It was a comical sight, the ferocious demons that had brought the expedition team much grief were being flung into the air like poor rag dolls in the distance. 

“Ah, it's raining demons.” Black said.

Myrddin felt his face stiffen, while Black and Silver just watched the abnormal event in the distance with hardly any change in expression except enjoyment. 

“That one is actually pretty big. Do you think a larger demon is fighting smaller demons?” Silver asked as a demon tens of meters tall was catapulted into the air.

“And it’s coming towards us!” Myrddin nearly shouted, his heart beating madly as he tracked the body arcing towards them.

Silver stood in front of the trio, small round shield strapped to her left arm. As the demon beast neared Silver, she backhanded the beast away. There was a loud thunk and what sounded like the shattering of hundreds of bones. 

“If it isn’t dead by now, it’d probably wish it was dead now.” Myrddin commented idly as he looked at the twitching muscles of the demon. All the orifices were leaking blood with its inside having been pulverized by Silver, even its bottom orifice. “Oh, this one still has some spasm, the crystal inside should probably be pretty big.”

Black tapped her staff onto the ground, something inside the demon's body began to move and the surface of a point on the beast began to ripple. Soon a dark yellow gem the size of three fingers nails ruptured out of the skin and into Black’s hand with all the blood having flown off from the high speed movement. The body quickly stopped moving as it no longer had any energy source. 

“This one’s not bad, but I’m rather curious about the event up ahead.” Black said as she began to walk towards the commotion. Silver followed along, while Myrddin sighed.

“Why am I even here?” Before in his journey with Black as a duo, he focused on the magical aspect while Black focused on the physical aspect. But now with Silver here and Back focusing on the magical aspect, he was pretty much an accessory to them. Nevertheless, he followed them as he rubbed the magic gems inside his own pouch.

Moving forward passed the uncharted trees, the trio soon gazed upon the source of the raining demons. 

It was a lone girl, not yet mature enough to be a woman, wearing a haphazard combination of metal and leather armor. There was no sword in hand, her only weapon was her shield, a towering slab metal with straps nailed to it.

Her body and armor was caked in filth, her skin pale from exertion, and she looked to not have slept in days with the heavy bags under her eyes.

She moved with beast-like instinct as she dodged the tens of demons surrounding her, some of them the same size as the large one that was sent flying towards them moments ago. It was an obviously perilous situation, and no other thoughts were needed as rain of spells were unleashed upon the demons. 

Towers of flames incinerating flesh, lightning chaining from one demons to another, and spears of ice descending gouging chunks of flesh. It was the apocalypse in that small area as it was shrouded in the brilliance of Black’s Magic.

Myrddin showed no reaction as the girl disappeared in front of him, blinded by the magic as he was. He had confidence in Black’s supreme control over magic, and nothing needed to be said about Silver who was even more confident in Black. 

When the flashy display of magic had died down there stood a girl in the destruction, her eyes wide in fear as her shield was brought protectively in front of her body. Aside from the small circle of grass where she stood there was only desolation as the ground around her was burnt black or overturned with jagged rocks that littered about.

“You even destroyed all the magic gems, a bit much don’t you think?” Myrddin commented as they started to walk forward. 

The girl looked warily at the trio and she dragged the shield to the side, exposing her cerulean eyes mired by the fatigued that plagued her. “Did you save me?”

Her voice was hoarse, as if her throat had already strained itself to the limit with no more to give. 

Black stepped forward, a comforting smile on her face. “Yes, we were the ones who saved you. You can rest now, the demons won’t be able be to hurt you anymore.”

With a heavy clunk the shield collapsed onto the ground with no one supporting it any more. The girl fell onto her knees and kowtowed heavily, her forehead leaving a mark as it seemed to smash into the ground. “Please save Alice!”

Myrddin winced as he felt a phantom ache on his own forehead from just watching, but Black and Silver kept their expression the same. Although he could interpret the girl’s word, there was a heavy accent that made it seem like another language. I know all the dialects of the Three Greatlands, but I haven’t heard of this one before.’

“Stop, I don’t want you to kill yourself after I went through the trouble of saving you.” Black said as she bent down on her knees and stopped the girl from hurting her head anymore. “Let’s hear you request first. After all, blindly agreeing to a request is foolish.”

The girl looked up, her eyes unfocused but the desperation within was clear. “Alice, she’s a kind soul! Right now she is trapped in the tower and the beasts are surrounding it. I tried to look for aid but I got ambushed!”

“Looks like a case of rescuing a damsel.” Black said. “I don’t see why not. Very well we will save your friend.”

Disbelief could be seen written in the girl’s eyes. “Even though she is locked in a tower?”

“I don’t see why not, to me whether there is no tower or not. There is no difference.”

Tears could be seen glimmering at the edge of her eyes, however before they had the chance to leak out the girl was welcomed by darkness as she finally succumbed to sleep.

“She must have not slept for several days.” Silver commented as she looked at the girl who was now in Black’s arms. A rather strange scene of a doll like elf cradling a girl a full head higher than her.

“What dialect did she speak, I know all the dialects of the common tongue but I do not recognize it.” Myrdding said.

“It’s a dialect native to the Fractured Lands.” Black simply said.

“I was not aware that the Fractured Land had a dialect for the common tongue.” Myrddin admitted. “Does that mean?”

Black carried the girl’s body away from the devastation she had wrought. “Yes, she is a resident of the Fractured Lands.”

“I didn’t realize that the people who lived here were this advanced.” Myrddin said eyeing the armor the girl wore.

Black chuckled. “What kind of people did you think lived here? Still living in tribal societies?”

“Yes,” Myrddin said. 

“Well, aside from the common tongue that is spoken here. There are also many other tongues unknown to me that have developed over the years in isolation. It’s too troublesome to learn them all so I didn't bother, although I am surprised the girl would let herself faint in front of me.”

“Why is that?” Myrddin asked .

“My current body is that of an elf, in the Fractured Lands not all the races of people live in harmony. Those of different species often war over one another due to their difference of cultures.” Black said, her staff floating behind shined as magic was casted. Not too far away from the clearing a two storey building that seemed to have been carved from marble emerged from the ground. 

“What’s so surprising about that?” Myrddin asked as they entered the room. “Back in the Lesser Horn Continent, wars were fought all the time over the crudest of reasons.”

Black paused. “You’re right. But Elves, humans, dwarves, and beastmen here tend to keep to themselves and wars here are more of extermination of the other races and not for the land itself.”

“That’s terrible.” Myrddin said. “Killing one another just because you are different species.”

“Mortals have killed for lesser reason than that.” Silver idly commented on the side. “Sometimes the reason is so ridiculous that I even laugh at it.”

“Well, that is to live. Desire is what keeps us alive, and desire is why many conflicts arise after all.” Black said as she tucked in the girl in the bed with a blanket she had taken out from her spatial pouch. “Well we should leave her be until she wakes up.”

Myrddin took one last look at the girl before leaving the room. “Adam, how far has society here developed?”

Black looked back before hmmming to herself. “Well I would say it is similar to the warring kingdoms in your homeland, just a few decades behind.”

“So close?” Myrddin said surprised.

Black nodded. “Wars are good for stimulation of invention but too much wars is detrimental and societies fall into a vicious loop from the war. They have nobles and kinds here too, although there aren’t any coalition or united powers like the City States.”

“War will always be part of mortal history, nothing will change that.” Silver idly commented thinking back on her experience in the United City States.

“I’m sure dragons would have wars too and not battles if our numbers were any larger.” SIlver stayed silent at Black words. 

“I can’t imagine warring with you though.” Silver finally said. 

“Of course not, we’re friends who have been through thick and thin after all.” Black and Silver smiled at each other. “Although if there was one difference, it would be the treatment of magic.”

“Why would magic be treated differently?” Myrddin asked confused.

“Magic is commonplace in the Three Greatlands, but here it is the manifestation of power through mana without the study of it.” Black said. “To them it is a frightful abilities bestowed upon tyrants who would enslave them.”

“Well to be more accurate, they just don’t understand how to utilize mana and those who are gifted with incredible compatibility with mana and manifest abilities are shunned.”

“Why are there no spells?”

“Well spirits don’t exactly like the mana here thanks to the Outer God, and the influence of magic is only prominent in the Three Greatlands. So if we were to display the capability of magic to the resident here we would likely be shunned or even attacked. There is simply no one to teach them the true usage of mana.”

Black smiled as she spoke giving Myrddin a strange sensation.

-line break-

Olivia woke up to pure white. Her eyes rove about the room, it was a style completely alien to her. Her fingers lingered upon the soft blankets but her thoughts drifted back to her mission, in that instant her eyes blazed as she threw the blanket off of her.

“Where!” Olivia flinched as her bare foot touched the ice cold floor. But she had no mind to ponder over that, or her change of clothing as she moved passed the doorway intent on finding the owners of the place.

She didn’t have to look very far as soon as she exited the hallways where her door connected to, she was greeted by three people sitting around the table. Taking the time to observe her saviors, Olivia tensed as she remembered the inhuman power that saved her. But if they can save Alice…

“You must be famished, have a bite.” Black said from her seat as she noted the sudden guard in the girl’s eyes. “I hope you don’t mind me changing your clothes, your old clothes are too dirty to even wear. Your armor is still there though.”

“I couldn’t.” Olivia started. “You already saved my life and agreed to help, I can’t take advantage of your kindness and impose upon you.”

Her rumbling stomach said a different story though. Olivia bowed in shame; she sunk even farther as three sounds of soft laughter passed into her ears.

With the hardest of hearts, she sat down and began to dine. “Am I eating all your food?” She couldn’t help but ask as she saw the three saviors not touch the food.

“Don’t worry, we already ate.” Myrddin said. “I don’t think you told us your name yet though, miss. I’m Myrddin Yvelt, a mage”

“Vivian Daedalus, a Valkyrie.”

“Adam Elysium, a Sage.”

“My name is Olivia, I’m a commoner milords.” Olivia voices became smaller as she took in the luxurious clothing and beautiful features of the three. Ah, so beautiful. It’s like they’re from another world.

“Milords, are you perhaps envoys from the Church to save the princess?” Olivia asked. She knew it was rude to talk while eating, especially to her saviors, but the princess’ safety was of the utmost priority. Plus she just couldn’t eat the soft white bread that seemed to melt in her mouth. I’ll have to ask if I can bring some for the princess.

“Envoys from the church?” Black and Silver chuckled. Even Myrddin had a wry smile. “You could say we are from the church, but it is not of this land. We come from a faraway land, from the other side of the endless seas.”

“The endless seas?” Olivia gasps in surprise, the bread forgotten in her hand. “How, nothing exists out there!”

The three all chuckled. “The world is larger than you can even comprehend, full of miracles that you have never seen. Compared to that, coming from another land is hardly that shocking.” Black said.

“We do not follow your imaginary gods,” Silver added. “You would do well not to preach to those of the Seven Pillar Faith. I do not know what you are taught, but to worship imaginary gods while living on the remnant battlefield between the Greatwyrms and Outer God is laughable.”

“Vivian, no need to bombard our guest with such knowledge right now.” Black said. “We’ll have all the time to explain once we rescue Alice. That is the princess’ name right?”

“Ah, yes!” Olivia pushed the sudden knowledge back into her head. She didn’t know where these people came from or what they said was true, but they were her only hope to save the one person who was kind to her.

“Can you tell us about the situation in clearer detail?” Black asked.

Olivia nodded. “The princess was sent to the tower to live since young by her father. Ah...this is the Farmosa Kingdom.” She took a look and didn’t see any change of expression so she continued. “I was sent here at that time. Every once in a while supplies would be sent to the tower for our daily expenses and a few years passed peacefully.”

“Then a month ago, the supplies stopped being sent. We were able to live thanks to the stockpiles that we had saved as well as the food I gathered. But we were running low but there was nothing we could do but endure. Then one day beasts far stronger than any before began to surround us. Eventually more and more came assaulting the walls, left with no choice I secretly left to plead for aid from the nearby city but I was intercepted midway and fought them all the way here.”

Black, Silver and Myrddin shared a glance.

“Couldn’t you have taken your princess to leave when the situation was getting desperate?” Myrddin asked.

“Princess Alice is forbidden from leaving the tower by the king’s decree.” Olivia replied.

“But this is a matter of life and death, surely you could take the princess to leave?” Myrddin asked.

But Olivia only looked at her hands on her lap, refusing to talk.

“I’ve gotten the gist of the situation. As for why the demons gathered to attack you, they must have been attracted to the mana saturated in your body.” Black said.

“Do they really contain enough mana to entice the demons that much?” Myrddin asked.

Black rested her cheek on her palm as she gazed at Oliva, causing the girl to feel as if every part of her body was exposed under the beautiful violet eyes of Black. “Her body is unique, able to contain large amounts of mana in high density. It’s probably the reason her strength is so abnormal as to swing that hunk of metal so easily even when tired.”

Olivia shrunk even more as her face began to pale.

“If she were to be taught properly her potential would be in the top percentage, if we disclude whether or not she will be able to understand magic. As for why the demons have gathered around the tower, it must because the girl in the tower is saturated with even more mana. It’s like laying a big juicy meat before a wyvern.”

“...yes, Princess Alice is known as the Witch Princess of the Farmosa Kingdom since birth having been born with the powers of a monster.” Olivia said, then she glanced at Black. “But she hasn’t hurt anyone at all all her life! She hasn’t even displayed any monstrous powers like lightning or fire!”

Black quirked her lips upwards. “Are you talking about me? Well, it’s not a monster’s power. It’s simply uncontrolled energy running out of control that you people call a monster’s power.”

Black ignored Olivia as she shrugged. “But how about we go rescue your princess now?”

“Now?” Olivia repeated, all previous concerns pushed aside in lieu of the safety of her princess. “We need at least an order of knights in order to fight all the beasts off. Surely milords can rally an order of knights front the city.”

“You seem to be under the impression that we moved far away and back into the city.” Black said. “Look outside and you’ll know we actually aren’t that far from where you were.”

Olivia, although confused, obeyed. She stood up and walked to the windows and looked outside to see the familiar forest and the patch of land that had been destroyed earlier. “This?”

“No worries, although there are only three of us. I can say that there are less than ten beings in the world that pose a threat to us.” Black said from behind her, having also stood up.

The people that had saved her were able to summon the power of nature with ease. And within hours they were able to construct a celestial mansion out of thin air. They were powerful beyond her imagination. Olivia once more watched the three before her wondering whether she had fallen into the hands of god or devil.