A New Beginning

The leader of the Dalton Band, the younger Dalton Brother had squarish features that were complemented by his tied-up long hair behind his back. With a messy beard that covered his jawline making it impossible to see his thick neck. He carried a single-edged sword with an arm that was covered in old scars and freshly drawn blood.

The blade of the sword was so huge that only someone with a defined built like him should have been able to swing it freely.

He looked around with dissatisfied looks and grumbled to himself. “It’s too soon for this. We weren’t prepared… even if we knew this was going to happen. If only brother was here.”

He again looked at the bodies of his comrades but it did not move him for a second. Corpses that were now just shredded and blasted flesh and bones. They were of now no use to him in that grotesque form or so he thought.

But seeing them disappear in swirling black threads vanishing before him in a blink of an eye made his feet shiver for a moment and he took a step back. Baffled by witnessing something impossible and out of his hand.

“You took out all my men. Overwhelming you with numbers would be a waste.” The leader of the bandits merely laughed and shrugged. It appears that he had little to no attachment to his companions.

“I really would have preferred to have tea with a friendly chat but your men were acting far more than friendly and rough, so I was compelled to point them in the right path.” I responded candidly, hoping he might do the same. But seeing that he already made his surprise attack and a failed attempt, he was not the passive type and let things go.

“They knew what was coming for them. Those who can’t take responsibility are not real men.” Blustered the huge man with blustering muscles.

In the next instant, he plunged, charging straight at me. But consequently, he did not seem like he was just acting on provocation or payback for his mates. It would only mean one thing he has an ace up his sleeve. I wondered, remembering half a beat later that I can see people’s status, and activated my analyze skill.

“Let’s see what kind of abomination magic you used on these goons to kill them all in a blink of an eye!” The man roared as he threaded his way towards me in the dark raising his massive sword as high as he could.

The moment he saw I was in his strike range, he brought it down with all his might. His bicep muscles flexed with a crackling sound, as the sword’s sharp side came shaving through the air just above my head.

I could have blocked it easily using my wind-fan. But in the middle of the strike, sparks rise and the wind brushing against the edge of the sword gave birth to blazing flames that ultimately enveloped his sword.

Having no choice, I used teleportation magic to get a little farther. Sensing my absence without delay, the man stops his sword in mid-air before it would hit the empty ground and break the metal. He straightened the blade and swing the sword to his right horizontally straight, where I was standing at the present.

This time keeping the flames that outlined his blade in order, I kept a mindful distance from it. Only feeling the hotness of the flames, all his strikes were amiss as I elegantly dodged them with the least movement.

“I am going to crack your skull with this sword. Show your real face girl.” The man was thoroughly flustered as I dodged or vanished at each of his attacks the moment he thought he got me.

And when his hands trembled after getting tired for the first time, holding the torrid of flames, like it was a simple torch.

Not letting slip that opportunity for gaining some space....

I opened my wind fan in a serious jolt, and a gust of wind ushered. Not only diminishing the increasing size of the flames but also pushing the man back several meters away.

My webs failed to take him out on the first try. Even if he saw it coming it should have been almost impossible to escape being caught in them. The only visible thing that appears on his status is that he is highly proficient with using fire magic.

But that means the only other method he countered my attack was….

Still, that’s not enough to survive my attack. I thought while the man was breathing heavily. He did not hold himself back or doubt for a second before swinging his sword. He was burning magic continuously, and unlike me, not everyone has magic in limitless quantity.

If not for his endurance and senses refined in several mercenary battles for survival, he wouldn’t have outlasted this long.

“If you try to strike a girl so seriously, I will have to treat you the same.” I made a humble request.

“You are no ordinary girl. Did that freakish doctor send you here? Only he can create such abominations out of small children.” The man retorted.

….Doctor!? Who would that be? I was hearing the mention for the first time.

“I don’t know, how about you tell me? Were you kidnapping the children on his command?” Clearly, there was more than simple kidnapping and human trafficking going on in these rural villages.

What use a doctor would have for them? I did hear from my father that young children are the best magecraft material in illegal magic experimentation. But after the Great War, all such researches were banned and funneled out. So, a bandit group can easily be tolled in by money in doing the wrong man’s bidding and no one would know.

I would have still thought a little more on, for him doubting me to be sent for such an abysmal reason.

“It doesn’t matter either way. You destroyed everything we have been planning for months.” Shaking his head the leader of the Dalton Band looked like something had finally fallen into place.

From the position that he had fallen back to, he charged again with a battle cry. The same as before his sword fiercely burned so as his rage.

“No, you don’t.” I yelped without wasting any time this time preparing two Fusion Balls and launching them directly at him.

And that’s when I also discovered the secret to his escaping my attack.

Just as the fusion balls were about to hit the man. He waves his sword holding it with both of his hands and just like cutting through butter his swords grazed the two masses of magical energy and send them flying off.

Something too convenient happening here against my spells!

He neither blocked them nor cut through them. They just slid through the edge of his sword just as it was about to come into contact with his body or the flames emanating from his sword.

Unless it was a self-developed magic of his own that he had mastered, that is.

“I see. Your flame magic slows down magic spells whenever they come in contact with you.” I teased him while jumping on the inside at the joy of finding another person’s secret behind his magic. Hoping that he would bite his teeth this time.

So, does that make him a magic-swordsman?

At first, the man sneered and grumbled looking away. But then realizing if it wouldn’t make a difference, he agreed.

“That’s correct little girl. I applaud you for finding this out. You are the second person who was able to know this just by watching me. My own original fire magic spell. I wield it such that whenever someone’s else magic even if it is about to come in contact with my body heat. The magic particles around me slow down momentarily. But in your case, the pressure is so heavy that I have to rely on all my senses and all of my strength as well.” The leader said as he brandished his sword at me again.

“I’m a magical genius you see.” I complimented myself.

“You are likely a skilled magic-user. There weren’t such skilled adventurers in the town before. I highly doubt the knights would prefer someone out of their own circle. And if not for the doctor, then that would mean you are acting on your own. But it is unforgivable that someone would interfere with my brother’s plan. And for that, I have to dispose of you.” The man exhaled heavily as if releasing all the heat inside his body along with his worries he concentrates on his mind and the magical energy flowing through him.

Now even his hands and muscles around his body started releasing steam as if they were likely on fire inside him. I guess the greater the heat, the more pronounced will be the effects of his magic spell. Most probably it is a kind of body augmentation magic and is perfect for counterattacks.

“Unfortunately I am not that easy to dispose of. But I assure you now that I have discovered how your magic works, I will make it quick. I have to catch a cart early in the morning.” I watched with bated breath; the man again lifted his sword in his place ready to face me.

He chants his magic ⸺”I am fire; lock me in a cage and I melt all the bars and chains that binds me.”

His sword burns brightly in the night sky like sun flares leaking from its sides. And then bringing it down in my direction he spilled all those flames like a tornado of fire.

On the ground where he had been standing only a moment before, all the grass and ground vegetation caught on fire and charred the next moment. Fire comes as a golden rush, igniting the night, and outshining the stars.

Before the tornado could actually hit me, a small flip from my wind-fan and the firestorm dispersed like a candle flame being blown out of proportion.

As the front cleared, I thought having overextended himself with the counterattack, he would be finally left defenseless. But that was imprudent of me as he dauntlessly stood there without worrying either of my warning or the consequence.

I conjured two fusion balls as they emerged of blue and red swirling magic, representing water and fire respectively.

The man did not hesitate for a second to see those round objects again, given that he had already evaded two at the same time previously. But when each fusion ball, replicated in numbers from two to four to sixteen and growing until he slid his leg back in frustration of the number of balls he had to deal with now. Steadying his footing, the steam blistered out from his form.

I projected all of the fusion balls at him. I had resorted to using fusion balls, given that I had a singular enemy and since the mask and wind fan restrain my magic, it was wise to not go overboard and break my gifts.

The leader of the Dalton Band hoping that he would just evade all the attacks with his magic went with his usual plan. Either way he did not know of any other countermeasure against the monstrosity of spells of the girl standing in front of him. He had to rely on the experience as he had always waded his way through several battlefields.

The moment his sword was about to come in contact with a fusion ball, another fusion ball rushed in and conjoined with another sphere. A simple fusion occurs and then a sudden blast took hold of his body. He tried to evade another and the same happened as it ripped apart and burnt his skin. His footing was thrown off by the impact, falling a few meters away on the ground.

“You think I would do the same mistake. You can’t evade them if they explode in front of you.” I warned him.

Once…Twice…Thrice… Explosion….BOOOM…..BOOM. BOOM.

Without paying any heed to my voice, he kept on defending himself with his sword sometimes using it as a shield to absorb the impact of the explosion but most of the time he was thrown around by it.

He grunted seeing another volley of these fusion balls ready to be launched at him hovering at my back. Blood spilled and now he was down to his knees. Bones shattered in his lungs region, his arms split open and burned.

I felt it was a crude method to exterminate him. So, the moment he would empty his magic reserves, I would use my webs to finish him off.

.

“….Alicia.” A familiar voice sounded at my back. And I stopped the explosions, giving the environment some rest.

It was Regis and from behind her followed Maia and Caige.

“Alicia we are back. And all the kids are safe. We can leave now.” Regis beamed. And I knew something in this short time had really changed about her.

I looked at Maia and she appeared to be just fine. On the other hand, Caige might be short on clothes. I used my unique skill [EQUIVALENT EXCHANGE] and remembering her attire I produced the same clothes around Caige’s body. Caige and Maia were taken aback. While Regis blinked her eye registering in her mind that I could do this too.

“Where are all the bandits?” Maia looked around everywhere. Her nose sniffed as if trying to pick up the smells but they were all gone. She was confused while Caige scanned through the place, only to find the leader of the band wounded on the ground.

She nodded at me. “Miss Alicia thank you very much for saving me and all the kids here. But I ask you of one more favour, can you let me talk to him.” Caige looked determined. By the looks of it, she was suffering from inside after using her skill, and I knew she had forced herself to surpass her limits. So, secretly I casted a simple heal spell on her to ease her pain. But by her smile, I guess she had guessed it was me.

I moved from her way, but just in case I hadn’t drawn back the fusion balls hovering at my side.

“You know me. I am Caige. Please stop this madness! I have known you two brothers for years and I know you would never do such a terrible thing as kidnapping children for selling them.”

“If you are here… then does that mean my brother is… Dead.” The man scrambled on the ground, putting his weight on the sword he stood up again.

“…Yes. And I was the one who killed him.” Caige looked away while reporting the news to him. Her voice strained and panicked as she addressed the wounded man.

“I see. Then there was really nothing I could do to help him ease his pain.” The man stared at the ground for a while, his hands reaching to the back of his trousers to a secret pocket.

“Please tell me the real reason. I need to know. Why did he all do this? To what end…” Caige seemed to be out of her element. Both Maia and Regis felt the same seeing her so desolate.

“Don’t feel sorry for my brother. Everything that went here today was according to his plan. We'd seen the sparks and together felt the warmth of the glow our dreams long before sunrise” Caige and everyone was baffled at his declaration. As each of us looked in the eye for lost answers. The younger Dalton brother raised his voice in fury, his hands moved knottily. ”I am not my brother and even if he won’t forgive me for doing this. My brother did not lose…. and neither will I.”

With a small pause, a painful cry followed.

“⸺AHhhhaahhhhh….”

I noticed an injection with a golden liquid inside it as the Younger Dalton Brother injected directly into the blood vessel of his neck. The moment the injection was complete and all that suspicious fluid was inside his body. The injection fell to the ground and detonated on its own with a small magical explosion set to go off the moment it turned empty.

So, they wanted to get rid of all evidence!

All of us on alert watched anxiously, as he screamed in agony. His eyelids shut for a moment and when they open the eyeballs turned golden. The next moment his skin suddenly sloughed off and all the blood vessels around his body enlarged and blistered with golden light.

He clearly had no idea what was happening. As the outer layer of his body caught in flames, all he could do was look blankly at the newly exposed pink of his body.

Screaming. His eyes were full of pure rage and confusion…. And regret.

As we watch the man burn in his own flames, a ghastly and terrible face of a shapeless nature shows up. The unnatural fluid surging within him tore his muscle fiber, bent his bones in twisted directions, and sent his limbs flailing all over. His human form was able to hold out for only a few short seconds. Then a ghastly noise filled the place.

I asked Al to analyze this new being, as I could no longer sense the man inside of him. He was gone and now this creature had taken his place. The burning skin still shedding, the figure grew several times in size and no longer appeared to be human with that crooked back and bent spine. With more than four limbs, he had surpassed all descriptions.

The writhing mass of liquid slowly rose and stripped away any unnecessary components inside of his body as some flesh slowly spilled out. It was disposing of anything that wasn’t required or weak and unhealthy components of a human body.

And finally, his body, which now appeared to be a hollow exoskeleton surrounded by molten magma. Wherever the golden fluid leaking from his body fell, the ground melted until the fluid dissolved.

{EXCESS SOUL POWER LEAKAGE DETECTED. UNCONTROLLED CELL MULTIPLICATION. SOUL REALM COLLAPSE. SOUL CORE DISINTEGRATED…. SOUL E??T?? T??A?? ??C???G. BREACHED. AUTHORITY LEVEL INSUFFICIENT.]

“WHAT!? Al…” Simply put I was much more surprised by Al’s disrupted voice and by the final output and conclusion. So, something happened to his soul realm after taking that syringe and my level is not sufficient to obtain that knowledge from the Divine System now.

The temperature of our surroundings rose uncontrollably. And when I noticed the creature in front of us and how Caige had flopped to the ground in front of him.

Maia and Regis were standing beside me with horrified looks. Even for me who was accustomed to seeing monsters daily from the labyrinth of all kinds, shapes, and sizes. Such a transformation from a human was new.

The creature without any warning gave a shrill cry from whatever new hole there might be in its molten body.

“⸺Giiirrrriiuaaggghhh.”

A flash of light surged from the creature’s hollow face. There was no crash, no telltale sound of destruction. In fact, after the groaning sound from it stopped coming it was so quiet that one might think nothing had happened at all.

Just as when Caige tried standing up, I felt a gentle breeze— and next came the afternoon sunlight on my skin. Even though it was the night.

The light radiating from the creature’s body like an orange beam grew in ratio. And before it could have actually done what it was meant for.

I raised my blue barrier in front of everyone. A pale orange light burnt everything in the forest. Except for the patch of land where each of us stood was still intact because of my magic barrier.

Surrounding trees were cut in half and then they were engulfed in flames. The walls of the stronghold turn to a crisp.

After the orange flare beam vanished, Maia quickly leaped forward and pulled Caige back.

While I decided to put an end to this. I used all my fusion balls and conjoining them projected all of them at the molten creature.

BOOOM….BOOOOMMM….BOOM….

Several explosions happened at all the parts of the monster. But instead of harming him, it absorbed the magic explosion and grew up in size.

As if eating the flames and magic from them.

Even Regis this time did not hesitate or looked hitherto for what to do. But she took action on her own accord and launched several of her magic arrows at the monster almost instantly. We succeeded in disfiguring its structure, but like flowing water it restored to the vessel size immediately.

I noticed from my mystic eyes, that the surrounding was losing in magic particles and was continuously being absorbed by the creature. If not put to stop this place will lose all its magic powers.

“I want you all to take cover behind this blue barrier. It's time I put an end to this. There’s no point in keeping it a secret any longer because I have already decided to.” I looked at Regis and she made sure that Caige and Maia followed.

***

{ Next Chapter - Chapter 14 : A DEVIL'S DEAL - Click here }