A/N: Editing all chapters to include like sort of image of chapter cover. You just have to imagine it. Somehow, it makes me more focus on the story or at least I remember the theme of it.

Chapter cover: The moon and the blinking stars of the Maple World shone brightly in the sky with two avians flying in the domains of the sky – one white owl with a cut across the right eye – while the second bird, a white dove with a small scroll tied to one of its legs.

…

The strange trio made their way through the labyrinth with the creator of the Bounded Field leading the siblings. They were quiet for the whole journey, save for the sound of Aozaki's heels clicking the marble tiles. Soon, the marble tiles were replaced by green linoleum tiles. Gradually, the shoutings from the two Heroes faded as they went further into the labyrinth. Soon, instead of a single file, the siblings walked side-by-side as the space became wider, and they stopped at a huge oak double door.

Aozaki reached her hand out and suddenly clenched it. The doors flung open and the cool breeze blew them. Aozaki turned around with her hands on her hips with a stern look.

"Be careful,"

"…what?" came Lea's reply, but Aozaki was inside. The siblings exchanged looks and in unison, they stepped into the new room and gasped when Aozaki lit up the torches. The ceilings were high, and there were countless decorative glass windows – each of them had at least one serpent-like creature in the sky, looking proudly at the people below.

Strangely, they have different colors – was it accidental?

For once, Jake had a grim look on his face as his eyes darted around suspiciously at every object – particularly the pillars which had a strange carving of a serpentine creature. They had passed a second subset of the Bounded Field which surrounded the alchemist's hidden lab.

Calling Aozaki's lab a labyrinth is not far from the truth. Hell, the months they lived temporarily in this lab – even now there was bound to have parts even the creator herself did not explore.

Aozaki's lab is connected to the sewers of Magatia – and from Aozaki's claim, it was practically empty except for a mountain of raw mana stored in S-grade jewels.

Where are they now, Aozaki wasn't sure, because the next thing she knew, the jewels vanished from her sight and were transported to somewhere else via space magic. That piqued her curiosity and one of the reasons why the alchemist is so focused on the Imaginary Element; Space.

"Jake," Lea's voice rang throughout the long hall, bringing back Jake to reality. There was an edge in her voice, and even Aozaki has stopped walking altogether. Then, the smell of singeing flesh reached his nose and the siblings stared at Aozaki's charred hand. Fifty metres away from Aozaki were a metal double door. For a moment, a barrier shimmered into existence with the light bouncing away from it.

The alchemist turned around with a hiss. "We can't go on. Looks like you have to deal with your sparring here."

Lea pointed at the charred hand which Aozaki was cradling. It's hard to believe the Aozaki they see now is just one of the realistic puppets of the real Aozaki. How many puppets she has – the siblings can only guess. "Can't you fix it?"

Aozaki heaved a heavy sigh. "Without my tools, I cannot fix it. Unless you destroy my brain first – then my next puppet in line will come here instead." She narrowed her eyes lightly at Lea who was seriously considering the second option.

Without warning, Lea sprinted forward, leaving zero time for Jake to react. Lea's eyes burned with the intent to kill as an unsheathed dagger was in her hand and she lobbed Aozaki's head off. It rolled across the floor with red liquid staining the floor.

"It should work…" Lea muttered and watched Aozaki's head. The puppet head's eyelids which were close fluttered open. At the same time, the puppet body had fallen backwards into the shimmering barrier and was burned until there was nothing left.

Jake had to stifle a scream.

Lea sighed and picked up Aozaki's head by the ashen hair; the first obviously disgusted by her current action. "The brain…"

Lea tossed the head in the air and switched her dagger position and changed her stance into a throwing stance. It went high up and gravity took over; causing it to fall.

Casually, Lea flicked her knife just in time to impale Aozaki's skull onto one of the carved pillars. The red liquid stained the main body of the serpentine creature. Jake cringed at the sight – by Rhinne's robes, can't Lea do it cleaner?

Jake unslung his staff, anger twisting his usual gentle features as he watched Lea pulling the dagger from the head. He was angry – at himself – at his family – and at her kidnapper, although wiped off from existence.

They were the ones who made Lea the way she is right now. Although she still retained her kindness, with a flick of a switch – she became merciless and sadistic.

The lifeless head fell to the ground with a thud, which echoed in the long hall.

"Let's spar…" She sounded tired, but she moved to her position and readied herself.

Jake didn't answer, but nod.

XXX

Jake unleashed his frustration and rage in the sparring. Every spell he used and utter were fierce and harsh, and more powerful than his usual as it was fueled by his rage. He knew it wasn't a good idea, but he didn't want to keep his emotions in check.

He was supposed to be the calmest among the group – the voice of peace and love. Yes, he is kind and gentle – like a calm sea, which aids the shipfarers to their destination.

Yet, at the same time – he hates his family and himself. His rage was like a tidal wave, threatening to break free of his body.

"ARGH!" Jake shouted as he unleashed three holy arrows; they shone gold instead of pale yellow like most bishops as Jake's mana quality was A+ rated – and it missed the target as it hit the bricked wall behind her. The target had jumped up and backflipped onto one of the golden arrows, standing as easy as balancing (that's Lea's flexibility, thought Jake) and stared down at Jake with a concern etched in her features.

Jake stared at her, she didn't attempt to counter at all.

"What's wrong with you?" Her tone was harsh, and her mouth was a thin line.

Jake replied by summoning the angel's wings to aid him. The shining white angel's wings sprouted from his back and a glyph appeared underneath Lea's feet. The latter widened her eyes and jumped out just in time for a ray of white light to shoot out from the glyph.

Lea snarled and reversed her grip. She ran up a pillar and used it to aid her in her free-running as she used reinforcement on her feet. To normal people, she would look like a blur.

Even though Lea was moving at the speed of mach 3, he could see it due to their past sparrings when Lea was still living with him.

Fighting against half-demons also trained his kinetic vision as they were faster than an average human like Jake.

However, even a high-caliber mage like him could make a mistake. Lea can be sly if she chooses to, and right now – she's in it. For a moment, Jake saw red highlights on Lea's obsidian hair; and his eyes narrowed lightly.

Then, a cackle came behind him. Jake barely put up his holy magic shell – a last resort for defense – when Lea struck; her right's sclera was black and the iris were golden yellow. For twenty seconds, he's invulnerable to any attacks – including physical.

"Damn, it's been a long time since I move this body around," Lea's voice drawled. Her eyes were slightly wider than usual, and there was an insane and an amused spark in them. Unless his eyes were playing tricks on its own, there was a tinge of pink in her left eye, mixed with black.

He felt his throat constricted. He met this version of Lea once when he was younger, and his body tensed. His grip tightened.

"Nameless," Jake hissed bitterly.

Nameless smiled and nodded. "Hello, Lea lent me her body for a while. I know the situation, so…" She spun the blade around her fingers expertly, with a confident smirk on her face.

Jake growled. Lea rarely smiles a genuine happy and content smile – even when Lea smiles; it was either forced or in a silly way – sometimes teasingly, not that it is a bad thing, but it was as if the torture taken her ability to smile happily.

But the inner demon smiled so easily, but there was malice underneath it except it was toned down with Jake. It-slash-she knew Jake wouldn't hurt Lea if he could help it.

The holy magic shell shimmered before it shattered into pieces as the spell was broken. Jake clutched his chest.

"Playtime is over." Jake muttered.

"Oh, ho, ho…" Nameless was amused by his bold statement, and her unarmed hand twitched. The flames went out.

The only source of light was the faint glow of Jake's staff and their golden flecks in their eyes – or in Nameless's case, the right golden iris – and a slight reddish-pink in Nameless's left eye.

Nameless closed her eyes, and Jake lost sight of her.

Jake cussed colorfully when he was shoved forward. He turned around just in time to get hit by Nameless's fist. The world went red for a moment. His left cheek throbbing, he glanced around with slightly narrowed eyes.

There was nothing, as if the air was stale.

He heard a sigh beside him. It was Nameless – and Jake took the opening to swing his staff above her head. Nameless caught it between her palms with an amused smirk.

"You suck at fighting in the dark – no wonder Lea always assigns you with people with superb night vision, or someone who can sense life energy."

Sensing mana was one thing – sensing life energy is on a completely different level.

Jake opened his mouth to ask about the technique, only to be cut off when he was forced backwards as Lea gained the upper hand during their clash. Jake cursed his bad footing when he landed on his ass – hard.

Then, the sharp edge of the dagger was placed where his carotid artery is – and Jake gulped, but not releasing his staff to surrender.

Nameless smiled sinisterly – it was creepy with her closed eyelids.

That was the last thing he saw when an excruciating pain shot him from his leg. His left leg felt as it was melting. The world went red and yellow, then black.