislin''s instructions most of the time. Because she sees me as an individual, not a tool or weapon," replied Tomoe, looking down at Raiyen.


    "I have no choice but to do so since you''ve always opposed me in the beginning! You didn''t give me the chance to work with you, so I had to use force!" argued Raiyen, tired of Tomoe''s excuse.


    "You''ve always wanted Mavislin to be your owner, but I was the one who got you."

 Chapter 393 - The Ark Of The Building From Another Time

    "Yes, that''s because she has the same power as me! And she understands me as an individual, not some pet you can just call upon for transport. I want to be under someone that has the same power as me so they would understand how my powers work," explained Tomoe.


    Ysabeau took great offense at what the Kitsune had said but Mavislin halted her.


    "You''re just scared to face the fact that because of your mistreatment, you lost your grip on me. You''re supposed to bond with me, not command me to do things straight away! Don''t look at me as if I was nothing but a lowly spirit!" shouted Tomoe, in anger.


    Now it was Mavislin''s turn to feel something but it was guilt that she felt instead of anger. Since she commanded her first Familiar to transport ?du?ts out of an area.


    "Plus, if it hadn''t been your fear, we could''ve gotten here if it weren''t for Raiyen debating if we should ride on Fluffy," said Tomoe, shaking his head.


    "Why did you want to make it here sooner?" asked Mavislin.


    "Had we done so, we wouldn''t have been late to save the ones outside. We mentioned we saved a couple, but we saw more corpses than living people. They were all in poor conditions, most were foaming at the mouth while some lacked skin color," explained Tomoe, looking away.


    "You and your phobia for riding animals..." complained Ysabeau, mounting onto Fluffy.


    "We wouldn''t have made it on time either. Their conditions were fatal, even if we found them, it would be just finding vegetables," rebutted Raiyen, not wanting Mavislin to know that his fears stood in the way of his work.


    Finally, Fluffy was back in her original ?du?t form, seeing that the room was quite large. Ysabeua whispered some words of praise. Rina was getting up the beast and Bryan was still asking Tomoe some questions. Raiyen was explained to Mavislin about the new house they built.


    "Well, we are halfway but Tomoe kicked up a big fuss about completing the job. He complained it wasn''t worth it. And I got fed up with working with him so we headed back. That was when Gillian ordered us to get over here to help you, girls..."


    Bryan coughed.


    "And a guy."


    Tomoe''s ears perked up and chimed in after hearing his name being mentioned.


    "Initially, we wanted to build it near the main river flowing by the Old Chapel''s outer forest. But Time Tot here doesn''t allow it because of some nasty complications," said Tomoe.


    "Time Tot?" asked Raiyen, seemingly offended.


    "Yea, because you refuse to take the chance to put the kids there."


    "Why would there be complications?" asked Mavislin, smacking Tomoe on the head to behave.


    "Because he wants to send the kids to a building that does not exist until three centuries later," replied Raiyen, emphasizing the later part.


    Mavislin looked at Raiyen with eyes wide and jaw dropped.


    "Yes, I may have accidentally opened a nasty abnormality because of Time Frame Hopping..." said Raiyen, realizing the cause of the future building.


    Mavislin could only stare at Raiyen with big, round eyes of shock. Raiyen nervously stuffed his hand into side pockets while Tomoe snickered at him.


    "I told you not to tell her..." whispered Tomoe, going over Raiyen.


    "Hush it! You''re the one who instigated it!"


    "But I didn''t tell her the truth about it, there''s entirely a ''you'' matter."


    "You know, that might not be a bad idea..." said Mavislin, after some deep thoughts.


    The two guys stopped quarreling and looked directly at Mavislin. Bryan took another step back further away from the three. Ysabeau had to stop helping Rina to see the little squabble, leaving Rina on the beast alone.


    "You''re not so scary, aren''t ya?" whispered Rina, stroking the beast''s neck.


    "What do you mean by that, Mav?" asked Raiyen, blinking slightly.


    "That house that you said that was from the future. If I can see it, enter it, and live in it, I don''t see the problem letting the kids live there. It might be a great idea, better than just letting be at a physical location," reasoned Mavislin.


    "But that''s tampering with the laws of TIme! You can''t stick little humans into a place that isn''t supposed to exist years after they would die! It will cause a rift!" protested Raiyen, with his anger bubbling up.


    "Who said that they are humans?" asked Tomoe, turning his head to look at Raiyen.


    "They were being bred by humans, I don''t see any Mages giving birth here. And we''ve checked all the kids and women, they are human," said Raiyen, quickly brushing away Tomoe.


    "The women are all human but what if the kids aren''t? We don''t know who ?mpr??n?t?d them," asked Tomoe.

 Chapter 394 - The Ark Of The Children Of The Orphange

    "We only used the humans for the breeding process. There were strictly no Mages allowed to breed, I made sure to check on everything," chimed Rina, straining her voice slightly.


    "Blood transfusion," said Ysabeau, remembering what happened in the first room.


    "I beg your pardon?" asked Mavislin, looking at Ysabeau.


    "When Gab and I were trying to save that kid, we had to pull out all the tubes. All of the tubes were with substances that were harmful to humans except for one, very thin tube. It had dark, crimson liquid but it wasn''t being put into the kid," explained Ysabeau, with memories rushing back.


    "It was being taken out. Kris had mentioned that the blood of my child would be used to further experiments on the other children since it was shown to have regenerative abilities. But, the children were only given a few doses, so that shouldn''t matter too much, right?" asked Rina.


    Somehow or rather, Rina had learned how to control Fluffy and steered the beast closer to the group.


    "It does, on a Mage''s level. Even the slightest blood transfusion from a Mage can give a normal human power. They would be weak but they''ve got powers, nonetheless," explained Mavislin, glancing at everyone in the room.


    "But we''ve checked everyone! Tomoe, you can at least back me up about this. Even Gillian had mentioned that they were all humans," replied Raiyen.


    "Gillian said that they were healthy, nothing about if they were humans or not. Besides, humans who receive powers by anything other than having Mages as parents are late bloomers. We won''t get to see their powers now since they are still growing," responded Tomoe.


    "I am willing to bet on that chance that they''ll be having powers," answered Mavislin, nodding at Tomoe.


    "I still can''t allow that to happen. It''s just too dangerous," said Riayen, shaking his head.


    "I thought you said part of the courting was to support her decision? Seems to me like you are opposing it, Leader of the Vigilante," whispered Tomoe, raising an eyebrow.


    "I''m saying this as a Time Mage, not anyone else. Don''t confuse my work with my courtship. I have not seen the damage yet and as far as I know, these things won''t go well. It may look alright to you but once you are in there, there''s no guarantee if you can come back," explained Raiyen.


    "An unstable Time Frame could damage the Time that we are in. Time may not be as linear as you think but buildings work differently. It drags the Time Frames of the other people who worked on the building. Like a ripple effect., I''m not betting that this would be the best option."


    Raiyen folded his arms while Tomoe kept his fan to hit Raiyen on the top of his head.


    "Ow! Why''d you do that for?!" asked Raiyen.


    Tomoe grabbed Raiyen''s collar and held him up. Mavislin gave another glare and Tomoe lowered his owner but still had his grip remained on Raiyen''s collar.


    "They have powers, we can''t just let them into a normal human village and ask them to work it out from there! They''ll freak out! They should be with people who understand and can help them control their powers. Remember, they are not born with it. They were forced to have it."


    Tomoe''s words rang throughout the room with a strong and sad meaning behind them. Rina and Bryan looked at each other to agree on that fact. The fact that they were better off with people who understood their powers, things would have gone better.


    "Tomoe has made a strong argument, I''d rather have the children be brought up in a way that they loved their powers instead of being haunted by it. It''s part of them, nothing can change that. But what we can change is the environment that they would be living in," said Mavislin.


    "But what if it''s too unstable to live in?"


    "Time Pocket," said Ysabeau.


    "You want me to stuff an entire area into a Time Pocket?!" asked Raiyen, in disbelief.


    "Why not? It should be easy for you right about now, you are not a novice Mage anymore," asked Ysabeau.


    "Easy for you to say! Try asking Z to pull that off!" protested Raiyen.


    "You can just use a Time Frame to create a Time Pocket, right? I''ve read it in Gillian''s journals, you''ve done it before!" asked Ysabeau, before she realized what she had said.


    "Spoilers?" asked Mavislin.


    Ysabeau nodded while Raiyen sighed. He couldn''t blame Ysabeau for knowing that, she was his wife anyway.


    "I''ve only created Time Pockets for myself and I can only hide small objects such as my weaponry. We''re talking about a whole building, meant to house tiny little running things! That''s a drastic jump!"

 Chapter 395 - The Ark Of Cetus Meets Fluffy

    "You refer to kids as ''tiny little running things''?" asked Mavislin, trying to maintain her cool.


    Mavislin was trying her best not to rip Raiyen apart. Rina was laughing at this point while Bryan was impressed that you could call kids that way.


    "Yes, got a problem with that?" asked Raiyen, not realizing that question was from Mavislin.


    "Absolutely! You can''t just call children ''tiny little running things''! They are lives as well, even if they are human. They might not be normal but they are individuals no less! And they deserve to be treated as such!" scolded Mavislin, getting ready to punch him.


    "Whoa there, Mav," said Tomoe, restraining the Valkyrie.


    He gently placed his chin on top of her head. His smile made Raiyen more pissed than he already was.


    "I''m sure he was just joking. Besides, if he can trap himself into Time Pockets, then it should be plausible to say that he could trap the building in as well, right? It has been done before, though not by you. How about we give it a try? I''ll even offer my help," said Tomoe.


    Raiyen remained silent as he looked at Mavislin guiltily. The Valkyrie noticed it and gently asked Tomoe to let go. She then approached Raiyen and gave a signature smile that Bryan loved seeing.


    "I''m sure we can find out the proper way to do it if we discuss it with Gillian. And he would have a way to do it without harming anyone," said Mavislin, patting Raiyen''s head.


    "It''s still too risky..."


    "I''ll spar with you first thing in the morning after we have dinner tonight. Alone," said Mavislin, winking.


    Raiyen''s eyes widened in shock. Tomoe became slightly fluffier in jealousy that he lost a dinner date to Raiyen.


    "Without the rest of the team?" asked Raiyen, eyes lit with excitement.


    "Yes, we can do it on the Old Chapel rooftop. I would ask her to make a suitable area for us to enjoy dinner together. Without any interference by a certain fox spirit," said Mavislin, grinning.


    "Fine with me, we''ve got a deal."


    "That makes Tomoe''s initial plan to send them to that area a great plan. And that''s what we will do. But first, all of our needs to get out of here," instructed Mavislin, shoving everyone away.


    "You don''t have to say that again, I''m out. And I''m taking Rina with me first," said Ysabeau, getting ready to ride Fluffy.


    "You sound like you are kidnapping me..."


    "What is that?!" screamed Ysabeau, as she saw the creature look up at her.


    The creature flew away from the wing and headed straight to Mavislin''s arms.


    "And how long have you been there?" asked Mavislin, smiling at the little creature.


    "It''s my familiar! His name is ''Ciel'', he is the Cetus of Greek Mythology. Isn''t he cute?" asked Mavislin, showing it to Ysabeau.


    Ciel had his tongue daggling out as he smiled at Ysabeau and it was the first time that the High Queen has found herself slightly afraid of a mythical being. Raiyen smirked as he approached the two, patting Ciel on the head.


    "Looks like Ysabeau doesn''t like the new creature. He such a handsome boy," cooed Raiyen, tickling Ciel''s chin.


    The creature shrieked in happiness as he curled its tail around Raiyen''s wrists, pulling him towards Mavislin. Tomoe''s ears twitched in irritation, seeing that Raiyen was closer to his Mavislin. Bryan sensed the jealousy and chuckled at Tomoe.


    "You got somethin'' funny to laugh at?" asked Tomoe, glaring at Bryan.


    "Sorry, it''s just that look on your face. You are trying so hard to impress her yet you''re gonna lose out to a childhood friend. The age-old story, won''t change no matter how many centuries have passed," said Bryan, still laughing.


    "Hmph. Not as if you''ll get why I want her in the first place."


    "I get that, she is a wonderful Lady boss. But don''t worry, I''m stealing anyone. Besides, she wants me to hook up with you for swordsman training."


    Tomoe looked at Bryan before sighing and nodding.


    "Can I have a friendly battle with Mavislin first? Been quite a long time since I have done so," asked Tomoe, negotiating with Bryan.


    "Sure, I don''t mind. Just make sure to train me before I go onto the next mission. I heard Mavislin would be bringing Z along," explained Bryan.


    "Am I supposed to be alright with that?" asked Tomoe, slightly irked.


    "No, just know that the next destination would be dealing with the ocean. So I don''t think you should pick her up there," suggested Bryan.


    "If I train you to your satisfaction and you''ve improved, would you propose to Mavislin for me with her on the next mission?" whispered Tomoe.

 Chapter 396 - The Ark Of End Of Albions Mission

    "It doesn''t have to be a major mission, right?"


    "It doesn''t need to be. It''s just that I''ve never been on admission with her. The Headmaster just doesn''t allow it because I''m dangerous out of the Six Familiars but I beg to differ."


    Bryan raised his eyebrow and folded his arms. After all, this young man was the only one who knew about Tomoe''s origins without anyone telling him.


    "Fine, I''ll let you come along," said Tomoe, sticking out his hand.


    "You''ve got a deal," replied Bryan, shaking Tomoe''s hand.


    "I think I like working with you."


    "Watch your words, they might come to bite you in the tail."


    They then turned their attention back to Mavislin and the creature.


    "Aren''t you a naughty one?" asked Mavislin, uncoiling the tail of the creature.


    "I didn''t say anything about liking the creature! I''m just shocked that Mavislin would have a Cetus, I thought probably a Pegasus would fit her..." reasoned Ysabeau, stepping away.


    Mavislin released the creature and it looked around the room. Finding an open space beside Fluffy, Ciel transformed into his ?du?t form, stretching his limbs out in the process. Fluffy looked confused at first but was happy that she found another friend.


    The two titled their heads as they stared at each other. Ciel held up a front limb to wave at Fluffy. She waved her wing in response. Rina felt lost while Mavislin laughed.


    "Pegasus is with the Wind Element, that''s not my main Element. And it is not my Ancient Relic''s Element either. Thus, Cetus should be the best option for me. And it was on a whim when I called upon it. Gillian said had a slight percentage of working so I did not expect him to pop out."


    "Well, that works as well..." replied Ysabeau, getting on Fluffy.


    "Let''s get a move on, I''m dying for dinner now," said Ysabeau.


    Mavislin patted Cetus once more before asking Bryan to hop onto Ciel. The man did it quickly and with the two juniors on the beasts'' backs, Mavislin gestured Ciel to go on first.


    "Wait, are you planning to stay here?" asked Ysabeau, after Ciel left.


    "Yes, there are some things I need to clear up. You mind helping me with that, Tomoe and Raiyen?" asked Mavislin, turning to the two.


    "Sure," chimed the both.


    "Alright then, be back soon. I don''t want you to hang around here too long," said Ysabeau, leaving.


    "Looks like this is the end of a mission. Time to do the usual clean-up. I wished I could save him but he did what we all could not and that was to win by the slow method. I''ll be sure to give the passing you want, Gabriel Tuazon," said Mavislinb, sadly.


    "And Gab, you are the reason why we managed to save all those children and women. If it hadn''t been your call for help to the Arks, we would have been too late. Though cost your life, know that you saved many others. You may rest in peace, my friend. I will take care of Charisma and Kai."


    "You did what you were aiming for but it''s sad to see you leave so soon. You saved her and I will honor that to the very end. I will protect her as well. This nightmare is finally over! Mission has been accomplished!" bellowed Mavislin, with the tips of her fingers glowing.


    "Received, loud and clear, Leader Of The Barren Pillars. Mavislin Roydon, you may leave the premise," replied Gillian from the comfort of the Old Chapel.


    The Headmaster smiled as he closed the book on Gabriel Tuazon''s life. It was truly a sad sight to go but it should be praised. His passing was not for naught. Gillian smiled as he took the book and placed it on the bookshelf that held the memories of the Five Kings.


    Beside Yan and Gab''s Family, underneath Minwoo and Ashley''s journals. But Ashley''s journal was slightly thicker than he remembered, most probably because of what happened when he faced off Benjamin. Gillian thought nothing and continued to look after the rascals.


    "Hi honey, I''m home," said a familiar voice.


    Gillian whipped around with two kids on each arm.


    "I swear, I wasn''t stuffing them into the bookshelves," was the only thing Gillian could come up with after looking at his wife.


    "I thought you were going to turn them into new bookshelves," laughed Ysabeau going towards her husband.


    Gillian gently placed the kids on the floor and embraced his wife.


    "Welcome home."


    Back at Albion, Raiyen and Tomoe looked at Mavislin. Raiyen knew that Gab''s death was going to be hard on Mavislin but she seemed quite fine.


    "You alright, Mav?" asked Tomoe, though Raiyen wanted to ask first.


    "Yea, sorry.. I just needed to report back to Gillian."

 Chapter 397 - The Ark Of Storing The Mission

    Mavislin sighed and shot her palm up, towards the ceiling. Drawing her Elements from her surroundings, the Valkyrie''s wings sprouted and she levitated from the ground. She extended her arms out, creating a T formation with her body. The ground beneath her started to glow.


    The emblem of Valokia appeared after the bright glow. The area began to shake violently. Tomoe and Raiyen looked at each other. Raiyen glitched away, using the falling debris as stepping stones to get out to the surface. Tomoe closed his eyes and transformed back to his animal form.


    A white fox, larger than Mavislin with a very fluffy snow-white tail. Tomoe quickly followed his owner''s path to escape the crumbling facility. When he got there, the area looked like a mess with all the surface dirt convulsing into the facility. Both of them stood in a nearby house.


    It was dawn and the sun was getting ready to greet the residents of Albion. Some onlookers were around as they felt the violent shake. As they crowded around, they saw streams of little golden lights, looking like fireflies come out of the fallen building.


    It was a beautiful sight to behold, despite the situations. Instinctively, they backed away, noting that only one person could have been in that area. As the spell reached its primed condition, Mavislin''s eyes flew open as she activated the spell.


    "Heaven''s Wheel; Euphoria," chanted Mavislin as the area glowed.


    The emblem beneath her feet expanded and engulfed the entire facility with its golden light. AS it died down, Mavislin was standing on the bottom of a large crater. The onlookers were afraid but Mavislin flew out without problems.


    "I''m surprised that Mavislin is going to pull off such a stunt. We are under a graveyard," said Tomoe, transforming to his human form when outside.


    "She doesn''t like remembering too much about the past. Her way of guiding others is to destroy the bad things about their past so that it won''t bring down their futures," explained Raiyen, looking at the golden light.


    " ''Live in the present, don''t dwell too much on the past. Otherwise, it''ll eat you up. It''ll cloud your judgment to do the right thing. And by the time you get that out of the way, I would have beheaded you by then.'' Those were the words she said to me while in training," said Raiyen.


    "That isn''t too good, always erasing your past. Sure, it might be good for some, but it is the bad memories that drive us to strive better. Because we lost someone before. That''s not a memory you should lose. That''s something you should keep near you," answered Tomoe.


    Tomoe looked at the scene before him with conflict.


    "You don''t forget about your past entirely, you hold them tight and move on. Otherwise, you''re just bluffing yourself. You forgive yourself but never forget that you were too weak to save that someone. Use it to propel you further into the future, not throwing it away."


    "A mistake should be owned up and not erased from the mind entirely. IN this case, it was the mistake of ignoring small matters. This is the result of that. Destroying this place means nothing to the people, they will commit the same crime again," explained Tomoe.


    "Well, look who woke up to be a philosopher today," said Raiyen, after Tomoe''s speech.


    "I''m saying the truth! If Mavislin keeps erasing areas like this and does not remember it later on, how would she move on without committing the same mistake?"


    "You sound as if it was her fault that this happened..."


    "At least, the area should be here to remind Rina not to commit such crimes again."


    Raoiyen blinked a few times before laughing at his Familiar. Tomoe was irritated and grabbed the Time Mage''s collar.


    "What''s so funny?" growled Tomoe.


    "What do you think ''Heaven''s Wheel: Euphoria'' is?"


    "It''s one of the legendary spells of Valokia. What are you on about?!"


    "Mavislin is doing exactly what you want her to do! Heaven''s Wheel Euphoria is the only spell within Valokia that does not do any damage to any being or area! It''s a storing spell, like my Time Pocket!"


    Tomoe blinked in confusion.


    "Heaven''s Wheel Euphoria is a spell that Mavislin uses to collect her journeys. Like a journal, Euphoria can only be accessed by her. All the memories of the place and sometimes, like this case, the building itself will get to be in Euphoria. The many memories and moments."


    "That''s the perfect world that Mavislin sends the ones who passed to be there. Sometimes, the souls do not meet each other as it''s supposed to reflect what the deceased wants to see. The perfect world, Euphoria.. And she carries them as a diary."

 Chapter 398 - The Ark Of No Need For Apologies

    "So don''t worry, she''s not erasing this place. She''s keeping it in her journal as a successful mission. And if she learns about it, she can draw power from her recorded missions and memories. But that''s going to be in the distant future because it breaks a law within the Valokia''s books."


    "What do you mean? Mavislin lives for breaking the rules," smirked Tomoe, remembering how the Valkyrie mixed Fire and Ice to take his Fox Fire down.


    "It;''s not breaking the rules. It''s bending them. She likes to pull that off in the last second. Make me worried sick," replied Raiyen, sighing.


    Tomoe and Raiyen both descended from the building and began their way back to Mavislin. But when they saw a swarm of people, they stood a distance away. Tomoe''s ears twitched as he saw a well-dressed man rushing over to Mavislin, who was still standing in the crater.


    "Are you alright, Lady Roydon?" asked a young man, who Mavislin found very familiar.


    "Clement! I was hoping to meet you. I''ve got a good job for you soon," replied Mavislin, who flew out of the crater with ease.


    The onlookers backed away with slight shock but not fear. After all, they were well aware of who she is. There was no reason to fear her since she was the one who saved Albion from the Tidal Wave many years ago.


    "Where''s the Baron? I thought he was with you?" asked Clement, looking around.


    Mavislin''s silence confirmed Clement''s worst fears. And the onlookers'' fears as well.


    "He perished but he was monumental towards the final fight. We did everything we could but it was just too late. He saved the lives of countless innocent children and women. All of them are now resting at our Headquarters. I offer my sincere apologies to the people of Albion," said Mavislin.


    She then bowed down to the onlookers who started whispering amongst themselves. They were stunned that the Valkyrie was apologizing to them. It wasn''t her fault and she did everything she could to help Gab but it was far too late.


    Clement clenched his fists and walked to Mavislin. With sad but gentle eyes, he placed a hand on her head, ruffling her hair. Mavislin widened her eyes and looked up.


    "There''s no need for you to apologize. You are a Mage, you had a choice to walk away from this entire mess. Yet, you poured your effort and time into seeing this mission through. And you prevailed, you won this fight and saved the missing victims," reasoned Clement.


    "But if it hadn''t been for me, he would still have been alive..." murmured Mavislin, still looking down.


    Her hands were tangled in front of her. She should be used to doing this by now, but why was this death affecting her so much? Was it because not only did she make an empty promise to a comrade or that she treated Gab like family? Whatever reason it was, it was choking her now.


    "Listen, if he hadn''t reached out to you for help, we wouldn''t have known what to do. And we would still be unaware of such atrocities. And he did without hesitation. He knew the dangers of diving head-first into a mission that had Magecraft," explained Clement.


    Tomoe smirked while he looked on. Whoever this man was, Tomoe liked his way of comforting Mavislin. Smooth talker, yet he sounds like a father.


    "And don''t be sorry about what you''ve lost. Be proud of what you''ve accomplished. Because you won. The good has triumphed over the evil. And you even took the time to take care of the victims. I''d say you and your group deserve applause," said Clement, grinning like a proud father.


    "The fact that the Baron spoke good things about you all the time. He loved working the Mages and constantly tells us about the many adventures he went on with the Arks. He was willing to follow your lead to the very end. Willing to sacrifice himself for the victory."


    "Apologising for his death would be a slap onto his face, right?" asked Clement.


    "I would admit that I am sad that the Baron has passed on but I am not angry about it. He always had a knack for going for dangerous missions. He did what he loved. So be happy for him and I''m sure Charisma would understand," said Clement, ruffling the Valkyrie''s hair.


    Just then, Tomoe and Raiyen appeared on the left and right side of Mavislin, with Tomoe stopping Clement''s hand gently. Clement blinked before retracting his hands. He nodded as he read the situation and asked the onlookers to disperse.


    "I never expected to see you so soon, Raiyen," greeted Clement as the group made their way to the late Baron''s home.

 Chapter 399 - The Ark Of Clement And Raiyen

    "Neither did I. I must say that I''ve missed some of your cooking," said Riayen, remembering the time Clement used to cook for him in between missions.


    "You know each other?" asked Tomoe, ears perking up.


    "Yea, when he was in charge of Albion for a few months, he found me by my old stall. I used to run an old rundown stall that my father had before my marriage turned to dust. During that time, I met Raiyen as a customer."


    "Yea, those were fun times when I had to trade with Mr. Clement. I had to pay extra to get information for missions that were in the area. Gab''s sources were not credible enough for me since he was looking at the bigger picture."


    "I''m not saying anything bad about the late Baron but his sources were never good enough to handle any major mission. If it''s a small one, Gab would easily finish the mission himself. But mission which is more dangerous or with Magecraft, he can''t solve it by himself."


    "He usually asks the Mages for help but he didn''t like to approach me at first, always writing to Mavislin instead. Until Baldwin got fed up and asked me to make it clear that I was in charge of that area and not to disturb Mavislin," explained Raiyen.


    "But his tidbits of information are enough for me to guide Raiyen to what areas we needed to be at. Small nuggets were enough to fund this mission as well, despite the Baron being clueless on where to look. It''s like getting little foundations to the bigger project," said Clement.


    "And as a Vigilante, I don''t like getting sources from someone who oversees an area. Most of Gab''s sources were all well-known and had formidable titles," chimed Raiyen.


    "So you have to get someone at ground zero?" asked Tomoe.


    "That''s right. And this man was the only one who did not try to poison my food. Thus, I trusted him."


    "Poison? What, was the entire Albion was out to get you?" asked Tomoe, confused at the scene.


    "You have to remember Albion was still against Magecraft during those times so I had to be cautious. My body is stronger than a normal human''s so I could handle the poisons well enough. But Clement''s cooking had none of those so I befriended him."


    "And to thank him, I saved him from dying in a bar brawl."


    "Yea, you dragged my half-beaten backside out of that place. My face was starting to look like it had been stung by bees. The Time Mage is never on time."


    "Hey, at least we finished the mission. That was the first mission we had ever worked together. Ever since then, I had alwayss popped by to Clement to have a meal. But with the increased missions and Albion falling into Mavislin''s hands, I had no time to visit."


    "That''s a new thing, a Time Mage with no time to visit," smirked Tomoe.


    "Even if you did, I have to tell you that I am the owner of the ''Velvet Pearl''. I have been quite busy but I am liking a change in scenery soon. After all, with the Baron down, I don''t know who would be taking over."


    "Most likely his wife, Charisma would be taking the job. Kai is far too young now. Though the position can be opened for others as well," explained Raiyen, turning to Clement to answer him.


    "Speaking of which, what was the job that you wanted to tell me about?" asked Clement, suddenly remembering Mavislin''s words from earlier.


    "I liked your cooking. So I thought you would be interested to be a chef for an orphanage. And since you know Raiyen, I''m sure that the kids would be in good hands. I''m just worried that you don''t like children," said Mavislin, softly.


    "Well, I''m always open to a new change of environment. Would these children be Mages?" asked Clement, thinking about how interesting of a job it would be.


    "We can''t confirm but you''ll likely be dealing with kids with small amounts of power," explained Tomoe.


    "And these kids, if they do have Magecraft, we won''t know how powerful they are. They are essentially like ticking bombs of power. Either they would live like Mages or their bodies would fail on them because of the amount of power pumping through them."


    "Is that supposed to scare me?" asked Clement, looking at Tomoe.


    "I''m telling you the possibilities."


    "Well, that''s a new one then! Always loved to venture to the unknowns!" grinned Clement.


    Mavislin''s ears perked as Clement agreed to it so quickly. She gave a little smile which made the three males do so as well.. But her smile vanished quickly as she knocked on the door.

 Chapter 400 - The Ark Of Charisma And Kai

    Charisma opened it with Kai by her leg. A few words were enough to bring her to tears and the painful news. Mavislin stood there with her head bowed and her arms stretched out to give the pillow and blanket that Gab earned.


    Charisma was still weeping when Kai took the pillow and blanket and cuddled with it. Wrapping himself with the blanket and hugging the pillow, he muttered his first few words.


    "Papa... Smell..."


    Charisma was in shock as she picked Kai up in her arms. Using the blanket to gently wipe away his mother''s tears, Kai turned to the group to give his greetings. He kept burying his nose into the pillow and his mother''s arms. He was giggling, much to Mavislin''s shock.


    To Mavislin''s surprise, Charisma invited the group to come in for tea and to discuss the next move for Albion. Initially, she wanted the victims to return but Mavislin, Raiyen, and Tomoe strictly forbade it, stating that they were special kids with powers.


    "We don''t know if they can control their powers and there''s a few hundred of them. No way we can let them go loose like that. Albion is not stable enough for this," reasoned Mavislin, giving the same expression as a stern leader.


    "How about the mothers? Can they still live among us?" asked Charisma, with Kai bouncing happily on her ??p.


    "Give me about a week and they''ll return safely. They''ve just woke up from a catatonic state so they aren''t fully functional yet. But I promise to return them," stated Mavislin.


    "That''s good to hear."


    Silence caked the room as Kai hopped off to Mavislin''s ??p. The baby looked at the Valkyrie with a tilted head. Sadness welled up inside Mavislin as she looked at the familiar face. Kai tried patting Mavislin''s th??hs as a form of comfort to the girl.


    But it looked like he was hitting her so Charisma asked Kai to stop.


    "It''s alright, it does not hurt at all. He sensed that I have a heavy heart, he''s trying to comfort me but he can''t control his strength yet," explained Mavislin, smoothing Kai''s hair.


    "Oh... That''s what he was doing. He does that to his father at times, mostly after missions. I kept telling him it was wrong to hit people but I didn''t realize that he just wanted to comfort them," replied Charisma.


    "I wished I was better at my healing to take care of Gab''s wounds. That way, Kai would still have a father now..." said Mavislin, fists clenching the hem of her dress.


    Charisma got up from her seat and headed to the Valkyrie''s side. Her two guardian boys were still on high alert as Charisma moved but remained still. She then embraced Mavislin from the front, stunning the Valkyrie. Kai hugged the two women as well, not knowing why.


    "He did what he was meant to do. He served his mission well and to the very end. I''m sure he passed with that goofy grin on his face, right? Don''t be too upset about it, it will be fine," said Charisma, still hugging Mavislin.


    "You know, he used to tell Kai bedtime stories about how fun it was working with the Arks. You saved our lives and many others, over and over again. Without you, I won''t be with Gab in the first place or have Kai. So don''t punch yourself for his death."


    "But it''s alright to cry, I don''t know why you holding it back but you should learn to express your emotions. Don''t hold back just because you are the leader or a Mage. If one is truly close to you, you are free to cry whenever you like. After that, look ahead and continue."


    The Valkyrie started tearing up and cried silently in Charisma''s embrace. Kai was still very confused and Clement coaxed the child to hobble over to his ??p. But Clement was sadly rejected as Kai laid eyes on Tomoe, who had his ears and fluffy tail out.


    The child buried his face into Tomoe''s tail, shocking the fox. But Tomoe couldn''t do anything so he allowed the child to play with his tail. Seeing the kid snuggle his tail reminded me how Mavislin would cuddle with him.


    After a few minutes of crying, Raiyen passed Mavislin a cloth to wipe her tears. Charisma returned to her seat and Kai was happily playing with Tomoe. Sitting upright once more, she continued the discussion of what would be the next step for Albion.


    "I will follow in my late husband''s footsteps. For now, I will take up the position of Baroness to lead Albion. When Kai is ready, I will hand it over to him.. Gab has already handed me information that I need to run the Domain," said Charisma, looking at Mavislin.

 Chapter 401 - The Ark Of Handing Albion Over

    "Looks like he was well-prepared if he was going to die on a mission," said Tomoe, impressed at Gab''s preparations.


    "Indeed, he was a man who could look ahead. I can''t guarantee that I''m as good as him but I will try my best. But I will have to take care of Kai as well. And I think I would need help for that for these coming months as Albion shifts its leader," explained Charisma, looking at Kai.


    Everyone''s gaze fell onto Tomoe as he was playing with Kai. The fox could feel the weight of everyone''s stares and look at them in confusion.


    "What? I wasn''t paying attention with my ears being pulled like this," said Tomoe, with Kai clinging onto his ears.


    "Tomoe, can you look after Kai for a few months? We will prepare a special room for you in the Old Chapel if Charisma doesn''t mind," asked Mavislin, with her big, round eyes.


    "I don''t mind, it would be better for Kai that way."


    "I''m not a babysitter! And besides, I need to train your underling... I won''t be able to care for him!" protested Tomoe, finally getting Kai''s hands away from his ears.


    "I could help you with that, we can take turns in taking care of Kai! Please...." pleaded Mavislin, going near to Tomoe.


    "I refuse! I don''t do well with tiny humans!"


    "I beg to differ! Look at how much fun Kai is having with you! Even when you are so angry with him. It''s just for a few months... Please... I would be in for these few months, no missions since I need to take care of the orphanage so I can help you..."


    Raiyen could not help but laugh at his Familiar. Tomoe was getting irritated by the moment and Kai was still on his ??p. But the child wasn''t pulling on anything, he was merely dozing off.


    "Look how the tables have turned, Tomoe. So what would you do now? If you keep rejecting her, she might end up hating you..." whispered Raiyen.


    If it hadn''t been for the tiny human on his ??p, Tomoe would surely send Raiyen flying out of the Domain. Sensing Tomoe''s anger, Kai tried to calm him down by cuddling closer to the fox.


    "I will never hate my comrades. Please be mindful of what you say, Raiyen," said the Valkyrie, with strict eyes and voice.


    "Of course, Lady Roydon."


    Tomoe laughed inwardly at Raiyen having to get scolded by Mavislin. Looking at how Kai clung onto Tomoe while he was in slumber, Tomoe sighed and agreed to take care of the child. Mavislin was delighted while Raiyen looked impressed.


    Charisma took the chance to pack Kai''s stuff and the group prepared to head back to their main base.


    "He usually likes to bite on plushies, I hope these would suffice. He loves his best friend, Manny the monkey. Gab handmade it for him," said Charisma, passing Kai''s stuff to Mavislin.


    "Don''t worry, the Old Chapel can make new ones for him. I will come by after a few months to check on you as well," replied Mavislin as she exchanged the stuff with Tomeo for the sleeping Kai.


    Tomoe transformed into his fox form and Raiyen hopped on with the baggage. And after a long talk with Clement once more, Clement thought it would be better to go with the Akrs instead of helping Charisma. It was surprising for Mavislin but not so much for Raiyen.


    "I found myself liking the Mages a bit more than the humans. Though I am fully human, I just don''t like the way they work. And your Magecraft makes it seem so much more fun," reasoned Clement, getting onto Tomoe.


    Clement had been so used to Mages to the point that he didn''t care if he was mounting an oversized fox. The Valkyrie stretched out her wings, which made Kai stir in his sleep. He didn''t wake up, much to everyone''s relief. But he was smiling happily clinging onto Mavislin''s ?h?st.


    With their farewells done, Mavislin closed her eyes and took flight. Seeing the Valkyrie soar through the skies made Charisma''s heart flutter, to know that her husband was finally at peace. A gentle breeze hit Charisma''s cheeks, the same way Gab had always kissed her before leaving.


    Tomoe, Raiyen, and Clement were the first ones to touch down, followed by Mavislin and Kai. The vines opened up fully, signifying that everyone was home. And the scene could not be any more different than all those years ago when Mavislin first stepped in.


    "This is on a whole other level of Magecraft," said Clement, with his eyes bedazzled by the scenery.


    "Well, you haven''t been too exposed to the Magecraft of our levels so I''m not surprised that you are this shocked," said Raiyen.

 Chapter 402 - The Ark Of Back Home From Albion

    The roaring waterfalls, the lush greenery, and the Old Chapel herself. Throughout the years, the Old Chapel has been modified constantly but it was always the center of the attraction. It still gave newcomers that same look that Masvislin had when she first stepped in, though with a new scene.


    Fluffy and the Puka was running about, trying to play with the kids. The Arks were lucky to have an area that could be so huge to keep these running things at bay. Ciel was busy becoming the next toy that a bunch of kids could play with as the group neared the main building.


    Rina was the first to run over to Mavislin, who was still holding onto Kai. The baby woke up, much to Rina''s surprise. Mavislin looked at Rina''s eye, which was now covered with a black cloth. But Kai''s squirming caused Mavislin to snap out of her daze and she tried to calm Kai down.


    Rina held out her arms to Mavislin. The Valkyrie got wind of the Butterfly''s idea and passed Kai to her. The baby instantly calmed down when he was in Rina''s arms.


    "Do you mind taking care of him for a bit? We have to discuss what to do with the orphaned children," asked Mavislin, looking at Rina.


    Rina nodded happily and went off with the child to play with the younger kids. Tomoe had reverted to his human form and Raiyen glitched into the Old Chapel to avoid the children.


    "What''s his problem? Running into the house so soon," asked Tomoe, raising an eyebrow at the Time Mage.


    "He has got a problem with kids, he doesn''t like dealing with them too much," answered Mavislin, heading to the Old Chapel''s door.


    The old doors swung open with a powerful force, scaring Clement as he thought it was from a giant''s power. But when he saw no one behind the door, Clement sighed with relief. But the rest of the Founders were waiting at the table, looking at the trio.


    The Founders were all at different places of the dining table. Gillian was seated at the very end of the table with Ysabeau standing next to him. Baldwin was sat on Gillian''s left side while Z was on his right side. Finally, Raiyen was leaning against the table.


    All of them looked formidable to poor Clement. He did not expect to feel so much pressure to meet the Founders. He knew that they were important but not scary. Terror struck into his spine, especially meeting the Headmaster, the leader of the Arks.


    That''s why the Five Kings had absolute loyalty to these people. And why no one has dared to oppose them after the Arks had been stabilized. Because no one dared to invoke the wrath of the Mage who had been saving their lives.


    It was hard for Clement to breathe in that room since each FOunder''s stare was choking him. Even for Raiyen, he looked quite menacing with that look on his face. Clement had almost forgotten that the TIme Mage was a leader of an Ark. And that they were forces to be reckoned with.


    "Welcome home, Mavislin. And you''ve brought back some souvenirs from the mission," boomed Gillian, standing up to greet his Valkyrie.


    "Yea... I can''t leave them there either. I know they are a pain for now but I promise I''ll give them a house soon. We''ve got a plan in place, though it isn''t the one you agreed on with them earlier," explained Mavislin, bowing to the Headmaster.


    "I''m sure that we could overlook that agreement for a better solution. But when you say a house, you mean a permanent one? Or one that they can call home?" asked Gillian.


    "Preferably one that they can call home. I would take full responsibility for the children, thus they''ll be under my Ark. But I have one question that I require each Founder to vote on. And that is to create an orphanage for these kids," stated Mavislin.


    "Running an orphanage is not an easy task. Including your missions, you can''t run an orphanage just like a normal school class. You have to invest your time and effort into it," said Ysabeau, folding her arms.


    "I''m well-aware about it but I plan to stop going onto missions for these few months to handle the orphanage and Albion''s affairs," explained Mavislin, looking right at Ysabeau.


    Challenging the High Queen was a nightmare for the rest of the Arks, even her husband dared not challenge her. And the Valkyrie was the only one to go head to head with her.


    "If you can handle this as well as you handled the Five Kings, then you''ve got my vote.. Just don''t ask me to play with them ever again," complained Baldwin, closing his eyes.

 Chapter 403 - The Ark Of Creating An Orphanage

    "What if they are Mages?" asked Tomoe, finally chiming in.


    Everyone in the room looked at Tomoe, who was standing at the corner of the room.


    "I beg your pardon?" asked Gillian.


    "From what we''ve gathered on our site, we have noted that there were major amounts of blood transfusion from a Mage to allow the children to live. We have not confirmed it but I won''t rule out that possibility," explained Mavislin.


    "So we are dealing with human kids with Mage''s blood pumping in them?" asked Z, sounding quite worried.


    "Yes," chimed Mavislin and Tomoe.


    "If that is true, this makes them first humans have powers without having to be born from a Mage''s bloodline. They are the start of a new generation of Mages and this poses new trials. Are you ready for those new outcomes?" asked Gillian, looking right at Mavislin.


    Without missing a beat, Mavislin agreed to the terms of what she would be dealing with. Of course, she knew that right from the start but if she was having second thoughts, she need to sound out now. But the Valkyrie was a stubborn one.


    "Well, that takes it to another level. Don''t worry, I''m not against this idea. I think it''s a wonderful idea. But this makes it easier for us, so count me in. You''ve got my vote here as well, I''ll even help you out if the kids turn out to have powers," said Z, smiling.


    "Come on! Do you think that this is a good idea?" asked Ysabeau, looking at the older Mages that agreed on Mavislin''s idea.


    "Why not? If the children do have powers, we can''t just toss them into human society! They''ll die! And that reflects badly on us as well, so the best thing is to get onboard with Mavislin''s idea to nurture them to control their powers and give them a place to belong first."


    "I don''t know why you are so against that idea, seeing that you were part of the mission as well, Ysabeau. And usually, it''s Baldwin that rejects the idea, yet he was the first to agree. Why is that so?" asked Z, staring at the High Queen.


    "I just felt that Mavislin wasn''t ready to take on such a huge role as of yet. She''s still young and she has a problem with her temper. In the long run, that won''t be good for the kids or her. I''m not against the idea of the orphanage," said Ysabeau, looking away from Z''s intense gaze.


    Ysabeau may be the higher-ranked in the Arks but when it was back in the Congregation, Z was there before she had even touched down on earth, making him more senior than her. His gaze could make Ysabeau uncomfortable at most.


    He may look fun and nice but he could be a monster if he wanted to. And his reasons were always backed up with strong arguments, enough to silence the wisest of humans.


    "So why are you protesting then?" asked Z, once more.


    "I''m protesting for Mavislin to do it alone. I don''t think she can handle it all by herself. She needs us as well. And I will offer my help as well if Mavislin agrees to share the orphanage with my Ark as well. Like what Z stated, I was in the mission as well, so let me handle it with you," replied Ysabeau.


    Mavislin looked conflicted as the High Queen offered her help. It was slightly worrying to know that her adopted mother did not trust her to run the orphanage all by herself. But it was ?ssuring that Ysabeau was offering help to stabilize the orphanage''s situation.


    "Accept Ysabeau''s offer. But after you have fully taken care of the orphanage, I would need you back on the missions, alright? I am giving you three months to do so. And during this time, I need you to find people that can look after the orphanage while you are away," said Gillian.


    "Meanwhile, the rest of us can help out in whatever way we can. For instance, I can start by teaching them how to control their powers when they get it," said Z, smiling at Mavislin.


    Mavislin smiled back as she realized what that meant.


    "I will accept Ysabeau''s offer to help out. Thank you, Headmaster," said Mavislin, bowing to Gillian.


    "Raiyen, you haven''t said a peep yet... Are you going against Mavislin''s idea?" asked Gillian, gazing at Raiyen.


    The Time Mage clutched away from the deathly stare of the Headmaster and next to Mavislin. Placing a hand on Mavislin''s shoulder, Raiyen gently squeezed his partner''s shoulder to say that he was on her side.. But his words said otherwise.

 Chapter 404 - The Ark Of The Second Discussion

    "I''m not against the idea of the orphanage, I think it''s a great idea. But, like Ysabeau, I''m against something else that would compromise my vote for her," said Raiyen.


    "Then let us hear your worries, so we can give an affirmed decision on this matter," said Gillian.


    "The area of the orphanage. If I cannot do what I was instructed to do, then I will have to vote against her."


    "Very well, I''m guessing that this part of the meeting would be in private?" asked Gillian.


    Raiyen, Tomoe, and Mavislin nodded.


    "And who is the new man? He isn''t a Mage, was he one of the victims?" asked Gillian, finally looking at Clement.


    Clement could feel his heart jump into his throat the moment Gillian looked at him. But Mavislin stepped in to block Gillian''s view of the scared human.


    "No, he opted to help me out with the children of the mission. He and Raiyen know each other so he would be trustworthy," reasoned Mavislin, before taking a seat on one of the chairs.


    "I''d better hope so. From my earlier mission, I just had to kill off another ''friend'' of mine," said Baldwin, glaring at Clement.


    "If it helps, he is a chef as well..." said Mavislin, raising her hand.


    "Why are all the people that you work with are somehow related to food and beverage?" asked Z, finding a very odd pattern.


    "Most likely because I like food and enjoy looking at pretty drinks?" said Mavislin, smiling innocently.


    Clement was still frozen on the spot as he was afraid to move. Only when Mavislin told him it was alright to sit down, then he could finally move. Back in Albion, people feared Clement due to his status as a master of the Velvet Pearl. But now, he was puny against these Mages.


    He found himself being afraid to move without the words of Mavislin.


    "Looks like the Time Mage has many friends throughout the Domains. He has been quite friendly to everyone that was not a threat to him. I won''t be surprised if I could find his friend on the other side of the world," said Baldwin, pointing at the Time Mage.


    "Well, I most probably be venturing there to find out about my origins. Maybe I''ll find a few friends there as well, but that is for another mission for another time. Now let''s focus on the major task on hand," said Raiyen, getting ready to discuss the plan.


    "Shall we do it in the meeting room? And I have to let Clement stay here without us choking him with our presence," asked Mavislin, heading upstairs.


    "Sure, that would suffice. Z and Baldwin can continue to look after the children outside while we hold the meeting. Baldwin, try not to scare them too much," said Gillian, following Mavislin.


    "I am not scared!" protested Baldwin, shaking his fist at the Headmaster.


    Gillian merely chuckled while Z wrapped an arm around his old friend''s neck.


    "The kids would be the judge of that, alright? Let''s get out before the poor human chokes to death," said Z, dragging Baldwin out of the Old Chapel.


    "YOU are going to choke me to death if you don''t release me from your fat, Igor''s arm!" scolded Baldwin, trying to pry Z''s arm away from his neck.


    "Aww, don''t be so mean..."


    With that, Z and Baldwin were out of the building, much to Clement''s confusion.


    "Don''t worry, they can''t kill each other even if they tried to," said Gillian, waving goodbye to Clement.


    "What am I supposed to do?" asked Clement, with fear in his voice.


    "You can take a seat over there and plan tonmight''s dinner. To be praised by Mavislin would mean that your cooking is top notch. The Old Chapel has every produce you need, so feel free to go wild. But have the meals ready when the sun will setting. Got that?" asked Ysabeau.


    Clement nodded and gathered his thoughts for his next meal. Raiyen had glitched to the meeting room before anyone else. Mavislin was about to open the meeting room''s door when she caught sight of Bryan, bandaging himself up.


    She waved hello but Bryan seemed to be hyper-focused on the task.


    "He has been like this ever since we arrived back. Looks like he''s got a lot of things to think about after remembering his true past," said Ysabeau, gesturing Mavislin to carry on.


    Mavislin did not have anything to say as she pushed the doors to the meeting. Everyone took their seats, with Tomoe standing in between Mavislin and Raiyen.


    "I''d sent Raiyen and Tomoe to build a shelter, how has that plan changed?" asked Gillian, getting down to the task on hand.


    "Drastically, we are going back to the initial area that I have located," said Tomoe.

 Chapter 405 - The Ark Of A Time Loop

    "The unstable building? You better have a good explanation for this. You spent the whole time arguing Tomoe for this and now you are going back on your word?" said Gillian, folding his arms across his ?h?st.


    "I''m aware of what I said but it was because we didn''t have a chance to hear others'' opinions and ideas. And our initial plan was much too harsh for the kids. They can''t live as per normal, they need more time from the human world first before coming back."


    "And this solution would be better than the other? What is called then?"


    "Time Pocket, I was the one who gave them the idea. Headmaster," said Ysabeauy, looking at her husband.


    "What do you mean by that?" asked Gillian, shocked by Ysabeau''s sudden reply.


    "If Raiyen could place the building into a Time Pocket, it would negate any forms of abnormality. It won''t return to any particular time, it will just stay there," explained Mavislin.


    "It''s like stuffing the entire building into a pocket of Time. Like taking a Time Frame and freezing it within a moving Time Period. It won''t affect the outside world and nothing from the outside world can come in without the ones inside or us opening it up," explained Raiyen.


    "There''s a spell for that, I''m pretty sure that I''ve got that thing somewhere in my library. If I am not mistaken, it''s called ''Suspended Animation''," replied Gillian, recalling the Time Mage''s idea.


    "It''s not that one. I can''t do that one or else the kids would be frozen in Time. I need them to be in a slice of Time and Space, the building itself must be within in the Time Pocket. Otherwise, I can''t pull this thing off," said Raiyen.


    "You need that spell to allow us to move in and out of the compound as well as let the inhabitants live without being frozen?" asked Gillian, raising his eyebrow.


    "Yes. Is there a way to do that?" asked Mavislin, looking quite worried.


    "I need to have the name of the spell so that I can properly locate the right way to do it. Or else I can''t find it."


    "From the looks of thing, this isn''t going so well. I told you, Mav. It is a near-impossible thing to do. But at least we tried," said Raiyen, sighing.


    "No. It might not be ''Suspended Animation'', but I remember there is a spell that could fulfill our needs. I just have to recall where I heard it from..." protested Mavislin, trying her best to remember.


    Everyone fell silent, with Mavislin getting more worried about the task at hand. Mavislin felt her head increasingly getting heavier by the minute. It was only for a moment but she placed her head onto the stone table.


    "Mav? Are you feeling alright?" asked Raiyen, facing his partner.


    "I''m fine, just let me close my eyes for a bit... My head feels heavy..." complained the Valkyrie, before closing her eyes.


    It was empty and dark. She couldn''t see anything, not even her hands. But a pair of very familiar hands appeared through the darkness and grasped her hands. And if the hands were not enough to tell this person''s identity, his voice surely confirmed it.


    "Darling. What you are looking for is something that repeats itself. A fraction of Time taken out but not ''Suspended''. The spell is called a-"


    Before he could finish, Mavislin woke up and turned to Gillian and Raiyen. Scaring poor Tomoe, Raiyen asked once more if she was alright.


    "It''s called a ''Time Loop''," replied Mavislin, as she recalled what was that spell.


    "A ''Time Loop''? Does that exist?" asked Raiyen, looking at Gillian for confirmation.


    "Yes, there is a spell for that. However, it requires the Mage to collect a certain period of Time within the present world and seal it within those Time Frames," explained Gillian.


    "So, it''s like cutting away a portion of Time and creating a never-ending loop for the building within that particular duration of time?"


    "Affirmative. It''s not impossible to do so but it is quite difficult. Are you up for the task?"


    "Anything that can uphold the promise for Mavislin," replied Raiyen, taking a deep breath.


    "But this spell has its drawbacks as well. If done wrongly, it could cause a rift within our Time and wherever Time that the building belongs to. Second, and this is confirmed, the people within the TIme Loop will never age," elaborated Gillian, sitting closer to Mavislin and Raiyen.


    "The inhabitants'' actions won''t be looped but their surroundings would be. The same birds would fly by and the same plants will grow and wilt. Unless tampered with the kids'' powers, these things will be in the loop.. This will make the people within unable to age."

 Chapter 406 - The Ark Of Heading To The Study

    "Their sense of Time will be thrown out of proportion. Whether or not they can fit in back into society is another feat as well," finished Raiyen, with furrowed brows.


    "You''re still alright to take up the challenge?" asked Ysabeau, looking at Raiyen.


    "Yes. I just hope that I won''t be sacrificing any lives during this thing."


    "Meeting is dismissed. We will create the Time Loop for the victims to be in and continue with the needed follow-ups. Just keep in mind, after three months, the Orphanage should be stable enough for us to go back to our daily lives, understood?" proclaimed Gillian.


    "Loud and clear, Headmaster," chimed everyone in the room.


    "Well then, let''s get started. You are going to follow me to my study and find out about how to manifest this spell. Meanwhile, Tomoe, you can help Mavislin back to her room. It seems that fatigue has finally caught up to our little Valkryie. It''s naptime," ordered Gillian.


    The Valkyrie wanted to protest but her body betrayed her, shrinking down to her child form. Tomoe carefully picked her up and cradled her in his arms, causing Raiyen to be green with envy. Tomoe walked out with a smirk and a tired little girl.


    Gillian paid no attention and walked out of the room, with Raiyen behind him.


    "Are we going to your office or your actual study?" asked Raiyen, tailing the Headmaster.


    "My office is filled with the present-day stuff. And the books of the past few decades. The spell we are looking for won''t be there. My actual study might even have a better spell or method to pull off the suggested stunt," explained Gillian.


    He then halted, just before taking the steps. This made poor Raiyen bump into his back.


    "Why''d you stop?"


    "You are the only one who has not stepped foot into my study before, right? The one in the basement," asked Gillian, turning to look at Raiyen with a smile.


    "Yea... What about it?"


    With a snap of his fingers, the stairs retracted and popped out once more. This time, it wasn''t going to the ground floor, it was going through a hole in the first level''s floor.


    "I promise you, this won''t be like anything you''ve seen before," said Gillian, carefully descending the stairs.


    "You''re talking to a Time Mage. Granted, I might not be as old or experienced as my future selves but I have seen my fair share of adventures," explained Raiyen, following the happy Aki.


    "I''m sure that you will be impressed at what I have beneath these wood floorings. Don''t worry, from here on out, it will be a normal descending staircase. No more spirals," ?ssured Gillian, walking past the surface level.


    "Great, I won''t have to be dizzy the whole way down," said Raiyen, enthusiastically.


    "Out of the lot, you are the only one who has yet to see my library," said Gillian, turning to look at Raiyen.


    "I don''t like to hang around a place that is filled with the lives of others. I am walking paradox, I am afraid I might mess things up," replied Raiyen, going down the staircase.


    After they had passed the surface, torches were lit up to guide their way down. They were stone staircase but it was covered with moss, hinting that it has been a while since anyone set foot here. ''


    "You won''t mess any lives up, so long as you don''t try to rewrite anything in those books. They represent each individual''s life, even I''m not allowed to rewrite it. What you''re going to witness is truly a thing of beauty. The pride and joy of being an Aki," said Gillian, gleefully.


    Gillian sighed as he continued about the library.


    "You know, the place wouldn''t have been here if it wasn''t thanks to Mavislin and Ysabeau. And little Mav spent her early days hanging out in my library."


    "I thought the area came with it? Like, the Old Chapel created this room?" asked Raiyen, curiosity getting the better of him.


    "This isn''t part of the Old Chapel, my dear boy. This place was hand dug by Mavislin and Ysabeau. The Old Chapel only created the bridge to access the place at a surface level. Because it is still a place that no one else should be in, unless allowed by the three of us," described Gillian.


    "With the three people being; Ysabeau, Mavislin, and I. Initially, we wanted to exclude Mavislin from the list but we thought better of it since she was the one who helped create this place. And no, we aren''t going to allow anyone else."


    "Not even Z or Baldwin? I thought it would be alright for them... They go a long way back.... Right? Mav told me that you were friends with them before you met Ysabeau."

 Chapter 407 - The Ark Of The Origin Of The Library

    "The Dark Mage''s main power is Necrosis... Do you think I''ll allow him to come in? And Z is a Galaxian Mage, he doesn''t require a library. None of them has any reason to step in, so I didn''t bother giving them access to this place."


    "How did Mavislin create the place? Did she dig it up using her true form? And I thought Ysabeau would be powerful enough to do so?"


    "Boy, you''ve got a lot of questions, you know. Learn to ask one at a time," ordered Gillian, flicking Raiyen''s forehead.


    "Sorry... My thoughts are all over the place... Hard to collect them all at once and ask questions one by one. They have a processing speed of a 21st-century computer..."


    Gillian sighed as he proceeded to answer the boy''s questions.


    "Ysabeau might be able to handle it but we allowed Mavislin to try instead. Luckily, young Mavislin wanted to destroy something. During that time, we couldn''t find a way to properly go about training Mavislin''s attacks without destroying a whole town."


    "We wanted to measure how much destruction Mavislin could cause at her then age, which was nearly a century ago. And boy, she did anything but disappoint us," said Gillian, remembering the situation all those years ago.


    "Wait, I thought she met you guys a few decades ago... Has it been that long for all of us?" asked Raiyen, shocked.


    "She met everyone a few decades after she joined us. Though it seemed like a few months to her. It has got nothing to do with her environment, just her thinking. You see, years on Earth feel like months for Valkyries. That''s why Mavislin can go through missions without sleeping."


    "But the drawback is that she wouldn''t know when to rest. That''s why she was hit with a wave of sudden fatigue just now," continued Raiyen, finally understanding why Mavislin''s sleeping patterns were all over the place.


    Ever since they''d met, Mavislin would only sleep occasionally, like it wasn''t needed for the Valkyrie. Even with the whole world sleeping, she would be awake somewhere, just training or using her powers freely. Though she does take naps at times, for around an hour at most.


    "Her sleep schedule isn''t all over the place, it is messy in human terms. But it is normal for Valokia''s standard. To think that, throughout these years, her body clock is still the same as Valokia''s clock."


    "She has got some adaptability issues," replied Raiyen.


    "Well, she did try to fit in the sleeping patterns of humans but she complained that sleeping too much would give her headaches. And when she was very young, when she tried sleeping, she would have nightmares... And cried a lot throughout the night..."


    Gillian felt his heart hurt as he remembered those dark times. Fresh out of the war and seeing her best friend being snatched away... It terrorized her to no end. Little Mavislin would often keep herself awake by either pushing the boundaries of her powers or just staring into space.


    Most of her thoughts and daydreams consisted of trying to plan, with coming up with new spells out of mixing different Element types. Anything but remembering her past or relating to bad memories would suffice for her.


    Though he did not show it, each time Mavislin was crying from a nightmare, Gillian''s heart would break into pieces as he tried his best to comfort her. When Ysabeau is away for missions, he felt hopeless as his wife was the only one who could soothe the crying Valkyrie properly.


    When he was around, the poor child would often cry herself to sleep. This made Gillian feel useless, seeing that he couldn''t even comfort a young girl. That changed when the study was being built. Well, to be precise, it changed when Gillian read stories to the young Valkyrie.


    "How did you get her to stop crying? Or you completely gave up?" asked Raiyen, breaking Gillian''s daze.


    "I didn''t give up... I could never do that to my little girl. The weird part about that solution was that I didn''t mean to put her to sleep."


    Raiyen paused, looking at Gillian with a few question marks floating above his head.


    "You see, I was busy looking through some of the books that I had. At that time, I had a few bookshelves of books that I needed in the Old Chapel and the rest was at the Congregation. I was trying to find something for an ongoing investigation, though I''ve forgotten what was it."


    "It was something minor so I was taking my time. And before I knew it, I turned around to see Mavislin standing in the room with her bunny, staring right at me. I thought she wanted food or something, so I asked if she was hungry.. But I was wrong."

 Chapter 408 - The Ark Of An Aki And A Valkyrie

    Raiyen tried his best not to laugh at Gillian''s recount of Mavislin but his body betrayed him. Gillian raised an eyebrow at the Time Mage.


    "Sorry, it''s just that thought of you finding Mavislin behind you, standing in the middle of the room seemed hilarious to me. Especially when you said your next thought was to feed her..." said Raiyen, through his laughs.


    "Goes to show that even a century has passed, some things do not change for her. Like the thought that everyone thinks that she is always hungry..." continued Raiyen.


    Gillian could not help but laugh as well. On one hand, Raiyen was right. Whenever they found Mavislin creeping up behind them, it was usually to ask for something to eat or permission to go and hunt for food. Who could blame the two guys for laughing?


    Once they''ve finished laughing, the two guys continued their talk and their way down to the library.


    "So, if she wasn''t looking for food, what was she looking for?" asked Raiyen.


    "She had been staring at the books that were strewn around me. She picked one up to give it to me. And then she placed it nicely on the floor, next to my desk. She continued this action, for the next hour as I just sift through my books..." replied Gillian, thinking back.


    The more he pondered about that scene, the more confused he was. Mavislin was just helping him pick up books, nicely stacking them beside his desk without any word. She was still holding onto the plushie. She wasn''t asking for anything, just helping her father figure it out.


    "And that''s where we learned that Mavislin hates people throwing things around," said Raiyen.


    "I guess so... But after an hour, she got bored and stopped stacking the books. This was where I got worried because she opened one of the closed books," continued Gillian.


    "Why would you be? They''re just books, after all, she doesn''t have a pen or anything, right?"


    "She opened a ''Sealed Book''. It''s a book belonging to a life that has perished. Only I can read those books. Do you know how worrying it is, to see a little girl opening something that is sealed without any help at all? It''s just plain terrifying for me."


    "So, did you stop her?"


    "I couldn''t. She flip to the first page and closed it once more. She walked up to me and demanded that I read the whole book out for her. And it was also then, that I forgot this child was illiterate in the human language."


    Raiyen laughed once more, finding the thought of Mavislin giving up so soon and asking Gillian to read for her.


    "Luckily, I was done with whatever thing I was looking for. Whoever that person owed me a cookie because I took nearly ten hours trying to tell his entire life story to a Valkyrie. And for the first time, my storytelling was enough to lull her to sleep. In the middle of my floor."


    "And then I learned that a child sleeping on the ground is not a good thing to have when Ysabeau is around. When she found her sleeping there, she gave me the lecture of my life. And Mavislin was woken up once more. She was confused and groggy as my wife smacked me countless times over."


    "Somehow or rather, I pity you... It must have been tough..."


    "Don''t worry, centuries with the same wife... You''ll learn to get used to it after a few decades."


    "Anyways, because of her love of books, I was determined to teach her words. The human books were written in the person''s native tongue. For example, your story is being written in Chinese while Minwoo was in Korean. So, we started with English books first."


    "But to my confusing knowledge and expertise, she picked up one of the most complex languages ever to be made. My language, the words by an Aki. She could decipher all the handwritten spells that I''ve gathered throughout the years... In a single day."


    "When I found out about it, I was scared to no end. If she tried any of those spells out, who knows what could happen to Earth. But I was lucky to have a very obedient little girl as my adopted daughter. Despite her temper when not being fed properly."


    "Now that''s something that we''ll never understand... Hang on. What language do you use to communicate with her? Or, as matter of fact, anyone?" questioned Raiyen.


    "I can speak any language of the Universe. That''s my niche, so to say. I''m used to speaking with Mavislin in her language, Valokian but when she learned about the human language, we switched to English.. But for spells, Mavislin used Latin to write them out while speaking in English."

 Chapter 409 - The Ark Of Creating The Study

    "She found out that Latin was the closest thing to Valokian so we decided to use that during our training when we don''t want anyone else interfering. But since you are a Time Mage, your mind automatically translates everything you hear to your most comfortable language."


    "Now that''s something that I didn''t know... No wonder I had no problem in communication whatsoever."


    "That''s correct. I speak to Ysabeau in English as well but only in front of others. When we''re alone, I revert to ancient Bahamusian, a language similar to Earth''s Arabic. For Z, it would be Tagalog in private and English in public. For Baldwin, it would be in Gaelic with a bit of English."


    "Usually, I speak to everyone in their comfortable languages. But in public, it will be mostly in English. With the exception being Minwoo because he could speak in Korean. He was lucky that I could translate for him. Funny, since Ashley speaks fluent Bohemian."


    "And after reading to Mavislin, I thought she would be the best person to help out in building a library underneath the Old Chapel. So, on one fine day after the fall of Congregation, we asked Mavislin to hold her breath and dive into the waterfall."


    "And to dig down, all with her claws. I made her keep her wings since they weren''t waterproof. When she had dug a tunnel far enough into the ground, I asked her to blast the largest hole she could, using whatever she had in mind. But to make sure that it was large enough for her to go in."


    "The Old Chapel panicked slightly since the damage was quite great. But we managed to calm her down. The place was still filled with water so the next instruction was to use her powers to get the water out of that area. But this child was slightly cheeky. Either that or confused with my orders."


    "What she''d do?"


    "She used the water to make the doors to the place. It cleared the area but not what I was expecting. The initial hole had been sealed up since she made the doors, blocking the running water. I sealed the entrance again using my spell, camouflaging it."


    "Afterward, I asked the Old Chapel to locate Mavislin''s area. It should have been easy, at first."


    "That''s where she made the bridge?" asked Raiyen.


    "She made it afterward. But first, the problem was locating Mavislin. The Valkyrie had dug so down into the ground that it was difficult to find her. We thought that her area was too small, but it was just the depth of the location."


    "I had given her instructions before the action so I''ve got no way of communicating that the Old Chapel couldn''t pinpoint her location. After nearly an hour, Mavislin got a bit frustrated or hungry, because she turned the door back to Water and decided to make another entrance."


    One could only imagine the surprise and shock that Mavislin delivered when she created her entrance, through the floorboards of the Old Chapel. Ysabeau had the fright of her life and Gillian nearly had a heart attack when she did that. The Old Chapel wasn''t too pleased either.


    "And the first she yelled to us was to bring her something to eat. We knew that she could merge Elements together but not that she could keep the spell as a permanent thing. Usually, her combined spells aren''t fused properly, but this was the first I had seen that was proper."


    "She used two Basic Spells to create that entrance. First was using the water like a giant spear to break through the dirt and the floorboards. It was quite thin but thicker than a normal spear. Using Zephyr Tunnel, she widened the tunnel, lining the walls with water."


    "And that''s where the Old Chapel properly created the bridge and fixed the floorboards. It''s the same one we descended from. Ysabeau and I jumped down and were met with a very hungry Valkyrie. And somewhat frustrated as well."


    "So, essentially, you converted her frustration and hunger to enlarge the space for your study?" asked Raiyen, poking fun at Gillian.


    "Don''t phrase it like that! We didn''t starve her, we jumped down with a whole stag for her to eat before continuing the work. But, the damage she did was bigger than expected. She had created a space big enough for an ?du?t Bahamut to move about."


    "Mind telling me what she used? So I can prepare myself when the time comes..."


    "Young boy, you won''t survive the impact no matter how much preparation you do. You hear its name being called, you best turn your tail and run.. And pray that the shockwave won''t do you into an early grave," warned Gillian, shaking his head.

 Chapter 410 - The Ark Of Teacher And Student

    "She used a spell she came up with on the fly. Because she was bored with the same spells we trained with her over and over again. By combining Heaven''s Wheel: Justice Rains and the Alter Version of it; Blaspherous Blitz, she caused the initial explosion."


    "She merged the two?!"


    "Not quite. She launched the top half of Justice Rains and the lower half of Blaspherous Blitz, causing the two spells to clash with each other. The result was the huge area that is now the Central area of the study. From there, we branched out. More clearly, Ysabeau and Mavislin expanded it."


    Raiyen was petrified as Gillian retold the story. He had clashed with Mavislin''s Monody before and the impact was not one to be messed with. And she could use put two opposing spells together to clash with each other and not die in the process. It was truly remarkable.


    "You might be impressed but I had expected her to use just one spell. She was creative but not to my standards yet. She needed to combine two. And she took a while to do so. If she wanted to use that in battle, she would have been dead by the time she finished."


    "You are one strict teacher... Glad that Z was the one training me first... I might''ve died with your expectations."


    Gillian gave a hearty laugh, confusing Raiyen.


    "You think I am strict? I am strict from your little standpoint. From a Valkyrie''s standpoint, I was way too nice. Mavislin knew it the best but still could not keep with my instructions or teachings. Usually, Ysabeau would be the one to support her morally."


    "And don''t ever think that Z would have a gentler way of training people. Back in the Congregation, in the early days, Old Man Pond made Z a trainer because of how ruthless Z was. Z managed to train most of the recruits to their deaths in the first trial runs."


    "All but ten out of the hundred recruits sent to be trained by Z returned. The survivors were the top of the crop and they proceeded to break the expectations of the Board. And impressed Old Man Pond. I didn''t like Z at first because of this problem but after some time, he was alright."


    "After the trial run, Z was to be the one to train recruits, causing more deaths does to overtraining. When I got to chat with him about the different types of training styles each individual, he became gentler and stopped overworking the new ones."


    "But I''ll never forget that trail. The ten of them were divided and each Mage was to follow a senior. And then, we realized, almost all of them were mentally broken. Only one of them was still sound in the mind. And guess who that was..." said Gillian, sighing.


    "You sound so upset at the last standing man."


    "He was the one who was attached to me. Baldwin Noble, the Mage of Necrosis, was the last man standing from that trial. And he was attached to my sore behind..."


    "So that''s why the two of them are always at each other''s throats. Old teacher and student..."


    Gillian nodded and switched the topic back to Mavislin.


    "But though I was slightly confused, I wasn''t disappointed or upset. She was still exceeding our expectations, just not in the right way. Her destruction was remarkable but not the method we wanted her to use. Ysabeau told me to be content with it."


    "After the full construction of the study, Mavislin often escape to her favorite chamber to read up about more spells and Element to learn from. She managed to dig out an area once because she was upset with us... And we couldn''t find her for days."


    "You must''ve said something that truly troubled her..." said Raiyen, thinking how bad of a temper that Mavislin truly had when she was younger.


    "It''s not that... We didn''t scold her. And even if we did, we would never threaten her or insult her. We would scold her for her mistakes in her training for her good. She used to have an imbalance of Elements within her combined spells, making it dangerous for her as they were unstable."


    "The Valkyrie was unfortunate enough to see Ysabeau and me fighting. It was for to go after Baldwin''s case or to side with Z for the Board''s meeting. We had two options and I was still quite close to the Congregation. And Ysabeau was close to Baldwin as well."


    "We could only do one out of those two. And Mavislin saw us arguing about it. We were shouting but we weren''t physically fighting.. I guess it still scared her since she was so terrified to talk to us a week after the incident."

 Chapter 411 - The Ark Of The Founding Elements

    "In the end, we couldn''t go with any of the two options because we were too busy finding our little Valkyrie. The Old Chapel located her after a week, snuggling with a whole mountain of plushies in a chamber that she had dug. She was at the lowest level of the study."


    The two stopped abruptly, the stairs had stopped as well. Raiyen looked confused while Gillian gave his charming smile and snapped his fingers. Two large, aquatic, holographic doors appeared in front of them. With another snap, the towering doors opened, revealing a tunnel lined with water.


    "Remember what I said about her spells being permanent? Yea, this was what I was talking about. The bridge that the Old Chapel made was the staircase before us. But this stretch down is what Mavislin had made, though she modified it to be slightly larger, in case Z would becoming."


    "I thought she had dug up?" asked Raiyen, scratching his head.


    "Yes, but she had to turn horizontally for a few distances to penetrate the floorboards. At the end of this little hallway, you''ll be happy to find a drop-down to the actual area," said Gillian, continuing his merry way.


    "I don''t think I am happy to know that there''s a freefalling pit in my pathway. It might kill me, you know?" asked Raiyen, rushing into the tunnel.


    The door closed behind them and vanished.


    "I''m around, you won''t have to worry about dying."


    "You mentioned that the first initial explosion was for the Central area..."


    "Yes. The entire study is like the Old Congregation. The Central area is segregated into three levels, branching out to other chambers. The first level is the Elements, where each book is about every Element within the Universe. That''s where we are headed to."


    "So, each book contains a specific Element?"


    "Not just that, the background of it, how it originated and who were main users of that particular Element. Connecting to that level would be five other chambers, representing the Five Founding Elements. The First Elements to be the backbone of the other Elements."


    "The First Elements? Like, the Lost Elements?"


    "Not quite, as the Lost Elements refers to Elements that can only be passed down by blood, not by teachings. There are only Five Founding Elements. They can never be replaced and can be taught to anyone who possesses Magecraft in their blood."


    "I''ll start with your crush''s Element, the Element Of Light. Representing purity and healing, the Valkryian Light is one of the Founding Elements. The Element branches out to Elements like Speed, Illusions, Healing, and many more that I can''t think of now."


    Raiyen laughed slightly at Gillian''s struggle. Looks like Aki is having trouble remembering things. Then again, he is nearly over two thousand years old. Even he can''t remember too much.


    "Ah! The Element Of Light is the forefather of Fire, right?" asked Raiyenb, suddenly remembering that fact.


    "Indeed but you''re missing a step. A few steps. The Element Of Light is one of the forefathers of Fire. The Element Of Life is the direct forefather of Fire but the Element of Sun was created first, solely from the Life Element. That Element is also the sole parent to the Earth Element."


    "Elements are created by mixing different Elements. But when I say sole parent, it would mean that they were mainly from that particular Founding Element. Thus, the Element of Fire is closer to the Element of Life."


    "And the Element of Life is the forefather for most of the Elements that are the easier to teach. Things like Poison and Water. Shapeshifting is also part of the mix. This element represents the growth and birth of living things. And things needed to give life."


    "Sounds more majestic than the Element of Light..." murmured Raiyen.


    "Best not to let Mavislin hear that. She might kill you with one of the Founding Elements."


    "The Element Of Darkness, producing derivatives like Necrosis as you''ve seen from Baldwin. This Element is by far the most destructive and uses the negative emotions of the user. The Corruption Element is from this as well. This Element represents negativity and death."


    "The Element Of Stars, producing the derivative Elements like the Element Of Constellations. They draw upon the Celestial beings'' power, representing diversity and loyalty. Diversity because every user of this Element can wield multiple elements using this Element as a gateway."


    "Loyalty? What has that got to do with the Element?"


    "Because you are essentially borrowing the Upper Skies powers. If you do not know how to be loyal to this Element or show loyalty to the people in your life, then you can never dream to use this Element at all.. Your power is from them, you best give them the loyalty they deserve."

 Chapter 412 - The Ark Of Layout Of The Study

    "The Element of Gemstones is from this as well. And this Element gave birth to one of the most dangerous Element to wield. That is yours, the Time Element. Time and Space Elements. Telekinesis and anything about manipulating space itself."


    "This also includes the Element of Flight and the Element of Wind. Anything to do with the sky. And finally, the last Element is mine, the Element of Words. This Element is the forefather of all written spells and names. Without us, no spell would be recorded. Our Element represents creativity."


    "So, we are heading to the chamber for Element of Stars? Since it has my Element?" asked Riayen, quite confused.


    "Nope, we are still going for the Central area because your Element has a whole bookshelf by itself. The Chamber only houses the direct Elements of the Founding Elements. Once you mix it with another Element, that new Element goes to the Central area. Yours is mixing with Light as well."


    "I''m curious about the other levels, do we have to go there?"


    "I hope, but I can take you there to see. It is quite beautiful to watch. But not as spectacular as the Element level. But I can expand more on the other levels, just briefly," said Gillian, nearing the end of the tunnel.


    "The second level is for the Mages, each Mage''s life is recorded and placed into that level. The Central area is where the ongoing books are held. New Mages being born and existing Mages being continued are all there. But once they die, their books get transferred to the chambers."


    "Four chambers are connecting to this level. Each chamber represents a Quadrant; First, Second, Third and Last Quadrants. The first quarter is where the Mage who have died in the first Quadrants of their life expectancy. This continues with the next Quadrants."


    "So, for the Mage''s level... The chambers are filled with sealed books?"


    "Correct. And finally, the last level, Humans. Like the Mages'' level, the chambers are also filled with sealed books and the Central would hold the new and ongoing books. But the Human level has only three chambers. Early, Middle and Late. Unfortunately, there''s an overstock for Early Chamber."


    Gillian gripped onto Raiyen''s collar abruptly, saving the boy from dropping down to the entrance. Raiyen''s eyes widened as he looked down. It was pitch black, who knows how far it goes down. Raiyen gulped at the sight of it.


    "Gotta watch your step next time, boy. As you see, this is quite a drop. Do you want me to go first and then guide you down? Or you wanna hop in together?" asked Gillian, looking down without any fear.


    Raiyen looked at Gillian in horror. How is he so normal with this?


    "Who came up with this idea?! This is terrifying!" yelled Raiyen.


    "Mavislin. She has an unhealthy obsession with freefalling. So my offer stands, you want me to help you, or I will go on ahead to lead the way?" asked Gillian.


    "You go first, so you can lead the way. Are you going to illuminate the area as well? Because that would be very helpful for me..." asked Raiyen, worried.


    "Sure," said Gillian, falling into the dark abyss.


    He dropped down, with his feet first. Raiyen crouched down to see the depth of the hole. And true to his word, the way was being illuminated by the end of the drop. Figuring that it wasn''t too bad of a jump, Raiyen dived down as well.


    Using Glitch to break his descent, Raiyen realized how much of a miscalculation he made when he got out of the darkness. His eyes widened at the scene. The area was dome-shaped and the hole was attached to the center of the dome, allowing Raiyen to see everything.


    "This is... Majestically grand..." murmured Raiyen, glitching on top of the highest bookshelf.


    He then hopped down, using the bookshelves as platforms to break his fall. He landed right beside Gillian, who was already trying to find the spell. But the Time Mage still needed to wrap his head around the place. He walked around, trying to absorb the place.


    Being in Gillian''s study was like an adventure, in and out of itself. Raiyen looked around in awe. Because each book is being written and gets thicker by the moment. Some books are short while others are long. Some haven''t been opened for decades while others were opened constantly.


    The area was huge, bigger than any library that Raiyen had been to. There''s a reason why it was several miles beneath surface level. Be it from the future or the past, this place was a class by itself.. It was larger than the Old Chapel''s area, making it difficult to find anything without Gillian''s help.

 Chapter 413 - The Ark Of Fathers Spell

    "How are we going to find the spell we are looking for?" asked Raiyen, going back to find Gillian.


    Gillian, who had books floating all around him, looked at Raiyen w=in bewilderment. The Headmaster pointed to the bookshelf in front of him that was several times taller than him. And on the top, it was labeled ''Time''.


    "Ah, I guess this is a library after all," said Raiyen, blushing.


    He noticed that Gillian could only see the books that were at his eye level. This will take them forever to locate the spell they wanted. Then, the cheeky Time Mage had an idea and decided to use his powers of a Glitcher to reach the higher points of the bookshelf.


    He was using the rest of the bookshelves as platforms to get higher. Gillian looked up and grinned, seeing that Raiyen was enjoying himself while trying to browse for the answer. Blue sparks were teeming from his feet as he tried his best to find the spell.


    Raiyen could levitate in the air for a few seconds before gravity took over once more. Gillian was quiet throughout the time as he tried his best to find the spell. But after half an hour, the exciting Time Mage glitched besides the Aki, shocking the Headmaster.


    "I found it!" said the happy Time Mage, shoving the book into Gillian''s hands.


    Gillian looked baffled as he opened the dusty old book. His eyes widened as he nodded slowly. Giving Raiyen the thumbs-up, Gillian looked at the Time Mage with his jaw dropped.


    "I take a few hours trying to find something so detailed, you telling me that you spent only half an hour to find a spell?" asked Gillian, still shocked at how fast Raiyen could find the book.


    "Well, it was easy when I used things to filter out what I needed. It isn''t about going to the future or past, so I ruled that out. It was about Looping, a process where something is repeated and could be in an area that was foreign to its Time. So, this was the only one to fit the bill."


    "You weren''t joking when you said that your mind has a processing speed of the future..."


    "Yea, if not, how am I supposed to finish the several hundred missions that you piled up on my desk?" asked Raiyen, rather bitterly.


    "It''s not that much!"


    "Sure is, because I am the one to gather intelligence. Of course, I have to be quick about finding things, or else I would have taken years to return. Alright then, let''s see what I have to do to pull this spell off..." said Raiyen, opening the book.


    He flipped through the pages in seconds and closed it. He then sighed as he looked at Gillian with worried eyes.


    "I better get something good in return for this... This is the first spell I''ve ever encountered that requires me to wait for an entire day as one of the aspects of the spell. And I have to pay every single attention to the place that I want to loop. And that''s not even the best part about it!"


    "You sounding alright there?" asked Gillian, clearly disturbed by Raiyen''s outburst.


    Raiyen was slightly tilted, looking at the method of creating the Time Loop. He was getting worried about the rules of the spell since it required vast amounts of mental and Elemental Energy.


    "Of course not! Look at this! A single Time Mage can''t do it!" exclaimed Raiyen, showing the open page to Gillian.


    "Would you like to break the news to Mavislin about it? If it''s well out of your reach, you best not attempt it. You are the only one who knows your limits. Even I cannot give you advice on this since I have no experience with your kind. You have to decide on yourself," instructed Gillian.


    Raiyen looked at the spell once more. As he finished reading the instructions, his heart dropped to his feet. Gillian turned to walk away but Raiyen''s voice stopped him once more.


    "I will perform this spell. By hook or by crook, I will uphold my promise," said Raiyen, shutting the book.


    "I thought you said it was impossible?"


    "It''s impossible for my state now. But if I asked for some help, the Loop would surely be stable enough to house a thousand children," answered Raiyen, breathing in deeply.


    "You''re gonna ask for help? That''s surely new for me... Even for missions, you don''t ask for help. This must be a big project."


    "I''m not at the correct maturity to pull this off... And I would be dishonoring my father if I didn''t perform the spell he created.. It''d be like being a wimp," added Raiyen, looking Gillian with determined eyes.

 Chapter 414 - The Ark Of Tomoe And Bryan

    Meanwhile, once they left the meeting room, Tomoe carried Mavislin to her bedroom. But was stopped by Bryan, who had finished bandaging his wounds.


    "What is it?" asked Tomoe, holding the Valkyrie closer to his ?h?st.


    Bryan started at Tomoe intently. Tomoe sighed and walked past the Slayer.


    "If you want to chat with me, let''s not do it in the hallway. There might be unwanted listeners," said Tomoe, going into the room.


    Bryan nodded and went into her room, locking the door. Tomoe carefully placed Mavislin onto the bed. Tucking her in carefully, Tomoe noticed that the area was quite sparse, say for the plushies lying around. Bryan had planted comfortably on the ground, waiting for Tomoe.


    "So, what do you want to chat about?" asked Tomoe, sitting in front of Bryan.


    "You promised to train me. Lady Roydon said that it was for my swordsmanship," answered Bryan, looking at Tomoe.


    "I used to be quite the swordsman but I guess it has been quite a fair bit of time since I held my blade again. Not sure if I am the best to train you..." answered the Kitsune.


    "Didn''t we promise to do so, back in Albion?" asked Bryan, confused at Tomoe''s sudden change.


    "I''m just saying... I am quite rusty, not the prime state I once was. If I can get back my memories from the previous realm, I would probably be a better teacher for you. For now, I think Baldwin would be a better option," said Tomoe, sighing.


    "Are you kidding me?! There''s no way that I''m asking him to train me! That''s a death sentence!" protested Bryan, eyes struck with disbelief.


    "You might want to keep that to yourself, lest the NAgry Man hears that."


    Bryan covered his mouth.


    "Are you sure about training with me? I''m giving you one last chance to back out. I think you are the most informed about my kind. We are creatures of trickery, using anything to our advantage to win a fight," warned Tomoe, gazing at Bryan with strict eyes.


    "Yes, I will not falter just because you are a Kitsune."


    Tomoe sighed and reached into his inner kimono. He pulled out a katana with a blue handle and hilt. His scabbard was black and Tomoe drew to his full height. Bryan looked at the sword in awe as Tomoe drew out the blade slightly. It did not look like an untouched sword.


    "Mavislin should be safe here. And I won''t train you over here. Let''s step outside," instructed Tomoe, opening the window.


    "Hold on..." said Bryan, effectively stopping Tomoe.


    The Kitsune raised his eyebrow in question.


    "Do you remember your full name?" asked Bryan.


    "Why would you like to know that? It is not going to help you in your training..." asked Tomoe, with his tone sounding sad.


    "Well, if you were truly the ''Tomoe'' that I have read about and known... It''ll be easier to tell your fighting style so I can adapt it. However, I still need to confirm it because, in the legend, the Tomoe I read about was an Onna-musha... ''A female warrior''," reasoned Bryan.


    "She was known to be quite the warrior, being a master of both the blade and bow. I read that she braved through many battles, even commandeering a force of three hundred men to fight against two thousand samurais. She won that victory as well."


    Tomoe closed his eyes and turned to face Bryan. Walking towards the human, he gave a powerful flick onto Bryan''s forehead.


    "Ow! Why''d ya do that for?!" asked Bryna, rubbing the sore spot.


    "She is ''Tomoe Gozen''. She was human. Do I look remotely human or female to you?!" asked Tomoe, shaking a fist at Bryan.


    "Well, you mentioned you came from another realm, another Universe, right? So I thought you might be the version of ''Tomoe Gozen'' in your realm. Things can happen but your legend is still true," answered Bryan, slightly scared of the fox spirit.


    Tomoe sighed and faced away from Bryan again. It had been something that he was afraid to dwell on. His past as a being in another realm. If he could remember that, he would be free from the shackles that bound him now. And yet, part of him didn''t want to remember.


    It was like an unseen force stopping him from finding the truth.

 Chapter 415 - The Ark Of Slayer Vs Kitsune

    "I do not remember my name. My true name has been forgotten as well as lost just like my memories. This name was given to me by Raiyen, who called it out by summoning me during a fight. I only came to this world with nothing but the purpose to serve my owner."


    "You''re not keen on serving your owner, are you?" asked Bryan, catching the lie in Tomoe''s words.


    "You got me there, but I can''t go back and I''ve fallen to submission to serve Mavislin as well. So, I kinda look at her as my owner as well. Besides, my first task was to protect her, since Riayen got himself tangled up..."


    "Let''s start with a duel. Give it your best shot. No using of Magecraft" instructed Tomoe.


    The fox leaped out of the building, landing nicely onto the grass floor. Rina, sensing thee increased Auras, quickly ushered the children to the other side of the Old Chapel. Baldwin and Z looked at each other as they saw Bryan jump out of Mavislin''s room.


    "For a moment I thought that Mavislin threw both of them out," said Z.


    "You''re not the only one who had that thought," mentioned Baldwin, focusing back to Tomoe and Bryan.


    On the way down, Bryan drew out his sword and landed by clashing with Tomoe. Tomoe smiled as he had his blade out and ready. The Kitsune smiled as he messed with Bryan''s balance, causing the Slayer to fall slightly to the left. But before Bryan could land onto the grass, Tomoe smiled.


    "No wonder Mavislin wanted me to train you..." smirked Tomoe, as he b?r?d his fangs.


    "You''ve got a long way to go if you are still using your eyes to fight the battle!" added Tomoe.


    Before Bryan could react, Tomoe shifted his blade and swung it at full force to Bryan. This caused the Slayer to fly away. But Bryan, being aware of the Kitsune''s power, quickly recovered and landed on the tree. He propelled himself once more and tried for another strike.


    However, Tomoe had beaten him to it, swinging his katana first before Bryan could even leave the tree. They clashed once more, causing the tree to break. When it did, Bryan dived down and moved away from the swinging blade. Bryan stood up in another place, in an attacking stance.


    Tomoe did not blink as the falling tree closed in on his head. He merely looked up and moved his blade in six swift movements. Bryan looked at Tomoe''s arm motions in admiration. The blade might have sliced in six strokes but the action was in a single move. Like it was a flowing dance.


    The few gestures of his arm had sliced the giant oak tree up in several pieces, landing all around Tomoe. Taking a deep breath, Tomoe shifted his footing and changed the grip of his blade to face Bryan. The fox smiled at Bryan''s impressed expression.


    "If you read my movements carefully, I do use quite a bit of these pattern or flow. My slashes are all connected the moment I raise my blade. So that''s a little nugget of information for you. One single flow, several different cuts," explained Tomoe.


    Using the fallen tree to his advantage, Tomoe kicked one of the pieces from the tree towards Bryan, causing the Slayer to duck instinctively. But this caused him to lose sight of Tomoe once more. Before he knew it, the sly fox was on standing on his left shoulder.


    Bryan moved his back as Tomoe thrust his sword downwards, nearly stabbing Bryan''s head. Bryan tried to attack by thrusting his sword upwards to Tomoe''s shoulder. But the Kitsune knew the follow-up and placed his weight onto his step, making Bryan plummet to the ground.


    "Are you sure that these two should be training together? Bryan had just finished recovering from the earlier mission. And Tomoe is at full strength," asked Baldwin, worriedly.


    Tomoe leaped from his spot, shocking Bryan. But with his hearing being enhanced, he quickly clashed blades with Tomoe, who appeared on his left. The two clashed several times, with Tomoe constantly being the one on the offensive side. Bryan could b?r?ly hold up to his speed.


    "Yeah, now that you mentioned it... Bryan doesn''t stand a chance at a seasoned swordsman like Tomoe. And that''s not even accounting that Tomoe isn''t human," said Z, agreeing with his friend.


    Thinking that Z would stop them, Baldwin wanted to sound out his protests on this duel. But Z''s words stopped him.


    "But it was from the orders of Mavislin. We have no right to step in. Let''s just take a break and see how this plays out," instructed Z, eyes focused on the duel.


    Baldwin sighed and continued watching the show.

 Chapter 416 - The Ark Of New Fighting Styles

    In the meantime, Bryan was most likely on the losing side, seeing that he could never land his blow on Tomoe. His sword was shaking when Tomoe''s blade was stable. His hands were burning as he gripped onto the katana.


    Tomoe gave another smile as looked at poor Bryan faltering. Taking advantage, Tomoe pulled his katana away from clashing with Bryan''s sword. This shocked Bryan, who was now confused and falling frontwards. Tomoe then gave a kick to Bryan by kneeing the latter in the ?h?st.


    Bryan coughed out some saliva as he flew into the air. Knowing that Tomoe was faster, Bryan knew he needed to be a few steps in front of his opponent. He turned around, while still in the air, just in time to clash with Tomoe again. But the force of the clash made Bryan fall to the ground once more.


    Tomoe landed properly onto the ground, looking at Bryan''s pitiful shape and form.


    "With your skill like this, it was amazing that you could face off with the High Queen... It will surely help me if you were using the same technique as you did with her battle in this duel with me. Or else, I''m starting to think twice about training a weakling like you!" shouted Tomoe.


    He launched forwards at Bryan who was still recovering. With no time to spare, Tomoe was increasing his attacks, both in his speed and quantity. Bryan could still meet with each attack but he was getting pushed back. He was desperately trying to find an opening.


    Breathe.


    Bryan opened his eyes bigger as he heard that word. That voice... Is Mavislin here? Bryan turned his head, facing away from his opponent. Big mistake as it gave Tomoe the chance to strike at Bryan''s neck. But luckily, the Slayer wouldn''t have been in the Pillars if he was that slow.


    Bryan quickly used the Nagasa of his sword to block Tomoe''s strike. This caused quite a shockwave as Tomoe intended to put his weight on the attack. The two were engulfed by the winds they had kicked up, making it impossible to see if anyone got hurt.


    "Damn it! I can''t see if Bryan got hurt!" yelled Baldwin, eyes squinting.


    "That was quick thinking. But you are still far from passing," said Tomoe, rushing forwards to Bryan once more.


    Bryan quickly caught wind of what Tomoe was trying to do as he saw the familiar''s sword held up high. Tomoe brought down the blade, creating a vertical strike that nearly sliced Bryan if the Slayer hadn''t moved away. While gravity was at play for Tomoe, it was Bryan''s turn to attack.


    Bryan tried to wound the Kitsune by delivering a horizontal strike at Tomoe''s head. But Tomoe was no young pup as he continued the vertical slash to get under striking distance. Tomoe dodged the horizontal strike and contorted his body, delivering a 360-degree slash.


    Since Bryan''s upper body was tilted backward, his lower half was prone to the full circle slash by Tomoe''s second move. This happened in seconds and ended with Bryan falling flat onto the ground, with his ankles grazed by the second move.


    "What is that fox trying to do now?" asked Baldwin, looking at how Tomoe fought.


    "I''ve never seen those moves before. They are certainly not native to my fighting technique or anything I have seen. Not even Mavislin could keep up with this style if she did not know about it beforehand. Any idea, Z?"


    Z remained silent as his eyes followed the battle. He didn''t mean to ignore his friend''s question but he was just too focused on what Bryan and Tomoe''s fighting method was. Both were similar. It was completely foreign to him as well. A snap of the Angry Man''s fingers caused him to turn to Baldwin.


    "Sorry, I have no clue about this fighting style either. I''m just as clueless as you now. Whatever it is, it is still quite the show to watch," noted Z.


    "Well, whatever happens, let''s agree to stop before anyone of them gets fatally hurt... Alright?"


    "Sure. I wouldn''t want them to lose their lives before the next mission. I would be bringing Mavislin along as well," agreed Z.


    "The next mission for Mavislin would be under the Blizzard Faction?" questioned Baldwin, looking puzzled.


    "No, it''s just that she needs my guidance to get to the area she needs. At the same time, there have been a few problems in that particular area. And seeing that these two possess quite the talent, I am hoping to drag them along as well."


    Baldwin laughed looking at his pal.


    "I''ll have you know that Tomoe hates being in the water," replied Baldwin, shaking his head.

 Chapter 417 - The Ark Of Moving Up The Battle

    "Let''s see what Mavislin would say about it."


    "I thought you and her would enough. Don''t tell me you think that she isn''t powerful enough to be on the mission alone."


    "It''s not that. Bryan needs to go on more missions. Out of the rest, he is still very inexperienced. And I am willing to see how he performs when under my rules. I heard that he disobeyed Ysabeau several times. I wonder if I could get him to cooperate with me," explained Z.


    Baldwin opened his mouth to say something but was halted by Z.


    "No, I won''t be using force or fear. This boy strongly believes that respect and authority are earned, not drilled into his being by fear or emotions."


    "And you are going to follow that? That''s unexpected of you."


    With his body on the ground, Bryan quickly rolled away before Tomoe could do any more damage. He then stood up but was met with the next move by Tomoe. But what Tomoe did not know was that Bryan had some moves of his own that he wanted to try out in this duel.


    Ignoring the pain, Bryan inhaled a large breath of air and leaped from his spot. He rushed forward to Tomoe to deliver another strike, this time, he vertically spun forwards in the air. When he was finishing the later part of the rotation, he released his breath and added pressure to the last move.


    Tomoe moved away just in time but his right sleeve had a piece of it sliced away. Tomoe landed on his feet gracefully while Bryan tumbled onto the grass clumsily. The Kitsune looked at the torn sleeve and then at Bryan''s lying figure in amazement and curiosity.


    "Impressive... I did not expect you to perform those moves so easily. You had me fooled in the first half... If I hadn''t moved away, you would surely have taken off my arm," said Tomoe, grinning.


    "Sorry about your kimono though..." answered Bryan, shakily getting up.


    "Not to worry, I am a fine master at sewing... It''s easier to repair an article of clothing than to regenerate a lost arm."


    "I guess so..."


    "Shall we continue?" asked Tomoe, running towards Bryan.


    Bryan held up his sword in front of him in a vertical manner as he got ready to clash with Tomoe. The fox swung his sword horizontally, mimicking one of Bryan''s previous moves. But when he was at the end of the swing, Tomoe switched his grip and swung his blade back to the same point.


    To counteract these horizontal slashes, Bryan took in a deep breath and changed his footing to twist slightly. Bringing his blade above his shoulders, it was now his upper half to follow his lower half, forcing his entire body to twist and turn and create a full rotation.


    This allowed Bryan to clash and halt Tomoe''s dual slashes. By the end of the motion, Bryan brought his blade back to the starting point, striking diagonally at Tomoe''s torso. The Kitsune caught on and tried to stop the last strike from touching his body by changing his sword grip.


    Tomoe was surprised at how Bryan''s fighting method changed so drastically. It was as if he was trying to copy his style of fighting. If Bryan could adapt so well, why did he act like he was weak before? Tomoe was confused but not worried. Bryan was still far from winning.


    But Tomoe had other things to worry about now, like the oncoming downward slash by his opponent. He brought his sword to mid-level and followed his previous movement. But this time, he did a full, horizontal rotation at his opponent. Bryan was dumbfounded at the quick attack.


    Since his blade missed, he continued the motion, doing a horizontal circle slash and bringing the blade to strike at Bryan''s loosened stance. This added extra force to counter Bryan''s blade. Kicking up winds, the blades clashed with great force but Tomoe''s blade was the one to win.


    This, yet again, brought Bryan flying sideways. This time, he flew towards Baldwin, who was busy munching on some cookies. Before the Angry Man could react, a giant Mage caught the flying boy with ease. Z was far from impressed at Bryan for not stopping himself.


    "No flying into the spectators. Learn to angle yourself better or use whatever weight you''ve got to stop yourself from flying.. You are a human, you are not meant to fly," said Z, holding the shocked Mage by his h?ps.

 Chapter 418 - The Ark Of Fastest Thrust

    Z placed the boy back onto the grass floor and gripped onto Bryan''s shoulders to turn the poor boy back to face Tomoe. Z gently pushed the boy forwards which prompted Bryan to continue going forwards and strike at Tomoe once more.


    Baldwin continued too much on his cookies like nothing ever happened. Z slumped back down beside him and brought out some peanuts from his pockets. The two exchanged food and proceeded to watch the ongoing duel.


    "Well, that was unexpected," said Tomoe, still figuring out what had happened.


    "Don''t worry, I''m just as lost as you," confessed Bryan, backing off.


    When he moved away, Tomoe charged forwards to Bryan with a speeding thrust. But what made Bryan more confused is that Tomoe missed Bryan when he performed a horizontal slash. The next thing the Slayer knew, he was holding the left side of his torso.


    Bryan looked at Tomoe, who was busy smirking at the wounded man. The Slayer clenched his fist while the other hand applied pressure to the wound. Tomoe was right, he can''t rely on his sight for close-combat battles. Especially against a fox being like Tomoe.


    Bryan knew that he needed to come up with a move that will counter Tomoe''s next move. The Kitsune held his sword upright once more, preparing another strike at Bryan. Looks like he was going from the same strike as before, Bryan needed to act fast now.


    Closing his eyes, Bryan began to figure out a way to counter that strike. Unable to come up with anything good, he let out a defeated sigh. Bryan was much too slow as Tomoe had already launched his attack. It was then when the Slayer realized that he could use another method.


    Instead of blades clashing, Bryan could''ve just dodged the attack. Tomoe had a habit of striking Bryan at his left side, so before the blade gets too close, Bryan could just move away from the strike. To do so, he needed to change his footing within a fraction of a second.


    "Alright, here goes nothing," murmured Bryan, as the strike came.


    Since his sight was useless for this attack, Bryan took a deep breath and focused on hearing the blade instead. With that familiar sound slicing through the wind, Bryan lifted his right leg and moved it to the six o''clock position of his body. Now it was Tomoe''s turn to be shocked.


    The Kitsune was wide open as he tried to figure another follow-up attack. But it was too late, he was bound to get hit. Without missing a heartbeat and with the same breath as earlier, Bryan delivered the fastest thrust he had ever performed, directly at Tomoe''s neck, exhaling as he did so.


    The Kitsune waited for the piercing stab but it never did come. Instead, when both parties opened their eyes, all they saw was a grown Valkyrie catching Bryan''s blade. Even Baldwin and Z were caught off guard at Mavislin''s sudden appearance.


    "I''d said ''train'' with him... Not kill him. If you want to continue being in the Pillars, please learn to have some self-control. Especially in training. If you can''t even control yourself in training, how am I supposed to trust you in the battlefield with your comrades?" asked Mavislin, sounding furious.


    Bryan''s eyes filled with horror at what Mavislin said. Tomoe quickly tried to clear things up while prying apart the blade from Mavislin''s hands.


    "It was my fault! I asked him to go all out! Besides, I landed a wound on him as well... Don''t be angry, Lady Roydon," exclaimed Tomoe, holding Mavislin''s hands.


    Mavislin remained silent, holding onto that same gaze at Bryan. The Slayer gulped as he gripped onto his sword. He couldn''t tell if Mavislin was ready to behead him, right there and then. Z and Baldwin went towards the trio.


    "She''s not angry, she''s just concerned. And she''s right, Slayer Verna. You need to know when to control your moves. You were lucky for the previous opponents since most of them were real enemies. But now, in a controlled setting, you need to know when to hold back the fatal strike."


    "Z is right. I am by far impressed at your ability to come up with solutions on the fly against Tomoe. He is one of the fastest swordsman I''ve ever encountered. I dare say even I or Mavislin could b?r?ly win him in pure sword fighting," praised Baldwin, looking at Bryan with a smile.


    "You were great. I am most surprised that you could nearly take my head off. But I would''ve burned your lower half into cinders if I wasn''t playing fair. I guess the Founders are right; you have to control your strikes.. I merely grazed you twice and you were prepared to slit my throat."

 Chapter 419 - The Ark Of The Emblems Use

    Tomoe sighed as he realized he had come so near to death before at that moment.


    "Bryan."


    The Slayer turned his head to look at Mavislin once more.


    "Breathe."


    With that being said, Bryan instantly started coughing and wheezing. Mavislin sighed as she smoothed the Slayer''s back. Tomoe tilted his head to his left as he looked at Bryan desperately trying to get air.


    "Because Mavislin stopped his strike, he couldn''t exhale properly. And with the sudden appearance and words by all of us, Bryan forgot to release that breath fully," explained Baldwin.


    "I forgot humans needed more air than us," replied Tomoe, sheathing his blade.


    Luckily, Bryan took only a few minutes of coughing and wheezing and he was back to normal. And once he was composed, Bryan drew to his full height just in time to catch a falling Valkyrie.


    "Boss!" shouted Bryan, embracing Mavislin.


    With Mavislin slumped against his ?h?st, Bryan could not help but fall backward as her weight overpowered his balance. Luckily, Z was there to catch both of them. ASS he did, Mavislin reverted to her child form, landing snuggly in Bryan''s arms.


    "She''s fallen back to sleep?!" exclaimed Tomoe, confused at the Valkyrie.


    "Most likely so. She hasn''t fully recovered her strength yet," said Z, gently ruffling the child''s hair.


    "I''ve got to hand it to her... She was depleted of her strength and woke up just to stop Tomoe from dying... It goes to show how much she cares for you, Tomoe. Despite your infamy with us," commented Baldwin, looking at Tomoe.


    "Come to think of it... Why does she have to recover her strength? She didn''t participate in the final battle... It was Rina and I who were the prominent fighters. She was standing by the sidelines," asked Bryan, puzzled at the little Valkyrie.


    "She was active when you both were fighting. Frankly speaking, you were using most of her power. Just by that little emblem imprinted on the back of your left hand," explained a familiar voice.


    Ysabeau walked towards the mess of a group as she shook her head in dismay. Tomoe bowed out of respect to Ysabeau and pushed Bryan''s head down.


    "Show some respect for your higher up," whispered Tomoe, glaring at Bryan.


    The Slayer clicked his tongue at the Kitsune and wriggled out of his palm. Tomoe was beginning to think that Bryan did not like to be on the same grounds as Ysabeau. Well, that was to be expected since their first proper meeting was by fighting each other with no restraints.


    Bryan then faced Ysabeau, his eyes demanding an explanation.


    "What do you mean by that?" asked Bryan.


    "That emblem is not just for show. She channels most of her Elemental Energy into you via that imprint. It protected you from the Poison Element during the final battle and again when you were su?k?d into the Final Dance," replied Ysabeau, glaring at the Slayer.


    "That was the main reason why Rina could perform the Final Dance as well. She would have lost both her eyes and the battle without Mavislin''s power surging through her. And you would''ve died the moment you stepped into the final area."


    Bryan looked down at his sword and then shifted to Mavislin. She gently ruffled her hair, remembering how Z constantly does that to her. He whispered his gratitude to the girl as he drew Mavislin closer to his ?h?st.


    "Funny man..." murmured Mavislin.


    "I guess I''m not that powerful as I am... It wasn''t a fair match then, Tomoe," said Bryan, looking at Tomoe.


    "The channeling of power only works when Mavislin is active. She wasn''t active when the two of you were dueling. So rest ?ssured, that battle was fair and square. Except for that last part," said Ysabeau.


    "How would you know? She could have been watching us..."


    "I was watching over you both from her bedroom window. When you two left, you left the window wide open and it brought about winds. They are bad for a sleeping child so I went in to close it. And there was a show on the ground floor, I couldn''t miss that."


    "But Mavislin came to my rescue... That would mean that she was awake by then, right?" asked Tomoe.


    "Nope, she was still fast asleep when you missed that slash. She acted out based on pure instinct alone. That meant she could hear you in trouble despite not being conscious," clarified Ysabeau.


    "And now that I have recalled, she went berserk on the enemy, right?" asked Bryan, looking at Ysabeau for confirmation.


    Z and Baldwin froze in their positions and turned their heads to look at the Slayer. Tomoe was the only one who was still looking at little Mavislin sleeping soundly. How he wished the Valkyrie would have fallen into his arms instead....

 Chapter 420 - The Ark Of The Valkyries Fighting Style

    "Say that again?!" asked Baldwin, eyes wide open with disbelief.


    Ysabeau sighed and relayed what had happened during the climax battle.


    "That''s after we lost Gab. She went out of control and knocked the enemy out in an instant. After that, she seemed to lose all reason and charged towards Rina, who had been already on our side," finished Ysabeau, sighing.


    "Looks like in her primal mind, Mavislin still viewed Rina as a threat. I can''t blame her though, since the mission started with them being opponents," noted Z, with a curious gaze at the little Valkyrie.


    "Well, there is something that I am surprised and concerned with. The fact that she lost control that quickly," stated, Baldwin, with a fierce gaze plastered on his face.


    "I have to agree on that one. She can''t continue to do this, both for her sake and her comrades. This will make her a danger on the battlefield. Now I''m wondering, what did you do to soothe her? Her temper is not easy to handle," asked Baldwin.


    "Well, I just sang her a song I used to know from my childhood. It''s called ''Monody'', the song that saved my hometown," replied Bryan, shrugging his shoulders.


    "That''s right. But it took him quite some time to figure that out, so I was stuck restraining the Valkyrie. But she never did attempt to harm me, she mostly tried to push me away," said Ysabeau, recalling that moment of terror.


    "Are you sure about that?! She was outright on the offensive side!" protested Bryan, looking at Ysabeau with questioning eyes.


    "Her moves were on the offensive side but it wasn''t aimed to kill me. Her true intent was to push me away and make sure that I didn''t get in her way to kill Rina. When that didn''t work, she increased her attacks to ensure that I would stay down but no killing intent was around."


    "That goes the same to you. She merely pushed you away because you were in her way. Though she lost control, she was still stuck on the fact that we are on the same side. Perhaps Rina was too new to the group so the bond hasn''t been made yet," interpreted Ysabeau.


    Tomoe had quiet for some time, busy gathering his thoughts as he listened into the conversation. Buty what made him join in the chat was when Ysabeau described how she was trying to restrain Mavislin when she was still out of control.


    "Feasibly, I think Mavislin tapping into her berserk side won''t be such a bad thing after all," said Tomoe.


    "You''ve got a screw loose in there, fox?!" asked Baldwin, stepping forward to face Tomoe.


    "Not entirely but if we can teach her how to control her berserk form, it might quite good use to us. It''s a better option to go with instead of always asking her to control her feelings. If she could use her berserk side and not harm the ones closest to her, I''d say that''s a step in the right direction."


    "Tomoe has got a good point. Valkyries fight based on instinct and emotion. Out of all the ones I''ve met, Mavislin is the only one who uses strategy within combat. Her skills are chosen based on what she can win with the correct and right victory," added Z.


    "I don''t get it... Isn''t that considered as instinct?" asked Bryan, ???king his head to one side.


    " ''Instinct'' would be when she just attacks with no sense. As in, she would be aiming for anywhere on the enemy, whether it is the vulnerable spots or not. But Mavislin tends to hurt her opponents in a very cruel way by hitting their Elemental Core, over and over again," explained Z.


    "Then, you are suggesting that we should train her when she is constantly at her berserk form? That''s kind of far-fetched to me," asked Ysabeau, looking at Mavislin''s sleeping form.


    "It''s not that far off just yet, since you mentioned that she had no intent to kill you both. We can start from there," suggested Tomoe.


    "I don''t see anything wrong with that. But she would have to train under me again. I was the one who had helped her in her pilot training so I guess this should be quite easy for me to guide her," added Z.


    "Alright then, pass her to me, we''ll be heading inside to get ready for dinner. I''m looking forward to what Clement is cooking up for us tonight," said Ysabeau, taking Mavislin from Bryan''s arms.


    "Is dinner ready? I got hungry while watching the two of them fight," asked Z.


    "What do you mean?! You''ve been snacking on that bag of nuts ever since the first clash, how are you still hungry?" asked Baldwin, confused at his friend.

 Chapter 421 - The Ark Of Clements Feast

    "Well, if you must know, I am not exactly small-sized. I eat a lot," spat Z.


    "Enough, the two of you. Let''s get back in to see if Clement needs our help. And Raioyen and Gillian should be back by now. Hopefully with the spell on hand," said Ysabeau, walking back to the Old Chapel.


    As the two pals followed the High Queen back to the main building, both could not help but feel a sense of nostalgia. It was the same setting and place but with different people, years later.


    "Goes to show that Mavislin was right about the whole ''Arks'' thing. Making a haven as well as training recruits to find their purpose in this world. Be it for combat, healing, or discovery, Mavislin could see the future of this group from all those years ago," said Baldwin.


    "Hang on, she had this idea since years ago?" asked Z, honestly shocked at that revelation.


    "That''s right. Ysabeau handed me some of Mavislin''s first drawings since she didn''t know how to write back then. It mostly consisted of a drawing of a house with many people. When I asked her about it, that''s when she pitched the idea for having the Arks."


    The two Mages turned to look back at Tomoe and Bryan who were chatting as if they had been old friends. They then gave smiles and continued their way back.


    "Though we went through this so many times, I can''t help but feel that this is a new memory to me," said Z.


    "It''s more nostalgic for me, walking this way back to the Old Chapel after a good showdown. It''s the same feeling from back then. But I agree with you, Z. It feels foreign yet right to go through this scene again. I wonder if Mavislin could tell the future as well," mentioned Baldwin.


    "And what does that supposed to mean?"


    "In her little rattles about building this group, she told me that she would love to create new memories with others, yet with a familiar taste. To clarify, she would like to give moments that could be forever passed down. Simple things like how we trained recruits and their progression."


    "Be it a year or century later, she wanted all of the new ones after us to share the same moments as the pilots'' ones had. She described it as; a good pattern to pass down. Not just in combat but also in everyday lives. Having a feast will forever be a tradition, just with different people."


    "I told her it sounds boring after a while, but she just laughed at me saying that I would understand one day. And I think, today''s the day. Also, what are the two of them doing now?" asked Baldwin, glancing behind him.


    "Seems that Tomoe is teaching Bryan some of his moves. Hopefully, they won''t fight each other again. I mean it''s good but the human has to take a rest," replied Z, walking into the main building.


    The familiar smell of meat wafted into the room as Clement was halfway cooking the Arks'' dinner. The main course and star of the show would be the massive bird stuck into the largest oven he could find. Clement knew that his guests are not human so he went all out with the meats section.


    The main attraction was a stuffing, stuck into a chicken, which is stuck into a duck, and finally everything into a large turkey. It was the biggest feat he ever pulled off and since cooking that monstrosity would need the most time, it was the first thing he did. But it still wasn''t ready.


    During the birds'' cooking time, Clement racked his head for the side dishes. He looked at the fresh potatoes and carrots, followed by some leftover beef. Soon, the pot was filled with beef stew with the found vegetables. He had racks of lamb within the other oven, ready to go.


    And to balance out, Clement knew he needed to have a dish that had vegetables. He went out to the back garden to see if anything came up to his plate. Looking at the fresh and young Brussel sprouts, Clement picked up a basket full and heeded inside to make roasted honey Brussel sprouts.


    As he made the final preparations, he recalled what Raiyen spoke to him during the ride over here. Clement had to come up with a small dinner for the date as well but still have them eat the main dinner with the rest out of respect for the elders.


    He then decided to go with some small portions of pasta, specifically a dish called creamy penne. A pasta dish with white sauce and bits of ham mixed inside.. Sprinkled with some cheese, Clement carefully covered the special dishes and continued with the rest.

 Chapter 422 - The Ark Of A Foreign Life

    And for the final course, Clement would be bringing shame to his country if he didn''t have this dessert on the menu. A simple yet classic thing in an Albion family household. A lemon tart with a thick crust and a drop of cream to go with it. A slightly sweet dessert fit for the end of the feast.


    Clement carefully prepared the necessary but did not bake it just yet, waiting for a slightly later time to do so. These scents hit Z and Baldwin like a truck as they tried to find the source of the foods.


    "Clement is nearly done but I think something is wrong with Mavislin. Could you guys help me with her?" asked Ysabeau, calling the two Mage from upstairs.


    Z and Baldwin looked worried as they rushed upstairs.


    "What''s wrong?" asked Z, voice filled with worry as he looked at Mavislin.


    She was squirming in Ysabeau''s grasp and wanting to get out from her arms. Z was confused as he picked her from Ysabeau''s arms. The Valkyrie instantly stopped moving and continued to sleep soundly.


    "I don''t understand, why was she so upset in my arms?" asked Ysabeau, looking at Z and Baldwin with worry and confusion.


    Z was still in the dark and clueless while Baldwin knew what was going on. The next thing they knew, Ysabeau hurled right in front of them, shocking Z and making a mess. With quick reflexes, Z quickly manipulated the sick and froze it. That then shattered into dust and fully vanished.


    Ysabeau stopped hurling but now she was holding onto her abdomen. Z passed Mavislin Baldwin out of panic, shocking the Dark Mage who was now looking at Mavislin''s open eyes. The two of them looked at Z carefully helping Ysabeau to the nearest bed, which was in Mavislin''s room.


    Little Mavislin hopped out of Baldwin''s grasp and was now back to her teen form. She quickly grabbed a sack and gave it to Ysabeau.


    "Are you alright? Did you eat something bad back in Albion?" asked Z, concerned at the High Queen.


    "I''m fine, I just didn''t know what came over me to hurl that much. I guess it might have been the stench of death back at the mission site? But that can''t be it..." said Ysabeau, confused.


    "Remember earlier when you said that I only attacked the ones there weren''t close to me back at the Poison Chambers?" asked Mavislin, nodding to Baldwin.


    "Yes, what about it?" asked Ysabeau, looking at Mavislin.


    The Valkyrie gave a gentle smile and went over to the perplexed Bahamut and cupped her hands.


    "Little Mavislin sensed something was foreign in Ysabeau, that''s why she was kicking up a fuss. She didn''t want to hurt Ysabeau so she just ended up struggling in her arms instead of attacking her," explained Baldwin, giving a big, brotherly smile at Ysabeau.


    "Foreign in me? I''ve got something else in me, making me sick?!" asked Ysabeau, confused out of her mind.


    Baldwin could not help but let out a hearty laugh, much to the fright of Z. Mavislin sat beside Ysabeau and smoothed out her mother''s back. It took another moment for Z to process what Baldwin meant and he looked at his friend for confirmation.


    "It''s very rare to make Baldwin laugh, looks like you might be the one to do so after so many years," said Mavislin.


    "Am I supposed to be getting the hint here or could you tell me what''s going on?" asked Ysabeau, hurling once more into the sack.


    Just then, Rina burst into the room with Kai in her arms. The Butterfly girl looked at the High Queen and covered Kai''s eyes with her hands.


    "Are you pregnant?" asked Rina, going over to the vomiting Mage.


    "Well, that''s the answer you are looking for," sighed Baldwin, pointing to the confused Butterfly girl, who had big eyes.


    Ysabeau shook her head in disbelief, but she could not deny the facts surrounding it. That made sense why she kept feeling nauseous back at the facility when she should be unaffected like Mavislin. And why she was hurling all over the place now.


    "That''s why Mavislin rejected you because you have a foreign life within you. Valkyries have a heightened sense of sound and touch," clarified Z, glancing at Mavislin.


    "But... I''m not supposed to get pregnant... I can''t, after what happened centuries ago. And I would''ve known, right?" asked Ysabeau, sounding terrified.


    "Well, like you''ve said, it''s half a millennium ago. Your body should have gotten enough time to heal by now. And because it was so long since you had been pregnant, your body and mind have forgotten the feeling of carrying another life," explained Baldwin.


    He then placed a gentle hand on the High Queen''s shoulder.

 Chapter 423 - The Ark Of End Of A Busy Day

    "Don''t worry, I''ve checked with Gillian about this. Rest ?ssured, he knows it and is well aware of what to do. He has confirmed that your body has been fully healed from the poisoning from all those years ago," ?ssured Baldwin.


    The Valkyrie nodded happily and embraced Ysabeau with a beaming smile. She then looked at Rina, who was holding onto a very active Kai. He wasn''t squirming too much but his eyes were being overwhelmed by the new environment as they darted around.


    Mavislin quickly grabbed Kai and carried him by facing his face towards her ?h?st.


    "Why did you barge in? Did you want to ask something?" asked Mavislin.


    "Oh yes! Tomoe and Bryan told us to get you guys to see something. Tomoe is performing a ''God Of Fire Kagura''. I don''t know what ''Kagura'' means but it sounds nice. He wants to do it when the area hits twilight," said Rina, remembering why she was there.


    "A ritual performed in front of the Gods in Japanese tradition," replied Raiyen, glitching into the room with the spell on hand.


    Gillian used the normal way and was by the door. Judging by the sight of his wife hurling, he knew what was going on.


    "I had envisioned it better in my mind but I guess things can turn out differently. Sorry I didn''t get to tell you sooner," apologized Gillian, bowing to Ysabeau.


    "Well, back to the performance. Shall we all head outside to see it? I''m pretty sure the kids are all there," asked Rina, with her Butterfly wings sprouting.


    Everyone nodded in agreement and headed outside once more. But Mavislin, Raiyen, and Gillian stayed behind while the others gathered first.


    "So, you''ve found a way to pull it off?" asked Mavislin, gazing at Raiyen with intense eyes.


    "Yes... But I would need your help as well. I can''t do it alone, I''m not m?tur? in power as of yet," replied Raiyen, passing the book to Mavislin.


    He guided her to the correct page and allowed her some time to digest the information. She then closed the book and weighed, giving an impression that Gillian thought was bad.


    "And you are asking my help to enhance your powers using my skills as a Valkyrie so that you could pull this spell off?" asked Mavislin, looking at Raiyen who was slightly nervous.


    He nodded, despite his stiff posture.


    "You know the dangers of enhancing a human body, right? I can pull it off for you, but there might be repercussions in the future. You think you can handle that?" questioned Mavislin.


    "Well, you were the one who wanted this to happen so badly... And I don''t want to see you disappointed, so yes, I will do it despite the repercussions," said Raiyen, looking at Mavislin with confidence.


    Mavislin smiled as she hugged the Time Boy. Gillian let out the breath he was holding and walked out of the room. But he halted at the doorway to instruct the two Mages on their plans the following day.


    "We''ll start work tomorrow. Make sure you two communicate about what to do before we head to the site. I''ll be following you. Don''t worry about the kids, leave them to Rina and Z to handle. You can use Tomoe if you need to," instructed Gillian.


    "I would love for him to come along but he has strict instructions to train my Slayer first. It''s a private thing we settled on," said Mavislin.


    "Suit yourself. Let''s go out to see the performance. By the time it ends, dinner should be ready. Or else I''m turning the chef into our dinner," commented Gillian, turning his heels on the two happy Mages.


    The two of them followed the Headmaster out and were greeted by a whole bunch of people. Both Mages and humans included. The younger kids were running about as the ?du?t Mages scrambled to get them seated. Meanwhile, the women and the older kids were patiently waiting on the grass.


    "Alright! That''s enough!" yelled Z, snapping his fingers.


    Using his icy powers to grab the running kids and settle down, Tomoe came out in the best traditional wear he could find. A white Chihaya imprinted with blue embroidered fire patterns. And underneath was his usual haori with blue bu??erflies with a red hakama.


    He looked like he had traveled from Japan from the future and he was stunningly handsome as Mavislin started lighting up the torches for the performance. Raiyen seemed impressed at how elegant his Familiar looked.


    The kids were all excited to see the big, white fox performing. Mavislin could not help but feel her heart skip a beat looking at him.


    "So, what is he performing?" asked one of the kids at the back row, tugging onto Raiyen''s hands.

 Chapter 424 - The Ark Of Hinokami Kagura

    Bryan stepped into the conversation and sat beside the child. Mavislin smiled and sat by Bryan with Raiyen following her. Gillian, Z, Baldwin, and Ysabeau were at the side, away from the main audience. Rina had Kai on her shoulders and stood by the side.


    "It''s called ''Hinokami Kagura'', otherwise known as '' The God Of The Fire''s Ritual Dance''. Long ago, the goddess of the sun in Japan, whose name was Amaterasu withdrew into a cave, never coming out. That ended up making the whole world go dark," explained Bryan.


    He then lifted the small child onto his ??p and propped him up to see the dance. Tomoe bowed and extended his arms in a T-pose. Blue flames erupted from the palms of his hand, impressing the children.


    "Oh... I don''t like the dark..." complained the child, pouting.


    "That''s why another goddess couldn''t stand the dark and came up with a way to ask her to come out again. This was Ame-no-Uzume, goddess of revelry and dawn. And in response, she danced outside the cave to entice the sun goddess out."


    "From then on, the people born generations after honored this dance as their ritual dance to perform for the gods and goddess. But this particular one is the original one to celebrate the oncoming of the new year and to ward of threat and evil spirits," finished Bryan, pointing at Tomoe.


    "However, this Kagura should be performed by maidens, not men. And it should be at the start of the year, dancing from sunset to sunrise of the next year. But I guess he did it to make me understand what fighting style he used," said Bryan, adding the last part for Mavislin.


    Tomoe finally started dancing, even though he lacked the proper instrument to perform. But his arms were flexible enough to perform the ritual flawlessly. He first stuck out his left arm and brought it down in a vertical motion, creating a line of blue fire.


    When his hand reached the bottom point, Tomoe jumped and spun himself, creating a ring of fire for a moment. The audience looked impressed with happy kids. When he landed, he wasted no time going for the next step, which was using both of his arms.


    With the blue flames engulfed on each hand, Tomoe drew a horizontal slash from right to left with his left arm. He followed up with his other hand going from the left to the right, creating two beautiful horizontal lines of fire. Taking another breath, he proceeded on.


    Tomoe shocked the front audience by charging forward by a strong step and thrusting his left arm out to the kids and swung his arm to create a slash, though it was covered with haze. Next, Tomoe spiraled up into the air with a powerful jump, surrounding himself with a long strand of blue fire.


    Maviuslin looked impressed as he performed that technique, reminding her of how she modeled her whip fights to be like his.


    When Tomoe was grounded, he took another step forward, thrusting out his left arm once more. At the end of his fingertips, blossomed a flower made out of the fire. The children smiled looking at it. As quick as he could, Tomoe shifted to the next move, which was one of the harder moves to do.


    He took in another deep breath and performed. His arms sliced through the air that surrounded him, causing slashes of fire to dance through the air. When he increased his pace of the movements, the flames gradually created a figure of a dragon''s head.


    When it was visible, Tomoe proceeded to leap into the air once more. Using his left arm as a stand-in for the weapon, he spun downward to create a circular fire slash. When he landed, he released his breath to get a fresher breath. If the Dargon one was difficult, then the next one must be worse.


    Tome closed his eyes and performed high-speed twists and rotations, using his body and arms. It was blindingly spectacular, with all the flames going everywhere. It reminded Bryan of a rainbow, though it was quite straining for him to see what was going on.


    And finally, the last part of the dance ended with Tomoe still; in midair and bringing down his master arm along with his body to create a verticle slash.. And upon landing, he dragged his arm to his right side, creating the final two slashes of the dance.

 Chapter 425 - The Ark Of Dinner For The Children

    Mavislin had seen the full dance before but it was always so mesmerizing no matter how many times she had seen it. Kai giggled as he saw the wonderful display of flames. Rina shifted slightly to compensate the bouncing baby.


    Ysabeau was resting on Gillian''s shoulder while the two other Mages were busy snacking on a few more nuts and cookies. As the show ended, the kids cheered with the ?du?ts clapping. Rina had no control of her emotions as she allowed her tears to come out.


    "Sorry, it was just so beautiful..."


    Mavislin rushed over to Rina to grab Kai from the crying Butterfly. Ysabeau and Gillian went back into the Old Chapel to get the kids'' dinner while Z and Baldwin tried their best to settle the kids down for their dinner. Bryan and Tomoe helped out as well as Raiyen dispersed the torches.


    The front doors of the Old Chapel burst open once more with Gillian holding a huge cauldron filled with mushroom soup. Z used his ice Magecraft to give bowls to the hungry children and women and manipulated the soups to be portioned out for all of them.


    Despite the temperature being quite hot, the rice bowls stayed frozen without harming the soup. The hungry one slowly drank everything up while waiting for the main course, which was going to be pieces of chicken br??st. Gillian murmured a spell to perform telekinesis.


    He then hovered the pieces of cooked chicken in front of the crowd, enticing them. Raiyen stood up and charged forwards to the row of chickens and sliced them all up using his daggers. Gillian helped portioned out for the kids and women once more.


    "It''s so yummy!" exclaimed a little girl, smiling at Mavislin.


    "Yea! I want more!" said another boy, agreeing with the first child.


    Both of them had black hair, with the girl''s being shoulder length and the boy''s being ear-level. They both had pale skin and were wearing some of Mavislin''s clothes when she was younger. Ysabeua had made a lot for the old Congregation''s children and had extras.


    Bryan wanted to get the kids more of the food but was halted by Mavislin.


    "Don''t, they are just recovering. I know you want them to eat properly now but their bodies can''t handle too much food as of yet. We will increase their intake as time goes by but right now, no seconds. Alright?" asked Mavislin, with a stern look on her face.


    "But with it''s not enough for them? Not everyone is the same..." declared Bryan, looking at the little kids pleading eyes.


    "Yers, and so were the portions given to them. Each kid has a bowl that fits how much they can take without puking. Take a closer look. No kid''s bowl is the same as the other. The golden rule of a snowflake," said Mavislin, pointing to the two kids'' bowl.


    Bryan slouched his shoulders as he had to admit defeat to his boss once more. But the kids turned their attention to Mavislin instead, trying to get her to move from her statement.


    "Please! Just a bit more..." pleaded the kids.


    "What are your names?" asked Mavislin, looking at their little, brown eyes.


    "We don''t have names... We are referred with numbers... I am 212," introduced the girl, who was about six years old.


    "I''m 288," introduced the boy, who looked slightly younger than the girl.


    "Those numbers are also tattooed into the back of their necks. That''s what Baldwin told me when we got back," added Bryan.


    Mavislin shook her head.


    "This won''t do... Won''t do at all... You can''t be called by numbers forever, you children need names!" exclaimed Mavislin, pointing at the two shocked kids.


    "Can we have some more food... Please?" begged the girl.


    Mavislin sighed sharply and threw her hand down to the grass floor, almost like a punch but with opened palms. This shocked the kids and those around them. Bryan felt something was going to happen and quickly ushered the ones nearby to shift further away from Mavislin.


    "We''re sorry! We won''t ask for more..." cried the girl, slightly scared of Mavislin''s sudden actions.


    "Wait! You don''t have to get angry at them..." pleaded Bryan, hugging the two children close.


    Mavislin ignored Bryan''s pleas and continued what she was trying to do. Sucking in a deep breath, she concentrated her Elemental Energy into the palm that was on the ground. Instead of her normal golden Aura, Mavislin emitted a beautiful and rich shade of green.


    As she breathed out, the Elemental Energy that was pent up in her palm was released into the ground, spreading into different directions. The ground around heer started to rumble slightly, sacring the children.. Mavislin backed away slowly and watched the spell blossom.

 Chapter 426 - The Ark Of The New Apple Tree

    From the area that her palm had been sprouted a growing tree. And within a few seconds, the tree was in a m?tur? state. Bryan''s eyes widened as the kids continued to be fearful at the Valkyrie and the growing tree. But the tree wasn''t done growing until it had its fruits ready.


    Mavislin shot out a hand and a branch grew out of the tree, reaching towards Mavislin. The moment it touched her palm, a beautiful, ripe red apple appeared. Mavislin gently plucked it from the branch and waved her hand, asking the branch to retract back.


    Taking one more look at the kids, Mavislin looked at the apple and flexed her right index finger. To Bryan''s surprise, her finger turned into a claw and she proceeded to cut up the apple into small pieces. She walked towards the kids and dropped the apples to each of their bowls.


    "You can have these instead. They are called fruits and they are quite good for you. Not to mention yummy. These are called ''Apples''," explained Mavislin, smiling at them.


    The two kids were skeptical but gave the new food a try anyways. Both their eyes lit up and they began to eat without any trouble. Bryan gave out another sigh, looking at Mavislin''s proud smile.


    "Well, that''s one way to get them to eat healthily..."


    "Keep in mind that these kids had just been taught what was soup earlier in the day. And they just learned the concept of ''meat'' in tonight''s dinner. Anything that isn''t rotting bread would be considered healthy for them now..." replied Mavislin, with darkened eyes.


    "Wait until they''ve gotten to know what are candy apples... That''s where the whole ''eating healthy'' starts to clash," remarked Raiyen, coming over.


    Mavislin''s eyes lit up and rushed over to Raiyen, leaving Bryan bu??erfly confused. Tomoe felt his ears twitched while the kids played with his giant, white fluffy tail.


    "What are those? I''ve never heard of them before, what are candy apples?" asked Mavislin, with eyes sparkling with curiosity.


    It was at that point that Bryan could not tell if Mavislin had been one of the children. And somehow, Raiyen looked quite worried at the fact that Mavislin wanted to know about new foods.


    "Well, it''s... Apples dipped in caramel! Humans consumed them during the end of the harvest period, where apples are full in abundance. I''ll bring some when I can, alright?" promised Raiynb, patting Mavislin''s head.


    "We have a chef... We can ask him to do it under your guidance, right?" asked Mavislin, still pleading to Raiyen.


    "Sure... But some other time, okay? We''ve got lots of time together, we don''t have to do everything in one day."


    Mavislin nodded happily. When she turned around, she was met with a whole swarm of children, with the two other kids from before at the front of them.


    "We shared with them the apples... They like it, we like it. Can they have some as well?" asked the girl from before.


    Raiyen could not help but laugh at the scene of Mavislin facing such a large crowd of hungry children. She breathed in deeply and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, her eyes were now bright green orbs and she snapped her fingers.


    Each branch from the tree began to extend and hovered in front of the crowd, performing twists and turns to be at the right spot. And with a nod from its creator, out blossomed apples for the hungry children. With a swerve of her hand, the apples were harvested from the branches.


    "I did not train myself to be the fastest ?ssassin Mage alive to do the apple slicing," grumbled Raiyen as he pulled out his blades.


    "And I did not train myself to be the most well-rounded Mage on the planet to grow apple trees. Hurry up and slice them already, my hands are beginning to sore," shot back the Valkyrie at her partner.


    He sliced through the air and the apples, similar to the previous scene of distributing the chicken. But the time, the kids were amazed at how fast Raiyen was, glitching through the air to get through each apple. When he landed, Mavislin instantly shot out both her hands, palms wide open.


    The apple slices danced through the air and landed into each of the children''s empty bowls. The children did not say anything else and began to munch on their healthy and wonderous dessert.. Mavislin turned around and gestured for the branches to return to the trunk.

 Chapter 427 - The Ark Of Feast In The Old Chapel

    "Ah... And since when there was an apple tree in the middle of the front garden?" asked Gillian, popping out to join Mavislin and Raiyen.


    "Since Mavislin wanted to give more food to the hungry children here," replied Raiyen, pointing to the crowd of children.


    "Well, I''ve got a good idea of what to make for tomorrow''s teatime treats," said Clement, coming out from the Old Chapel.


    The few Mages waved hello to the human at the door.


    "Food''s ready!" hollered Clement, going back into the building.


    Z, Baldwin, and Ysabeau were all back in the Old Chapel, preparing to sit down for their turn to have dinner. Mavislin and Raiyen followed Gillian back, with Mavislin passing at Rina to grab the girl in for dinner. Kai seemed to like sticking to Rina so he followed as well.


    Meanwhile, Bryan was looking at the tree with suspicion and wonder. Tomoe appeared behind the large tree, scaring Bryan when the latter looked around the tree.


    "What are you still doing here? The chef has called that dinner is ready, you should be going into the main building," asked Tomoe, folding his arms across his ?h?st.


    "He was calling for all the Founders... I''m merely just a junior, I don''t deserve to have dinner at the same table as them," replied Bryan, looking at the fox.


    "Are you sure about that?" asked Tomoe, with a grin.


    He pointed a finger to the flying Valkyrie that was coming right towards the two of them. Bryan looked scared and ducked instantly when Mavislin was close. She then pulled on his collar.


    "Why are you here?! Clement said dinner was ready... We can''t start without you guys," asked Mavislin, sounding rather angry.


    "I thought it was only for the Founders!" replied Bryan.


    "I''ve just dragged Rina in there, it''s for the ones who helped out with the kids! That means you''re coming with us, Tomoe," said Mavislin, flying back for dinner.


    The Kitsune merely shrugged his shoulders and followed the Valkyrie with Bryan at his tail. When they arrived, the dining room was the brightest the Old Chapel had ever seen. The table was aligned with foods and drinks. The entire area felt so homey and happy.


    It was the biggest feast that the Old Chapel ever to have to hold, with a total of ten plus one little guest. Six Founders, two underlings, a human chef, a Familiar, and a human baby demanding to have more of the beef stew''s potatoes. Everyone could feel the Old Chapel smiling.


    Gillian and Z had potioned out for each guest and were now just joining the feast. Mavislin had the tendency of getting her food by herself so she did just that, finding that the star attraction of the course was wonderful in her mouth. Sher then turned to Clement to ask about it.


    "What is that? I like it..." asked Mavislin, pointing to the giant bird at the center of the table.


    "It''s three types of birds with stuffing in them! I made them by stuffing some vegetables into the chicken, shoving that into the duck, and then shoving everything into the turkey. It was hard to fit them but I made it work. Thanks for liking it!" explained Clement, smiling proudly.


    "The food is fantastic! I never thought a human could cook this well..." praised Gillian, happily chowing down on the turkey.


    Ysabeau was drinking the soup while Baldwin was focused on the duck. Z tried the Brussel sprouts but he decided to continue with the chicken. Rina preferred to only eat the vegetables of the course while trying to feed Kai properly.


    "Yea, I love the meats. They''ve been cooked to perfection. I love the texture and flavor of them..." said Angry Man, taking a bit more of the soup.


    "Now that''s rare, being praised by the Angry Man here," said Z, smiling with his mouth full.


    "I''m glad you guys liked it," said Clement, taking a sip of water.


    "Hmph, it''s better than Ashley''s cooking, I might say. But I can''t blame him since he isn''t one to be in the kitchen in the first place," said Baldwin.


    "That''s because Ashley''s cooking was mostly for peasant people. They were bland since that was his style of cooking. He wasn''t to cook foods like meat. His side dishes, the rice, and vegetables were fantastic though," reasoned Mavislin, taking more food.


    "I told you, Clement''s cooking is not one to be messed with. I do like the soup, it tastes similar to Ysabeau''s beef goulash," commented Raiyen.


    Tomoe was busy taking the chicken part of the main dish and a rack of lamb while Bryan was helping himself with everything he saw.


    "For a human, you sure have a large appetite," commented Tomoe, biting a piece of meat out from the lamb.

 Chapter 428 - The Ark Of Many Talks At Dinner

    "Yea because I have been stuck in a sewer for the past day. I think my appetite would be befitting for someone who just had to starve for the past day and a half. And I am a natural glutton, though my physical appearance doesn''t look like it..." replied Bryan, slumping down in gloom.


    "I want to gain some pounds since my adopted mother told me I was undernourished... While I''ve been eating constantly throughout my life," continued Bryan, skill having a could of gloom.


    "That''s not fair! I''ve trying to be on a diet for the past few years and even when I eat an extra meal, I gain so much! I''ve been trying to lose weight all this time and I hear that you want to gain weight?! No Fair!" cried Rina, pointing at Bryan with a pout.


    "It ain''t my fault that I have a higher rate of burning fat than you do! I''ve got the bad side of things as well! I''m constantly cold, my heart isn''t protected by ribcage and I''m still skin and bones despite finishing an entire feast by myself!" argued Bryan.


    Mavislin looked at Gillian and Z for an explanation and confirmation.


    "Well, there are many humans like Bryan''s case who burned through fats more than they can store them. It''s quite dangerous in the long run but we could do something about it in the days to come. Don''t worry, he won''t die anytime soon," replied Z, shoving a piece of duck into his mouth.


    Mavislin felt pity for her poor underling and passed a bit more of her beef stew to Bryan.


    "Eh? It''s alright, Lady Roydon. You don''t have to pass me your share... I can take more on my own..." replied Bryan, turning to return the soup to Mavislin.


    Everyone at the table glared at Bryan for returning the soup to Mavislin. She was pouting right now and tears threatened to come out from her eyes. Tomoe leaned toward Bryan''s ear and whispered the few words that sent chills down the Slayer''s bones.


    "Take it back. NOW."


    The Scared Slayer slowly took back the soup and gulp it down. Mavislin burst into a smile once more and continued eating, with everyone else continuing with their chatter. Bryan heaved a sigh of relief as he continued eating without death stares all around him.


    Clement was the first to finish, much to everyone''s surprise. He got up and wanted to head back to the kitchen was halted by Gillian''s call out.


    "You sure eat fast for a human... Where are you going?" asked Gillian.


    "I have to, it''s the nature of a constant chef. We rarely get breaks and we eat lunch while cooking. I''m heading to make the dessert. It''ll be ready in about twenty minutes, so there''s plenty of time left for you guys to enjoy," explained Clement, going into the kitchen.


    Kai was starting to get bored and was playing with his food. Unfortunately, he managed to create a miniature catapult using his spoon and mashed up potatoes. When he shot a cannon, it landed right at Tomoe''s left ear, shocking everyone at the table.


    "Oops..." murmured Kai, as Tomoe wiped away the mashed potatoes dripping down his hair.


    "We''re very sorry, Lord Tomoe!" apologized Rina, looking at the Familiar.


    His expression did not change as he tried his very best to get the sticky thing out from his furry ears.


    "I''m surprised you took that without getting angry," said Raiyen, helping his Familiar out.


    "Angry? Why would I be angry? That a little kid was not able to control his tiny little hands and inadvertently shot a blob of sticky food into my ears?! Of course not!" exclaimed Tomoe, yanking the last bits of potato out from his hair.


    He gave a smile to Kai and turned to Raiyen.


    "No... I''m seething with pure rage!" growled Tomoe, with irk marks growing all around him.


    Just then, Mavislin erupted with laughter as she looked at Tomoe''s angered facial expression as he threw his frustration at his owner. Kai was also laughing at the scene and soon everyone was doing so. Tomoe can''t help but smile at the whole situation.


    "Looks like Kai has his father''s smile as well. And his laugh," noted Gillian, looking at the tiny little troublemaker.


    "That reminds me, we''ve got to come up with names for the kids. It''s not nice to refer to them as numbers..." said Mavislin, making hand gestures at Kai to play with him.


    "Alright then... Shall we pick a handful of kids to name? You can give them pieces of paper with their name on them and ask them to keep them, just in case they can''t remember their given names.. This is especially so with the kids younger than four," suggested Gillian.

 Chapter 429 - The Ark Of The Lemon Tart

    Clement came back with the dessert, a lemon tart sliced into ten pieces. He then started to distribute the dessert to the rest of the people at the dining table.


    "Ah, Bryan, Tomoe, Rina, and Clement can take some kids that you like and name them as well. We would need some help on it as well. And Clement, you are now officially the chef of the Old Chapel. At least, until we can get the Orphanage up and running for humans," added Gillian.


    Everyone nodded in agreement. When it was Mavislin and Raiyen''s turn to get the dessert, Clement got close to murmur something in their ears.


    "I''ve set aside something to eat for your date... Still think you can manage?" asked Clement, softly.


    They both nodded as Clement placed their desserts down.


    "Alright, meet you both at the rooftop... The Old Chapel has made a porch there in accordance to your earlier request," instructed Clement, resuming to eat his piece of the tart.


    "Hey, this is quite sour yet oddly satisfying to the tongue... What is it exactly?" asked Gillian, curious at the new dessert he had just shoved into his mouth.


    "It''s a Lemon Tart. Sour would be the main thing on the palette but the crust makes it balanced out. Plus the cream on top. It''s one of my Domain''s specialty desserts. I would be bringing shame to my family if you didn''t like it..." said Clement, proudly introducing his work.


    "And I would be bringing shame to the Domain I once commanded if you didn''t pull this off properly. My daughter, Abi, and I used to make lovely Lemon Tarts for the children of the main village in Albion. It was my wife''s recipe and only thin that could comfort Abi."


    "I am glad to know that it has been a staple dish for the generation afterward," replied Baldwin.


    "Does it need any improvement? And it would be my p???sur? to bake some more for your child," said Clement, taking another bite.


    The Founders fell silent as they looked at each other and then at Clement.


    "What''s wrong?" asked Bryan, worried with all the glares and sad looks from the Founders.


    "Abigail died before the Arks had been established. Her death was the main reason why I had gone on a rampage and killed the entire street through Albion. That long canal that ran through the main village... It was my doing. Because they killed my daughter," answered Baldwin.


    His voice was harsh and filled with melancholy. His eyes bore the look of despair and unending pain of losing a child. The words that came out were tamed in comparison to his usual angry words but Clement dreaded them even more.


    "I''m sorry, I had no clue..." murmured Clement, looking at Baldwin.


    "Don''t apologize. It wasn''t your fault. You were born years later, I don''t harbor any hate for you. Since I''ve killed the ones who directly burned her stake," answered Baldwin, still refusing to make eye contact with Clement.


    "She and I were best friends. I didn''t know who was her father but she''d bring me leftovers of these Lemon Tarts into our hidey-hole. Eating this reminds me of playing with her..." said Mavislin, with a tear rolling down her cheek.


    Bryan was shocked as he grabbed a napkin to wipe away her tear.


    "I''m fine... I just miss my playdate, you know?" said Mavislin, continuing to finish the tart.


    "We all miss Abi. She was a wonderful daughter. I missed carrying her on my back. I wasn''t even around to know what had happened to her. I came back to the Congregation in shambles and Baldwin creating a new canal within the land of Albion," replied Z, eating the dessert.


    Ysabeau took a bite and was undeniably hit with the scent and taste of the days that had come and gone. The days where tensions were high and where Mages were still in hiding. A time where they had not met Mavislin and were under the rule of the Congregation.


    A time where Baldwin''s daughter hadn''t been killed.


    "Hang on, you created the canal?" asked Clement, processing what Baldwin had said.


    "Yes. Well, if I''m being perfectly fair, it was a duo''s effort. Specifically, me trying to attack Mavislin. We created the canal out of that," replied Baldwin.


    "The same thing that killed most of the village was the same thing that saved the generations to come," noted Clement.


    "What do you mean?" asked Bryan.


    "That seafood that you and Lady Roydon ate. The fish was from the canal that ran through the main village. My house is just by it. We made a living cooking fish for the needy.. And when I was left alone, I cooked it for myself every single day until I got fed and became a Master."

 Chapter 430 - The Ark Of Love Birds After Dinner

    "Well, looks like Angry Man''s anger was useful after all..." said Z, patting Baldwin on the shoulder.


    "Don''t talk as if that''s a good thing! I''m ashamed of what I''d done after coming back to my senses," protested Baldwin.


    "Making that canal was a good thing, but killing the humans wasn''t. What I was trying to get was that even if you had made a mistake, your actions don''t always gain a negative impact in the long run. Try to see the good side of things more often, you''ll start to be less angry."


    "There''s always the good from the bad side of things. Sometimes, you just have to wait for them to happen. Not everything needs to be a solid black and white," explained Z, looking at his old friend with a smile.


    "I guess you are right this time, old friend. And to answer your earlier question, Chef Clement. This Lemon Tart is not the same as I what I have created or what my wife did," stated Baldwin, finally looking at Clement.


    Clement felt his heart sink while the others looked confused. Rina had finished hers and was trying to clean Kai up, who made the crust into stick balls of dough.


    "But it is the same recipe that Abi and I created. The original did not have cream on top. She had complained that it was too sour for a certain friend of hers and added that to the recipe. Looks like that was the version of Lemon Tart that survived. And it was fantastic."


    Clement''s eyes lit up with joy and smiled.


    "I think I have a good idea on who that friend was..." replied Gillian, looking at Mavislin steal the cream from Raiyen''s plate.


    Bryan did not fancy the cream either since it was too sugary for him. He gave his share to Mavislin, who was ecstatic to have a third helping of the cream.


    "Thank you!" smiled the happy, sugar-overloaded Valkyrie.


    Everyone started laughing at the sight while Mavislin was left in the dark.


    After an hour of heartfelt eating and drinking, Mavislin got up to rush to her room, confusing the rest of the guests. This was followed by the Time Mage getting up to leave as well. Ysabeau knew what was going on and stopped her husband from going after the kids.


    "It''s alright, leave them be. They''ve got a date somewhere else," said Ysabeau.


    "Love birds," replied Gillian, under his breath.


    "Now you get what is it like for us when you two kept sneaking away from the meetings," commented Baldwin, laughing at the Aki.


    "They are far too young to date. They are a few hundred years too young," mumbled Gillian, clearly annoyed at the Time Mage coaxing his little Valkyrie.


    Rina and Bryan both choked on their drinks when they heard that. And Tomoe could not help but laugh at the sight.


    "That will never fly by in a human household," said Bryan.


    The rest continued to clean up without the two partners. Meanwhile, Mavislin was dressed up with a black dress that was covering the knee and boots reaching just below the knee. Her hair was done in a single ponytail with a black ribbon.


    The attire was given by Raiyen who had traveled into the future. And Raiyen was dressed in his favorite white hoodie that he got on one of the trips to the future. When he met Mavislin on the rooftop, he could not help but confirm what his heart was telling him.


    Those sparks were now setting his heart ablaze. But he didn''t know if Mavislin would feel the same for him. He stuck out his arm and guided her to the table and chairs. As they sat down, Clement brought over two covered dishes and placed them in front of the couple.


    A candle was lit up the moment Clement came over.


    "For today, I will be presenting you with Penne with Cream. Penne pasta is the main dish with hams and delightfully creamy white sauce. And to top it all of, I have added the best cheese I could find lying around. Enjoy your dinner," introduced Clement, uncovering the dishes in front of the couple.


    "We will. Thank you, Clement. For preparing such a wonderful dinner," replied Raiyen, giving a thumbs-up.


    The atmosphere was drastically different from the one they had earlier. The two of them were silent for most of the time, with Raiyen staring at Mavislin''s eyes and hair. That stopped when Mavislin decided that the eerie silence was defeating her ears.


    "I''m still worried about the spell that we are going to pull off tomorrow.... I am not too aware of the limits of the human body, so let me know if it would be too much for you to handle," said Mavislin.