Roselle, following behind Risebelle soon spotted the same building she went to. She maintained a safe distance but kept her eyes out for any potential threats or signs of life.
Suddenly, a ringing sound emanated from a small device on Risebelle's person, catching both her and Roselle off guard. Risebelle swiftly stepped back and distanced herself from the building. Then, she retrieved a communicator from her robe's pocket.
Roselle followed and watched as Risebelle pressed a button on the communicator, bringing it to her ear to listen.
Risebelle held the communicator to her ear. "This had better be good, Kintovar."
Roselle crept closer. She leaned in, trying to hear the conversation. The dry leaves underfoot gave her away and Risebelle's sharp eyes darted to her. With a single pointed glare, she silently mouthed, "Stop moving around."
Roselle froze mid-step and raised up her hands briefly. Then, she lowered herself slowly to a crouch in an attempt to stay out of Risebelle’s peripheral vision.
Dr. Kintovar crackled over the communicator, calm yet brimming with intensity. “I see you’ve stumbled upon something significant. The ‘Academy of Magic’ is a place with a dark history tied to me.
Risebelle tilted her head slightly. “What’s that about? “
Kintovar’s tone turned sharper. “They once captured me. Those so-called scholars, the desperate, delusional fools. They intended to execute me for my research, labeling me a heretic and a threat. But I managed to escape their clutches.”
Roselle’s eyes widened. She mouthed silently, "Executed?" Her shifting weight though caused another crunch underfoot and Risebelle shot her a warning glance.
“They’ve been relentless in their pursuit of me ever since,” Kintovar went on, speaking now with both pride and bitterness. “The students you’ve encountered in the Mystic Forest were likely remnants of this academy; however, there’s more to this threat than those stray students.”
Risebelle’s fingers tightened around the communicator. “Go on.”
“The Academy’s Headmaster,” Kintovar said with caution, “is a powerful mage. She’s been working on a project that is considered revolutionary, even by our standards. She wants to make magic capable of propelling people and objects off the island and into the world beyond.”
“If they succeed,” Kintovar explained, “it means their influence could spread beyond this isolated place. And worse, if they expose us, it could turn the entire world against us before we even have a chance to reach the city. You must take this seriously, Risebelle.”
Kintovar lowered her speech but kept her intensity in her tone. “Gather as much information as you can—about the academy, their Headmaster and their plans. Be careful though. Do not underestimate them. Get a complete scope of the area and then get out of there. This mission is critical.”
Risebelle nodded. “Understood. We’ll assess the situation thoroughly before taking action.”
“Good,” Kintovar replied. “And Roselle, if you’re listening, which I know you are, try not to get in Risebelle’s way.”
Roselle froze with her mouth dropping open in shock as Risebelle arched a single, unimpressed brow in her direction.
Kintovar’s chuckle came through the communicator. “I’ve got eyes on you both. Now, carry on. I’ll be monitoring your progress.”
The line went dead, leaving a silence between the two sisters. Roselle straightened herself and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. “So…what’s the plan?”
Risebelle sighed heavily. “The plan? You stop creeping around like an amateur and we do exactly what Kintovar said. Let’s get a good scope of this academy before we even think about making a move.”
She turned toward the building. “Stay close, Roselle. And try not to do anything reckless.”
As Risebelle moved forward, Roselle lingered for a moment with her eyes trailing after her sister’s confident stride. ‘She acts like all of this is second nature… ‘Roselle thought. Her chest tightened slightly. She’d wanted to ask Risebelle about her memories before, but the walls around her sister were tall and guarded. ‘I wonder what’s going on in that head of her’s…’
Meanwhile, within the grand office of the Headmaster of the Academy of Magic, tension hung thick in the air. Twenty mages stood in a loose formation with murmurs barely contained from the news they just received.
“…Thalindra, the Forest Guardian is gone,” one said with disbelief.
“She was Killed by one of that damn Kintovar’s creations,” another added with her tone filled with both fear and anger.
At the center of it all sat the Headmaster with her fingers steepled beneath her chin. The silver-haired figure exuded an aura of authority that could silence even the boldest of tongues. Her piercing gaze bore into the mage who delivered the report.
Her lips trembled for the briefest of moments and her eyes glistened as though on the brink of tears but then, her face transformed like it was consumed by a storm of wrath.
“Anyone who isn’t an Elite mage or a messenger,” she said calmly yet cutting, “leave the office. NOW.”
Ten of the mages immediately moved toward the exit. Their haste betrayed their relief at escaping what was to come. One lingered for a split second too long, glancing back with clattering teeth.
“Close the door behind you,” the Headmaster added with eyes locking onto him with a deadly calm.
He swallowed hard and nodded, pulling the heavy door shut with a quiet thud.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
The remaining ten stood frozen in place, awaiting the Headmaster’s next words as the tension thickened.
The Headmaster gripped the edge of her desk. Her composure broke like a dam under pressure. "Damn that Kintovar," she seethed venomously. "Always one step ahead. Escaping, scheming, plotting."
Her sharp gaze swept across the room, landing on each mage. "We’ve spent a long time searching for her base, pouring resources into every lead and what have we achieved? Nothing. The best we managed was hunting down one of her so-called scientists and silencing them permanently. And now…" She exhaled sharply through her nose. "Now, with Thalindra gone, our flow of mana for the project has been severed."
The room was silent momentarily with the words pressing down on the remaining mages.A single voice broke the stillness. "Headmaster…" It was a messenger, who was a woman with short cropped blue hair standing near the back. She stepped forward hesitantly. "What will we do now?"
The Headmaster's gaze softened momentarily. Her eyes dropped to her desk while weighing the options. "If Thalindra is gone," she said slowly, "then this forest serves us no further purpose. We will drain it dry."
A sharp intake of breath came from the far side of the room. The tall mage with white hair and a serene, almost divine demeanor took a step forward. He held an ornate tome in his hands and spoke with a calm authority. "Headmaster," he began, "if we drain the Mystic Forest entirely, have you considered the consequences? This is no ordinary source of magic. Its power is ancient, and it is woven into the fabric of this island. If we disrupt that balance…" He hesitated for a moment to choose his next words carefully. "It could lead to our undoing."
The Headmaster’s gaze snapped to him like a hawk spotting prey. "Are you questioning my decision, Elite Mage Abner?" Her icy tone cut through the room like a blade.
Abner met her gaze but immediately lowered his eyes and bowed his head slightly. "No, Headmaster," he replied with a measured tone. "I would never presume to question your judgment."
The Headmaster’s lips curled into a sharp, humorless smile. "Good. You’re Elite for a reason. The best of the best. You know what needs to be done, yes?"
Abner straightened and nodded. "Yes, Headmaster. I will assemble a Mana extraction team immediately and coordinate with the other Elites to oversee the process."
The Headmaster gave a curt nod. "Then see it done, Abner. We will take the forest’s power for ourselves and get off this wretched island, no matter the cost."
As Abner turned to leave, a faint unease flickered in his otherwise composed look. The other Elite mages exchanged brief glances before following suit.
The Headmaster stood alone in her office. She stared out the window toward the Mystic Forest. Her hands clenched into fists. "Kintovar’s Projects..." the headmaster muttered. “They are more dangerous than we could have ever imagined. If they possess the power to defeat Thalindra, then they could be a huge problem for my plans…"
The Academy of Magic began to mobilize its forces. At the same time, Roselle and Risebelle continued their mission to gather information about the academy. They cautiously approached the academy building once more.
They soon noticed a figure standing near the front entrance. The person appeared to be a student dressed in the robes of the Academy of Magic.
Risebelle signaled for Roselle to follow her lead and both approached the figure.
"Excuse me," Risebelle said in a polite and calm tone, "This place is kind of big and we're a tad bit lost. Can you help us find our way around?"
The student turned to face them. He looked as if he were in his late teens with short brown hair and a pair of glasses attached to their face.
The student's eyes flickered with curiosity upon seeing Roselle's attire. Their gaze shifted between Roselle's fur coat and Risebelle's more traditional Academy robes. He adjusted his glasses and pointed toward Roselle. “Where are your robes? Everyone who enters the Academy receives one. It’s standard protocol.”
Roselle’s eyes widened in panic. She then plastered on an exaggerated grin. “Oh, the robes! Yeah, about that…” She tapped her chin. “You see, there was this bunny.”
The student’s mouth opened slightly. A… bunny?”
“Yes!” Roselle nodded enthusiastically. “Crazy, huh?! It was a big one! Well, not that big, but, uh, it was very persistent. It hopped right out of nowhere and snatched my robes! Just grabbed them and ran. You wouldn’t believe how fast it was.”
The student’s expression flattened into pure disbelief.
Risebelle exhaled slowly. “Forgive my sister. She’s… creative with her excuses.”
“Hey!” Roselle pouted. “I’m not making excuses! It was a--”
Risebelle stepped in front of Roselle to cut her off. “She doesn’t know when to stop talking, either. But uh…can you help us find where to get replacements?”
The student sighed and scratched the back of his head. “Fine,” he muttered while waving his hand toward them. “Follow me. I’ll show you around.”
Roselle shot Risebelle a triumphant grin while following the student. Risebelle leaned slightly toward her and whispered under her breath, “A bunny? Really?”
Roselle whispered back, “It could happen!”
Risebelle fought to keep her composure, “You’re lucky we didn’t get busted right there and then.”
The student glanced back at them. His gaze was suspicious. “By the way,” he began as they walked, “I didn’t catch your names. What are they?”
Roselle opened her mouth, ready to blurt out something but before she could, the student narrowed his eyes. “Hold on a second…I can’t feel your magical energy.”
Both sisters froze.
The student’s gaze hardened. His hand hovered near the staff tucked into his robe. “You do know the rules here, don’t you? Those without magical energy…” He trailed off with his face darkening slightly. “Their Executions are swift and merciless. That goes for intruders or magicless individuals.”
Roselle’s heart skipped a beat. The student tilted his head with his demeanor softening slightly. “That said. if you’re suppressing it for some reason, now’s the time to stop. I’d rather not waste my energy reporting this if it’s just a misunderstanding.”
Roselle glanced nervously at Risebelle, but the older girl’s face remained stoic.
The student sighed and put on a light smile. “Don’t worry. I won’t judge you for how low your magic might be.” His lips curled now to a faint smirk.
Roselle quickly plastered a shaky grin onto her face. “Oh! Of course! We were just… uh--!!!”
Before the situation could escalate any further, Risebelle reached out and grabbed the student's neck with a forceful grip. The student let out a surprised gasp, but began choking and eventually, he collapsed and stopped breathing.
Roselle's eyes were wide with astonishment. She hadn't expected Risebelle to take such drastic action so quickly. She trembled slightly and asked, "Is... Is he dead?"
Risebelle remained stern. "Yes. I saw him reaching for his staff when he asked that question. Remember, we can’t afford to let anyone discover our true nature. We need to proceed with caution."
Roselle nodded, though she felt uneasy about this situation.
Risebelle glanced at Roselle who hesitated to move. "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and take his clothes, idiot. It might not be a perfect fit, but it's better than standing out. You got that?"
Roselle nodded and began to swiftly change into the student's robes despite the fact that they were too big on her.
Risebelle glanced around the hallway to ensure no one was approaching. Afterwards, she reached into her robe and retrieved a small, sophisticated-looking device.
"This is a scanning device Kintovar provided me," she explained in a hushed tone. "It will analyze the magical signatures of those around us and give us an idea of their threat level compared to ours. Stay still and I'll activate it."
With a press of a button, the device came to life. The duo saw a holographic display which showed a series of readings and data. The holographic display on the scanning device showed a comprehensive breakdown of the magical signatures in the vicinity:
5 signatures: No magical presence detected (likely individuals set for execution).
249 signatures: Weak magical presence.
200 signatures: Below average magical power.
300 signatures: Average magical power.
50 signatures: Above average magical power.
4 signatures: Very strong magical power.
1 signature: Overpowering magical presence.
"It seems that there are quite a few individuals here with weak magical abilities," Risebelle whispered. "But there are also a few who could fry us alive. . . We aren't strong enough to take on this entire academy."
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