Chapter 2: What they have

1. Just behave as usual and go on that A class mission

2. We will leave evidence as if we died while fighting

3. With that Master will send a group to find us and the evidence will lure them to the South while we run to the West

4. And there's freedom

"So that's all of your plans?" Lurcerna takes a look at my script and says. I answer excitedly. "Yeah!"

"In a whole month?"

"Yep!"

"And what are we gonna do if he finds out he was tricked and runs after us?" She looks worriedly.

"He may, but he won't make it in time. He doesn't use any of the speed or teleporting magic and so as his current wizards."

"Theoretically, it's possible. But we're talking about a mage who has The Eye."

"What is it?"

"I guess you haven't dug in the guild deep enough." She smirks.

"Tell me what it is." I rush her. I can't believe there's a thing that is out of my calculation. "I haven't known a thing or heard anybody talks about this...what's it called?"

Instantly, Lucerna looks around us and puts a spell. "Amílitos". Then a sphere is formed around us and separates us from the outside world.

"What are you doing? We're in a god damn forest, who can hear us?"

"My mother dragon once told me: even a mosquito can brings you news."

"Okay, now can you please tell me about that thing? So that we could rewrite my plans?"

"The Eye is a ball made from a Frost Storm which appears once every 20 years in a mountain range of Alvarez Country. Exactly 20 years ago Master traveled to Alvarez and collected the Dust of the Frost Storm and formed that Ball. With it, he can cast any spell that give him the Eye to look for anything he wants, even if that thing is a thousand miles away from him."

I feel as if a breeze is crawling along my bones. "So that means..."

She nods. "That means no matter how far we run, he will always keeps an eye on us as soon as he feels something's wrong. He wouldn't even mind sending a group to follow us immediately."

"Ugh!" I hit my head to a nearby tree. Great! A whole month of finding clues and taking note of the guild! "Is there anyone else knows about this Magic?"

"Me and some members of his Private Team."

"The right hand of Master really is something huh?" I mumble. Well, this plan needs more rewriting. As if she can see that I'm feeling down, she comes closer and says.

"Hey it's okay. We will see this out. Your plans is well prepared but the last thing we need is that how to prevent his godlike Ball. Besides, I know how it works."

"You do?"

"He show me once when we went to make deals with other guilds. First thing is, to cast the spell, he must use 50% of his mana (inner power) so that it's really hard for him to fight right after he uses the Eye. So I believe he will send a group to go collecting us for him instead of directly going. Therefore, I guess there a long time for him to reach us. We can still stick to your plans."

"Uhm Hm. So we can still use step 1 and step 2." I figure.

"Yes."

"Okay and now I need to change step 3 and 4 and do you have any ideas cause I really don't know how to deal with this secret magic of his. I'm afraid we have to fight some of the members of the guild and more exactly: we have to fight Master even though that magic takes his strength or not." I sigh because the most dangerous thing I always tried to avoid while making these plans finally comes. Lucerna thinks for a while, her browns have never been creased like before.

"Do you have a map?" She asks. I get one from my pocket and lay it on the ground. The map I'm having is drawn from the Northwest of Alvarez to half of Ishgar, including Fiore kingdoms. We are resting in Wass Forest, which situated in the Northeast area, for the sun has set. Just about one more day of walking and we will reach the Cathedral. First we will meet the vicar and then help him fix their problems. I hear that there are more than a thousand soldiers of Alvarez will attack his church and rob the farmers living in the next valley. We don't know when they will come or what their intention is, so we need to get to the church as soon as possible. Therefore, Lucerna and I have to write our plans while traveling to the destination.

"This is where we are. And this is the place we will arrive tomorrow. But according to what I've heard about this mission, Alvarez have just started their marching this morning and maybe they will arrive a day later. So we still have time to prepare. But I just think that if we lured Master out of his throne after the soldiers arrived, we could have him stuck in our battle and destroy his Eye." She says confidently. And the hairs on the back of my neck just stand up.

"And if he was busy fighting the soldiers…"

"He wouldn't be cautious about us and we could take him down."

"This sounds absolutely crazy!" I screamed. "How could we lure him out and how could we destroy his magical item?"

"That's where I'm stuck too. We have to make a reasonable evidence to get his attention."

"Hmm. Had he said anything to you before we headed off? You were the one he sent this mission directly right?"

"Well nothing special except he said we could call for reinforcements if we were in big troubles."

A light flicks in me. I gasp. "That's it."

"Huh? What is it?"

"Give me 1 hour. I'll set this out."

I'm not sure if this will succeed, but I must try. Her idea about making use of those Alvarez army is fantastic, but it's really hard to get our Master out of his cave to get here, unless there's something happened to Lucerna. I don't know what she has for him to end me here and get her back alone. But that's the point, he wants her, and he has to earn to take her back.

After jotting down some stuffs, I explain my works to her. She reads it carefully and after minutes she finally says. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yes. This plans will work."

"You do think that? There's no error?"

"No, I can't find anything unsafe in your ideas. And this will work because this time of the year is perfect for us. He'll come here right after the army as soon as he hear that I am being captured."

We arrive at the village the next day and come to the Cathedral to have a talk with their priests. We meet Father Faria, the Main Priest of the church and he seems really vulnerable.

"I went to Alvarez two months ago to have a meeting with their Cardinals as usual. But then they started asking me about the Aspro Stone of our church, and they seemed to be craving it. The Aspro Stone is a magic stone that is given to us centuries ago and it has been protecting our land since then. If we lost it, our home would too."

"What power does it have that those people want?" Lucerna asks.

"Legends say that this stone is a gift from a God. A hundred years ago She handed it to our ancestors for having been treating this land well in generations. The stone blessed our land with everything man would have wanted: water, food, light and jewels. Hence, there are thieves who have been invading our home to get the Stone, but no one can get near it without being burned by its fire."

"So this Aspro Stone has power to bless your land and also prevent you from enemies. Why are you worried about the Alvarez Invading?" I wonder.

"Private news revealed that they sent a member of Spriggan Twelve as General of the coming army. I'm afraid The Stone will be submissive to their power." The Priest says while leading us into the church. We come to a Hall where there's a pedestal holding a white crystal stone on it. The thin light from a small window of the ceiling above makes the Stone shines brightly.

Such a beautiful gem I've ever seen.

Lucerna seems to be surprised as me. Because she's staring at the Stone with that infatuated look. Then, in an instance, she glances at me nervously and then turns her eyes back to the Priest. "When exactly will they come for the stone?". She asks.

"About that…" The Priest is interrupted by a boy who runs to us while screaming.

"Father! There're ships approaching our land!"

"Jesus! They've come already?" The Priest gasps and he runs to the tower outside the church with us followed.

From the tower, I can just take in that there are not just a thousand Alvarez soldiers, they must be up to ten thousand and god knows how strong they can be. Just take a look at their ships, which must be counted to 15, and most of them have dropped their anchor. And to make things worse, I can see a lone rider coming near the village.

"They're here now, if we do nothing the villagers will…" The Priest panics.

"No, not yet. They've just come. They won't swing into action right away without negotiation." Lucerna says calmly. "That rider." She points at the incoming soldier. "He runs here just to have a talk."

"So what do we do?" The Priest asks when we runs down the tower.

"Please take your villagers somewhere safe and far from this valley. That's all we need." I say.

"Do you need anyone for backing up?"

"No, I don't want any harms to your people. Believe us, we have a plan." I grin and then we leave the Cathedral and make our way to the village.