Chapter 78: Overcome Your Weakness
Disclaimer:
Hi guys! Sorry about the very late update but a few things happened that prevented me from uploading this earlier than I would've liked to. I had actually completed this chapter weeks ago since I like being a few chapters ahead of where the story is but when I re-read through this one, I didn't like how it was so I rewrote it entirely…
Then, I kind of had writer's block where nothing really worked for me so I took a break. I watched a lot of TV and started The Walking Dead. I managed to get to season six before I resumed writing this chapter again.
After a few more days, I completed this chapter and well, here you guys go! Sorry about the wait and I hope you enjoy :).
The sky was ashen with a red haze mixed in. To one side, there was the Eye of the Midnight Sun fighting against the Magic Knights and were the main cause of the fiery skies. On the other side was the Diamond Kingdom army, flying in the air and nearing in to cause havoc.
"He-Help… us…",
"Don't g-go…",
"... Please…".
The pleads of the witches rang around the forest as Mariella ran through. She was rushing past them, eager to get to Fanzell and Domina and to help with the defence against the Diamond Kingdom.
"I've got to get to Teacher to help but… all of these witches around me… I can't just stop for them", she thought to herself, clutching her fists in frustration.
The assassin ran further until a lone voice broke her train of thought. She grinded to a halt and turned to face the witch that reached out to her. She was trapped underneath a fallen log.
"... I don't want to… be weak… anymore…", a witch said with a broken voice. She extended her right arm towards Mariella but it dropped soon after as she fell unconscious.
The Ice mage sighed heavily and was going to turn to continue on her path but another look at the witch stopped her again. She had long, messy, black hair and a white clothing on. It wasn't to say that she looked like what Mariella used to but it was enough for her to remember something from all those years ago.
FLASHBACK - FOUR YEARS AGO:
"I finally… won…". Mystic was out of breath as she looked down on the floor. Sweat dropped from her forehead to stain the dry ground beneath her.
She was on top of the mountain that she had been visiting frequently ever since her failed mission with Fanzell, Mars, and Ladros. Mystic was in the middle of the small graveyard and right underneath her foot was the little girl that she had finally managed to defeat.
"Get… off me!" Mariella screamed and struggled as she tried to move. However, Mystic's force was too great and she couldn't escape. "I told you… If you left me alongside my parents, then I would've left you alone. I won't have people building on top of this mountain since this is the place where my parents and I lived…", the black-haired girl pleaded as she stopped wriggling around.
"You embarrassed me in front of my teammates and my reputation is suffering because of it!" The Illusion mage shouted back, standing still and looking down.
Mystic stared at the defeated mage but the anger she had for her didn't subside. Instead, she decided to take it a step further as her grimoire started to glow white. "This is what you deserve…", she thought sadistically. She started to use her second attribute against the little girl. "Okay… let's look through her memories to see what I can really use to break her".
As soon as the white aura emerged, showing that her Memory Magic was in use, she saw the things that were important to the little girl but instead of using them to her benefit, she just stopped completely as the memories flew by in quick flashes.
They included seeing a run-down shack which was right next to the area where they were fighting and it was where Mariella grew up with her mother and father.
The little girl's parents struggled to live but they did for Mariella. They searched for food, worked long hours for little pay, but still put on a smile for their daughter.
Then, one day, Mariella found them dead right next to their home.
"Holy shit…", Mystic gasped as she took a step backwards. She had lifted her foot from the little girl's back but she didn't react. Her spirit and will was broken and she didn't retaliate.
"... I don't want to… be weak… anymore…", she whimpered. She slammed her right fist down onto the ground and right next to her hand was the ice dagger she used for combat.
The Dual mage bent down next to Mariella and spoke calmly. She sighed and shook her head. "You want this place left alone because it's the last place your parents were and the fact you grew up here, right?"
Not questioning how this soldier knew this information, she just nodded. The little girl was the weakest she had ever been in front of Mystic, both mentally and physically.
"You want to protect this place?"
Another nod from the black-haired girl.
Mystic knew this was wrong and that her reputation would suffer even more if she went through with what she was thinking. She tried to stop herself but she couldn't after witnessing her memories. There was a big part of her that likened herself to Mariella and that her plight could easily have been the same as her own if things went differently.
"My own parents are alive but they're…", she shook her head. "... Anyway, I can't kill her so should I make a case for her back at HQ? Morris and Ren might not like it but maybe Commander Fanzell can help? I'm risking everything here but… I can't just kill her and if I leave her be, some of the others will just come because of the disturbances…". Mystic then spoke again but after a deep breath, knowing what she was getting herself into.
"If you want to be stronger, then come with me".
FLASHBACK - END
With a deep breath she turned back round to help the witches. "If it wasn't for Mystic, I wouldn't be strong like I am now… I guess… it's time for me to help someone else".
Meanwhile, Fanzell was busy fighting against the Diamond Kingdom's soldiers that were in the air. He travelled on his wind platform whilst summoning different creation spells to help in his fight. "Wind Creation Magic: Emperor of Slashing Winds - Winter Wind!"
The spell he summoned created multiple wind swords around the red-haired fugitive. He flew through the air on his own wind platform and passed Ladros who was quite surprised.
"I'll leave Mars and Ladros for later. First of all, the lackeys need taking care of!" He said to himself as he soared the skies.
The Winter Wind swords attacked the rest of the soldiers, sending a few of them to the ground from the turbulence, whilst a lot of the others were stabbed straight through which still led to them falling to their demise.
All the while, Fanzell was dodging the incoming magical bullets from the remaining soldiers who managed to evade his initial attack. There was Flame Magic, Water Magic, Lightning Magic, as well as many more that the man had to manoeuvre to continue his attack.
"These guys aren't difficult to deal with. It's just the fact that there's too many of them for just me… But, I'll do the best that I can!" Fanzell declared.
"Come on, you idiots! You can't let this washed-up fugitive take the upper hand. We need to show that the Diamond Kingdom is strong!" One grunt said as he rushed forwards on his floating broom.
"You're right!"
"Let's rush him!"
A group of 10 soldiers flew ahead, dodging Fanzell's attacks. They were ready to attack altogether and it looked like the man didn't have a counter for them initially but that was when his grimoire flicked to another page.
"Wind Creation Magic: Emperor of Slashing Winds - Mountain Wind!"
Fanzell shouted and a strong gust of wind wrapped around his white sword. With one swift motion, he sent the full force of it in front which hit all of the enemies backwards at once, leaving himself unscathed.
The red-haired man continued his attacks over and over against the rest of the grunts until there were only a few remaining. He had single-handedly taken out most of the Diamond Kingdom's soldiers and it didn't even look like he had any trouble in doing so. All the while, Mars and Ladros stayed still as they watched their former commander showcase his strength.
"Still the same as he was back then, ay Mars?" Ladros asked, relaxed as can be.
"His strength hasn't faltered. He taught us well and because he was our role model, we listened", Mars replied. "We learned a lot from him and not just about battle".
"Hm, you're showing him respect? I can admire that to an extent but since he defected, all his teaching about morals and such were for naught. I hope you understand that", Ladros explained.
After that, Mars was silent yet again. It looked like he was troubled with what his co-Shining General said but he didn't argue the fact.
Following this, and a few minutes after, it looked like Fanzell had taken out all of the grunts that he was fighting. With none left that he could see, he finally turned to the two Shining Generals, clutching at his sword tightly.
However, before he could fully focus on the two, the male with blond hair wagged his index finger from right to left as if to say 'no'.
"Now, Teach. You've gotten careless in your battles", he mocked.
As he said this, the fallen soldiers that he had defeated rose up once again. They were clearly injured with stab wounds over their bodies as well as slashes across their chests, yet they seemed to find the strength to get up and fight again.
"Impossible…", Fanzell said with an audible gasp.
"Nope, it's completely possible! The Diamond Kingdom has undergone some big changes with each and every soldier going through tough training and even though it looks like they're on their last legs, they'll still pose a problem. See if you can handle them!" Ladros laughed.
"Oh, is that right?"
A voice called out from below but it was masked by the trees. The enemy didn't seem to recognise it but Fanzell knew just who called out.
Suddenly, multiple little humanoid creatures started appearing out of the forest, one-by-one. There was nothing quite like it and with a shout from the very same voice, they all fired powerful magical bullets, all hitting the enemies that had come up for round two.
"Well, I may have spoken too soon…". Ladros scratched the back of his head with a little chuckle.
The little creatures were all of the forest's defence golems that patrolled the area to search for any unwanted visitors. Fortunately enough, they weren't attacking Fanzell and that was because they had been reprogrammed.
On the ground, the familiar face of his fiancee popped through the dark, ashen shadows. She wore a confident smile and her hands were on her hips.
"And that's the work of a master craftsman for you… or a craftswoman, I guess? Eh, same thing, really". She shrugged as she walked closer. Above her was her husband and a few yards away was the duo of Mars and Ladros.
"I see now. It was Teach's girlfriend. That explains it", Ladros sighed.
"Girlfriend? Huh, I'll have you know that I'm one stage ahead of that title!" Domina shouted from down below, puffing out her cheeks.
"This is really not the time, Love…", Fanzell face-palmed.
Domina continued and it turned into a rant. "I'm actually his fiancee", she nodded with confidence. "I was able to rewire those golems to only attack you", she praised herself as she twirled a screwdriver around her fingers. "Unfortunately, there was only one consequence that came from that…". Domina dropped down on her knees as it looked like she was about to cry.
Out of nowhere, she brought out a huge, brown bag and set it down beside her. She opened it up for all to see. "All my trinkets to change the golems' wiring… I have none left", she exclaimed, showing the bag off to everyone else.
Fanzell just ended up smiling. Seeing his fiancee, even at a time like this was comforting and now that she had taken care of the distractions, he knew what he needed to do now. With a nod to Domina, he charged back and confronted Ladros.
"Wind Binding Magic: Emperor of Slashing Winds - Whirlwind!"
Fanzell shot out four clusters of wind that each attached to Ladros's arms and legs, pulling them away from each other so that he couldn't move. The fugitive then floated closer and asked him a question.
"Ladros, I'll give you one chance and one chance only. Will you stop the killing or will you continue on this path?" He asked, pointing his sword at him.
The Shining General took a few seconds to think before replying. It didn't even look like the Wind Magic affected him with how he kept his smile up the entire time. "Hm…", he said quietly before raising his voice to the max. "... I'm obviously going to do whatever I want and that includes killing anyone who's in my way!"
"I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this to my former student but now I have a duty to the ones I need to protect!Wind Creation Magic: Emperor of Slashing Winds - Gale!" Fanzell shouted as he coated himself and his sword in a powerful gust of wind.
The magic formed a spiral around him and he charged forwards with the weapon right in front. Without even a second passing, the full force of the attack landed right in the centre of Ladros's chest and the wind around them both crashed forwards, constantly hurting the Diamond Kingdom native.
"AHH!" He let out a loud shout of pain as he looked to be in the middle of being consumed by the Wind Magic. Everyone looked to see what was happening and, as the seconds went by, the screaming eventually became quieter until there was no sound coming from the enemy's mouth.
Fanzell and Domina were hopeful in seeing Ladros defeated but their feeling was short-lived as his teammate came down to attack, prompting the former to retreat a few paces back.
"Mineral Creation Magic: Laevateinn!" Mars exclaimed as a large sword made out of crystal minerals formed in the air and made a slashing motion towards the fugitive who dodged it in the nick of time.
The mage with two attributes stood between Fanzell and the seemingly-defeated Ladros with his sword ready to move at any second.
A weak voice came from behind him and he turned his gaze to check.
"Wow, look at you protecting me even though you hate the sight of me. Surprising, to say the least", Ladros chuckled.
"It wasn't always like that but whatever. If you die, then the mission becomes harder, that's all. I'd like to think we can rely on Mystic but her emotions get the better of her more often than not", Mars replied, not returning the light-heartedness.
"Ah, yeah, Mystic. Well, thankfully…", he said as he turned his voice into a whisper. "... That attack didn't do anything to me… You should know that was all a trick", he grinned as he moved past Mars to confront Fanzell once again.
"He's unaffected…?!" Both Fanzell and Domina thought in unison, getting into more of a defensive stance.
"You've gotten stronger, I'll tell you that. The thing is… I'm just way past your level!" Ladros curled up in a ball all of a sudden which made Mars cover himself in his mineral armour. Bright lights started to emanate from Ladros as time went by.
"What's happening?" Fanzell asked, also getting further and further away.
"Your own magic… let's see how well you do against it!" Suddenly, he unleashed the power he was building up in a quick flash. He was no longer curled up and now his position was that of a star with his arms and legs stretched out wide. His smile became even more sadistic and he licked his lips with his tongue before shouting…
"Million Lasers!"
A white orb formed around Ladros and millions of lasers shot out of it all at once. They surrounded the entire area with its destructive capabilities, levelling out the space they were in. Trees fell to the ground and were almost completely destroyed. There were holes the size of craters in the previously-grassy floor and in the aftermath of all this, there was dust scattered everywhere.
As the dust settled, Domina saw what was left of the section of the forest they were in. It was relatively nothing but the uneven ground surrounded by the fallen debris of the foliage around them. In front of her were the collective bodies of the defence golems she had rewired that protected her from the blast. Unfortunately though, they were all destroyed as they crumbled to the ground.
"That spell was so strong…", Domina thought as her eyes got accustomed to the new environment. She looked around but quickly saw something that made her distraught. It was the sight of her fiance face down on the floor. "Oh no, Love!"
She ran across towards her husband but was stopped in her tracks by the one who casted the powerful spell. He swooped in and picked the craftswoman up and put her over his shoulder as if she was a bag.
"Let… go of her…!" Fanzell struggled to say as he raised his head. His eyes were burning with anger but he couldn't do much because of his injuries.
Domina struggled to wriggle free and she kept trying to punch Ladros in order for him to let go of her but it was useless as he didn't feel any pain from her.
"Don't bother trying to hurt me. I'm the strongest I've ever been and that display of magic from me was just the start", Ladros smiled.
He then walked towards the fallen fugitive and bent down to speak to him as if he was an adult to a child. "My magic was quite different if you remember correctly. I have no attribute but my strength and power has always been something you shouldn't mess with".
"... I know that. Of course, I do! I worked with you… so that you could still become strong even without a main attribute. You were different from the rest and that meant you couldn't be accepted as a Dual mage but… with your tenacity and your willingness to succeed, you became strong in your own right!" Fanzell shouted, trying to get through to Ladros.
"Wow, thanks for all the compliments! That would've meant something to me if you never left us…", he stood up and walked back to where he was, still with Domina in tow. "Honestly, I remember all your talk about bonds, protecting people, being kind and whatnot… but that all died when you deserted us", he replied as his voice mellowed down. "After that, I got accustomed to the real way of doing things and that was to display your strength at all costs and make others do your bidding. Once I got that in my head, I became stronger and stronger until I realised just what my magic could do!" He shouted, as his crazed tone returned quickly.
"What we saw just now… is that what you learned to do?" Fanzell asked, connecting the dots.
"Correct! I overcame my weakness and the final thing that cemented my worth are the gemstones that Morris and Ren implanted in me!" He pointed to both his forehead and the centre of his chest. "My magical ability allows me to absorb magic and then fire it out with even more power. My body is like a circuit which channels the mana around and then when it's about to overload, I release it all", he nodded.
Fanzell lowered his head as he thought on what to do but he knew that every second counted when Domina's life was on the line. Yet, all he could do right now was plead with the Shining General.
"I… understand, Ladros. I shouldn't have left in the way I did but I promise you there were good reasons for it. Perhaps I should've told you and the others but I couldn't be in that kingdom one second longer. Ladros, please, you have to understand. Let Domina go!" The former commander asked, raising his voice.
Mars looked over at Ladros with a side-eye, assuming he would listen. "We have Master Fanzell and when we get the Witch Queen, we can bring both of them back. There's no need for bloodshed".
Unfortunately, much to the horror of both Fanzell and Mars, Ladros didn't want to listen to the man who he thought abandoned them.
"You know what? Fine, I'll let her go", he said before throwing her body in the air. Straight after this, he pointed his hands towards Domina's descending body and fired his white magic at the woman. "I still had a bit of your own magic left in me. What a sight it'll be to see your wife die at the hands of the magic you gave me, hahaha!" He cackled.
As if time froze, Fanzell and Domina locked eyes with each other. The former was screaming and shouting and he reached forwards whilst the latter's face was full of fear and sadness. Ladros's magic was about to hit the woman but someone else started to move just in the nick of time.
It was Mars and right before he did what he did, he remembered what Fanzell taught him all those years ago.
FLASHBACK - MANY YEARS AGO:
"Listen, Mars, you're quite strong but you hold back your power because you worry about hurting others. It's a nice trait to have but it can get in the way of your missions", Fanzell said as he rustled Mars's spiky hair.
"But… I don't want to hurt other people if I can avoid it. I don't… want others to face pain", the teenager replied, lowering his head and facing the ground.
The two were part of a bigger group just outside the Diamond Kingdom's main castle. There was a courtyard where the young soldiers would train and be taught and Fanzell was in the middle of helping his students out.
Next to Fanzell and Mars were Ladros who stuck to the side but kept up with his training program. He watched as the two had their conversation and he walked up to them.
"Listen Mars, you should listen to what Commander Fanzell is saying. He's taught me well and I don't even have an attribute!" Ladros said with a smile as he wrapped his arm around the Mineral mage. "If hurting others is what it takes to be strong, then I guess you need to do that".
Fanzell sighed hearing this and quickly karate-chopped the middle of Ladros's head. "Now, that's not the right way of going about things, you know that. You should always use your power to protect others even if it might not be the easiest thing to do. You can't just think about yourself if you want to succeed".
Rubbing his head and wincing, Ladros eventually nodded. "You could've said that instead of giving me a headache…".
"Hey, I can be stern when I need to be", Fanzell winked. He waved the teen away and he resumed his own training while he looked back at Mars.
"I don't know if I can be strong like you or Ladros. I just… don't have it in me", he shrugged his shoulders, still looking down.
Fanzell stood up straight and put his hands on his hips. He looked around and spotted someone in the distance and a slow smirk appeared on his mouth. He put a hand on his student's shoulder.
"What about Fana over there?" He motioned with his eyes. "Don't you want to protect her, even if things seem impossible?"
Mars's face went red as he blushed. He shook his head furiously but his words portrayed another thing. "Of… Of course, I will!" He said, trying not to look at the pink-haired girl in the distance.
"A handful of you have been chosen for some competition in a few weeks time and I'll bet you'll have to show your strength then. Morris or Ren haven't told me the details but you just have to try your best", Fanzell added.
"I… I'll try", Mars replied with some confidence.
"Think about it like this. If you don't have the necessary strength to protect the ones you care about, then it'll be too late. And, if you don't show that strength, then you lose. Think about what's important to you, Mars", the red-haired teacher smiled.
"Protect the ones I care about…".
FLASHBACK - END
Then, Mars's mind went back to the phrase that he remembered all those months ago. It was after the dungeon mission where he fought against Lucas, Asta, and Yuno and where his mind started to clear up again. He pictured a young Fana beside him and the two were looking outside a window.
"We were born to protect everyone in this country".
Ladros's magic was inches away from ending Domina's life and all Fanzell could do was watch. The Shining General was cackling to himself but not even a full second later, he stopped as what Mars did shocked him.
"Mineral Creation Magic: Laevateinn!"
The large mineral sword emerged and blocked Ladros's attack completely. Mars had started to move as soon as his co-Shining General fired his magic which meant he made it in time to protect Domina. She fell into the Mineral mage's arms and he turned to face Fanzell, his former teacher.
"Master, I remembered what you taught me… My magic exists to protect other people, don't worry". The mage then turned to the side and looked to the sky, smiling. "Fana, your words… they helped bring me back".
Teary-eyed, Fanzell started to smile as he saw his wife's saviour in front of him. "Mars…", he sniffled. "You always were a slow learner…!"
Ladros dropped his shoulders and his voice lowered to a serious tone. He sighed heavily before addressing the turn of events. "Just what do you think you're doing, Mars?"
"Our magic should be used to protect others and that's what Master Fanzell taught us. It just took me… a long time to remember that".
"There you go spouting rubbish, just like Teach there…", he shook his head and then lowered it. "Actually… This is perfect! I get to show the kingdom that I'm the best Shining General around. They're already on the verge of giving up on Mystic and if Mars is defecting then… It only serves my purposes!"
Ladros slowly raised his head and made eye contact with Mars. He smiled with his eyes closed before jumping backwards all of a sudden. He pointed his arm at Mars and shot out a magical bullet. "You've given me the perfect opportunity to finally kill you!"
"Mineral Creation Magic: Laevateinn!" Mars shouted and deflected the bullet away. "I knew you had animosity for me but I didn't know how much you were itching for something like this", he said sternly. Mars then motioned the large construct towards Fanzell and had him move onto the face of it. Quickly, he pulled the sword towards himself and reunited the two lovers together.
However, they didn't get a moment to check if the other was alright as Ladros went on a bullet-firing spree. He didn't want to give them a chance to escape so he started to get serious with his attacks.
Mars got in front of the two and commanded his sword against Ladros. With his free arm, he pointed it back. A red aura started to glow around him and then subsequently Fanzell and Domina.
"Flame Recovery Magic: Phoenix Robe!"
A rejuvenating and calm flame surrounded the two as their injuries started to heal.
"Of course. Mars's grimoire was combined with… Fana's all those years ago and he has access to those spells", Fanzell remembered with a tinge of sadness.
"Love, we've got to be strong now especially since it looks like Mars is on our side. Let's get this over and done with!" Domina encouraged, earning a nod from her fiance.
Whilst Mars was fighting, he addressed Fanzell and asked for help. "Master, to defeat Ladros we need some powerful magic. He explained it earlier but his body can overload when met with exceptional, or too much, magic. Is there anything around that ca-!"
His question was answered just as he asked it. However, it didn't come from Fanzell but a gush of powerful mana in the distance that stopped not only him but Ladros as they turned to look at what it was.
Near the centre of the Witches' Forest, a blast of Flame Magic erupted all around, burning away the trees and leaves around it. The group couldn't make out what exactly was happening, but they did see the huge lizard in the sky causing it.
"Is that the Flame Spirit?" Mars asked, shocked with wide eyes.
"Yep. The Eye of the Midnight Sun has it and the people we were with are against the-! Actually…", Domina lowered her voice. "... We can use Salamander against Ladros!
Hearing that, Mars turned around and started running alongside Fanzell and Domina. The red-haired man summoned his wind platform which all three got on and started to fly away.
"Oh, no you don't!" Ladros shouted as he chased after on his broomstick. As he followed the three, he generated some magic in his palms and fired it out straight in front. Mars had the back covered but it still looked like some of the magic would get through.
"Now, everyone!"
The magical bullets were met with tons of resistance with all different types of magic countering it. A voice came from the shadows and behind her was an army of injured witches all pointing their wands at Ladros. They formed a wall in between him and the three of Mars, Fanzell, and Domina.
"That voice…!" Fanzell and Domina said as they saw who emerged from the side. It was Mariella and she was commanding a group of witches alongside her.
"Get going, you three! We'll buy you time while you do what you need to do". The Ice mage turned her head back and focused on the attribute-less mage. "The usual greeting is 'nice to see you again' but then that'd be a lie, wouldn't it?"
Ladros gritted his teeth as he charged up an even bigger blast of magic before firing it at the witches. "Don't think you weaklings can stop someone like me!"
"We'll make you regret ever stepping foot in our home!" The witches all shouted in sync before retaliating with their own magic.
Fanzell watched in awe as if seeing Mariella like this was out of the ordinary. "To think she'd actually work alongside others like that. It took ages for her to get used to us but…", he then started to proudly smile.
Mariella turned around again and shouted; "Go!" Her voice was enough to break Fanzell out of his proud dad moment and he focused once more. The Ice mage's eyes met the Mineral mage's and all she offered was a nod of her head to show her acknowledgement.
Mars returned the gesture and then the other two of Fanzell and Domina wasted no more time as they closed in on the Flame Spirit's magic.
"Water Creation Magic: Sea Dragon's Roar!" Noelle generated the head of a blue dragon from the tip of her wand. As it got bigger, she released it all at once towards the enemy who stood opposite her.
Shidan remained confident with his eerie smile that seemed to never falter. Instead of countering the royal's magic, the enemy moved his root-like arms and placed a witch right in front of where the water dragon was going to hit.
"Ah, crap!" Noelle cursed and pointed her wand off elsewhere, directing her spell in a random direction so that she wouldn't hurt the witch.
"Hahaha! To think a royal from the Clover Kingdom is having this much trouble against someone like me! Perhaps a promotion is due for me?" Shidan praised himself as he chuckled.
"It's not exactly fair when you're using those witches as shields against me. Fight me properly and then see if you're worth a promotion!" Noelle argued, readying her wand once more.
This exchange had been going on for a while as the ground around them had been soaked with Noelle's Water Magic and there were puddles forming which the two were stepping through. The Black Bull had no help even considering that there was a second Magic Knight right behind her.
Daisy was struggling to keep up with what was going on. Her breathing was out of rhythm and her eyes were pulsating with shock as if she had no idea on what to do. Despite Noelle's efforts to snap her back to reality, she just reverted into doing nothing.
"But… I'll have to admit. This is getting slightly boring. That girl behind you is doing nothing, so I can end this for all of us, if you'd like?" The robed mage offered. His grimoire flicked through a set of pages and then started glowing a darker-green colour.
"Plant Magic: Forest-Scaled Whip!" Shidan flung one of the witches that he had his root-like arms around towards Noelle with a quick flick of his wrist. He laughed as he did which was only countered by the scream of the witch he was using.
Noelle dodged by jumping to the side. However, as Shidan's attack hit the ground, the witch let out a shout of pain, frustrating the Magic Knight who evaded. She quickly fired a blast of water at Shidan but since it wasn't an attack spell of any kind, it didn't do any damage.
Shidan repeated this pattern again with the same result ensuing. Noelle realised that even if she dodged the attack, the witches in his grasp would be hurt so it was a lose-lose situation.
"If only Daisy wasn't so out of it…! I just need a few seconds to get her to help but this guy is relentless!" Noelle sighed as she tried to figure out a plan. "For now, I'll just…".
The enemy flung his wrist again, trying to hurt the silver-haired Magic Knight. The witch started to scream and Noelle dodged once again. However, just before she hit the ground, Noelle pointed her wand.
"Water Creation Magic: Sea Dragon's Nest!" A half-dome of water surrounded the falling witch, trapping her within the royal's magic.
Shidan tried to bring her out of the defensive spell but it only ended up ripping his connection with her. The Plant Magic he had used to wrap his arms around her broke off, leaving him with one less witch and subsequently one less tool to use against Noelle.
"Phew… I'm so glad that worked but I can't get complacent. It's not like that'll keep working so I have to think of another plan!" The Magic Knight started to run and tried to get Shidan following how she wanted things to go.
Meanwhile, Daisy was watching things unfold, cursing herself for being so weak at a time like this.
"I joined Noelle because I wanted to help. These witches need me to be at my best and if I'm not, then… the Witch Queen won't give me what I need. Just what… is stopping me?!"
FLASHBACK - A FEW HOURS PRIOR:
"My mother is dead but I know she did everything for me", Daisy said as she turned to Vanessa beside her.
"But you did nothing for me. Instead, you forced me into your own mould…", Vanessa continued as she tightened the gloves around her arms. "You will teach me this magic and you will do it because you owe me!"
Daisy and Vanessa locked eyes with the eerie Witch Queen who sat on her throne in front of them, elevated and staring right back at the two trespassers. There was silence in the air after the Black Bull said what she said.
"It looks like my daughter has to be disciplined along with the outsider. I'll show you just who is right and who… is wrong!" The Queen screamed, raising her grimoire next to her.
The two Magic Knights gulped but were ready to fight. Vanessa put her right arm across Daisy and turned to face her just before the fight went underway.
"Daisy, follow my lead. We don't have a chance if we fight individually but there's a chance together!"
"You got it, Vanessa!"
"Blood Magic: Life Siphon". The Witch Queen sent a red spider's web in the air which had thin, red veins of her Blood Magic fall down towards the floor. Both mages were right below it and were going to be hit if they didn't react.
"Thread Magic: Spinning Weave!" Vanessa countered the Queen's magic with her own threads. She spun her own web and put it up above her and Daisy, making the dripping blood from the Life Siphon reflect off. She then gave a nod to Daisy who knew what the pink-haired mage wanted from her.
Daisy looked above and pointed her arms in the same direction. Her grimoire came up next to her and she summoned; "Ice Magic: Frozen Quake!" She slammed her hands down onto the ground, causing pillars of ice to pierce through and reach high up in the air.
The attack spell came in contact with the Witch Queen's ripping it apart as droplets of blood finally fell onto the ground, staining it red throughout.
"Hm, that was nothing. The Witch Queen can't be all talk, right?" Daisy thought as she realised how easy it was to counter her spell.
Vanessa was the same with how she stayed in her defensive stance. They didn't let up and were right to as the Queen smirked.
"You think that was everything I had? I was simply testing how you two would react and it's suffice to say that I'm severely disappointed. Vanessa, in particular, but the sorry excuse of a human there is even worse, as expected".
Before the two could respond, Blood Siphon activated again but not in the same way as earlier. The droplets of blood on the floor started moving from side-to-side and then the thin veins appeared once again, quickly attaching themselves to both Daisy's and Vanessa's foreheads.
"Shit!" Vanessa cursed as she reached for the red string.
"Down", the Queen ordered and her magic pulled Vanessa's head towards the floor with great force, leaving injuries all over. The Thread mage fell unconscious upon impact.
The Black Bull was on the floor in a heap and her magic disappeared with her grimoire also down on the ground. Daisy was preparing herself to fall just like Vanessa had been forced to but not before trying to reach for the red string herself. However, a wave from the Witch Queen arm sent a strong gust of wind towards the Ice mage making her fall to her knees.
"How can you be… so strong…?" Is all Daisy could say before the Witch Queen slowly made her way to her.
Ignoring her question, she just smirked seeing the Magic Knight so confused. "Blood Siphon isn't the strongest spell but it can leave a lasting impact when it targets your mind. I'll leave Vanessa alone for now since I have a plan for later, but you… I won't leave you unscathed for daring to challenge me!"
She turned around and, with a click of her fingers, Daisy screamed all of a sudden as the red string attached to her forehead sent a shock to her. The Queen of Witches kept walking but offered an explanation.
"As the name suggests, 'Siphon' implies taking something away which is usually fatal for my enemies. However, since you mentioned family and your mother, why don't I make you see just what it is that got you so emotional in the first place?"
Daisy's violet-blue eyes grew darker as a few key events played out in her head. They included her mother, and then Alice.
The body of her lifeless mother on the floor in front of her as the group of three bandits left through the door that Daisy had opened for them. She was hyperventilating at the sight but her mind started to cloud over with self-blame.
"If only I was smarter and knew not to open the door for them. Because of me, you're dead and I'm a failure just like Father said…".
Then, the memory quickly switched to the cave in Nean after reuniting with her sisters.
Daisy held onto Alice and felt something irregular compared to her other sisters. She checked for injuries and saw bruises that resembled tape, wire, and straps signalling that she had been bound. Then, she realised the extent of what happened.
"If only I was quicker and saved you in time. You would still have your mana and I wouldn't be such a failure like Father knew I was…".
The Witch Queen saw the change in atmosphere around Daisy and chuckled very slightly. "I guess some stuff really did happen with you. Not like I care in the slightest". She undid her Blood Siphon and ushered her black crows to bring her towards the throne for imprisonment.
She walked towards the injured and unconscious Vanessa and turned around to see her damaged room. "Imperfect", she muttered before raising her arms and covering them in a dark-red aura.
"Blood Recovery Magic…".
In a flash of blood-red, the room was repaired except for the gaping hole in the wall that she caused by screaming at the two Magic Knights.
"I'll leave that as it is… considering, I'm expecting more visitors".
FLASHBACK - END
Daisy was feeling sorry for herself after being subjected to the Witch Queen's magic. She didn't know what to do and her main two failures in life were haunting her after resurfacing this clearly. She never forgot them but had learned to put them at the back of her mind whilst trying to move on but, right now, it looked to be impossible to do.
She looked forwards but instead of seeing Noelle and Shidan fighting, she saw the latter on the floor with a set of Sea Dragon's Nests around the area, each with a witch safely secured inside.
Noelle was nowhere to be seen but as Daisy took one step forwards, she was met with the youngest Silva sibling right beside her.
"DAISY!" She shouted as she generated a small sphere of water at the tip of her wand. Noelle fired it at her face and Daisy knelt on the floor, coughing to get the water out of her mouth.
"Wh-Wh-What was th-that for?!" Daisy argued, wondering why she was attacked like that.
"You're seriously asking something as stupid as that?! I'm fighting against the enemy by myself and you're standing here feeling sorry for yourself!" Noelle was getting angrier as each second passed.
Daisy looked past her and realised that the battle was all but over considering the witches were safe inside the barrier spell. She sighed a breath of relief and stood up.
"Hey, the battle is over so everything is fine, right?" The Ice mage asked, avoiding the severity of what she was doing.
Daisy started to walk towards the witches to see if they were alright and Noelle stayed behind her. However, she stopped in her tracks as she heard what the Black Bull had to say.
"You're afraid, aren't you?"
Eyes widened, she turned to face Noelle but tried to brush it off. "No way, I'm not like that!"
"Don't try that with me. I know that look anywhere and how do you explain not helping me while I did all the work myself. You think that's going to be how things go from now on?"
"What do you know about weakness? You're a royal and you've never had it hard in your life. I struggle everyday and when I'm clearly not okay, you think bragging about knowing what I've gone through is going to make it okay?!"
The two had started to full-on argue though it was mainly from Daisy's side whilst Noelle just listened to what she had to say.
"I… know exactly what it's like to be weak. To not be able to do anything whilst everyone around you is strong. My family… they hate me because our mother died after giving birth to me", Noelle explained.
Daisy fell silent as she listened in. The soft crackle of fire sounded around them and the ripple of the puddles rang as the black ash fell on them. It was just her and Noelle in this space and she listened to every word she said.
"Because of me… my mother is dead and I don't think I'll ever live that down. And, for a long time, I couldn't since my siblings reminded me of it everyday. I thought things could never get better until I met… uh, joined the Black Bulls. I grew accustomed to them and after months of being with them, I consider them my family. Throughout my experiences I was taught something really important that holds true to me…", she continued.
"Being weak is nothing to be ashamed of. However, staying weak is".
Noelle repeated Fuegoleon Vermillion, the Captain of the Crimson Lion Kings', words right back at Daisy whose mouth was open. It was like she had gasped, though it was silent.
"I know I'm weak but I'm trying to get stronger. There are things that I can't change but if I keep working towards the future I want, I know I can prevent those types of things happening to me or to others".
Noelle stopped talking and didn't even realise she was staring at the floor for so long. She raised her head and her pink eyes saw Daisy smiling at her properly.
"Wh-What's the big smile for, huh?" Noelle asked, folding her arms and looking away. She realised how embarrassing all this talk was and got shy about it.
"Noelle. Sorry for how I've been acting today. What you said… I'll keep it in my heart as I try to get stronger. Thank you".
The nice moment between the two only lasted for a few seconds as the ground started to rumble around them. From behind them, Shidan popped up again but had all sorts of cuts and bruises on his body. He was drenched in water and his cocky exterior was nowhere to be found as his anger was clear as day.
"I thought you defeated him", Daisy whispered back.
"I managed one Sea Dragon's Roar and sent him flying. I guess he really wants that promotion that he was going on about", Noelle teased.
"How about we do this together?" Daisy offered.
"Yeah, just don't hold me back this time. I still haven't seen what you can really do", Noelle winked.
Shidan was furious and his calm and cool personality was gone. He was angry and went for the attack without saying anything. The witches were out of his grasp so he couldn't use them as his tools so he had to fight normally.
"Plant Magic: Sliding Flytrap!" The mouth of a pink plant erupted from the ground. It had sharp thorns as its teeth and it was repeatedly opening and closing its mouth. Shidan's spell started to chase the two girls with him sat on top, still with an angered look.
Daisy nodded at Noelle and whispered; "hey, use your attack spell against him and I'll do what I can. Don't worry, I'm concentrating 100% this time!"
Noelle agreed and the two got ready as their grimoires came up next to them.
"Water Creation Magic: Sea Dragon's Roar!" Noelle summoned her attack spell and it went for Shidan. The blue dragon slithered in the air like a snake until it was inches away from the enemy.
"Plant Magic: Evergreen Defence!" A tall wall of thick, green leaves appeared in front of him and Noelle's spell crashed into it. Shidan was protected whilst the spell he was riding on kept on going.
Suddenly, Daisy appeared from behind, jumped in the air and spun as she slammed into the ground with her feet. "Ice Magic: Skater's Heaven!"
With the landing on the ground, ice emerged from the contact point and covered most of the area, giving Shidan's spell a hard time to move around. Noelle was the same but since the enemy slid away from her, she was safe for the time being.
"What on earth is she thinking? I can't move properly anymore but…!" Noelle looked towards Daisy and all she saw was a wink and a thumbs up from the Blue Rose signalling that everything was alright. "I'll trust you, Daisy, so show me what you have in your locker!"
Daisy slammed her palms together, determined to win this fight. Not only to show that she was willing to overcome her problems but also because of the frustration she caused Noelle by not being there for her.
"Enough games, girl! Fight me properly without these tricks!" The enemy protested. He was still eager to attack but his Sliding Flytrap was frozen in place due to the recent Ice Magic spell. "I may have underestimated you but I'll do so no longer!"
"Oh, look at you talking so professionally. And, talking about tricks, weren't you using those poor witches at hostages earlier?" Daisy asked rhetorically, knowing the answer. Without waiting for a reply, she slammed her hands down and summoned another spell. "Ice Magic: Frozen Quake!"
As the pillars rose up from the ground, she turned her face towards Noelle who was just watching. Daisy pointed at the Silva's grimoire with one hand and motioned at Shidan with the other. This was all while the enemy was distracted by the Ice Magic that was protruding from the ground so he didn't see what she was doing.
"Hmph. What are those pillars good for? This isn't some kind of spectacle". Shidan seemed to be unimpressed but Daisy didn't care.
"Hey, you just said about not using tricks against you, right?"
"Yeah, are you going to listen?"
"Sure. I'd love to fight fair and square with you…", Daisy said as she slyly motioned with her arm again at Noelle.
This signal was enough for the royal as she quietly summoned her familiar spell. "Water Creation Magic: Sea Dragon's Roar!" She pointed her wand at the sky to which her water dragon followed. Noelle then motioned downwards and her spell went in between and around the ice pillars.
"Look at the royal trying to get in on the fun. I'm a few yards away from those pillars so maybe you should work on your aim!" The enemy mocked, though Noelle was indifferent at the insult.
"Hey, we were talking about not tricking each other anymore". Daisy continued their conversation.
"Uh, yeah, why are you repeating what we already established?" Shidan was confused.
"Well, that's because… I lied! Those pillars... yeah, they have nothing to do with what's going to happen now! Not nice being distracted by something, is it?" Daisy put her finger to her cheek and winked. "Now, Noelle!"
Noelle put her wand downwards with force, increasing the speed of Sea Dragon's Roar. However, it looked like Shidan was ready as he was about to put his Evergreen Defence up again. Though, Daisy was one step ahead.
"Ice Magic: Frozen Storm!" Blasts of ice came from her palms and they headed not for the enemy but for Noelle's sea dragon. It froze the magic turning it into a falling ice sculpture. Because of how Noelle controlled it before it started to freeze, it was on a crash course for the robed mage and now, with an even greater speed due to the weight of the ice around it, he couldn't react in time.
The frozen water spell dived right into the enemy, crashing him into the floor and breaking the ice underneath his feet with the force. Shidan fainted upon impact and his grimoire stopped glowing.
Noelle ran towards Daisy to celebrate but because of the frozen ground she started to slip and skid on the ice. She couldn't stop herself and was going straight for Daisy who didn't realise that the incoming royal was as fast as she was and they crashed.
"Ow, ow, ow…", both teens rubbed their heads as they tried to get up.
"You have to teach me how to move around on this ice, Daisy…", Noelle asked as she stood up carefully.
"Hehehe… maybe. I've already got plans about that with someone else", Daisy smiled toothily.
"No worries", Noelle smiled. "Anyway, that was one heck of a plan you had and I'm glad it worked out".
"It's all thanks to you and what you said. Thanks for bringing me out of that funk…", she scratched the back of her head as she was slightly embarrassed.
"Don't thank me. Just… hm, let's both be stronger!" Noelle offered Daisy a handshake but the Blue Rose rejected it. Instead, she hugged the royal but it was only for a second as the air shook in the distance.
They broke their embrace and stared up into the air to see the Flame Spirit, Salamander, wreaking havoc in the distance. It had used its Flame Magic to burn even more of the forest and it didn't look like it was going to calm down any time soon.
"We separated from the others a while a go, I hope they're okay", Noelle said nervously.
"Let's join up with them. But first… let's get those witches to safety!" Daisy pumped her fists.
NOTES:
Urgh, I hate how long this took to finish and upload but I've already explained my reasoning. I hope the future chapters don't take so long!
The Diamond Kingdom part of the chapter was quite similar to the canon but I still incorporated some new things with Mariella which I think was nice. Honestly, I never planned on her being this important in this arc. It kinda just happened but I'm glad as I do like her as a character anyway.
I've been adding a lot of flashback moments for characters to help contextualise what was going on. Sometimes I feel like I do it too much but, then again, I think it's needed with the direction I'm putting the plot in.
The Daisy and Witch Queen stuff might not seem too strong but it was more of a mental thing with her. Those two main things with her mother and Alice weigh heavily. I've always shown her to be quite strong physically and mentally and rarely ever upset or in despair. I think showing her vulnerable side in this way is important and it will be in the future with a big thing that I'm planning.
