In the home gym of the luxurious mansion, Zoey, Tiffany, Illie, and others gathered inside. The gym walls had sleek, modern equipment that impressed Zoey greatly. It had the right kind of gym smell, too, for a home gym. Not stinky and filled with sweat but unused and mostly a decorative room. Perfect for a home gym rat like Zoey.
In the weightlifting area, Zoey stood powerful, her figure a stark contrast against the backdrop of gleaming steel and rubber-coated weights. She was in the midst of a grueling set of squats, each repetition executed with precision and power that rivaled even the most seasoned professional weightlifters. The barbell on her shoulders bore a staggering amount of weight, far surpassing what most would consider humanly possible. Her presence in this section of the gym was a spectacle in itself, drawing curious glances and whispers from onlookers. For many, it was an unfamiliar sight to witness a magjistar engaging in such intensive strength training. Traditionally, magjistars focused primarily on honing their magical abilities, neglecting the physical aspect of their training. Yet here stood Zoey, defying convention with her unwavering dedication to pushing her body to its limits.
With each controlled descent into the squat and explosive ascent back to standing, Zoey demonstrated not only her raw strength but also the perfect weightlifting form! Her muscles strained as she completed rep after rep, and her breaths came in measured bursts. Zoey's focus remained unbroken.
Tiffany leaned casually against a nearby weight rack. Dressed in some of Panda’s clothes since she didn’t bring her own, she very obviously ogled Panda as she worked out. An almost drooling smile was on her face as she took in all of Panda’s assets. She would describe it as a feast for the eyes. Another form of torture for her heart, knowing she could never convince Panda to let her dive in and eat to her heart’s content.
Illie, one of the newest addition to their group, stood on the other side of the gym on the mats in complete pain. Looking as pitiful as a child, being forced to do physical training could look, but at the same time, she was determined not to give up! She was shaking, sweating, and on the verge of tears. Next to her were others similarly interested in undergoing training to join the Magji Liberation Front. They weren’t all children like Illie, but after hearing about Illie’s training from one of the main members of the MLF, others were interested.
"So, what's the plan, Panda?" Tiffany's voice, tinged with excitement and impatience, shattered the grunts, crying, and moans that hung heavy in the gym. "Are we just going to sit around and wait for our next orders?"
Zoey frowned, as she thought about Tiffany’s words. She was pretty good at following orders as long as she agreed with them. Plus, she was a spy. Why would she try to shake things up when Peter or Jelena haven’t asked her to? "As long as I have my fun, I don’t care," she replied. Tiffany's grin widened, a spark of mischief dancing in her eyes. "I'm all for a little fun," she declared, her voice brimming with eagerness. "But I’m so bored right now! Aren’t we supposed to be changing the world? Why are we so passive!?"
Zoey did agree, even if she didn’t agree with Roy’s end goal of enslaving non-magji people. Everyone’s gaze turned to the doorway as a familiar figure stepped through with a faint smile on his face. He didn’t wince at the smell of several people sweating or give off the type of presence that he was upset or too good to be in this place. With a genial smile, he greeted each person individually, his eyes twinkling with genuine interest as he engaged in lighthearted small talk.
"Hey there, Panda, Tiffany," Roy said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement as he approached them. "How's the training going? Making any progress on those squats, Panda?"
Zoey slowly nodded, as she continued her workout. "It’s going," she replied. Tiffany's smile remained bright as she chimed in, "Hey, bossman. Got good news for us? We’re pretty bored." Roy laughed, his demeanor relaxed and affable as he leaned against a nearby weight rack. "Well, I have good news and bad news," he responded. “which one do you want first?”
“Bad news,” Zoey asked.
“Good news!” Tiffany said at the same time.
He paused momentarily as Zoey and Tiffany locked eyes with each other, "I’ll tell you them both." Roy was going to do it, anyway. “The good news is, I can cure your boredom. I want you two to handle Chief Peacekeeper Amelia Patil for us. The bad news is, you cannot let the Peacekeepers find out it was us who was behind it.” Roy explained, "I need someone I can trust to handle this matter, and when it comes to trust, I can't think of anyone better suited for the job than the two of you."
“He trusts us!” Tiffany joyfully looked at Zoey.
“Is she strong?” Was all that Zoey cared about.
“By herself, she’s just a B-Grade magjistar with a solid but rather unimpressive record. However, she will most likely not be by herself. I expect there to be several Peacekeepers you’ll have to deal with before or while you’re dealing with her.” Roy informed them.
“And they just can’t find out about the group?” Zoey asked for clarity.
“That’s correct.” Roy nodded.
“Fine. When do you want us to leave?” Zoey didn’t have the best history with Peacekeepers.
“As soon as you're able. If you need any help, just let me know, and I’ll do my best to help you succeed.” Roy politely offered.
Zoey put the barbell back on the rack as she prepared to head out. But first, she had to leave her students with some proper guidance before leaving. If they got charmed by Roy while she was out, she would’ve wasted her time with them. “I’ll make a training plan for you all to follow before I head out. I expect you to follow them exactly, and if you can’t keep up, do not move on until you can finish what you can’t. Each of you will have a different training plan since you all have different physiques and starting points. If you decide to give up, do it quietly and stay out of my sight.”
“Teacher!” Illie dropped to the floor, breathing heavily as pain wracked her young body.
“You wanted to be a hero, right?” Zoey said as if she had forgotten. “Heroes never give up in the pursuit of helping the weak and innocent.” Zoey and Tiffany left the gym as Roy faintly smiled, looking at Zoey’s back.
The streets of Dhara seethed with unrest, the air thick with the acrid scent of tension and defiance. Jelena led the charge against the perceived tyranny of the Peacekeepers. Her voice, young and full of passion, cut through the clamor of the crowd as she rallied the protestors to their cause. "Enough is enough!" Jelena's words echoed off the stone facades of the surrounding buildings, resonating with the frustration and anger of the assembled throng. "We cannot continue to tolerate the oppression of the Peacekeepers. It's time we take a stand!"
"We cannot allow ourselves to be cowed by fear and violence," Peter declared, his gaze sweeping over the gathered protestors. "We must stand together, united in our resolve to fight for justice and freedom."
Tink happily cheered as loud as they could. Peter and Jelena set about rallying support from the crowd, their voices raised in solidarity as they urged their fellow protestors to join their cause. Slowly but surely, their numbers swelled as more and more people were drawn to the promise of change and the chance to strike back against the violent Peacekeepers. As the protest gained momentum, Peter, Jelena, and Tink found themselves at the forefront of a swelling tide of dissent, their voices raised in defiance as they marched through the streets of Dhara.
As the defiant protestors continued to march through the streets of Dhara, their cries for justice echoing off the city's walls, a tense silence descended upon the scene. Suddenly, the tranquility was shattered by the deafening roar of approaching footsteps. In a swift and decisive motion, the Peacekeepers descended upon the crowd, their presence heralded by the harsh glare of their white uniforms and the marching formations. With weapons drawn, they advanced upon the protestors. Their intentions were clear: to quell the uprising by any means necessary.
"Rioters, disperse immediately!" the commanding voice of a Peacekeeper captain boomed over the chaos, his words drowned out by the garbled mix of shouts and cries that erupted in response. Ignoring the order, the protestors stood their ground, their resolve unshaken as they prepared to face the onslaught that awaited them. With a thunderous clash, the two sides collided, the street erupting into a chaotic melee of violence and chaos. Magjistars unleashed their formidable magji, sending blasts of energy hurtling through the air, while magji creatures also joined in.
Amidst the chaos, Peter, Jelena, and Tink fought valiantly alongside their fellow protestors. With each blow struck and each spell cast, they resisted the iron grip of the Peacekeepers, refusing to yield to their oppressive rule. Tink was more than happy to let loose and put into practice everything Zoey had taught them. But the Peacekeepers were relentless in their pursuit of ‘justice’, their ranks bolstered by reinforcements that poured into the fray. With military precision, they pressed forward, driving back the protestors with sheer force and overwhelming firepower.
But despite their courage and determination, the odds were stacked against them. With each passing moment, the violence escalated, the street descending into a maelstrom of destruction and chaos. As the battle raged on, the protestors fought with all their might, their voices raised in defiance against the oppressive regime of the Peacekeepers. Though outnumbered and outmatched, they refused to back down, their spirits unbroken as they continued to fight for the freedom and justice they so desperately sought.
Eventually, both sides were forced to retreat due to heavy injuries. The new stations in Dhara had a field day reporting the situation from every angle.
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