Again…
She watched from a top the bell tower and saw them. The writing black shadows from afar enclosing in on the city. She had everyone evacuated into the shelter from even the furthest towns. Anywhere that were at risks of encountering a blot attack. Peony tapped on her arm in deep contemplation as the blot inched closer. However, she could hear them. Their cries of dismay and frustration. Their anger and outbursts. Their high pitch screams. These are the thoughts of the city's magicians, however, she feared there were more. That day, she attended a large number of patients on her own and even snuck into the hospitals while they were busy with the scandal. All of her planning was for this particular moment. She looked down and could see the president and a few number of the magic units accompanying him in finding any stragglers as well as double checking the perimeter. She looked up into the dark, dark skies and took in a deep breath. It was quiet.
Really quiet.
She took in a deep breath and released it as a mist of her breath appeared in the warm night. In the end, even the stars and constellations in the world are similar to the others yet very different. The constellations and positions have changed, but they stay shine in the same brightness as those from her world. Could the stars and constellations still be in the same place as it had been thousands and millions of years ago?
"Peony."
She heard her name and looked down to find her teacher waiting for her with her attendant. Concerned, she leapt down from the tower and landed gracefully onto the ground before him, "Old man. What are you doing out here? Is the waterways too cold? Or are the kids starting to throw a tantrum?"
The old man shook his head and sighed, "I'm simply worried for you. Are you nervous?"
"I've put myself in public many times before. It's quite late to be asking that now." She shrugged.
"You're not answering..." He wore a dry smile and sighed, "If it had been before I would have patted your head and assured you everything will be fine. However, it looks like times have truly changed. What was yesterday's seedling have become today's flower. Yet, the person themselves have not changed on the inside... You will be just fine, child."
Hearing this, Peony was confused as she found herself relaxing her muscles. Was she actually nervous? She had never been so nervous before. At least...
Not after her sister's departure...
"Remember to be careful and keep the boy safe." He sighed, "Axel will be fine. He's a strong man now. However, if you do see him struggling, please give him a hand. This is the city's first big case. Not even I have encountered something like this during my time in office."
As she nodded, she heard the sound of a loud blast!
It's starting!
Almost instantly, Septimus appeared and hurried over. She let him step in and nodded, "I'm leaving the master to you, president."
The old president nodded, "Don't worry. Just focus on your task!"
She signaled to her attendant, "Zhang Li, now!"
The woman quickly disappeared as Peony leapt up back to the top of the tower and concentrated all of her mana into her body.
Control the flow of mana.
Feel it breathe in and out of your body.
Carefully and skillfully, she forged the light element into a large dome. As she pulled the light mana in, she absorbed it and continued to forge the power into the wall, making it expend rapidly and double in size! Once done, she heard a cry!
"P-President! I-It's crying!"
Confused, she swung herself into the top balcony of the bell tower where the gargoyles gathered around shielding the boys from the light.
"Flamme... and the vice-president?!" She frowned and turned to the bell. It was glowing very bright to the point that the top of the bell tower is no different to a lighthouse! Not only that, but she could hear the soft whimpering emitting from it. She frowned and created a small protective barrier around the boys, "Stay here."
Carefully, she touched the bell only to be rejected from it! She looked down on her hand which had been pushed away and pondered what could have happened. She looked at the bell and used her abilities. That's when she saw it... The flow of mana into the bell was not enough! Of course! She had forgotten that the mana of this world was withering away due to the magicians of the past abusing the use of magic. She had learnt of this but had forgotten to apply it to the need of the artifacts! She frowned, "There's not enough mana. At this rate, it won't be any different to a butterfly unable to make its way out of its cocoon! It will lose all it's magic and wither away if there's not enough mana!"
After some deep thoughts, she released a little bit of her mana and presented it to the bell who rejected it again. Now that things are like this, she was about to come up with another idea when she heard sounds of blades clashing and frowned. Zhang Li is now hard at work. She cannot drag her away from the defense line. The bell refused to be accepted by her. Yet, it's clearly reaching out to someone. After some deep thoughts, it dawned on her!
"Rollo!" She turned her head and called him over, "I need your help!"
Surprised, Rollo hurried out of the barrier and over to him. Suddenly, a dagger flew towards him to which Peony quickly grabbed it out of the air and returned it to its owner with a thud!
"Hurry!" She grabbed him over stealthly avoiding anymore chances for an ambush on them. Upon reaching the bell, she hurriedly explained, "The bell needs mana. However, it would not accept mine as I've only been around it very recently. It very likely requires your mana to gain enough energy and become stronger. I need you to test out this hypothesis and to do it now."
"How much does it need?" Rollo looked to her nervously.
"Just give it as much as you can." She pushed a chess piece into his hand, "Draw out mana with this if you run out."
"What about you?" Rollo hesitated in bewilderment.
"I've got something to kick real fast." She sighed, "Give me a few seconds. Gargoyles, on my signal, take flight in different directions of the city! Then perch in the spots I've marked with my magic! That's the only way you can. Help Flamme now!"
She then summoned her Little Jun and got on his back, "You ready, Little Jun?"
"Yeah! Let's go kick some bad guys, big sis!" The creature roared and leapt into the skies!
He leapt into the night to the top of the bell tower and maneuvered carefully and swiftly around the foes. She pulled out Ying Hui and quickly attacked each of their vital points with her eyes as her guide! Like flies, they each dropped to the ground until there was only one left. It had dodged her attack with ease and actually avoided her gaze! This was the one!
She frowned seeing how surprised yet unperturbed he was. His eyes shift much to her surprise!
"Little Jun!"
Without her finishing, he had already leapt away to another part of the rooftops!
"So you're still alive, after all." He noted with a frown.
He disappeared before them but, this time, she didn't waver and created a barrier wrapped around them. His sneak attack threw him into the distance as Peony created a gap between the two of them. She frowned. Had it not been for her knowledge of magic, she wouldn't have survived that attack! It was faster than she had dealt with before and she knew this opponent had seen through her strength just then when his eyes shifted.The fact she can't see his means he's been here for a while now and have rose in ranks from absorbing the mana of this world! Only when you're weaker or evenly matched with the other can you not see the true strength of others. This time, the Zigvolt's martial prowess's won't be of use here. The enemy is a full grown man who could be far stronger than her. She knew, if she didn't act carefully, she won't be able to get away. Chances of her escaping unscathed would be the only best scenario here. She snapped her fingers as Zhang Li finished throwing the last person from the ground into her ring. After hearing this, she leapt to the top of the bell tower with eyes of uncertainty, leaving her master with the enemy. To think someone from the Hui clan had been within this city all this time!
With the aid of Little Jun, she had managed to avoid all of the attacks from her opponents. However, with the opponent's speed, she knew she couldn't use Ying Hui at her fullest as she couldn't manifest any better form with her current strength. To make matters worse… she frowned.
She took a deep breath and opened her mouth, "Little Jun. Take a left."
Surprised, Little Jun did as she said instinctively and totally missed the attack from behind. He turned around and breathed fire but his attack missed!
She equipped her magic stone bracelet and chanted some ancient words she knew by heart. Almost instantly a large number of roots erupted from the ground as she continued her song-like chant. A song so familiar to her. As she continued, the roots shot out and grasped him the moment he dashed for her again! He gasped in horror and struggled against the vines, "Release me!"
He shot a ball of fire at the vines and burnt it successfully! Just as he was about to free himself, a shock ran through his body followed by the roll of thunder crashing down over them. Shocked senseless in surprise, her roots caught him again as she use Ying Hui once more and, this time, pierced his core. Upon doing so, the man slumped over. She raised a brow and frowned, but that didn't stop her from pulling out a red sash and tied the man up. Her roots returned to the earth leaving behind holes in the soil. As Little Jin landed, Malleus appeared before her, "Who is he?"
"Someone from my biological family's lineage, obviously." She scowled, "I didn't expect them to appear in this city."
"Then why are they here?" Silver questioned in confusion as she sighed and shook her head to their horror, "Wait! He's-!"
"Hush!" She hissed quietly and inspected the body before growling, "Dammit! Looks like he had a self destruct device attached to his core."