The second garden was built and managed by the 4th Empress of the Cruz Empire And continued so forth by the succeeding Imperial Ladies who took the throne.  It was built as a symbol of independence from the Emperor and the Empress’ right to rule with her own hands.

It was a symbol of unity and matrimony for both the Emperor and Empress, as the Emperor held less power within the gardens of the palace compared to the Empress. 

It was a symbol of trust between the two Imperial Rulers, as a way to prove that the Emperor did not control the Empress in any sort of way.

This was the origin of the second garden. A sign of independence of a wife from her husband, and a sign of her own power and authority.

If the First Garden was merely a gift from the Emperor, the Second Garden was carved by the Empress of the time herself.

So it was unfortunate to see it getting decimated as two beings with powerful magic fought within its grasslands and flower beds.

Crack! Smash! Boom!

Pots of plants shatter, trees snap in two, and mounds of well patched dirt launched into the air.

“Quite fast aren't you?” Maddison, still in her disguise, smiled as invisible forces surrounded her, blocking all the strikes coming from left to right.

“You seem to think yourself invincible.” A voice spoke somewhere in the garden, wherever it came from wasn't clear. 

“There.” Maddison quickly glanced near a rose flower bed and, after a short second, the spot she glanced at exploded in a spectacular fashion.

“Wrong.” A chuckle echoed through the second garden.

“Excellent.” Maddison’s smile was growing as she glared all around her. “It would be unfortunate if you die so easily.”

“I can't believe you let the Emperor and Empress escape with that Lady while you're left here fighting me.” The voice seemed bemused. “Do you really think that little girl can protect them?”

“I wouldn't judge her too hastily.” Maddison shrugged as spots next to her exploded, burst, and detonated like dynamite. “People often lose to weaker opponents that way.”

“Fair enough.” The voice agreed. “Though, it seems you also underestimate me.”

“I wouldn't think so.” Maddison shook her head. “I think you're quite perfectly estimated.” Suddenly, a large circular area around her was swept clean by an unknown force, turning the grass and whatever lay on top of it, into crumbled stone, and ugly patches of dirt.

“Well…that could’ve been bad.” The voice smugly spoke somewhere far from the radius of what Maddison had just done.

“Very nimble.” The Witch’s eyes twitched. “You’re starting to become irritating.”

“Haha…I’ve often been told that by my enemies.” The voice laughed. “Too bad they don't get to tell others about my charmingly unbearable personality.”

“Ha! I would agree with you on that.” Maddison grinned. “You are certainly unbearable.” A wave of wind blasted through the second garden snapping anything above shoulder height in half, like some sort of whip struck it with devastating speed.

A whistle blew from a corner. “You are strong.” 

Maddison grit her teeth. “Tsk.” 

“I guess even the leader of the Underworld can be quite hot headed.” The voice chuckled, revealing his knowledge.

“Trust me…I am not angry yet.” Maddison glared at where she thought the voice came from. She didn't seem to care that her identity was revealed. She was going to kill him anyway.

“Hahaha!” The voice laughed. “I know I can't beat you in a head on battle. That's exactly why I’m doing all of these.” 

“It won't take me long until I finally find you and crush you to death.” The Witch spoke with malevolence. 

“Oh believe me. I know.” The voice turned serious and then in a split second it spoke from right behind her. “Which is why I must end this now.”

“What!?” Maddison glanced behind her but her knees suddenly buckled and her body felt like its strength had been taken from her. “What did you–AGH!” Her composure broke for the first time in ages as pain gripped her arms and something heavy wrapped itself around her wrists.

Her knees fell to the ground with a harsh thump and her face went pale as crashed to the floor with her hands seemingly tied behind her back.

“Conatus stone. Surely you've heard of it.” The person behind the voice finally takes form. It was a man with short silver hair, a goatee, and a scar across his lip. His eyes had a gentle blue hue on them and his teeth were crooked. “Allow me to introduce myself to the noble leader of the Underworld.” He removed the gloves from his hands.

“Kill yourself!”

“I am Hughie Monroe. Captain of the 5th squad under the White Legion Commander serving the Kingdom.” He bowed his head as the disguise of the Witch slowly wore off and faded away revealing her feminine features and her long scarlet red hair. “It is an honor to meet you, and an honor to bid a final farewell.”

“Damnit!” Maddison with all her might tried to break free from the stone chains that tied her down but it sapped all of her strength. 

Conatus was an extremely rare stone that was able to absorb magic in its entirety. Having it come into contact with an Adjudicator or Magic user will render them utterly useless and powerless.

There had only ever been one sighting of it in several centuries and it was locked away somewhere in the Southern Coalition. How did the Kingdom get their hands on something like this?

She didn't plan for something like this…No.

She couldn't have planned for something like this. This was not even a part of the equation whatsoever. It would never have even crossed her mind.

Maddison indeed was infinitely stronger than the Kingdom scum in front of her, but the difference in strength doesn't matter if she's rendered incapable by some deus ex machina that this bastard pulled out of nowhere.

“I did tell you before, you seemed to have been underestimating me.” The Captain, Hugh, smiled with apathy. “Goodbye Red Witch of the Underworld. May you rest in the most horrific of flames in death.” 

He raised his sword and swung it downwards straight towards the red haired woman’s neck.

…

Back at the library, The Vice Captain and Teresa eyed each other, their swords drawn, and the air between them tense.

“Young Lady–” The Vice Captain spoke.

“Montgomery. Teresa Montgomery.” She glared as she tightened her hold on the handle. “I may not be a knight but I’m—”

“It seems you haven't been taught much manners.” The Vice Captain glared. “Let men finish their sentences before you speak.” He scowled.

She raised an eyebrow. “It seems you're that type of man, aren't you?”

He smiled and shook his head. “Don't misunderstand me, I don't look down on powerful women. Strength belongs to anyone who can grasp it.” He twisted the sword in his hand and a white aura began to envelop around him, similar to what Ben had earlier. “You, on the other hand, can you grasp power within your fingers?”

“That's not for you to decide.” Teresa took a step forward and charged straight on, arching her arms and preparing for a big swing.

“But it is mine to witness.” The Vice Captain took one step and swung his sword one time in the air and suddenly, a blast of wind rocketed towards Teresa's direction and sent her flying staggering backwards.

The Vice Captain slashed his sword in the air and a wind blade formed from the one action and headed towards Teresa. The young girl quickly raised her arms defensively but was blasted backward as her arms experienced deep cuts and gashes.

“What the hell!?” Teri winced from the pain as she stood back up, facing the man in front of her. “Who are you?”

“Hemming. Gabriel Hemming, Vice Captain, and Spirit user.” He pointed his blade. “I will be taking your lives now.”

He raised his sword up and cut it downwards producing a giant air slash that turned the flooring it passed through to rubble. It barreled rapidly towards Teresa’s location who dived to the side to avoid it.

It crashed into a bookshelf and completely annihilated the bookshelf into pieces. Teresa’s eyes grew as she glanced towards Hemming again who smiled as he raised his sword again.

“I would like to know how your body would look, once it's mangled into pieces.” His eyes were filled with morbid curiosity as he slashed vertically again, with such strength that it produced another wind blade that this time Teresa, on the floor, could not avoid.

Before the wind blade could reach her, however, another one from a different direction sped through the breeze and blasted through it, spreading the air and dissolving the attack.

The Vice Captain stared at the direction it came from. It was the bookshelves that broke apart after the Prince was launched towards them. In front of them was well, The Crown Prince, bloody and bruised.

“Forgive me for getting up late.” Ben wiped some blood off his cheek. “So that's why I couldn't heal as fast and why that attack hurt more than usual. It was a Spirit wave.”

“Impeccable.” The Vice Captain touched his stubble as he grinned towards the Prince. “Someone who can use both Magic and Spirit.”

Ben was a lot more special than others would realize. He rarely utilizes this side of his abilities but this was the whole reason he went to the West in the first place. To train and hone his Spirit, under the guidance of the Duke.

Ben was able to harness the power of Spirit, an ability he had shown before. It was a white aura that coated the body and strengthened it to superhuman levels. It has limitless growth and continuously breaks a soldier's expectations of themselves.

Spirit is obtained through sheer will and hard work, juxtaposed with Magic which is born from either desire or natural constitution. 

There was also one thing that makes Spirit powerful. It completely negates Magic. It breaks through magic defenses, attacks, and abilities. Magic and Spirit are the polar opposites. 

Which is why Spirit is extremely difficult to hone. Even achieving it requires tremendous training and perseverance.

The fact that Ben, an Adjudicator, someone who uses Magic, also displays skills in Spirit. It was a one time miracle that any person would deem impossible.

Ben’s abilities are contrary to each other.

“So the Imperial Crown Prince is quite talented huh?” The Vice Captain, Hemming, complemented. “I am honored to witness such a miracle.”

“Teresa.” Ben wobbled to her side and helped her stand up. “Get these people to safety and find Alejandra.”

“What?”

“You're hurt. You need to get to safety, and please…save her.”

“You're hurt too!” Teresa yelled but realized she was yelling at an Imperial so she swallowed her spit and fixed her language. “But you're also injured, Your Highness.”

“I feel like I haven't not been injured these past few hours.” He joked and pushed her towards the bystanders. “Go, Lady Teresa, I am the only one who can handle him right now.” He turned his gaze back towards the intrigued man.

Hemming found the scene playing out before him as amusing. He now realizes he doesn't care for whether or not that girl escapes, the warrior blood in his veins is screaming at him to fight the boy in front of him right now. He needs to see what a human, capable of Magic and Spirit, can do.

Teresa rushed to the meek staff members hiding behind the counter. She flashed her eyes towards the Crown Prince whose whole body is now also coated in the same white aura.

She pursed her lips. 

She indeed knew she had to find her Lady.

She also had to help these people get to safety.

She also would like to know how Asher was doing.

She knew she had to do all of those but she closed her eyes and clenched her fists and focused on the pain in her arms. 

She visualized every cut and each drop of blood that spilled from these wounds. 

She then imagined all the pain that the Prince was now experiencing risking himself for his people.

At first, she viewed him as merely a handsome troublemaker who only served as eye candy for her Lady.

But now…

She finds him worthy to stand at her side.

She took a deep breath and turned to the staff members.

“Is there any bow I can use here?”

While the fight in the Library had barely begun another clash was about to draw to a close.

“You brat!” The Tall Man growled as he picked himself up from the rubble.

In front of him was the Young Knight he tortured and mocked, draped in stone armor that covered him from head to toe. It was like he was fighting an earth golem crafted by an elf.

The Tall Man grimaced at the sight. Why did now of all times did this kid awaken his magic right now? 

Has the Goddess lost her mind? 

He bit his thumb and glanced all around the garden for anything that he could do to take control of the situation again.

Adjudicator’s Magic or a better way to call it would be ‘Magic born from desire’ isn't your typical type of Standard Magic, which is born from the elements.

Humans are unable to cast Standard Magic in general, they're bodies don't allow for it. They lack the ability to do so. However, they can awaken a specific Magic and embed it in their soul with the power of desire.

Asmodeus, The Goddess of Desire, grants magic to these people and allows them to use a specific form of Magic and nothing else. 

The Tall Man was himself granted a specific form of magic that allowed him to leap large distances at astonishing speed. Beyond that, he is unable to cast any Magic born from elements, even if it is the most basic of spells that a novice Elf or Dwarf from the Southern Coalition can do.

He couldn't exactly escape from this situation by escaping with a basic smog spell. He glared and cursed the miracles of the Goddess. This young knight would prove to be hard to kill because of her providence. 

“Boy.” He called the young man in front of him. “Why do you fight?”

“Do you need there to be a reason?” Asher shook his head. “Sometimes, I don't even know why myself?”

“Hah!” The Tall Man gawked. “And I thought you were some righteous bloke.”

“Well…” He glanced towards the girl who was behind him. “My Lady did tell me a long time ago, she probably doesn't even remember. But…A Knight's job is to protect, not to fight.”

“Your Lady seems very mature.” The Tall Man nodded his head. 

“Indeed she is.”

“It was fun seeing your miserable faces.” The man shrugged. “I relish in the pain of my enemies, but alas…I have to end it now.” 

“Come at me.” Asher spoke with confidence.

In a flash of a second the Tall Man leaped from his footing all the way to Asher’s face in an instant. It almost seemed like teleportation. His current speed was incomparable to what he had before.

Asher, for some reason, found his own body reacting before his mind could. His torso twisted and turned to the side to avoid the stab of a dagger. He then raised his arm and swung a punch made of stone towards the Tall Man’s side.

The Man used his Adjudicator abilities to leap from the air and into the ground behind the Stone-suited Knight.

The Tall Man raised both his hands to the left and proceeded to swing in a hook motion with both his daggers.

Asher’s stone armor managed to block the blades from stabbing inside but the steel did manage to chip at the rocky plate. This deflection caused the Tall Man’s form to waver.

The knight took this chance and stood his ground. He turned his body while hopping up with one leg and used the other to perform a high spinning kick that managed to strike the Tall Man right at his neck.

This kick was powerful and the Tall Man felt the pain as he crashed to the ground and the dirt below formed a small crater from the impact.

“Gack!” The Tall Man spat blood, he was certain he had broken most of his ribs.

This Knight was already a fairly decent swordsman but he also knew hand to hand combat. He had to give it to this boy. He really is a pain in the ass.

“Get up.” Asher’s eyes blazed with fury as he stared down the Tall Man who was now lying face flat in the dirt.

“Hahahaha…” He stood up, with his face bruised, and his chest bleeding internally. The man could only laugh at the situation he made for himself. “I like that look of yours kid. AHAHAHAHAHA!” He spat out a tooth. “Now let's see who dies here.”