Superhuman Princess

1933-1945 The War of the Supermen​

It all began when Hitler officially used the first superhuman soldier in World War Two. This soldier was called Ubermensch, and he was the ideal of the Aryan race that the despot envisioned: blue eyes, blond hair, tall, and rippling with muscles. He could fly, was impervious to gunfire, and strong enough to lift buildings.

After using him as a stallion to impregnate a number of German women to pass on his prodigious genes, he was deployed on the front when Germany's position was becoming untenable. Everywhere he went, massacre and desolation followed until Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and the United States of America joined the war. To counter Ubermensch, the Americans deployed their own superhuman, Major Freedom, whose powers mirrored those of the German super-soldier.

Then, more and more supermen and women from the US and other Allied countries joined when the Auschwitz camp was discovered and the evil deeds of Germany were brought to light.

Nikola Tesla, facing his waning years, in 1941 successfully perfected a serum that restored him to the youthful vigor of his twenties and gave him superhuman regeneration. The CIA and the richest individuals around the world hunted him down for it. The poor man, like many geniuses and visionaries, had underestimated the power of human greed. Even while dodging most of the world’s two-bit villains, Tesla was still resolved to help his fellow humans, and superhumans, in the war by finding other superhumans that had previously gone undetected.

Thanks to a breakthrough while studying Major Freedom, a superhuman detector was invented. Superhumans give off a different radiation signature than normal humans. It became much easier to find them after this discovery.

This was how Major Freedom, The Leopard, and Nikola Tesla found the undersea continent of Amazonia in the Bermuda triangle. The Amazonian Queendom was thousands of years more advanced than the countries that fought in World War Two. Tesla, having lost sight of the reason they entered the hidden country in the first place, began asking too many questions.

As a result, they were imprisoned in the Queen's dungeons. After being kept prisoner for a week, Major Freedom, Tesla, and their military retinue were given an audience with Queen Dorina King herself. Major Freedom spoke first to ask the Amazonian Queendom to help them in the war and come join with their fellow humans on Earth, but he was quickly refused. The Leopard, taking a different approach, instead told the Queen that they would find worthy foes in the war and have many good fights.

This caught Queen Dorina's attention and caused her to accept their plea for help. The Leopard later told Major Freedom that not everyone was as noble as he was and that the Amazonians were a rowdy bunch that loves war and fighting.

The Amazonian Queendom joined the war in 1942 and overturned the situation at the front with their overwhelming advantage in technology. To avoid overreaching and startling their new allies, they provided medical aid and tactical teams to the different theaters of the war instead: Europe, China, the Pacific, and North Africa. Following that, the Allies landed with overwhelming strength in Normandy and retook France, Holland, and Belgium.

Little by little, they forced the Germans to retreat to their home country. Ubermensch was taken out of the fight in 1943 by Queen Dorina herself; she beheaded him before all his soldiers after capturing him.

Everything changed when the Waffen-SS tried to burn a little village full of witches in the Black Forest on France’s border. The circle of Thirteen in the village sacrificed the invaders to the Dark Goddess, Hekate. The Matriarch, having received a revelation from the goddess, lit the beacon to signal the Corvinus Council to begin assembling. Other arcanists, spiritualists, and clans of magical creatures received oracles and revelations from their gods to stop the war and reveal themselves to the world.

The supernatural silence was finally broken; on February 6th, 1944, they joined the war. The USA developed the first atomic bombs and attempted to use them on Japan, but were foiled while still in Chinese airspace by a female superhuman called Amaterasu. The bomber crashed, but before Amaterasu could disintegrate it the bombs went off and devastated several coastal cities.

The war was put to a stop when Major Freedom, The Leopard, and Queen Dorina breached Hitler’s bunker and captured him on September 2nd, 1945. He was secretly put to death in France. Most Nazi officers fled to Argentina and Brazil, but some were captured and put on trial in 1946.

A lot of things have changed since the Second World War; the world was almost destroyed twice and there was an alien invasion by the Vaudwar, a race of sentient humanoid lizards. Humanity is still as prone to discord as ever. Even though many social and technological advances have been made, there are still many evils that remain in the world. This is a brave new world; danger is everywhere and the sky's the limit!

Fast-forwarding to the end of 2002, a portal opened from the war-torn magical realm of Phantasia to Earth in Paris, France. Since the awareness of the gods of Earth would be on them, the group of refugees coming to our world will have to overcome many obstacles to fully integrate and protect their ward.

 

Malicia comforted the crying baby on her bosom. She remembered feeding and changing her, maybe she was crying because of being cold? It could be from either the frigid night air or the magical portal draining the heat from the area around them. The little treasure was cold, so she relented and cast a temperature regulating spell around her, seconds passed and the infant calmed down gradually and snuggled more tightly against the sorceress. Malicia’s cold, little heart warmed at this sight; her goddaughter was one-of-a-kind.

Six months ago, she helped bring little Elissa into the world at the insistence of her friend, Empress Daphne. Then, everything changed when the Dark Lord attacked. He took over villages and hamlets at first, the soldiers sent to stop him and his growing army didn’t take him seriously. After his crushing victory against the Phantasian troops, more discontent Fallen had flocked to his banner. Now everything seems lost as the Dark Lord imprisoned her best friend and killed her husband.

*Daphne my beautiful friend, I will save your daughter even if I must leave the star that nurtured us.* Malicia thought.

She remembered her Empress with fond feeling; a platinum blonde beauty with piercing green emerald eyes full of power with an omnipresent superior grin on her face. Men and women stared breathlessly when she smiled. Daphne was not only blessed with beauty but was also a warrior and an elemental ice mage. Traits that she seems to have passed to her daughter, Elissa; the girl has soft pale blonde baby locks on her head and a tenacity rarely seen in six months old babies, as she demanded milk from Malicia’s breast. The Dae relented and uncovered a breast to let the infant suckle. Thanks to magic, Malicia was able to induce lactation; this much was necessary since she has become Elissa's godparent and nursemaid.

Malicia looked around her, they were in the ruins of an ancient temple dedicated to the Dark Goddess of Magic and Sorcery, Hekate. Even with its disused appearance, the security wards protecting it were bristling with power. Malicia could literally see the magic in the air around her, the temple’s mana was fed by a powerful natural mana node.

*Great for defense, but extended habitation would not be an option.* The sorceress guessed.

Malicia didn’t intend to stay here for long; she had already taken the treasure in this temple's sanctuary, Hekate’s amulet, which was a repository of the magical knowledge of this world. The sorceress had received a divine vision from Hekate, she saw this abandoned temple and the artifact inside. When the goddess told her about the power of the amulet, Malicia almost couldn't believe her at first.

The amulet was the key to a tethered pocket dimension called “the sanctum” where there was an untold amount of knowledge, materials, and an ideal place to practice magic. But wasn’t the only ability it had; Hekate’s amulet also gave the wearer the power to create portals between worlds, or on the same world in a more localized manner. The amulet would have to recharge after being used to open a portal to a different world, and unfortunately, Malicia didn't know how long it would take to recharge between uses. However, The amulet would be able to create localized portals using the ley lines and mana nodes of the world she would flee to. Hekate had promised to open a portal with her own power and send them to a safe place she called Gaia.

Malicia took her eyes away from the portal, she had tried to pass through it already, but the goddess’s voice told her it wasn’t time to leave yet. There was going to be people coming with her, and that she would be happy to have them. Hekate sounded like a bossy, master mage and treated her like a lowly apprentice, and it didn’t sit well with Malicia… but she was nothing compared to her patron, the Goddess of Magic. So, the sorceress petulantly waited for those people to come, but still got bored midway.

It annoyed Malicia, she decided to look around to see if she had missed anything in the temple worth taking. Everywhere, she could only see tarnished marble statues of Hekate practicing different magical arts; another artwork of her teaching the first circles of mages and witches on a mural. There was a faded tapestry of the goddess bestowing sorcery to Magda Stormborn ten thousand years ago. Nothing worth taking, unless you count the historic and cultural value of those items.

The sorceress sighed and looked at the baby in her arms. She felt sad and a bit unwilling to go through with her decision, but she had to do it. Giving up her fiancé, friends, heritage, roots, and world to a Fell creature, which will oppress her people and undo what the dynasty of her friend had accomplished. Certainly, as a hybrid Fae and Demon, Malicia wasn’t a virtuous or good person; she had killed her fair share of Faeries, Demons, and Humans in horrific ways, but she never treated them like livestock, or mana-batteries to feed on.

She had a bottom line.

*Phantasia will have to hang on until we are ready to take everything back.* She thought while gritting her teeth.

Malicia heard noises from the entrance of the temple with her enhanced Dae hearing, she couldn’t ignore it, as it continued. Those were footsteps, the sound of boots resonating on the marble tiles.

*At least two people.* She counted.

Without an incantation, she cast an invisibility field spell around her, but still hid behind a pillar. You never knew if the intruder had a Dae hunter with them, they can smell most magic users. Just in case, she traced a Rune of Silence on Elissa who could reveal their position simply by giggling, the little imp was prone to it. The glowing lines of the rune shined on the little one's body before disappearing.

Malicia focused on her hearing and listened.

“Is she really here?” A light masculine voice said skeptically.

“That Priestess sent us here after we failed to free the Empress, she swore on her eternal soul to Hekate that she wasn’t lying.” She heard another man’s voice.

The two men’s voices could be heard reverberating in the temple’s Narthex and approaching her position. Malicia readied a magic missile and a blinding spell but hesitated when recognized the voices she was hearing.

“Malicia? Sweetness, are you there?” The tenor-like voice inquired.

She knew those voices!

But before answering to the familiar person, Malicia used her mage sight to see through any glamour her enemies might use. The two men in the antechamber looked like her fiancé, Heracles, and his brother. No, not looked like. It was them, only the glow of their enchanted light armors and weapons glowed in her sight. Happiness and excitement at seeing them here made her let go of her spell, straighten the baby in the wrap around her, and go toward them.

Heracles was a big man, two meters tall with a body thought to have been crafted by the gods. He was muscular and fit, had long red hair in a warrior's ponytail falling on his back. His face was ruggedly handsome with aquiline features, blue stormy eyes that made Malicia lost when she stared into them. The man was stronger than anything on this planet but knew how to temper his strength, he had never been rough with her. Heracles wore Phantasian dark body armor, with a multi-laminate, nano-scale reactive coating, and a chameleon enchanted cloak. His trusty battle-ax was strapped to his hip.

His brother, Achilles, wore the same armor and cloak, but he had an energy spear as a weapon, standard issue of the Phantasian Army. Achilles looked similar to his brother, but he was shorter and leaner, with the build of a martial artist. The man’s hair was more auburn than red, his eyes, sapphire blue. Achilles was a ladies man and never fell in love with anyone. He was rather promiscuous and that never sat well with Heracles, his brother who fell in love with the Dark sorceress Malicia, heir of the faerie dells.

“Cles, my lion!!” Malicia shouted in joy.

“Mal!” He surged toward her and hugged her.

The man lost himself in the softness of his Dae sorceress; how he craved the scent of her raven hair, the sparkles of mischief in her glowing green eyes. He was on the front the last time he saw her, with the Empress. She was Daphne’s best friend and bodyguard. Elissa protested but the silence rune didn’t let her voice escape. The couple hugged, but Heracles felt the little baby in the grey wrap around his woman.

“What have we here?” The imperial guard captain looked at the little baby.

“Oh, I forgot.” Malicia touched Elissa and nullified the silence rune effect.

Loud crying could suddenly be heard. Malicia took out her naked breast and let the baby calm down by smelling the milk scent from her nipples. The little girl viciously took Malicia’s breast between her hands and began to suckle and stopped crying.

“Is that…?” Heracles stepped back from her, his eyes lit up with recognition.

Malicia looked at her fiancé and his brother, who’s face reddened by looking at the baby being breastfed.

“Yes, this is the Princess.” The sorceress said whilst nodding, acknowledging his assumption.

“Huh, what are we here for?” Achilles asked frantically. “A Priestess of the Dark Goddess told us to come here and help you save the kingdom. The resistance failed to take back the Empress, that Sabrak demon guy crushed us. Now all the armies and officers scattered with their family to the sweltering wastes and the Dwerm Kingdom.” The young man sounded desperate to do something, anything, to resolve the situation.

“I intend to save the world, yes. But-” The sorceress began.

Adept of the Dark, it is time for you to depart. You may go with my blessing. A powerful, feminine voice echoed in the temple, interrupting Malicia and startling both brothers. Elissa wasn’t concerned at all and continued feeding.

“Now I can go and bring my love with me, I thank you, my goddess.” The sorceress kneeled, baby in arm and head bowed.
The men were lost and didn’t know what was going on.

“Where... Where are we going?” Heracles asked with anxiousness.

“To a new world, on Gaia, to raise Elissa for her to become strong enough to retake her throne. The goddess guided you to me because your strength and knowledge will be needed. We cannot retake Phantasia and save Daphne yet, only with Elissa’s powers can we manage such a feat. A prophecy was given to me about her, I am to be her guide and teacher.” The sorceress informed them.

“I will come with you, it is our duty to protect the heir either way,” Heracles said with a roguish smile.

He helped Malicia to her feet and touched the little baby in her arms. Heracles couldn’t wait to have his own children with the sorceress, names to give and activities to do with his future offspring already filled his mind.

“We will have to go through that portal here, I guess?” Malicia nodded at her man’s question.

The captain put his arm around the shoulders of the female Dae and they approached the tear in reality with trepidation.

“Sigh, I guess I will come too. But leaving like this without telling anyone...” Achilles said, his hand tightening on his spear.

He followed his brother and future sister in law.

“Don’t worry, the Priestesses of Hekate will pass on the message to the population and people of importance. Never underestimate the divine.” Malicia reassured him.

“Ah, that’s better.”

The three, plus Elissa, went through the portal, suddenly they were propulsed into the tear’s corridor. They saw strange things in it, other planets and stars, and the corridor wasn’t straight; it has many turns and curves. The green and blue light show of the corridor suddenly stopped and they exited the portal. Malicia was in Heracles arms, and Achilles looked around him, spear in hand, ready to attack any threats to them.

It was night, and before them was a pyramid of metal and glass, illuminated by a light within. Behind the pyramid was some kind of old palace with yellow sand-like stones and a blue-tiled roof, reminding the group of modern Eline architecture, but the similarity stopped there. Marble statues of men and women could be seen decorating the palace, they, weirdly, looked like they were made in the same style as the one in Hekate’s temple. There were fountains around the pyramid and the palace, not in working order obviously.

“Where are we?” Achilles asked.

No one was there to attack them, he kept his spear in hand and looked toward the palace.

“This is Gaia?” Malicia commented.

She wasn’t impressed. It looked old and she could feel that the ley lines were weak in this place, far from an ideal place to build a palace. There weren't any nodes to power wards or defenses. She could sense that there were people inside this place with her mage sight.

“Mal, can you read the panel there?” Heracles pointed toward a blue and white panel with inscriptions on it.

“I don't recognize these letters, I'll have to cast a translation spell. Hold Elissa for me, I need my hands for this spell.”

Heracles took the baby from her arms, and Malicia placed the baby wrap around Heracles shoulder and chest.

“While you are at it, she needs to burp with all this milk she’s ingested. Come on, do it while I cast the spell on us.”

Malicia used her hands to trace arcane runes in the air and voiced her intent. All three adults felt a sharp stab of pain in their head when she finished casting the spell, but the pain disappeared as quickly as it had come. Now they could read the panel before them.

BIENVENUE AU MUSÉE DU LOUVRE
Ouvert du Lundi au Dimanche
De 9 Heures à 18 Heures​

“It says we've arrived at a museum called the Louvre. This place isn't actually a palace, so we won't be arrested for loitering in some king's courtyard,” Malicia said, smiling wryly.

Heracles managed to get Elissa to let out a loud burp and got a bit of puke on his armor, but it made him laugh rather than react with disgust.

“Great. Now we need to know the lay of the land, money, and somewhere to stay.” Achilles addressed the issues they were fated to stumble upon.

Malicia wasn’t worried, she could use her magic to provide a place to stay, she had some gold in her bag of holding, and she might have to hire out her services as a sorceress to support her companions and goddaughter. No, she would be raising Elissa as her own daughter now. She intended to marry Heracles and find a house where they could live and train the little one as she grew into her powers. The sorceress looked at the big man behind her and he would be a father soon enough, it shouldn't be a problem for him to act as Elissa's father as well. The road ahead promised to be full of obstacles, but there would be happiness as well.

“Is that a bird?” Achilles asked as he saw something flying in the dark sky.

“No, it’s someone who can fly!” Heracles bellowed.

“So they do have magic here!” Malicia said, happily.

Yes, this was a brave new world.

 

16 years later
February 6th, 2018
Afternoon
Amazon Complex
Seattle, Evergreen

The voices of the instructors shouting could be heard throughout the arena of female students. Sounds of metal hitting metal drowned out by the battle cries of the advanced students battling it out with training weapons in separate groups. Some listened and fought in teams or against multiple opponents, most of the girls here were disciplined enough and paid attention; however, there were some looking in rapt attention at the duel happening before their eyes between two superhuman girls. Two girls in shiny light armors were battling full contact in the sand of the underground arena, they were at its center.

From the long exchange of strikes, parries, evasions, feints, and counter-attacks people would say they were evenly matched, but in a blur of speed, the shortest girl charged and bypassed the reach of the taller girl’s staff; then in a series of accurate and dexterous moves disarmed her and made her opponent relinquish her weapon with a fancy move of her short sword. The staff laid on the sand and the young woman let go of her short sword to tackle the tall girl at an impossible speed. The short young woman caught the tall one's wrist and swiped her leg under her foe’s feet, making her fall.

The battle devolved into grappling on the sand, and finally, the short girl had the tall girl in a sleeper hold.

Thirty seconds later, the fight ended with the tall girl falling unconscious, the Amazon instructor came to inspect if everything was alright, making sure the unconscious girl was just put to sleep. The worst thing that could happen would be a broken neck. She took off the tall girl's helmet, an eighteen-year-old brunette with her eyes closed who was thus revealed to be asleep after the instructor took her pulse.

“Elissa wins!” The instructor said while taking the younger girl’s arm and raising it.

“Yes!” The soft soprano voice of the winner cried in joy.

Some students cheered and clapped, but none were louder than Elissa’s little sister Cassandra. Like a missile, the little girl jumped in the arena and was a blur as she tackled her older sibling who was standing up just now but found her bottom on the sand yet again. Cassandra hugged her sister with all her might, everyone felt that the little girl was too clingy, and she might be too spoiled.

“CANTBREATH,” Elissa said, slapping her hand on the little girl’s shoulder.

Cassandra disengaged and looked decently sheepish. She was much stronger than Elissa, as she just triggered her superhuman powers last month, and because their dad was a Titan type superhuman; weirdly Elissa thought her powers were different because she had other types of gifts that must be from her maternal line. The magnitude of Cassandra’s strength was completely different from her older sister’s but there was no jealousy between the sisters.

Elissa’s mother, Malicia told her that she will grow in strength each year and reach a comparable power to her sister.

“Sorry.” The girl said with an embarrassed little smile on her freckled face.

“It’s ok little tyke, just don’t do-” The older girl looked into Cassandra big puppy green eyes and realized who she was talking to and sighed heavily. “Let’s go.”

When her little sister looked at her this way, she could not say no to her, she was eight and a half and everyone in the family doted on her. When Elissa decided to do something fun, Cassandra was always there to follow her; when practicing martial arts, studying magical arts, or looking for weapons in the magical market, weren’t just hobbies to them but their way of life. Their mother was a sorceress, everyone in the house worshipped Hekate, the Dark Goddess of Magic and Sorcery, the proof was the matching necklace showing their faith.

Elissa knew what it was like to live in a normal household and she found it boring. If she was a normal girl she wouldn’t be able to do half the things she’s used to, like martial arts, but her favorite activity was alchemy. Elissa liked alchemy more than sorcery, but Cassandra sucked at it and left her alone in her basement lab.

Still, going to the Amazon complex to learn how to fight was one of the things they enjoyed doing together, and it gave Elissa a break from thwarting her sisters attempts at stealing her makeup and blackmailing her into going to play with the faeries and find unicorns in the parks of Seattle, where those magical denizens roamed en masse. The girls spectating congratulated her for showing that older girl her place. Sharice was an older black girl that was one year her senior in this complex and she used to lord over the normal girls, as she was the most talented in her age group. But just because she triggered her superpowers, she thought she could do the same with the powered members. Elissa showed her the errors of her ways when she came to her looking for a fight.

The young woman didn’t have a lot of friends, even though she was loyal to them, but she had big ideals, was honest and raised with honor. Elissa and Cassandra were raised in a way that wasn’t compatible with today’s society.

“You showed that cow who’s boss, now can we go have pancakes at Daisy’s?” Yes, Cassandra also had a mouth on her.

Elissa looked at the little glutton, sighed and recovered her short sword to sheath it securely. The red-haired older girl took her little sister's hand in hers and left the sandy arena. The two sisters went toward the elevator that will bring them to the locker rooms in the upper level of the complex.
*I can’t wait to take a shower and get all this sand off me.* Elissa thought.

The sand inserted itself in places she didn’t want to think about. Girls everywhere minded their own business; some played in the media room or gossiped with their friends in the rec room when they weren’t training. The complex was a place that combined relaxation and hard work. Elissa loved this place for the freedom and learning that the complex offered, here she felt fulfilled and could really let go with her strength and body, no one here was fragile.

The equipment here was tailored to resist superhumans with powerful strength, speed, and stamina. The goal was to teach people how to handle their superior bodies. But it wasn’t the only goal of this place. The Amazon Complexes all over the world were open since 1994; it was founded after the Vadwaur Alien invasion and boom in superhuman triggers or legacies.

Queen Dorina let the Amazon fighting style spread to permit younger women to know how to defend themselves, not only from aliens but from domestic threats too. At first, the service catered only to women, but now there are separate classes for men and women of seven to sixty-five years old. Seven is the youngest a child can trigger superhuman abilities or activate them if they are legacies. Elissa and Cassandra were legacies with the first being a late bloomer.

Elissa triggered at twelve years old and was teased for it by her dad, Heracles.

The two girls arrived at the floor they wanted and went towards the locker rooms farther in the center of the complex. Once there, plenty of girls Elissa’s age came and went out of the third locker room where she stored her clothes and shoes. Elissa entered followed by her sister who began to undo her Amazon issued martial uniform, it was a black and tight kind of tank top with stretchy pants that also served as under armor when novices move up from basic training.

The older sister began by taking off her bracers. Once near her locker she placed them inside and began taking off her armor piece by piece in the emplacement designed for it. It possessed its own maintenance pod that cleaned and repaired the silvery armor.

Elissa seized her bath towel and looked for her sister who appeared like a ghost behind her and pinched her butt.

“Ouch!!” Elissa screamed.

Cassandra giggled and stuck her tongue at her older sister.

“Cass! Come here!!!”

The little girl fled toward the showers, avoiding the girls getting out with her superhuman reflexes and casting an antiskid spell on the soles of her feet to avoid tripping on the slick beige tiles. Elissa caught her by doing the same and pinched her back on the same body part.

“Noooo, mercy pleash.”

“There is no mercy for you today, tyke.” Elissa declared smugly and took her sister into a shower booth.

---

Once showered and clothed, the girls left the complex and found themselves before its gates, snow crackling under their feet while they giggled and joked about today’s activities. The atmosphere between them was happy and warm. Cassandra wore warm winter clothes as she was completely different from her sister and couldn’t handle the cold temperatures.

Elissa was immune to the cold winter of Seattle and flaunted it for all to see. The girls were interrupted when they heard someone running towards them from the gates with their enhanced senses. To no one’s surprise, Sharice appeared before them and glared at Elissa, fists clenched, she approached them aggressively; she was still wearing her issued armor, so she must have just regained consciousness, Elissa guessed.

“Great, she’s a sore loser,” Elissa said rolling her eyes and her mouth forming a flat line.

Sharice wasn’t someone worth knowing to Elissa, the more she interacted with the older girl, the more she thought of her as a cliché villainess from a teen movie.

“You! We are not-”

“Of course we are done, I defeated you publicly, you lost and our wager was that you will not bully the other students anymore.” Elissa interrupted her.

“Look, bitch-”

The younger girl stopped her with a hand, then pointed a finger toward her.

“No you listen, if you don’t desist with your foolish acts, the gloves will come off.” Elissa felt frustrated by this girl’s behavior. She was like a pitbull, never letting go once she had her jaw around something.

“Why do you always talk like that? Do you think you are in a Shakespearean play or something?!” The older girl retorted.

“Ok, I will deign to stoop to your level and use words that your beastly brain can understand. Heya bitch, did you come for more? I brutalized your ass and I can do it again. Back off or else!” Elissa made her knuckles crack and was about to tell the stupid girl to come at her.

To Sharice, Elissa didn’t look like a threat at all, in her sky blue tie-front crop top, white denim jacket, tight leather biker pants, and ankle length black boots. Sharice felt envious of Elissa, she was a gorgeous redhead, fit and curvy; she was the most popular girl in the complex, and this was why she wanted to humiliate her. Sharice remembered how she sadly lost to her in the arena.

Pride and stupidity raised her courage though.

“Why you…” Sharice began to say.

“What is going on here?” A voice shouted from behind them.

The two girls looked and saw a dark-skinned woman with raven black hair, wearing a black leather jacket, painted on tight jeans and combat boots. She was African American with a mix of Greek ancestry in her genes and looked familiar to Elissa. The woman was beautiful, but her feline golden eyes made the two girls feel like they were staring at a predator.

“Ah, miss Selena!” Elissa’s sister exclaimed.

The hard gaze of the woman melted when she discovered the presence of Cassandra. Gone was the predator, welcome mother hen.

“Aww Cassandra, sweetie, c’mere.” Selena opened her arms and Cassandra blurred into them at her usual super speed.

The woman began to hug and kiss her as if she was her own daughter. Cassandra often had this effect on adults, it’s like she had a protective aura that made people like her. Elissa asked herself if it was a defense mechanism? Through her mage vision, she could just see her pink and golden aura.

*I need to brush up my aura reading, there is something I am missing.*

*Selena King, the director of this complex and one of the combat instructors for the children division.* Elissa memories clicked.

“So what was happening here? Was Elissa picking another fight?”

“No miss, this loser here didn’t want to respect the terms of the duel they just had and came looking for her.” Cassandra shook her head and pointed at Sharice with her finger.

Sharice began to tremble under Director King’s gaze. Elissa glanced over at Cassandra and noticed an evil looking smile on her face. It appeared Cassandra had a sadistic streak towards those she disliked.

“Is that right?” Selena King said glaring at the young woman. “Then she won’t mind accompanying me to my office. I am not asking, by the way, young lady.”

Sharice stared balefully at Elissa but kept her tongue, turned heel and left while ‘humphing.’ The three watched Sharice leaving as her shoulders slumped and a defeated atmosphere surrounded her. Elissa's attention fell on the director who was shaking her head in disgust.

“I don’t presume to tell you what you should do, Miss King. Sharice is too angry and prideful, maybe she has some problems at home that make her act like that, but this is no excuse to poison the atmosphere of the complex for the rest of us.” The young girl reasoned.

Selena was struck by the maturity of this young girl. She remembered that she was one of the better seeds they had recruited four years ago.

“I will work on her don’t worry, have a safe trip girls.” Selena smiled at the two sisters, waved, and went back into the complex.

“Now that it’s resolved…” Elissa took her sunglasses from the inside pocket of her jacket and put them on.

“Let’s go have pancakes at Daisy’s!” Elissa giggled.

“Yay!!” Cassandra jumped in joy.

They called an Uber and went towards Broadview to their favorite family dinner.

---

Seattle Broadview


Daisy's was a family diner with a retro feel from the 1950s, it was near Haller Lake on Aurora Avenue between a Krypsi Kreme and a DIY store. There were always clients there, from morning to evening; Daisy is a retired superhuman from the Seattle guardians who wanted peace from the fights with the enhanced gangs that warred and the Chinese triad doing whatever they wanted.

She is a tall blue-eyed blonde and as it often was with superhumans, Daisy was fit and beautiful, but she tended to dress conservatively. What was a surprise to Elissa and Cassandra was to find their favorite chef being held at gunpoint by a man with a shotgun, on the checkerboard tiles, a costumed superhuman was slowly being emptied of his lifeblood. Without thinking, Elissa raised her left hand and sent a focused beam of Frost that encased the man’s weapon and his arms into ice, with her right one she did the same to his lower body.

“Stay here Cass, and call the police.” She said to her sister who nodded to her and took out her smartphone.

Daisy burst into action and slugged the man in the face, Elissa cringed when she heard the sound of breaking bones and saw the assailant fall like a sack of potatoes onto the ground. The woman didn’t stop there, she kicked him in the stomach repeatedly. Elissa focused on the costumed guy and went toward him, knelt at his side and tried to apply pressure on his wounds, but it was impossible with the multiple entry-wounds from the shotgun pellets.

The young woman sighed and resolved herself to do something that her mother had forbidden unless the situation was dire. She put her hand on the blue-costumed man and focused her will on his body and scanned him. There were sixteen punctures, she saw the .22 pellets inside the wounds, and used a telekinesis spell to extract them and, at the same time, closed the wounds on the man’s abdomen, repairing the damages.

It was slow at first, but Elissa put more mana in the process, the operation caused white light to burst around her and the man. One minute later, the light subsided and Elissa sighed in relief, her hands and jacket bloodied from her work.

“Eli, is he going to be alright?” Daisy asked.

She looked worried and dangerous, her eyes were still on the man that attacked her diner waiting for him to do something. The man was leaking blood through his mouth and moaned barely able to move.

“Yes Mrs. Daisy, I did what I could.” Elissa stood up.

Daisy looked at her with a raised eyebrow, she looked surprised by the array of gifts the young woman possessed. She has known her since she moved to this city and her parents got inducted in the Superhuman community in Broadview; from the League network, she knew that the girl was registered as a super with higher than average speed, strength, and resilience, but those ice and healing abilities would make her a really sought after recruit for superhero groups, villains, and law enforcement.

Or maybe it was that fancy magic that their mother teaches them, the woman thought.

“I didn’t know you were a healer too,” Daisy said, curious.

“Ah, yes... I am, but it really takes it out of me, and makes me hungry.” On cue, Elissa’s belly growled.

The young girl’s cheeks reddened at this, and Daisy laughed. Her red swing dress twirled when she turned toward Elissa.

“Oh dear, I will fix that when the cops arrive and take this piece of shit on the ground.” The matron smiled at Elissa and disturbed her hair.

“Hreint.” Cassandra’s voice echoed behind them and pink light enveloped Elissa and blood came off her clothes and hands, pooling on the tiles.

“Thanks, Cass.” Elissa smiled at her sister.

“You’re welcome, the police are coming I kept them on the line.”

“Give it to Mrs. Daisy.” Cassandra complied with her sister.

The woman took the phone and put it to her ear and began to converse with the police. “Hello? Yes, the situation is resolved but we need EMTs here.”

It was ten minutes later when the SPD and EMTs appeared to take away the criminal and the costumed superhuman; the girl filled in the cops on what happened, they congratulated her and gave her a recruiting pamphlet. They were always in high demand for superhumans with peculiar gifts like her, Elissa has never been interested in becoming a police officer so she left the pamphlet on the diner's table and sat on the red and white chair near her. Elissa dreaded the next hours when her mother will argue with her about the use of her healing gifts on strangers, weakening herself.

Elissa thought that she was right, of course, but the man she saved today must have a family he needs to come back to. Like her father, Heracles. She wanted to help him in his superhero career and was a bit afraid to ever see him on the ground leaking out his blood and slowly dying. Well, she also knew he was super tough and bulletproof, and she shouldn’t worry about him, but villains, and weapon makers, always invent new weapons or processes to compete with superheroes.

The goal of the young woman was to be a superhero. Elissa was interrupted from her train of thought when Cassandra and Daisy appeared with two mountains of pancakes on a rolling tray.

“Hum it’s too much, Mrs. Daisy!” Elissa’s eyes widened with the pile of food coming her way.

“Nonsense, it’s on the house, you saved one of my ex-teammates.”

“Yeah, don’t refuse the food!” Cassandra said smiling.

“Oh, the blue guy? Who was he?”

She knew a lot of costumed supers, but the one she helped didn’t ring any bells to her. The young girl heard about Mrs. Daisy’s career as the Rainbow Cat and her control over the emotions of people hit by her different colored psionic beams. But the woman wore a superhuman inhibitor as an accessory to block her powers. She depowered herself this way to not be tempted back into the cape world, but she still had the basic superhuman body that’s superior to normal people in speed, strength, and health. Daisy was forty years old but still looked twenty-five.

“Blue Falcon, he can fly and use sonic attacks but as you could see he isn’t all that bulletproof,” Daisy informed her proudly.

Elissa wasn’t impressed and she showed it on her face by pursing her lips and adopted a pondering mien.

“Sound good on paper, he is a damage type, but more glass cannon-like, I guess,” Elissa muttered.

“Ah, yes like that. He was attacked first when the guy entered the diner.” Daisy’s shoulders fell a bit hearing this.

Meanwhile, Cassandra began to eat her mountain of pancakes with maple syrup, stuffing her face happily. Her smartphone rang and she looked at the caller ID and almost choked. Elissa helped her sister by slapping her back and taking the call.

“No don’t!” Cassandra whined.

Elissa didn’t listen to her sister, she was aware that if she didn’t answer the phone they were going to make the situation worse with their parents.
“Cassandra Von Braun-Halliwell, what is this! I heard that you and your sister were involved in a shooting?” The voice was cold, yet feminine and promising hell on earth.

“Hi, mom. Funny that you just called!” Elissa chooses to be her upbeat self.

“Elissa! Are you ok? Are any of you wounded?” Her mother, Malicia Von Braun-Halliwell sounded worried and ready to teleport to her and her sister.

Malicia was a powerful sorceress, able to manipulate the elements and the other forces of nature; she was also a good enchantress that helped a lot of businesses in Seattle and beyond with security and other mundane types of services.

“Come on, mom. It’s me, do you think I would let something happen to Cass? The situation is resolved, it was just a guy that attacked Daisy’s to take her money, and he shot that Blue Eagle guy.”

“Falcon.” Daisy corrected her.

“Sorry, Blue Falcon.”

“Never heard of him,” Malicia answered mercilessly.

“Same.” Elissa giggled and slapped her hand on the table in mirth.

Elissa told her mother what happened in detail on the phone, without lying about the use of her healing magic. Malicia wasn’t happy and chewed her out for five minutes, Daisy closed the diner and went back to the register, called the on-call cleaning staff to come to deal with the mess in her establishment.

“I want you to come back home when you are done eating, your father just returned from work. He is worried about you two.” Malicia said in a tone that didn’t let others think she was asking.

“Ok, mom.” Elissa sighed.

 

The next day
Seattle Broadview
Von Braun-Halliwell residence


Elissa woke up to her sister's cute snores, the little girl had let go of her glamour and she could now admire Cassandra’s short golden little horns on her head; she caressed one and crushed the jealousy welling up in her heart about them.

Elissa desired to have that part of their matrimonial line, showing that she was part of this family, after all, Malicia and Cassandra had them; but, she doubted it would happen, the books about Daes and Ancient Humans coupling, informed her that an offspring between these two races didn’t always end up showing the demonic traits of the Dae and vice-versa and that it was like the lottery. Elissa has always felt displaced; not at ease anywhere their family went.

The gravity felt off, the world lacked colors and she felt starved for something… Elissa had no idea why. The young girl never voiced her feelings to Malicia, her own mother. The only spots of happiness in her life were her family members and letting go while training physically or magically, but lately, even this appeared dull to her.

The young girl looked around her, the white walls of her bedroom were covered in posters of fantasy characters from video games and novels, decorative European and eastern swords and war axes. It didn’t give the feel of a young girl’s bedroom at all. Elissa’s bed and furniture looked as if they were made by a Dwarf - and they actually were - and gave a rustic feel to the place.

Her mattress was made from preserved leaves of a giant, sacred tree from Svartalfheim, a hundred times more comfortable than any modern one made by the hands of men. It was a bed that caused sloth, Elissa thought. It cost a fortune, and the reason her sister always came to bed with her is that their mother couldn’t buy another one, and Cassandra’s begging was too pitiful. The alarm on her nightstand blared to life with villain rap music.

6:30 AM, Kaiser the rapper was singing his usual song, demeaning women for all to hear. Elissa grit her teeth and was thinking that if she ever met the guy, she would deck him in the face and crush his manhood if it was that giving him the courage to babble songs disrespecting everyone. Cassandra stirred at her side, yawned and finally stretched on the bed, her big green eyes opened and she smiled at her sister who gave her sloppy kiss on her forehead.

“Mornin, little tyke.”

“Hi.”

“We are going to have breakfast, Mrs. Bell will have our hide if we don’t,” Elissa said, prompting her sister to get out of the bed.

Mrs. Bell was the live-in Brownie in Elissa’s house; Brownies are household spirits that are said to come out at night while the house’s owners are asleep and perform various chores, like cleaning or cooking. They can be easily offended and will leave their homes forever if they feel they have been insulted, or been taken advantage of in any way. Getting on the bad side of a Brownie was suicidal when they lived in your house. Elissa never forgets to leave her candied offerings for Mrs. Bell every evening at the house’s hearth.

The consequences of not doing this usual give and take ceremony were beyond serious in the Von Braun-Halliwell household.

Cassandra went to the bathroom first, while Elissa thought about what happened yesterday when she got back home with her sister. Malicia and Heracles were waiting for them directly before the mansion, their worried faces replaced by relieved ones when they saw their children. Then, her mother slapped an unremovable, GPS enchanted, silver bangle on her wrist and then grounded her.

Elissa felt that it was unjust and paranoid of them to do this. The young girl looked at the magic accessory on her right wrist and her anger boiled. She felt that her parents didn’t trust her by using this tool that impugned on her freedom. But she could understand, Elissa had been kidnapped before; when they lived in France. Some secret state agency took her and triggered her superhuman powers with something called a cosmic radiation emitter.

The young girl remembered the raw power coursing through her body when her ice powers were unleashed for the first time. She killed everyone on the floor where she was kept prisoner, the other scientists and guards that flash froze due to the extreme sub-zero temperature turned into morbid icy statues. Elissa was unharmed and it revealed that she had immunity to the cold. Elissa had walked unimpeded through the secret installation freezing everyone into frozen statues around her. Perchance, her father, mother, and uncle were about to storm the place and found her when she was about to leave.

Elissa shook her head as if letting go of those memories still haunting her. She stood up from the bed and began to arrange her blue and white sheets and blankets. Satisfied, the girl went into the bathroom and heard the sound of water falling. Cassandra was showering, she then endeavored to brush her teeth while waiting for her sister to free the shower cabin.

---

Once the toileting ritual was done, the girls went downstairs and met their parents in the kitchen area, where the table with breakfast was; the consequent bulk of their father, Heracles, could be seen at the head of the table, with their mother, Malicia, at his right. The air smelled of eggs, bacon, and homemade chocolate pastry, pain au chocolat, under all these layers of odors, Elissa could also smell fresh milk. Cassandra rushed to the table, and to her seat.

“Morning Daddy, Mommy!”

“Cassie, don’t run!” Malicia reprimanded.

Malicia’s eyes were thunderous, her worry for her daughters seemed to still be at the back of her mind. The older woman inspected her daughter’s outfit and recompensed her with a nod of approval at her choice. Elissa wore a form-fitting, black dress with tights covering her legs, a sky blue cardigan, and black thigh high boots with heels. Elissa’s hair was done by magic into a curly ponytail with a side braid.

“Hello, my little girls, Elissa where is my hug? Cassie, is that food more important than your dad?” Heracles voice boomed.

Elissa went to her dad and kissed him on the cheek after a warm hug, Cassandra was still eating her bacon but patted her dad’s hand as if to reassure him. The big red-headed man shook his head in defeat but still flashed a smile at his daughters and laughed. Heracles wore his golden under armor, it meant that he was there at home but in standby mode; his teammate from the Seattle Justicar HQ didn’t need him, and there was no crisis today. He looked relaxed and full of life, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed the same feeling that Malicia had on her face. Elissa’s dad was worried too, the girl had her arms around his neck and could feel it.

“Sit, Eli. You have class soon.” Heracles said.

The family ate breakfast in tranquility, with meaningless conversations about their favorite things. Malicia reminded her oldest daughter about a potion a warlock commissioned and to prepare her alchemy kit, Heracles spoke with Cassandra about some bad guy he put in prison yesterday morning, he attempted to steal a military submarine to turn it into a base of operations. At 7:15 AM, Elissa stood, said goodbye to everyone and went to catch her bus to reach her high school.

Elissa was a sophomore at Ingraham High School, it wasn’t a good establishment and was rated low because it didn’t support their own sports players. The principal was avaricious with the school budget and seemed to hate superhumans, but he seemed to hide it well. The young girl left her mansion and was out on 120th street. The Von Braun-Halliwell mansion was nested at the entrance of Bonnie View Park. Because of the park’s intersecting Ley-lines, a lot of magical creatures lived there; fairies, pixies, some goblins were there too.

The yellow high school bus stopped before Elissa and opened its doors, the young girl ‘sashayed’ inside and the heads of her peers turned toward her, judging, appraising. The young girl could see the lust in the eyes of most of the boys, jealousy, and envy in the girls. Finally, when she recognized a familiar face she walked fast towards the person. A young man with silky black hair, glasses, a thin body frame, and visibly of Arabian descent, was reading a book without paying attention around him. He wore a heavy navy blue winter jacket with a red t-shirt and dark jeans. Elissa sat at his side, kissed his cheek and greeted him.

“Hi, Saladin.”

“Ah… G-good Morning Elissa.” The young man stuttered.

His face reddened and he flashed a smile at the gorgeous redhead, he still felt jealous stares piercing him but ignored them. Elissa smiled at him and played with a lock of her hair, happy to meet a friendly face today.

“Are we going to have a test about WW2 and its consequences today? Mr. Black sounded like he was really itching for one yesterday.”

Their history teacher was really passionate about World War II and the changes it brought to the world, he often let the students debate about this subject and the consequences of the rise of superhumans and supernatural beings and how they completely changed the fabric of society. How, now that the humans lived in fortress cities, with underground shelters when Kaiju season was upon them or when an Alpha class superhuman was on the loose and causing havoc. There were three ranks to classify superhumans, Beta, Alpha, and Omega. The Betas were more numerous, the Alphas are those able to take on a city by themselves, and the Omega are those superhumans that could alter the landscape and create mass destruction.

“Y-yes, I guarantee it, the man is a history geek.” The young man shyly said, not looking Elissa in the eyes, he also avoided looking at her cleavage. His female friend was proudly showing her large chest and wasn’t impaired by the cold, it had always mystified him.

Saladin was from a conservative family that raised him to always respect women and protect them. He wanted to tell his friend, not to show off this much of her beautiful body, but who was he, to say this to her? If Elissa had been his sister, she wouldn’t have been out of the house in that outfit, the young man sighed heavily and went back to his book.

“I don’t like this subject, but it’s important to know what happened to not repeat it; that’s what history is,” Elissa said grudgingly as she continued the conversation, unaware of the effect she had on this poor Saladin.

The two friends discussed school, the indie fantasy books they wanted to buy on Tesla Kindle, and the latest superhero movie about their second favorite hero, Paragon. The discussion was cut short when the High School was finally in view and the bus entered the parking lot. The bus stopped and the driver made a sign to the students to get off; the teenagers filed out of the bus and crossed the parking lot to the entrance of the school building, some of them meeting friends, that had their own means of transportation, and waited for the bell to ring. Elissa couldn’t wait for when her father would go with her to the car dealership to buy that Camaro she dreamed about, and she stopped being dependant on public transport.

Once in the school building proper, Elissa went toward her locker near the classroom where her language class was going to be; French 3 with Miss Stone, their language teacher. The girl didn’t bother taking the manual, she was fluent in French and helped the teacher in making the class interesting for everyone. Elissa closed her locker and hoped to avoid the boys sending her notes yet again. She stepped resolutely toward the class.

---

Ernest Culver walked towards the place where his group of bullies is usually gathered, it was a blind spot in Ingraham’s security system, in the shade of a copse between the school’s buildings and the street separating them from a row of houses. He wore a heavy grey hoodie, black cargo pants, and winter boots with his student satchel. The young man’s turbid black eyes were hidden by his messy mud brown hair.

No one would look at him twice, Ernest had always been ignored by everyone; even his hardworking parents neglected him. Today, he has come to make those jocks that had been tormenting him since the start of his sophomore year leave him alone, once and for all, something momentous had happened to him two days ago and he had stayed at home trying to accept his situation. He was a superhuman, one of the lucky few in the population with a baseline super body, strength, speed, and minor resilience, but that wasn’t all! He could use Pyrokinesis.

He found it difficult to use at first, but now he could produce fireballs and cones of flame at will, but his control wasn’t perfect.

Ernest thought that he could scare those guys and they would stop taking his money or torturing him by burning him with lit cigarettes. He hated them, he hated them with a passion that burned him from within. Ernest finally saw them, there were three of them. Tall, wearing red and yellow sports jackets from the school’s football team. The buffest one was Harry; 1.90m tall, handsome with black buzz cut hair, cold blue eyes, and an eternal cocky grin on his face.

He was the star quarterback of the school and loved to lord over people. Harry led this little group of subordinates around, two boys called Len and Trent with a similar build to their friend. Len was blonde with brown eyes and always looked stoic and Trent was black with short dreadlocks and a cruel mien on his scarred face. Ernest heard that he was tied to one of those gangs from Northgate near Seattle College. Ernest thought it would explain his villainous disposition.

But still, those three were real jocks that abused their popularity, they were stupid and arrogant and dated most of the girls from the cheerleader squad. The three boys were chatting amiably while smoking joints. The young superhuman signaled his presence by coughing twice.
“Oh lookit there, ain’t that Ernerd?” Harry said noticing him.

Cold sweat rolled down Ernest’s back, he found the butchering of his name so… childish. *That guy still thinks like a middle schooler, I can’t believe I was scared by this ape.* Ernest thought while boldly rolling his eyes.

“How are you, Harriette? Heard Jenny dumped your ass?” The young super taunted.

Ernest flashed them a smile when he saw his lead bully’s happy disposition get darker. Harry threw his joint, stomped on it and cracked the bones in his neck, doing the same with his knuckles.

“It seems, Ernerd grew balls of steel since the last time we saw him, guys,” Trent said, looking at his friends while grinning.

“Yeah.” Harry acquiesced, his eyes full of hate never left Ernest.

“Maybe it’s time to give him a vasectomy?” Len was the smartest of them but was still stupid to Ernest.

“You dumb fucks, the word you’re looking for is “castrate”. But, I doubt you’ve ever opened a dictionary before in your sorry life. Bring it on, girls I have a class to get to.”

Trent’s face became red with anger, if he was thinking rationally, he wouldn’t take out the knife in his pocket and charge to stick it in Ernest. But, that’s what he did, and Ernest acted on instinct and fear when he saw the shiny pointy tool, sending a wave of scorching flames from his right hand to the young black man. Trent’s eyes opened wide in terror and then the flames stuck to him, burning his clothes, skin, and hair. The young jock rolled on the ground trying to extinguish the fire.

His two friends looked at him in fear, but their friendship was strong; Harry took off his jacket and tried to kill the flames, Len though, attacked Ernest in rage. The young super froze because of what he did, he just wanted to scare them to make them stop bullying him. They had made his life hell for so long. Len tackled him and began to punch him in the face repeatedly, it didn’t hurt. Ernest began laughing, something snapped inside him.

*Why should I care if these assholes, live or die? No one ever tried to stop them… wait, no, only one person tried, but she couldn’t be there all the time. That redhead with the French accent…*

Ernest coiled his arms around Len and shifted their positions, the jock was now the one under him. The young super then pummeled Len until the sound of breaking bones could be heard. Len’s face was bloody and raw, his teeth flew from his broken jaw at each impact of Ernest’s fists. And to finish him, Ernest immolated him, the young man screamed and screamed.

Ernest looked behind him, Harry was unmoving and looked at him like a deer in the headlights. The jock fled, leaving his friends to their fates. The young super laughed at that action, he always thought that Harry was a coward and he just confirmed his thoughts. Ernest stood up and kicked the still screaming and moaning Len in the side and his crotch while delighting in hearing his bones snapping.

*Now I understand why they liked to torment me this much, this is fun.* The young man laughed maniacally.

Ernest wasn’t done with his bullies, he thought that he must teach Harry a lesson. Everything was his fault after all, yes, the young super will end him in the most gruesome way. Ernest left his first two victims in the shade of the trees, not interested in them anymore. They laid on the ground burned and battered, Trent still lived but Len had expired already.

---

Harry ran with all his might, stumbling into people in the main hall trying to get to the next class. He ran to the administrative building but suddenly he felt the heat at his side, instinct told him to evade to the right. Ernest had already caught up to him, the jock put a hand on his singed left arm, he grunted when he saw the burn on it.

People panicked and screamed when they saw Ernest approach with fireballs in his hands grinning like a Cheshire cat. Harry tried to stand up and run, but Ernest lobbed a fireball at his lower body, the jock’s jeans burned and turned brown as the flame devoured the cloth. Harry screamed as the flame burned his skin, students fled the scene, some stayed, paralyzed or puking, as they were struck by this horrid spectacle.

“Someone stop him!” A girl shouted while pointing at Ernest.

“Run!” A goth guy fled the scene taking his girlfriend in his arms, not caring about her best friend at all.

“Aaaaaah!!” Most girls present fled screaming.

Ernest looked around himself, he couldn’t believe that those people ran because of a little blood. These cowardly people are the kind of people that keep their heads down and stay silent when something bad happened to him. His control slipped and his flames went wild; the thermal radiation caused the clothes of the people that stayed to catch fire and create more panic.

Ernest tried to extinguish them but couldn’t, he didn’t want to harm those not related to his vendetta. A wave of cold suddenly engulfed everyone, a blue beam of light struck each of the students that were aflame.

The young super was also struck by one but his flame’s heat stopped the beam of cold light. Ernest looked from where the beam came from, to see that gorgeous redheaded girl that saved him before, he could recognize her anywhere, as she was the subject of a lot of his sexual fantasies. Elissa Von Braun-Halliwell was the most popular girl in school and she had even helped him a lot when the idiot trio made his life hell. But why was she looking at him as if he was a monster? Those eyes that have been kind to him before were cold and terrifying.

“T-this isn’t what i-it looks like!” Ernest said panicked.

“Oh?” Elissa tilted her head.

She looked rather angry, the situation didn’t paint Ernest in a good light after all.

“I-its all this bastard, Harry’s fault!!” Ernest pointed his bully out to her.

“I understand.” She answered, smiling at him.

It was as if the sun had shone on him when he saw the dazzling smile on her beautiful face. Her voice was calm and her eyes didn’t shine with coldness like before, Ernest was reassured that she didn’t misunderstand him and was about to go to her when he felt a cold sensation on his legs. When he looked at them he saw that they were encased in ice. The young man’s eyes bulged and his gaze returned to Elissa, but all he saw was her elbow coming straight at him and then everything went dark.

 

Ingraham High School
Seattle, Haller Lake
7 hours after the incident




Classes were suspended because of the events that happened in the morning, it was 3:00 PM and the school called the parents of the students remaining in the establishment without a means of transportation. Teenagers being teenagers, the gossip mill was going full blast as they discussed this morning’s incident.

“Hey did you hear?” A handsome blond haired boy began to gossip with his friends at a table at the far end of the cafeteria. “Von Braun stopped some nerd who triggered, from killing students today.”

“Yeah, I was there dude. Kyle, there was this guy who wanted to burn Harry alive and everyone around him and SWISH, Von Braun was there to stop him with her ice powers and KAPOW elbowed him in the face and broke his nose putting him in a coma. It was awesome, man.” A geeky teenager of Asian descent relayed what he had witnessed. He then took a bite from a chocolate bar.

“Tssk, boys really.” A young raven-haired woman rolled her eyes the first year boys, hearing them give inaccurate information. She, who was a second year student, with a smug voice relayed. “That’s not what happened, it’s just another case of bullying gone wrong!”

“What do you mean, Kelly?” The blond boy, Kyle, asked, he and his asian friend looked interested and bent forward in their seats, giving the young woman their undivided attention.

The girl flashed them a sly smile and bent forward towards them; taking care to adjust her red top’s neckline to avoid showing too much; she didn’t want them to focus on her breasts but on her words.

“That guy who burned Harry? His name is Ernest Culver, he was that nerdy boy that Harry and his crew kept bullying and humiliating ever since he got into this school. You remember, no-one wanted to meddle and ignored the issue! Even the school’s principal did nothing to help, even telling the teachers to look the other way. Now look at what happened, the boy triggered, became a superhuman and went on a rampage wanting to settle old scores. Oh, and I heard Harry wasn’t the only heavily injured victim: his crew? Those two guys, Trent and Len got done in, they are dead.”

“Seriously?!” The asian boy sat straight in his seat and looked at her wide-eyed and with a bit of fear showing on his face.

“Wow, Satoshi! So Von Braun saved our bacon.” Kyle looked in wonder at his friend and high fived him. They exchanged goofy and relieved smiles.

“You bet she did, that girl is the nicest person I know and she’s a hero too.” The young woman has always been Elissa’s acquaintance, they share a table in French 3 after all.

Kelly remembered it clearly, the redhead ran out of the classroom when she heard the screams of the students in the neighboring building and she followed her, after all, she knew Elissa was superhuman too, like her. But she didn’t know that the redhead had more power than she let everyone believe and blasted freeze rays at that little fire guy and took him out. Then Kelly stayed close to her and learned about what that guy did while Elissa healed him. The heck! Elissa had multiple abilities?! She had healed Harry’s burns as he was the one in the most critical situation and when Harry regained consciousness, she heard what had happened to his friends and also why.

*So, yeah I know everything.* Kelly thought smugly.

“Well yeah Von Braun is nice but... she’s kind of haughty.” The blond boy still didn’t like her that much. He crossed his arms while sitting straight, his eyes hard, daring anyone to challenge his opinion.

His best friend, Satoshi did.

“Take it back! Von Braun is awesome, she helped me when I was doing a math project with her; you say that just because she ignored you when you asked her out!” Satoshi revealed, looking pissed off by his friend.

Kelly glared at Kyle, there are some people you can’t just badmouth like that, particularly a gem like Elissa.

Kyle’s shoulders slumped and he lowered his gaze when Kelly looked at him with a knowing smile. After all, Elissa Von Braun-Halliwell was known to have shot down almost every boy in Ingraham.

“What is she doing now? I saw Von Braun and her mother going to the principal’s office.” Satoshi was worried, Principal Cavros was a slime, a Scrooge, and a wannabe politician. He often asked himself how the man got to his position. The asian boy thought that nothing good would come from the man.

Kelly’s smartphone beeped, she took it in her hands and fiddled with it. Her eyes opened in disbelief before anger flared in them. The two boys, Kyle and Satoshi, squirmed in their seats and kept silent before finding some courage to ask what was wrong.

“Bad news?” Attempted Kyle.

“You can say that.” Kelly growled.

“Come on, tell us! Or is it personal? If so, we don’t want to pry.” Kyle argued.

“The principal wants to expel Elissa!” Kelly looked at the two boys balefully, anger in her voice.

The boys understood that it wasn’t them who pissed her off, they felt a bit relieved at that. But the news she divulged had overridden their selfish and petty concerns.

“What?!” Satoshi stood up from his seat and slapped the table with his hands.

“Is he nuts?!” Kyle questioned the sanity of the principal.

Elissa had saved so many students in the administrative building and avoided a lot of infrastructure damage, and this was how their shitty principal reacted? Kyle and Satoshi looked at each other and then nodded in sync. The boys took out their smartphones to share the news, their own opinions about this entire affair, and how much the Principal sucked and how everything that happened was his fault.

# # #​

“What do you mean, you want to expel my daughter?” Malicia asked.

Her voice and gaze were cold, looking at the oxygen wasting, pathetic excuse of a, presumed, man, that sat before her; he wore a grey suit with a black tie. His head was clean shaven, Malicia couldn’t even see his eyes, not that she wanted to, hidden by his trifocal glasses. Seated behind his desk, Principal Nathaniel Cavros wiped the sweat from his forehead as Malicia glowered at him.

“I-It’s what I am going to do, I w-was just informing you, M-Mrs Von Braun-Halliwell.” The troglodyte dared to stutter, and with big globs of saliva escaping his mouth too; fortunately, Malicia was out of range of the disgusting missiles.

Malicia's eyes suddenly gained a yellowish green glow, her hair raised and flowed as if an unseen wind breezed through. Nathaniel swallowed his saliva with difficulty. At first he thought her to be one of those attractive and gorgeous trophy wives but, those thoughts were short lived before the terrifying woman in front of him. He had tried to put on a front of apathy, and told her what he planned to do in order to escape having those dangerous superhumans in his school; but, she was Elissa Von Braun-Halliwell’s mother, she herself seemed to be made of stern stuff.

When he had the daughter here in his office after the incident, he shouted at her, blaming the situation on her but, she looked at him as if everything he told her didn’t concern her at all, and it pissed Nathaniel off, who exploded and told her that he was expelling her.

Now, the mother was here before him and she wasn’t intimidated at all, hell it was him who was sweating buckets under her gaze.

“I see, there is nothing that will stop you from doing this?” The dae gave him one last chance, she was, after all, a magnanimous woman.

“T-t-that's right, n-nothing!” The degenerate was too dumb and stubborn to recognise the benevolent grace that was presented to him.

The sorceress raised her chin, the glow in her eyes dimmed a little, but was still there as she continued speaking, “Is that so, then I am done here. I shall speak of this with your replacement.” Malicia cast the most powerful curse she knew for this type of ‘man’ and stood up from her chair. As she closed her eyes and smiled, an instinctive sense of pleasure, from having punished this individual for his indiscretion, filled her. Malicia knew the man was a rat and a prejudiced bigot; so, she cursed him in the most severe way for that kind of man: to always say the truth, and whatever passed through his head.

*He will never shut up after I leave through this door.* She thought with satisfaction.

“Huh, what are you talking about?” He asked pitifully.

Malicia didn't answer him she was already at the door and she slammed it with relish. As she left, Nathaniel was left alone wondering if he wasn't too hasty with his decision. Sweat permeated his back and forehead; The man made a fist and slammed it on his oak desk, making his pens, computer screen and ashtray jump from it.

“What was that? Is she one of those freaks too?! Shit, they are everywhere!! If I could, I’d kill them all!” Nathaniel shouted.

He didn’t notice that his conversation was being heard through the door by his secretary, who shook her head. The woman had always suspected that he was one of those superhuman bigots, but there was never anything that confirmed it. The woman straightened her silver-rimmed glasses and typed furiously on her computer, sharing everything the principal was saying over the school’s intranet reserved for staff usage.

Malicia joined Elissa in the waiting room, it was sparsely decorated and there were posters of the school’s past athletes on the bland grey walls, the tiles were old and their patterns had faded with time. There was a low table with out-of-date magazines on it and a water dispenser with plastic cups on the left wall. The young girl was seated in an uncomfortable plastic and steel chair, the redhead still managed to act with poise and elegance, cross-legged, going through her smartphone. It made Malicia smile; the sorceress stood there looking at her adopted daughter, she wasn’t her blood but it felt like it. Malicia would die for her, or conquer this world and break her enemies under her heels.

*Maybe later, when we take back the throne.* With this dangerous thought out of the way, Malicia smiled and went to her daughter.

“Mom.” Elissa looked at Malicia with sadness, and relief, from seeing her here.

The young girl put her phone in her cardigan’s inner pocket and went to hug her mother tightly, Malicia prepared herself with an invisible force-shield spell encasing her; as strong as her children were, they could crush her bones and kill her if she wasn’t this careful with their monstrous strength. In each other's arms, the two women held onto each other tightly. Elissa let herself go and her tears flowed, she sobbed and sniffed. Malicia held on, patting her daughter’s back and led her to the chairs to let Elissa cry it out. The sorceress looked at the door, which closed with just a glance and locked it with her willpower alone; additionally,the door’s window glass became opaque.

*I will not let anyone see her this way.* Malicia thought.

Aware that her daughter was a really private person; she would not let anyone see her crying or in distress. After all, Malicia raised her to be a free spirit with the manners of a lady, and ladies did not let anyone see their tears.

“Mom, why is this happening? I just wanted to help, why did Principal Cavros treat me this way?” Elissa asked between sobs.

Malicia envisioned going back to that asshole’s office and throwing that troglodyte of a principal into a planar rift leading to hell, where he would be ruthlessly sodomized for eternity, but she calmed herself. Her daughter needed her love and affection, as well as answers.

“Simple, he is afraid of you and of superhumans in general, but don’t let him get to you. You have done something truly brave today and made it possible for more children to go back to their families alive.” Malicia said.

Normally, the sorceress would have avoided spouting sappy, feel-good nonsense, but Elissa needed it. Moreover, it was true; that troglodyte of a principal was a super-hater and was barely able to hide it. It showed in how he treated them and how low the superhuman population of this school was. Malicia had already taken steps to change this, but she doubted that her husband would let Elissa attend this school in the future, even if he was unseated.

“But- but he…” Elissa was left speechless and could scarcely believe what she heard.

“Don’t defend him, don’t worry, I have taken things into my hands and his fate is henceforth sealed.” Malicia’s voice was soothing and as fine as silk, it was almost reassuring, if not for the ominous sentence she just sprouted.

Elissa went still as if paralyzed by this news; her mother was kind and warm, and she could rely on her; but Malicia was, unfortunately, overprotective, too much sometimes. Four years ago, after the kidnapping incident, Malicia disappeared, left her with her father and went on a rampage all over Europe to punish the ones responsible. The young girl trembled just thinking about it.

“Treasure, don't worry, there will be no blood spilled.” Malicia guessed Elissa’s thoughts, her voice still had that reassuring and silky tone as she delicately caressed the young girl’s head.

The young girl looked at her mother with puffy red eyes, and chose to believe in her. She wouldn’t do anything that would jeopardise her family after all. Elissa closed her eyes and gave into the soothing feeling of her mother’s embrace. Malicia smiled, happy that her daughter wouldn’t give her grief over the actions she has taken. Living with a goodie-two-shoes had become rather restrictive and forced her to curb her demonic instincts. The sorceress noticed that she was very different from the Dark Sorceress of the Faerie Dells she used to be, now she was a housewife, a businesswoman, and a magical tool dealer. Sometimes, even she couldn’t recognise herself in the mirror, and it took only sixteen years.

*Family is wondrous.*

# # #​

Parking Lot
Ingraham High School
Seattle, Haller Lake
15:50 PM



An armored black SUV with the initials B.S.A, over a shield and eagle, on its roof and doors drove from 130th street to Ashworth Avenue passing by the enclosed sports field beside the School. Two women were in the vehicle, one clearly of asian ancestry and the other caucasian. Two law enforcement investigators dispatched to sort out the situation in this High School.

Ada Fong wrote a text on her smartphone and sent it to dispatch as she arrived on site of the incident at Ingraham High School. Her partner, Jill Muir was parking the car in the lot. Ada Fong was of sino-american ethnicity, she had pale and creamy skin with asian traits; her silky short black hair was styled in a pixie cut. Her red faux leather short jacket married well with the rest of her outfit; a tight black top with tight fitting pants of a similar color and ankle boots.

As for Jill, she was in a more conservative outfit, it was a black and stylish pantsuit with a low neckline white top covered by a long white winter coat, her low black boots contrasted with the entire outfit. Jill was a sandy blonde-haired woman with grey eyes and her face was beautiful yet elegant with voluptuous pink lips. She was as fit as any superhuman female and looked like one of those models you would see on a women’s sports magazine.

“I hate this weather, I hate winter, and I hate this neighborhood.” Ada looked at the sky with a hateful glare.

“I remember you saying that it was a good opportunity to come here.” Her partner said.

Jill giggled, sparks of amusement in her steel grey eyes, once she parked the armored SUV, the investigator took her tablet out and reviewed the case that happened here. Ada and Jill were investigators for the Bureau of Superhuman Affairs, a branch of the Seattle Police Department co-opted by the Superhuman League and Washington State.

Ada growled at Jill’s quip, ignored her, and took her own service tablet out and reviewed the files about the ‘bullying gone wrong’ that happened here this morning.

At eight this morning, one Ernest Culver, awakened to the superhuman state, entered the school and faced a group of three male students: Harry Lawson, Len McCoy, and Trent Chase; members of the Junior varsity football team of Ingraham High School. These individuals had bullied Culver since the start of his sophomore year. Culver fought against the three baseline humans, burning one, Chase, to death before beating another, McCoy, to death; the third bully, Lawson, ran to the school building; however, was caught when Culver, with his superior physique, pursued him. Culver then attempted to burn Lawson alive, but was neutralized by a second superhuman, a young girl named Elissa Von Braun-Halliwell. Von Braun-Halliwell, healed the victim of his burns before EMTs arrived and took him to the Northwest Hospital. Culver was sedated, bound with inhibitor shackles and taken to the Superhuman Detention Center on Mercer Island.

The raven-haired woman touched a recent picture of the battered Harry Lawson on her tablet and suddenly memories that weren’t hers flowed into her mind. She saw the young man’s early life, he was loved and spoiled, he grew to be a young man that thought himself privileged and his future assured because his parents had a little money. Harry had been a bully since his time in kindergarten, a lot of kids were abused by him.

Like a predator, he had been victimising those that did not fit in or were isolated from the social cliques and a bit different. Ada’s mind fast forwarded through the wave of memories to arrive at what he did to Ernest, and this disgusted her. He and his posse humiliated and tortured the boy; beating him up and sending him naked into the cold wasn’t enough, they even burned Ernest’s skin with their lit cigarettes, they loved hearing his screams as the fiery cigarettes left their marks on his body.

Ada’s finger ceased contact with the screen, her mouth became a flat line and her eyes face became a mask of revulsion.

*No wonder the boy snapped.*

“What did you see, how bad was it?” Asked Jill.

Ada’s ability was a special one, just by touching a picture with someone in it, she could see the memories, and know the thoughts, of the targeted individual, up until the moment the photograph was taken.

“Yep, bullying gone wrong, those three boys deserved what happened to them; they poked the bear and it crushed them.”

“Ada, you know this kind of thinking won’t fly at HQ…” Jill warned.

“I know, I know! But it’s just, this is disgusting! How come no one saw that coming? It should have been noticed.” The asian woman was always disgusted by what she saw of people with her ability. Her power made her unable to trust humanity as a whole, only select people like Jill were able to keep her from going crazy. Her partner was like a ray of sunshine; Jill Muir was honest, felt alive and was a straight shooter.

“You know how it is, hon. Those three were members of the varsity team, and the less than ethical coaches and principals always hide those ugly things. I don’t think it will be any different in this establishment. Come on, let’s go! There are chances we can book this case before dinner.” The blonde woman lightened the atmosphere, always wanting to protect Ada from the darkness brought by her power.

“Yeah, right.” Ada laughed mirthlessly at that.

Ada touched the picture of Elissa Von Braun-Halliwell, curious about the story of this young girl, and closed her eyes, focusing to let her memories flow in her mind, but nothing came to her. The investigator opened her eyes and touched her photo again, but, yet again, nothing came. She touched the other boy’s photos and the memories came to her and tried Von Braun again.

“Shit!” The Asian woman swore, her face a mixture of surprise and disbelief.

“What?” Jill’s attention was snatched from checking her issued M1911 pistol.

Ada showed her partner the tablet with Elissa Von Braun-Halliwell’s picture dead center in the middle of the screen. “I can’t read the girl! This is the first time this has happened to me…”

Jill widened her eyes, speechless and thought fast. This couldn’t be happening? Ada’s abilities failing? It never had before.

“Wait, try again?” Jill said wanting to know if it was true.

Ada closed her eyes in frustration and shook her head. “I already did, nothing is coming.” The asian woman looked at the young girl’s picture as if it was the enigma of the year. She thought that her ability was nearly impossible to avoid, but here is a young girl causing her to doubt herself and her power.

“Curiouser and curiouser.” Jill pondered.

The blonde investigator put a hand on the pistol and sheathed it in her shoulder holster. Her tablet went into her bag and she kept silent while thinking of how someone could block a superpower from working at a distance.

“We will have to talk to her, this is a problem,” Ada said with a resolute tone.

Jill looked at her partner and flashed her a smile.

“You know what this means? We will have to do it the old fashioned way.” The blonde woman quipped.

Ada closed her eyes and made a fist, then her shoulders slumped in defeat.

“Damnit.”

 

Ingraham High School
Seattle, Haller Lake
The same day, 4:00 pm




On paper, Nathaniel Cavros was supposed to be a great principal. He had good managing skills, double degrees in political science and in economy and a good friend on Ingraham's school board that proposed his candidature and pushed the other members into hiring him. In his head, he must have felt that he was respected and liked, but his greed and skimping on school projects and favoritism to the varsity football team over the swimming and basketball facilities and gear budgets made him no friends with the students, parents or school board members.

When he received a sudden wave of calls from concerned parents about his handling of the school, he knew that something was burning in paradise. He wanted to reassure people about what happened but despite his effort, all he could say was his true thoughts on the matter, it was as if he didn’t have any filter between his most secret thoughts and his mouth. Principal Cavros tried to stop talking but he was compelled not to.

So he stopped taking calls and didn’t want to receive anyone, he decided to let his secretary handle them, a mistake that would cost him dearly.

The Latin man put his glasses on the desk and vigorously massaged his temples, everything that had happened gave him a major headache and there was this problem with his temper and of saying everything going through his mind.

“Principal Cavros, there are inv-” Lilianne Davon, his secretary tried to inform him.

Nathaniel saw red when he saw the woman open the door to his office so nonchalantly, he interrupted her by shouting his venomous remonstrations.

“I told you that I am unavailable, you bitch! Can’t you take an order? Are you that incompetent?! That’s why putting a woman in…” Cavros put a hand on his mouth, trying to stop what he was about to say. “An important position is a bad idea.”

Lilianne looked at him with her eyes and mouth wide open, stunned by the misogynist diatribe of her superior. The surprise left place to anger and cold rage showing on the white-haired secretary’s face. Her black eyes swirled with rancor and palpable mockery toward this ‘man’, to her just now he looked more like something the cat dragged in.

“Mister Cavros, two investigators from the Bureau of Superhuman Affairs just came in to see you about the incident from this morning. I judged it unwise to make them wait.” Mrs. Davon told him between her teeth.

She kept her face neutral, her red lips in a thin line; before she retired herself, she decided to inform him that she would not let him get away with what he just said. Lilianne had had it with working for a trash-like man like him.

“Principal, I will notify the board of your comments just now. Someone like you shouldn’t be in this position.” She looked at him with loathing and slammed the door.

“Mierda.” The man swore in Spanish.

Principal Cavros gulped, now his mouth put him in trouble and in a possible lawsuit. He began to sweat and wiped it with his right sleeve.

CAW. SKREEK. SKREEK. CAW. Scratching noises and bird calls could be heard.

Nathaniel turned his head toward the window behind him, a huge black Raven made him jump out of his skin. The bird looked as big as an eagle, its feathers gleamed a lustrous purple on black and its beak looked sharp. It looked at the principal with ruby eyes that seemed to bore into him. The man sweated some more while being stared at, he averted his eyes after ten seconds of the contest of will happening. The bird threw its head backward and cackled a long string of caws.

Nathaniel cocked his head.

“Is that bird laughing at me?” He wondered.

# # #​

“Agents Fong and Muir, please enter.” The elegant and purposeful secretary said as she directed them to the principal’s door.

Ada and Jill heard the man speak to his secretary and it didn’t bode well for the investigation, the guy sounded like a total tool.

*The poor woman, I hope she gets the bastard fired.* Jill thought as she turned her eyes toward the lacquered wooden door.

She put her hand on the brass doorknob and opened the door. A thin, balding man of Latin ancestry was revealed and a bit of a letdown to her. The Principal looked like he lived to perpetuate the stereotype of being a pencil pusher. The contrast was about him wearing a good Armani suit with a wristwatch of a luxury brand. Jill squinted her eyes, something was fishy with the man; strike one against mister Nathaniel Cavros.

“Please enter, enter misses.” the man said in a sycophant way.

“That’s Agent to you, principal Cavros.” Ada intervened, the guy was rubbing her wrong somehow.

“Prissy bitch thinks she can speak to me this way.” Cavros glared at her, showing her his teeth aggressively.

“Excuse me?” Ada asked outraged, her eyes bulged at the gall of the man.

“You heard me.”

“I see, so principal Cavros I think we will just put everything on the table from the get-go. Following this morning’s incident, what are your thoughts?” The agent took out her sketch pad and a pen out of her winter jacket.

“It’s all the fault of those super-freaks! They keep destroying things around them and killing good and honest people! I wish I could kill them all!! Even though I tried not to let more of them in this institution, I am forced by the fucking board to accept them, because of this equality clause in the constitutional amendment, why is the government protecting those walking and talking bombs?!”

Jill looked at Ada who bristled under this super-bigot’s hatred filled gaze, there was no doubt that he was one. Jill noted it on her sketchpad so strongly, because of her undiluted anger, that the pen went through the thick block of paper, revealing how strong she was physically. The principal’s eyes bulged and, like a deer caught in a set of headlights, froze before them.

“Y-you are one of those freaks! Get out, get out!!” Cavros stuttered and threw his ashtray at them.

Jill caught it in mid-air before it struck Ada, threw it on the ground and jumped toward the irate and crazy man. The agent caught him by the scruff of his neck and laid him fiercely face down on the ground. Taking zip ties out of her jacket with one hand she began to tie him up with the plastic.

“Nathaniel Cavros you are under arrest for attacking a police officer in the line of duty, but as you are clearly batshit crazy I will settle for taking you in for involuntary commitment,” Jill said with a glow of satisfaction radiating from her face.

Ada sighed because she knew Jill loved taking down suspects. The blonde agent was a thrill junky, after all, it was mainly because of her powers that she was this way.

“You bitch! You’ll never get away with this, I have friends in the police!!” Cavros spat.

The principal wriggled like a caterpillar and tried to stand up but Jill didn’t let him; she zip-tied his ankles, making the man scream bloody murder.

“We will see how much of a friend they are when we file our report on your interactions with us. Ada call dispatch to send a car to transport that piece of shit in the B.S.A. precinct.” She answered, flashing him a predatory smile.

“Okay.” Ada took out her phone and hit her speed dial.

Principal Cavros spat his venomous swearing, threatening rape and getting back at them constantly till his secretary and powered police officers of the Bureau of Superhuman Affairs came into his office thirty minutes later. The man was hauled off to the squad car, struggling; a clear cut resisting arrest charge with assault on an officer. The principal won’t get away from this at all. The secretary, Mrs. Davon, was shocked by everything she heard the man say. As they couldn’t interrogate the man who clearly becoming more and more unhinged, agents Fong and Muir settled with questioning her while drinking coffee to calm their nerves. The three women were in the principal’s office sharing a cup amiably when Jill began her questioning.

“Did the principal protect the boys that were bullying Ernest Culver?” Jill asked with her coffee in hand, she smelled the delicious waft from the dark liquid and she thought how skilled this woman facing her was at making a cup.

Mrs. Davon replied instantly.

“Yes he did, he threatened the teaching staff with firing them and giving them black marks if they opened their mouths. Like I heard him say earlier, Principal Cavros indeed has friends in the police department and on the school board so the teachers were cowed into silence.” The woman looked at her knees in shame.

“Tssk, like I thought, it’s the same in every school we go through. Lives could be saved and this type of situation avoided if the one in charge did his job.” Ada commented, making a disgusted face.

The agent was disgusted by those practices, it wasn't rare that a Dean or Principal wanted to avoid tarnishing the reputation of their establishment for political or financial interests.

“I agree with you agent Fong.” Mrs. Davon said, smiling sheepishly.

“Do you have anything that would help us incriminate him?” Jill had noticed how the woman clearly disliked principal Cavros.

The woman nodded, looked around her and conspiratorially said, “Oh, dear. You have no idea, I have plenty of things to say about him. The man is a crook, he took money from the school’s allotted budget!”

Ada opened her mouth in shock.

“Terrific.” Jill murmured, not really surprised.

Ada was all business when this was revealed, bent in her seat and engaged in conversation with the witness. It was rare for it to happen, normally she would let Jill do this part of the process. Interacting with principal Cavros really put the distaste of the man in her, the young agent didn’t like bullies nor crooks, and Cavros was clearly one, from what the secretary had told them.

“Are you interested in testifying against him? We will, of course, protect you from any backlash from this story.” The asian woman asked, she was reluctant at involving the woman but it was important.

Mrs. Davon thought for a long moment before answering.

“He will be put away for good if I do?” Hope could be heard in her voice.

The secretary played with the mug in her hand and watched the women attentively.

“There is a good chance, with everything that you have told us; a good 30 years without recourse but, with the way he is right now, he might get institutionalized; so, he won’t be out in either case. Telepaths and Empaths are going to judge if he is indeed subject to mental disorders, however.” Jill affirmed.

“I will do it.” Mrs. Davon decided.

# # #​

Parking lot
Ingraham High School
5:00 PM



“Do you think we are done?” Ada asked her partner.

They were back in their service car, it was snowing and they decided to let the engine warm up before deciding on a course of action. This case was promising to be problematic for them if high ranked people decided to meddle. Ada rubbed her hands, it was getting colder as time passed even with the A/C on.

“Nope.” Jill felt that nothing was truly resolved, she continued with, “This case isn’t that simple, politics are involved. I think we will have to count on the League to help resolve it.”

Ada groaned in frustration. If the League intervened, they would crack down on every institution in Seattle and investigate those in power, which would create friction in the community. It was like that everywhere when there was a 'superhuman versus normal human', case lately.

“So, we need to continue, but be careful where we tread; for example, this girl whose memory you cannot look at, we should go question her.” Jill wasn’t interested in this case anymore but her professionalism wouldn’t be put into question, even if the commissioner told them to let it go. That is if private individuals put pressure on the law enforcement side of things; then, In those cases, special protocols put in place by the Superhuman League would activate and they would take over the case in question.

“Okay, but I will call dispatch and tell them that we are interested in questioning miss Von Braun,” Ada said.

Ada Fong didn’t like people, but she was a stickler for regulation. Jill thought that sometimes, some actions should be taken despite them; because too often they slow things down. However, today she thought that Ada took action more than before, her partner used to stay in the background; letting her interact with suspects, people of interest, and/or witnesses.

*Now look at her, taking charge and taking steps to cover ourselves.* Jill looked proudly at her friend.

“She’s a minor, her parents will surely be with her.” Ada shrugged her shoulders.

It was common sense, minors couldn’t be questioned without their parents or lawyers with them. But Jill thought that girl who resolved the incident wasn’t too much of a challenge, that maybe it was one of her abilities -as she demonstrated a few of them- that blocked Ada’s powers to read her; or, someone does it for her. Ada finished her call and hung up to place her phone in her jacket. But, mid-movement, she stopped when it rang, Ada looked briefly at Jill, who raised chin telling her to answer. Answering the phone, it connected to the vehicle’s dashboard and put the call on speaker.

“Hello, Agent Fong here.” Ada greeted.

“Hello, this is Major Freedom ID125478F89.” An old but wizened voice could be heard from the car’s speakers.

Voice pattern match. Identity confirmed.

The cold and machine-like voice of the smartphone’s AI echoed. The smartphones issued by the Superhuman Affairs Bureau were all made by Tesla Industries and were top of the line military hardware. They were protected from both EMP and Hacking and came with an AI that monitored calls and located the position of their users with GPS. So the two agents were sure of the identity of the person who just called them. Major Freedom, aka Howard Blake, the ex-President of the United States, chairman of the Superhuman League. What do you do when a living legend calls you?

*Oh shit.* Ada and Jill shouted in their mind, their panicked faces echoed their thoughts. They looked at each other.

Ada’s hands were on her thigh, trembling; Jill kept that wide-eyed look on her face and it scared her partner.

“Did the Superhuman Elissa Von Braun-Halliwell kill someone? Or is it a maiming case?” The Chairman asked, his voice was serious and let people know that he will tolerate no nonsense.

Major Freedom seemed to not care that the two women went silent. There was a panicked urgency in his voice, so the two women were baffled that a big retired hero like him would lose his countenance this way.

*The fuck is he asking, now? Who is that girl that Major Freedom would call us and ask us if she did something bad?!* Jill screamed in her mind.

The blonde agent squinted her eyes and pondered at the implications of the direct intervention of the League.

*The call that Ada made previously must have tripped some algorithm in the dispatch control computers or triggered a flag when the girl’s, or her family’s, name entered the system.*

“Huh, no… hum, Miss Von Braun saved students from a Pyrokinetic this morning.”

“I see, I am invoking clause 18-b of article 135-13 of the Superhuman Act.” The Chairman informed them nonchalantly.

*Even more good news.* Jill thought, rolling her eyes.

Article 135-13, a rule that was enforced when people with too much power; meaning, were ranked Alpha or Omega rank, or could otherwise destroy infrastructure, a city, or the country they lived in, are involved in a case investigated by the superhuman affairs bureau. They should not be touched, threatened or engaged. In the case of Miss Von Braun, the two agents thought that it was surely, a parent or sibling that put her on the protected list status.

Clause 18-b was when the League took the investigators, and their case, over. Ada and Jill were now conscripted to work directly for the League; it wasn’t bad, the League would steamroll any resistance from the local influentials wanting to kill their case, but they would gain the dreaded moniker of League goons at the end of it all. Those League goons weren’t seen in a good light by the other law enforcement departments, the League always came back to ask things from their conscripts; they never let go.

*Come to Seattle, Ada said, there are opportunities, she said… now look at us.* Jill despaired.

Major Freedom sighed heavily, the two women could feel the tenseness of his voice when he said, “I am happy to have caught you before you went to annoy the Von Brauns, I shall inform you that Heracles and Malicia Von Braun are Omega threats.”

The Omega rank described those Superhumans able to topple countries, destroy cities. Ada’s and Jill’s blood chilled.

“Shit, two Omegas? In this state?!” Ada screamed.

She had thought that she had left the hell that was the New Jersey B.S.A behind, how hard it was to keep guard duty on those Omega superhumans who did what they wanted and were paid to just sit there and not destroy anything. They were normally cared for by the country and called on when shit hit the fan, they are forbidden from entering any super groups or taking action independently. Rogue Omega rank superhumans are hunted by those of the same rank and given the choice of being terminated or serving. The fact that two of them lived free and unhindered put the two agents in a state of speechlessness.

“Words, Ada,” Jill said softly when she recuperated from this news.

“Sorry.” Ada murmured.

Ada was rendered sheepish, she took Jill’s arm and hung on for dear life, today really rattled her. Major Freedom sighed, yet again and this time there was a hint of anger and, was it shame, in his voice?

“Yes, it pains me to say it but I must give you the story to keep you in the know.” The retired hero acted as if his teeth were being torn out when he spoke, “Heracles Von Braun almost killed off all of our current Omega ranked superhumans in the US when we sent them after him and his family when he moved from France. Him, his wife, and brother took out the sixteen of them, by themselves, and ‘dictated his terms’ to us. TO US, the League. Terms that I won’t reveal in this conversation. Now, he is a contractor for the Justicar team based in Seattle. He is being given special dispensation to be able to live here in Washington because his wife, who is a Magic user, hates it in NYC and prefers the air here, to be more in tune with nature. She deals with the rogue magic users for us, for a price. Never try to negotiate with her.” Major Freedom ranted his explanations.

Ada was scared out of her mind as she heard the old man and of the frightening power of the couple and their sibling. They could lay waste to this continent, kill everyone. But, they should be good people as the husband was in a hero team and his wife seemed to be content with taking care of their children. The big unknown was about the third one, the brother who seemed to not be mentioned at all.

“Sir, what do you want from us?”

“I want you to go there after we ask permission for you to be in their residence. Agent Fong, can I please ask you to not try to read any of those family members? It would pain me for the country to lose you as an asset. Agent Muir, you should not antagonize Malicia Von Braun. I beg you.”

““Yes, sir!”” The two tried to salute but couldn’t as they were cramped in the vehicle.

“Good, my assistant will call you if the Mistress of the house gives her permission for you to go there.” Approval at the two women’s answers could be felt in Major Freedom’s voice.

“Good afternoon, agents.” The old man hung up.

The atmosphere in the cab of the vehicle was still filled with tension when the tonality went off. Ada and Jill were still holding one another’s hands for support.

 

Seattle Broadview
Von Braun-Halliwell residence
06:00 PM



Cass looked at her sister talking with her pets, the raven couple Crowy and Ravi, the Shiba Inu that she named Chun-Li after a video game character that she loved. It seemed strange as always to the little girl that her sister could speak with animals and magical creatures. Cass shook her head and watched the crows with rapt attention. They were playing outside their house in the garden.

Beautiful and crystal-like ice flowers were planted in circular patterns all around the back garden, forming a magical circle that generated a big atmospheric shield around the mansion to protect the place from being snowed in. Their mother, Malicia, disdained physical chores like shoveling snow, it was inelegant to her. As she is a sorceress, using magic to make their lives easier as a matter of course. The Von Braun-Halliwell residence was a home allying the comfort of modern technology and magic; so it was no wonder that the two girls plus animals were cozy and warm in the back garden of their house, playing with their tamed pet ravens and dog.

They also had a cat named Lady Christine who wasn’t interested in playing with the others at all as she preferred to lord over their lives, as a true feline does.

<So, I looked at him to see if he had a spine, ten cawings later he averted his beady eyes!> Crowy the male raven laughed.

Crowy was the raven that spied on principal Cavros earlier to report to his mistress, Elissa about his whereabouts. His black and glowy purple plumage combined with his massive bulk for a bird of his species showed that he was the familiar of a mage.

<Sorry if my mate is being a jester today, mistress.> Ravi’s voice was more sibilant and softer than her mate’s.

Like Crowy, Ravi was Elissa’s familiar, the young girl could see through their eyes, speak through them and cast spells remotely. The female raven was more deferential to their mistress than her mate who treated her more like a niece.

“It’s ok, Crowy is just being himself, Ravi. More importantly what happened after?”

<This is when things get weird, two females entered his office, spoke to him when he became aggressive and they captured him.> Crowy reported.

“Huh-uh? So do you know if it was the police? Did they show a badge with a shield like this?” Elissa used her magic to build an ice construct in the form of a police shield that floated before them.

Ravi opened her wings wide and said, <Yes, there was something like this on their vehicle when they came in!>

“Good Ravi! Have this.” Elissa presented a treat to her familiar.

It was a jar full of wriggling pink worms, Cass looked at it with disgust. She loved her sister to death but she could touch gross things like worms or preserved organs for her alchemy, how awful. Elissa put her hand in the jar and took a fistful of the long tube-like animals. Ravi cawed in happiness as her mistress put the food before she and she began to peck at the worms. Crowy looked at her with envy, then at his mistress. He cawed, opened his wings and scratched at the ground.

“Crowy, tell me what they did after they captured him.”

<Two others in black coverings came and took the despicable human in their black metal steed and they left.> Crowy said.

“Good, you were really helpful, have this too.” Elissa put another fistful of worms before Crowy.

CAW!! Crowy opened his wings in victory, the male raven screeched in happiness and began gobbling the earthworms his mistress gifted him. He still couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have found a human that could speak with him and his mate and was willing to feed them. The other ravens of his murder followed him because he was the strongest and meanest now that the magic of his mistress made him this strong.

<Mama, I am hungry too!> The bitch at Elissa’s feet whined at her.

Elissa squinted her eyes at the little golden-furred dog and pointed an accusing finger at her.

“Didn’t I feed you meat earlier, Chun-Li? You know what the vet said. You need to eat more balanced now and not in quantity. You have become too fat!”

<But!> Chun-Li tried to argue but was rebuffed.

“No buts! I will give you food later tonight.” Elissa decided.

The little Shiba Inu whined a bit and hid her eyes under her paws. Elissa’s heart tightened when her little dog became saddened, but she had to be strong! The vet told her that Chun-Li became too fat because of her spoiling her too much.

“You know, big sis I still don’t understand what you say to them when you speak, all I hear are weird noises. I wish I could hear them talk too.” Cassandra said a bit jealous. She wanted to be like her sister, beautiful and talented, “someone else would think you are crazy, you know?” She retorted.

“Yes and that’s why I don’t tell people I can speak to animals, they wouldn’t believe me.” Ellisa looked at her sister a sad smile on her face.

“Even though tons of new superpowers are being discovered every day?” Cassandra laughed at that.

The little girl found people gullible and stupid, it was no wonder, one of the first rules that a magic user should understand about a society led by humans was that: ‘People are stupid; given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe it's true, or because they are afraid it might be true. People's heads are full of knowledge, facts, and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think its all true. People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so are all the easier to fool.’ Cassandra thought that it described the humans of Earth with a precision that had left her speechless when her mom explained it to her.

“Yeah, to people a superpower has to be destructive or make you strong, fly or teleport, but we know better don’t we?” Elissa raised a brow and giggled.

“Yeah!” Cass raised a fist in the air.

“Hmm.” Elissa felt as if someone pinched her at the back of the neck.

It was the sensation that resulted from the wards around the house bringing to her attention that strangers were at the door of the mansion. Ravi who had finished eating cawed at her and cocked her bird head. Elissa mentally ordered her to go see who is at the door of the mansion. The raven familiar took flight, gracefully flew around the house and perched on a branch of a tree at the entrance of the house. Elissa used her familiar's vision and could see a black vehicle with a logo and the letters B.S.A. on its roof and doors.

“Interesting.” The young girl knew what the B.S.A. was of course.

Elissa was rather surprised that the people her familiar spied on earlier came to their house, but she knew that there were no such things as coincidence, only causality. Suddenly, Ravi noticed two people at the door of the mansion; two women, one with a short red jacket and the other with a white winter coat. Through her bird's piercing vision, Elissa could distinguish the facial features of the two, a Caucasian female and an Asian one. The young girl felt the wards passing their control to someone with more authority than her, it could only mean that it was her mother. Through her familiar’s vision, Elissa saw the door of the mansion open and saw Malicia usher the two women inside. But before closing the door, her mother looked at Ravi and projected her voice to her.

“Elissa, come back inside we must speak with these two agents from the B.S.A. now.” Malicia slammed the door.

*Well, she is in a mood…* The young girl thought bitterly.

# # #​

Cassandra and Elissa left the two birds outside but were followed by Chun-Li who walked behind them sullenly. The interior was palatial, patterned marble tiles, white walls, and wooden partitions wed the old and the new. Green and blue rugs under the modern furniture assured that the tiles didn’t get damaged, the decorations all around the house were often Statues of Hekate or a figure from a different walk of magic, enchanting, druidic, Kabbalah; protection and security runes could be found all around the walls, pillars and roof, hidden or in plain sight. The lighting in the house was a mix of crystal mage lights and electrical ones, the interior was never in the dark. Malicia always thought that bad things happened when a dwelling was open to darkness.

The two sisters found themselves in the central living room of the mansion, two mage light crystals with their orbiting shards were suspended in the air by a levitation enchantment at their core illuminated the room. There were two sofas face to face with a tasteful giant green greek carpet under them. Music filled the room, symphonic to be precise. Ride of the Valkyries rang out in the background, Elissa recognized the composition right away. Elissa smelled the fire in the hearth and heard it crackling the wood it was feeding on. Cassandra passed her older sister and went to greet the two female officers.

“Hello, I am Cassandra! Wow, you are so beautiful.” Cassandra said to Ada Fong.

“Nice to meet you, Cassandra. I am Ada, Ada Fong.”

The two shook hands, Cassandra grinned happily at Ada who was struck by delight and became friendly right away. She was genuinely happy to see a new face, being homeschooled because you could break the bones or wound other kids wasn’t easy for her. Elissa went through this and understood her sister, that is why she doted on her so much.

*Cassandra’s cuteness field strikes again. This must be a superpower in itself.* Elissa grinned at the scene.

The older girl went to greet the other agent who looked at her predatorily, but Elissa wasn’t concerned at all. She was after all at home in her place of power, nothing bad could happen to her here. Jill and Elissa shook hands too briefly.

“Hi, I am Elissa.”

“Enchanted,” Jill answered.

“Truly?” Elissa smirked at her.

“I think that this word has enough gravitas for magic users, I suppose.” Agent Jill laughed at her own joke.

“You don’t wish to be enchanted, Agent Muir,” Malicia commented.

*Yes, there is so much worse that could come from being transmogrified into a toad or another sort of animal.* Elissa shuddered.

“We have come to ask questions about what happened this morning, Mrs. Von Braun.” Jill began.

“Please call me Malicia.” Elissa’s mother permitted them.

“Well, Malicia. Your daughter neutralized a pyrokinetic this morning and thwarted his attempt at making a third victim, he killed two other boys…” Jill was looking at Malicia as if she was a time bomb waiting to explode and spoke hesitantly.

“You have my permission to question Elissa, she has nothing to hide after all,” Malicia said while sitting cross-legged.

She looked at the two women with her mage sight and discovered nothing to protect them from magical influence or curses. Rolling her eyes she couldn’t believe that law enforcement officers could be this helpless, Gaia was truly more peaceful than Phantasia. Malicia was finally struck by a bout of homesickness, she stood up and teleported. Ada and Jill opened their eyes wide and looked around them for the woman. Elissa was used to this display of power from her mother, so she stayed bright-eyed and smiled at the two agents.

“She left and trusts you to do your job, I guess,” Elissa told the two women.

The young girl didn’t care how she phrased this for the two women.

“Yes, she doesn’t consider you a threat at all.” Cassandra piped up. She sat on the sofa at Elissa's side and glued herself to her, showing that she didn’t intend to leave her at all.

The two women looked at each other nervously, Ada’s hand trembled a little from just these little statements. Jill told herself that she wouldn’t give in to fear after all those two kids seemed to be good ones.

“So can you tell us what happened in your own words.” Jill decided to stop thinking about the danger and work.

Elissa crossed her legs, put her hands on her thigh and made herself comfortable on the sofa. She looked at the two agents in the eyes.

“I heard screams in the neighboring building, you see I have a boost to my senses and I have a tremendous hearing.” The young girl began.

Jill could understand that. She was, after all, similar to Elissa. Her abilities focused mainly on her senses, maybe at a higher level than the young girl; Jill has extremely accurate senses, allowing her to see, hear, smell, taste, and feel better than the average human and superhuman. She was still barely scratching the surface of what she could do.

“So my friend Kelly and I, we ran toward the building at our fastest speed,” Elissa remembered how Kelly was slower than her but she was firmly behind her.

“Wait, why did you run toward the danger with your friend?” Ada looked at the young girl as if she was a weird animal.

“You see, for as long as I can remember, I just wanted to do what was right. My friend Kelly and I are the only two superhumans that were accepted in school, and we have been trying to stop the bullying when we could. We had recorded videos to have proof and gave them to the teaching staff; but nothing came of it, the bullies were never apprehended.” Elissa suddenly looked really upset. “I think the principal intercepted them and silenced the teachers who we depended on. So I thought it was just another case like this.”

Ada and Jill looked at each other and nodded in sync. Yes, they knew what a bastard principal Cavros was, so hearing this from the girl didn’t surprise them.

“I see, please continue your retelling.” Ada’s mind went into overdrive.

Was this young girl a saint? Or a wannabe hero? Did she think that because she had multiple abilities she had to use them to save people? Ada looked at Elissa with pity, the girl was still young and an idealist at that.

*Completely different from me.*

Elissa tilted her head at Ada, she didn’t understand the meaning of this look that she saw flying in female investigator's eyes, so she continued her Tale.

“Then we saw Ernest Culver trying to burn Harry Lawson alive, the fire went wild and everyone’s clothes were being set on fire! So I used my power to freeze everyone's clothes and reduce the temperature around me. Dad explained to me that I am reducing the kinetic energy of atoms, meaning I effectively make things colder, so the fire couldn’t take hold anymore. I tried to take out Ernest with an ice blast but his body was too hot.”

“I bet he was,” Cassandra said, giggling.

Elissa glared at Cass but chose to ignore her sister and continued speaking, “I had his attention and he stopped to speak to me. I helped him a lot you know, I tried to stop the idiot trio from bullying him. We even shared meals at lunch break, it still shocked me how he could just kill people like that. Even if they did bad things to him, he could have come to me.” Elissa shook her head. “But this isn’t about me, it’s about a boy who just wanted revenge on those who victimized and humiliated him… He tried to convince me that it wasn’t what I thought he was doing.” Elissa flashed a sad smile at the two women. “I deceived him, he was so happy when I told him that I understood. But I didn’t, he made bad choices and he had to pay for the consequences. I immobilized him in a freeze hold with my power and elbowed his face when he was distracted.”

Elissa finished her tale on a high point, her sister could barely contain herself and hugged her.

“Wow, sis you are the best !” Cassandra gushed.

Jill, rolled her eyes at the little girl's antics and focused anew on Elissa.

“We noticed that you also healed Harry Lawson, you have multiple abilities.” It was rare, but not impossible for Superhumans with multiple abilities to appear. They are highly sought after, little Elissa seemed to be a gem right for the taking for some organization.

*But with two parents who are Omega rank, I understand that no one tried to do some forceful recruiting and Miss Elissa is still a minor.*

“Yes, they aren’t easy to master and healing takes a toll on my body so I try to avoid using it too much; but it seems that trouble likes to find me.”

Ada was consulting her tablet when she saw pertinent data on the young girl before them.

“I see there, that you have subscribed to Amazon combat training, how far ahead are you in that?”

“Lissa is the best!” Cassandra shouted, raising her hands in the air and stomping out with her heel.

Elissa giggled at her sister and patted her head affectionately.

“I am not subject to bragging, but I obtained my Journeyman's bracelets already.” The young girl could fight equally with most of the Amazonian instructors if she gave her all.

Elissa wasn’t satisfied with her level of combat abilities, but her strength and other physical attributes raised little by little. She still didn’t know why when some superhumans still had an upper limit to how much they could reinforce their body. But she wasn’t the kind of person to not take what is granted to her.

“This is no mean feat.” Jill squinted her eyes at the girl.

The agent found this little family rather atypic; this Elissa girl was dangerous, she had the equivalent training of someone in the special forces already. Coupled with her power she should be low Alpha rank. Jill noticed that Elissa didn’t lie a single time when she spoke to them, her senses would have picked it up; unless this young girl was adept at controlling her body to mislead her. And what about that little girl, was she a super too? How strong was she? Shouldn’t she be in school?

“Are you satisfied with your questions? Because I have my own.” Elissa bent forward, smiling at the two women.

Jill's train of thought was broken by Elissa.

“Why did you arrest principal Cavros?”

"How do you know that?!” Ada and Jill stood up in unison, surprised by the depth of the knowledge of this girl.

Elissa grinned at them, she uncrossed her right leg and bent forward toward the two women. Cassandra sighed at her sister, their mother taught her well. She admired how her older sister took control of the conversation so easily. The little girl hoped to be able to do things like that in the future. Playing mind games with people is after all really fun.

“Sit, agent Fong, agent Muir. I will answer your questions when you answer mine, deal?” Elissa negotiated.

“Okay, okay.” Ada took Jill’s arm and made her sit with her on the luxurious white sofa.

The Asian woman was unsettled by this young girl's behaviour. Where was her respect for her profession? Did she feel that she was in a position of power here? Ada stopped to think and had to realize that yes, Elissa Von Braun was in her home and through their own questioning they discovered that she was an Alpha ranked superhuman with deadly training, and her mother who was Omega ranked was still in the house. The girl had the upper hand.

“Mister Cavros was arrested because he attacked me while we were questioning him, the man lost his sanity suddenly when he discovered that we were superhumans.” Ada caved at Elissa’s demand.

The young girl looked disappointed.

“Oh? Nothing else? Everyone knows that he is a super-bigot.” Elissa didn’t consider this big news after all, after being in the principal's office and being chewed out for ten minutes straight for having saved the life of everyone in this building, she noticed his stupidity and bigotry.

“We can’t speak too much about the case…” Jill said trying not to reveal too much.

Elissa nodded.

“I understand, I won’t push too much agent Muir.”

Jill was relieved of hearing that.

“Tell us how did you know about his arrest?” Jill asked with trepidation.

The young girl’s eyes glowed green like shiny emeralds as a golden aura surrounded her body. Elissa looked otherworldly as the light around her enhanced her beauty. “Do you believe in magic?” Elissa said in a singing voice as a glowing magical circle drew itself in the air as her index finger traced it.

# # #​

Manhattan, New York
Tesla Fortress
08:00 PM



As the Justicar VTOL Jet-Kestrel landed on its platform Heracles couldn’t believe that the Watchtower had stuck him with Ishtar, that woman was insufferable! She was a strongman type of superhuman with good training like him and was a good teammate who had your back in most situations, however, her propensity at trying to get into his pants frustrated him.

*I hope Malicia never learns of that, she would kill Ishtar.* He told himself.

Ishtar has been trying to seduce him since she joined the team one month ago. Heracles has been dodging her advances and blatant flirting, there were countless colleagues of his that would be glad to receive her attention but he wasn’t. The hero was happily married and was not interested in any dalliance. Malicia would take his betrayal rather badly, and to be frank, Ishtar wasn’t that beautiful. Compared to the women he met in Phantasia she was passable. Malicia is a Dae, Half Faerie and Demon; her beauty was supernatural and she is a Queen. Malicia is always, and under any circumstances, physically, personally and socially perfect, graceful and flawless, without anything that would make her look unattractive or distract from her presence.

Heracles sighed heavily while undoing his belt and stood up from his seat, Ishtar followed him closely. Ishtar was a tall brown haired and steel grey-eyed beauty, She didn’t have a face mask to protect her identity as she didn’t care who recognized her. Her face was beautiful, she had a refined nose and glamorous pouty lips. Her costume didn’t hide any of her curves as it was simply a gold and purple stretchy catsuit with armored panels protecting vital areas of the body with a tool belt, arm guards and combat boots.

She tried to cross his arm in hers, but he didn’t let her and brushed her off. The woman looked wounded by this, but Heracles didn’t care at all. Ishtar wasn’t used to men brushing her off like this, it made her more determined to seduce the Omega hero. She finds him attractive, selfless, nice and resolute. There was a lot more of what she liked in that man, but he didn’t seem interested at all. Ishtar has taken a hit in her confidence since meeting him. Despite all the men in the team salivating at her, he was the only one not doing it. Ishtar thought that she just had to be patient and worm her way into his good graces to have what she wanted, and she wanted Heracles to be her boyfriend, she thought he was the one.

The two teammates got out of the Jet, their booted feet echoing on the metal ramp, they saw someone on the platform waiting for them. It was Major-Freedom, the new one not the chairman of the Superhuman League but one of his descendants that took on the mantle and possessed the same set of powers as him. He wore a helmet that hid half his face with a blue, white and red bodysuit reminding of the American flag with a stylized F on his torso and the logo of the team on his upper arm.

“Why is Douglas waiting for us?” Ishtar asked out loud.

Douglas Blake was the new Major Freedom, his true identity was only known to the members of the Justicar.

“I don’t know, but it must be important.” Heracles sighed.

They just came back from taking down the Hierophant, an anarchic superhuman who created a terrorist organization intent on creating their own government whose only constitution would be might makes right with him as a king. He was an Omega superhuman that had dozens of low alpha minions as henchmen, beating him up in his underground lair had taken most of the day, even for someone as powerful as Heracles, Ishtar and the local superhero group in Boston. The hero was tired mentally because of the things that crazy man said, how could anyone believe any of what he was saying? Might makes right, he wasn’t even the most powerful super in the world. Heracles hoped to be able to take a teleport home and come back to his marvelous wife and his two girls, but it seemed that it wasn’t possible now.

“Heracles, Ishtar welcome.”

“Major Freedom, is everything alright?”

“Here? Yes, everything is doing fine! Good work with the Hierophant, by the way.”

“I doubt that you would come to us if there wasn’t a problem to fix, Doug.” Ishtar piped up.

“Well, there has been a situation. But it only concerns Heracles, if you could let me borrow him Ishtar it would be great.” Douglas looked at Ishtar with a teasing smirk on his face.

Heracles cut short the pleasantries.

“There is no need to ask her permission, I am my own man. Lead the way, we are going to speak about the problem inside I suppose.”

Ishtar’s face showed a flash of hurt again but she tried to hide it, not fast enough, however, because Douglas saw it and shook his head. He didn’t understand why she persisted in trying to seduce the man, he was always all business with everyone. Heracles walked toward the entrance of the tower where the team’s amenities were.

Facing Heracles was a man in an expensive Italian suit, he had his short black hair slicked back, dark eyes and an elegant mustache that made him look like a vintage villain from the sixties. His name was Nikola Tesla, the most famous enhanced human on Earth. He was the one who founded and sponsored the Justicar team.

“Tesla, Douglas told me that you had something to tell me?” Heracles said.

Nikola Tesla was a living legend on this planet, he manufactured a regeneration serum that made him virtually immortal, helped win World War 2, became rich by creating Tesla Industries; a company that catered to every aspect of life, military, power generation, civil engineering, and most technological breakthroughs were made by it and its subsidiaries. The rich scientist was also a troubleshooter for the team, always covering and treating them like decent human beings, not celebrities or walking weapons; but as people.

“Yes, there’s been an incident involving your daughter at her school,” Tesla said.

Heracles hung his head low and shut his eyes tightly. His black Phantasian armor reflected the lights in Tesla’s office, it gave off an eerie look when he looked back at the scientist who waited for him to ask questions.

“First let me ask you, did she kill anyone?” Heracles began.

Tesla looked horrified by the casual way the man asked this, as if his daughter killing someone was an afterthought.

“No,” Tesla answered.

“Did she maim someone?” Heracles put his hands on the wooden desk and bent forward.

“No.”

Tesla lost his countenance the more question Heracles asked. Was his daughter, Elissa a normal girl? He didn’t think that any kids of his killed or maimed anyone. They received an excellent upbringing and wanted for nothing. He even went so far as to tell them to be on their best behavior and on the good side of the law constantly, the same went for his grandchildren.

“Did she curse one or multiple people?” Heracles continued.

Tesla knew that his wife and daughters were all magic users of a style the expert he had consulted didn’t recognize. The fact that Heracles asked him this, told him that their mother taught his two girls how to curse people. It didn’t sit well with him, but Tesla remembered from the file he has on the girl that she was a good person prone to help more than harm.

“Good gods, no! She saved the day, in fact, there was a rogue super that attacked her high school.” The scientist looked horrified.

*Heavens above, what education did they give to this kid?* Tesla thought.

The dark armored hero was relieved at that, his daughter was like him. Unable to leave people in danger alone, a habit that his wife didn’t like. Malicia was of the school of thought that people should be able to handle their own problems in the scope of their life. This was where Heracles was at odds with his wife, some people couldn’t do everything alone.

“Oh, then I don’t see the problem…” Heracles didn’t understand why he was there.

Tesla looked exasperated at Heracles, but pushed down this feeling and decided to present why he asked the hero to come see him. He was still mystified by Heracles’ reaction towards his daughter, was he that confident that she could handle the kind of situation she was in?

“Heracles, we are friends right?”

The muscular man looked at Tesla skeptically, in general when people asked these kinds of things, they need something; and what would the richest man on Earth want that Heracles had? But Tesla was an idealist, a man who wanted to help the little people as he grew up in a good, but at the time poor, family. The man had also helped the Von Braun family by defusing the situation when the hard-headed Chairman of the Superhuman League tried to take him in and his wife on. It was Tesla who gave him his house and the Park behind it to Malicia; Heracles had joined the Justicar because of Tesla.

“Yes, Nik you have been more welcoming than those people in France who repaid my goodwill by harming my family. I do think of you as a brother.” Heracles said fondly.

He nodded at the man and crossed his arms, waiting for why he asked him that.

“It touches me that you think so, then it won’t be easy for me to tell you this. Have you ever thought of letting your oldest girl enter the mentoring program for Superhumans?” Tesla passed a finger on his mustache as he said this.

*Not this again.* Heracles thought.

He leaned in his chair, looking at Tesla with apprehension.

“I had thought of it, but I have been warned that I am not the one making the decisions at home.” Heracles lamented.

It was a recurrent point of arguing with his wife, But she wanted Elissa close to teach her more about magic.

“Oh, I know how Malicia is. She reminds me of Queen Dorina you know, always in control. However, Heracles, I don’t think that normal schooling is going to cut it for your daughter. I noticed a certain trend concerning her.” Tesla laughed, remembering how formidable Heracles’ wife was.

The armored hero couldn’t deny it, Elissa was a trouble magnet. His daughter was able to attract it as if the fates were targeting her specifically.

“Yes, trouble loves to find her.” Heracles nodded and made a deep sigh.

Tesla recognized a man harried by worry for his loved one, so he pounced.

“Ah that settles it, you are a smart man. I will go with you tonight to ask your wife if she can let Elissa enter the Tesla Academy for enhanced and superhumans.” Tesla put a pamphlet on his desk and slid it with his hand toward Heracles.

Heracles took the pamphlet, it described how good of a quality the institution was, the dedicated lessons and how tailored the education of each student would be. It was good, on paper. But to Heracles, there was a glaring flaw in this pamphlet. He looked at Tesla and said, “Do you have a supernatural division?”

“Oh, my friend I am going to open one and wanted to ask for your wife’s help…” Tesla finally put his cards on the table.

Heracles looked at Tesla as if he had grown a second head, he thought about refusing but the smiling face of Elissa came to the forefront of his thoughts. His girl deserved to have better, and she will never bloom amidst the normal humans. Mayhap letting her interact with people somewhat similar to her might be for the best. Nonetheless, the biggest obstacle to doing this was his wife. The armored hero looked at Tesla who still smiled at him, confident that he sold him on the idea.

*I may be in the doghouse for a long time after this, but Elissa deserves to be happy.* He nodded at Tesla, agreeing with him.

 

???
13th day of the 12th month of the 10298th year of the Phantasian Calendar




The room was big and multiple pillars could be seen luxuriously decorated with gold and silver depictions of battle and of everyday life. At the center of the room, two Demons could be seen at the foot of a silver Throne. Xagadeth a red-skinned demon in armor and black cape, knelt in front of the throne, his Horde Lord was trying to convince the Master to give him another chance. Because he really did fail, multiple times. He couldn’t take the Dwermer Kingdom, because it was impossible! Those half mongrel water demons possessed magic and technology surpassing everything the Demon Fist army possessed. Xagadeth cursed the Phantasian Empress in his heart once more if she didn’t enter her defensive sleep and lock all the technology of the empire under the Prometheus Seal by doing so, his army would have taken the Dwermer.

*It was as if we were stone-throwing savages fighting against armored and better-armed knight squads.* Xagadeth lamented.

Suddenly a lance of dark light pierced the Horde Lord, blood pooled from his downed body. Xagadeth kept his head low, not daring to move as if by doing so, his Master would forget about him. But it wasn't meant to be.

“You have failed me.” The voice of his master echoed in the throne room.

“Yes… Master.” The trembling demon general said.

“I have given you three chances to redeem yourself, and they were all squandered.”

“I am sorry, Master.”

“As am I.”The Master deep voice sounded sad.

The general looked at his Lord, but what he saw scared him. His master smiled, he knew this smile. He had seen it appear when he was about to punish someone. Xagadeth was propulsed toward the wall near the throne room's entrance and he was pinned against it by an invisible pressure that crushed him and raised more as the master approached him. To the general, his Lord was a giant; eight feet tall, a dark blood red armor covered his powerful body and his skin and jeweled horns gleamed in the light of the torches.

“General Xagadeth… you have betrayed the express command of your Lord. Through your stupidity, you have condemned us to a direct war we might not win! You are unworthy of this Demon Sword,” The master took Xagadeth’s sword from its sheath and kept it in hand and continued speaking. “you’re unworthy of your position, you’re unworthy… of my friendship, you have betrayed me! I now take from you your power!” The Master plunged his hand in Xagadeth's breast, stabbing it and taking the general's Demon core in his hand and sucking out the infernal energy inside. The demon general’s screams of agony echoed in the throne room, in fact, they could be heard in the entire palace. Once the Master finished, he felt the red energy coursing through him and reinforcing his own.

“In the name of Dökkur Dath’tas, your soul will be imbued in that Demon Sword.” The Master said and Xagadeth knew no more.

His ink black soul flew into the red jewel of the guard of the Demon Sword that began to glow an eerie scarlet. The Dark Lord Dökkur Dath’tas started to incant a spell and when he was done a planar rift was torn in reality and created an interdimensional portal.

“Xagadeth you are no more, and now you have become the Demon Sword, Mind Flayer. I give you a task, find me Phantasia's lost heir, and bring her back to me! I shall not live in fear of some prophecy, do this for me and I shall give you back a body and a place at my side once more!” The master murmured to the sword.

Just like that, the Demon Lord threw the sword in the space-time wormhole, the sword passed in the portal corridor, the light of thousands of stars sped by as the portal curved and went into straight lines. The sword arrived at destination as its blade stabbed into the ground. The sky of this new landscape was pink and purple, floating islands could be seen flying in the sky. The soul of the sword despaired, but after a moment its jewel glowed ruby red in resolves.

<I WILL FIND HER!!!> It screamed in rage.

# # #​

Planet Earth
March 2nd, 2018
Seattle, Mercer Island
Tesla Academy



Elissa couldn’t believe that she was there! Excitement coursed through her, she could barely stay in place. Everything looked awesome. This Academy was a fortress city in itself, like most cities in the US nowadays. A modern one, Elissa could see skyscrapers all around the school, forming some kind of ring, the seven buildings were connected by some kind of bridge leading to a central place, some kind of platform she couldn’t see from her position; under it the Academy that was just a big pyramid of steel and glass shone under the rays of the sun like a diamond. There was a park all around it with woods and artificial lakes. All this overwhelmed Elissa so that she felt like a country bumpkin the more she stared at everything with wonder.

“Oh, My Goddess is that a VTOL I am seeing?!” The engine of the jet blared and it passed overhead.

# # #​

Nikola Tesla bought half of the island, divided it up and filled it with the technological wonders his company had created to support it. Elissa had always secretly wanted to come here, but her mother wouldn’t let her move out of the house, saying her magical education comes first.

A month ago when Tesla and her dad came back home together, they went to speak with her mom and the epic shouting match between her and her dad had shaken the mansion’s foundations. They argued for three hours straight, well into the night, until it stopped and she couldn’t hear anything else. Elissa realized that her mother had thrown a privacy bubble spell in her office.

Elissa remembered keeping her sister in her arms on their leaf bed all night and waking up with her this way… When they woke up the next day there was a scary atmosphere. Their parents not being their lovey-dovey self were eating their breakfast in silence; it was even more shocking that their mom didn’t scream at their dad for reading his tablet while eating his burnt toast. Yes, when their mother deliberately sabotaged their food something is wrong. Heracles seemed to still be in his under armor, his eyes looked tired as if he barely slept and his hair looked unkempt; Elissa’s mother, Malicia still looked alright but she could see her mom’s eyes were red as if she had cried. The young girl was in a state of panic, her mother was a Lady and never showed signs of distress, she always wanted to look in control as if nothing could disturb her.

It was when the girls had finished eating their pains au chocolat and homemade fruit juice that the reason for their parent’s fight was revealed.

“Elissa, your father and I have decided that you should stop going into the normals’ schools,” Malicia said without preamble.

The young girl’s eyes widened in shock, she exploded into outrage at hearing this.

“What?! But I need to study, mom!” Elissa whined.

“I said the normals’ schools, silly girl.” Malicia retorted after laughing darkly.

“Are there any other-” Elissa just realized and looked at her mother with her mouth wide open.

Malicia looked at her, and flashed her a grin; she recognized that her daughter could be slow sometimes.

“Ah, I see that your brain is finally working.”

“Mom!” Elissa shouted in indignation.

“You know she’s right, Eli; you aren’t exactly a morning person.” Cassandra drank a bit of orange juice from her favorite fairy mug.

Elissa looked between her mother and sister, her face red with embarrassment.

*With her red hair doing contrast with her face it is cute to see,* thought Malicia.

“Cass!!” Elissa looked at the ceiling in prayer. “By the Goddess! Why are you two against me this morning?!”

The little girl looked at her big sister and rolled her eyes. “Great she is in Diva mode.” Cassandra murmured. Elissa was always graceful and reserved in public, but in moments like this between friends or family she let go and acted her age.

But Elissa heard her, so she proceeded to pinch her arm.

“Aouch, you meanie!” Cass was about to retaliate with a slap but her father interrupted them.

Heracles looked at them with his inscrutable face, there was no trace of his usual jovial smile; the girls looked down for an instant and leaned in their chairs looking at their father. The hero nodded at them and then spoke. “Girls, this is not the time. We were talking about Elissa going to Tesla Academy.”

Elissa’s face alternated between shock disbelief and excitement.

“Tesla Academy?! Really?! Not the Charles Institute?” Elissa asked.

Tesla Academy and the Charles Institute were two schools for the superhumans but there was a difference in their ways of doing things; Tesla accepted all superhumans and enhanced humans and nurtured them and guided them even after they graduated. The Charles institute only existed to help the bigger and weirder cases of superhuman triggers, like those people who changed genders, become unable to communicate or can’t control their powers.

“Nikola is my friend, you’ll be going to Tesla Academy. He guaranteed me that you will enter this school and receive the highest grade of education.” Heracles put his elbows on the table.

He looked at the growing excitement of his oldest girl, smiling at her. Elissa looked at her sister, and then at him. Heracles knew that what she was getting at, Tesla Academy was a boarding school. Elissa will only be able to come for weekends and holidays, her sister will be essentially alone.

“Cass too?” Elissa said, hope filling her voice.

Heracles was about to answer, but Malicia cut him short.

“No, Cassandra will stay homeschooled till she reaches the rank of adept as a sorceress,” Malicia said in a tone that didn’t leave any room to argue.

“Aww, but I wan-” Cass tried to say.

“Don’t discuss my decision.” But Malicia cut off her younger daughter with a glare.

“Yes, mom.” Cassandra lowered her gaze and looked at her empty plate and proceeded to angrily shovel the last of the bacon and eggs into her mouth.

The shadow of a smile appeared on Heracles’ face when he watched his family’s interaction.

Malicia’s gaze speared Elissa, the young girl recoiling from the intensity of the feelings she could feel from it. Her mother had never been this intense with her.

“I will let you go to Tesla Academy, Elissa. I had conditions to let you attend and Mister Tesla had no choice but to humor me, you will enroll in the supernatural division and continue your magical education to become a Mage. As of this moment, I am the chairwoman of a new branch of Tesla Academy, but don’t count on me to go easy on you. You have one month to prepare yourself, I hope that you’ll prove to me that I can trust you to keep your education and manners up to my standards.”

“I will do it.” Elissa nodded, her gaze locked with her mom’s with determination.

# # #​

Elissa remembered the promise she made to her mother and now she was before Tesla Academy’s entrance. It was a small building with white exterior walls and glass showing inside. Posters of superheroes and American flags decorated the reception room. Elissa sighed to calm herself, breathing in and out to calm the excitement inside. Seconds later, Elissa walked with purpose towards it and entered the reception hall, she had on her blue combat top with a leather jacket plus her trusty tight black leather pants with her Dr. Martens Molly Black Combat Boot. Elissa cut a dashing figure that didn’t go unnoticed, she turned lots of heads, mainly the boys and some girls. The young girl waited for her turn in the queue that was there, until she reached the reception desk.

“Hello, my name is Grace what can I do for you today?” A woman with blue hair greeted Elissa.

She wore a tasteful white pantsuit, Elissa envied her make up skills as Grace was a gorgeous woman. She decided that later she will become friends with Grace and make her teach her about it. Malicia refused to teach her magical makeup, saying that it’s a waste of good magic. Elissa couldn’t believe her after all her mother always looked fabulous.

“Hello Grace, I have come for the entrance exams.”

“Oh! Great, go sit there,” Grace pointed her fingers toward a room whose door was open. “A recruiter will come to get this group.”

“Thank you.” Elissa turned to leave.

Waiting for Elissa in the room was a group of boys and girls her own age, there were ten of them. Two African American and three Caucasian girls and a girl who seemed like half Asian. She looked shy and the silent type. The boys, three of them were African American, and the last one Caucasian and blonde. Trying out to transfer at this time of the year, Elissa guessed that there were not a lot of applicants or was it that Tesla Academy scouted specific talents and scouted them? The young girl would love to know. Elissa went to sit in the grey plastic chair next to the Asian girl who looked at her like a deer in headlights. As Elissa smiled at her, her face became a beautiful shade of red.

*Well, she’s really introverted.* Elissa thought.

The young girl took her smartphone from her jacket pocket and began to surf the internet.

“H-hi.” A cute and soft voice said.

Elissa turned her head, it was the young girl at her side; she wore a black sweater with blue ripped jeans. Her face was round and delicate and she had long brown hair, it was a shame that her eyes were hidden by her long bangs but Elissa saw a flash of light brown eyes. Her button like nose and her pink like lips made her attractive, combined with an air of mystery that Elissa wished she had time to unravel. On her head there were black and white headphones with a Mana rune on the earpads, Elissa asked herself if they were custom made.

“Hello. I am Elissa.” She extended her hand.

The Asian girl took Elissa’s hand in her delicate one, and her face reddened.

“Dawn.”

Gold and Purple auras surrounded their linked hands, Elissa wasn’t surprised as she had guessed that Dawn was a magic user. It was a way for a student of the arcane to know who their peers are. Dawn looked at her, surprised but didn’t remove her hand; a hesitant smile appeared. Elissa traced a rune of privacy around them with her other hand. Dawn looked at the casual display of foreign magic and marveled at it.

“Mage?” Dawn asked.

“Uh-huh.” Elissa acknowledged.

“Space.” Dawn said pointing her free hand at herself.

“Ice.” Elissa smiled at the girl.

She'd barely arrived and she was already making a friend, how amazing was that? Elissa took her hand back and Dawn did the same. A friendly smile was all it took for them to start talking and opening themselves. Dawn couldn’t believe that she was speaking with this beautiful girl, at first she seemed like one of those queen bees from her previous school but as she chose to sit near her she couldn’t help being curious about her so she took her courage in hand and greeted her. The result, a mage like her in this school. Dawn wanted to know more about her.

“Line?”

Elissa flashed her a grin, her pearly and perfect white teeth showing. “Halliwell, you?” She answered.

“...Kisaragi, branch family.” Dawn said, she crossed her fingers and hoped that Elissa wasn’t one of those elitist stuck ups proud of the purity of their magic bloodlines.

Her hope was not dashed when Elissa answered her. “Nice, no political shenanigans.”

*She must be like me, someone from a branch family or from a line that just doesn’t care about those things!* Dawn said in her heart.

“Amaterasu yes! I like my life free of drama.” With reason, after all, politics in the supernatural world was bloody and violent.

“I totally agree, but my mother loves them.” Elissa looked uncomfortable, her smile wilting a bit.

Dawn didn’t like seeing this expression on the cheerful girl. “The Halliwell from Ireland or the one from here?” She inquired.

“The one from here, my mother is Malicia Von Braun-Halliwell,” Elissa said proudly.

Dawn looked at Elissa in awe and became speechless, she looked at Elissa and put a hand on her arm. “Really?! She’s a legend!”

Malicia Von Braun-Halliwell was a sorceress, a rare class of magic user! She was powerful beyond belief, the Elven and Dwarven clans didn’t want to mess with her and offered her fair prices for their magical materials. She Annihilated the Vampire nest of Count Sartre in France, took down a circle of Dark Witches in England. And she wrecked the Corvinus Conclave in Europe, killing Archmage Brennan when he attempted to forcefully imprison her. Malica Von Braun wasn’t someone you went after anymore; if she wanted something you gave it to her and smiled. It didn’t stop people from hiring her services to ward their houses or property.

“Living with a legend can be burdensome.” Elissa sighed, leaning in her chair.

“But I would sell my firstborn to learn magic from her!” Dawn piped up.

Elissa looked at Dawn with pity, patted her hand gently and said, “Oh, Dawn you don’t… really, but you will not have to sell your first kid.” Elissa bent toward her murmuring at her ear, “She will teach here.”

Dawn struggled to not squeal like a fangirl at this revelation. Learning magic from THE Malicia, this was a dream come true! Dawn has been a fan of hers since she wrecked that Vampire nest in France, Dawn was getting excited when someone entered the room. It was an adult man with Sandy blonde hair, black eyes and silver-rimmed glasses; he wore a dark blue sports outfit with the Tesla Academy logo on it, a coil with a lightning bolt on it.

“Good, you are all here, recruits. I am Hugh Vinson and I will be the one that will test you for the placement exam. If you would follow me, please.”

Everyone rose from their seats, the girls went all together in front and the guys followed; Elissa and Dawn were last to leave the room. Elissa didn’t mind. She had noticed the glares the girls gave her, she was used to it, they felt threatened by her looks and the fact that she chose to sit near the dorky Asian girl didn’t endear her to them. The boys had looked at her but as she ignored them, they didn’t have the courage to come to her. The magic seemed to have scared them off too.

*Good.*

“Come with me Dawn, we will see how this exam fairs against magic users.” Elissa walked determined to shine.

Her mother had told her to let loose, and she intended to do just that. Dawn began to really like Elissa. “Oh, I hope it’s a better one than the Jean Arcane School! It was so easy.” Dawn bragged and gave Elissa a cute smile.

The two girls walked out of the reception building, following the gaggle of kids.

 

Seattle, Mercer Island
Tesla Academy
The same day



Dawn followed Elissa, but to keep up with her she had to boost her body with her mana. The redhead kept up with the superhumans’ rhythm, Dawn didn’t understand how she could do that. Elissa turned and looked at her, stopped and caught her arm and made her walk faster. Arm in arm, the girls followed the group to a platform that Elissa was vaguely familiar with. It looked like one of those transporter platforms they used to teleport people in science fiction TV shows.

“Come on kids, get up on the platform.” Mr. Vinson ordered while making signs to come on it with his hands.

“Urgh, my sister wasn’t lying when she said there were teleporters.” A black girl with a bob cut and short pink dress with thigh high boots said out loud.

“That’s totes cool!” A bubbly girl with a blue petticoat and a white cardigan and top shouted.

“Where are we going?” A black boy in a red polo and black pants asked.

“Maybe some kind of test facility.” A black boy said, he had a trendy leather jack, a t-shirt with a band name and tight jeans on.

The girls orbited around the last guy as if they smelled prey and the black boy kept looking at Elissa from time to time, clearly interested. That didn’t fly well with the other girls who kept trying to draw his attention. Dawn stayed near Elissa watching them building up the drama, this was why she didn’t like to show her looks. Drama seemed to be a curse attaching itself to the beautiful and powerful. However, it didn’t seem like her companion liked to play those games as she ignored the boys and girls here.

Elissa put a foot on the platform and Dawn followed her example, they were the last to climb on the platform. The examiner nodded and held his right arm under his face and pushed a button on his wristwatch.

“Examiner Vinson, full group teleportation to location Zeta Zeta Zulu.”

Acknowledged. An electronic voice said.

Light shone around each of them and enveloped them; to Elissa, it felt as if she was ripped to pieces and then put back together. She looked at her hands and patted herself to make sure there was nothing amiss, fortunately, she was whole.

“I hate this mode of travel,” Elissa said.

“Me too,” Dawn answered at her side.

Dawn felt nauseous, Elissa took pity on her and placed a healing hand between her shoulder blades. Dawn didn’t feel like puking any more. She looked at Elissa in wonder, that girl was really gifted no wonder she was the daughter of a powerful sorceress. Elissa could heal too! Dawn freaked out, she hoped that no other Mage lines learned of her, or they might do something rash like kidnap her or force her to marry.

*Wait! Calm down she's got a scary mom.* Dawn told herself.

Elissa didn’t think about her display of power, she looked around her. They were inside some woods with a good deal of snow, Elissa smiled at that, this was totally giving her the home court advantage. The girls and boys around her began to feel the cold around them, it was different for her because she was immune to it. Elissa looked down and at their feet were big metal boxes, enough for everyone.

*Big boxes with supplies in them?* Elissa tilted her head, then a light went on in her head.

“Oh, I see what’s coming.” Elissa said with a smile on her beautiful face.

“What’s coming?” Dawn asked mystified by Elissa’s smile.

“Very well, we are here now recruits.” Mr. Vinson said, he looked at each of them appreciatively. “We are going into it now. See those big steel boxes there? Open them.”

Elissa went toward one and knelt to open the lock. Inside there were clothes like the ones Mr. Vinson was wearing, some kind of armor, a backpack with food and water inside; and some fancy gadgets. A wristwatch to be precise.

“Those are yours. Let me explain how the CLO works if you don’t know what I am talking about, it’s the wristwatch in the box.” He showed the CLO on his wrist. “CLO stands for Communicator, Locator, and Organizer, it manages every part of your life, even links your bank account to things you can buy in the Academy city. We don’t let people carry cash here.”

Dawn looked at the wristwatch in her hand and put in on her arm.

Scanning.

DNA extraction. “Ouch!” Dawn felt a sting on her arm.

CLO bonded to Dawn Kisaragi.

“Huh, what does that mean?” Dawn wasn’t a sci-fi geek, but a magic one. She was technologically blind for things more complicated than a laptop.

“It means, Miss Kisaragi that this CLO belongs to you and you alone no one can steal it.” Mr. Vinson helpfully informed everyone.

“Oh, nice gadget.” The short bob-haired African American girl said.

“Now you have twenty minutes to don the clothes and gear, place your own effects inside; everything will be given back to you when the test is completed tomorrow night, chop chop!” A hologram timer appeared from Mr. Vinson's CLO.

Elissa began to take off her jacket, Dawn looked at her in horror and the boys began to look at her with interest. Dawn threw an opaque shield of Mana around her and Elissa in haste and looked at her as if she was crazy. “Why did you…”

“Dawn, did you see anywhere to go change?” Elissa asked while taking off her pants and folding them, she then took off her precious jewelry but didn’t take off her magical amulet with a protection ward engraved on it, nor the magical GPS bangle at her wrist -She can’t remove it anyway- her mana capacity boosting Sapphire rings stayed on her fingers.

“Huh… no.” Dawn hesitated.

Elissa put on the blue pants, the t-shirt, and the jacket.

“This is not going to be an easy exam, begin to undress. Now. We only have twenty minutes!” Elissa ordered her on a hurrying tone.

Dawn looked at her new friend’s body, her face reddened then began to undress too. Elissa took off her boots and shod the ones from the steel box on her feet, once done she put everything in the box. Elissa donned the armor, they were tight fitting and seemed to have some kind of tech in them. Elissa looked at Dawn who had a bit of trouble putting on her armor; she went to help her. Dawn appreciated it, the two of them put on their backpacks and were ready after putting their field cap on.

“You really look cute in this.” Elissa whistled at Dawn.

“And you look like Sarah Connor from Terminator.” Dawn giggled.

Dawn made the shield disappear, the other girls looked at them with hostility while putting on their field uniforms in the full view of the boys. Some drooled looking openly at the half-naked female examinees, others didn’t care and were already in their outfit. On the hologram, ten minutes had already passed.

“Sorry girls, I forgot about you.’ Dawn looked at them a bit embarrassed.

“You could have shielded us!”

“Yeah, yeah. Those pigs can’t stop looking at us.”

Elissa made a move of her hand and an opaque shield surrounded the other girls. This time two of the boys looked at Dawn and her with anger in their eyes.

“What are you looking at?” Elissa confronted one of the black boys.

“You fuckin’ dyke…” The guy said.

Everyone went silent when he said that, even Mr. Vinson

“Excuse me?” Elissa went still, her fury rising.

“Ya heard me little dyke, were ya busy with your girlfriend behind that screen of yours, must ya sour tah show for us, bros?” The boy added fuel to the fire.

The atmosphere around Elissa became rapidly frigid, Dawn stepped back from her side. She lamented that Elissa seemed to be one of those girls that exploded coldly when enraged. Dawn would have blasted the boy into the ocean to be fed to sharks if he had told her that.

“Who might you be? You sound like one of those retarded wannabe villain rappers I hear on the radio.” Elissa calmed down, not wanting to transform this stupid boy into a popsicle. Not yet, anyway.

“I am YourOtherDaddy.” The black boy said proudly, leering at Elissa.

He was attractive, with his black eyes, caramel-like skin and short dreadlocks. But to Elissa, he looked more thuggish and it displeased her.

“I am not calling you that,” Elissa said with disgust in her voice, it sounded really stupid; she will just call him YOD. “Mister Vinson, do we have permission to go all out with our abilities?”

“Yes, the goal of this exam is to see how far you can go with your powers, smarts, teamwork, and ingenuity.”

“What if someone gets wounded?” Elissa glared at YOD.

“The sensors in the armor will activate an electronic tag and signal to the teleporting examiner -me- to bring the victim to the hospital of the Academy. Oh yeah, I forgot, in the armor, there is a shield that will deploy if your life is in danger, but only three times. When there is no juice in the armor anymore the tag will activate and I will bring you out of the testing area. Let me get this straight, you are all joining, this is not an elimination competition, but a placement one. The team that becomes first will be placed in the special class, get privileges, a luxury room and money to spend for customized gears.”

The shielded girls sounded really excited, Elissa could see them through her own shield already scheming, calculating. The real problem became the boy Elissa antagonized. “Bitch, are you threatening me?” YOD said coming at her and stopping just to be face to face with Elissa.

“In your own language, ape, prepare the lube because when it all begins I will have yo ass.” A cold blue light surrounded Elissa’s left fist.

“Ooooh!” The other black guy gushed.

“BURN!” YOD’s other friend shouted.

YOD seemed to get embarrassed, his face became darker. The young man turned toward them, glared and was about to say something when the girls exited the opaque shield; they were all decked in their gears and looked predatorily at the boys. Some of them looked at Elissa and Dawn with a speculative look. Suddenly, constructs appeared in Elissa’s field of vision.

*Holograms?*

The name of everyone there appeared in this kind of overlay, she wasn’t the only one surprised as everyone reacted to this. The examiner looked at them as if he expected it and the small smile on his face showed that he had been waiting to see their shocked faces.

“As you may have just noticed, the CLO has allowed you to use this Augmented Reality feature. It has injected you with nanites that permit you to recognize other CLO users or any computer systems used by the Tesla Academy. Courtesy of the school, this a freebie that the school has given you. If your CLO gets destroyed or lost you’ll need 10 000 credits to replace it. Oh yeah I forgot to mention credits, didn’t I? It’s not relevant as of yet, you’ll be told in the orientation course when the exam is done.” Mr. Vinson was a really laid back person.

Everyone looked at each other to discover their identity, Elissa looked at the girls too. Danny Sparks was the name of the blonde queen bee, her powers weren’t listed but, her age of 17 and sex being female, were. The two girls at her side are Erika Harmon and Carolyn Pierce. Blonde and blue-eyed like Danny, they seemed to be clones of each other.

*Did they transfer to Tesla together?* Elissa pondered silently to herself.

Jamie Fox and Emilia Dor were the two African American girls that she noticed earlier, they seemed not to be part of the group of girls and kept to themselves. Those two seemed to be together and to know each other. Emilia was staring at Elissa and seemed afraid of her as if she was a monster to avoid. The young black girl hid behind her friend that tried to reassure her and calm her down. YOD’s real name was Walter Jackson, and it made Elissa erupt in laughter, Dawn asked her what made her laugh this much.

“Look at his real name!” Elissa shouted between giggles.

Elissa was kneeling in the snow holding her stomach while laughing looking at the boy that insulted her. No wonder he tried to play the tough guy, he must have been bullied a lot. Was he trying to change personality or something, and play gangsta?

“No wonder he changed his name, I never saw a name more… butlerish?” Dawn put a hand over her mouth, but the twinkling of her laugh came through.

Because of Elissa and Dawn, everyone looked at the self-proclaimed YourOtherDaddy. No one could say it straight while looking at him. Some of the girls followed suit and laughed at him. Some of the guys, Donovan Sims, and Cody Elliott, YOD's friends restrained themselves; the Caucasian guy Wayne Griffin stayed his stoic self and didn’t try to mingle.

“Bitch, I will take you out!” YOD said, seething with anger.

He couldn’t believe it, he invented himself anew after his trigger. He was the nerdy kid in his school and everyone ignored him, it never went as far as bullying because his previous school had a really good system to spot those and nip it in the bud. Walter changed, became more muscular and developed super strength and toughness. Everyone began to respect him and the girls wanted him, his brother even inducted him into his gang and he became YourOtherDaddy. He was finally accepted and recognized. But nothing good came of that, he and his friends were all arrested for drug trafficking and as he was super, the Superhuman League gave him a second chance and to enroll at Tesla.

Now, this white hoe was ridiculing him before everyone here. No more, he will make her pay, he will make her his bitch!

“So yeah kids time’s up! The exam begins now!” A pillar of light could be seen on the horizon, spearing the heavens. “Go toward the light. The first team will be rewarded with 10,000 points, the second team with 5000, third team 2500, and last team with 1000 per member.

Elissa looked at the boy she wanted for her team and went toward him. He was the tallest of the lot, 6”2, African American, muscular with kind brown eyes. She caught his arm, he looked at her blushing.

“Come with me Donovan, you’ll be in my team,” Elissa said in a coquettish voice.

She began to caress his forearm, looking at him with her green jewel-like eyes. The boy gulped, closed his eyes and reopened them looking calmer; she wasn’t seducing him or anything but her voice seemed to bring up the more caveman part his brain when he looked at her.

“Y-you sure? I don’t want to be a bother…” Donovan stuttered.

Elissa put her free hand on his cheek then behind his neck and brought his face to her, making him looking into her eyes, and she said into his ear so no one could listen in, “You tried to look away when the girls were changing, you are not a pig like the others.”

The boy then nodded, Elissa rewarded him with her most beautiful smile. Donovan's heart skipped a beat, he didn’t know right then but he fell in love. The other boys dispersed and went to ask the girls if they could enter their groups, some readily accepted and others had to negotiate. Once the teams were formed a loud ring came from their CLO and the electronic voice coming from them seemed to have concluded that they formed parties.

Team one, Dawn Kisaragi, Elissa Von Braun and Donovan Sims.

Team two, Walter Jackson, Danny Sparks, Erika Harmon, and Carolyn Pierce.

Team three, Jamie Fox, Emilia Dor, Cody Elliott and Wayne Griffin.​

“Kids, it’s time to go now.” Mr. Vinson said looking at his watch as if he looked at the time.

The examiner was about to teleport when YOD interrupted him and came at him. The boy looked obsessed and too eager, his muscles coiled and seemed threatening.

“Wait! I have some beef to settle with that red bitch! We can fight over people right?!” He shouted.

“Do what you want, I am just the examiner.” Mr. Vinson said, waiting.

“Hehe, I will break you, bitch!” The wannabe gangsta said.

He began cracking his knuckles and his neck. YOD hoped it would make this girl cower before him and abase herself to him, it had worked at his school. He had always got away with things since he triggered. But contrary to his expectation the girl only seemed annoyed, she rolled her eyes at him and looked behind him.

“Sparks, you don’t mind if I erase this stain from your team?” Elissa called out to the blonde queen bee.

Danny Sparks looked at the back of the hulking guy and calculated, he seemed to be difficult to control. She didn’t want him to be honest. “He seems like a loser, sure.” After that display and how he treated all the girls like slabs of meat, Danny didn’t mind if the little cocksucker disappeared.

“Wait, what?!” YOD turned toward the girls of his team in shock.

“You heard the Lady,” Elissa said smiling like a Cheshire cat.

YOD’s face went dark then red like a tomato he turned toward Elissa, seeing red and ready to get it on.

“Come at me bit-” He started saying.

Sure as snow she came, Elissa stomped her right foot; a pillar of ice sprouted from the snow under them at an angle and hit the boy in his stomach, throwing him into the air. OOPH, Elissa heard, when YOD landed on his back spread-eagled. A platform of ice elevated in the form of his body, Elissa controlled the ice and created a crucifix. Thick icy straps secured his neck, waist, legs, and arms. YOD tried to break the ice but each time the fractures in it disappeared. Elissa made a big mound of ice with the crucifix supporting YOD high in the air. The other examinees screamed and looked at the scene in awe, paralyzed by the brutality of it all.

“Release me!!!” The boy shouted in alarm, struggling frantically.

Elissa didn’t waste time talking to him and built a construct of ice that was just a big drill that floated in the air. It started rotating at high speed, Elissa threw it toward the young man. YOD couldn’t believe what he was seeing and tried frantically to break the thick ice manacles, but it was too late. Fortunately for him, an energy shield deployed from the armor and stopped the ice drill from stabbing him. It broke into shards on the ground. Elissa didn’t stop there, she recycled all the shards and shaped them into little blades twirling on themselves. Danny Sparks looked fascinated by the show, looked at the beautiful redhead and approved. She decided that this girl would really fit in well in her group. That Von Braun girl was ruthless, like her. The girls around her didn’t like that one bit, they knew this light in the eyes of their leader.

Elissa smiled at YOD who looked at her with terror in his eyes, his pants became wet and a yellow like liquid stained the ice beneath him. Elissa really wanted to toss a line at that, but she was raised by a mother that told her monologuing opens yourself up for retaliation. All the blades charged toward YOD again and the second shield break occurred, protecting him from taking damage. Elissa tilted her head, having looked at the way the shield acted she noticed how fast it actually was.

Elissa chanted a buffing spell, boosting her acumen and those of the people in her team. After all her power over ice acted as fast as her will and thoughts. She didn’t want to drag on the show so she simply sent an ice blast that didn’t get stopped by YOD’s armor's energy shield. When the shield activated it was already too late, the ice beam had struck the armor and ice began expanding over it. The armor fizzled and began to crack, the front of it broke in big chunks because of the temperature reaching absolute zero. It had taken time for Elissa to reach such mastery with her power, she had always needed to hold it back and control the intensity of the cold she generated.

Hugh Vinson whistled, he consulted the file on this Elissa girl and his eyes widened in shock. The girl was a superhuman already, Alpha rank and she was also a magic user. That combination was really rare, he knew what he would do when he got back to the center to observe how everything went. But work was work, Elissa has destroyed young Walter's armor. Hugh teleported before Elissa who was about to go beat the kid up. He saw it in her eyes, she wanted to hurt him for some reason.

*Ok not for some reason, the little shit insulted her.*

“Here kid, you should stop now he's had en-”

GURK. URRK. Elissa didn’t need to move to hurt the boy. She simply tightened the straps around YOD's neck. He was already choking, his face turning an interesting shade of blue.

“Girl stop, you will kill him!” Mr. Vinson said with urgency he tried to make her stop by touching her.

Elissa's arm was so cold that it burned Hugh’s hand, he didn’t try to touch her again after that he looked between her and the boy. YOD lost consciousness and Elissa let him fall to the ground from the crucifix.

“My mother told me to let go in this exam, today there will be no stopping me, I won’t retreat and I won’t quit. The next time you try to touch me, you’ll not have need of your hands and will be needing a prosthesis.” Elissa crossed her arms, a defiant gaze on her face. “Don’t get me wrong, if you weren’t an Examiner I wouldn’t have warned you and would have done a lot worse to you.”

Elissa didn’t have to hold back today, she also let the mask of propriety and her ladylike manner go. She let it all go.

Hugh’s face became red, anger boiled in him, but he took the time to calm down and speak jovially with the girl.

“Wow, kid you have a mouth on you…” Hugh couldn’t believe the girl was acting like a bitch already, just because she had a little power; but he saw on her file whose daughter she was. He didn’t try to ‘correct’ her.

When Elissa turned toward the others she could see fear etched on each face she looked at, some others were excited; Danny Sparks and Wayne Griffin looked at her in challenge, the girl with a more playful gaze than the boy. Wayne, couldn’t believe that she was a mage like him… and a powerful one at that. At first, he thought she was just a dabbler because of those mana shields she was throwing around but now… She used an entirely different magical system than him and he won’t lie, it was a diabolically effective one. If he wanted to defeat her, he would need guile, not firepower, he put his hands in his pocket and tried to look nonchalant and totally not threatening. At least not yet.

Elissa held her hands together, closed her eyes and a block of ice formed before her. It was a large block approximately five meters long and 1 and a half wide. Elissa was molding it to her will and it vaguely took on the form of a snow sled. She added some wind magic in her ice construct and wove a permafrost spell in the ice. It won’t melt unless she wills it.

“Donovan, Dawn, hop on.”

The two looked at each other, letting go of their fear. The girl was scary but she has been nothing but kind towards them. Dawn hopped on first, Donovan last he was at the front. Elissa put herself in the position of the driver, looked at the others and waved.

“Later, guys.” The snow sled hovered over the snow and moved to gain more and more speed.

Elissa’s team was far away when Hugh Vinson and the rest of the examinees sighed in relief at her departure. Danny was a bit sad that her future recruit didn’t give them a lift, but she understood that it was a competition. The Examiner went to collect the KOed boy and teleported to the center, Hugh thought that the girl went too far, but he wasn’t keen on trying to lose his job.

Team two and three began to run, following the trail Elissa has taken. Danny Sparks began to run at a fast speed followed by her minions. Jamie, the leader, spoke to her friend Emilia about Elissa.

“How powerful is she?” Emilia asked a bit disturbed by what happened.

Jamie sighed heavily and slowed her walking pace. “More than all of us on this team combined. She felt like my father, you know he is Alpha ranked.”

“Shit.” Cody who heard that swore. He was a Beta ranked super and just the strongman type like Walter. In a sense, he was relieved to not have antagonized the girl as YOD had. He had known the little guy since he was in kindergarten, but since he triggered and became YourOtherDaddy, he became douchier and douchier. Now he had paid for it. This wasn’t Northgate Seattle, here were the big leagues on Mercer Island.

“That’s not all, she has multiple abilities but I have no way to know which ones, they feel like nothing my sensor power has detected before.”

“Double damn,” Emilia said, clearly shocked.

“I felt her power. She’s like me, a mage.” Wayne added. “And that makes her terribly versatile, she can weave spells like I’ve never seen before. She’s got that Japanese girl with her too, she uses magic.”

“They took Donovan with them, we are fucked if we attack them directly,” Cody informed them.

“What do you mean?” Jamie asked surprised.

Cody’s face took on a solemn mien, he began to talk as if he spoke about a ghost story. “We nicknamed Donovan ‘Titan’ when we were in school, he triggered before Walter and I. He was the kind to never mingle and studied to get a job… but one day those guys went after him to induct him into their gang. He half killed them even when they attacked with all their superpowers, he was basically unstoppable!” Cody said clearly frightened.

Jamie groaned and began to run faster than before, but she ranted at the same time. “How worse can it get? That is kinetic absorption! That girl Elissa just picked him like that without knowing?!” She guessed the superpower of that Donovan guy, she had felt that he was strong but not that much!

Jamie’s power was that of a sensor; an ability to divine the power level of a person or a group, the nature of the power could also be guessed if the user had encountered it previously. Emilia had made Jamie the leader of this group because she could make plans and strategies.

“Guys, I don’t think we can beat Elissa’s team. Let’s try for the second position. If we get attacked by the second team we defend and flee. The objective is to arrive at the area where the light comes from before nightfall tomorrow.” Jamie said.

They all nodded at that, but Wayne thought that if he gets the chance he will try to fight with that Elissa girl. To see if he could pick up some magic spells from her or get to know her, he hoped she was from a long-lived magical line like him. The boy put all his Mana into a reinforcement magic spell and followed his teammates, the snow barely stopping them from going faster.

 

Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park
State of Washington, Newcastle
20 minutes later




Donovan looked ahead of himself as the landscape flew by, they slalomed past the trees at a phenomenal speed. He looked behind him, hearing his new team member sing a song while driving. Her voice was a beautiful soprano, her song was about driving with friends and seeing other places. Dawn was aware that Elissa's voice wasn't normal and it had a siren-like quality, she guessed that it wasn't magic but a superpower. The Asian girl was really impressed by the power and brutality of Elissa, her new friend seemed like a good person, funny and not judgemental. In fact, she had a certain laissez-faire attitude that attracted Dawn. The young girl decided to focus on something else, she looked at her CLO and willed a hologram of the map of the woods they were in. It appeared and now she knew where they are. A wildland park named cougar mountain who is known for its fauna, panoramic views, and hiking trails. There were a lot of elevated terrains, Dawn noticed. The pillar of light seemed to come from the east toward somewhere called Far Country Falls.

“I think we will have to run by our own power soon Elissa.” The Asian girl said.

The redhead stopped singing, looked at Dawn’s 3D hologram map and nodded. The first steep hills and wooded area were in view already, Elissa stopped the sled and the other disembarked. The transport began to break up by itself and disappear into the snow.

“Great, now we will have to run. It’s been a long time since I have been able to truly run at full speed!” Elissa was giddy and excited with the adrenaline flowing into her body, the fight with YOD earlier had wired her up. The redhead smile faltered when she looked at the expressions of her two teammates though.

“Elissa, before that… could we speak about what happened earlier?” Dawn approached her and tried to broach the subject of her takedown of the black boy.

“Yeah.” Donovan agreed.

Elissa looked at each of them and squinted her eyes, crossing her arms under her breastplate.

“There is nothing to discuss, he insulted me and in return, I humiliated him for it. If it wasn’t me today, someone more ruthless would have done it and killed him for his stupidity. Just because he triggered in the most common type of superhumans this ape thought everything was about him and that he was a chosen one. I showed him the error of his ways. This is a simple case of karma. Can we go now?” Elissa raised an eyebrow, she posed in a swaggering stance.

Dawn and Donovan looked at each other, they didn’t think of the events this way. Elissa could have killed the brat but she didn’t and to be honest they don’t want to antagonize the ice-wielding badass girl over some loser.

“Hum, yeah we can…” Donovan tried to say.

“Good. Dawn, prepare for a strenuous run. We will make camp when we reach Far Country Falls. Donovan leads the way.” The redhead pointed her arm before her.

“Ma’am, yes ma’am!” Donovan and Dawn shouted playfully. They were also reassured that Elissa wasn’t a psycho like what her fight earlier showed.

Donovan ran toward the thicket blocking the way, the Asian girl following him closely while using a spell to reinforce her body to run and jump above the natural obstacles. Elissa shook her head, she had her work cut out for her if she had to justify every one of her actions to people; the redhead ran after them, unleashing her senses to detect everything around her. The woods were alive and she could hear the other examinees closing in on them.

*Good, I have surprises for the lot of you!* A devilish smile appeared on Elissa’s face.

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In the Examiners Command Center, everyone was excited by what they saw happen between the examinees. They are aware of who everyone was, but knowing that the daughter of an Omega hero was there and had already struck such a blow to one of the people competing for a better placement in school… they replayed the scene of the young Walter’s defeat in slow motion and marveled at the control the young redhead had over her ice power. But not all were impressed.

“Hugh went to the hospital with Jackson, the boy has severe frostbites on his torso, arms, and neck. That girl was too heavy-handed!” The recruitment director complained.

The director was a Caucasian man in his late thirties with black hair greying a bit at his temples. He has amber eyes but his attractiveness was impeded by the hard stare that made him look mean. However, he was anything but; he cared for those kids he tried to recruit. He wore the same field uniforms the young examinees but theirs was black and silver; it showed that they were the staff of the Academy. The director didn’t like the flashy redhead that wounded one of the new kids he took care to recruit, the little guy just needed a chance to shine but that girl nipped that in the bud. He was about to make her drop out when his phone alarm ringed, he received a text on his professional smartphone. He read the message and his blood ran cold.

*Crap.* The director swore in his heart.

An order far above his pay grade just came down and told him to not be rash if he wanted to keep his job; and how did they know he was about to do something? Did they have eyes in the control center? Knowing the owner may be involved he stayed his hand, not happily though.

“Could have been worse, director. She could have killed him and would have been well within her rights to. And to be honest, he started it, the cocky bugger needed to be reminded of his place.” A female operator told him.

She has auburn hair, hazel eyes, and a soft beautiful face and wore the same uniform as the director.

“I don’t understand why they want her?!” The director shouted.

“Oh, I can see why she’s new blood. So far this school has been ruled by legacies, that little redhead will crush them underfoot. Look at how ruthless she is? She’s already building traps for the people following her.”

“She what!?” The director leaned toward the screen of the female operator.

“Yeah, she has been doing that while running and using her magic, the spy drones show how she made those pits covered by snow.” The female operator showed him the scans and real-time view of the traps team one created. “But… I don’t think her plan is going to go as planned, that girl Danny Sparks is a smart one. If Von Braun wasn’t here she would be the MVP of this exam.”

Team two, led by Danny Sparks, was successfully avoiding the traps as if they could see them. Running like the wind they were steadily catching up to team one. The director grinned at this, finally, something was going his way. To him that brutal girl in team one didn’t deserve to the prize, maybe one of the other teams will prevail.

“My money’s on team one winning this one.” The director heard from the back.

“Nah team three will win this, they’ve got a sensor.” A female voice answered.

The director shrugged, at least his operators were doing their jobs he didn’t have to yell at them or anything. But gambling seemed… interesting! He will bet on team two.

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Malicia, Heracles and Tesla were looking at a screen while feasting on a huge serving of braised pork with honey sauce and a bottle of Taylors 1969 Port wine. They were watching how the exam was going for Elissa. The Dark Sorceress appreciated how the fates aligned everything neatly for her daughter. Meeting new allies, punishing people that don’t know their place and how she is slowly but surely trying to gain advantages in the long run.

“She learned from the best.” Malicia congratulated herself.

Tesla put his phone on the table after having finished texting, then he took the wine bottle and filled his wine glass. Heracles didn’t blink once since he looked at his daughter fighting. He found more and more of Malicia in her, ruthless, cold and brutal. Completely different from Empress Daphne, her real mother. The hero asked himself how everything would have been if she was raised by her real family if they didn’t have to hide in another realm to become strong to come back and maybe… failing? Heracles didn’t think Elissa was strong enough to go back to Phantasia. With her power level, she wouldn’t even be considered for an officer position in the Phantasian army; putting a hand on the back of his neck and massaging it Heracles became frustrated. He understood it wasn’t Elissa’s fault, the cosmic energy discharge of planet Earth’s sun was pathetic compared to the two in their home realm; Elissa’s body wasn’t developing as it should and was starved of Cosmic energy, her powers weren’t as strong as they should be.

Heracles looked at Malicia, if it wasn’t for her forbidding him and Achilles to shut up and keep their trap shut he would have hired the services of Tesla into devising a solution, the man was as smart as those science mages at home! He didn’t understand the reasons for his wife to permit their daughter to still stay this... weak. Malicia must have felt his gaze because she turned her head toward him, smiled sexily and kept looking in his eyes. He couldn’t deny her anything, he was her love thrall and he knew it. Heracles face began to redden, but his wife took pity on him and began to watch the screen again.

Tesla was interested in the dynamic of the relationship between this couple, the most powerful man on Earth couldn’t do anything against his wife. In fact, he would judge that Heracles was being a subordinate and Malicia the master. From what he had seen in his lengthy visit at the Von Braun’s residence, Malicia lorded over her family, her opinions or orders never contested and followed to the letter. The only person breaking this mold would be the estranged brother of Heracles, another Omega superhuman on par with him but living as a… stuntman in Hollywood. The scientist even watched the different action movies he has starred in. Achilles was handsome, powerful and was proposed a lot of different contracts to become an actor but he always refused them as if he was waiting for something. Something that Tesla couldn’t put his finger on. But he knew it was related to his family.

Then it clicked in his mind. The interest of the parents in that Elissa girl was certainly unusual as if they were training her for something.

*Malicia didn’t want Elissa out of her sphere of control, even with her husband pleading her to let her develop more healthily she kept the girl sheltered as if she was one of those Princess prisoners in a tower.*

Tesla became more and more intrigued by the situation.

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Team 2, one hour behind Team 1




Danny Sparks was being overwhelmed by the sheer amount of traps team one was digging in the ground and makes traps that turned the trees into springs or those traps she couldn’t even describe created through ice; by example this trap that turned into an ice cage around its victims. The blonde girl smiled, excited that she was finally dealing with a challenge! It had become boring being a cheerleader and beating everyone in the Amazon Complex of her city, Portland. Danny wasn’t from Seattle, but her mother moved here and enrolled her in Tesla. Fortunately, her friends came with her, she doesn’t know how they found themselves in the emerald city but she wasn’t going to wonder why. They were here, her girls. Erika and Carolyn always had her back before, in Portland.

“Trap on the left, near that Oak, avoid it!” Erika shouted behind them.

The girls shifted course and avoided the spot the other blonde girl told them to. Erika Harmon was a precog coupled with her superhuman body it made her an excellent fighter and scout as she navigated them through the forest and the traps left by team one.

“Destroy it Carry!” Erika ordered.

The dirty blonde haired mousy girl sent a telekinetic blast into the mound of snow and it exploded in a shower of ice; the three girls stopped and gaped at what they avoided. The traps were clearly designed to hold its captive into the ice!

“OMG that Elissa girl is totes scary!” Carolyn was not happy of what they have been straining to avoid every trap and she didn’t like how tense everything felt.

“She’s a witch!” Erika gave her opinion vocally, even stomping her feet on the snow.

“Huh-uh, I like her you know,” Danny informed them while laughing, she found it really ironic to call a magic user a witch. The leader of team two was acting nonchalantly, stretching her body and keeping it warm from the cold while they debated.

“No way, she will totally beat us up, Danny! Forget about her!” Erika told her friend.

Danny wanted to fight the ice girl, but she seemed to have more experience fighting than herself. She looked at her friends who made worried face toward her.

“Well at least let’s try to become friends with her next time, instead of snubbing her…” Danny advised.

“Let’s forget about her and just try to pass them.” Carolyn looked before her and pointed her finger in the direction of the pillar of light.

Erika and Danny nodded at that and began to run anew in their usual formation. Erika at the fore, Danny in the center and Carolyn at the back guarding their rear. They avoided the obvious traps who were just bait for the true traps that they left to Erika precognition to detect and avoid them as usual. Team two kept a good rhythm. The sunlight began to fade as they continued that tiresome routine.

“Though I ask myself how team three will pass those, we didn’t destroy all the traps.” Carolyn wondered aloud.

“Haha, yeah let them have some tension, girls. This is not a game.” Danny said mimicking a famous villain.

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Team 3, 2 hours behind the other teams




Team three wasn’t having a good time, at all. They have been trying to follow team one and two but have been consistently slowed down by pitfall traps, captured in ice prisons traps or swung into the air because they got too close to trees with sling traps. It had become a real nightmare for them. They couldn’t trust anything in their path, snow, trees, bushes. Emilia and Jamie waited for the other shoe to drop when Cody the strongman black boy in their team got encased in an ice prison, causing a shield break to occur for him.

“Cody!!!” Emilia shouted attracting the attention of the others.

“Shit another trap? They are everywhere!” Wayne chanted a fire spell and began to melt the ice.

Wayne was a caucasian young man, fairly fit looking with long hair and steel grey eyes. The girls were aware of his looks as he was suddenly surrounded by a fiery red aura that put made him look like one of those shining vampires the two girls saw in that movie Twilight. Comparatively, Cody was that tall and strong looking guy you see depicted in calendars with nude men with salient muscles and nice package on his lower body.

“We cannot continue like this, we must find another way and not take the same route as the two other teams,” Jamie explained.

“But they will arrive before us!” Emilia said.

“Not necessarily. We can get a good time with the map function you discovered on the CLO.”

A three-dimensional map appeared in a hologram projection from the CLO wristwatch of Jamie. Showing the rivers, paths, and trails of the Park. Jamie also discovered an awesome feature on the map, two dots appeared at a different distance from their position on the map.

“You see, this map is an equalizer. We know where the other teams are, so we can anticipate where they are going to and also avoid those traps team one has been disseminating. The two teams are near Coal Creek Falls at the moment taking the Quarry trail and moving really fast, we are here on Fred’s railroad trail; I say we run all night without rest and go through the Fork trail and then the Shy bear one and we should run parallel from them avoiding all this unpleasantness to arrive at Far country Falls before everyone.”

The girls smiled at each other, content of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. CRACK. The sound of something breaking went to their ears and has they looked behind them they saw Wayne the fire mage break Cody out of his ice prison. The young boy was shivering, Jamie went to help the mage to transport the clumsy black boy that was drenched. The black girl took off the boys armor and nodded at Wayne who cast the handy drying spell he picked up last night from his mother. Cody’s clothes soon began to dry. Wayne didn’t know that he would get to use it so soon, something to consider when someone is so much more experienced than you.

Wayne thanked his mom in his heart.

“Damn, cold, cold, cold.” Cody kept saying while having his arms around himself and trembling like a leaf.

The boy looked at everyone and said, “I-I love you g-guys, t-thank you! I t-thought I’d die in here!” Cody couldn’t help but stutter because of bone biting cold he was subjected to.

“Wayne slowly warms Cody up, tonight we run like the wind. Oh and let’s eat those rations and use this time to relieve ourselves to be ready. Careful of traps, try to spring them preemptively!” Emilia ordered.

The boy had nothing against following the orders of the two girls, clearly, they had the ideas here and they were followers, not leaders. Wayne decided to make a temporary camp and to help cooking the MRE* (Meal Ready to Eat) they had in their backpacks. Thirty minutes later everyone was sitting and eating around a fire, the girls began to try to form a plan to battle the people of note they noticed in the exam. The biggest threat was that Elissa girl and Danny Sparks, Jamie knew that the later was electrokinetic.

“Donovan Sims is invincible while in movement so it would be best to not attack him directly, let’s take a page from Von Braun’s book and trap him in a pit or something. I could try to get him into the air, or Wayne can dig the pits?” Emilia proposed.

Emilia was an attractive girl, the two boys with her couldn’t stop looking at her surreptitiously when they thought she couldn’t see them. She was 5”9 with beautiful curves, Emilia was half Indian and half African American; her skin was a really light brown and her black hair was straight but wavy at the end. On her face her light brown eyes, medium button nose, and slightly pouty lips made her look like a work of art or one of those models from Victoria’s Secret ad.

“I am out, I suck at earth magic.” Wayne while pigging out on the cassoulet he ate from the can in his hands.

“Well Emi, it’s your job.” Cody smiled at the long-haired black girl; he was still very close to the fire and tried to warm up.

“Careful, we don’t know what the girl with Von Braun does, Wayne you said she was some sort of magic user,” Jamie asked their magic user.

Wayne stopped eating and looked at Jamie. Jamie was of shorter stature than Emilia, 5”6 with a skin darker than her friends. Her hair was styled in a pixie cut and her face was more delicate, black eyes and a little snub nose she wasn’t as attractive as Emilia but she had that girl next door feel going for her and seemed more approachable.

“Yeah, she’s a mage like me but I don’t know which element.” The black haired boy said.

“Is it important?” Jamie tilted her head as she looked at their resident mage.

“Terribly so. You see, most elements can be countered by others, sometimes it’s compatibility that plays out in a magic duel. But it also depends on how much Mana a mage can use as well, for example, that Elissa girl? She could stomp me, my mother and my father combined. She has a big mana pool in her, I felt it when she used magic repetitively. But that Kisaragi girl? Zilch, maybe she is as powerful, I don’t know…” The mage said lamely.

“So subterfuge and plan within a plan if we want to win. That’s the only way.” Jamie said in a determined voice.

Wayne nodded and continued to eat, he really needed the mana because of Jamie’s daring plan. He knew some good spells that will give them an edge.

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It was night and Elissa’s teammates were cold and hungry. The redhead has formed an Igloo in the clearing they had found to camp, Dawn helped her with her space magic to make it bigger on the inside by etching runes in the walls of the structure. The redhead found the Asian girl more and more to her liking, she was smart, funny and cute. Elissa shook her head, what was she thinking? She didn’t swing this way… or did she? After all, she was really inexperienced in the matter of the heart.

The clearing was in view of the Quarry trail, they were offroad and hoped to get a little rest as they have been running for the better part of the afternoon. Donovan entered the Igloo with a lot of wood branches under his arm and placed them in the shallow pit in the center.

“All done, Don?” Elissa asked sweetly.

The black boy smiled at her after dusting himself.“Yeah, I placed those papers you gave me on the tree around the Igloo.”

“Excellent, good job,” Elissa said, and she closed her eyes.

The redhead looked for her mana infused enchanted papers around the structure by sending a golden thread of mana with her awareness and linked them when she found each one. The formula written on each paper assembled itself to make a spell formation. Dawn followed the operation with her own mage vision and was awestruck. Her own family ritual wasn’t as easy as this, but she didn’t think it was so simple. Elissa’s magic looked like a more simplified version of all the combined magic she heard of.

“Wow, that was so awesome! What type of ritual was this?!” Dawn gushed, she was in Elissa’s face instantly when she was done.

“This is a chameleon and keeps away spell,” Elissa said smugly.

The redhead put a hand on Dawn’s cheek and looked soulfully in her eyes, she was attracted to her and it seemed that it was reciprocal. The two were lost for a moment when they heard a slight cough in the background. It was a smiling Donovan who looked a bit embarrassed.

“You know I can go out if you two need a moment.” The black boy teased.

His sister was a lesbian and he loved her to death, those kinds of interactions didn’t bother him. Elissa didn’t look like one though, she seemed more like someone that straddled the two side as he had noticed her looking at his muscles and tracing them with her finger earlier when all the teams were assembled. But looking at her, Donovan thought that she seemed conflicted.

“What are you talking about?” Elissa calmly said, but her demeanor was betrayed by her red face.

The redhead turned away from Dawn and looked at the black boy.

“Yeah, yeah there is nothing going on.” Dawn didn’t have the same control over her emotion as Elissa, she fumbled her speech a bit.

“Girls, it’s ok I am not judging. You have been exchanging googly eyes since the two of you met, maybe there is something to explore, don’t let yourself miss out because of people and their social programming.” Donovan eloquently said.

The two girls looked at Donovan in surprise, Elissa had thought that he was a simple-minded guy and handy to have around but now… she saw him in total new light. Donovan Sims was the entire package, handsome, smart and strong. 6”2 with a strong body with bulging muscles, his hair were styled in a low fade with twists. Donovan’s face was strong looking he had dimples a strong tall nose and black eyes. If he was with the other girls from the exam they would totally be all over him, but he was with two sexually confused girls.

“You know I didn’t expect to hear that kind of speech from someone looking like you…” Dawn told the boy.

Donovan didn’t get offended. “Oh, they tell me that all the time. Just because I look like a giant doesn’t mean I am not smart.”

People thought him a simple-minded guy most of the time, but when he began to speak he lit up the room with his intelligence. His female best friend who was already in Tesla told him to not hook up with anyone without her approval, but he had already design on the redhead before him. Seemed useless though if she had the hots for the cute Asian girl.

“Well, thanks for the pep talk…” Dawn added.

Donovan waved her off and went outside the Igloo, letting the two girls alone? They looked at each other searchingly; Dawn's face was alight, Elissa passed her hand in her hair and shyly played with a lock of her hair.

“So, you… you like me?” Dawn timidly said.

The Asian girl looked at the beautiful girl before her, she had always been shy about exposing herself to others; mostly due to her sexual preference for her own sex. Only her mother was aware that she liked girls, her father would disown her for certain. Now she couldn’t believe that this powerful mage and beauty liked her. Elissa approached her and parted her long hair that covered her face; she looked at Dawn’s revealed visage, she was gorgeous. Elissa kissed her on the cheek and said. “Yeah. But let’s speak about this when we are not in an exam, we should stay… focused, ok?”

Dawn made a radiant smile that almost blinded the redhead. “Okay,” she said squeezing Elissa into a hug and going to continue her work on the Igloo walls.

Elissa felt frustrated, she didn’t expect that. Not at all, why was it happening now? The same thing didn’t happen with her friend Kelly, she thought of her more as someone she could count on. But she just met Dawn and was already sexually attracted to that gorgeous Asian girl. She hoped she didn’t lead the girl on; Elissa sat before the shallow pit on a sheet of ice and began to meditate and ground herself and forgo worldly desires. It wasn’t easy as she could still feel the presence of her future girl… she shook her head tried to become one with nothing. After one minute she succeeded and let the mana circulate in her body.

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08:00 PM




Donovan was eating his MRE cross-legged while looking at the girl who smiled and discussed some really esoteric subject. They didn’t seem to be embarrassed about each other and their budding feelings, he wasn’t an idiot though he could see it here. That weird dance they were doing, Dawn and Elissa were touching each other, showing affection and their gaze looked hungry…? No, thirsty to Donovan. Have they been starved of love in their life?

“Like I said this is a spell to summon my familiar,” Elissa said to Dawn.

The two were making runes in a sheet of ice with their issued knives they had found in their backpack. Donovan didn’t try to look at what they were doing, just appreciating the view of two beautiful girls being oblivious of him. He ate his beef stroganoff in a can with relish with his water gourd at his side.

“Damn, this is delicious.”

The girl suddenly looked at him, they already ate but they still felt hungry. They had decided to keep some of the food for breakfast to have a full belly; Donovan was being hated for a moment there. He didn’t understand it but still chose wisely to shut up. Elissa and Dawn began to discuss anew and it was that.

Thirty minutes later, Elissa decided to summon her two bird familiars. A white magic circle appeared on the ground and in a flash of light, Crowy and Ravi appeared near the fire. The big male raven opened his wings grandly and cawed loudly, signifying his arrival, but his mate stayed silent and preferred to find purchase on one of Elissa’s shoulder.

“Dawn, Donovan. Those two are Crowy and Ravi, my familiars.” Elissa said grandly.

The bird's plumage glowed purple in the firelight, their red eyes shined like tiny ruby. A hush fell between Elissa’s teammates, they didn’t know what to say upon seeing those two strange birds. One looked nothing like a raven, but more like a big eagle, and the little one looked rather possessive of Elissa.

“Like in those hocus pocus books? I thought they are cats normally?” Donovan tried to lift the atmosphere with a bit levity, however, he was genuinely interested in the answer.

“Don, you don’t want to have a cat familiar. They are bossy and obnoxious.” Elissa corrected her misinformed teammate.

She shivered when she thought about Lady Christine, her sister’s familiar. The redhead could barely tolerate the cat, and the cat knew it but still acted cute with her mistress, playing her sister Cassandra like a violin.

Ravi murmured in her ear.

Elissa loved her two ravens to bits, they were loyal and decent conversationalists.

Crowy asked his mistress.

He strutted before her, closing and opening his wings, impatiently. Elissa was happy to give them a task, her two birds weren’t lazy compared to that cat at home. She looked at the two animals, put her fist on her hips and took on a powerful pose.

“Scout around the Igloo and report every thirty minutes about what you see in a kilometer radius, please,” Elissa said grandly, her hand showing the tarp that served as a door for the Igloo.

The big raven said and somehow prostrated itself before Elissa.

Some kind of force made the tarp acting as a door open and the two birds passed through disappearing into the night. The tarp closed itself, the cold didn’t seep in. Dawn looked amazed by this scene as she held on to Elissa’s arm in excitement.

“Did that bird just prostrate himself as if he was a knight or something?” Donovan asked still mystified by what just happened.

Or was it him or did Elissa speak with those birds?

*Nah, must have been my imagination.* The boy told himself.

“I don’t have a familiar but those two looked so awesome! How come they can use telekinesis?” Nothing escaped her, in her mage vision those two birds used primal magic!

“How come, this was so…” Dawn tried to say, the words escaping her.

“If you become an apprentice of my mother maybe she will let you in on the secret. I can’t tell you anything, Dawn. I am bound by a geas so powerful it would kill me to try to disseminate some of the magic learned from my mother.”

Dawn let go of Elissa as if she was electricized.

“She went that far?” The Asian girl was clearly shocked.

That the woman even did this to her own daughter was clearly not normal.

“Yes, like I told you when we met; living with your heroes is often rather different to what you may expect.”

Elissa turned toward her side of the Igloo and went to sit on her sleeping bag. She decided to focus on resting and observe the woods through the eyes of her familiars. When she was comfortably in a lotus position on her bag, her familiar already spotted the light of a campsite one kilometers from theirs. Ravi went to count the number of warm bodies she could see through their shared mage vision. Even normal and superhuman had mana inside them that emitted from their body, it was rather easy to spot from the sky.

“Hello, team two.”

 

03/03/2018
Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park
State of Washington, Newcastle
9:00 AM




Danny Sparks felt that something was wrong, she opened her eyes and rose as though she was still in her thermal sleeping bag with the Academy logo on it. The blonde girl tried to listen to the noises around her to know if there was someone moving in the camp. All she got was animals noises and the grinding of trees against each other.

*Nothing. But the air around me feels colder... no, frigid!*

The blonde girl put herself on guard, she had seen how ones of the examinee used ice to control the terrain and render her opponent helpless. Danny focused on her senses and looked at the electric fields around her.

*There! There is someone here!*

Through her electric field manipulation power, Danny Sparks could see Electric fields that may exist as the bio-electric fields that form the aura of a person that flow through their nervous system and as an intrinsic field. That golden aura that she could see wasn’t from any of her teammates. Danny prepared herself for a confrontation and got out of her sleeping bag and put on her boots. The young girl deliberated in wanting to awaken her friends, preservation and competitivity won out on any pride she felt and Danny decided to get help. She woke up Carolyn first and pinched Erika who was resisting her attempt at waking her up by batting Danny’s hand out.

“Rika, wake up! Danger!”

The mousy girl woke up and sat while being in her sleeping bag and scanned around her with her eyes and power. Her eyes opened wide and she got out of the sleeping bag and put on her boots and gloves.

“She’s here!” Erika said between her teeth.

“Who?!” Carolyne was panicking.

“Elissa, I know you are here girl!” Danny shouted.

“Oh shit!” Carolyne swore.

The three teammates went outside their tents and looked around, near the remains of their fire was the silhouette of someone who seemed to wait for them. It was a redhead in the same blue field uniform and armor as them. Elissa Von Braun, the female examinee that made this entire exam lively. When the three girls appeared from their shelter Elissa smiled at them and made them sign with her arms to come to join her.

“You better go Danny, and please don’t piss her off.” Erika pleaded her leader and the mousy girl pushed her friend on the shoulders toward the dangerous redhead.

Danny looked excited and apprehensive at the same time, the girl facing her has already taken a member of her group; certainly, she sacrificed him because he pissed her off. But still, she whittled them down and where were her teammates? Danny asked herself if they will attack them from behind, it would be a good plan.

*But this girl doesn’t strike me as the underhanded sort.* Danny thought.

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As for her, Elissa was waiting for team two to wake up; she had already killed the fire of their camp and buried the other team's junk in a hole in the ground as a courtesy. Crowy and Ravi looked from afar in a tree far from the camp, expecting a good show from their mistress. Elissa looked at the time on her CLO; it was already nine AM and she wasn’t patient enough, and as those girls were having a long lie in she unleashed her cold aura that generated cold air that lowered the temperature in the area, but not enough to freeze things around her, it would be considered an attack, after all. Finally, she saw the girls getting out of their tents and hesitantly coming out and looking really afraid. Elissa didn’t move and tried to appear non-threatening. The shortest girl in the team pushed Danny the leader toward her, Elissa looked at her.

*Erika is her name, right? Why is she looking at me warily? As if I am a snake or another venomous animal…*

“Hey, Von Braun.” Danny greeted her rival.

“Sparks.” Elissa acknowledged the blonde girl with a careful little nod.

“Why are you here?” It stumped Danny, Von Braun should be well ahead of them; why was she losing time on her team? It picked the young girl’s interest.

“I like that, you are direct. Let’s say I came with a proposition for you and your team.” The redhead made a beautiful smile and pointed at her CLO to Danny. Elissa liked frank people, she had noticed that people were used to turning around the subject a lot and it had always stumped her that they would do that. This was one of the reasons she didn’t have a lot of friends.

“Mhm, what might it be?” Intrigued, Danny put her arm around her.

From head to toe she gazed at the redhead, Danny wasn’t used to thinking that someone was stronger than her beyond her mother who is a team member in the supergroup called the Misfits. Danny did not want to acknowledge it but Elissa’s mannerism, her way of carrying herself and language intimidated her; she was someone that would always attract attention to herself. The blonde girl hides her feelings with a jovial smile and continued to listen to the redhead.

“I discovered a function on the 3D map of my CLO. Call the map and touch the dot that shows the position of your team.” Elissa explained.

Danny, did as she asked while being on her guard. The young girl called her map and the interactive hologram appeared, the red dot showing team two’s location in the wildland park was there. Danny put her finger on it and other dots appeared. It showed to her two of them merged as the two teams were being close to each other. The young girl looked at Elissa that smiled at her confidently, her arms on her hips.

“Where is your team?” Danny looked around, in the meadow where they have pitched their tent.

“There.” Elissa threw a thumb behind her.

The blonde examinee could see fifteen meters behind Elissa two people hid behind a sequoia rendered bare with a crackled trunk because of the low temperature. The two teammates of Elissa watched the two face off with barely undisguised curiosity. They had a plan if things turned sour, when Elissa told them that she will hire the services of team two instead of fighting them they had looked at the redhead as if she had two heads; but Elissa had told them that using the team of girls because she would be weak when she catches up to team three. Dawn wanted to fight, Donovan wanted to avoid it and they had argued vehemently on this point until Elissa broke it off and said that she had a plan and here they are now.

Coming back to the situation, Danny Sparks didn’t see any special new thing on the map, just their relative positions.

“What is it you want to show me?” She asked Elissa.

The redhead crossed her arm under her breastplate and rolled her eyes at Danny, it was obvious to her, why couldn’t she see it.

“Sparks, look at team three.” Elissa finally said.

“Huh, team three?” The blonde girl raised a well-groomed eyebrow.

Danny looked for another dot on the map and zoomed out by using her free hand. What she saw surprised her and she looked at Elissa in urgency, her eyes wide.

“Why are they so near the goal already?!” Danny shouted.

The superhuman girl’s eyes went to her teammates and to team two; she trembled in panic, or maybe the cold air wasn’t agreeing with her. Elissa remembered that her cold aura was activated and retracted it, the temperature gradually became better as much as it could, but it was still winter. Erika and Carolyn looked at the map on their CLO and their face suddenly echoed Danny’s.

“Well, those four ran all night and are now taking a break from what I could see with my scrying.” Elissa explained.

Unfortunately, Danny looked at her as if she was talking in Chinese with a troubled face.

“Scrying?”

Elissa was shocked that this girl didn’t understand the concept, but stopped herself from thinking that she was stupid. Scrying was both an arcane and divine magic spell that allowed the caster to view a subject at a great distance and possibly across the planes of existence. Danny Sparks didn’t seem to be the kind of young girl into fantasy books to Elissa, more like a muscle brain.

“You know, remote viewing like with drones? But with magic.” The redhead tried to explain.

It was as if a light was ON in Danny’s eyes, she now understood. “Ah, sure. So you know where they are, they might win this exam.”

Elissa squinted her eyes and said, “Eh, I don’t think so.”

Danny nodded at that and made an appreciative smile at the redhead, as she guessed that Elissa girl was a firecracker; she was not the kind of girl at giving an inch when others wanted to take a mile. The blonde girl put a hand on her hips and looked at the red dot on the map showing the location of team three, her eyes grew menacing.

“What do you want to propose us, then?” Danny asked, excited.

“First, my team and I will take you on our flying sled and you will be in the position of being number two to reach the light pillar. But I want you to take care of team three beforehand. Secondly, I wanna have a good spar with you before catching up to the other team. Deal?”

The redhead smiled and looked at Danny. Certainly she wasn’t telling her a number of things when she put her card on the tables but she expected her to take the deal; after all, she would take number two and Elissa’s team won’t hinder her anymore and would have a common goal. Elissa couldn’t fly her team and then fight right after that, her mana and stamina will be depleted and she wasn’t keen on relying too much on her new friends. Still, they will play a role. Last night Elissa got an idea of Dawn’s strength and weaknesses, as for Donovan he was a tank while absorbing the power of kinetic energy coming at him; even moving around powered him up. There was, of course, a plan B if team two refused but Elissa hoped she didn’t have to do it.

“I’m interested, but I smell something fishy as if you aren’t telling me something.”

Elissa thought that this girl wasn’t as muscle brained as she thought. In fact, both of them have been sizing up each other for weaknesses since they met.

“Take it or leave it, I could easily take them but those people aren’t like the guy I took out from your team yesterday. They are good people and there seems to be another mage with them.” Elissa told the blonde girl.

Yes, she didn’t want to have done something too drastic to those four who outplayed them.

“Oh, so you aren’t quite the raging bull I thought you were Von Braun. You are cunning and ruthless, admirable qualities that I like.” Danny said, surprised after hearing Elissa’s reason.

Elissa giggled. “No, I just have… a temper, sorry if I gave you a bad first impression. But usually, I prefer to not go half-cocked in any kind of action normally.”

“Fair enough, I believe you. That loser from yesterday didn’t deserve any sympathy, anyway.” Danny answered, with a wave of her hand.

The young girl really didn’t like people like that YOD guy, demeaning and that felt superior to others for no reasons whatsoever.

“Do you want to fight?” Elissa offered, her body already relaxing, her gaze making itself predatory.

This change of behavior was mirrored by Danny who smoothed out the wrinkles on her pants.

“Sure,” Danny answered after shrugging her shoulders.

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Erika calmed down when she realized that she didn’t get any flash of danger from her ability. Nothing untoward was going to happen, she felt it; when she thought that, she saw Danny send a bolt of electricity toward Elissa that deflected it with an arm encased in ice. The redhead was encased in a blue and chilly aura that formed ice on her body. Elissa looked straight at her, her body coiling has she prepared to propel herself with her ice manipulation power.

The precog panicked but foresaw that bad thing™ would happen if they intervened, so she put an arm around Carolyn’s waist to stop her from interfering in Danny’s fight. Erika saw Elissa launch toward her friend by passing two jets of ice in the opposite direction with her arms and with her momentum, punch Danny in the guts sending her crashing in a tree ten meters behind. A forcefield of crackling electricity cushioned Danny’s fall. The blonde girl looked at Elissa and smiled crazily as she felt the adrenaline coursing through her body; Erika knew that face, her friend was having the time of her life. The mousy blonde girl asked herself how she became friends with a battle junky.

Danny rocketed with her electromagnetic charge toward Elissa who avoided her tackle and caught her by the ankle and tried to punch her in the body again; but being wise to her tricks, Danny stopped her blows with timed short duration forcefields, then she attacked by discharging electricity around herself. Elissa who was brought to a knee by the electrical shock released Danny’s ankle and retreated back using the same continuous ice jet propulsion technique she used at the start of the confrontation.

The two girls stopped moving and gazed at each other, their blood pumping as they are ready to fight; each of the girls looking for weaknesses in each others as they were not even sweating or panting yet as their superhuman constitution gave them tremendous durability and stamina. Elissa didn’t spend her time being idle, she deployed her cold generation in the space between Danny and her; sharp pointy icicles sprang from the ground, the air and humidity above the icicles formed more of them in the air and they suddenly began to rain down toward Danny. The blonde girl, with her electrically enhanced reflex and reaction speed, avoided most of them. It was a shame that this delayed her from noticing Elissa immobilize her right foot in a freeze hold making her unable to avoid the icicle that charged toward her in her blind spot. Fortunately, the shield of her armor stopped the impact of the ice pike from stabbing her throat.

Danny looked at Elissa with fright as she perspired and was left panting with ragged breaths. The blonde girl never had a more intense fight in her life even as short as it was, for the first time the will to fight a superior foe vanished and she said words she didn’t believe she would have said one day.

“I yield.”

As Elissa walked toward her, Danny thought that she didn’t want to stop and beat her up some more but those thoughts were dashed when the redhead held out her hand before her, waiting for the blonde girl to take it. After a long moment, Danny took the redheads hand and she was put on her feet and she began to wipe the snow from her bottom pants.

Elissa smiled at her.

“You are good.” The redhead said sincerely.

Elissa combed her hair with her left hand as they were in disarray because of the fight, briefly closing her eyes and opening them to look at a smiling Danny who was as disheveled as her. Danny and the redhead’s field uniform was stained by mud and snow; Elissa waved her hand and a golden light covered them, the earthen dirt came off of them in clumps on the ground. Their uniform and armor were now pristine. Danny looked at Elissa in awe, touching her uniform to check if it was really clean; once satisfied she told to Elissa, “Not as good as you…”

“Sparks, I mean Danny, I can call you that right?” Elissa came beside the girl and passed an arm around her shoulders.

Danny felt awkward for an instant and calculated what she should do, should she reject the friendly overtures of Elissa or accept them. Pride dictated that she should, but it the blonde girl felt the warmness of the redhead and remembered how she helped her get on her feet after the fight.

“Be my guest.” Danny grinned at her after finally deciding to open up to Elissa.

As for the redhead she was gauging Danny’s fitness when she put her arm amicably around the blonde girl’s shoulder. Danny was a fit young woman, taller than Elissa and the way she moved while fighting her reminded the redhead of the Amazon combat form she had personally experienced. Elissa took her arm off Danny’s shoulders and began to ponder about the fight and how each of them moved.

Elissa’s eyes found Danny’s, they were full of uncertainty, the redhead felt that she wanted to clear a path for her newfound rival. It was clear that the blonde girl was now doubting herself now that Elissa had defeated her. The redhead desired to erase any misconception the young woman has made.

“Danny, you’ve had excellent training. You’re strong and deceitfully fast. But the way you used your powers doesn’t seem efficient at all. Do you have any knowledge about how electricity works?” Elissa lectured.

Danny shook her head. Since she was little the blonde girl has been more interested in looking pretty and fighting. Her school grades could be said to be average and she tanked chemistry and physics. The young girl felt more like a failure suddenly, and her gaze lowered. Elissa took Danny’s chin between her thumb and index and made her look at her.

“So that is the problem… Danny if you had total control of your abilities you would have wiped the floor with me.”

The other members of team two approached them and listened to Elissa review their battle with Danny. The members of team one did the same. The blonde girl didn’t notice anyone as her eyes lost themselves in the emerald green orb of Elissa’s eyes. She could feel the honesty in the redheads gaze, but self-doubt engulfed her yet again as she remembered at how helpless she felt when Elissa took her down savagely.

The girl before her was powerful, brutal and efficient.

“I can’t see it, you were overwhelming.” Danny murmured.

Elissa heard her and her shoulders slumped; maybe she did go to strong in their sparring. The redhead sighed. “Danny, your powers are electrical manipulation right?”

Danny nodded.

“You should be able to feel the flow of electrons and protons all around you to control electrical fields, all charge carriers, and electromagnetic forces.” Elissa shaped an atom model with her ice with the electrons orbiting around it as an example. “See that? You should be able to shape your lightning like I do, make constructs of lightning.” The redhead formed a different shape with her ice; a sword, a shield and the statue of a bird.

Danny opened her eyes wide, scarcely believing what the redhead was trying to tell her. She approached Elissa and took her wrist in her hand and looked at her feverishly. There was a gleam of fervent interest in her blue eyes.

“I can do that?” Danny asked. “I mean, I know how to create forcefield, lightning bolts, buff my body or detect people using a bioelectric field and boost my reflexes but I didn’t try to do more…”

Elissa laughed at her and rolled her eyes, she flipped her hair behind her. Elissa remembered how hellish her training had been to learn how ice worked four years ago; Malicia crammed as much science and magical physics into her brain as she could. One month ago she couldn’t reach sub-zero, and now she could do it effortlessly because of a trip into space her mother made her undergo by opening a portal to space. Malicia had truly tested her daughter's immunity to the extreme cold, and Elissa didn’t die but became stronger after this experience where she almost suffocated.

The redhead shivered just by thinking about it.

“Danny that’s really short-sighted of you, you should study electricity more and try to apply what you learn to your power. Honestly, you could be upper Alpha rank if you knew more.”

Danny had never liked to study too much, but now her world was shaken by this girl. Raw strength wasn’t enough, but knowledge on how to best use your strength is required. The blonde girl realized that if she had continued as she had she would have hit a wall anyway; she’s lucky that she found someone like Elissa to ‘gently’ show her the way.

*Gently, huh?* Danny thought.

“Now that’s interesting! So that’s how you are so strong, you know everything about ice?!” The blonde girl approached Elissa a bit more, it made the redhead step back a bit as Danny was being a bother by entering her personal space.

“Indeed, magical and scientific knowledge. Danny, I am not that great. In fact, I am weak. I realized that long ago! I know people who would wipe the floor with me, I struggled in this fight. If you knew more about electricity I would have lost. From now on, I will train even more.” Elissa continued to explain to the girl.

Danny Sparks came to a decision in her heart, she nodded at Elissa and made a happy grin.

“Me too, I will learn! Huh, oh hey girls you are here!” Danny finally noticed Erika and Carolyn.

Erika and Carolyn rolled their eyes in unison, they were used to their friend being super oblivious; but here she was really distracted after her fight. It was the first time that the two girls had seen their leader lose a super fight and they worried that she might take it badly. However, she was her cheerful self and was getting cozy with the magic redhead, who against all odds didn’t seem like such a bitch after all. She was coaching and gave pieces of advice to Danny.

“Don, Dawn.” Elissa acknowledged her teammates.

Dawn couldn’t believe how awesome and fast Elissa’s fight was, the exchange was still brutal and the redhead had goaded Danny into fighting on her terms to finally ambush her with her Icicles spells. The Asian girl couldn’t believe how Elissa could mix magic with her natural abilities like this, they acted so seamlessly that you would think it’s just one and the same. But she knew the difference simply because of the flare of mana at each moment she deployed her spell construct. Normally you would see a magical circle form when someone unleashes their spells but you couldn’t with Elissa, it was too fast.

“This fight was awesome Elissa!” Dawn shouted exuberantly as she hugged her new friend.

“It was cool.” Donovan agreed by raising his chin at the redhead.

His gaze fell on Danny, roaming with interest before anyone could see it, but Erika caught it and became amused by the boy.

“So what are we going to do now?” Carolyn interjected.

She looked at Donovan with interest herself, he was her type. Danny acquiesced to the same feeling as her friend and turned to Elissa while looking at her expectantly.

“Well, we are going to fly.” Elissa nodded to her right as she answered confidently.

Everyone turned themselves in the direction she points, an ice construct materialized near them. It was a bigger sled than the one they arrived on, with thicker support in its construction.

“Dawn will help me enchant the sled with runes to lighten the sled, Donovan when we arrive near the pillar you will jump and stop team three from reaching the light pillar.” Elissa looked at Danny and her friends. “Team two will engage team three, girls don’t go easy on them; they have a fire mage and a strong man. I don’t know what might be the abilities of the other two girls but expect the worst, Dawn and I will act as support.”

A plan formed into Elissa’s mind as she was speaking.

“Huh, you won’t fight?” Erika asked weirded out by Elissa’s plan.

Elissa shook her head and tilted it as she looked at Erika. “Huhu, nope. I want to see what all of you can do, if you do well I will partner with you for those field mission training for an entire year.” She said extending her carrots.

“You would?!” Danny jumped toward Elissa putting her hands on her shoulder and looking excitedly at her.

Tesla Academy organized missions training that counted in the grades, it could range from investigations to capture the flag or other simulations games. First responders, seek and destroy, the Academy was a semi-militaristic entity; the Academy boasted producing a great number of excellent recruits for supergroups all other the US. That’s why they had uniforms already on even though they just joined in the placement exams.

“I always keep my word,” Elissa answered patting Danny’s head.

The blond girl reminded her of her little canine familiar Chun-Li.

“Let’s do this!” Dawn shouted with a fist in the air.

Ravi and Crowy were sleeping as the entire situation bored them.

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“I knew it, the underdog team is going to win!” The director was almost dancing while looking at team three almost reaching the light pillar that would teleport them to the rest area. The four teammates ran all night and had to take breaks to permit to the fire mage boy, Wayne to rest as he didn’t have their stamina and robust bodies. Their gambit was paying its dividends as they almost were about to win!

He was worried when he saw team one and team two battle each other, after all that girl Von Braun, might wound the girls in team two. But it didn’t happen as they were discussing something that the drones couldn’t get. It was as if a sound barrier was around them that neutralized vibrations and from any words leaking out. The director knew that it was magic, magic was difficult to pin down and he was a man of science and didn’t know how it worked.

The director was absorbed in his own thought when the cry of one of the examinator rang out beside him. The older man looked at the female staff and asked what was wrong.

“Madre de Dios, they are flying!” The young woman said in an astonished voice.

The director looked at the radar screen and fair enough team one and two were flying and were almost upon the light pillar. The drones captured a sky view of what was happening there was a red line of light deployed between team three and the light pillar. The boy on team one and the girls of team two jumped from the flying contraption they were on and put themselves behind the line. All adopted fighting stances, ready to fight.

“What?!” The director’s hands tightened into fists. “This is cheating!”

“Not really sir, this is not against the rules.” The female examiner said after sighing loudly. She took out her wallet and got a 20$ bills from it and handed it to the man beside her.

“No! Nothing is decided yet! Team Three will win!” The older man chooses to believe in team three, he wasn't willing to accept that this brutal girl might win!

The fight between all the teams was on.

 

03/03/2018
Light Pillar, Far Country Falls
Cougar Mountain Regional Wildland Park
State of Washington, Newcastle
9:15 AM



Team 3



Finally, they’re here! The tall pillar of light that speared through the sky announced that they finally reached Far country Falls. Team 3 had passed two different marshes and shallow creeks overnight to be before their objective. Emilia the statuesque African American girl whooped in joy when she saw that the fruit of their hard work was finally in sight, she hugged her best friend Jamie who held her tight at her side too. The petite black girl smile was blinding, she felt a mixture of relief and elation.

Jamie laughed and said, “We outmaneuvered them and we are here!” she put a hand on her chest as she thanked God to have helped her endure and succeed.

“Something is finally going right.” Wayne relaxed, his gait slowing.

The fire mage still stayed prudent, scanning around him and once satisfied produced a handsome smile.

“Even though the odds were against us, we beat the rest of the teams to the pillar.” Emilia gloated.

Team three advanced toward the pillar of light passing the shallow creek, their booted feet treading through the freezing water; they were all smiles as they reached the other bank, crushing the snow and rocks under them. Cody who was tired dredged some more vigor and was five meters from the light when a force ejected him behind preventing him to reach the goal.

“What the fuck?!” Cody screamed at the top of his lungs.

The black boy who was all elated earlier as they were about to enter the big pillar of light, but in one instant a big glowing red line in the snow appeared. The 7.6m waterfall and a sizable part of the creek froze around team three suddenly as a wave of intense cold surged in the air. The girls were about to brave that weird glowing line in the snow, Cody following them as he wanted to be done with all this exam shit. He has been turned into a popsicle, fallen in pit traps and he was tired and hungry.

“Don’t cross that red line!” Wayne shouted keeping the girls away from the line in the snow. “It’s a spell!” The boy could feel familiar mana emanating from the scarlet glowing line. Wayne chanted an Analyze spell.

The results of the spell analysis weren’t to his liking; this was some kind of runic construct that acted on the psyche of those who dared to cross this red line. Cody didn’t listen to him and tried to pass through the line but a wave of terror engulfed him, making him scream as if someone was gutting him like a pig. Paralyzed by irrational terror the black boy was also stricken by incontinence as he soiled his pants.

“Drag him out, Emilia!” Wayne shouted in urgency.

Emilia grabbed the dumb boy with her telekinesis and dragged him kicking and screaming from the glowing line. Once that was done an acrid smell of feces and urine assaulted the tall black girl who looked at Cody with disgust.

“What the hell is that?!” Jamie screamed.

Her finger was pointed at the red glowing line separating them from the goal. She couldn’t believe that they have suffered and pushed on all night just to be stopped right now!

“This is a barrier, I have never seen one like that which inflict psychological effects on someone that crosses it!” Wayne informed loudly her of his discovery.

Emilia tried to say, “Who could have done th-” but was interrupted.

BAM. The hulking form of a man in the same uniform and armor as them landed before them, their CLO identified who it was instantly. Donovan Sims, aka Titan, a member of team one! Jamie and Emilia’s eyes grew wide as they saw him rise from his hero landing pose and make a huge grin when his eyes fell on them all. He began to crack his neck and his knuckles showing that he was ready to take them on.

Wayne chanted an evocation spell.

A long projectile of flame came into existence and was projected toward Donovan who extended a gauntleted hand toward it and when it reached him he caught it and crushed it. Thanks to Elissa’s ice construct in the form of a gauntlet, he was ready for the fire mage in team three. Doing this had the psychological effect to crush Wayne’s confidence in beating this foe. The fire mage looked disdainfully at Cody who once again seemed to be useless after ignoring his warning.

Three other human forms landed at Donovan’s sides with a thundering bang and electricity crackling beneath them. The leader of team two, Danny Sparks used her electrical manipulation to cushion her team descent from the flying sled thirty feet in the sky; once she looked at the fire mage in team three she blasted him with a beam of electricity she emitted from her hand that was charged beforehand. Wayne barely deflected the concentrated electricity safely with a mana barrier, but the strength of the beam ejected him toward the creek behind his team.

“Carolyn take out the tall girl, she’s a TK like you,” Erika told her friend.

The willowy blonde looked at Emilia Dor and smiled, unleashing the strength of her mind as it made rocks and pieces of frozen wood orbit around her.

“Gladly,” Carolyn said.

Carolyn let the power of her mind fill her body, boosting her capabilities even more and she lunged at Emilia who deployed a telekinetic shield in the form of a sphere to ward off the blonde missile coming toward her. It worked but she didn’t take into account that Carolyn was a brute; the blonde girl dug the ground under the shield of Emilia as if she shoveled it and lifted the tall black girl in the air. Emilia screamed and tried to levitate to avoid falling in the creek, however, once she deactivated her shield to fly she was caught by a stone the size of a fist that hurled toward her and it caused the first shield break for her as her armor protected her from the oncoming projectile. The tall black girl ended up in the creek too, landing on Wayne who was trying to cross.

“Emi!” Her best friend Jamie screamed horrified by the fight that just broke out.

She looked at her feet and made a disgusted face when she saw Cody still laid on the ground unconscious. The short girl kicked him in the side.

“Cody, wake up! Do your job!” Jamie screamed at the useless boy.

“I-I am awake, what-” Cody stammered waking up feeling the worse for wear.

He tried to stand but he took time, and Jamie had to help him.

“No time! Team one and two teamed up to take us out! Fight!” Jamie ordered.

She couldn’t believe she had been so complacent and think things could be this easy. The short girl looked at her foes and divined the nature of their power and how strong they were with her sensor abilities. That Carolyn girl was a stronger telekinetic than her best friend and Danny Sparks felt like a low Alpha rank with electrical powers. Jamie asked herself where was Von Braun, the dark horse of this exam.

*Were they waiting for us? Where are the rest of them?!* Jamie asked in her heart.

“Shit, I knew it was too easy!” The strongman cursed.

Cody felt awful as he noticed that he shat and pissed himself at the same time, his dignity was crumbling, even more, when he noticed that Jamie stepped back from him while holding her nose. He got angry at the two teams for doing this to him and charged toward the shorter blonde with all his strength, only to be stopped by Donovan who absorbed the kinetic force of his charge and gained more strength and toughness. The tall teenager took Cody by the neck and violently put him in the ground and punched in his armor. The punch hit Cody, who struggled vehemently against the assault of the taller black boy; though the result was that he made Donovan even stronger. Donovan slugged Cody on the jaw with the force of a freight train, creating the second shield break. Cody was almost eliminated from the exam.

Erika went toward Jamie ready to fight, charging at the girl when she foresaw a lance of fire being thrown at her; Erika ducked and threw herself on the side. The lance of fire was evaded successfully, Jamie looked behind her and saw the fire mage of her team who smiled at her and focused on defending as a blast of ice came to strike at his mana shield.

“Jamie, move you are an easy target!” Wayne screamed.

He looked at the sky and saw something like a vehicle in the air, dread filled him when the blue and white contraption shined in the light of the sun. Two people could be seen on it, a redhead and an Asian girl with big headphones on her head. Dread filled Wayne when he saw the vehicle landing, but the boy didn’t despair. He chose to go out with a bang if he was destined to lose to a superior foe! While the ice sled was landing, Wayne chanted a spell calling on the most powerful fire elemental he had command of. The signature spell of his family, it had never failed in all the history of his lineage!

*Conjure Elemental!* he shouted in his heart.

A brief spatial tear appeared in the sky, flame, and lava spilling out of it in big glob for half a second. A screeching cry emitted from a hole in reality, a bird made of steel melting flame materialized. Wayne looked defiantly at Elissa who primly climbed out of her snow sled. She didn’t look concerned at all and it rattled Wayne.

*I effing conjured an Elemental from the plane of Fire and she isn’t even looking at me?!* Wayne complained.

He expected to see Elissa in awe of his power and mastery of magic! The Asian girl at her side certainly was looking at him with big eyes and an open-mouthed expression. But Elissa was just watching the big firebird with a condescending smile. The fight around them had stilled when Wayne had materialized the Firebird, Emilia was behind Wayne panting in exertion. Donovan has shield broke Cody a third time and he was finally out, the body of the black boy instantly teleported somewhere leaving Donovan looking around him. Erika didn’t pay attention to the scene and began to engage Jamie in grappling. Carolyn looked around and found Emilia but didn’t charge as she did before; the willowy blonde just gathered the power of her mind in an overwhelming attack, waiting a good moment to unleash it. Danny Sparks was doing the same, Elissa patted her shoulder.

A friendly gesture that irritated Wayne even more and made him see red.

“Take me seriously! Von Braun!” The teenager exploded.

The redhead looked at him as if he was insignificant, bone-chilling disdain was reflected in her eyes, a predatory smile appeared on her face. Elissa opened her full and attractive lips to say, “Huh what for? Just because you manifested a giant flaming chicken?” Elissa taunted, as she tilted her head.

The venomous dismissal of his accomplishment stumped Wayne and shocked him. He had a squad of female magi vying for his attention in the Magi organization that is led by his father. Wayne has always been a hardworking and talented boy in the Western magical arts. This young girl, from an unknown mage line, didn’t even give him the time of day.

“You…” Wayne choked on his words.

He was about to insult her, but he remembered in time what happened to YOD when he pissed Elissa off.

*Calm down, she’s just ignorant, yes that’s it!* Wayne chose to cloak himself in denial.

Elissa made a sign to Dawn and Danny who erected defenses around them; the Asian girl, an atmospheric spell and Danny her most powerful forcefield. The redhead let go of the control she had on her cold aura, the snow around the area turned into elemental matter and surrounded Elissa. The redhead began to levitate, as shards of ice orbited and surrounded her, the glow of the ice magic and cosmic energy the young girl generated turned her into an ethereal figure bristling with supernatural beauty and power. The cold becoming more and more unbearable around the redhead. Donovan moved to generate more kinetic power and gain more strength and toughness to not freeze. Carolyn levitated in the sky and escaped the bubble of cold generated over the area. Jamie was shield broke and lost consciousness as Erika dragged her body to a safe area away from the expanding sub-zero temperature. Wayne enveloped Emilia who was behind him in a thermal and atmospheric barrier to stave off the effect of the cold generated by the redhead.

Once everyone was protected or away from her, Elissa spoke, “You should take me seriously, Griffin; after all, you are surrounded by my element.” The redhead’s voice became cold and menacing.

Elissa looked at the fire elemental, the extraplanar being shivered and attacked without input from Wayne the fire mage. The firebird spits a giant tong of fire at the redhead in her ice avatar state. A temperature capable of melting steel to the point of fusion warmed the cold temperature to create water and then steam. The redhead sent raw mana infused with ice elemental matter toward the flamethrower bird. Absolute zero against the temperature of Lava.

Wayne was confident enough to say loudly, “In a fight between ice magic and fire magic, it’s always fire that wins!”

However, his moment of triumph and all his hopes were dashed when the fire actually froze after the wave of elemental cold struck the fire attack. The firebird screeched in fear as Elissa’s magic froze it over. The elemental died as its metaphysical liquid mana core became solid. Elissa snapped her fingers loudly, and the firebird disappeared into particles of ice. The redhead turned her head toward Wayne who was frozen in shock, paralyzed by what he just saw.

“You-you monster!” The fire mage shouted.

She killed it, the signature spell of his family as if it was nothing to her! What kind of magical school or discipline this girl used? Were these the fabled divine spells he had heard from the legends?!

“Ouch, that’s not what you call a Lady.” Elissa quipped.

Wayne chanted a spell and multiple fire magic missile appeared around him, he sent them all toward the redhead at breakneck speed, slowly emptying his mana.

Elissa huffed in annoyance, “Enough, you are weak.” and the magical projectiles died around Elissa as they were snuffed out by her pulsating cold aura.

“Fire magic always wins in a fight against Ice magic? That’s what you said, right? You couldn’t be more wrong.” The redhead levitated toward the fire mage, her feet not even touching the ground.

Elissa held her hand before her, palm extended toward Wayne.

“This is a real evocation magic attack, watch and learn.” She said smugly.

A freezing blast launched at the speed of thought struck the armor of Wayne reducing the kinetic energy of the atoms composing it and froze it with absolute zero temperature. A crack appeared on the steel-like metal, more and more spread and Wayne's shielding armor were no more. He didn’t get burned or get any frostbite from the attack, it showed the control Elissa had on her power and the colossal difference in their abilities. If he was a shining moon, Elissa was a star.

Wayne lost all will to fight. Emilia who was protected by the fire mage atmospheric barrier didn’t want to test Elissa’s might either. They made a gambit and they’ve lost.

“Do you surrender, team three?!” Elissa’s voice was enhanced with a spell.

Her voice spread to all present, her presence was overwhelming making everyone feel as if they were ants gazing at a superior being. Erika slapped Jamie out of her unconscious state and she woke up with a start ready to fight when the precog girl stepped back from her. The short black girl stood up slowly and searched for her teammates. Jamie felt as if something was missing; then she realized that the vegetation and the landscape changed from a creek to a tundra-like environment, as the cold assaulted her. The black girl shivered and put her arms around her for warmth.

“You should declare that you are giving up now. I don’t think Von Braun is in a mood to play anymore.” Erika pointed at the glowing avatar of death.

Jamie looked were Erika pointed, staying on her guard but the blonde girl didn’t attack her. Her eyes fell on Elissa and the redhead looked terrifying as she levitated unconcerned by everything around her, waiting. She looked so cold, so detached it hurt to actually look at her.

“Huh, what happened?” Jamie’s brain finally clicked and looked for answers about her situation.

Erika sighed loudly and crossed her arm under her breastplate looking disparagingly at the black girl.

“Well, Elissa took out your fire mage, Donovan eliminated your strongman Cody something… and your friend, Dor is her name, right? She gave up.”

“Shit!” Jamie swore as she saw Emilia hiding behind Wayne who had no armor on.

The fire mage looked broken as if he was giving up on something. Jamie’s heart ached for him, he had been a solid guy to have within her team compared to the useless Cody; he had even protected them from the elements while they were running all night to reach the light pillar.

“Yeah, I didn’t think she was this strong, fighting her always finish with us losing badly or wounded when I look at her with my precognition.”

“No wonder I couldn’t win against you! You are a precog.” Jamie stepped back from the girl who was the same height as her.

Erika smiled at her and said, “Tick Tock, you are running out of time.”

“We surrender!!!” Jamie cried loudly to Elissa who was already preparing a blast spell.

“Good.” Elissa stopped glowing, the ice falling on the ground loudly.

Her feet landed on the ground as she slowly breathed in and out, letting go of the strain that the cryo form had put on her body. To be honest, she had almost run out of mana, but she wouldn’t show it, preferring to cultivate this aura of invincibility that she had put on.

“Let’s go, shall we? Team one will be first to pass, and team two second and team three will be dead last.”

Danny Sparks nodded at Elissa, awed by the power of the redhead.

*She didn’t go all out when we fought?*

Dawn took Danny by the arm and approached her to murmur in her ear, “No Danny, Elissa didn’t use that ultimate magic against you. She might look like she’s not tired but she’s about to keel over.” Dawn had understood the troubled gaze of Danny and decided to not let her lose the new confidence Elissa had given her. The Asian girl wasn’t fooled by Elissa, the kind of magic she just used had a price. She let go of the girl, and waved at her and dived into the pillar of light, Donovan followed her running at full speed. They were teleported as they disappeared.

Elissa sashayed in the pillar of light, winking and waving at Danny.

Carolyn and Erika came at each side of their leader and crossed their arms with hers and they dove into the light too, disappearing. Only the broken team three was left and they resolutely followed, sad and defeated toward the goal.

 

Planet Lekrys
Kingdom of Bramha
Lekryan Calendar 11th day of Radagon 4912




Bandit camp


Mind Flayer felt satisfaction welling up in its sinister soul, it arrived on this world just one month ago but it already established a base of operation after possessing a random bandit that found him in the forest. It had been really easy of taking possession of Salazar, he got seduced by the power that Mind Flayer offered him, power without limits. Each uses had eroded the bandit chief’s soul until the demon soul took over the bandit’s body and destroyed his spirit.

The demon possessed human was on his desk chair made of precious bones from a ground Draco, the species of Dragonoid indigenous of this planet and sipped on his Equalyrian wine while looking from the written report of his subordinates. Mind Flayer was looking for the lost heir of the Phantasian throne, who simply wasn’t on Phantasia anymore. Or at least that is what his master, Lord Dökkur Dath’tas discovered. Someone moved her off-world, it was the only explanation! Empress Daphne has the loyalty of the Mage Guild of the Faerie Dells and Sorcerer's circle of the Permafrost tower, moving the imperial heir to another world wasn’t so difficult.

Mind Flayer remembered the prophecy that spread everywhere sixteen years ago, it had created so much panic in the ranks of the fallen and… in the dark Lord.

Of snow and thunder the day of change, the lands unify and all take a stand.

A red-haired maiden borne of her Mother's love a stand will take against the fallen.

The sky shall cry the tears of ice; the sign of hope the dark weakens its ties.

Dark god's fist shattered shall be, before the true heir revealed.​

It announced the loss of everything the Fallen of the Dark Fist had built for, they were different from their lesser brethren the Rudras and Liliums Demonkin who were content to mix with the lower races and sullying their lineages, wallow in mediocrity and enjoy ‘peace’. Mind Flayer abhorred the entire concept of peace! Demonkin came from a hellish plane in constant war, there was no place for peace for them! Mind Flayer inadvertently spilled its mug of wine on the table as its hand resisted its will, or should we say the original owner hand’s. The Demon Sword still received token resistance from the other soul it took over. It smiled, this world was comparable to Phantasia the people were strong, the climate good maybe when all is done he could come back here and…

BANG. The door of its cottage opened, the possessed heard the noise of someone running into the corridor leading to his office.

“Chief there are intruders!” A dark-skinned man rushed into his office.

The possessed eyes opened wide.

“What?” He shouted while hitting his desk with his right fist.

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing, after being this careful in evading the Kingdom’s elite patrols and those parties of Seekers. It was a problem of being prolific thieves, Mind Flayer had hoped it had straddled the fine line between enough and excess when he did his raid or highway thievery, its next goal had been to steal a skyship and convert into being sky pirate. Sky pirates were more influential than dirty mountain bandits, the dark soul had hoped to be able to find the Heir this way.

“It’s the Braeddak Order! The Church is descending upon us!” The subordinate cried in anguish.

Battle noises could suddenly be heard around the cottage from the bandit chief’s office, the possessed put a hand on the grip of the Demon Sword. While the bandit chief went to the exit he heard the screams of his men and the battle-cries of their foes.

“R-run!”

“Gyaah-”

“No-n-no don’t-”

From what the possessed could hear the battle was one-sided, he thought that it was time to balance things out. He made a wicked grin and unsheathed his Demon Sword and ran to the outside. What he saw stopped him cold, there were only five people attacking and decimating his forces! A bright golden light shined from the sky, Mind Flayer looked up and now knew what true fear was.

She was beautiful with her cerulean blue eyes and a mane of crimson hair with Golden horns forming an ornate crown around her head; the woman wore a layered dark pink dress with a pale pink shawl floating in the wind. He had heard of her, in fact, everyone on this planet knew of her; the chosen of the Goddess of Light, Saintess Shiwan Zel Reis as proven by the golden aura surrounding her. She was barely seventeen and already powerful beyond compare, one of the best this planet had to offer; but this wasn’t all, she could battle people more powerful than her and win, Mind Flayer had heard of those godlike figure able to shatter mountain or change the landscape dramatically and had decided to lay low and bide his time and cultivate his power.

“Why?” The possessed and Mind Flayer asked themselves.

Fate was impeding him from his goal, will he be able to return to the Dark Lord’s side. Was he destined to be finished here?! The cerulean blue eyes of the Saintess found him. She closed her purple fan and descended from the sky to land without noise on earth. Everyone stopped fighting when she was in sight. Her troops surrounded her, forming a protective circle around her as if she needed it.

Mind Flayer wanted to flee, flee to fight another day but it wasn’t to be as the Saintess took something from her spatial ring. It was a circle made of shining golden metal with a… grip?

*It’s a weapon!*

The circle that was thirty centimeters in diameter expanded and became a giant circle of three meters and a shining gold purple light surrounded it. Mind Flayer and the possessed didn’t have the time to blink before everything around them was destroyed as the unusual weapon destroyed the bandit camp. The smell of blood, shit and urine were prevalent. The weapon of the Saintess left only broken down buildings and structure; The survival instinct of the possessed kicked in and he tried to flee, but he couldn’t move anymore; he was paralyzed by the sight of a golden blade touching his nose.

He found himself before the Saintess who looked at him from head to toe, perusing at him as if he was just a beast and from the way she wrinkled her nose a particularly smelly one.

*How can she be so fast?!*

“I found the taint.” Her mellifluous voice rang.

Shiwan looked at the dreadful looking sword in the possessed hand, it shined with a dark luster. The Saintess could literally feel the evil coming from it as the red jewel glowed with malfeasance. The mana or as it is called on this world, chi pulsed from its core. The Saintess could feel an awareness from it.

“I-” The possessed tried to say.

Shiwan looked at him with disdaining eyes that chilled him to his core, she opened her pouty seductive lips and said, “Silence, tainted. You are no use to me, die.”

The possessed head was separated from his body, he could see it standing before the chosen of the Goddess of light and toppling to the ground, then he knew no more. Shiwan looked at the blade in the man’s arm and snapped her finger, one of her subordinate appeared at her side and handed her a box made of metal; Sun Steel to be precise, a metal that could only be found in meteor craters as a deposit and whose effects was to make light-based chi techniques more powerful. The saintess intended to seal the Damned sword, the man at her side crouched to try to take the sword but the young woman kicked him in the posterior.

“Don’t touch it, Malikh you don’t want to get tainted, don’t you?”

“My apologies, Saintess!” The man kneeled, lowering his eyes.

“Good.”

Shiwan wrapped her hand in a construct of light elements in the form of a glove and crouched elegantly by taking the Demon Sword who thought that he could attack her spiritually. But it failed, it was as if it was facing the Dark Lord all over again, it felt like an ant. The power of its will was like a gnat to the mountain of Shiwan’s spirit and power.

“Presumptuous Demon. I should erase your soul from existence.” Shiwan sneered.

The sound of thunder and the flowing wind caressing her face made Shiwan stop from destroying the tainted weapon. She heard the voice of her Goddess and she nodded after making a tired sigh. She then looked in the blood red ruby of the Demon Sword.

“I will spare you, for now,” Shiwan announced suddenly really sad.

The red jewel glowed brightly with hope.

“But I wouldn’t be happy if I was in your place, Demon. I am bringing you to the temple, my Goddess wishes to decide your fate herself.” Shiwan gloated.

<NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!> Mind Flayer screamed.

The twinkle like laugh of Shiwan accompanied the Demon Sword’s terrific cry as the young woman put it in the Sun Steel box.

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Same day
Seattle, Mercer Island
Tesla Academy, Rest area




Elissa felt as if her entire body was broken down and put together one second later, opening her eyes she felt vertigo and kneeled on the dark blue and gold linoleum floor. The cryo form, her trump card had been too much. Her mother was going to kill her! It was a spell that she could only use when her life was threatened, not to show off.

The redhead felt empty, her mana was depleted and she began to feel the detrimental psychological effect that this state brought; pessimism, sadness, and selfishness. The young girl wished to have her Lacryrium kit on her to recover her magic, but her mother had confiscated it as it was highly addictive, caused nausea, and blistering of the skin. Elissa tried to get back on her feet but couldn’t, any strength she had has been depleted by the Ultima spell: cryo form.

A hand landed on Elissa’s shoulder, as she turned her head she saw that it was Dawn who looked at her worriedly. Then the redhead felt as the Asian girl pushed her mana into her, lending her some of her reserve. There was nothing more intimate than this and a gesture of trust, Elissa siphoned Dawn’s mana and felt that she could at least stand now. Dawn still helped her to stand while propping her against her and then walk toward one the chairs and tables of the rest area they teleported in. Elissa looked around her and noticed that Donovan followed them,on his tail was team two. Danny looked at Elissa as is she was a mountain she had to climb.

The redhead smiled wryly at the blonde girl. Team one stopped at the table in the middle of the room, Dawn helped Elissa to sit and put herself beside her on another chair, Donovan looked around the rest area and discovered a vending machine that offered coffee and soft drinks. As he is a good guy he went to take some cans. Danny and her two friends went to the table next to them, discussing heatedly what had happened in the wildland park.

As for team three they looked tired and beaten as they appeared in the rest area. Team one and two looked at them taking the bench against the walls, avoiding them. Elissa understood, after what they did there was no way to socialize after all. Wayne Griffin’s gaze was locked on the recovering redhead that took the first place with her team; she has showed him a new dimension to magic that he never expected to exist. The young boy had always been content to learn Western magic and rested on his laurels, Elissa Von Braun has lit a fire in him, that he could be more.

Wayne sighed.

He has fallen in love with the redhead beauty and strength, the boy thought about adding her power to his lineage. He began to use his CLO that had cloned his contacts from his smartphone and began texting his parents to tell them what happened in the entrance exam. Beside him, Jamie and Emilia hugged and comforted each other. They were a pitiful sight.

Donovan came back with bottles of fresh fruit juice, cans of coffee and tea for team one and two. Elissa looked at the big guy flirting with Danny who seemed to have the time of her life suddenly, after five minutes they exchanged numbers, he even got the other blonde’s.

“Smooth,” Dawn said.

“Really smooth.” Elissa acquiesced with a nod.

The two girls looked at each other and then giggled in unison. Well, it’s all as it should be after all Elissa didn’t plan on stopping cooperating with them all and having friends in another division would be good. Elissa was still smiling at Dawn when she saw the Asian girl freeze and open her eyes wide, the redhead looked behind her and saw her mother. Malicia’s eyes glowed yellow-green and an opaque dome of mana deployed around them obscuring them to the sight of everyone in the room even sound couldn’t pass. The sorceress wore an ornate strapless golden dress with a cloth belt with an encrusted emerald jewel, her other accessories mirrored the same style, gold and emerald necklace, and earrings; her open toe golden leather sandals to match made her look lovely. But the fury in the woman’s eyes detracted from ever thinking of how beautiful she was.

“You foolish girl.” Malicia’s voice dripped anger and a little fear.

SLAP. The slap from Elissa’s mother rang out, it had even bypassed her tough skin and left a bright red mark in the form of her hand. Elissa put a hand on her cheek, tears began to fall as she looked at her infuriated mother.

“I-” Elissa tried to say.

Malicia’s yellow-green aura flared around her, its pressure bearing down on her daughter’s who was made to kneel.

“You could have died! How could you have been so stupid?! I didn’t raise you this long to let you fall to your pride, Elissa.” Malicia had seen her daughter give into the power of her elemental form as she had taken a lot of time to undo it.

Malicia’s heart was beating frenetically, her husband had stopped her from teleporting to the exam’s location after seeing Elissa use the cryo form. A magical spell that makes the caster able to create, shape and manipulate the basic elements of nature. However with the undeveloped mana core of Elissa it was foolhardy of her to have used this, it could have shattered or made her stay stuck at this level of power forever. The sorceress looked at her daughter’s astral form and sighed with relief as she noticed no sign of strain on her spiritual meridians and mana core.

“I am sorry, mom! It was on the spur of the moment...” Elissa said as she began sobbing.

Malicia’s aura settled as she went still after hearing her daughter explanation, her eyes glowed with more intensity though. The sorceress closed her eyes and sighed heavily then reopened them and her gaze became resolute as it settled on her troubled daughter.

“You are not allowed to use magic unsupervised until I feel that you won’t do it again.” Malicia decided.

Elissa’s eyes opened wide and she stood up from her kneeling position and cried, “No you can’t-”

“Oh, yes I can.” Malicia interrupted her.

The sorceress put a hand on Elissa’s shoulder and unleashed her mana in her to weave a restraining curse. Elissa felt as if her mother was marking her with a branding iron.

*It hurts, it hurts so bad!* The redhead screamed in her head.

The young girl fell to the ground again, feeling as she lost control of the conscious manipulation of her own spiritual veins.

“With this seal, you can only use your mana when I wish it for a set amount of time. You have disappointed me, Elissa. Playing with your life this way, and for what? TO SHOW OFF?! Your father will also want to speak with you when this charade will be done. Now get up.”

Elissa obeyed even though her body ached, she looked around her; she still could perceive magic, circulate her mana and use her mage sight, but as she tried to weave a spell, the place on her shoulder that her mother had her hand on flared and cause debilitating pain to her.

“Mom…” Elissa could understand her mother’s anger, but did she deserve a punishment this cruel?

Malicia took tissues from her handbag and handed them to her daughter who took them meekly drying her tears. The sorceress took the ring from her right ring finger and held it toward Elissa who looked at her mother warily.

“Take it, Eli. I might have taken your ability to weave spells but I won’t leave you defenseless.”

Elissa took the ring from her mother hand and put it on her left hand index. It was an ornate ring with Phantasian magical runes made of pure Mithril with a ruby and and pink diamond. The redhead felt the ring prick her finger, she looked at her mother with askance. The form of two women appeared suddenly at each of her sides. They were a tall and short duo, clearly sisters as their facial features were the same, raven long hair neatly coiffed, and a pert nose sitting in the middle of a charming face; they have bright golden catlike eyes, set elegantly within their sockets. Soft skin could be seen from the openings of their airy dresses that gorgeously compliments their feminine curves; the tall one wore a black dress and the short one a white one. They looked at Elissa with trepidation and excitement.

“Those two are Reinatiel and Fenirael,” Each one of them waved or smiled when Malicia told their name. “your two new guardian familiars. They are demonkin who pledged their loyalty to me and incidentally, to you.”

Fenirael the demonkin in black put a hand on Elissa’s shoulder as she has perceived the demonic lock there, then looked at Malicia with questions in her eyes. Reinatiel didn’t question her mistress and stayed at the right side of Elissa.

“Yes, she’s being punished.” Malicia’s eyes focused on Elissa yet again.

“May I ask why?” Fenirael tilted her head.

Malicia walked toward her daughter with a feline gait, took the redhead face between her hand. “She almost killed herself with magic, I need to be sure she won’t do it again.” Elissa was suddenly engulfed in her mother embrace and stiffened, but as she felt how the sorceress body was trembling from fright she relaxed and put her arms around her.

Elissa couldn’t stay angered at what her mother just did to her, she understood that it is out of love.

“Very well, mistress.” Feni turned her head toward Elissa. “Young mistress, you don’t need to worry, I won’t let anything happen to you.” As Elissa disentangled from her mother hug she looked at the demon who was suddenly in her personal space.

The redhead felt awkward to be stared at this way, this female demon seemed to be too eager to serve her to her taste.

A giggle rang on Elissa right. “Ah! You are going to be your nosey self with her too, sister?” The white-clothed demonkin looked at her sister with a wry smile.

Feni rolled her eyes.“I am just going to do my job, Rei.”

The black-clothed female demonkin looked at Elissa with renewed fervor and nodded at her.

“I will endeavor to not let her be too heavy-handed, mistress Elissa.” Rei continued on a tone that didn’t let any way for Elissa to deny her.

“Huh, sure…” The redhead said embarrassed.

Malicia smiled.

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Dawn had felt this powerful wave of mana surround her friend, she had tried to help by teleporting her friend but she had felt as if someone denied her by batting away the tendrils of her mana. It frightened the young girl that someone could even do that! Just as suddenly that it had happened, the dome of darkness dissipated, Elissa and the beautiful woman came in sight. She was gorgeous, so much that it tongue-tied the Asian girl.

“Hmm, a space mage how interesting,” Malicia said while discovering the Asian girl before her.

Elissa who felt weakened by her ordeal introduced Dawn to her mother. “Mom, that’s Dawn, my new friend.” The redhead went to her friend and put an arm around her shoulder, Dawn smelled of sweat, snow and a natural scent of fresh flowers.

“Intriguing,” Malicia said, tilting her head at the sudden physical intimacy between those two.

She advanced toward Dawn, looking at her with her mage vision at full power. The poor girl felt naked under the scrutinizing gaze of the sorceress as she tried to make herself smaller. Malicia looked at the size of Dawn’s mana core, the thickness of her spiritual meridians that showed an intense use of her magic. The Asian girl was a mage since even longer than Elissa, who Malicia took as an apprentice since her seventh birthday.

“She’s a good seedling. I might need to nab her and make her an apprentice, space mages are rare.” Malicia envisaged it already in her head.

*And she could help in opening dimensional portals.* Malicia thought in her heart.

Dawn tried to step back but Elissa held her tight, the redhead's eyes shined with hope.

“Yes, could you do that Mom?!” She asked excitedly.

This news overshadowed the harsh punishment that she was subjected to. It would be so good for her to obtain a new sister in craft.

*Mom? Wait, is that-* Dawn’s mind halted when she put two and two together.

Elissa stepped away from Dawn but still had her hand on her wrist, the redhead smiled weakly and pointed her finger at Malicia.

“Dawn, this is my mother, Malicia Von Braun-Halliwell.”

Dawn made an embarrassing squeal when she heard that, the gorgeous woman squinted her eyes at her. Malicia does not like the reaction of the young Asian girl, her eyes glowed lightly. It made the Asian girl hide behind Elissa and made a silent squeal again.

“Everyone in the center of the room, please!” A voice ordered.

It originated from the open door at the end of the rest area, there were three examiners in black uniform and two staff members with white one. Malicia stayed behind the two mage girls and followed them as they moved to the center of the room, there was Donovan who joined them but gave a wide berth to the adult who joined them. Team two placed themselves close to Elissa, curious of who it was behind them. Elissa made a sign to Danny that things were ok. Danny send her contact details to her with a wave of her hand, having already mastered the smartphone functions of the device. Elissa smiled to her and gave her a thumb up. Wayne looked at the woman behind Elissa with fright, he has felt her level of power. She was even more powerful than the girl! He felt scared, he wanted to bolt! But as she looked at him he felt something restrain him, foreign mana intruded in his body and made him move mechanically at the front with team three.

“I am director John Mantle, and I want to congratulate you in succeeding in completing this placement exam in record time.” The man introduced himself.

Malicia felt the lie when it was out of his mouth, it seemed that this man had a grudge against her daughter and her team. Though the man was a professional, he couldn’t let the result of the exam put a damper on his work, after all everyone performed spectacularly. Director Mantle put on his fake smile and continued to speak.

“Your exam credits have just been transferred to your CLO, I hope you will spend them wisely. You can use them to buy gear, but also to learn from courses you haven’t elected for. Spending them on useless gadgets is unwise.” Director Mantle said he glared at team one.

They, of course, didn’t understand why he did that. But Elissa didn’t care, the man couldn’t take away their victory from them.

“You’ll be given the boxes in which you placed your previous possessions and will follow the staff to your dorms. Use your CLO to learn how to navigate the premises, there is a complete map of the Academy stored on them. Through the contact function, you can even know where some of your friends and teachers are if they activated this option, of course. Now proceed.”

“I will take those three to the magic division, you don’t have to bother.” Malicia’s voice rang.

Director Mantle squinted his eyes at the beautiful woman but didn’t let himself fall to lust; it was touch and go there. He recognized her! It’s the new chairwoman that the Owner, Mister Tesla had presented him. He didn’t tell him her name though.

“Very well, Miss-”

“It’s Mrs, Mrs. Von Braun-Halliwell. Young ones go take your boxes, we are going. Now.” Malicia broke her control on Wayne who obeyed after hearing the name.

The boy finally connected the dots, Elissa Von Braun, the CLO didn’t show her full name, and that is her infamous mother the one he heard so much from in the mage circles. Someone to not antagonize and he tried to roast her daughter with a Elemental. He cursed his luck. His CLO showed which box belonged to him, Dawn and Elissa did the same and took the boxes. Donovan sent his contact to them with his device and waved goodbye at them, the girls smiled at him. The director had ceased to move when he caught the family name of the chairwoman and kept silent until Malicia teleported with three students to the new area dedicated to the magic division.

“Well, kids follow me.” Mantle said to everyone.

The teenagers followed him, most of them with ambivalent and excited feelings.

 

The same day, 1:00 PM
Mercer Island
Tesla Academy, Superhuman Division


Private club room 115


Hugh Vinson looked behind him as he heard the door of the private club room close, a young man who looked eighteen years old closed the door; he wore the uniform of Tesla Academy that consisted of a black sweater with the coat of arm of the Academy, a white shirt with a black tie and black pants. The young man was a brunette with icy cold blue eyes and natural haughty expression on his face. He was also tall and athletic. The attache case in his right hand was large, silver and eye-catching; Hugh’s eyes were glued to it.


“Hello, examiner.” Benjamin Price’s voice sounded like a bass.


He was a handsome and upright-looking young man, but Hugh wasn’t fooled; he remembered that Benjamin Price had a reputation as a skirt chaser, he would bring up a girl, treat her like a princess and brutally bring her down once he was done playing with her. The examiner couldn’t understand why the girls kept coming at him with a reputation in the shitters like his.


“Young Price.” Hugh nodded at the young man in greeting.


The young man sat on the plush sofa while crossing his leg; Benjamin looked at Hugh after putting the case between them on the low table.


“Do you have the info?” Benjamin felt eager, more than usual to Hugh.


“That and more!” Hugh laughed while clapping his hands, but his face suddenly became more serious. “But I am sorry, I could only procure one file. The video is one use only too, I edited it to be able to see everything that happened and it will erase itself when you finish watching it.”


“That’s not what was agreed.” Benjamin squinted his eyes dangerously.


Hugh sighed and went to sit heavily on the sofa facing Benjamin’s.


“Yes, I know. However, this is my last stint as an info broker. Tesla is onto me,” The sandy blonde haired man leaned forward in his seat. “I feel it, and Price I brought you the video of the girl who will without a doubt break your little ruling system. She’s so powerful that I think she could potentially be a low Omega.” Hugh added with gravitas.


Benjamin stayed silent, not showing that what the examiner just said blew his mind. After long seconds of silence, he finally let go of his composed facade.


“You are joking, right?” The wooden armrest of the sofa cracked slightly when Benjamin’s grip tightened on them.


Hugh pushed his silver-rimmed glasses up on his nose, the reflection from each the lenses semi-blinded Benjamin who flinched backward a bit.


“I like to joke, but I am serious right now.” Hugh’s voice became more forceful.


“Damn it, Vinson, I need to watch the video before giving you the money!” Benjamin shouted.


He liked how everything was in the Academy, the girls flocked to him, the guys worshipped him and wanted to be his friends or to be acknowledged by him. He is an Alpha rank strongman member of the rankers in the Academy; he couldn’t let some broad coming from somewhere and take everything away from him!


“The world is unfair, Price. This is a lesson from me to you, the last one before I disappear. So, the money or I leave.”


“Fuck. Fine, take it you ratbag!” The young man made the silver briefcase slide on the low table toward the sandy blonde haired man.


“You wound me, young Price,” Hugh said while doing the same with the datacube by sliding it on the table, the young man caught it and put it in his pocket.


Data cube were a big thing on Mercer Island, it’s a technology that Nikola Tesla cracked from the Vadwaur tech he stole from the aliens that invaded earth in the ’90s. It was able to store one Petabyte of data, nothing on the market was comparable to it.


“It was a pleasure to make business with you, Price.” Hugh stood up and adjusted his blue uniform, took the attache case and left.


Benjamin asked himself if the twenty grand he just spent was worth it? The young man took the datacube and connected it to his CLO that deployed a holographic window and showed the files of the examinees in the placement exam of this start of spring. The young man first looked for the guys, two strongmen, a kinetic absorber.


“Fuck!” Benjamin shouted.


That guy Donovan Sims will be a tough nut to crack! The other two strongmen will be a piece of cake as they were the only beta ranked, that kinetic absorber guy was low Alpha and a potential high one. Benjamin didn’t know how Hugh could think that some broad could beat that? The young man looked at the last boy, and saw that he was a magic user, he had heard that Tesla was getting a new magic division. He didn’t know what to expect from it so he didn’t pay it any mind but still shelved it for later.


The girls were all lookers, he couldn’t wait to see them to have a closer look, particularly that trio of blonde girls. They all had interesting abilities, but when he saw the redhead though, his heart stopped; she was gorgeous and easily overshadowed everyone she had that royal-like aura around her.


“Hello, Princess.” She was his type, big boobs, her body was at the same time athletic and voluptuous and she was short with her 1.62 meters of height. But her stats made him stop salivating like the pervert he was. She was an ice manipulator, the girl was also amazon combat trained and a magic user.


“What the hell?”


Benjamin began to question himself if it wasn’t the girl Hugh warned him about. He watched the video of the placement exam with rapturous attention when he was done studying the examinees. Two hours passed and when he was done, he couldn’t stop trembling. It took a long time for his nerves to settle.


*What is this kind of monster doing here? Will we survive? Maybe she’ll ignore us? No, I and the others will show her who is boss! Or better yet! Let’s make her join us, I just want to continue to have an awesome school life…*

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Mercer Island
Daphne Snow School of Arcane Arts
1:15 PM



Malicia was guiding the three teenagers mage on the white stone road flanked by enclosed meadows, the bare trees separating them from the road were burgeoning showing that spring was revitalizing them. Wayne, the fire mage was staying silent not wanting to attract the ire of the powerful sorceress; Dawn and Elissa chatted amicably between them, talking about their previous school, fashion and then magic. But they stopped speaking when they saw a female goblin with pink hair, purple skin and a heavy coat pass them, she was on a buckskin colored pony with white mane, she turned her face toward the little group and made a smile that reached her big amber eyes and waved her clawed hand. Elissa and the others greeted her too and the female goblin continued to go on her way. There was mist in the horizon, hiding what was before them, the goblin and her steed entered it and disappeared from view.


“Mom, who was that?” Elissa asked.


The noise of the teenager's boots sounded on the stone road, the young redhead walked slower putting herself at the right side of Malicia who took her daughter’s hand in hers. The Dae sorceress remembered when Elissa was four years old and followed her everywhere and asking her question every thirty seconds or so with a cute lilting voice. She still thought of her this way, Elissa was her baby. However the weight of the secrets she kept from her daughter made her fear that the young girl might hate her, but when she looked in the eyes of Elissa she only saw love, even though she might resent her for taking away her magic.


“Your Alchemy teacher, Histreldia Bridgeburn.” Malicia made a warm smile as she answered Elissa, satisfied that her daughter didn’t hate her.


“Huh?” Elissa was shocked, she knew that name.


*What is the Alchemist Grandmaster doing here?* The redhead thought.


Histreldia Bridgeburn was a tycoon in the magical world, recreating the Philosopher's stone is her most notable feat, also known as the tincture or the powder, the Philosopher's stone is a substance able to turn base metals into precious ones; like Mercury into Gold or Titanium into Mithril. It is also called the elixir of life, useful for rejuvenation and for achieving pseudo-immortality; for many centuries, it was the most sought goal in alchemy and Histreldia Bridgeburn rediscovered its formula. Now, she’s so rich that she had bought the undying services of Summer Faes warrior to protect her and her enterprise. The goblin was supposed to live in Arcadia the main Fae realm, Elissa didn’t understand why she was interested in teaching alchemy to mages.


“Wow, awesome name,” Dawn said, she had kept silent and wanted to know too.


The funny family name of the goblin made her laugh; Elissa looked at Dawn with surprise, stunned that her new friend didn’t know who she was mocking. Wayne as for him, shut his mouth; not wanting to interrupt the gossiping women with a racist diatribe. His parents have in contempt anything that is low Fae, they didn’t even do business with them. Unfortunately, he didn’t know who the Goblin was too.


“She’s a friend…” Malicia continued.


Wayne was happy to have kept his mouth shut suddenly. The fire mage was still mystified, why was a powerful arcanist, like Malicia, friends with a goblin? Was he prejudiced? If Elissa and her family had contact with the lesser Faes why isn’t his family doing the same? Yet again Wayne’s worldviews were shattered.


“Mom, I am really happy that you made a friend. So, how did you meet her?” Elissa asked, curious.


“I saved her from being killed by a soul eater, a rival Alchemist wanted her dead.” Malicia rolled her eyes to her daughter and changed the subject. “More importantly, I was showing you the way to the school and now we are here.” Malicia brushed off her daughter’s line of questioning and changed the subject.


“I don’t see-” Elissa started but as the mist in the horizon was dispelled a beautiful sight slowly came to view.


A black castle with vast gardens with fountains, canals and geometric flower beds and groves forming spell arrays of different nature were before them. It was as if a miniature palace of Versailles was before them, Elissa recognized what was called the Grand Trianon that looked like the real thing she had seen when she lived in France. It looked like the Palace of Versailles, a replica really, but it wasn’t as big. Elissa looked at it with her mage vision and noticed that the castle was at the center of a nexus of multiple Ley lines that crossed each other. Elissa thought about how did her mother obtain this? Wars were fought over such place of power, around the palace she also noticed that the woods behind were teeming with supernatural life; Fairies, gnomes, and a multitude of lower Faes. Elissa looked at the sky and saw the multiple elemental nodes powering something. The redhead gasped as she noticed the spatial tether with her piercing gaze.


“Mother, are we in a pocket realm?” Elissa’s tone of voice was higher as she was in awe of her discovery.


Malicia giggled, Elissa always called her mother when she was impressed or scared by something. Indeed they were in a freshly made pocket realm built upon the middle-grade nexus of Mercer Island; the entire place was warded by her personally, it was her territory as Tesla had bought the land and given her the deed. Now the sorceress was charged to produce magic users that would help his team and country to fend off magical and mystical threats. Of course, the school was bound loosely to the superhuman league but had to follow some guidelines from the Council of Corvinus.


“Some Fae Lords owe me services.” Malicia’s smile became more predatory.


Dawn became scared of her friend’s mom, Elissa was right don’t meet your heroes. Elissa paid no mind to her mother’s antics and tried to call on her mana to test the wards by calling to them; she was surprised to find them responding to her eager to follow her commands.


*Mom must have done something to let me be able to control them.* she rejoiced in her heart.


Her mother looked at her, aware of what she was doing and giggled soundlessly. Elissa has access to the security enchantments of the school for the reason that she still had her enchanting business to manage. Her daughter was a good Warden and knew how to operate everything like the wards at their home at Seattle. With only seven students to manage, for now, Malicia found herself free to do what she wanted.


“Mom who doesn’t owe you?” Elissa asked wryly.


Elissa has seen her mother handle deals since she was able to speak, more often negotiations to obtain her services, know how for a set reward of magical knowledge, materials or future boon and services.


“Very little individuals and that also count for you, young Wayne.” Malicia suddenly turned toward the silent boy.


She scanned him with her mage sight and find him… wanting. His mana core wasn’t as big as Dawn’s and the strain on his spiritual meridians showed how he didn’t bother with spells that weren’t from the fire elemental branch. To Malicia a good mage should be able to weave other types of magic spell, general or arcane.


“Hum, what do you mean?” Wayne said as he endured under the contemptuous gaze of the sorceress.


Malicia golden dress fluttered as she approached him with an elegant and feline gait, she placed the young man’s chin between her index and thumb forcing him into looking her in the eyes as he tried to not to.


“You parents owe me,” Malicia began to say. “They signed you away to learn from me and hope to pry away some of my magical knowledge at the same time.”


The sorceress let go of him and walked back and forth before the young man her gaze never leaving him. When he saw the shine of her aura around her and her glowing eyes Wayne almost shat himself as he felt the weight of her power engulf him. Wayne felt like he was adrift in an ocean and he was alone, dwarfed by the immensity of it. Malicia is a Dae, the hybrid offspring between a Fae Lady and a Demon King; this particular pairing made that she thrived on the emotion of fear and intimidation that she created on the young man; in a sense, she was feeding on him. Once she got what she wanted she continued to speak.


“That’s fine, they can try to copy my magic if they can, I also am eager to make them change their attitude toward the little people and most beneficial supernatural creatures. Your Magi circle has a terrible reputation, I hope you are aware. Nobody wants to do business with the Griffin. They were even cursed by Fae magic to be recognized, even if they changed their name.”


This was the first time Wayne heard of this, he had always believed that his family was a respectable one! A memory came to him, magical creatures like Pixies cringing or even Unicorns fleeing at his presence.


*It couldn’t be!* The young man thought in his heart.


If what Malicia revealed was true, after the death of his Firebird he won’t be able to summon another as his reputation was sullied. Spirit and Faes have a really tight relation as their planes were contiguous compared to Earth. The sorceress looked annoyed when she guessed that the young man was kept in the dark by his parents about their position in the supernatural world, it soured the feelings she felt from the fire mage, so she added offhandedly “You are here to open your horizons young Griffin, sincerely I didn’t want to bother and just eliminate your family for their past trespasses…”


This certainly got the young man attention, Malicia felt as terror engulfed the fire mage’s mind, sweet and honeyed nectar that emboldened the Dae. Elissa watched the show taking place not bothering to stop it, her mother was feeding and she didn’t like Wayne as she thought he was a fop. Dawn hid behind Elissa and her hand tightened on the girl's right arm in fear.


“Please no! Don’t do it!” Wayne was forced on his knees when he tried to touch the sorceress, he didn’t even feel outside mana insinuating in his body.


“But I am a merciful woman, I won’t erase your family; unless you pledge allegiance to me and I will assure your ascension as the patriarch of your family and you can enact changes,” Malicia added as she looked at her manicure.


The sorceress grinned at him evilly, her beauty contrasting with her acts. Why not take over a family while she was at it? Malicia missed those type of power games from her own court. The Sorceress sighed lightly and waited for the decision of the young man.


“I am willing, I am-” Wayne tried to say, his mind went blank when he imagined his family murdered or changed into statues like the rumors about what happened to others who went in Malicia’s way, trying to take her out.


“I will, please… I pledge myself to you, on my magic.”


Elissa and Dawn could literally see the magic of Wayne binding itself to his oath; Malicia approached him and put a hand on his forehead. The young man felt a light burn between his brow, to the girls he was marked by the sorceress and it showed. Tears ran down the young man’s eyes.


“Stand up, Wayne and welcome to the Daphne Snow school of magic,” Malicia said sweetly.


Elissa understood the plan of her mother and felt awkward when she realized that her mother was building her own sorcerous circle. Her own army and the one who financed this project won’t be even aware of what a terrible mistake he did. The redhead shrugged, took Dawn by the waist and went toward the castle.


*I am sure that Tesla isn’t aware of this…* Elissa thought.

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“Daddy, where is Eli?” Cassandra whined as Heracles turned in circles in the lounge.


They have been waiting since this morning in the tower assigned to Elissa, Cassandra was seating on the red leather sofa, her feet dangling in annoyance. The little girl wore a red dress with golden fairies pattern on it and little black boots; her hair was coiffed in cute pigtails. Cassandra missed Elissa, her sister could make her look the cutest with her hairdressing skills and there was another reason she missed her big sister; living in that big house in Seattle wasn’t the same thing without her. The little girl had no one else to play with and she couldn’t understand the animals and know what they wanted. Even her cat, Lady Christine often visited Elissa’s bedroom to see if she was there. They always had fun together and did mock fight, the cat missed her.


“She’s coming,” Heracles grunted.


As for their father, Cassandra thought that he was worried after all; Elissa gave great hugs and kisses and he must miss them. The little girl had found that Elissa not going to school normally was the happiest time of her life, they had played for hours, studied magic, gone to the Amazon Complex to run and exercise, ate super large serving of food at Daisy’s and even meet her friend Kelly and played with her when she was available.


*But Elissa won’t be able to come often at home now because of this stupid school.* Cassandra crossed her arms and pouted.


Heracles looked at his little one, stopped walking in a circle and went to sit beside her, putting an arm around her frail looking shoulders. They stayed another ten minutes this way before Cassandra asked another question.


“Is she there yet?” Cassandra looked at her dad.


“No…” The man closed his eyes tightly.


Heracles was getting annoyed by the questions of Cassandra, he thought she was doing it deliberately. The muscular man wore a black and silver shirt with pants, you could clearly see his steel themed accessories, rings, wrist band, and even his belt buckle were enchanted with magic defenses. The hero had given his shift to his colleague, the hero Mercury, a speedster that was glad to find that Heracles could be familiar with his team members and didn’t hesitate in helping cover his sorties. If the speedster knew that Heracles dined and wined with his wife at Tesla’s he wouldn’t have been this eager. Heracles heard the murmur of voices and the sound of footfalls from the outside; Cassandra got out of the sofa and stood up running toward the door that opened as she had detected a familiar heartbeat.


“Eli!”


The older redhead caught her sister who didn’t surprise her at all; she too had felt the presence of the adorable little girl and her father.


“Cass! You have gotten stronger…” Elissa noticed as her sister’s powerful muscle strength was making breathing harder.


“I know right, and look dad gave me a new phone! I want to take your picture and put in on the wallpaper.” The little girl took a smartphone in a fire red case.


The phone was one of those super sturdy ones made by Tesla industries that could resist being run over by a semi-trailer. It was thick and the screen was protected by reinforced glass and still act like a touch screen. On the wallpaper there was Lady Christine, Cassandra’s cat familiar and Elissa didn’t care for the cat at all, though her sister thought they were best buddies. The older redhead kissed her sister’s brow sonorously and the little girl tightened her grip on her sister’s hand.


“Aww, Elissa your sister is super cute!” The soft alto of Dawn rang out.


Cassandra looked at the newcomer with mistrust, she put her phone in her little black bag and put herself between Elissa and the Asian girl before her. She was clothed like Elissa, in a blue field uniform and silver armor, the long brown hair of Dawn fluttered in the breeze entering by the door.


“Who are you?” Cassandra asked.


“I am Dawn, a friend of your sister.” The Asian girl looked fondly at Elissa, the redhead reciprocated.


Cassandra didn’t like this sudden intimacy between her sister and this new girl. She opened her senses and let her mage sight as she was less skilled than her sister and mother, Dawn felt it when she was basically peeped on. It wasn’t a nice feeling at all.


“Hmm, space magic.” Cassandra guessed the Asian girl’s element.


Dawn looked at Elissa with wonder. “Did she just look at me with mage sight?”


She couldn’t believe that such a young little girl could use a skill like that. She herself had mastered it at twelve years old, and Elissa’s sister was younger than that; well ok, she was less skilled at using it couldn’t be sneaky, but this was absurdly good progress!


“Yeah, she did.” Elissa looked wryly at the two girls, she could feel Cassandra's animosity toward her friend and she worried that it could fester. Sorceress like her sister magicked their problems away.


“Wow, so what type of mage is she?” Dawn sounded impressed.


“She’s not a mage.” The redhead looked proudly at her sister.


Cassandra was a powerful apprentice sorceress who mastered a lot of attack and defense spell and was studying to become a battle sorceress. The little girl leaned into her sister and looked defiantly at Dawn who didn’t understand that she was in danger.


“Oh, magic user?” Dawn asked.


When someone had a mana capacity lower than a witch they were called magic users and simply couldn’t weave spell or channel too much magic in their body, else they would crumble under the strain. Being a magic user in a magical family could be hard… they were simply abandoned by their too elitist magical families.


“No, Sorceress. She’s like my mom, she can control the forces of nature and reality.” Elissa answered helpfully.


Dawn’s head whipped toward her friend, then she looked at Cassandra as if she was a particularly dangerous predator as her body tensed. Then she calmed down, she felt that she was being silly. Elissa wouldn’t let anything happen to her after all.


“Wow, how far along is she in her learning?” The Asian girl said casually.


“Well, she could wipe the floor with you. She mastered fire and earth, now she’s trying her hand at water and general magic.” Elissa added.


Dawn gulped, Cassandra looked at her sweetly; a familiar expression they had seen on Malicia earlier. Before the Asian girl could speak about Elissa’s sister she saw the hulking form of a man coming toward them and stepped back, ready to throw a spell at him.


“Dad!” Elissa shouted and ran toward the man.


The Asian girl let go of the spell she had almost launched at Elissa’s dad. The two hugged, the man kissed the top of Elissa's head and took her in the air and turned on himself with her in his arms, making the redhead giggle like a little girl. Dawn was seeing a side of Elissa that surprised her, gone was the reserved and cool beauty, there before she was a daddy’s girl.


“I am happy to see you, treasure. How did it go, your exam.” Heracles knew already but decided to hear it from her directly.


“You know me! I am first!” Elissa’s eyes lit up with and on her face appeared a smug expression.


“That’s my girl!” Heracles laughed. “I have something for you, Elissa, let’s go outside so I can show you.” The hero has prepared his daughter’s reward beforehand.

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A lot could be said about the car and the motorbike present in the magic school’s garage, the four-wheeled vehicle was a black Camaro ZL1. It’s curves and fierce look seduced the redhead who squealed endlessly when she saw it. Heracles informed Elissa that the motorbike was a present from Nikola Tesla to her, this new model was called Tesla Vector it has a flyweight carbon structure and uses an electric power cell that produces 1500 units of voltage. That means it can rip from stationary to 62mph in 2.1 seconds and onto a top speed of 350 mph for a 'realistic range' of 400 miles. But more impressive is that it comes with a trendy jacket that alerts the rider to dangers around them and a helmet that projects vital information on a HUD, such as their speed, revs, and a rearview camera, on the visor.


“And don’t get guilty about them, treasure. They were all modified with a Tesla electric drive and reinforced to handle superhuman strength. You’ll not pollute the planet…”


Like her mother, Elissa was eco-conscious and the fact that her father thought about this made her love him even more.


“But Dad, how much did this cost?” Elissa calmed herself and thought about the money her dad had to spend to buy this. They were well off but she didn’t want to abuse it and let him ruin himself. After all, she understood that Heracles and Malicia kept their finances separate, not pooling their resources.


“Surprisingly nothing. My… work,” Heracles looked at Dawn who was at Elissa’s side. “Permit me to buy at a discount. Remember?” Heracles reassured her.


“Ah, sorry I had forgotten.” Elissa facepalmed.


“Treasure, we need to speak.” Heracles threw the keys of the car toward Elissa who caught them in midair. “You drive.”


“Stay here with my sister Dawn, please.” Elissa mussed the hair of her sister when the little devil tackled her yet again.


“Okay.” The Asian girl said.


Dawn was envious of the gifts of Elissa, her parents were so… giving and loved her to bits. She could feel that her mother loved her but her father treated her more like a prized mare… When Elissa entered in the Camaro she was assaulted by the smell of new car, leather, and chemical. Heracles went to the passenger seat and put on his seatbelt. He lightly leaned in his seat and looked at Elissa checking the integrity of her seat, put on her own seatbelt, check the mirror, plays with the pedals and then she put the key in the ignition. The car engine didn’t roar and was almost silent but the two superhumans could clearly hear the noise of the electric motor that was more of a purring. Elissa smiled, she liked it. The redhead changed the speed, as the car was an automatic and the car lurched forward. Elissa rolled with it and the car left the garage slowly; they were on the road leading on the plaza of the school.


“Where is your mother?” Heracles asked.


The muscular redhead looked straight before him, not looking at his daughter as he was confident about her driving. He had raised Elissa to be a winner, a methodical girl and a fast learner that doesn’t give up. They had after all went to drive on a circuit at Seattle Race at Lake Union Park Bridge and driven for hours until Elissa knew how to pilot a car.


“Settling the Griffin fire mage in his dorm.” The young girl made a smile while looking before her, careful not to drive into the beautiful shrubberies.


“Ah.” Heracles was happy that his wife let him time to speak with their daughter.


He knew Elissa really well, she might show a strong front and a happy smile right now but she was suffering right now. The muscular man could see it on her face, the way she moved and in the tension of her shoulders.


“You want to talk about what I did to win?” Elissa began without preamble.


“Yes.” Heracles opened the window of his car door and placed his arm on it as he relaxed, enjoying the drive.


“I wanted to win at all costs and test my skills on my foes,” Elissa said between her teeth, her hands tightening on the wheel. It was a testament to the manufacturing company that the thing resisted the grip of a superhuman.


“A general from this world said: ‘Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust.’ It means you can expect to have problems with anything you work on or create, no matter how perfect you think it is. This is normal.” The man looked at his daughter who had closed herself. “Treasure, you wanted to project an image of invincibility and it will bite you in the posterior later. Some people will want to knock you off your pedestal. I don’t doubt that the video of the exam will garner... bad attention.”


The car was finally on the white stone road that led out of the garden of the school, Elissa raised the speed to 20 mph.


“Dad, Mother took away my magic.” Elissa let a rare whining voice out.


She knew that she could do this when her father was here, he was the softer side of her parental unit. Her mother would have told her to woman up and work harder and understand why she did what she did.


“I know.” Heracles simply said.


Elissa took her eyes from the road and looked at him, he was calm watched the road and smiled.


“You knew,” Elissa said in an accusatory tone.


Heracles sighed.


“I don’t understand magic really well, but Elissa if she took it away from you it must be because you did something bad and it scared her badly.” The red-headed man knew his wife and understood why she reacted this way.


She loved Elissa, and she took her parenting job seriously. If his daughter was about to kill herself with magic, Malicia would take from her the capacity to use it even if she was hated at the end of it.


“I-” Elissa tried to say.


“Whatever your mom did, it’s for your own good. Don’t doubt her, we want what’s best for you.” Heracles added sincerely.


He put his hand on his daughter's lap, trying to reassure her.


“How will I be able to fight?” Elissa raised the speed of the car.


Heracles heard his daughter’s voice crack, he felt her fear and loss of confidence.


“Easy, find another way to use your power. You’ll not be able to brute force your way anymore, Elissa.”


“But I am scared, dad! I used my magic to control my superhuman powers…” Elissa shouted and hit the dashboard with a slap of her hand.


“You have to believe in yourself. Elissa, my strength, I couldn’t handle it before in my youth, now I can. You can do it too.” Heracles said with conviction. “If you can’t believe in yourself, then believe in me.”


“Dad.” Elissa’s voice was softer.


If there was a person she could believe in, it was Heracles. She took his hand in hers while still having the other on the wheel. The muscular man smiled at her, showing his pearly white teeth.“Everything will be ok.”

 

Tesla Academy
1:15 PM




Hugh Vinson walked in the corridor connecting the club rooms to the staff’s, he was aware that what he has been doing was bad but couldn’t care any less. Even though the selling of the data collected in Tesla Academy had consequence in the outside world. A lot of villains have become rather apt at containing or overpowering the recruits from the supergroup who have been scouted from the academy. The sandy blonde haired man wanted money; so selling info to another student or criminals and villains didn’t make him stop, in fact, it made him redouble his efforts to sell more. Hugh began to whistle a tune, he passed one of the gynoid in dark blue maid uniform that acted as the duty staff in the academy, it was cleaning the corridor with a blue hand push automatic sweeper. They looked humans but the two antennas part on the top of their head showed that they were not. The maid has long blue and purple hair, with blue eyes and looked like a young woman of Asian descent. If Hugh remembered it well, it was the VESPER model caretaker built by Tesla Industries. He seriously thought about buying the companion model for… experimentation.

The examiner passed the gynoid after smiling at it and didn’t pay her any mind, but when he felt a hand close around his biceps he turned to see the maid holding onto him.

“What can I do for you, babe?” He said with his usual amused smile.

<Suspect Apprehended.>

Hugh instantly felt a powerful electric current pass through him, he tried to use his ability to teleport but lost consciousness first. The VESPER maid stopped him from falling on the ground, she put an ability inhibitor bangle on the man left wrist and heaved him on her shoulder.

<I demand extraction.>

The maid and Hugh were teleported in a shower of blue light, they appeared in a laboratory, there was a dismantled black vehicle that could be seen, and farther a series of shelves containing exotic tools. An armory with alien shaped weapons was under a forcefield that shimmered green, besides it a door opened and two people emerged from it. A twenty years old looking woman appeared, she was blonde with stylish short hair with a fade in on the left side of her head, her eyes were black and her rosy lips were in an inverted arc showing that she was sad. The man following her was like her of eastern European ethnicity, he has raven slicked back black hair, and a thin elegant mustache, he also wore a white lab coat over a futuristic armor with a tool belt around his hips.

“Calm yourself Annya,” Tesla said holding his daughter’s arm.

But he couldn’t stop her from walking as she was a superhuman like her mother, her physical abilities dwarfed his.

“You don’t understand father, it’s my fault.” The soprano voice of the woman and her eastern European accent rang in the lab, attracting the attention of the gynoid maid.

“You couldn’t have known, моје срце (my heart).” Tesla’s tone was soothing as he employed a term of endearment in his native tongue, Serbian.

“I should have! I was the one who hired him… it is also my fault if all those young ones died!” Annya cried. She began to cry, she had a lot of friends who lost children lately and she felt responsible because she had hired the man who sold their info from their datanet to the highest bidder.

Tesla took his daughter in his arms and hugged her tightly, her sobs echoed in his auxiliary lab. The scientist found his gynoid maid looking at them with her cold gaze. It was the maid default expression, she could easily emulate an emotional state but she chose not to.“Ah! Velia, my dear you have arrived.”

“Don’t worry my girl, everything will be solved.” Tesla murmured in the ear of his child.

<VESPER model maid caretaker X-01, designation Velia returning from the mission with a suspect.>

“Not a suspect, we know he did it!” Annya shouted she was about to go kick Vinson when her father stopped her with a look.

<Due Process Protocols activated, querying files on Vinson Unit… Downloading.> Velia tilted her head in a cute way. Her eyes glowed green while she was downloading Tesla’s files.

“Father, let me scan his memories. It shouldn’t be hard to extract everything from his brain.” Annya said.

Annya Elaine Tesla was less known that her philanthropist brothers or her heroic father, but she was a powerful telepath who didn’t advertise her powers. She was no hero, and she knew it; however she was the type to care and nurture others, Annya was also willing to dirty her hands to protect those she befriended and loved. Hugh Vinson began to recover his wits, he noticed that someone was carrying him; he tried to teleport but succeeded with no avail, he failed two more times. Then he saw his new jewelry on his wrist and he cursed loudly. Once the downloading of the gynoid was done, Velia let him fall on the ground and stepped back from him and went toward the alien armory. Tesla and Annya approached the man, their bodies looming over him. The examiner looked up and cursed yet again.

“Ah, mister Vinson. I am glad that you have joined us.” Nikola Tesla said grandly.

He put on a smile that didn’t reach his eyes at all, Hugh shivered when their gazes crossed.

“I knew that you were onto me.” Hugh’s shoulder slumped as he spoke lamely.

“You are not even trying to deny your involvement, Vinson.” Tesla was startled by the gall of this man.

“This was just business.” Hugh tried to justify.

Tesla kneed him in the head and it sent the sandy-haired man flying in the black car carcass, Hugh’s body dented it. Blood could be seen seeping from his mouth as he swept it with his hand.

“I met men like you in the war, they are selfish and think nothing of their actions.” Said Tesla with a disgusted tone.

He had truly seen the ugliness of humanity in the second world war, men who collaborated and closed their eyes on atrocity committed by the Nazi. To him, Vinson was filed in that same category as the one he had to put down.

“A man has to eat, fuck and live the life.” Hugh laughed as he tried to get to stand, blood ran down his temple and mouth.

Tesla looked at the man briefly and turned toward his daughter, finally not caring about what happened to this piece of human waste.

“Take what you need Annya, this схит баг (shit bag) disgust me.”

Annya approached Hugh and he would have stepped back if the car carcass didn’t stop him.

“Huh, what?” Hugh tried to say when he saw the gorgeous blonde come toward him.

She caught him, he slugged her on the face but she didn’t look like he had hit her at all; Annya looked at the sorry man, unleashing her tactile telepathy and he stopped struggling. Hugh felt numb as if someone stopped him from moving; Annya had inhibited his motor skills and began to dig deeper in his mind and perused at the pertaining memories to his shady information brokering business. Her fear was confirmed, the man was a plant for a criminal organization called ‘The Cabal’, she asked herself how she couldn’t find out before? And then she found why *A telepathic block?* This was the first time she heard of such a device.

“I have everything, Father,” Annya said.

“Good.” Tesla nodded to her and opened his arm. “Come here and tell me everything, моје срце.”

Annya still felt like a little girl when she was with her father, she rolled her eyes and let go of Hugh to go toward Tesla.

“You slut!” Hugh shouted, his face was twisted in a mask of rage as he charged toward Annya and tried to seize her.

A ray of light and a whistling sound was all Hugh heard and saw before he was disintegrated, Tesla looked at Velia his trusty maid and smiled handsomely at her; the gynoid had one of the alien weapons in her arms, it was a green rifle looking weapon. She had activated her Due Process protocols and was allowed to kill someone she perceived as a threat to Tesla, his business and his family. Nikola had often been cheated from what he was due or used too many times, it had forced him to become as ruthless as his competitors or foes, however, he wasn’t a monster. He always acted with a moral compass, today it was his maid with her Due Process Protocols.

“Everything is…” Tesla tried to say.

But his daughter interrupted him.“Not yet father, I am afraid that there was someone behind him.”

“Говно (shit).” Tesla swore.

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Mercer Island
Pocket Dimension
Daphne Snow School of Arcane Art
Princess Tower
09:30 PM



Elissa Von Braun was folding the last of her clothes and storing them into her closet, by color and season. There was a dominance of blue, black and white. She had some greens and purple but she disdained the other colors of the light spectrum. Once the redhead hangs her biking jacket, she looked critically at all her shoes arranged by classification: sandals, pumps, boots, sports shoes matching all the colors of her clothes. Everything was neatly stored in the black stone closet, there was a parlor before it where the redhead had placed her make up kit, bottle of perfumes and body care products and hairdressing tools.

The young girl was satisfied with having finally finished unpacking, she wished to have speedster speed as her superpower sometimes. Elissa was happy to have her own space in the special class dormitory, the Princess Tower was called that because it was simply put a luxurious suite with six apartments with bathroom and closet connected to the main living room with all the technological and magical comfort that she enjoyed in her own home. Malicia, her mother was behind this as the runic language on most of the enchanted appliances was Phantasian. Elissa got out of the walk-in closet, activated her security wards and went to sit on her bed. The redhead smelled the room, the odor of Glazed Snow Flower was pervasive; it was a scent from home, her real world that her mother cultivated in her gardens. Elissa looked around the room everything was there, her collection of weapons, new posters of fantasy movies and videogames and her functional replica of Phantasian armor made and enchanted by her mother.

Phantasia, that elusive world her family has come from. The young girl had researched it in the Sanctuary of her mother, the repository of knowledge was full of millennia-old knowledge, culture, philosophy, history, and magic. It had it all, but there was a question it hadn’t been able to answer: if it was such an awesome magical and technological world why did they have to leave?

Elissa had questioned and prodded her mother and father, but they didn’t want to tell her, apparently, she had to be ‘ready’. The young girl remembered about two years ago, when she had tried to ask her uncle, Achilles, about it, he was eager to tell her but he got cursed by her mother and ran out of the house. It was too excessive! She avoided the subject when she got grounded for no reason and has been the perfect yes girl of her mother since then. *One day, I will know and it better not be a silly political refugee thing!* Elissa laughed in her heart as she thought of that.

*Now I have other problem, Dawn is living in the neighboring bedroom and I want to see her naked again. I thought I was straight? What is going on with me?* The redhead thought.

She remembered f the Asian girl bared her bare flesh as she was changing into her field uniform when the exam started. Her white skin, bountiful chest, and curves that were hidden by baggy clothes.

Knock. Knock. The girl of her fantasy opened the door, smiled at her, closed it and said, “Hey.” Elissa almost thought that she was still dreaming open-eyed. But the smell of fresh clothes and the wet hair of the Asian girl as she entered told us another story and that she was still in the real world.

“Hey.” Finally answered after deciding to calm down and not jump on the poor girl.

She had tried to be with Saladin before, her first male friend at school but either he was as dense as a black hole or he ignored her attempt because of his religion or his family wouldn’t approve. Elissa was sure that she liked boys, but didn't expect it to extend to girls now? She couldn’t see Kelly, her friend in this light; but when she met Dawn Kusanagi and got to know her, something had changed in her.

“Hum, thanks for earlier. I didn’t think your sister would go this far, she seems to love you a lot.”

“She’s too spoiled.” Elissa rolled her eyes.

“Though I don’t think I will babysit her again…”

“I understand, she has run off a lot of them over the years.” Elissa laughed.

When Elissa got back from her ride with her father, she found Dawn being cornered to a wall with Cassandra trying to hug her with her full strength, only with a purple spheric shield protecting her. When she had seen Elissa, Dawn teleported to her and hid behind her back. The redhead stood up from her bed and went before Dawn.

“You’ll need to be careful around her now, I don’t know why she doesn’t like you.”

“I may have told her that I like you…” Dawn said as she stepped back when Elissa advanced more. Yet again she was cornered against the door by a Von Braun girl.

Elissa leaned toward Dawn and slapped the door as the young Asian girl tried to open it. Dawn couldn’t believe that what she saw in dramas and anime happen, wasn’t this the legendary Kabedon? She shook her head, it was not the time to fangirl and enter into an Otaku debate with herself.

“I like you too.” Elissa’s voice gained a sultry quality as her face was close to Dawn’s.

“I mean, like roman-” Dawn tried to say, but Elissa put her fingers lightly against her lips.

Dawn looked at the red-cheeked Elissa, and was that timidity that she was seeing in the body language of the young girl? Dawn for once felt emboldened, for the first time in her life.

“We barely know each other, let’s go slow. I barely understand what’s happening.”

The Asian girl felt that if she pushed just a little bit more she could have what she wanted from Elissa, but she understood that she shouldn’t. After all, she passed by this phase too, she didn’t think she was normal when she discovered that she liked girls. Society was harder on those who didn’t fit its mold, even though it became more accepting, religious nuts all over the world put gays and lesbians to death or beat them.

“Then why are you so close? Do you want to kiss me?” Dawn’s voice became huskier as she put a hand on Elissa’s right cheek and caressed it.

The redhead gulped and looked at the rosy lips of the Asian girl who’s feverish gaze became entrancing.

“Yes.” Elissa finally murmured between her teeth.

“Then, why aren’t you doing that?”

With titanic efforts, Elissa resisted this new instinct that told her to take and possess the girl before her and pushed her against the door as she was too close of her. The redhead didn’t trust this feeling as she might slip.

“Because like I said, we barely know each other, and I want to explore this. You are the first girl I am attracted to… I thought I was straight.”

Dawn felt flattered about that.

“I am happy to be the rare Unicorn able to make you feel like that...” She put on a shy smile that melted Elissa’s heart.

“When you know that I am ready to delve in this thing we have together, you’ll be aware of it; but for now… let’s start as friends?” Elissa asked.

“For now,” Dawn said with certainty, she finally found someone interesting and she won’t let her go. She understood that Elissa wasn’t in the kind of emotional place to really start something.

With time they would be happy. Though she felt happy right now! Dawn nodded to Elissa and lowered her gaze to wipe some non-existent dust on her white T-shirt.

“Good,” Elissa said and passed a hand in the wet hair of the Asian girl.

“Let’s go have dinner and watch Netflix? Wait, what do you like to watch?” Elissa offered.

“Anime.” Dawn didn’t even hesitate.

Elissa looked at her in disapproval.

“I know of them, but I was kind of put off to see the oversexualized characters and that they have no plots whatsoever…”

The Asian girl opened her eyes wide, she put her hands on Elissa’s shoulder.

“That’s because you don’t know what to look for!” Dawn looked at Elissa as if she had insulted her, then the Asian girl gazed at the redhead from head to toe, looked at the decoration and the numerous weapons on the walls and made a devilish grin. “Elissa let me show you the Fate/Stay Night series and Magic Knight Rayearth and if you don’t like it… you can forget it.”

“Hmph, I bet it’s not even that good.” Elissa looked down at Dawn.

“Challenge accepted,” Dawn said with a big grin.

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It was a beautiful day and I felt that it would bring big changes into my life, after my ablutions I banded my chest with linen, put on a fresh tunic and pants, my Mythril circlet, then my armor and boots in cave lizard leather. When I had received them I was impressed by the skill needed to make such flawless equipment. I sheathed my sword in its scabbard. Before leaving for our Demesne, Mother had offered it to me last night with the armor, they were heirlooms of our house; The Ducal House of Snow has been one of the pillars of the Inadora Kingdom since its birth. We were descendent of the first Sorceress, Magda Stormborn and we always acted with honor with those that deserved it and ruthlessly with those against us. It was our family credo.

Once I was ready I left my quarters and followed the corridor leading out of the Hurricane Temple, this was the place where I will pass the next five years of my life and be taught the art of Inshek directly by the Tempest Monk, the founder of the martial style. The walls were grey and bare, I resolved that I will have to do something about that if I had my way… A breeze came from the exit before, it smelled fresh and inviting.

I was finally out of the corridor and appeared in an open courtyard, the two suns beating down on me. Looking at the emerald sky, I noticed that the three moons Xelia, Astrae and Andraste were still out, the fact that they are of each different colors had always fascinated me. Bare-chested Werecats monks were running or doing strength training by lifting boulders in the courtyard, their fur glistening with sweat. It was the first time that I was near one of the wild people, they were new to Phantasia and had become common enough to the people to not be wary of them anymore. My station didn’t permit me to familiarize myself with them before, now it’s different.

“Do you like what you see?”

I heard a voice behind me, it was a bass like one and it had an accent that was unmistakable.

“Master Tempest.” I turned toward my new master.

He was bare-chested with a black short like the other monk in the courtyard, he was a hybrid of ancient human and werecat as could be seen from his fluffy black ears and spot of furs on his arms, shoulders, and legs. His was roguishly handsome with a full beard, blue stormy eyes. My gaze roamed his body and I couldn’t deny that he was built as if Hekate had crafted him, Tempest was muscular and solid looking. I wasn’t used to seeing men half naked but I tried not to let it appear on my face. The cocky smile of Tempest showed that I failed quite miserably.

“Good day to you, Xara.” He bowed his head and I did the same.

“This is different from what I expected, but nothing I can’t handle,” I said decisively.

“We will see about that, are you ready?”

“Yes.” I stood straight, arm against my side as I looked at my master in the eyes.

Tempest grinned at me.

“Then, strip off that armor, and put your sword away. I hope you put on some undies.” He said.

I opened my eyes wide, shocked by what master was asking me.

“W-what?” I asked, astonished by the demand of the man.

“Close your mouth, girl you might swallow some poisonous fly. I told you to strip, we are in the sweltering wastes, my little Lady. You won’t survive with this lumbering piece of junk slowing you down.” He said, waiting expectantly for me to comply.

Decisions, decisions… I didn’t want to bare my flesh before a man I wasn’t married to, Mother should have known what training in the wastes entailed after all she had the same apprenticeship that I am currently having with the master. I sighed heavily.

“I understand,” I said between my teeth glaring at my master.

My mithril armor was off after one minute and I put my sword at its side on the ground before Tempest. He looked at me clearly amused by my situation, damn cat.

“The tunic too, you will thank me later.” The master said.

I closed my eyes tightly, made a fist with my hands and exhaled loudly and took off my tunic. Thank the gods I had put on linen to support my heavy chest. Looking at Tempest, I saw no spark of interest in his eyes as he watched my body. It was like I didn’t exist as a woman to him.

“You had some decent training before coming here. You are obviously a Swordswoman, but you have no training in the empty handed martial arts. I can see it by the way you move and the way you breathe.” Master Tempest slapped my shoulder and let his hand roam my biceps, he looked closely at my muscles.

“Good. We have less work to do, Melissa did a good job of giving you a good base to start with.” He said the name of my mother the Duchess so casually, I became aware that they were more than familiar with each other.

“Your mana core is still unsealed, it is strange that your Mother didn’t let you study magic.” Master Tempest wondered.

I understood why he came to such a conclusion after all the Snow family produced powerful sorcerers, mages, and witches since its founding. But I felt that the life of a mage wasn’t for me, I will let my sisters and brother walk the path of mages; I wanted to become strong, forge my own way with my body and weapons. To destroy my enemies with my own hands personally.

“I don’t like magic, I favor weapons and martial arts,” I said simply to Master Tempest.

“So short-sighted and so young,” I heard the catman say silently; then loudly he began to say, “we will have to work on that Xara. Are you ready?”

I frowned, what did he mean? I thought we already started.

“Didn’t we already begin, master?”

Master Tempest looked chagrined.

“Not yet, forgive me little Lady; I really have to unseal your Mana core.”

“Wha-” I tried to say.

Pain, unfathomable pain is what I felt as Master Tempest put his palm on my belly, then the other on my heart. I screamed. I screamed until my voice became hoarse and my vision became black, sweet darkness enveloped me in its numbing embrace.

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“Elissa! Elissa wake up!” The redhead heard as she woke up suddenly.

Elissa came to and opened her eyes to see Malicia looking at her with concern. The young girl was on her bed and felt tired, it was fatigue beyond anything she had experienced before. Her eyes felt heavy as sleep still had a hold on her, the young girl scrubbed her eyes with her hand.

“Mom?” Elissa's voice cracked with fatigue.

The young girl tried to remember how she came to be on her bed, she remembered watching anime with Dawn. Delightful old Japanese animation with knights, heroes, and magic. Then she went to sleep at one in the morning after kissing Dawn on the cheek good night. Elissa looked at her shield clock near the door of her bedroom - it was 3:00 AM.

“You were screaming,” Malicia said, worried.

She caressed her daughter’s face, slowly prompting her to calm down. Malicia remembered when Elissa was younger and screamed in her sleep and crying about horned monsters, it was after she gave her a silver athame to create a shield spell that she had stopped coming screaming into her and Heracles’ room.

“I-I had a dream... It felt so real, it was about Phantasia! I… was someone else.” The redhead confessed what made her scream while asleep. Elissa began to hyperventilate and panic, her eyes dilated and she began to sweat anew.

“Breathe Elissa, breathe!” Malicia put her hand behind Elissa’s back and began massaging between her shoulder blades.

It took a minute for Malicia’s daughter to calm down and settle her nerves, the young girl relaxed slowly and stopped hugging her mother as if she was the only buoy in the open ocean. Malicia undid the force spell around herself, Elissa couldn’t control her strength when she was in that kind of state.

“Mom, Phantasia has two suns and three moons right?” Elissa asked Malicia.

The sorceress opened her eyes widely but reigned in her surprise, not letting it appear. The fact that Elissa has dreamed of Phantasia meant something to her and was a signal that they were now on a schedule. Elissa was too tired to see how the gaze of her mother became more detached and calculating.

“Yes.” The sorceress said mechanically.

Her brain was already in overdrive, plans within plans were already building themselves; the long term goals she had given herself became short terms ones, part of a bigger end result and it pleased her. Certainly, Elissa would suffer but she was made of stern stuff; Malicia had made sure of it.

“This...wasn’t a dream,” Elissa said as she realized what Malicia had already guessed.

“No, it wasn’t.” Her mother said, confirming it.

“I was someone called Xara Snow.” Elissa looked at Malicia who sounded bothered by what she was hearing.

“An ancestor of yours.” The sorceress didn’t try to lie.

Her dual nature didn’t permit her to tell lies or fiction, Demon and Fae couldn’t speak falsehoods. Elissa was too tired to understand what Malicia meant, as she employed ‘yours’ and not ‘ours’. The physical contact between the two didn’t make it any easier either, Elissa was really relaxed in the arms of the sorceress.

“She hated magic, she was studying under a werecat named Tempest.” The young girl told her mother what she experienced.

Malicia chose to tell her little one what this new ability to see the memories of her ancestors entailed, the success of their quest to get the Phantasian throne depended on it.

“Elissa, if you ever have another dream like this you should know that what you saw happen was real. It was a memory. You can use what you saw, knowledge, skills.” Malicia began, she looked at the young redhead in the eyes and her hands on her face.“I think that me putting on the demonic seal spurred your body to look for a way to permit you to defend yourself. I took away your capacity to weave spells, and the Inshek martial art that Xara Snow used only requires that you can manipulate your mana to reinforce your body and weapons by imbuing them with it. My advice would be to give in to the memories and make her skills and knowledge yours, but you should dissociate your personality from hers.”

Elissa quickly realized what Malicia had implied, her mind was blown by the implications. As for Malicia, she felt disgusted with herself as she danced around the truth of Elissa’s ancestry; she didn’t have the courage to tell her beautiful baby that she wasn’t her flesh and blood mother.

“Those are… genetic memories? Mom, isn’t that cheating?” Elissa was surprised, a bit dismayed and interested.

Malicia chuckled.“No, it’s a really good way to pass on knowledge and secrets in the family. However, you'll have to be careful with who you mate now that this ability is available, you wouldn’t want that ability to carry on outside your lineage.”

*Yes, my poor daughter will have to be careful with who she dates now, or her real mother might choose someone for her. Oh, Daphne. I don’t think it will be easy to take Elissa’s fate in hand.* Malicia missed her best friend and occasional… lover. *Soon, we will deliver you.* The Sorceress thought.

The redhead began to laugh throatily, slapping her thigh with the palms of her hands.

“I see, now I can use my cryokinesis, speak to animals and understand language after being in contact with them, have a siren voice to control people’s mood; and now use my DNA to store my memories and review those of my ancestors… is there anything else?” Elissa looked semi-amused.

“None at the moment,” Malicia said smiling.

This wasn’t entirely true as Malicia was deliberately keeping Elissa’s body starved of cosmic energy and not come into her power too fast. There were more abilities for her daughter to unlock as she saw Empress Daphné do some incredible things. The Dae woman felt guilty about that, but later she thinks that her daughter was going to thank her for it.

*Better to learn while you are weak than getting cocky and getting yourself killed. Achilles and Heracles would have pushed for you to get back to Phantasia too early if you were as strong as them.* The sorceress thought in her heart.

“Mom, why are you in a catsuit?” Elissa asked the sorceress.

Malicia wore a tight black catsuit made from black Swamp Drake skin that shimmered under the mage light in Elissa’s room. The sorceress wore her battle jewelry, the redhead was a tad nervous when she realized that her mother was geared to kill. Malicia was even wearing her dark gold focus bracer, it had a bloody ruby built in it. It was the most powerful mana focuser that the sorceress possessed.

“Oh, that? I am going to make a trip to Italy.” Malicia said nonchalantly.

Elissa’s gaze gleamed with interest.

“Oh! Can I go with you? I always wanted to taste genuine Pasta bolognese from there!” The young girl was suddenly wide awake, gone was her sleepiness.

“This isn’t a leisure trip, so no. I am going to take some things.” Malicia pinched Elissa’s right cheek.

Elissa averted her gaze, she knew what it meant when her mother said something like that. She was about to steal things, and her daughter didn’t like that one bit. But she agreed that she would never try to stop Malicia.

“I didn’t hear anything.” The redhead chose to ignore what she heard.

“That’s my girl.” Malicia grinned.

Malicia kissed her daughter’s forehead, caressed her red hair and then disappeared in a shimmering greenish-yellow light.

“I can’t wait to know how to do that,” Elissa said, a hint of envy slipping into her voice.

 

March 4th, 2018
Italy, Rome
Vatican City
09:00 AM



It was a beautiful Sunday Malicia thought, as she mingled in the throng of people. But she put on a disgusted face as she saw all those people living here, the sorceress liked Earth less and less as she saw what its inhabitants did to Gaia. She looked around her and was dismayed by the crowd. The population of Vatican City tripled when it was time to go to mass. She had arrived in Rome in the morning and was browsing clothing stores with a critical eye while waiting for nightfall. Her catsuit was glamoured to look like a green off shoulder crop top with long sleeves showing her bare midriff and tight black jeans with heeled half boots, the sorceress had chosen to look like a tourist with all her shopping bags and tried to look lost. This was a tourist trap to fill the pockets of this country’s religious order; the sorceress was seated by a copse of trees in Piazza del Risorgimento lamenting the lack of greenery, her Fae blood screamed bloody murder at this lack of nature. Looking at the walls of the Vatican, Malicia found them really interesting.

*Really Interesting.* The religious fortress’ walls glowed with a hazy white light in her mage sight, strange runic and Latin characters were forming a shield spell that crisscrossed the walls as they formed a pattern; a protective one. The Catholic religion denounced witchcraft in all its forms; Malicia remembered this passage in their bible ‘You shall not permit a sorceress to live’ and weirdly now that she was looking at the walls of that city-state, she discovered that they were warded. The magic employed smelled like faith magic to Malicia.

*How hypocritical of them hmph, this is going to be difficult though.* The Sorceress thought.

Malicia wished she could emulate Elissa and employ brute force to solve her problems but this would open a can of worms that she didn’t want to deal with. This world’s humans bandied up for the silliest of things and religion was one of them. Compared to the worship of Hekate who simply asked to respect nature, pass on wisdom but to refrain from perverting it and to not use it for nefarious purposes; Catholicism was murky.

What she liked in her worship of the Titaness is, if she found you worthy she bestowed wealth, victory, wisdom, good luck and prosperity upon you; but all these blessings might, at the same time, be withheld by her, if mortals did not deserve them. Hekate enforced a meritocracy, while those people on Earth and their sacrificial god wanted him to forgive any of their wrongdoings and sins they may have committed. They wanted their place in their version of the afterlife to be a paradise free from illness, hurts and old age... It sounded like a boring place to Malicia. As a sorcerer, the Dae knew that souls in the spirit planes didn’t work this way, nevertheless, she won’t inform those that believed this lie about it. It would be an exercise in futility.

A young man approached the Dae, speaking in a smooth tone, “Signorina, ti sembra che tu sia perso, posso aiutarti? (Miss, you seem to be lost, can I help you?)” and spoke in Italian.

The young man was of Mediterranean ethnicity, was blond with voluminous slicked back hair and a face dominated by his strong greek nose and satin grey eyes. He wore an unbuttoned white shirt showing off his impressive hairy chest with brown pants and a satchel over his shoulder, the man was certainly muscular but in a fashion model way. Malicia knew when a man was all show and not strong like her Heracles. As Malicia read the young man's aura, she wasn’t surprised to see lust and attraction flowing from it but the genuine feeling of wanting to help and be useful to her struck her as odd.

*Another man with white knight syndrome?* The sorceress asked herself.

Malicia modified her translation spell by focusing her mind, her eyes glowed momentarily and then she looked at the young man, smiling.

“Ah, yes I think I lost my way,” Malicia said in Italian.

“Don’t you know how to use the GPS option, signorina?”

“I am using an ability to be able to speak in Italian but unfortunately I cannot read it.” Malicia took her phone from her purse and showed that on the GPS app everything was in Italian.

The young man looked at the touch-screen and nodded, he also realized after what she said that she may be one of those superhumans that came to tour Rome.

“Oh, are you a superhuman? And this is an interesting ability you have here, understanding foreign languages.” He said trying to make conversation.

He found this woman attractive and was trying to be helpful enough that he may continue to speak with her. But there was something disturbing about her, it certainly wasn’t her lush and silky raven hair or her pouty pink lips and those soulful green eyes. The young man couldn’t place what was wrong with her.

“Thank you, signore...” Malicia thanked him and avoided correcting the misconception that she was superhuman.

She didn’t know his name and invited him to share it with her, Malicia flipped her hair.

“My name is Ezio, Ezio Andreotti. Piacere di conoscerti (nice to meet you).” Ezio said as he looked fascinated by this woman's very existence. She moved gracefully and flawlessly. The Dae heard the rest of the sentence in Italian; Malicia's translation spell was fizzling as the faith shield spell near her created interferences with her magic.

“And you Bellissima?” The Italian man asked smoothly.

“Malicia Von Braun.” She said with a smile.

Malicia could see that her supernatural beauty was making Ezio one of her minions, she had always had this effect on everyone and she didn’t tire of it. It was an innate ability coming from her Fae ancestry and the faith magic wouldn’t be able to interfere with it. She decided to use the young man to further her operation in The Vatican.

“Could you help me find my hotel?” Ramping up her pheromones production, the sorceress asked this.

Ezio opened his eyes wide, he was surprised that this beauty was giving him a chance! He answered immediately, looking rather keen on the idea.

“Yes, I can! What’s its name?” The Italian took his phone out and began to look at his GPS app.

“Hotel Della Conciliazione,” Malicia said without hesitation, she crossed her arms waiting for the young man to finish typing the name in the app.

Ezio looked at his map and whistled as he looked at the type of establishment the gorgeous woman was staying at.

“Ah, good choice! This hotel is a ten minutes walk from the metro and from St. Peter’s Basilica.”

*Yes, I know.* Malicia giggled.

Hearing her giggling made the Italian man's heart skip a beat, it was a musical sound that he could not stop repeating in his mind.

“I have a really bad sense of direction.” It wasn’t a lie, it was one of her deficiencies; Malicia looked rather embarrassed by it.

Ezio found her even cuter as red colored her cheeks; he coughed to avoid staring at the raven-haired woman too much. He approached her and said, “Ah permit me to help you.” Ezio took the bags off Malicia.

Malicia made an appreciative nod, the young man made a sign to follow him and she complied. Just in case she activated an array of spells that would protect her from any treachery from his part. She remembered a similar scenario playing out in her younger days.

*So far so good, I will make him a helper.* Malicia decided.

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Hotel Della Conciliazione
Room 12
09:45 AM



The sorceress’ room was composed of two well-lit rooms with white and grey walls. It was a thirty square meter suite, situated at the top of the building. One room was the living room furnished with a dining table, a TV and a little kitchenette; the second one was where a fluffy looking bed was placed with colorful covers. It was nothing fancy, borderline economic. Yes, she could have gone to another hotel with more luxurious rooms but Malicia didn’t want to let too much of her presence be known in Europe for plausible deniability later. After the massacre she enacted four years ago in Europe, there were mage hunters still thirsting for her blood. Of course nothing she couldn’t handle, but killing too many of them would be detrimental to the cleansing of non-council vampire nests or dealing with rogue arcanists.

The Dae connected her laptop to the hotel wifi, she sat before Ezio who looked at her in a blissful way. The poor young man was enthralled by her supernatural beauty and could not escape her, he would not want to anyway. He decided to serve her coffee while the sorceress perused satellite views of the Vatican, trying to spot the place where the shield array matrix was supposed to be. Malicia has decided that she will use a three-layered plan to attack the Basilica and empty the underground vault full of stolen artifacts that the Christians misappropriated and that she intended to give back to some of her contacts to make them owe her more services.

*Of course, I will keep the most interesting pieces and give them to Elissa to study, like this she will be able to forge her own artifacts.* She told herself.

Malicia intended a lot of things to come from this heist, she was already reviewing her mental contact and associate list to cash in or ask for favors. It was business, but nothing compared to what she left at home. Elissa had awakened the power to know more about Phantasia and their days on Earth were numbered. *This operation is this important, get artifacts, throw Elissa on a world with more Cosmic energy and let her reach her full potential.* The sorceress decided.

Her thought process was interrupted when Ezio put a sizzling cup of coffee on the glass table.

“Have this, it’s hot so be careful.” Ezio smiled at Malicia who he thought looked rather too serious.

He didn’t know what trouble was haunting her but he hoped he could help her. Even if he had to employ more sinister means.

“Thank you, Ezio.” Malicia took the cup of coffee in her hands and flashed a smile at the young man.

“Glad to be of service.” The man nodded at her, sat in the seat facing hers and leaned his elbows on the table.

The smell of the dark brew was tantalizing, Malicia could detect a faint presence of honey and something like a drop of milk.

“Say could you please tell me if Rome possesses a superhuman group?” The sorceress asked as if to make conversation.

The beginning of a plan of action was forming in Malicia’s brain. She already knew how to breach the walls buffed by faith magic, but there will still be meddlers that will try to impede her. The sorceress wasn’t keen on killing anyone that didn’t deserve it and she didn’t want to look at Elissa’s eyes if she ever did that. But sooner or later their family will have to spill blood to achieve their goal of returning home and freeing Daphne from her regenerative sleep and taking the Demon fist army on.

“Yes, of course. There are four of them, they have divided the city of Rome between them, their groups can cover more areas this way.” The Italian man began.

“Who are the most powerful members of each team?” Malicia intervened.

So far the sorceress observed that the system the teams used was comparable to the one in the USA, but they have a superabundance of supergroups and they had to divvy up a city or town into precincts around their headquarters.

“First is Il Gladiatore of the team called Il Campioni del Colosseo, he is a strong man on par with Major Freedom from your America. Second is Andromeda of the Pegasus team, she can control mystical chains and make people tell the truth or… torture them.”

Malicia liked the woman already, better than this gladiatore individual, but she wasn’t about to tell that to Ezio; the poor man might not survive this revelation and snap out of the effect of her allure.

“Interesting, they seem dangerous,” Malicia said in a voice she hoped was fearful enough.

Ezio looked at the woman and put a hand on her’s as if to reassure her; as for Malicia she let him do it, normally she would break it but she needed that info. She was also feeding on Ezio’s emotions at the moment and she didn’t want to interrupt it.

“Oh yes, but Il Gladiatore is the most loved of the two after all he is a buon samaritano, Andromeda is a loose cannon and not really well liked.” The man took his hand off from Malicia’s and stood up.

Ezio walked before the glass window where he could see from afar the walls of the Vatican and some other buildings. Malicia took a sip from her coffee and hummed at the explosion of delicious tastes it made on her tongue, after finishing she just had to congratulate the young man.

“Oh, this coffee is excellent!” Malicia gushed. She decided that later she will buy an Italian coffee machine as the taste agreed with her. “Sorry for interrupting, please tell me more, ”

The young man grinned as if he had won the Euromillions, he straightened his shirt on him and dusted imaginary dandruff off his shoulder.

“Thanks. There is this trick with the heat that can make coffee better.”

“You are a man of many talents, Signore Ezio.” Malicia laughed with her cup coffee in her hand and her legs crossed.

Ezio couldn’t believe that he lucked out this much by finding this delightful and elegant creature by pure coincidence. The woman was too perfect, her voice, her hair, and her voluptuous body; a little voice in his head was telling him that it was too good to be true. Why did she need info on the local supergroup? Should he be worried? But he didn’t think that someone this nice could have bad intentions.

“Oh please, just call me Ezio. Where were we? Ah, the third team's most powerful member is called Blocco Mentale, he is a telepath; his team is called Il Glorioso. And the fourth individual is Giove, she is an electricity manipulator of the team La Tempesta, she’s well-liked, more so than the others as she saved the Pope once.” The young man told in an educational tone.

Ezio had even met Giove and was proud to think that she was the most upright woman that he had ever met. Malicia was filing away the information she had just received and will gather more before tonight, what the young man had given her was a fine start.

“Thanks for telling me, Ezio. Hmm, I see that it is late you should go back as I am going to prepare for a party.” Malicia was going to create a diversion of epic proportions, she was not going to be sorry for the material damage she would cause.

She intended to summon a creature to assault the walls of the Vatican, a Being smart and powerful enough to be able to stand up to faith magic and would give all those superheroes a tough fight.

*Ah! I remember Lady Ghadiss said she would really like to play a trick on humans when she had invited me to drink Dwarven wine. I will call on her.* Malicia thought about that powerful Dragon she had met while rampaging around Europe.

Ezio gulped, he didn’t want to leave at all; basking in the perfection of this woman was all he wanted to do. However he doesn’t want to push his luck, he took his wallet out and took a card from it and placed it on the glass table.

“Hum, Signorina Malicia this is my phone number. If you ever need anything, call on me.” Ezio said hesitantly.

It was the first time that he was made to be like a bumbling teenager, hesitating to engage in a conversation with his crush. This situation was similar to that for the young Italian man. He didn’t want to be brushed off, but his fear was assuaged when Malicia spoke next.

The sorceress stood up and gave him her hand. “I will! Thank you so much for your help, Ezio. I hope we will see each other again.”

“Me too.” He took Malicia’s hand and planted a kiss on the back of it. “Arrivederci, spero che il destino ci porti di nuovo insieme.” He let go of her hand, turned heels, went toward the door of Malicia’s suite and closed it.

The translation spell had glitched again, and it bothered Malicia, maybe he wasn’t just a normal human after all.

“Such a good young man, maybe I will see him again.” The sorceress praised the departed young man.

Malicia went to meditate on her bed, gathering her mana to call on the ancient mother dragoness. She hoped that what she was doing wasn’t going to put too much of a black mark on this day. But realistically? Malicia didn’t care at all.

Malicia was ready, she had engraved communication runes behind the full-length mirror in the bedroom. It had taken her five minutes but it wasn’t that much trouble; however, if Gadhiss was in another plane it might have become a problem for the energy consumption. The sorceress focused on her mana core and began to feed energy to the mirror that she was touching.

“I bid you heed my call, Gadhiss The Champion, mother of the lightning Wyrms.” She called on the name of the mother of Europe's Dragons.

The sorceress felt her call connecting as primal mana connected to her own. Malicia let go of the mirror and knelt on one knee as a gigantic golden yellow reptilian eye opened in the full-length mirror, it looked around the room and finally focused on Malicia. The Dae looked expectantly at the mirror to be finally recognized.

“Oh Hekate’s pet sorceress.” A sibilant but strong voice enunciated.

Malicia cringed at the appellation, but it was what she really was. The disciple of the goddess of magic, one who was hated and banished from this realm by her Olympian peers. The sorceress didn’t pay it any mind, it was always the way of doing of draconic beings to try to begin a conversation in a superior position.

“Glad to see that you are well my Lady.” And she didn’t lie, she was happy to see the old Dragon Matron.

The Dragon eye looked around the room yet again and not finding what it wanted, spoke.“You too, where is your delightful progeny?”

Malicia, unfortunately, had holed up with the Lady Dragon while they were still in Europe four years ago and she had taken a liking to Elissa and more importantly, Cassandra who’s supernatural allure had already kicked in as a baby to protect her. The Dragoness was one of the victims and spent her time doting on her, Malicia believes that she would have kidnapped her daughter if she didn’t expressly insist to leave, not wanting to take advantage.

“Cassandra and Elissa are in America,” Malicia answered simply and… carefully.

*And I didn’t want to owe more to Lady Gadhiss. I am still waiting for her to collect.* Malicia pouted internally.

Malicia’s eyes glowed with determination and stopped the chit chat and directly put her cards on the table.

“I am in the old continent at the moment and I plan to steal the artifacts in the vault of those thieving worshippers of the sacrificial god.” The sorceress told the Dragoness.

The big golden eye of Lady Gadhiss dilated in surprise, then in obvious joy.

“Delightful! When do you plan to enact this plan, I am interested in participating.”

“Tonight.” The sorceress answered.

She didn’t want to play mind games with the ancient Dragon, and she was loathe to say that Lady Gadhiss could easily defeat her.

“Ah, it is on such short notice, sorceress.” The double eyelid of the Dragoness closed in annoyance.

It seemed that Gadhiss really wished to participate, she was one of those who had to hide when the sacrificial god's crusaders came to power and killed most of her kin and children. She hated dragon slayers and witch hunters.

“Not even for most of the dragon-slaying artifacts that I will without a doubt recover? I want them to be in safe paws and there are none safer than yours my Lady.” Malicia used her ace, she smiled impishly.

The eye of the Dragoness opened first in anger, then in mirth.

“Silver-tongued demon, continue I am amenable to consider helping you.” The Dragoness said.

Malicia bowed her head in acknowledgment and raised her head to look directly at the eye of the Dragoness. “My Lady, if you would help me destroy the walls of this fortress and of course fend off this city’s Champions it would be a great help.”

The eye rolled and the Dragoness said, “Fine, you’ll owe me for this sorceress.”

“Of course my Lady, your generosity knows no bounds.” Malicia flattered.

“It has been a long time since I last assaulted a fortress and tested the mettle of Midgard’s mortals.” The Dragoness voice sounded rather pleased at the prospect of causing chaos.

“You will be amused… my Lady. They have forgotten about us.” Malicia informed the Dragoness.

Even though supernatural creatures and clans roamed the world openly the normal humans and most of the superhumans didn’t give credence to the magical forces often arrayed against them or allied with them.

“You jest, surely?!” The eye of the Dragoness opened in astonishment.

She thought, *How could they, after all, their sins and massacres they had done in the name of their god?* The Dragoness eye filled with anger and promised retribution.

“Not at all.” Malicia’s eyes reflected the same anger.

She didn’t care a lot for the people of this planet, but she liked the little people, the Faes that had migrated to Gaia. The humans were destroying their habitats for profit, they had no respect for their environment and continued to take and take so much that they didn’t realize that they were committing suicide.

“Then I shall give Midgard a wake-up call they won’t soon forget, it is good that you called me, sorceress. When you are ready, call on my name and I will be there.” The Dragoness said Solemnly.

“It shall be done!” Malicia knelt and put a fist on her left breast.

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Same day
Rome, Ponte
08:30 PM



Ezio recalled the good day he had today after meeting the raven-haired American woman this morning. She had seemed strange though, people seemed to stop to look at her as if she was one of those girls who was so beautiful that time stopped to appreciate her beauty. Malicia had turned him into a bumbling fool and it was a new sensation to him. The Italian man drove past the Post office and ended up on the road Corso Vittorio Emanuele, turned on the street Via dei Leutari to finally reach the Piazza Navona where the headquarters of the Pegasus team was. He regretted having to lie to Malicia, he was after all a member of one of the protectors of Rome and was beholden to his team.

His SUV entered the underground parking under La Torre, a building that was the start of their underground fortress. The light of the scanner at the booth of the armed guard flashed on his car and inside it. The security system was Tesla approved as it would take a supercomputer to break it. Ezio passed the security check and parked in his reserved space, someone was waiting for him, a young and tall woman of around twenty years of age; she was blonde with topaz blue eyes, had bow-shaped sensuous lips and a small refined nose. She wore a rather risqué purple costume that could be defined as a chainmail bikini and she had purple chains around her limbs. The young man sighed heavily as he stopped the car, undid his seatbelt and unlocked the car door. His fiancée, Cordelia Asti aka Andromeda. As of late, she had become rather controlling in their relationship, always texting him to know where he was and what he was doing.

“Ezio! Where were you?!” The strident voice of the young woman rang in the parking lot.

*And so it begins.* The young man thought while rolling his eyes.

Ezio exited the car, took his messenger bag and put it around his neck. He had decided to go through with his earlier decision after meeting Signorina Malicia, he had wanted someone as pleasant as her in his life. Not a shrew that was chosen by his parents. He had tried to compromise and tolerate her attitude, but he couldn't anymore; all of his friends male or female had distanced themselves from him because Cordelia had become an annoying bitch and was disrespectful to them. It reminded him of the day Cordelia had deliberately canceled his flight to Ibiza because he would be there with his friend and he didn’t want to bring her, or the day where she permitted herself to erase every one of his female friends’ numbers from his cellphone. There were even more examples that had angered him but he had let go for his parents. He regretted giving in to his parent's ultimatum, marriage with the girl of their choice or they cut him off. He was a Superhuman, he would have found something else to continue his lifestyle.

“I asked you a question.” Cordelia glared at her fiancé.

She had passed the day calling him on his phone, they had an important team meeting that he didn't come to that was mandatory.

“I was helping someone.” Ezio didn't even try to lie, he was fed up with Cordelia.

“I called you twenty times, you could have picked up. Was this someone a woman?” She asked suspiciously.

Cordelia knew that her Ezio was an attractive man, even more than her brother or her ex. He is an upper tier Alpha ranked super and a good addition to their team; it appealed to her that their parents had arranged their marriage and when she met him she was so lovestruck that she dumped the guy she was seeing without regret. There was a trend that she noticed when they started to go out, Ezio was a woman magnet, he was humble, helpful and nice to be around as he made you feel as if you were the center of the world. Cordelia had appreciated the feeling and fallen in love with him, however, she had begun to feel jealous when any girl or young woman approached him and had even resorted to attacking them verbally if she noticed any trace of interest toward her fiancé.

“Of course, she was lost and I had to show her the way, I am not some uncourteous prick who refuses to help people,” Ezio argued.

The young man put his hands in his pockets looking for the next phase of this argument with Cordelia.

“How beautiful was she?” Came a really weird question.

Ezio’s laugh echoed in the underground parking, he looked at Cordelia again and laughed even more. The young woman became red with anger.

*How dare he mock me?* She thought, her chains bristled in movement as they glowed with energy, answering to her anger.

The young woman glared at him, crossed her arms under her chest and stomped her feet.

“Is that a trick question?” The young man’s grey eyes rolled. “Have you come to pick a fight with me, Cordi? It’s all you’ve been doing lately and you have begun to piss me off. You know there is only so much that I can take.” Ezio said.

It was the first time Cordelia saw her fiancé getting angry and it unsettled her. Normally he would just give in to what she wanted and they would be good again. She didn’t understand this new side of him, what had happened to him? Suddenly Cordelia had a bad feeling.

“Ezio?” She asked.

She attempted to come to him and touch his arm but he batted away her hand. Cordelia looked at him hurt, but the blazing anger she saw in her fiancé’s eyes stunned her.

“I quit.” The young man said as he took something from his bag and threw it on the ground at Cordelia’s feet.

It was his team badge, it conferred him the same power as a military officer. In Italy, government-sponsored teams like the Pegasus group had the same power as police officers and could also be drafted into the military.

“No, you cannot do that!” Cordelia cried in anguish.

“I just did, and by the way, I am not marrying you. I don’t love you.” Ezio said it as if it was a matter of course.

Cordelia’s heart broke when she heard that, but she was not deterred. Her mother had told her that marriages of convenience often weren’t based on love, all that counted was that she had a child with Ezio to add his family genetics to theirs. The thing was that she was really in love with him, for the first time in her life she loved someone but it seems he didn’t reciprocate it and that baffled her. She was beautiful, rich and powerful. Many men had courted her and she thought that her life was the best after meeting Ezio. But he didn’t love her. She didn’t care, she had enough love for both of them.

“You can’t do that, what would our parents say?” Cordelia tried to change his mind.

The young woman knew that Ezio was a really filial individual, he wouldn’t defy the will of his-

“Do I look like I care? I am through with you.” Ezio said.

He didn’t care about his parents anymore, they had become like Cordelia, manipulative, stubborn and downright unpleasant to interact with. They were superheroes like Cordelia’s parents and they had made their fortune by sponsoring fashion products, cosmetics, and politicians. Cordelia threw a chain at Ezio as he was about to get back in his car, it wrapped around his left leg and she pulled. The young man fell but rolled with it and took the chain’s length in hand and made Cordelia fall too as he stood up.

“I can’t believe you just attacked me.” Ezio’s face displayed his shock.

“I don’t know what-” Cordelia tried to say, shocked that she attacked him on the spur of the moment.

“Yeah, I can’t believe you attacked your own fiancé, sister.” A voice said interrupting them.

Ezio turned toward the voice, it was a spot in the dark as the form of an armored man came into view, it shined steel grey in the electric light, bristling with LED lights everywhere. It was a rather futuristic modern body armor similar to the one worn by Nikola Tesla, the greatest hero of this world. The individual in it was none other than Apollo Asti, Cordelia’s brother. Ezio unwrapped the chain around his leg and deployed his power, ready to reflect any kinetic or energy attack.

“I am going to leave, and if you try to stop me I will drop you.” Ezio threatened.

“Calm down brother, I-” Apollo jovially tried to say, putting a hand on Ezio’s shoulder.

It was batted away roughly. The anger displayed on Ezio’s face made Apollo stop trying to defuse the situation like he expected to do, however like his sister he had underestimated the young man. He had been lording over his supergroup for so long and gotten used to having none of his decisions disputed that he was at a loss when someone truly didn’t want to get along with him.

“I am not your brother and I will never be.” Ezio did not want to waste his anger on the Asti siblings they were not worth it.

The young man chose to get back in his car and leave, the brother and sister in the parking lot were left astonished by what happened.

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The Vatican
08:45 PM



*It is time,* Malicia thought.

She had conjured the material necessary for breaking the Vatican’s shield, six spherical stones as big as soccer balls, enchanted with Phantasian runes to form a ward breaker. Whoever thought their defenses impregnable would now be disabused from ever using this word. The spheres were grey and black with golden glowing runes on their surface, with a snap of her fingers Malicia made them levitate and orbit her as the Earth does around the Sun.

Malicia gathered her will and punched a hole through reality creating a shortcut through the dimension just by focusing mana in a single point and stabilizing the tear with a spell. She knew where she wanted to go; in the sky over the Museum of Sala Clementina where she pinpointed that an artifact was feeding energy to the entire network of wards protecting the entire Vatican. Activating her Eldritch flight spell, motes of glowing golden light surrounded her and her feet left the ground as she levitated toward the portal she had created. When she entered it, the world briefly stopped around her and Malicia felt herself being dismantled then one second later put back together.

*Ah it feels so good at times to use a portal.* She thought in delight.

Some others couldn’t tolerate this sensation and categorically avoided this kind of transport, but Malicia wasn’t one of them. The sorceress appeared over the gardens of the Vatican, they were urban green spaces dating from the 13th century, full of fountains and sculptures. Those sculptures were gifts given to popes, there was also various flora and fauna surrounding it all. As she was floating Malicia’s Fae blood stirred by seeing so much greenery under her, weirdly the air was better here than the rest of the city. Too bad that she will have to thrash it. Light gathered in Malicia’s hand, various shades of gold and green as if it were light from a firefly. The light intensified and Malicia raised her hand and a ball of light shot into the sky, and as it got farther and farther it expanded creating a gigantic portal over the City of Rome. A torrent of blue and white light could be seen swirling in the portal.

Everyone in Rome stopped moving and looked at what was happening, some people were fascinated and some began to panic. When nothing happened and that portal stayed open for a minute or so, the Romans breathed a sigh of relief but suddenly an azure pillar of lightning struck the Vatican’s northern-eastern wall near the Viale Vaticano road and it crumbled. A deafening roar could be heard and people's hearts stopped as a gigantic form passed through the humongous portal. It was bigger than an A380 plane, larger than St. Peter’s Basilica. Its scales were of shimmering gold, its wingspan was one hundred meters. It was a Dragon and it didn’t come to say hello. The people panicked and fled, car crashes happening all over the city. Fear, Anguish, despair radiated from them and nourished Malicia’s demon side. The sorceress began to cackle wildly as the Dragoness Gadhiss flew around the city and caused chaos.

Malicia’s power swelled more and more and for once finally felt full. She was set for years after this stunt, so much negative energy filled her demonic spirit that she felt a bit bloated. The sorceress set her mind to finally do what she was supposed to and entered the city-state of Vatican City. The Faith magic and hallowed ground did nothing to stop her as she was topped up on demonic mana, nevertheless the holy magic here irritated her Demon side. Just to be sure she tried to tap the ley-line nexus here but her attempt was shrugged off. Someone, clearly powerful was already in possession of this major power spot.

*It doesn’t matter.* Malicia opened her arm and the ward breaker spheres deployed around her and all glowed gold.

The sorceress directed the spheres toward the Museum and waited for them to reach the building. They were stopped by a shield of light. Malicia smiled and she fed more mana into them, and little by little the spheres pushed more and more into the shield that showed cracks forming on its surface until it burst with a noise of broken glass.

Malicia began to chant a spell in demonic that translated into “Unholy Orb” and a ball of Darkness appeared before her, it became denser as it grew in size. It was so dark that light couldn’t escape from it. The sorceress didn’t intend to search the Museum for the artifact, she has decided to erase it from existence from the get-go, after all, a Lady doesn’t sully her hands with such chores. Malicia regretted not being able to bring some of her retainers with her, she lamented having to go into exile from her Queendom. Like a shooting star, the Orb of Darkness flew towards Sala Clementina and struck the ancient building’s roof and the ball expanded in size to engulf it. There was no explosion to show that something had been here, only a crater where the Museum and the gardens had been. The irritation caused by Holy magic disappeared entirely, just like Malicia thought there was an artifact protecting the entire city-state.

The sorceress let her demonic horns appear letting go of her glamour, she took her Mithril scepter in her hand even though she already had one in her bracelet but she needed power. Something about this place grated on her nerves. As if there was her antithesis here. Malicia’s instinct has always been good and she listened to it. The Dae flew toward the Basilica, ready to take what didn’t belong to these pathetic humans of the cloth.

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La Torre
Team Pegasus



“Dammit Cordi, you had to piss off Ezio today when a big ass dragon is attacking the city!” The manly voice of Apollo Asti, brother of Cordelia aka Uomo d'Acciaio rang out.

A female voice was laughing at the two siblings, they looked at the woman who had a white and red costume reminding of an archer get up with leather armor consisting of a breastplate, tight pants, a belt with pockets and a sheathed dagger, the hood she had on partially hid her face, on her arms there were metal bracers, same for her legs. There was a tastefully decorated bow behind her back with an arrow yoke hanging at her hips. It was a member of their group codenamed L'Arciere.

“I told you that you didn’t deserve a great guy like that, Andromeda. He was bottling up all the issues he had with you and you continued to push, obviously, it was bound to happen. You have been a real bitch with Riflettore.”

Riflettore is Ezio Andreotti's codename. After Andromeda, he was the most powerful superhuman in this team.

“It’s not my fault! I don’t know what happened to him to just throw everything away.”

“Girl, you don’t even realize what you did? I think I will request a transfer out of this team if we survive the dragon.” Another voice said, this time it was male.

The man wore a silver armor reminding of a knight on the cover of a fantasy book, he had a golden sword at his hip. His helmet covered his head, but everyone could feel the derisive tone with which he spoke. It was the team's strongman type, Il Paladino.

“Shut up, all of you! I am trying to listen to the news.” Another female voice coming from a glowing woman shouted. It was Stella Bella, the team's resident energy manipulator.

“This is Luna Valenti for Rai News 24, The golden dragon has been flying around Rome for five minutes now. No one knows what it wants or if it's totally mindless.” The Anchor said.

The roar of the dragon could be heard again making the tower tremble, the teammates all looked uncertain. Could they take on a beast of this size? They didn’t believe so, they were on standby waiting for the government to give the green light to do something about it.

“Oh, it seems that the military has been deployed, ground troops and artillery are positioning in the city; Fighter jets are coming to attack the beast.”

“Finally they are doing something!” Apollo shouted.

His other team members looked at each other and didn’t think that it’s going to do anything but their attention went back to the TV. The fighter jets could be seen harrying the dragon who flew around. The wing of six F-35 attacked by launching missiles that struck some kind of shield, not the beast. Apollo gaped at this, the other members of Pegasus did the same. The army launched artillery towards the dragon, tank rounds and surface-to-air missiles struck at the target but were stopped cold by the same shield ability it had shown previously.

<ENOUGH.> A sibilant and powerful female voice could be heard in the heads of everyone in the area.

With a wing flap, the Dragon batted the wing of fighters that all crashed on the ground in a big and loud explosion. Fortunately, the pilots had time to eject. But the situation for the artillery went from bad to worse as a rain of lightning bolts struck tanks and the anti-aircraft launchers manned by soldiers.

<How low have you fallen, humans, to rely on such toys?!>

<Come out and Face me, you spineless apes. Bring your Champions, bring your mages and witches and fight me! Or do you still depend on the goodwill of your sacrificial god? After everything you did in his name, driving every magical creature almost to extinction and forcing us into hiding… I should raze this city as I did to Pompeii.> Gadhiss itched to do so, but she didn’t want to go too overboard. Malicia was still here, and she was only there to be a distraction.

“Shocking events are happening, the military failed to take down the beast and its revealed that it is sapient.” The anchor continued.

<It? I am not some mindless beast you ant, I will teach you to respect your elders. Begone.> A light could be seen coming from the maw of the Wyrm that spat a lightning breath.

With a flash of light, the signal of the TV channel was interrupted. And everyone kept silent after this, not wanting to insult the big ass dragoness who showed that she could pick up on the TV signal and maybe even the voice of everyone. An alarm sounded as everyone was astonished by the events, after hearing the strident wake-up call, the team went to gear up and they went into their armored vehicle. All the pieces of equipment they had on right now were more on the lethal side.

“Let’s go, the government just contacted us we need to gather with the other teams to take on this big female dragon,” Apollo said while checking his rifle and other weapons on his HUD.

“Yeah let’s go die…” Andromeda said and spoke for practically everyone who had the same train of thought.

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Under Saint Peter's Basilica
10 minutes after Gadhiss’ arrival



ZAP. Malicia sent a magic missile toward the magic user priest, the truth was finally revealed as to why they persecuted mages, witches and chased out other magical creatures. The priests use holy magic! Nothing worth the attention, Malicia had decided to create a good sensation by letting her horns out and the priesthood and security called her demon or Satan's henchman. As weapon’s fire bounced off her shield, she made the guns melt in the guards’ hands who screamed in agony because of the heat touching their skin. The nuns were evacuating the personnel to shelters and the holy magic mages and magic users tried to pin Malicia down. The sorceress sent an unholy bolt of magic with the mission of shattering their mana core, depriving them of the use of their gift forever, if it didn’t kill them.

Malicia was looking for the vault, her steps echoed on the marble tiles, as she passed through the pillars, a lot of sculptures, artistic tapestries and paintings were destroyed and burning because of the carelessness of the defending party. She put all the women and some of the kids that she could see running away to sleep. She had enough of searching and sent her mana into the ley-line nexus, connecting with it. She couldn’t use it but she could examine it. She went into the Sanctuary of the Basilica and was faced with the statue depicting a woman that sat and a man in her lap that seemed to be unconscious. It was uninteresting to her but what did interest her was that there seemed to be a secret entrance underneath it. With all the force of her will and a bit of telekinesis, she pushed the statue away to the right, destroying gears that seemed to be here to open the entrance.

Now Malicia entered in the passage following the trail left by the ley-line energy powering the primitive wards on the walls. She levitated and advanced in the meanders of what she knew was the passage that leads to the vault.

What wasn’t a surprise was when she happened to arrive in a gigantic cavern with armed men and Priests targeting her with banishment magic. Malicia began to cackle loudly, amused by this last-ditch effort to stall her. The gem on the sorceress’ scepter glowed red and she launched magical fire at her foes whose shields went down instantly and got immolated. Cries and screams of her victims echoed in the cavern and Malicia stopped laughing as she wasn’t feeling amused anymore. The ley-line had just shifted, it meant only one thing! Her feet reached the ground as she landed and deployed the most powerful shield spell that she knew off that created a black sphere around her; fire and light struck her defensive shield and she stepped back a bit under the assault.

“You will not get any closer to the vault, Demonling.” A strong and ethereal voice rang in the cavern.

The red and orange glowing humanoid form of a winged man appeared before the sorceress. A gleaming sword in his right hand and a shield in his left. The angel seemed to wear some kind of golden armor with a cape, strangely reminding her of a Roman centurion’s Lorica segmentata, a mail armor.

“Oh great, an Empyrean.” Malicia huffed and rolled her eyes.

Empyreans or Angels were the same as Demons but had kept their alignment to the light and served the ascended or more colloquially called, Gods.

“I, Camael, will destroy you and-” The angel grandly tried to say.

“Surely we can begin killing each other now?” Malicia interrupted him.

“How dare you int-” The angel looked affronted and began to say something. Malicia sent an Unholy Bolt toward him and the angel batted it away with his Etherium sword. The sorceress stowed her scepter into her spatial ring and took out two short swords made of black crystal and fed demonic energy into them. A purple aura radiated from the blades and the glowing angel flinched back at the sight of the darkness wrought weapons.

“Ebolythe, Sun steel, and Etherium's antithesis. Come at me little dove.” Malicia taunted as she put herself on guard, already sending unholy bolts toward the angel.

The fight for the vault had begun.

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Rome
The Fortress
09:03 PM


<I tire of waiting, humans.> The voice of the dragoness echoed in every Roman's head. <Are you such cowards that after I savaged your toys you are burying your heads in the sand? I am waiting for your heroes to come to try and defeat me. Or did you forgo the use of magic for those useless metal contraptions you sent against me? How unsightly.> Gadhiss said utterly baffled by the human reliance on science.

Meanwhile, Rome’s supergroups assembled and listened to the dragoness’ taunting with fists closed and teeth bared. Andromeda hit the round table she sat on with her fist, a noise of ringing metal was heard. Everyone from the super teams gathered looked at her. Il Campioni del Colosseo and Il Glorioso were present only La Tempesta’s team was missing.

“She’s pissing me off! Calling us weak and names!” Andromeda screamed while tearing her hair out.

“Andi, she took artillery volleys and missiles on and took out the jets and tanks sent after her would you be able to do so?” L'Arciere said as if talking to a child.

Everyone smiled at that, the grey walls they were enclosed in weighed less with the levity that those two from the Pegasus team generated.

“Hum, no.” Andromeda kept quiet after this, not wanting to ridicule herself even more. Her face was red with embarrassment.

“L'Arciere! Well met.” A beautiful masked woman appeared in the mission room of the Fortress. She was tall and solidly built, with brown hair and a blue bodysuit with a purple lightning bolt in a shield emblazoned on her chest.

La Tempesta team was finally here! Everyone’s mood was lifted as the star super team of Rome finally came. Following the masked woman, others similarly costumed appeared behind her that could only be distinguished by the coat of arms on their torso.

“Giove, my friend! It’s nice to see you.” L’Arciere went and hugged the tall woman fondly, kissing each of her cheeks.

At the same time, Giove took stock of the people already present, but she found that there was a missing member of the Pegasus team. The heroine squinted her eyes in dismay and asked in confidence, “I don’t see Riflettore with you, where is he?”

Giove had a crush on the young man who radiated benevolence and kindness.

“Hum he quit the team prior to this crisis, we don’t know where he is. Internal conflict in the team is the cause.” L'Arciere murmured in the heroine's ear.

Giove looked at her friend with the mouth wide open, astonished that an asset such as Riflettore wasn’t present.

“That is no good!” The tall woman was getting angry at the loss of a potential ace in the hole.

L’Arciere looked apologetic, she too couldn’t believe the timing of the blowout caused by the rift between two key members. Love or dating shouldn’t come between the needs of the people and the country.

“Well, it’s not really Riflettore’s fault, it’s because of-”

BOOM. The fortress walls shook and cracked, everyone braced themselves or put themselves under the big table for safety. The armored building continued to tremble until finally the worst that could happen happened.

<If you don’t come to me, then I shall come to you, Champions.> The Dragoness’ voice said.

“Oh fuck!” Andromeda cried.

<Now get out of this castle and come fight me, don’t make me dig you out.>

“We are coming, Lizard bitch!” Apollo shouted, taking his rifle and charging toward the exit.

<Fool, you’d forsake your troops to charge at me knowing you are outmatched? I shall level the playing field then, and fight at your level!>

“What does she mean?” Giove was stumped by what the dragoness said.

“I don’t know… but we can’t let Apollo fight alone!” Il Paladino said.

“Let’s go!” L’Arciere charged toward the exit too.

All the superheroes present followed her charge, some with excitement and others with misgivings about what they were about to do. The ringing of a phone could be heard and the ID of the caller was from the Apostolic Palace, the residence of the Pope.

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The Dragoness was crouched before the fortress that was located in the north of Rome in Della Vittoria, near the technology museum near the Viale Giuseppe Mazzini. Looking at the demolished walls, arcs of electricity surrounded the mother of dragons. L’Uomo d'Acciaio shot the dragoness in the nose with his energy rifle while exiting the Fortress, but it simply didn’t do anything to her.

<Finally. You have come to try and now I’ll reward your idiocy.> The body of the dragoness began to shrink.

L’Uomo d'Acciaio was so stunned by this action that he stopped attacking the Dragoness. Little by little an armored human shape with dark gold batlike wings appeared. The woman before Apollo was gorgeous, an otherworldly beauty. She had long gradient black and gold hair that ended in a golden fade at the end, golden eyes and a perky nose and lovely full lips. Her body was on the tall side and her naked arms bulged with muscle. She looked regal with the golden circlet on her head.

The armored hero's other team members arrived behind him and were confronted with the same vision as him.

“Mio Dio.” Il Paladino said while doing the sign of the cross.

<I am giving myself a handicap, now come at me.> The woman looked at them without moving her lips.

Everyone now knew that the dragoness had some form of telepathy going on and that it was her way of speaking and that it was her voice. Now they asked themselves how could she change from a big dragon to human form.

“Please can’t we resolve this without fighting??” Giove pleaded.

Everyone heard the laugh in their head when La Tempestas’s leader finished speaking.

<I remember a time when we Magical beings tried to negotiate with you, you treacherous apes. Your memories are short, you respect nothing beside riches and power; even though those are fleeting, no, youngling, there will be no parley today. I have come to test you.> The dragoness wings opened widely, and everyone flinched.

The heroes took out their weapons and attacked. Gadhiss closed her wings and moved as fast as lightning toward the armored hero L’Uomo d'Acciaio, batted away his rifle and took him by the neck, as she lifted him she said, <You all lack conviction in this fight, maybe I should motivate you.>

The sound of broken bones paralyzed everyone and they all went silent as the Dragoness let Andromeda’s brother fall dead on the ground. Everyone was shocked.

“NOOOOO!” Cordelia Asti aka Andromeda cried when she saw the fallen form of her brother.

The Dragoness in human form didn’t bother to stop Andromeda from reaching the body of her brother. She cradled his still form, crying and calling his name. Gadhiss looked amused by this scene as if the fleeting lives of those humans before her were nothing. It was hard for a being as old as the mother of dragons to feel compassionate, her way of thinking was alien and dragons were known for being stubborn and set in their ways.

<Should I kill more of you to take me seriously?> Gadhiss asked impatiently.

She didn’t know what was slowing Malicia down, someone as capable as her didn’t get stopped by anything short of a world-ending threat.

*What could keep her busy?* The dragoness asked herself.

Andromeda’s body stiffened when she heard the dragoness treat her brother's life so inconsequentially, the chains on her limbs glowed purple and arcs of electricity sparked out of them. Everyone stepped back when they saw this happening, all the superheroes remembered that Andromeda was a loose cannon when she gave in to her anger and hate.

“Kill her!” Andromeda shouted to her teammates. “No! I will kill you, myself!” Chains unfurled from the young woman’s limbs and at the end of each of them, arrowheads and blades appeared via the metal manipulation and struck at the dragoness’ head and stunned her momentarily. One of the blades buried in Gadhiss’ arm but didn't draw any blood.

<Nice try youngling, but you are not yet ready.> The dragoness said as she took the blade out and kept the chain in hand and pulled on it.

Used to this kind of action from other criminals and supervillains, Andromeda turned her chains into sand, glowing purple sand that floated in the air and attacked the dragoness who just stood there protected by her spherical mana shield. However, she lost her vision and everyone scrambled to take advantage of this. L’Arciere nocked an arrow, and the arrowhead shimmered with a blue light as energy gathered in the metal and she shot the projectile that flew at high speed almost breaching the sound barrier and struck the dragoness’ shield that cracked slightly. Gadhiss was surprised because she had finally found a magic user in the lot of them. A giant sword materialized in her right hand and she dismissed her shield. With a flap of her leathery wings, she scattered the metallic dust that obscured her view.

<Magnificent! Entertain me more!>

A bolt of lightning struck the dragoness but it was as if she didn’t feel it at all. Giove looked dumbstruck at the human-shaped dragon who smiled at her.

<I am immune to lightning, child. Let me show you what true electricity manipulation is.> Thunder rumbled in the sky.

But no bolt of lightning came from the heavens, instead only the electricity stored in Giove’s body was extracted and flowed towards the dragoness.

“Giove!” L’Arciere shouted.

Pain wracked the woman's body as she was being emptied of her energy. Il Paladino attacked the dragon woman swinging his sword which was blocked by Gadhiss’ sword that was held with one hand. The dragoness kicked him out of the way onto the cobbled street that cracked with the force of the impact and she stabbed him in the breastplate, her blade ignoring the defense of Il Paladino’s armor. The man spat blood. The other members of La Tempesta attacked her with different elemental attacks, water, air, fire but nothing affected the dragoness even though her shield was down. Il Gladiatore tore after the female dragon as if to tackle her but he was batted away with a slap of her left wing. The Il Glorioso team tried to attack the woman mentally or use telekinetic attacks against her but were stopped by the strength of the dragon’s will who rewarded them with lightning bolts and they went down. Andromeda attempted to wound the dragoness again by reforming her chains from the cloud of sand to seal her movements but Gadhiss was wise to it and sent a bolt of lightning at her too and the heroine went down. Giove was unmoving on the ground, still alive but incapacitated.

Gadhiss made short work of the rest of the Il Campioni del Colosseo team and the only ones left were the energy manipulator Stella Bella and L’Arciere. Stella sent a destructive light beam toward the dragoness who felt pain for the first time since she began the battle. A slight burn, but nothing she couldn’t manage; L’Arciere began to spam her magical arrows and forced the Dragoness to protect herself with her giant sword, using it as a shield.

<Yes, this is how you should have begun this fight! Too bad that the young Archer wasn’t born an elf, in a millennium or so she could have become a threat.>

“Shut up Dragon!” Stella Bella screamed as she hovered around the dragoness and fired beams of energy at her.

<Make me.> Gadhiss laughed as she taunted the energy manipulator who came floating at her and peppering her with painful beam rays that singed her skin.

The Dragoness felt the surge of magic coming from the sacrificial god’s fortress city where Malicia, the sorceress was clashing with… an angel? *Why does Hekate’s pet sorceress get all the good fights?! An Angel here! How rare.*

<I am bored, now I will finish you. Of all the Champions coming at me today only you two deserve to be called heroes. Now sleep.> Gadhiss said as she called on lightning and a cage of electricity formed around each of the heroines, L’Arciere and Stella Bella lost consciousness as they got shocked by more electricity than their body could handle.

The Dragoness deployed her wings and took flight leaving devastation and half of the super teams alive. She flew toward Saint Peter’s Basilica, a bit jealous of the fun Malicia was having.

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The Vatican
Underground Vault



Malicia stabbed her sword in the shoulder of the angel who in turn bashed her with his shield and sent her flying through the air, however she teleported behind him. Camael was about to bash her again when she disappeared and reappeared in the air sending a bolt of Unholy demon energy towards him, he almost avoided it but Malicia teleported and sealed his movements with the earth trapping his right foot and the bolt struck him in the head. Camael cried in pain and let go of his shield, unfurled his wings and with his powerful strength destroyed the earth encasing his leg. Golden blood flowed out of his wounds where Malicia had stabbed him. He looked at her with fear in his eyes, it was the first time he was this badly wounded since the war with Lucifer.

Black electricity-like energy struck him in the torso, his armor turning into scrap and the female demon coming from the sky tried to stab him in the head. The Angel deflected her sword with his own but her second weapon severed his arm. Camael didn’t even have time to scream as Malicia let go of her darkness wrought sword and by putting her palm on the angel’s now naked torso pierced his heart with an unholy beam of demon energy.

The Angel looked at her in shock, all his blood flowing from the puncture the sorceress pierced him with. Malicia then decapitated him with her Ebolythe sword, the angel’s head rolled on the stony ground as the sorceress whipped her sword in the air, glowing blood spilling on her leather catsuit. The other sword appeared in her hand as she teleported it to her and she stored them in her spatial ring. She did the same with the angel's sword and shield, she decided that she will give them to Elissa as a present.

“Not even a challenge, I battled stronger demons in Phantasia.” Malicia humphed and went toward the big steel doors of the vault at the end of the cavern.

The doors seemed mechanical at first sight, but it wasn’t as a shield shimmered into existence when the wards in the cavern detected the presence of the being that defeated the guardian of the vault. Malicia laughed when she saw how simplistic the enchantments on this were, with a snap of her finger the sound of breaking glass could be heard as the shield shattered and the ward matrix controlling the defenses was destroyed. It was easier now that the guardian angel had been dealt with. Malicia’s telekinesis spell opened the gigantic doors and what was revealed was a big space more akin to what would you see in a warehouse full of boxes and crates with electrical light shining on them. Red light covered everything as an alarm echoed in the cavern but Malicia muted it by destroying the speakers she saw throughout it. A ball of light appeared near the sorceress’s head and she walked toward the crates and examined them. She began to grin wolfishly as she saw the labels with a lot of familiar names written on them. Gáe Bulg, Circe’s staff, Fragarach, the Sword of Peleus, Durandal, and Gram. Legendary weapons that Malicia expected to see here, she went into another aisle and looked at more tags on big crates and saw the word Tarnhelm, a magic helmet giving the wearer the ability to change form or become invisible; There were a lot of enchanted items that had appeared in the history of mankind here, gifts from the gods or from magical creatures to humans. Treasures ranging from weapons, armor, clothing, outerwear, musical instruments, and jewelry. Malicia became interested in the magical stones section of the Vault, whose mana she could feel even as they were enclosed in iron boxes.

Malicia opened a shiny box with a steel exterior, there were flowers engraved on the lid; on the tag hanging on the box, the name Bezoar was written.

*Hmm if I remember this is a stone believed to have the power of a universal antidote against any poison.* Malicia pocketed the artifact in her spatial ring.

In fact, Malicia took out her Sanctum pendant, the artifact that was gifted to her by Hekate that could store plenty of items and was tethered to a pocket dimension, and connected mentally with it. She got out of the big warehouse and created a portal big enough to swallow the entirety of the goods present in the vault. As the portal advanced and all the artifacts and relics were being stored in the treasure room of the Sanctum space. It took well over five minutes to take everything and empty the entire vault.

“Mission accomplished.” Malicia allowed herself to smile at that.

Everything was done here

<Are you done, Sorceress?>

Malicia jumped from fright and looked behind her to find Gadhiss in her humanoid form. There were some light wounds on her arms and her face and some kind of metallic powder covered her skin. The sorceress was surprised that the dragoness allowed herself to look this dirty.

“You startled me, my Lady. Yes, I am finished.” Malicia said as she bowed her head slightly.

The dragoness looked around her, the smell of blood, burnt flesh and feces was pervasive. Bodies littered the ground and the glowing form of a downed angel was in the center of the cavern.

<I see that you took care of the Empyrean, was he strong enough?> The dragoness made a curious expression.

Malicia shook her head and said, “I dispatched him in under a minute, he wasn’t that strong.” She looked at the angel’s body with indifference. “This one had gotten soft if you want my opinion.”

<They have become cowardly and only fight from the shadows nowadays.> Gadhiss informed her.

“I agree with you. Shall we go now?” The sorceress asked.

<Yes, I will come back to your ‘school’ as was agreed. From what you told me, you own your own Demesne now.>

“Yes Lady Gadhiss, you have a permanent invitation to enter it.” Malicia offered yet again.

Gadhiss smiled. <How generous of you, sorceress. I shall accept.> The dragoness nodded and crossed her arms under her breastplate.

Malicia opened a portal and made a sign to the dragoness that she could pass, she entered it without a word and the sorceress closed it. She hoped that Gadhiss wouldn’t wreck her school too much… she still had half a major bill to pay after those Dwarven builders of the Forgemaster clan had built everything in a month. A decent chunk of her Mithril and gold went into the construction of her magical school. The Dae then teleported into her hotel room’s bathroom and wore her glamour, gone was the demon and here was her human form. Malicia took off her catsuit, boots, accessories, and belt; storing everything in her spatial ring.

The Dae chose to take a long and hot shower, she just realized that there was no light at all in the bathroom. She knew that it was a motion sensor light system that the room had, the sorceress forgot that she had invited Gadhiss to deflect the attention of the heroes while she was raiding the Vatican, but she must have gone farther than the plan intended. That’s what happened when she took outside help, they made things even more... difficult. At least she had water and her hotel room wasn’t destroyed. Once she was done with her ablutions, the sorceress dried off her body and hair.

The sorceress clothed herself in the dark, fortunately, her night vision was perfect even though she could only see in grey and white. She put on her underwear and a tight fitting white and purple dress and brown thigh high boots. Malicia then took her luggage and was about to teleport when she heard someone knock on the door. The sorceress went on guard, wary that someone might be onto her and went towards the door and looked through the peephole. Malicia’s eyes widened in surprise as she recognized the man behind the door. She opened it and Ezio Andreotti appeared.

“Signorina Malicia, please help me, you are my only hope.” Ezio pleaded as tears streamed down his face.

 

March 5th, 2018
Pocket Dimension
Daphne Snow School of Arcane Art
Princess Tower
05:30 AM




“Wake up, young mistress.”

Elissa heard the soft and enticing voice of someone in her ear and felt a hand caressing her head.

“Your hair is so smooth, young mistress.” Another voice, this time different from the first said and a set of hands passed in Elissa’s hair slowly stroking her head.

“If you don’t wake up I will kiss you.” the first voice said teasingly.

Elissa felt lips against hers and a tongue invading her mouth, she opened her eyes widely and saw the beautiful face of her demoness familiar. While the demoness deepened the kiss the redhead tried to pry Fenirael away from her but she didn't have enough strength. Feni’s hand slipped under Elissa’s black shirt, stroking her breasts. The demoness lured Elissa’s tongue into her mouth and cooed with delight as the redhead kissed her back, little by little it grew aggressive. Then her mouth slipped away and Elissa pushed Feni out of her bed. There were a loud BUMP and the laugh of the other naked demoness, Reinatiel at her side.

“You could have stopped her,” Elissa told Reinatiel.

The young girl considered Fenirael’s sister the more reasonable one of the two.

“Not at all, Feni is really stubborn as you experienced.” Rei looked at her impishly.

Elissa couldn’t say she did not like that kiss, after all, she had given in to it. But the fact that it wasn’t Dawn doing the kissing weirded her out.

“Hmph.”

“Come, young mistress, it is time to shower.” Fenirael was already at Elissa's side, taking her hand and pulling her out of the bed.

Reinatiel got out of bed and began to take Elissa’s clothes off, the young girl tried to resist but was overpowered.

“Girls, what are you doing? I can clean myself it's not like you are my handmaidens or something.” Elissa protested.

Fenirael and Reinatiel looked at each other, smiled and laughed at the young redhead's ignorance. But they kept their mouths shut, Queen Malicia had been adamant about not revealing Elissa's parentage to her. The punishment for doing so was promised to be horrendous. Elissa's pleading fell on deaf ears as she was unceremoniously carried to the bathroom straight into the shower cabin. Elissa felt the cold water wake her up and the dexterous hands of the demonesses as they carefully cleaned every inch of her body. Despite herself, the redhead felt pleasure at their ministrations but didn’t show it. Once they were done and they left her alone, Elissa brushed her teeth and dried her hair, then put on her sports bra and panties, donned her black under armor leggings and a white hoodie with ‘warrior’ written on it in big bold black letters.

Elissa took her time choosing which sports shoes to put on.

*White or blue and black?*

Reinatiel appeared at her side and took the white ones and put them in her hands, smiled and disappeared. And it was at this moment that the young girl understood that she will never know peace with those two around. Elissa sighed heavily and left her bedroom to take a quick big bowl of milk with her muesli cereals full of nuts and dried fruits. The young girl found her demon familiars already preparing her breakfast for her, she rolled her eyes and put herself before the dinner table.

Dawn appeared in her Pajamas and Elissa’s gaze roamed on her, she liked her bedhead look. The asian girl advanced blearily, she saw the redhead and went toward her, sat at her side and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

“Hi.” The asian girl saluted.

She looked and sounded still asleep, the redhead shook the asian girl who looked at her, smiling.

“Good morning,” Elissa answered.

Dawn then heard the noise in the kitchen, wondering what was happening. Then guessed that maybe Elissa was using magic to do breakfast.

“Hum, are you making breakfast?” Dawn asked.

Elissa shook her head and made an awkward face. “Not me, my familiars are.”

Dawn looked at the kitchen door and opened her mage sight, no one was there only floating cooking pans, milk jug, and a bottle of orange juice.

“Elissa there is no one here, but I see kitchen flying implements!” The asian girl said shocked.

*At least now she’s not half asleep anymore.* Elissa thought with mirth.

However something bothered her, how come she couldn’t see her two demonesses?

“Don’t you see them?”

“Nope.” Dawn shook her head.

Elissa realized that Feni and Rei were messing with the perception of everyone who wasn’t her and having fun with it.

“Don’t worry your pretty little head, I swear that my familiars are doing the job.” Elissa sighed.

“You have more familiars than the two birds I saw in the exam?” Dawn asked a bit envious.

“Uh-huh, a present from my mother.”

“Dang, you have it all, don’t you?” Dawn was thinking that Elissa got two spirits familiar, she couldn’t guess how wrong she was.

To the asian girl, a bowl full of milk and cereal was placed before her, the same happened to Elissa. Reinatiel put spoons before them and Fenirael placed glasses of fruit juice on the table. The black-clothed demoness winked at Elissa whose face reddened when she thought of the kiss they had exchanged.

“I would gladly give them to you, they are… a handful.” Elissa told Dawn.

The time passed as Elissa ate fast and Dawn consulted her smartphone when she saw a weird post on Facespace as she was about to look at her mom’s profile.

“DRAGON ATTACK IN ITALY!”​

“Oh My God! Look at this, Elissa.” Dawn passed her phone to Elissa.

The redhead was about to swallow her food when she began to read the article. The food suddenly got stuck in her throat because of the shock of seeing the article's title. Dawn slapped her back three times to relieve her. Elissa kept her eyes glued to the touchscreen of the phone and read avidly, there was even a video that she watched raptly. Elissa watched as the military in Italy was defeated in minutes by a big golden dragon that she was familiar with and then she remembered that her mother said that she had things to do in Italy. There was another article, showing that the Vatican was attacked by a powered person, the walls of the city-state and several historical sites were destroyed or damaged beyond repair. There were hundreds of wounded and sixty-three casualties. There were also casualties in Rome but surprisingly not a lot, there was that at least.

“Shit.” In the back of her head, Elissa knew that Malicia was behind this. "All I wanted was some pasta..." She lamented.

“What’s wrong, Eli?” Dawn was mystified by her friend’s behavior.

Elissa nailed Dawn with a stare full of anger, sadness and disappointment.

“I know the Dragon.” The redhead finally said.

Dawn flinched back, her eyes opening wide; she put a hand on Elissa’s arm.

“What? How?! Those are super rare you know.”

“This is my Aunt Gadhiss…” Elissa began to say.

Elissa was running in the school's gardens, freeing her mind from her problems, worries, and disappointment in her mother’s actions. The redhead told herself that maybe Malicia had a reason to do what she did and that she will be made aware of it later. As she ran, Elissa reached past the garden and onto the white cobbled road leading to the school and decided to continue until she reached the entrance of the pocket realm and loop around the school after that.

The young girl was about to go faster when she caught a sparkle of gold light in the periphery of her field of view which caught her attention. What or it’s better to say ‘who’ she saw in the meadow on her right made her fall on the ground but she caught herself with her hands. Elissa looked once more on her right and the gigantic form of a Dragon laid there on the bed of flowers. The young girl entered the meadow by jumping over the trees and walked towards where the head of the magical being could be found. The Dragoness, Gadhiss opened her lizard eyes peering down at Elissa. The two looked at each other for a long minute before the sibilant and powerful voice of the mother of the dragons echoed.

<I am still waiting for you to greet me, Youngling.>

“Hello, Aunt Ga-”

Sparks of lightning hit the space between Elissa and the Dragoness. Sweat ran down Elissa’s back, she had forgotten how stressful it was to interact with the mother of dragons. Gadhiss was stubborn, haughty, and a bully. But a good person nonetheless, at least that’s what she thought before this morning when she read the articles about her attacking Italy and killing superheroes.

<Speak as I taught you.> The dragoness ordered.

Elissa sighed heavily, circulated her mana in her body and let it invade her brain and permeate her spirit and pushed her thoughts at the dragoness.

<My apologies, aunty Gadhiss. It has been a long time since we saw each other, I had forgotten…> Elissa said with her mind.

<Good, you are finally speaking as a dragon should.>

Elissa remembered about telling the mother of dragons how she wanted to be like her when she grew up and to be able to turn into a dragon to fly in the sky; the redhead was twelve years old and didn’t know better. The dragoness had taken a shine to her and Cassandra and she had even taught her how to talk Draconic with her mind by using mana. The problem was also that she felt too intimidated to defy Gadhiss.

<How have you been, Cassie and I missed you.> The dragoness had lavished the two sisters with attention when they were younger, even letting one of her children take them flying.

<I was tending to my flock until your mother called on me for a favor.> The dragoness replied, closing her eyes she let her long tongue out, trying to smell the scent of the fresh flowers. She felt like waiting for the sun to come out for a good lie in, this was a good spot for it.

<Oh, may I ask what kind of favor it was?> Elissa tried to pry the information out of Gadhiss, she was curious about what her mother was up to.

The dragon's eye opened looking at Elissa who flinched.

<You may not.> The dragoness declared.

<Then can I ask you why you attacked Italy last night?> Elissa stood straight, she looked hard at Gadhiss.

The dragoness looked at the youngling, she was amused by the little girl trying to look menacing. Like a true dragoness would Gadhiss had always smelt dragon blood in Elissa's scent and it could be seen that distantly she had a drake in her family ancestry. That was why she had taken a shine to this youngling. The mother of dragons shrank to her humanoid form and placed herself before Elissa who didn’t even blink, their wills clashed as the two looked each other in the eyes. No one broke or averted their gaze. Gadhiss and Elissa smiled.

<I can answer this, simply put I was flying over that puny city called Rome, astonished by its growth since the last time I saw it and the puny humans attacked me with their toys. I retaliated.> The dragoness finally said.

Indeed, in Malicia's initial plan she was supposed to just distract the city by flying over it and roaring to scare the humans. Who would have thought that the humans would attack first with their ineffective war machine.

<Oh… you didn’t set out to destroy the city?> Elissa was taken aback by her aunt’s answer.

Gadhiss laughed loudly, thunder could be heard from afar when she did. <Why should I care about humans, youngling?> Said the dragoness, mildly amused.

Elissa felt insulted, normally she would never try to defy Gadhiss but she felt offended by what she said.

<But I am human!> Elissa cried.

<No you are not!> The dragoness immediately dismissed. She lost any joyful feeling when the girl she considered a little niece thought of herself like those inferior primates.

Astonished by this revelation, Elissa asked. <Huh? What do you mean.>

She felt human, looked human.

Gadhiss humphed and then looked at her claws. <You are not human I said.>

<Then what...am I?> The redhead voice became subdued.

Elissa didn’t understand where the mother of dragon was coming at.

<Your mother and sister aren’t human either, you don’t smell like one. That is all I will say.> The sibilant voice of Gadhiss echoed with finality.

Elissa knew that her mother had some demon blood in her and some Fae but her father was human and thought that it was just a question about strong genetics. The fact that she didn’t have horns like Cassie and Malicia had always hurt her, she felt different from them. Were they truly… related? Her mother wouldn’t lie to her, she was unable to.

<No, Aunty you can’t just drop a bomb like this and stop talking.> Elissa cried.

<Yes I can, this topic bores me. Bring me to this school your mother is so proud of.> The mother of dragon ordered.

Elissa wanted to protest, but Gadhiss’ stare showed that she didn’t want to answer any more questions. The redhead closed her eyes and calmed down.

<Please follow me.> The redhead said, but still she felt angry at Gadhiss.

She took the dragon by the hand and led her out of the meadow.

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Daphne Snow School of Arcane Art
08:00 AM




Dawn looked at Elissa who looked pissed, she had never seen such a scowling face on her before. The redhead didn’t look very approachable right now. She had come back into the tower earlier with a beautiful woman with wings who promptly took a room, then emptied the fridge of all the food and promptly went to sleep. The two girls had put their school uniforms on, it looked like the one from Tesla Academy, a white shirt with tie and a black skirt with knee socks, however near the academy's emblem there was a logo consisting of a magical circle with runes inside it; the two girls had chosen to modify their uniforms with their magical accessories and to not wear the shoes matching with the uniform, Elissa had chosen to go with black ankle boots with short heels and Dawn with pink and grey sneakers.

The asian girl took Elissa’s hand in hers, the redhead looked at her and her face reddened but she didn’t take her hand away. Dawn felt satisfied having changed her friend’s mood. They were going to the underground amphitheater to meet the other new students and the teachers. Elissa couldn’t wait to see Malicia as she had a lot of questions to ask her, the sorceress had ignored all the phone calls she made so far. The young girl had become depressed.

A redheaded girl in the same uniform as them with cat ears and tail passed them as she ran like the wind, a tall black-haired young man was running after her, he also wore the school's uniform, white shirt, black tie, and pants but it looked rather tight on him showing off his muscled body. The young man’s voice rang when he couldn’t catch up to the cat-eared girl. “Tabitha! Come back here and give me back my wallet!”

“Catch me if you can, Kester!” The catgirl shouted.

The young man growled and suddenly gained in speed however he still couldn’t catch up to the fast and agile cat girl, as he tried to tackle her she danced away from his powerful arms. Elissa ran after her as she decided to help the guy get his belongings back. The catgirl as fast as she was, couldn’t avoid Elissa at her fastest speed, the redhead caught her by the collar of her shirt. The cat girl made a strangling noise. Elissa caught her arm and Tabitha tried to flee but was firmly caught.

“Who are you? Release me!” The cat girl screamed.

She struggled but Elissa had a death grip on her, but she took care not to hurt her with her superior strength.

“Stealing isn’t good,” Elissa said.

“I caught you, Tabs!” The tall young man said.

The young man named Kester lumbered toward the three girls, huffing and puffing, he was not sweating, however. This showed that he wasn’t quite human, to the girls he looked rather wild. Dawn looked at the catgirl, she was a redhead with catlike blue eyes and tanned skin; she was taller than Dawn by an inch, had big breasts and a toned body. The catgirl showed a lot of teeth and distinctly elongated canine.

“No you didn’t, she did.” The catgirl glared at Elissa who just smiled at her.

Kester looked at Elissa awkwardly and waved briefly at her.“Ah, thanks!”

“We can’t frisk her, Tabitha right? Why don’t you give this guy his wallet and I will treat you to something later?” Elissa said she didn’t want to strip the girl before the young man or something humiliating like that.

“Tssk.” The catgirl’s shoulders slumped and she took the wallet from between her breasts as she showed off her cleavage with her slightly unbuttoned shirt. “Take your wallet, loser wolf.” She threw it in the air and the guy caught it.

“Thanks, stop stealing Tabs, a cute girl like you shouldn’t be doing this.” The tall young man tried to look serious but didn’t manage it well. He tried to pat her head but she batted his hand away with hers and tried to claw his face.

“Shut up! I do what I want!” The cat girl’s face was so red she looked like a tomato.

Dawn and Elissa were giggling when they saw the show those two were putting on.

“Come with us to the amphitheater, I am Dawn by the way, and this is Elissa.”

“I am Anthony Volf Kester, and this is the resident klepto cat, Tabitha.” The young man introduced himself and did the same for the catgirl.

Tabitha hissed. “Fuck you, Kester!”

“It could be arranged, beautiful,” Kester said smoothly.

“Ok, ok calm down and come on you two.”

“Hmph.” The catgirl placed herself between Elissa and Dawn, ignoring the dancing brows of the tall dark haired guy.

The four of them entered the school's hall and were shown the way by a fairy with blue hair and dark blue butterfly wings who floated towards them and bid them to follow her. Elissa didn’t visit the inside of the school and she was struck by the beauty of the craftsmanship inside and it all looked dwarven made! Still, the classic architectural baroque style was the same as the one Elissa saw when she lived in France, a country where she will never place her feet again. The redhead didn’t hate the people but loathed the government after they had tried to kidnap her from her parents. It’s because of them that she still had nightmares after killing all those scientists and security guards.

Anyway they went into an elevator where they met a female goblin with purple skin and pink hair, she wore a brown jacket, red skirt, and yellow top, Elissa recognized her instantly. The elevator lurched downward and the numbers on the electronic screen showed the number of underground levels the school actually had.

“Grandmaster Bridgeburn!” The redhead shouted.

The female goblin looked startled and looked troubled as she seemed to recognize Elissa. “?”

Elissa stood next to the Grandmaster in the elevator’s cage and began to say, “I am one of your greatest fans! My name is Elissa Von-” but she was interrupted.

“Me, know who you are. C’mere give your hand.” The goblina held her clawed hand before her, waiting.

Elissa put her hand palm open in the goblina’s hand, who began smelling it and looking at the calluses on the young girl’s hand.

“Hmm, you do Alchemy too. Good, good.” Histreldia Bridgeburn was an expert and could spot a fellow alchemist.

Elissa smiled, she tried to take her hand back but the goblina had it firmly in her clawed hand.“Hum, can I have my hand back, please.” The redhead asked.

Histreldia looked at the girl with her amber-like eyes, smiled and said,“Oh yes yes, sorry sorry.”

While the elevator kept descending, Dawn was having a heated discussion with Tabitha who smiled slyly at her and looked between her and Elissa. The Asian girl was blushing furiously, meanwhile, Kester kept looking at Tabitha with a lovestruck expression. The catgirl ignored him, preferring not to speak to the loser. The blue-haired Fairy choose to not comment on the behavior of those big humans and huffed on the perch specially made for the little people in the elevator.

“So, how do you know me,” Elissa asked, wanting to know Histreldia more.

“Your matriarch. She speaks a lot about you.” Histreldia said without looking at Elissa. The goblina was writing something in a notebook that she had taken from her brown jacket.

“Ah?” That surprised Elissa.

It got the attention of the others who smelled good gossip and listened with rapt attention.

“Always saying how much trouble you get into, she called you a magnet.” The goblina continued.

Elissa heard the snickers of the rest of her friends around her and her cheeks reddened in embarrassment. Finally, the elevator arrived at their destination and she could be spared from further humiliation, Dawn took her hand, and dragged her out of the elevator as the Blue Fairy was already waiting for them in the corridor.

“This is the corridor leading to the amphitheater!” The Fairy turned herself around while flying and then disappeared in a shower of blue sparks.

“Well shit, at least we know Fairies can really become invisible now,” Tabitha grumbled.

“Yeah, and they make good spies…” Informed Kester.

“I already knew this, ok let’s go guys.” Elissa walked away from the elevator.

Histreldia followed them, still writing in her notebook.

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Daphne Snow School of Arcane Art
Amphitheater
08:30 AM




Malicia looked around in the seats facing her, she was on the stage with the teaching staff behind her, her notes were on the lectern with the magic item that will amplify her voice for all to hear. Unfortunately, there were only eight students for the moment and it didn’t motivate the chairwoman very much to do her speech. The sorceress looked at Elissa who was in the front row with her new friends; the space mage girl who she bunked with, the mystic catgirl Tabitha and the Werewolf boy Kester. Malicia squinted her eyes, by the way Elissa had her hand on Dawn’s they weren’t just... friends. The sorceress smiled wryly, she didn’t expect Daphne’s blood to be this strong and her sexual preferences to be the same as her daughter's.

*Like mother, like daughter.* She had thought that Elissa would be straight, but she seemed to like either sex.

The last four students came in and sat in the front row apart from Elissa’s group. They were the unbound Dryad, Vampire, shadow mage and the enslaved fire mage Wayne Griffins that Malicia had ‘recruited’ through her connections with the small family of mages, the Faes and the Vampire council she serviced with her security ward business. A cone of light came to illuminate Malicia in all her splendor; she wore a black and silver pantsuit with heels, had styled her hair in a tight bun and had spectacles on her nose, a magical item to permit her to see from afar and read at ten times the speed of a normal person.

“Test, test, 1, 2, 3. Ah, it works very well.” Malicia tested the amplifying enchantment.

The sorceress coughed twice and then began to look through her notes and started.

“Greeting, new students! I am Malicia Von Braun-Halliwell, the Chairwoman of this school.” There were only eight students and some low Faes like fairies, pixies, and brownies as the school's personnel who are hearing it.

“I would like to officially welcome you all as new students of this newly established school, the Daphne Snow School of Arcane Art. Your attendance here today is not only the fruit of your own hard work. You're here because of the people who gave you a second chance in life. You're here because of the loving support of your friends and family who want the best for you.”

Malicia glared particularly at the young Vampire, Tabitha the cat girl and the werewolf Volf Kester. They have come here as a charity as they had nowhere to go, the sorceress was their defacto foster mother now. It was a favor asked by two of her clients who now owed her big for this service. Tabitha and Volf averted their gazes from Malicia’s.

“The school has high hopes for you as you go on to shape the future of this country and the world.” Malicia didn’t believe that at least not this world but the one she came from.

“Next, I would like to recognize a few of our distinguished teachers. First, we have the Alchemist Grandmaster Histreldia Bridgeburn.” The cone of light moved from Malicia to focus on the pink haired goblina at the sorceress’ side who waved at the students. “She will be teaching Alchemy to those interested in it, but I must warn you, she’s very strict.” The goblina smiled and then returned to her notebook.

“We also have the Storm Sorceress, Nerine, a mermaid from the Tritonian empire of the Pacific, she’s a good person to work with, you’ll have fun.” The light moved onto Nerine, who was a short woman with blue hair and azure colored eyes, her face was soft and her expression was really playful. She had a lithe body and looked used to always being on the move. She was after all a mermaid and the students were only seeing her human form. The mermaid’s gaze focuses entirely on Elissa and no one else. The redhead bristled under the attention.

“Also in attendance, we have Yastan Forgemaster a blacksmith of the Forgemaster Clan and one of the esteemed contributors who built this school.” A strong bodied and muscled dwarf-like man with long brown hair and dark eyes advanced and the light shone upon him, he began to take a pose and show off his muscles. Malicia rolled her eyes and focused on her speech. “He will be teaching Blacksmithing to those who want to know how to make their own weapons. He is a really dedicated teacher, show him respect and he will help you to the best of his abilities.”

“There are other teachers who couldn’t come today but will be here tomorrow. You’ll get to know them soon enough. On behalf of the faculty and staff of the Academy, I would like to extend a very warm welcome, and thank you for joining us on this special day.” Malicia said.

Dawn began to clap and the others followed suit, but Elissa didn’t. Malicia was worried when she saw her daughter's scowling face, who was glaring at her.

“Hum, thank you. In pursuing a meaningful school life, I would like to make three important suggestions.” Malicia avoided Elissa's gaze and continued.

“The first is to build up your physical and mental strength. You’ll be able to go train with the mystical combat teacher, do your best. Your body is still in the process of growing. Please live a healthy school life with a balanced routine of meals, sleep, and exercise. Involve yourself in athletic activities, cherish friendships, and learn sportsmanship. A healthy body and mind will give you confidence and high self-esteem.

“The second is to study hard, above all else. Dedicate yourself to your studies and polish your language abilities.” The sorceress planned to work them to death, those poor students didn’t understand in what pit they had fallen into.

“My final advice is to always respect others.” Malicia planned to severely punish anyone who broke the rules of this institution. The punishments she was going to inflict were going to be legendary. She had already enchanted a slew of cursed items just for this moment, it gave the sorceress potential students to feed on! Life was about to be even better than the drab existence of a housewife she has been relegated to when she was at home.

“Everyone has a different cultural background, customs, and perspective at our school. Please do not assume that there is only one answer. Try to be open-minded, and respect those who inspire you to consider a different way of thinking. Through your appreciation of others, you will naturally begin to feel gratitude toward everyday things, and learn the importance of contributing to society.

“We have gathered here today to commemorate our first Entrance Ceremony in the Amphitheater, which was constructed thanks to many generous contributions, it will be used not only as a place for special events, but also as a space for learning, extracurricular activities, cultural exchanges, and as a stage to showcase our student’s creativity and talent. Let us remember to be conscientious as we celebrate and continue to use this space.

“I wish you the very best, and congratulations again, new students!” Malicia finished as she watched everyone while smiling. She loathed these kinds of goody-two-shoes niceties, that speech had made her feel as if she was a hypocrite. But as her father once told her, sometimes you ought to do what you like the least to advance in life.

Everyone clapped, the personnel of the school, the teaching staff, and the students but only one person didn’t as she glowered at her mother from where she sat.

The new students were shown the facilities around the school, the running track, the practice field, and the swimming pool. Then there was also the alchemy lab which was well away from the school as it was dangerous to even connect it to the main building. Then there was the Forge that was underground and looked like a modern one, there was even a mana forge chamber that was just a white room with ingots of all sorts of metal. The teacher, Yastan was really proud of this one room as he left everything in his clan to come work here just for it.

The brownies who were members of the cooking staff showed the students the way to the big cafeteria where they were shown a table where pastries and hot food were displayed. The cafeteria was three hundred square meters and decorated with posters about healthy food and rules of conduct on its wall, there were ten rows of tables near the kitchen. Wayne, the fire mage, sat with the duo of Elissa and Dawn, Dawn watched him like a hawk. He was about to speak with Elissa when the Asian girl gave him a kick under the table, he looked at her with a glare but the shaking of Dawn's head told him to not try. Then he really looked at the redhead and noticed that she was angry, really angry.

“What happened?” He asked hesitantly.

Dawn shrugged. “I don’t know, she has been like this since she returned with her aunt.”

“Her aunt? Her family is here?” Wayne became less excited by this prospect.

Everyone in Elissa Von Braun’s family seemed to be too powerful and too ruthless to his liking. He had pledged himself to her family but it didn’t mean that he had no misgivings about it; Wayne was still shocked by the type of training he was being made to do under Malicia. She had told him to forgo fire magic for now and focus on his weaknesses, water magic! The sorceress was even teaching him a mana control technique to toughen his spiritual meridians.

“More or less…” Dawn answered, worried for her friend.

Elissa’s gaze became harder and she broke her phone out of her pocket and began to text on it, oblivious of everyone around her.

Elissa: Mom we need to talk.

After thirty-second Malicia answered, it was a change from the radio silence from before.

Mal: What for?

Elissa: You killed all those people.

There Elissa said it, she hoped that her mother felt responsible, had remorse about it...

Mal: Yes.

Was Malicia only reply, she didn’t try to justify herself or lie to her.

Elissa: What for?

The redhead waited with bated breath the answer of her mother.

Mal: I will tell you when you get your magic back.

Yet again she dodged the subject, it was becoming a trend Elissa began to loathe.

Elissa: You can’t do this, I have a right to know!!

Elissa’s phone case creaked so much she held the phone too tightly.

Mal: This is my business, Elissa.

Malicia wasn’t cooperating, normally she would try to give a good reason for the things she was doing.

Elissa: Mom, what happens when they discover it was you?

Mal: Nothing major, I will deal with whatever they throw at me.

Malicia didn’t sound worried through the text, all the answers seemed so matter of fact.

Elissa: I see…

Mal: Will you fight with me?

Malicia asked she had even added a smiley face.

Elissa: You know I will.

The redhead inhaled and sighed loudly as she locked her phone and looked around her, Dawn looked worried and she asked herself why Wayne was there.

“What are you doing here?” Elissa scowled at the fire mage, she didn’t have a good impression of him.

He had reminded her of a prick she knew on the football team of her ex-high school. A rather stalkerish idiot that she had to ‘dissuade’ from hounding her. Wayne leaned in his seat and began to eat from the plate full of donuts he had taken from the buffet. The young man noticed that Elissa’s glare didn’t let up and smiled at her.

“Just being friendly,” Wayne said.

Elissa rolled her eyes and stared daggers at Dawn who was chewing on succulent buttered bread that she was eating with milk. She swallowed, giggling at the same time and said, “Hey don’t look at me like that, he invited himself.” Dawn lightly punched her friend’s arm.

“Fine.” Elissa huffed.

The redhead went to serve herself from the buffet and took a mountain of donuts, cream scones, chocolate muffins and cookies of all flavors available with some freshly pressed orange juice. When she got back Dawn looked at her as if she was crazy to have taken this much food, but as Elissa began to polish off the plate of sugary wonder, the Asian girl didn’t worry anymore. When Elissa was done and completely satisfied, Wayne decided to ask what he came for.

“Hum, why don’t we forget what happened between us and start over, Von Braun?” The young man said.

He had tried to say it nonchalantly but it came off with a hesitation born of the inferiority complex he felt toward the girl who destroyed his confidence in a park forest. Elissa looked crossly at the young man.

“Before saying things like that, did you forget to say something to me?” Elissa said while licking her finger full of sugar.

Wayne’s face became thoughtful, he tried to remember all the interactions he had with the beautiful redhead. Then something clicked in his mind as he recalled their fights and the way he had called her.

“Hum, I am sorry for calling you a monster.” The black haired boy tried.

Elissa nodded.“That’s a good start, what else?” But continued to make the boy sweat, it was one of her favorite pastimes in her previous school.

Dawn looked at Elissa who didn’t notice that she had a bit of chocolate cream at the side of her mouth, all the gravitas she had tried to muster with Wayne just disappeared when the boy tried not to laugh at her. Wayne avoided looking at Elissa’s mouth and focused on her eyes and told her, “Sorry to have been a prick while we were fighting?”

Elissa turned her head toward Dawn.

“Lo and behold, he can be taught, Dawn.” She laughed.

The Asian girl made a sign to Elissa that had some chocolate around her mouth and the redhead wiped it off with some tissue, she looked embarrassed, and Wayne thought she was cute when she wasn’t being intimidated.

“I didn’t expect it too, maybe him fumbling or stuttering.” Dawn teased.

“Hey, I am not some clueless guy.” Wayne wasn’t used to this kind of treatment from girls.

He looked lost and embarrassed.

“My apologies then, Sir Griffin,” Elissa said while laughing at him. When she finally settled she sighed again and said, “I guess we can start anew.” She held her hand before him.

Wayne, with the speed of a cobra, took Elissa’s hand and shook it.

“You won’t regret it, Elissa!” He said pleased by this turn of events.

His school life promised to be less shitty than he thought now that the person he thought would be the school's little star will not make his life hell. Elissa looked at him hard, her smile was less than pleasant.

“I hope you don’t make me.” She said coldly.

The day ended on a good note, Elissa made up with Wayne Griffin, got to speak briefly with her mother and was waiting hand and foot on Gadhiss who had woken up in the evening, and went to meet Malicia and left just like that. The girls looked at the news that was still going on about Italy, Dawn didn’t question Elissa about her dragoness aunt as she stayed tight-lipped about the subject, the redhead was just looking at what happened. A quarter of the Superteams of Rome suffered casualties, two of them were completely annihilated, the population lost trust in them as they failed to defend their cities, same for the military. L’arciere, the representative of the surviving team gave an interview on what happened and gave the video of the fight to prove her point, the Dragoness was too strong. They still received jeers from the other teams in Italy who said they could have done better.

“When she reappears and humiliates you, I shall say that you could have done better,” L’Arciere commented back on Mybook, the superhuman network. Elissa had ‘liked it’, Dawn too.

Elissa and Dawn noticed that the world had changed, people were now afraid that even with all the powers they had they still couldn’t hold a candle to these kinds of new threats. The redhead went to sleep with a full belly after a hot shower and began to dream, dream about Xara.

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It was night when my daily meditation session ended, I was outside the Hurricane temple in a cave where Inshek movement techniques were engraved on the wall. I had already stayed there for one month, thanks to the spatial ring I could eat from my stocked food and water for a long time. Still, I felt grimy and unclean.

I felt like shit as my body hurt all over. I couldn't believe that it has already been six months under the tutelage of Master Tempest. How did I survive? Even though I was an ancient human my strength, speed and flexibility had been tested to the limit and I was found wanting by the master.

Going outside the cave I found myself in the temple’s courtyard yet again, the difference was that Master Tempest had carved a giant statue out of a mountain-sized boulder that he had transported from the mountain to the Oasis where the Hurricane temple is. It was the statue of a warrior who had one hand empty and palm open to the sky, his other hand brandished a sword. Master Tempest had put the statue in the center of the courtyard for aesthetic reasons it seems. I felt the cold air of the desert night and it invigorated me, those of us from the Ducal House of Snow thrived in the cold as ice was the main element that all our family members were born with.

I remembered how in this courtyard my training went for the last six months, half-naked and sweating I had to do strength training by lifting boulders ranging from the size of a man to a house. Evading mana projectiles while blindfolded or having a giant Chimera chasing me all day long to build my speed. Master Tempest was a cruel slave driver. But he had praised me on my Mana manipulation and my tenacity, however, I had begun to lose hope of ever learning Inshek. I then had a breakthrough when I had stopped thinking and just let myself go.

I breathed in and out and let my Mana circulate in my body and moved following the katas Tempest taught. It was like dancing under the three moons and letting my body have a conversation with the night. The secret of Inshek was about breathing, and knowing yourself and being one with the world; to fully express oneself with nature, one must have no limitations.

As I went faster, Mana imbued my limbs and I jumped high into the palm of the statue of the soldier before me. Inshek was the art of expressing the human body and a user of this style should be like water and the wind, able to move fluidly without hesitation. I danced in the Stony palm, then I punched, kicked, jumped and somersaulted and landed on the wrist of the giant Stony soldier. I relaxed and breathed out, I felt mana the source of magic flow into me, coursing through my spiritual meridians, forming the magical circuit of my body.

It was a rush, and I couldn’t believe that I was ever reluctant to unseal my mana core. Mana and cosmic energy were all around me, in the atmosphere, the land, and the oceans. I felt that I was close to being one with the world and when this happened I would truly be able to master Inshek. When I opened my eyes the glow of my Mana shimmered around my body forming a white and gold aura, I punched and kicked the air, my hands and feet moved like a blur creating gusts of air. Suddenly I felt someone coming at me with surreal speed and I lowered myself, contorting my body and avoided being punched in the face and jumped back from my assailant, put myself in a combat stance and saw... Tempest.

His face has this superior smile that grated on my nerves and I did something I wasn’t used to, I jumped towards him rotated my body and extended my leg to make a wide sweep of the leg to try and kick him in the neck. Tempest stopped it with his left forearm. Then he countered me with a kick of his own and sent me flying, as I righted myself and landed in the stony palm I looked at my master.

He saluted me with a fist in his palm and a light bow, I answered in kind then in unison we put ourselves in the Inshek side horse stance. My master charged towards me at breakneck speed, I blocked his jabs with my forearms and I used an oblique kick to block his own. This exchange continued for a good thirty seconds until I somersaulted away from him. Master Tempest went into a stance I recognized and that made me open my eyes wide as his aura glowed around him.

My mage sight saw him focus mana in his leg and flash step towards me as he extended his arm. I could barely follow my master's movements but I blocked his punch, however as I braced myself the powerful impact made me step back about six meters.

I looked at my master and decided to try the same move, I let go of myself and relaxed, breathed in and circulated my golden and white mana, the energy enveloped me and I focused it in my legs, using the footwork master Tempest had taught me, I skipped as if I was rope jumping and then charged him as I used the same flash step. I attempted to punch his smug face but he caught my fist in his hand. The impact caused shock waves and the displacement of air.

Master Tempest gave me an appreciative glance. I felt as if he could see through me, it wasn't a good sensation. Why did I always feel so inept when I was in his presence? The Catman let go of my fist and bowed to me, I did the same. He looked at me with a warm look as he showed me a satisfied smile.

“Good you understand the essence of Inshek. Now, all you need is more control over your mind and body. Mana is finite, learn to use it sparingly. Try to become one with the world.” Master Tempest sat, a blue aura surrounded him.

“Thank you for your advice, Master.” I was truly thankful, he had confirmed what I was thinking.

“It's getting late you should go sleep” Tempest closed his eyes and began to meditate in the stony fist of the statue.

I bowed.

“I shall go right now.”

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March 6th, 2018
Princess Tower
03:47 AM



Elissa woke up with a start, she felt even more tired than the last time she had woken up after dreaming of Xara. It was even weirder, it was as if she was Xara and Xara was her, her body hashed and she could feel her bones creak. It was as if she had trained in the same way as her ancestor. The redhead rose from her bed and took off her damp t-shirt, as she looked at herself in the mirror before her, she noticed something wrong. Her right hand traced the contour of her naked torso, since when did she have so many muscles? Sure she was athletic, but she tried to avoid looking buff. Elissa flexed her arms muscles and looked at her abs and legs...

*What the hell happened?* She thought in her heart.

Then she remembered what Malicia had told her about her genetic memory ability, that the skills and knowledge of her ancestors would become hers, the more she allowed their experiences to soak her mind. Elissa relaxed and then she tried to do as Xara did in her dream and the redhead was astonished by the result. It was as if she had done this for years. She began to let the mana circulate in her body like she had felt Xara had done it. She breathed in and out. A golden and white aura enshrouded her body, Elissa felt at ease, powerful, even better than when she was training with the Amazons.

The young girl gave a crazy smile and sat cross-legged on her bed and began to meditate, she let her mana flow through her body from her mana core to her spiritual meridians. As Elissa opened her eyes she looked around, mana and another form of energy were there all around her.

*Was this what Xara had called Cosmic energy?* Elissa tried to take it in.

Her body didn’t even resist and gulped it down, a pleasurable sensation inundated her senses. Elissa gave in to this feeling as she closed her eyes and through this sensation of luxury contentment she truly felt at ease for the first time in this world. Time passed and Elissa was suddenly jerked awake by someone.

“Mistress?” It was Reinatiel’s voice.

“Huh?” Elissa was finally able to be cognizant as she opened her eyes, yes she was in her room.

The redhead looked at the tanned beauty before her

“Please wake up, you have to go to Tesla Academy this morning for your physical assessment.”

Elissa looked at the time it was already 06:00 AM, and as if she was a cat her hair bristled. “OH SHIT.” she screamed and charged into her bathroom.

“Well, sister, you should have interrupted her earlier,” Fenirael told her little sister.

The demoness hugged her sister from behind, putting her chin on Rei’s head. The white-clothed demoness leaned into her big sister and put her hands on hers.

“No, she was taking in Cosmic energy consciously for the first time. Now everything has truly begun.” Reinatiel felt gleeful. The time to take their revenge and their world back was soon upon them.

Fenirael looked more ambivalent she had come to like the young Princess. Knowing what such a good girl was going to go through saddened her. “Yes, and it pains me to see that she will suffer. But at least now she can grow in power.” Feni said.

Reinatiel’s eyes became softer as she pondered over what her sister said. But she was confident that whatever the fates dished out, Elissa would come out on top.

“Yes, she will.”

 

March 6th, 2018
Mercer Island
Tesla Academy
06:45 AM




Elissa was late! She arrived in the parking lot of the academy by car. The meditation she had done this morning and the elated feeling she had when she had taken in that new energy she felt around had made it impossible to tell how much time had passed. Tesla Academy covered the south end of the island, from Island Crest Park to South Point and was smack dab in the middle of that claimed territory; the entrance to the pocket dimension of the Daphne Snow was on Island Crest Way near the installations connected to the Academy.

The young woman parked her car in the slot reserved for students with transportation. There were other vehicles already there, ranging from a beat-up Toyota to an old school Hyundai, in the shadow of the big pyramidal-like building of the academy. Elissa understood that it was mostly for show and that the installations of the school were underground a bit like for Daphne Snow. Elissa looked at her makeup in the mirror, slicked a rebellious wick of hair back out of her face and then finally exited her Camaro. She was in her school uniform and had a black gym bag with sport clothes inside and some pemmican bars for breakfast as she didn’t have enough time to eat in her dorm. The redhead pressed a button on her key and locked her car’s doors.

Elissa still had fifteen minutes to get to the hospital wing of the academy. The young woman walked through the car lot, noticing the obvious cameras and with her sharp hearing the hidden ones that still made sounds. Thanks to Elissa’s CLO, the little Communicator, Locator, and Organizer that was the single most important thing in the territory of Tesla Academy, she had everything on it, her bank, her phone’s contacts, a map, and even internet. It seemed that it also acted as some kind of security pass because when Elissa entered the school the parking barrier opened by itself.

Finally finding the elevator hall, Elissa quickly consulted her CLO to know which one she needed to take to get to the medical facility. The elevator’s doors opened and Elissa voiced where she wanted to go. Basement four, the holo map in the elevator control showed a big underground complex with three sub-levels. The redhead waited till she arrived, it took a good five minutes. When the door opened she was welcomed by a tall black woman in her mid-twenties with gorgeous African braids wearing a lab coat over a blue shirt and black skirt. Her brown eyes were kind and her expression showed that she was waiting for her and was excited, to put it mildly. Pinned on her lab coat there was a badge with her name and picture on it.

*Doctor Sandra Jordan.* Elissa read.

The woman gave a beautiful smile, and as she showed her teeth Elissa noticed how white and shiny they were. This doctor could have been a model for toothpaste ads.

"Um...hi there, I'm-" The redhead found herself a bit overwhelmed by the doctor's raw enthusiasm.

“Elissa Von Braun, I am so happy to meet you! I am Doctor Sandra Jordan, please follow me.” The woman said enthusiastically.

Elissa followed the peppy woman who almost skipped towards the end of the corridor and when they reached it she made movements with her hand signalling to the girl to enter. The young woman found she didn’t know how to handle people like this woman; she was reminded of her sister always making others go at her rhythm.

Elissa passed through the door and was stupefied by what she saw; the well-lit room looked like it was straight out of a sci-fi film like Cosmic Wars. She remembered a particular scene from that movie because Queen Zaboo had been making out with the star knight Alarkin. The room was at least one hundred meters across, and Elissa saw something that resembled a massive computer screen on the right wall, a lab chair with white cushions that looked too comfortable to be real. There were similar chairs in front of each of the other walls of the room. Chrome was everywhere: appliances, machines, and tools Elissa didn't even have names for were neatly organized on the tables in the room. The smell of disinfectant was everywhere, and the bright lights and LEDs glowing on every electronic tool sparked Elissa's curiosity.

Doctor Jordan invited Elissa to put her gym bag near the white chair.

“I watched the videos of your exam placement. We monitored everything, and you are the third superhuman we’ve discovered so far with multiple abilities.” Doctor Jordan began without preamble.

Elissa went still and began to think fast about what she must say; she decided to use the usual lie about just having sharpened senses, healing, and cryokinesis. Her face became neutral and her voice matter of fact.

“With my cryokinesis and heal-” Elissa began to say.

Doctor Jordan's demeanor completely changed, she looked at Elissa as if she had caught a particularly naughty child with her hand in the cookie jar. The doctor crossed her arms and said, “Don't take me for an idiot young lady, I know you have more of them.”

Elissa fought to not show her surprise and tried keeping her poker face. She put her hand before her, palm open and shrugged.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” She decided to keep lying.

Doctor Jordan rolled her eyes, put her hand on her CLO, causing the supercomputer’s screen on the wall to turn on. Videos of her exam and data on her vitals opened and for long minutes Elissa kept silent while watching what could be constituted of ‘damning evidence’. There was a video of her speaking with her ravens and them doing exactly what she wanted. Another video of Dawn and her speaking Japanese with the proficiency of natives. The blatant invasion of privacy aside, Elissa felt trapped.

“I know for certain that you can learn languages really fast and speak to animals.” Doctor Jordan said smugly. The smile on her face was telling Elissa to go ahead and try to lie to her face again.

The redhead shut her eyes, sweating nervously.“Wow, maybe I should avoid this physical thing after all.” She turned heel and went to get her gym bag.

Doctor Jordan caught Elissa’s hand and stopped her from fleeing.“Ah-ah, where are you going? Does having multiple abilities bother you?”

When Elissa turned and looked at the doctor to tell her to let go she found the black woman with a puzzled expression. To doctor Jordan she couldn’t understand this young woman, normally kids like her loved fame and recognition, so advertising that she is a holder of multiple abilities should have pleased her. Elissa stopped trying to make the woman unhand her and considered that maybe she needed to speak about it like a mature young adult.

“Doctor Jordan…” Elissa began.

The black woman made another beautiful smile, Elissa realized that this person was the kind that was difficult to hate and disarmed you with kindness.

“Please call me Sandra.” The black woman said as she flipped some braids.

Elissa sighed heavily and prepared to negotiate with the woman while complying to call her by her given name. “Sandra, can you keep my other abilities confidential?” The redhead said.

Sandra opened her eyes wide, calmed down to think about it and then nodded.“Certainly! I will make it only available to be seen by the-”

Elissa interrupted her, “You didn’t understand me, doctor, what I meant was could you keep it from any computers or records?”

The young woman made a pleading expression as she looked the black woman in the eyes. There was no need for deception now so Elissa tried to convey her needs to the woman. Sandra intended to make the girl's information only available to the school and the Superhuman League, but it seemed that the young woman didn’t trust either of those entities. The doctor was flabbergasted by this; the League had always seemed trustworthy to her.

Sandra invited Elissa to sit on the white lab chair, went to take one of the plastic chairs she reserved for accompanying people and sat on it.

“Can you explain to me why I shouldn't tell anyone else about this?” Sandra decided to let the girl before her try to convince her.

Elissa sat and put her hands on her thighs and looked torn, what she was about to say was personal. She didn’t even speak about it with Kelly or Dawn, only with her family. But maybe this was a chance? Sandra Jordan looked like someone you could trust even though she was a stranger. So Elissa began to talk about what happened when she was twelve years old in France; how she got kidnapped by a shadowy organization and experimented on by uncaring scientists for three days and how they forced the awakening of her superhuman state with the cosmic energy ray they had shot her with.

Elissa didn’t spare Sandra from the truth that she had killed her captors with her uncontrolled abilities. She remembered this feeling of power and extreme cold around her as if it were yesterday. Seeing all those men and women being turned into icy statues had traumatized her and awakened a dark part of herself she didn’t know existed at the time. When those bad people had hurt her, Elissa had wanted to fight back and make them stop. But killing everyone? She hadn’t wanted to. It was also one of the reasons she wanted to become a hero; she wanted to punish those that deserve it, either with the law or by putting them down permanently if she needed to. Some creatures, human or otherwise, didn't need to exist on Earth. Obviously, Elissa kept that last part to herself.

Sandra looked shocked. Elissa hoped that she hadn’t made the woman hate her. The doctor stood up and walked quickly towards the redhead and embraced her, stroking her hair as if she was a child to reassure her that everything would be ok. As for Sandra, she had seen Elissa’s pain with a past she clearly struggled with.

*No wonder she acts so mature for her age, she has been subjected to terrible things.* The doctor thought.

Elissa hugged the black woman, finding that it weird that she opened up like that to a woman she didn’t know. They stayed like this for another two minutes. When the two untangled, Elissa looked embarrassed and Sandra motherly. The doctor went back to her seat but still stayed alert for any signs of distress from the girl.

“That’s why my family doesn’t want to advertise that we all have multiple abilities,” Elissa said as she played with her hands.

Sandra nodded, she understood Elissa's misgivings; after that experience she also wouldn’t let anyone near her kids, government or not. Then the doctor began to think about the files she had read on the young redhead.

“You have a younger sister I heard.” She said it as a statement, not a question.

Elissa squinted her eyes dangerously; anyone wanting to harm Cassie wouldn’t get the benefit of a swift death.

“Yes, then you might understand what I mean. I would prefer dropping out of the academy than making my family a target.”

The sharp gaze and the resolute tone in Elissa’s voice convinced Sandra; she didn’t like it, but to assuage the fears of this young broken thing she had before her she would do what she asked. The doctor also knew that she was the daughter of a powerful couple of Omega ranked humans, so she would at least try not to antagonize them.

Sandra decided to reign in her enthusiasm and be more professional.

“You are right, I am sorry I was just… so excited to meet someone like you.” The black woman said.

Elissa saw the woman become more subdued and she felt guilty as if she had kicked a puppy. So it was her turn to stand up and put a hand on the doctor’s shoulder.

“I understand Sandra.”

The woman’s shiny teeth appeared when she grinned as if she was the Cheshire cat. "We will keep this as our little secret unless it endangers me. I'm not that worried though, you sound like you've taken the steps necessary to be able to protect your secrets." The woman said while taking Elissa’s hand and jumping a bit.

“Sandra, you are being too exuberant right now,” Elissa said, embarrassed by the grown woman.

Elissa didn't actually dislike it however, seeing someone so happy and enthusiastic about her hobbies was sort of refreshing. Elissa wished she could do the same thing, raiding tombs or temples to find artifacts, but it was too expensive to do regularly.

“Sorry. I have a doctorate in Superhuman science…” Sandra looked subdued, but quickly recovered as she asked Elissa, “So, you said you had the power of healing?”

"Oh, yes, I do." Elissa showed Sandra her hand which was glowing with golden and white light.

Sandra looked at the young woman, smiling like she had just found a long lost sister. "You're like me then."

Elissa looked at the black woman, her eyes wide open, “Like you?!”

Sandra’s hand began to shine white and gold, the same as when Elissa used her own biological manipulation.

“Indeed, like me.”

Elissa couldn’t believe it; meeting a healer like Sandra was a really rare thing. They had even begun to compare notes when the black woman reminded the redhead that they were here for her physical and power test. It was Elissa’s turn to be subdued, but Sandra took pity on her and shared her contact details with the girl. Thus, the two proceeded to the locker room behind the second door of the medical bay. Once Elissa was completely naked, Sandra looked at her appreciatively. By using a tool that looked like a tricorder from Space Trek the doctor noted that the young woman was well developed for her age; Elissa's body shape had an hourglass figure, with full breasts, wide hips, and shapely legs.

“Hmm, you are still growing up Elissa. You gained two centimeters making you 163 cm, or 5’4” as they say in the states. You are now 62 kg, your bone mass is heavier than expected and your bra size verges on double D. Young lady, you’ll have problems finding this size in the stores.” Doctor Sandra joked. “I noticed that you put on some muscle since the last checkup made at the Amazon Complex. We need to have those results adjusted, and evaluate where you stand right now.”

“Sure.” Elissa didn’t want to say that she might have put those muscles on overnight. She felt hungry already and the pemmican bars didn’t last while she was driving as she had eaten them all. The girl wasn’t bothered that she was putting on more weight; she was confident in her body and as a superhuman she couldn’t even put on fat. However, she could gain muscle mass.

The black woman went to an electronically protected locker, typed in a code, opened the locker and took out a plastic white suitcase. When Sandra opened it a light blue body suit was revealed. The fabric looked like plastic or a second skin and Elissa fell in love with it when she saw it.

“Can I buy something like that?” The young girl asked as she inspected the suit.

It was made of stretchy and soft fabrics, it reminded her of the sensation of touching skin. The outside was blue and on the inside, Elissa could see some kind of silvery pathways running from the back to each limb. She passed her fingers over them and felt indents and guessed that they were electronic in nature.

Sandra looked at the young woman who wore a fascinated expression as she examined the M-suit; however, she didn’t understand why Elissa was interested in it.

“The medical suit? It’s an expensive piece of equipment, in which capacity would you want to use one? This one is used for the tests since there are built in captors that feed data about your body to the computers here.”

Elissa whistled, “Sounds really cutting edge, but I want one like this that would be used as armor or under armor.” The redhead had already made a sketch of what she wanted as a superhero costume, and she didn’t want to go full armor with it.

This stretchy fabric could be worked on with alchemy and made as tough as dragon scales. Of course, she will have to ask for scales from Gadhiss who wasn’t in a hurry to leave. Sandra gave Elissa a knowing smile, after seeing the video of her fights she understood that this young lady was no dainty flower.

“Ah, then you will find this kind of product in the town supporting the academy. Just use your CLO to search the internet by using the ‘under armor’ keywords and it will lead you to some of the accredited vendors that the Academy trusts.”

The redhead found the company of the black woman really relaxing, she exuded some sort of peaceful aura that put Elissa at ease and, sad to say, cooperative.

“Now put this suit on and let’s proceed to this physical test.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Elissa mock-saluted and then laughed.

Elissa had a blast with Sandra for an entire morning, first Sandra looked at everything. With a scanner, she inspected Elissa’s skin, face, and eyes; her neck veins, chest and abdomen; her legs, muscles, elbows and joints. Thanks to the suit Elissa has on, the doctor could look at the teen’s organs on the supercomputer’s screen. Then she proceeded to do a neurological examination; she did a cranial nerve and motor function assessment. The doctor was satisfied with how healthy the redhead was; it was when she tested Elisa's senses that she made a discovery.

The young woman’s senses were off the charts, she possessed a form of enhanced synesthesia. Sandra found it fascinating that with no effort Elissa could do things such as being able to "smell" colors, "see" odors or perceive sound-waves as colorful lights.

*This could lead to being able to sense the emotions of others, among other feats. But how is she able to switch it off and on?* The doctor knew that synesthesia is a neurological phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway.

As she thought, Elissa possessed a plethora of powers and abilities that she was or wasn’t conscious of and thought normal. When she asked the young woman, she shrugged and said that even before she triggered, she was able to do that. Doctor Jordan was seriously doubting that Elissa was human at this point.

To finish the physical exam, Sandra proceeded to the assessment of the girl’s reflexes. Sandra put Elissa before a baseball pitching machine, the test was simple she ought to either evade the balls or pluck them from the air. To the doctor’s dismay, the young woman laughed at her and proceeded to catch the balls that were flying at more than 150 mph, so she had to raise the speed. When the machine threw the balls at more than 400 mph, and Elissa could still catch them she concluded that the young woman had superior reaction speeds compared to the Alpha ranked superhumans she had the pleasure of testing before.

“How would you describe the moment when you catch the balls?” Sandra asked her.

Elissa took a minute to think about it and finally answered, “Hmm, I would say that time gets really slow and then I speed up to catch them?”

“Great, you enter bullet time. I know of another superhuman with the same ability she’s working for the B.S.A, it also shows that you have another sub-ability called Sensorimotor Synchrony, it’s like when your body matches your mental speed; when the mind thinks, the body can keep up with the mind and move at the same time a thought is formed without delay between actions. You are starting to scare me Elissa.” The black woman confessed, her hands began to shake.

But Elissa came to her, put a hand on her shoulder to soothe her and said, “Aww, don’t be scared Sandra, I wouldn’t do anything to you.” She didn’t want to tell her that she should be scared as there is another world full of people like her. All the sub-abilities she described were noted in her history of Phantasia book as Ancient Human traits.

She really liked this doctor and decided that she would keep her.

“Now that the physical assessment is complete we will examine your more potent abilities, like your cryokinesis.” The doctor said.

She had her tricorder-like tool in hand and Elissa was intrigued by how a tiny little computer like this could have so many functions crammed into it. The young woman found herself hesitating too, afraid that she would hurt Sandra. Malicia had sealed her ability to weave spells, so Elissa won’t be able to take control of the cold her aura generated, nor manipulate the ice as skillfully as she usually did.

“I don’t feel ready for this…” Elissa said.

Doctor Sandra looked at Elissa who was suddenly unsure, weirded out by the change in demeanor she asked the young lady, “Why, from what I saw on the videos you have excellent control.”

“It’s not that, Sandra. The way I controlled them isn’t viable anymore…”

The Doctor wondered if Elissa’s power had grown stronger than before and she wasn’t able to control them anymore. It wasn’t common, but Sandra had seen this problem happen to a lot of other superhumans whose ability became uncontrollable.

Sandra looked meaningfully at the teenager who gazed downwards. “Should I be worried, Elissa?”

“You might die, don’t you have rooms to test dangerous abilities?” The redhead answered.

“Sure we have them.” Sandra won’t dismiss the fear of someone who knew her own powers.

Elissa raised her gaze from her feet and looked at the black woman, she almost thought that Sandra wouldn’t believe her. Yet again, the redhead thought that the black woman was super accommodating.

“Is it rated for a temperature of absolute zero?”

Sandra nodded and said, “Put your shoes on, and follow me.”

Sandra led Elissa out of the testing room and into the corridor where they took an elevator. And down they went, two floors lower, they entered another corridor and at the end of it, there was a hall with three round doors that strangely looked like airlocks with symbols on them. Elissa recognized them as the Greek letters Beta, Alpha, and Omega.

“Those doors lead to the school's most sturdy testing facilities, I think you can let loose here.”

Sandra led Elissa to the Omega one, just to be sure… as for the teen, she entered the room with a bit of fear. She didn’t have the courage to test her abilities without using ice magic spells as a buffer to protect people from her terrible power. But now she had a room where she could stop holding back and maybe get a handle on her cold aura. The big airlock door closed behind her making her jump.

“Calm down, Elissa.” The doctor said in a soothing tone through the speakers in the room.

“I-I am calm.” The teenager stuttered nervously.

“You could have fooled me.” Sandra laughed.

The testing chamber was big, thirty square meters or so and as Elissa went into the middle of it she began to let go of her strenuous control on the power she had been afraid of since she triggered. Her ice aura began to generate cold air around her as it surrounded her body. Snowflakes began to appear and some seconds later the ground around Elissa began to freeze.

Sandra was in the control room of the testing chamber with diverse instruments that were already analyzing and calculating everything that was happening. In an instant, the temperature had lowered to −12 °C (10 °F) and didn’t seem to be stopping.

Around Elissa the ice on the ground became even thicker, beginning to emit cold and spread to the rest of the room, she was still holding back.

“Elissa, are you still holding back?”

“Yes, Sandra.”

“Don’t, let it go and embrace it, you must first experience the full extent of your power to be able to control it.”

“Ok, here goes,” Elissa said as she closed her eyes and let go for real.

The young woman relaxed and stopped worrying. Sandra was right, she couldn’t live in fear forever. As the author of Dune wrote, *I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.*

Elissa gave the cold aura around her free reign to do what it did best, snowflakes and cold air created a whiteout in the testing chamber. Sandra’s eyes began to pop from their sockets as she was seeing the temperature plummet like crazy.

*-50 °C (-58 °F) to –273.15 °C (−459.67 °F) in ten seconds.* Sandra couldn’t even see Elissa in the chamber anymore.

Only a white haze of air that swirled thanks to the ventilation in the testing room. The ground began to deform and crack around Elissa, the walls were having the same thing happen to them. Until finally the very air itself froze; the instruments detected that the atmosphere in the testing chamber had been converted to ice. Sandra had been wrong; the room couldn’t withstand such harsh conditions. The doctor tried to tell the teen to stop, but the computer detected that the comm system was down. Sandra couldn’t believe that Elissa was this powerful and now she understood why she was afraid; the young woman could reduce the kinetic energy of atoms to complete stillness.

Elissa was partially stuck until she finally took control of the situation, she finally knew her total limits. So it was easy to reign in her aura and control everything around her. Fortunately, she didn’t deoxygenize the bubble of air around her, something was telling her that it was her power protecting her subconsciously.

Sandra was about to call the emergency services when she saw the ice in the room crack and dissolve turning into snow. *Elissa was still alive in this!* The doctor left the control room and went to open the airlock.

It didn’t open…

The black woman heard someone knock on it until it vibrated as an impact hit it from the inside. Sandra surmised that Elissa was trying to get out. Yet again she was about to call the security and maintenance service to get the girl out. However, the thick metal airlock began to cringe and scream as terrible strength was deforming it until it opened with a BANG.

Elissa appeared, with no apparent harm.

“What's up Doc?” She quipped.

Sandra sighed heavily. “You had me worried.” She began to laugh lightly.

“I had me worried too!” Elissa put her hand before her, palm out and blue light surrounded it as a ball of white ice appeared in the air.

“Thank you, Sandra, you put me on the right track. I can now do that without having to rely on magic. Now I’ll be able to work on controlling my abilities without fear of killing everyone around me.”

Other balls of ice began to appear around the teenager and orbit her body. With a snap of her fingers one was turned into shards, the other became a half sphere and the last stayed a ball.

“I intended to turn all of them into shards, I see that I have a lot of work to do…”

“Nothing worthwhile is easy to get, Elissa,” Sandra said as she worried about the damage they had caused to the testing chamber.

*I will have to talk to Tesla directly…* The woman thought dejectedly.

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11:05 AM




Once everything was done, Sandra told Elissa that she will call her to inform her of her results. She couldn’t assess her right away as her abilities needed to be gauged carefully, and Elissa had asked her to keep everything on the down low. After that the young woman put her uniform back on, happy to regain some form of control on her life; certainly, she wasn’t at one hundred percent with her cryokinesis, but now she could use it safely. It was a big weight off her shoulders.

Elissa left Sandra with a kiss on the cheek and a pep in her step, when she stopped in the parking lot, she realized that it was already 11:00 AM. The young woman didn’t want to go to school and get bored too quickly as their first Sorcery class with Miss Nerine was at 02:00 PM.

*Why not gather the gang for lunch? Oh! And why not invite all those girls from team three too? I have some apologies to give, after all.*

Elissa remembered the faces of Jamie and Emilia in team three, they were sad and beaten. The young woman broke out her smartphone, linked it to her CLO and through her Augmented Reality vision that the Tesla device offered her she began to chat with Danny while walking to her car.

Elissa: Heya Sparks!

DanSparks: Oh oh, girl you finally contacted me.

Elissa: Oops, sorry I had issues to tend to.

DanSparks: Right, you don’t call, you don’t text. If your girlfriend didn’t give me her contact details I would have thought you died.

Elissa: My GF?

DanSparks: Dawn.

Elissa: Ah, yeah.

DanSparks: How is that going, did you put the moves on her?

Elissa: I am lost… how do you know I like her?

DanSparks: O__O girl you’ve been throwing googly eyes at her the whole time, and Doni told me you really liked her.

Elissa: Doni?

Pushing the button controlling the centralized locking system on the key, Elissa unlocked her car. She then turned the stereo on and let some pop music play. The redhead focused back on the chat window in the air.

DanSparks: Donovan.

Elissa opened her eyes wide, and slowly, a sly grin appeared on her face.

Elissa: Oh it’s Doni, now? Something tells me you have put the moves on him.

DanSparks: Yeah, we are dating.

Elissa: …Already?

The young woman was stricken by Danny's frankness, she had hoped to tease her about hitching the Donovan train this fast. But it seemed that the blonde girl was shameless.

DanSparks: I know what you think, girl; I am not like you Von Braun when I want something, I take it, plain and simple.

Elissa: I just don’t know what to do? I have never dated anyone before.

Elissa looked stoic but inside she was a mess; how was it this easy to get with someone? She was hesitating because it was the first time she was attracted to a girl.

DanSparks: Elissa you are so strong and confident, but asking the girl you like out scares you?

Elissa: No! I’m not scared.

She lied, the redhead was nervous as all those new feelings seems to grow the more she spent time with Dawn. Her crush on Saladin hadn’t been this intense.

DanSparks: Right, you better not let that sweet girl wait too long.

Elissa: I will try…

Elissa wrote, yes like earlier she will not let fear paralyze her and let her miss an opportunity at love.

DanSparks: So what did you text me for?

Finally a change of subject. Elissa grabbed onto it with gusto, intent on focusing Danny’s mind on something else.

Elissa: Want to grab something to eat with the gang? I mean Doni, your girls and those of team 3?

DanSparks: Give me ten minutes, by the way... team 3 hates you, you're sure you want to invite them?

Elissa: I want to mend fences, those girls were so strong!

DanSparks: Ok, don’t expect much.

Elissa: Lemme work my magic

The redhead put her gym bag in the car’s trunk, closed it and boarded in the driver's seat, she had one hour to go buy this body armor that she wanted. Looking at the balance of credits she'd won in the exam, Elissa thought that she’s allowed to splurge.

*Let’s go shopping for a while.*

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12:04 AM
Mercer Island Shopping Center
Toshi’s Teriyaki




Danny Sparks was waiting in the Japanese restaurant she had found after her first foray into the academy's city, it was a place offering great service and the prices were affordable. What’s more, she liked how super friendly everyone on the staff was. They even served Korean Barbecue as well. The smell of the chicken teriyaki was making the blonde girl salivate in anticipation. Danny tapped the lacquered marble table with her manicured nails. Elissa was late.

With her were Doni, Carolyn, and Erika. She was thrilled to spend time with her new boyfriend and two best girlfriends. They chatted about the history exam assessment they had this morning and all thought they had tanked it. As for Danny, she had changed her attitude towards studying after meeting Elissa. If knowledge made her smarter and able to control her powers better she would study like a madwoman.

At the other end of the table, Jamie Fox and Emilia Dor were waiting silently while surfing the internet on their smartphones.

“She’s late!” Danny shouted and slapping her hands onto the table.

“Yeah, she totes is,” Carolyn said.

“She’ll be here,” Erika assured them.

If the blonde precog said Elissa will come, they believed her. She had her eyes gazing towards the windows of the small restaurant that showed the outside and the parking lot. Suddenly a black sports car appeared and began to maneuver to park. Erika smiled and said, “There she is.”

“Wait, you mean this Camaro is hers?”

Donovan whistled, astonished by the stylish vehicle.

“How much do you think that cost?” Jamie asked.

“Thirty grand tops.” Emilia quipped.

Elissa exited the vehicle and Donovan whistled again to receive an elbow in his side. The redhead wasn’t wearing her tie and had undone two buttons of her shirt; with her heeled ankle boots and belt accessories, she looked rather gothy with her uniform and a tad provocative. Fortunately, it seemed that she had a sports bra on, but everyone began to understand why she was clothed like this when she began to fan herself. As for Elissa, the period she dreaded was coming upon her. Spring was in full swing as the air began to heat. She had problems before because of this, but her immunity to the cold gave her a glaring weakness; she couldn’t tolerate too much heat and she had to wear fewer clothes to ventilate.

The redhead locked the car and appraised the restaurant, it was part of this section of the mall, a flat building with white walls and a green tiled roof, a lot of windows giving a view of the parking area and the well cared for trees and bushes around it. Elissa walked into the Teriyaki place, not seeing Danny and the others at the outside tables; the sound of the bell when she opened the door announced her entry. Other students from the Academy and some normal civilians looked at her briefly. The redhead noticed her group facing the windows and really near the door; near the counter with a light brown and white paint job was the entire menu for all to see with a young woman taking orders, she was asian and all smiles.

Danny made a sign to Elissa to come and sit already, her face wasn’t welcoming. Elissa had the excellent idea of looking sheepish and embarrassed by her lateness.

“Hi everyone.” She said once at the table.

Danny pointed a finger at the empty chair at the end of the table near Jamie and Emilia.

“First there is something you must do, Von Braun.”

“Ah… yeah.” Elissa closed her eyes as she relaxed.

Reinatiel appeared behind her and began massaging her shoulders and undoing the knots in her back. Feni chose a spot to sit nearby and began her overwatch. Like always other people stayed blind to their presence thanks to the ‘don’t notice me’ field their aura generated.

“Jamie, Emi can I call you that, right?” The redhead began.

The girls looked at each other and then at Elissa and gave a slow nod; they wore their white and black uniforms like fashion models. Elissa particularly envied Emilia’s beauty, but people always thought the grass was greener on the other side.

“I wanted to apologize for my behavior in the exam, I was- I really wanted to win.” Elissa looked embarrassed, her green eyes became pools of sadness.

“Us too.” The two black girls nodded in unison, Jamie crossed her arms and Emilia waited for the redhead to continue her explanation.

“Sometimes I have this tunnel vision and this bad habit that I’ve been trying to get rid off. I thought about winning at whatever cost, and we attacked and hurt you ruthlessly. It wasn’t right; we could have won without having to fight. But I lost myself, and wanted to prove that I could take anyone on.”

Elissa opened her heart to the two girls. She had been made aware of her deficiencies by her father, that the ends didn’t always justify the means. She didn’t want to go along that road, she saw what happened to those kinds of people. They ended up losing everything: family, friends, lovers, and often their very freedom.

“I have been forced to change my position on a lot of things recently and I want to start fresh and try to not make enemies everywhere I go because of my actions.” She said making a sad little smile.

Donovan and the girls listened with rapt attention and thought that this girl was too eloquent as they wanted to give her a hug as they watched her bare her feelings and trying to apologize and win over two girls she had mistreated. Emilia and Jamie looked at each other again, one shaking her head and the other one smiling.

“Emi, the ice princess is trying to apologize to us.” Jamie put her hand on her friend’s shoulder.

Emilia nodded and looked at Elissa and said, “Damn. I wanted to continue hating you because we have a shitty dorm room…”

Jamie sighed heavily and smiled at her friend who seemed displeased. “Let’s forgive her, she looks sad.”

“Yeah, I don’t want to get a bad rep.” Emilia looked at Elissa who looked like a sad puppy.

She was still mad at her, but couldn’t get herself to refuse the hand held out in peace. Certainly, they were in high school and Elissa reminded her of those queen bees that surrounded themselves with sycophants, but she felt that this girl was fundamentally different. Like she didn’t care about cliques or even being popular. When Danny Sparks had invited them to lunch, she had felt as if this was a trap for a more sinister scheme. After all, she had heard bullying wasn’t stamped out in the Academy and that the upperclassmen and some particularly strong newcomers lorded over everyone forming cliques and field groups.

“Apologies accepted, let’s be friends?” Jamie said as she held her hand.

Elissa took the dainty and well-manicured hand, then released it. There was something that shocked her that she just couldn’t let go.

“The ice princess? Really?” She said, mortified, the redhead put herself in a swagger pose and looked tempestuous thanks to the nickname.

“It’s a fitting name,” Emilia said smiling.

Carolyn giggled. “Totes cool.”

“I like it,” Danny said.

Elissa rolled her eyes and sat at the head of the table at the two girls’ side. It was time to eat and Donovan chose to take a bit of paper and note what everyone wanted. Danny wanted chicken teriyaki, Carolyn beef steak and Erika chicken katsu, superhuman sized ones; meaning the equivalent of three servings. Jamie and Emilia chose to take the same thing, seafood salmon bento, superhuman sized too as they have PT in the afternoon.

The redhead ordered breast curry and chicken & beef combo, as well as fruit juice for everyone, she decided to treat everyone; she had enough credits for doing so. Everyone spoke about their classes and how they were harder than in civilian school. Emilia told Elissa about what was going on in the academy with all the high ranked legacy students bullying the beta ranked ones. The redhead’s gaze had hardened at that as it reminded her of her failure concerning the geeky black haired boy, Ernest Culver and how ugly a situation could turn if they didn’t stomp on those aggressors first. Elissa felt that she was through with the lawful methods, they didn’t work obviously.

“Emi, if you ever get in trouble with this group call me.” Elissa’s tone was cold and she connected to her contact list and sent her details to the two black girls.

Jamie thought that the redhead looked rather different suddenly, there was a hard edge in her voice that lowered an octave. When Elissa had come near her, the pixie-haired girl had felt a sharp rise in her powers compared to the last time she had seen her. She couldn’t understand how this happened, was Elissa nearing the other side of the ranking in the upper ranks? It seemed so.

“Or maybe we should all go to the Amazon Complex on the island, to get some training in,” Danny said, helpful.

She liked people who helped themselves, you couldn’t trust that others will help you every time, but you could trust your training and your abilities.

“Ah! I forgot that there is one here.” Elissa said, recovering some of her joviality.

“What grade did you reach, Eli?” Danny asked her friend.

“Journeywoman,” Elissa said nonchalantly as she sipped a bit of her fruit juice.

Wide-eyed, Danny interjected, “No way! I am still an adept.”

Elissa giggled and put more miso sauce on her chicken & beef teriyaki. Before digging into the food she looked at the blonde girl and said, “Let’s all go next time, I will show you some moves.”

“I’m still a novice and Emi is an adept,” Jamie said, dejected by the high level of training of the people around her.

Carolyn and Erika were the same grade as their leader; the discussion continued well into the start of the afternoon. Reinatiel's and Fenirael's attention was glued on two young men who had entered the restaurant and begun to take photos of the group. They were taking on the glassy expression that Elissa had when she was texting with the Augmented Reality conferred by her CLO.

Rei felt that trouble was brewing, as she felt their malevolent intentions exuding from their aura.

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“Ben we located the girl you wanted to find. She’s in the shopping center with some first years and damn, she’s hot like the sun.” A brown haired young man said into his phone.

He was watching the group near the window, he had been admiring the girls until the redhead joined them and he ‘appreciated’ her too until she looked rather familiar. He recognized her from the data Benjamin had passed around. The girl wasn’t on the academy’s grounds and a literal ghost, the team had been fed up by this. When he recognized her he quickly contacted Price.

“Great, you found her, Dale. Where was she hiding all this time? Damn she made me wait.” Benjamin was going crazy since he couldn’t find this Von Braun girl for days.

Dale chuckled.

“Heard that the magical school is invisible or some shit like that, man.” He said to Benjamin, the one he considered his leader.

“No shit?” Benjamin sounded astonished.

Dale took a swig from his water cup, he had just finished eating.

“Mhm, yeah I swear. I asked my teacher and he said that they were near the main academy though.” The young man explained.

It had sounded like a load of bullshit to him at first, but when he had looked for it at the address he was given, there was only the park along Island Crest Way. A frustrating search!

“Very well, we will try to ambush her in the parking lot, I will gather the boys!” Benjamin snickered on the line.

Dale didn’t like how the guy did business with the girls, he sounded more like a sex offender each day. Maybe he should quit this team while he was ahead… However he couldn’t get out, his parents worked with Benjamin’s. They covered all of their son's unpalatable actions with money and even had a hand in the police precinct nearest to them.

Hesitating, Dale decided to try to muddle the waters a bit. “Ben, there are some smoking hot girls with her and some strong looking guy, are you sure?”

There was silence on the line for some time until Benjamin asked, “Wait, is he muscular and black?”

Dale grinned when he heard this; there was indeed an attractive black guy with them who seemed rather chummy with the blonde girl next to him.

Dale coughed. “Without wanting to sound gay, the guy is tall and buff as fuck.”

Benjamin cursed and recalled the info he had read on Elissa’s team from the exam; she was friendly with a kinetic absorber and it was the worst matchup for him.

“Shit we can’t take her if she’s with others.” The young man lamented.

“Ah don’t worry boss, she came in her car it seems. They will separate at the parking lot if I guessed right.” Dale said.

“Continue to watch them, we are coming,” Benjamin ordered.

“Ok, later.”

Dale had a bad feeling, that girl sure looked hot but everyone at the table deferred to her as if she was their superior.

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Fenirael had listened to the conversation and reported it to Elissa who didn’t understand what those boys wanted from her. She spoke with Danny and the others about it.

“Who is that Ben guy who wants to meet me? The guy over there kept saying that they want to ambush me?” Elissa showed them Dale who was looking at them not so subtly at all.

“That’s one of Benjamin Price’s goons. The worst bully in the academy, he has a really bad rep with the girls. He thinks he is Casanova or something.” Emilia huffed.

“There are rumors that he forced girls to have sex with him, but nothing was proven,” Jamie added.

The atmosphere suddenly became chillier, but as fast as it came the air became normal again. However, no one at this table was fooled; there was going to be blood here later.

“What’s the plan?” Danny asked.

She was ready for a fight, and it seemed trouble followed Elissa all the time. The blonde girl smiled wryly. Emilia and Jamie had pretty much wanted to flee when they heard the name of Benjamin Price but they thought about it and decided that joining Elissa’s team for a beat down of this sleaze bag was going to be sweet.

“Let’s finish eating, then you’ll go first and I will wait five minutes in the restaurant and then leave. You are going to come back after that Price guy comes here. You’ll flank them and we might get into a Mexican stand-off or something. If he wants a fight he will get a fight. But first I am going to have my familiar record the entire altercation to have proof that he started it.” The plan was simple and on point, Fenirael took Elissa's smartphone and unlocked it, preparing to record everything.

“Cool, I want him out of the school anyway,” Danny said cheerfully.

Donovan stayed silent, just not trusting himself to speak, his knuckles whitening betrayed the anger boiling in him. Did someone want to attack his friend? No, he won’t let that happen at all.

“That could be arranged, I have some… connections.” Elissa said confidently.

Her friends looked at her then at each other and smiled. Maybe they will be able to do something good today, even before the time for class.

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Danny and company left the restaurant, and Elissa stayed in its confines chatting up the staff, everything was going as planned. Elissa ordered more food as take out for this evening to share with Dawn if she didn't get grounded for what she was about to do. The redhead looked at the pretty cashier girl and wrote ‘stay inside’ on a napkin and gave it to her before leaving.

Elissa wished she had a spatial ring to place the food in, they often came with a stasis enchantment to preserve the items stored inside. Once near her car, the young woman put her take out boxes in the back of the car but didn’t board it, pretending to consult her CLO’s map function. The redhead was patient, waiting like a black widow for her prey to come into her web with all her senses deployed. Elissa heard the jingle of the bell as the boy that spied on her group earlier exited the teriyaki place; he had brown hair, a lean build, and a troubled face. Reinatiel appeared at Elissa’s side, feeling protective towards her young mistress.

“He smells of doubt and remorse.” The demoness said.

“I guess he isn’t at ease with what he has been doing.” Elissa buttoned up her shirt, hiding her cleavage.

The girl was thankful that she was wearing her under-armor leggings under this knee-length skirt, she wasn’t keen on flashing anyone.

The noise of multiple footsteps echoed on the pavement, Elissa turned her head and saw a group of six guys coming towards the restaurant with purpose. The young girl pretended to enter her car when a brunet haired young man at least two years older than her, put his hand on the car door preventing her from opening it. He certainly looked attractive, his eyes were icy blue, he had a face with straight cheekbones and a greek nose. This young man dwarfed Elissa in size as he was tall and muscular, his shirt strained and showed off his muscles. Elissa could smell the young man’s interest in her.

“Where are you going beautiful?” The young man said in his baritone voice. He smiled at her with an expression that he must have thought was seductive, but come out as smarmy.

Elissa rolled her eyes in her mind and chose to emulate Malicia, she looked him in the eyes -too bad she couldn’t make her eyes glow- and said, “Who might you be?”

“Huh,” Benjamin didn’t expect the redhead to react this way, all the girls he had interacted with had either been attracted to his looks or intimidated by his crew behind him.

“Benjamin Price, third year.” The young man laughed a little, it was refreshing to speak like this with a new broad.

“Ah, it’s you,” Elissa said while play-acting.

Benjamin wasn’t listening as he leered at her from head to toe appreciating her curvy and athletic body, his gaze settled firmly onto her breasts.

“Hey, my eyes are up here, mister.” Elissa scowled, she crossed her arms over her breasts and chilled the air around her.

The cold brought the boy out of his fantasies, Benjamin stepped back from her and tried to remember what she was saying.

Benjamin passed a hand back in his hair and said, “Oh, did my reputation precede me?”

*He is a walking cliche!* Elissa couldn’t believe the guy was this cheesy.

“In a way, indeed it couldn’t have been more in the shitter.” The redhead mocked.

The brunet's smile froze on his face.

“What did you say?”

Elissa’s gaze became derisive, her silver jewelry gleamed in the sun as she uncrossed her arms; she advanced toward the young man who stepped back under the weight of her gaze. She stopped right in front of him.

“You have a terrible rep with the local girls and you are the worst bully this institution has ever known.”

Elissa’s gaze focused momentarily on the form of Donovan coming up behind Benjamin’s team it made the young woman smile. The redhead leaned on her car door and looked at each of the goons behind smarmy Ben. *Smarmy Ben, what a good nickname.*

Despite himself, Benjamin answered her with a “Bitch.”

“Oh, I am a bitch now. For saying the truth? You came to me with your goons, did you expect me to wilt under your intimidation?” Elissa giggled.

Benjamin was used to girls trying to defuse the situation or seduce him to get out of the kind of situation he was putting Von Braun through. This meeting wasn’t turning as he had expected, this girl was dangerous. Benjamin could see it in the way Elissa was standing, her pose and her movements. She clearly wasn’t intimidated; was she that confident that she could take them all? He couldn’t believe that.

The young man closed his eyes in frustration and said, “Fine, come with us if you don’t want to get hurt.” He opened his eyes and glared at the pretty redhead who still didn’t lose her grin.

“Oh seduction didn’t work and now you are showing your true face,” Elissa laughed mockingly, then she lowered the temperature around her a bit further. Her eyes became cold as well as her voice, “and if I don’t want to come with your loser squad, what are you going to do about it?”

“Guys?” Benjamin didn’t look behind him, choosing to not let Elissa out of his sight.

“You should stop while you're ahead, boy.” Elissa quipped.

“Ah yeah, and how are you going to stop us?”

“Well, first I have you surrounded.”

Donovan coughed sonorously and Benjamin turned to see who it was and his eyes widened.

“Second, don’t let your minions describe how you’ll ambush me with you on the phone around someone who has enhanced senses.” That was a lie of course, but Elissa wanted to assert her superiority in this situation.

Donovan smiled evilly, his muscles taut and coiled, bigger than even Smarmy Ben’s; He was ready to attack. As for Danny, her girls and her had fanned out around the guys while Jamie was in the back texting the power set of each of Benjamin’s goons. Emilia was floating in the sky on overwatch, she hoped that no one could see her panties from the ground.

“Gentlemen, now that we have ascertained that we are in a deadlock, I am going to ask you to desist from your current actions.”

“Fuck you, who do you think you are?” Elissa heard from one of Benjamin’s goons.

“Let’s smash these wankers, guys.”

“By Hekate, I had thought you surrounded yourself with morons before, but now I see I was still being too generous.” Elissa retorted, rolling her eyes.

Benjamin’s face became black. How could this broad insult him and his crew like this? She came with her big feet onto his turf and already thought she was the queen or something. He had just wanted to play with her and show her who was the boss, but now his priority had changed. He would destroy her before she did the same to his way of life. The brunet knew that with his parents behind him nothing too untoward would happen to him, so he could be as rough as he wanted. The young man made a movement with his hand, that Elissa noticed and as she entered bullet time she saw a short haired blond guy raising his hand. Red light gathered and he shot it at her, as fast as her mind could Elissa froze the air before her; it formed an ice wall that was pierced by a beam of light that still hit her in the side.

Elissa stepped back in pain and fell on her bottom. That beam burned her, and it angered her! If she had her magic that wouldn’t have happened. She looked at Price who had a smug smile on his face. The others were so shocked that they stayed in place until Donovan charged a guy and hit him in the kisser sending him flying. Danny sent a bolt of electricity toward another guy and the TK users Carolyn and Emilia bound two of the goons to the ground; but they resisted it and came after them, one guy began flying toward Emilia and the other charged Carolyn. The girls were prepared for it as Jamie had told them what their powers were and their intensity.

The redhead didn’t stay down and used her ice jet to propulse herself back as Benjamin walked toward her. She calmed herself and let her body relax as she circulated her mana in her body.

"So. You want to play, do you?" Elissa’s voice lowered an octave.

“Where is all the bravado from earlier, red?” Benjamin felt like laughing at the dejection he was seeing on this girl, she had come so strongly creating a situation where she was seemingly on top, however she wasn’t and he planned to dissuade her from this notion. He cracked his knuckles and charged at her intent on catching her.

Elissa decided that whatever happened, she would erase that smug smile from this boy’s face. Focusing her mana in her legs and upper body the redhead rushed at Benjamin who hadn’t anticipated it and delivered a shoulder tackle, seized him by his clothes and threw him onto the ground. To Benjamin, Elissa was so fast that the boy didn’t notice that she was before him in half a second and had shoulder thrown him onto the pavement. Elissa charged mana into her fist and used the first technique in the Inshek martial arts, the rockbreaker fist and slugged the boy in the face repeatedly.

The girl discovered that Benjamin’s skin and body were tough and he didn’t get damaged very easily, the boy caught her and threw her away from him with a kick, Elissa used the strength of the kick to spin in the air and reorient herself to land on her feet in a crouch. Benjamin stood up and leapt towards her intent on punching her in the face, Elissa evaded it; not finished with him, she caught his arm and bent it behind him with her mana enhanced strength, let herself fall on the ground with him and let him hit face first on the concrete and flipped their position to stand up before him.

“Here, have a brain buster.” Elissa quipped.

Donovan’s shirt burned as the guy who shot beams got him, but there was a silver lining, it was a beam of pure kinetic force and it made him stronger. So the black boy began to stomp on another guy who downed Erika with one punch. He was a speedster who was too busy gloating and got caught by the scruff of his neck. Donovan neutralized the threat by breaking his jaw and his leg. Danny formed an electric cage and began to electrocute the kinetic beam guy; she didn’t hold back and his skin began to show electric burns.

Emilia was dancing in the air while escaping the flying guy who went after her. As for Carolyn she finished the sound manipulator by choking him Darth Valder style in the air until he fell unconscious. She flew into the sky to go and help Emilia.

Elissa unleashed her cold aura as Benjamin who had been momentarily stunned came to. He kicked Elissa in the ribs where she was burned and her uniform was shredded. She cried in pain but tolerated it, rolled with the impact and stood up just to see the hulking boy rush her, in bullet time as everything slowed down she decided that it was him or her and applied what she had learned from Xara, Elissa jumped towards him, rotated her body and put all her strength and mana in as she extended her leg to make a wide sweep and kicked Benjamin in the waist. At the moment of impact, a noise of broken bones could be heard and he flew to the right thanks to the strength and the laws of physics. He ended up hitting a tree ten meters away from them and the impact broke it in two.

Benjamin cried out. He felt that if he moved the pain would get worse. Elissa Von Braun had just fractured his pelvis. The redhead focused on the fight with the goons and saw that Danny and Carolyn were in danger, she focused her power in her hand and launched a freezing beam where the flyer was going to be and she froze him entirely. The popsicle-looking guy fell from the sky and the ice shattered when he landed on the unconscious body of kinetic beam guy.

“Elissa be careful!” Jamie shouted.

Yet again in bullet time, Elissa saw Benjamin charge her, he had braved the pain to attack her from behind.

“Coward.” She said between her teeth.

She slightly leaned to the right, caught one of his arms and kneed him in the jaw with all her power, and as he fell on the ground she jumped elbow first on his back eliciting a grunt from him when she landed. Elissa caught herself, twisted Benjamin’s arms behind him and said coldly as she leaned on his body, “Submit.”

Benjamin couldn’t believe it. Him, manhandled by a girl? And she asked him to submit. The young man began to struggle, going berserk and not caring about the pain he was in.

“Is it that face that gives you the confidence that you can do whatever you want?” Elissa asked.

Elissa had felt the boy’s unwillingness; it was an ugly smell to her senses.

The boy stopped moving and looked at Elissa from the corner of his eye, he felt her take his hair tightly in her fist and with all her strength she began to bash his head onto the concrete repeatedly. Benjamin lost consciousness the third time but Elissa continued for another minute until the young man’s face was just mush. To be even crueler, she made sure that it wouldn't heal properly with her biological manipulation.

Satisfied, the young woman looked at her friends and they seemed to be mostly done with the stupid goons. Danny was waking Erika who missed most of the fight, Carolyn and Emilia assembled their assailants in a circle. Elissa stood up, and pulled on Benjamin’s hair held tight in her fist and walked like this towards her friends.

Jamie took pictures with her phone of the group and as she watched Elissa she began to take more shots as she came to them and dropped Price unceremoniously with his friends.

“I thought this fight would be legendary but… it was kind of a letdown.” Elissa said as her girlfriends giggled and Donovan stayed vigilant for them.

Elissa's smartphone appeared in the air hovering next to her, Jamie and the others looked at it and were mystified by the phenomenon. They knew that Elissa wasn’t a TK; Fenirael who was having fun eluding everyone’s senses loved fucking with their minds. Her young mistress looked at her with a smile, and the demoness placed the phone in her hand. She began to go through her contact list and called Malicia.

When the tone signaled that she has reached her mother Elissa said, “Hello mom. I have a slight issue.”

 

March 6th, 2018
Manhattan, New York
Tesla Fortress
02:45 PM




Tesla Academy opened its doors twenty years ago and had been, for quite some time, the only establishment that created competent and trained superhumans who joined super teams to police the USA in conjunction with mundane law enforcement agencies and also intervened in case of catastrophes and disasters. Now there were other Academies like the Charles Institute and the Howard Blake College sponsored by the government that was emulating it. The cooperation between those three institutions was tenuous at best and heavily influenced by politics and geography. For the last two years, this simple balance had been disturbed by a string of incidents concerning the new recruits distributed amongst the super teams nationwide: maiming, murder or simply disappearing.

Tesla Academy was losing prestige and trust.

It had raised countless flags in the superhuman community. At first, Tesla had dismissed the notion and thought those incidents the fruit of serendipity, but now his outlook had changed after finding a pattern centered on the students of his schools and the discovery of spies like Hugh Vinson in his staff.

The scientist sat in his office looking at the information scrolling down on his multiple holographic screens. They showed the financial transactions of a bank account and the website of a Swiss bank. The files of the graduates involved, along with the time and location of the incidents were overlaid on a map of the USA, showing a pattern Tesla had noticed.

After some digging Velia, his companion maid who stood behind him found two money trails in the bank account of the late examiner. Of the two electronic trails, the first led to a rival company called Val-tech and the second led to the bank account of a current student of his school-Benjamin Price. Velia informed him that there was a situation concerning the Price boy; he and his friends were sent to the ICU of the Mercer Hospital by…

“Говно (shit), it’s her again...” The man put a hand over his face, sighing.

Elissa Von Braun-Halliwell was one of the names he had put on the flag list and given high priority, but it seems something had glitched. Nikola felt concerned and a sheen of sweat appeared on his forehead. He had promised Malicia to take care of her daughter so that nothing untoward would happen to her while she was at his academy. The scientist’s heart stopped momentarily when his smartphone began to ring.

He wasn’t surprised when the Caller-ID showed Malicia's name. Nikola summoned up his courage and hit the accept call button and said, “Hello.”

“You promised that she would be safe. That I wouldn’t have to worry.”

“Malicia, I’ve just been informed of the situation-” Nikola tried to say, but was interrupted.

“I wasn’t finished, Lord Tesla.” The woman’s voice was cold and angry. “You have been one of our staunchest allies and supporters since we arrived in this country and this is the first time my trust in you has been shaken; don't make me lose it entirely lest our cooperation ends here.” Malicia stayed silent for a second and continued. “I hope you know what to do concerning this situation with Elissa and ...Price. I hope you know how to handle this in a satisfactory manner. You know what will happen if I take matters into my own hands.”

The scientist slumped in his seat. Even Velia, normally ever stoic, became alarmed when she saw his distress. She began to massage his shoulder slowly and Tesla showed her a thankful expression. Thus encouraged, the man said, “Malicia, I am sorry. Believe me, it hurts me to think our friendship is being tested so, like you I am shocked by the events that have happened.”

Silence. A span of a few seconds silence made the scientist worry he might have lost a friend and partner in crime just like that. However, when Malicia spoke again he regained hope.

“I see. Nikola,” The man flinched in surprise when he heard Malicia call him by his first name, but he noticed her voice had lost that 'edge' that scared him. It had always been 'Lord Tesla' or 'My Lord' as if she were some sort of medieval actress. This quirk of hers had made him rather curious about her background, but he had never been able to find anything.

“I wish to convene a meeting between you and my family to discuss this entire debacle. It's also possibly time to inform you about some family secrets you should be made aware of.” The Sorceress told him.

Tesla’s eyes widened. Malicia, telling him a secret? Was this a dream? The man pinched his cheek and a painful feeling spread that almost made him laugh. This wasn’t a dream; he would finally be able to know more about these fascinating people he had come to love.

“Malicia, can I bring my daughter Annya? She has information that you may find interesting concerning this entire affair.” Tesla asked.

He hadn't forgotten about this 'Cabal' or that Hugh Vinson had also been dealing with Benjamin Price. Maybe the dots in the pattern he had found could be connected and complete the puzzle he had stumbled upon. It threatened to bring his academy and reputation to ruin.

“Bring her. However, you may have to take some... oaths of secrecy. We will meet in the pocket dimension.”

“Thank you, we will be there in the evening,” Tesla said with a smile.

The call disconnected the second he finished speaking. The scientist's expression froze for a minute.

*She may be quite rude...but she is incredibly efficient.* Nikola chuckled at this thought.

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Mercer Island
Tesla Academy
Security Compound
05:45 PM




Tony Leach was an up and coming investigator on this island; after dismantling a burglary ring and solving two murders he had gotten an early promotion. He was known for being stubborn and relentless in his work. However, today he was confronted by a girl who didn’t take him seriously at all and it pissed him off. He immediately took charge of the case when he heard that his favorite student in the academy had been sent to the hospital. He wanted to put the fear of god into whoever had harmed Benjamin Price. After all, Price's parents paid him handsomely to look after him. However, he couldn’t threaten or intimidate the girl at all, the wall of muscles at her side didn’t permit it. The man looked at Tony without blinking, focusing his intense gaze on him and only interjecting when the officer went too far.

“As I told you before, they attacked me first,” Elissa said, frustrated by having to answer the same questions yet again. This cop from the Mercer Island PD just wouldn't accept her response.

“I don’t think you understand the kind of position you are in, Miss Von Braun. You and your friends put seven people in the hospital. Some of them won’t be able to use their limbs like before.” Tony felt incensed by what happened to those young men, being torn apart and brutalized that way made him predisposed to pity those he thought were the victims in this entire affair.

“Oh, I understand it perfectly. Do yourself a favor mister…? Sorry, I forgot your name again.” The redhead made an innocent face while speaking, but she didn't fool anyone with the mirth shining in her eyes.

“Leach.” Tony tightly closed his eyes and struggled not to clench his hands into fists as he heard the young lady giggle at his name again.

“Elissa, be serious,” Heracles interjected, shifting his harsh gaze towards her

The young lady wilted under his serious stare and put on a sheepish expression.

“Yes, Dad. Sorry officer Leach.” The redhead apologized, putting special emphasis on his rank.

“Like I was saying, officer, those guys planned to ambush and attack me and their boss, smarmy Ben, has been doing this to all the new girls that caught his eye. I am sure there are a lot of complaints about him from several girls, but they were suppressed because of his parents.” Elissa looked meaningfully at the cop. “Oh yeah, my dad did some research of his own,” Elissa turned her head to her father who gave her a quick smile before resuming his stoic guard. “His parents work on one of the DC super teams. They seem to have a pet cop that solves problems for them, the kind of guy who seems to always show up first when something involving Benjamin Price happens.” Elissa started looking at the cop more sarcastically.

Tony's tie suddenly felt too tight around his neck. He loosened it while sweat poured down his forehead.

“So, as we have established, you have no power here and we are waiting for the BSA. I will now just stay silent and wait for them and my lawyer.” Elissa leaned back in her seat, looking contemptuously at the oathbreaker before her.

He had betrayed the oath of office he made to protect and defend the people because of money; in her mind, that was the most severe transgression he could have possibly committed. In the supernatural world, your words had power and betraying them had extreme consequences. To magic users like Elissa, Tony Leach was even more abhorrent than Benjamin Price. Tony couldn’t help but feel as if the young lady was looking down on him, judging him unworthy. His dumbfounded expression turned into a scowl, but before he could answer her the door of the interrogation room opened and two people entered. One was a tall Asian woman and the other was a cold-eyed athletic blonde woman. They were familiar to Elissa, she smiled when she recognized Ada Fong and her partner Jill Muir.

Just after them Ashton Carter, the Von Braun’s family lawyer, entered the room. He was an elegant man with slicked back black hair, red eyes, and thin lips. He was handsome in a classical way. He smiled at Elissa and Heracles, his fangs showing, and nodded at them.

Ashton Carter was a Vampire. Elissa wasn't exactly sure of how he was contracted by the family. Heracles didn’t acknowledge him even as the lawyer walked behind him to stand and wait for when he was needed.

“BSA. We will take it from here.” Jill Muir showed her badge and ID.

Tony opened his eyes wide in surprise, Elissa suddenly looked more attentive and less confrontational. Heracles raised an eyebrow before nodding in satisfaction that he didn't have to listen to the pitiful whimpering of that mongrel any longer.

“Wait a minute! This is my case, you have no right to-” Tony stood from his seat in a huff.

Jill walked toward the man, slapped a piece of paper on his chest and said, “This is not a request, but an order and you," she continued as she straightened the grey jacket of her pantsuit, "have an interview with Internal Affairs concerning your… finances.”

Ada enjoyed the strangled cry the man let out as he fled the room, then her gaze focused on the man at Elissa's side. He was in a black Armani suit that did little to hide his impressive shoulders and muscles. The man’s eyes were a gorgeous green and the female investigator lost herself in them until he opened his mouth and said, “Just in time, thank you for coming as fast as you could.”

“Hello mister Von Braun; we thank you for your patience,” Ada said, making a flirtatious smile.

She found him extremely attractive and...masculine. She reminded herself she had to focus and stay professional; Jill had already thrown her the evil eye.

Heracles laughed in his rich baritone voice. “Nice to meet the two of you. If I remember correctly, both of you were on the case the last time my daughter was in trouble.”

Elissa turned her head toward her dad, looking wounded.

“It’s not like it’s my fault, dad.” She said aggrievedly. Heracles looked at her, knowing it was a lie. He patted her head in comfort. “Ok, fine. I’ll stop talking.” Elissa crossed her arms and pouted.

Jill smiled at the exchange between father and daughter.“Yes, and she helped us a lot mister Von Braun. The BSA now has some contacts in the magical community and we finally have some protection against magic.” Jill threw a meaningful glance at Elissa while showing off her jewelry. The redhead just smiled and waved in return.

“Please, call me Heracles,” The hero said. He put a hand on Elissa's shoulder. “Give them the recording Elissa.”

To everyone else, Elissa’s phone appeared from the air, but it was actually in Fenirael's hands who was using her aura to block their perception of her. Elissa grabbed her phone and began to navigate it. Ada took her own phone and turned on the Bluetooth to receive the file. Elissa shared the video of the fight and stayed silent.

Jill began to ask Heracles questions and he informed them that Elissa had sent all of her assailants to the hospital and that her friends had helped her in the altercation. The lawyer interjected only to give his opinions about the course of actions he should take and what he should and shouldn’t say.

There was one point Heracles decided to make sure the investigator understood. “As you can see, Elissa has recorded the entire altercation. I won’t mince words, I am going to sue this boy and his parents.”

That was what Elissa wanted to hear! She put a hand on Heracles’s arm, an action that unintentionally spurred jealousy in Ada, and said, “Dad, can I let the other girls Benjamin ‘touched’ do the same? Now we have grounds to expose all of his crimes.”

Elissa looked at the vampire lawyer. He almost chuckled giddily and said, “We can already have him for conspiracy, sexual harassment against a minor, and intimidation. Maybe with the other girls, we can keep him in prison for statutory rape.” The vampire sounded eager to begin.

“It will be enough,” Heracles said before thinking. *If none of that works, Malicia will take over and pass judgment.* This world's legal system was flawed and Heracles didn’t like it. On Phantasia, he would have had words with Price's father and dueled for the honor of his daughter.

“We will do what we can, but his parents have a lot of clout,” Jill said.

Ada wanted to put off the reading of this boy’s memories for as long as possible. From what she has gathered from Elissa’s interaction with her father, it would not be pleasant. She had seen so much death and so many lies it was impossible for her to completely trust humankind anymore. Elissa looked at her with pity and that struck a chord in her, that Elissa knowing about Ada's ability had sympathy for her. The young lady was a selfless one, prone to putting herself in danger for the greater good.

*Why couldn't others be like her?*

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Security Command Center #1
06:30 PM




Jill stared at the screen. Watching the fight between Elissa and Benjamin Price was horrifying and the violence seemed so sudden. Seeing the young lady in action changed the way Jill looked at her. She had thought Elissa was a sweet and adorable young woman, but her movements were fluid and there was no hesitation as she fought to disable the strongman. Normally, it shouldn’t have been possible based on the stats she saw in the files she had received. Price was stronger and tougher than this young lady, but she won anyway. Jill leaned in the seat facing the bank of computers and screens. There were only three seats in this Command Center and a ton of non-lethal gadgets to subdue people with different power sets.

“Fine. It’s blatantly obvious that this is a case of legitimate self-defense. To me, it’s clear cut that Von Braun and her friends are innocent.” Jill scratched her nose and looked at her empty mug of Italian coffee, she wanted more of that delicious nectar.

“You know something bothers me with this video.” Ada squinted her eyes and tilted her head at the screen.

Jill knew exactly what her partner noticed. “The angles? As if someone invisible was recording everything.”

“Yes, like that!” The Asian woman laughed and pointed her finger at Jill. Knowing who took the video the blonde agent wasn’t surprised by this happening, after all, Elissa Von Braun was a mage.

The blonde made a smug smile and continued to watch as Elissa finished the young man by bashing his head repeatedly on the concrete pavement.

“Do you think they will try to wriggle out of this because the girl used excessive force?” Jill asked worriedly.

“Their stats are different, he is a big boy, and he could have killed her. He clearly wanted to do something worse to her than just… rape her.” Ada stopped the video and jumped to the part where Elissa told the boy to submit. “Here look, we see him resisting when she told him to stop. No, he won't be able to get out of this one.”

The two women stopped the video and put the computer in standby mode. Each of them took folders and spread them over the table in front of them.

“Here in Price’s file we see that he was accused of rape or sexual harassment by a lot of girls, but it seems it was only their word against his.” Ada’s neutral expression turned into a scowl.

“This guy, Leach, seems to have been covering Price's ass. His name is on every case.”

Knock. Knock.

Ada looked at Jill, who clearly didn’t plan on moving at all if she could understand the smile that dared her to ask the question. The blonde had been trying to make her become more sociable lately. With a heavy sigh and a mean gaze to Jill, she stood up and went to the door of the Command Center. As she opened it, one of the android maids she had seen taking care of the cleaning and other menial chores stood before her and held a carafe of coffee in her hand.

“That’s for us?” Ada looked at the carafe of coffee and looked eager to relieve the maid of it.

The android nodded and handed it to her before she turned on her heel and left. Ada smiled and closed the door before she went to sit at Jill's side. She put the carafe on the table and said, “We are being monitored.”

“Of course we are, it would be unprofessional if they didn’t,” Jill said taking the carafe and pouring the delicious beverage into her mug.

Ada did the same, pouring the coffee into her own mug and looking at Price’s file. Jill observed her friend still didn’t dare touch the young man's picture. The blonde investigator didn’t begrudge her reluctance, after all, it was possible that seeing the memories of a potential sex offender might taint her mind even more. Jill had seen it happen before; Ada would clam up and stop speaking or interacting with anyone if the memories she saw were too shocking or terrifying.

The Asian woman looked in her partner’s eyes and asked, “Jill, what are we going to do about the other girls that Price assaulted?”

Jill put the mug to her mouth and sipped her coffee, the espresso taste exploding in her mouth. The blond woman sighed in contentment before speaking.

“The Von Braun's lawyer is going to get the other girls to board their bandwagon and make it harder for the boy’s family to get him out of this. We should go and take their statements and reopen all the buried cases. I'm sure that this Leach fellow is going to be prosecuted for all this.” Jill speculated.

"Haha, this case is sure to kill his career." Ada laughed at the corrupt cop's misfortune.

Jill made a mischievous grin, her eyes twinkling with mirth. “You got it.”

 

Pocket Dimension
Daphne Snow School of Arcane Art
08:00 PM




“Annya can you stop being so nervous?” Tesla asked, exasperated as his daughter held on tightly to the sleeve of his lab coat.

The blonde woman looked around her as all the glowing fairies zipped around them, goblin workers saluted them while gardening as they passed the fountains in the school plaza. The young woman just couldn’t believe what she was seeing; Fairies, Goblins and magical crystals illuminating the road and the school grounds.

“But dad, this is so unscientific!” Annya blurted out.

Annya had a Ph.D. in Physics and Psychology, countless papers that appeared in different science magazines due to her helping her father in developing most of his tech. Being confronted by the unknown like this terrified her; she couldn’t explain how those beings could exist.

“Yes, I know but as always there is a good explanation to all this.”

Tesla’s lips thinned as he looked around him, he heard the laughter of the fairies who seemed to be amused by their reactions and mocking them. The blue light of the floating crystal mage lights around them gave an eerie yet majestic feeling to their surroundings. The scientist in Tesla couldn’t stop being curious about the forces involved, thanks to his augmented reality HUD he tried to take some readings with the instruments in his techno-armor but there was nothing, zilch, nada. So the scientist concluded that the tools to detect this energy called ‘mana’ weren’t invented yet.

“Mister Tesla!” A feminine and young voice interrupted his musings.

A young woman in a white hoodie and black leggings zipped toward him and hugged him tightly lifting him from the ground and after the man patted the young lady’s head she put him back on his feet.

“Ah, young Elissa! I am so relieved to see you are well.” Tesla was happy to see that she was well, he had heard she had been wounded in the fight with Benjamin Price.

Tesla straightened his crinkled lab coat and continued to speak, “I heard that you had an altercation with a student today.” His gaze found Elissa’s who suddenly looked apologetic.

The young woman looked down to the ground, embarrassed by this entire affair, once again she had let her fiery nature take over, how ironic that someone with ice power could lose her cool. Tesla was a family friend and he gave her a chance to enter a prestigious school and make something out of her life, and she was repaying him with troubles.

“You could say that I still don’t know why he attacked me. But my guess is that he was just a sicko who likes to force himself on girls.” Elissa said.

Annya went on to hug Elissa and stroke her hair. “Oh, my poor dear.”

“Huh?”

Tesla laughed heartily at the scene of Elissa struggling in his daughter’s embrace. For once he wasn’t on the receiving end of it, the young girl gave in and placed her arms around Annya who after long seconds let go of her.

“Elissa, this is my daughter Annya.” Tesla introduced his youngest daughter.

Annya laughed and introduced herself more in-depth to Elissa who warmed up to her as she began to speak about what she does at the academy. She is a councilor and the head of the HR department because of her telepathic power. Annya obviously knew most things about Elissa as her father had informed her of what to expect. Thanks to her ability the young telepath could literally feel the goodness exuding from the redhead, and Annya thought herself a good judge of character, she couldn’t imagine this girl being capable of such violence as her father had told her about, but appearances could be deceiving.

“Where is your mother?” The scientist suddenly interrupted them.

The young lady before the two Teslas became serious and pointed a thumb towards the door of the palace behind her. “Mom and dad told me to wait for you and escort you to the family wing and into the Sanctum.”

““The Sanctum?”” The two family members said at the same time.

Elissa began to laugh when she saw their expression and said, “You’ll see.”

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The Sanctum




The torrent of blue and white lights of the portal that brought them in the Sanctum closed behind them. Elissa checked that everyone was with her and led the Teslas in the meanders of the fount of knowledge, the three of them ended up on a stone platform made of white stone with glowing magical runes shining at its borders. There was a chasm separating them from the space where different floors and platforms with doors and shelves full of books and walls where artifacts of all uses and forms are stored as decorations or locked behind forcefields and enchanted from ever leaving this space. The lighting was a gigantic crystal turning on itself with multiple other ones orbiting it.

Annya and Nikola looked astonished by the scene before them.

“E-Elissa, where are we?” Tesla stuttered.

He looked around him, books flew out of their shelves to get onto others, on the next platform there was a desk with a chair and an ethereal and beautiful female humanoid, with white horns reminding him of a deer, was scribbling on paper, she was surrounded by a mountain of books of all sizes. Elissa waved at the woman who did the same and promptly got back to writing.

“Mister Tesla, this is the Sanctum.” Elissa opened her arms wide.

Malicia appeared in a shower of golden light, making Annya and Tesla jump back from fright. The Dae smiled at that; The redhead stepped away from her mother.

“Thanks for bringing them daughter, you can return to your dorm.” Malica said to Elissa who couldn’t help but lower her gaze when Malicia’s glowing eyes were upon her. “don’t forget, you cannot leave the school.” The sorceress said as a reminder.

“Yes, mom,” Elissa said, more subdued than usual.

Annya had never felt jealous in all of her life of another woman, she had been described as beautiful or gorgeous by members of both sexes, but she felt like a cow compared to Malicia. As for Tesla, he looked at the strange exchange between mother and daughter, how the young lady deferred to her mother and seemed to change behavior when confronted to her; he had seen the same happen with Cassandra and Heracles. Elissa said goodbye to Annya with a kiss on the cheek and a wave to Tesla who reciprocate the gesture.

Malicia stared at Tesla. “You are finally here Nikola.”

“Malicia, I am happy to be here. This place is simply wondrous, I don’t know how to describe what I feel…”

“Oh, being marveled should be enough.” Malicia giggled.

She was proud of being the possessor of this place of power, even though she realized that it wasn’t totally hers, some doors and sections of the library were still locked to her. Tesla and Annya looked at each other and laughed in turn, the humor relieving them from the tension they felt when they arrived in this strange but mesmerizing place.

“Follow me.” Malicia turned heel and walked toward the chasm and when Tesla was about to stop her from walking into the gulf, glowing rectangular forms deployed to form stairs leading to the next white stony platform.

Annya felt scared when the woman floated on the light platform, but she didn’t seem to fall or anything; her father braved putting a foot on the light construct and was mesmerized by how solid it felt. Putting his other foot he began to jump on the glowing light construct. When he noticed Malicia looking at him as if he was a particularly naughty child caught doing something ridiculous his face reddened and he followed her. His daughter followed suit, trusting her father’s assessment.

They traveled from platform to platform to reach the second floor of the library area, then the warehouse where the precious magical materials were stocked, followed by the portal room where an uncountable number of rooms could be found. Malicia explained that in this place there were all the different portals leading to different places on this planet and… other worlds. Tesla had tried to pry more information about them from Malicia, but she dodged the subject.

Finally, the group reached a place you could call a control center with white walls and glowing golden crystals, a giant mirror levitated in the center of the room. Its surface was shining with all the colors of the light spectrum. Other than that the room seemed too spacious and bare. However, the giant form of Heracles could be found looking at the mirror, as if enthralled by it. He turned towards the newcomers when he heard them step into the room. Malicia teleported to him and the man opened his arms as his spouse embraced him and rubbed her face against his chest.

“Cles, I have returned,” Malicia said with affection.

Annya suddenly felt envious of Malicia as she put her eyes on this hunk of a man, Tesla just thought that Heracles was out of the dog house since the last time he saw him.

“Good, my little devil.” He stroked her head and kissed her full on the mouth.

Cough. “We are still here.” Tesla interrupted them.

Malicia took her time to disentangle herself from Heracles and the muscular man made a shy smile. He wasn’t embarrassed to show love to his wife publicly but being called on it was kind of making him feel ill at ease.

“Oh yes, I almost forgot. Welcome Nik, and you must be Annya.” Heracles greeted the young woman.

“Nice to finally meet you, sir.” The blonde woman said almost flirtatiously but a scowl from Malicia stopped her.

“Likewise.” Heracles nodded.

Malicia waved her hand and a table and chair manifested in the room, then she sat with her husband; It was simple furniture made of a white grey wood whose sheen glimmered slightly. Tesla cooed at the display and as he ran his gauntleted hand on the table to see if it was solid he marveled at the display. His instruments didn’t feel any energy signature nor space displacement, so this wasn’t teleportation but creation, Malicia just created some kind of virtual matter that she made real. The scientist’s mind was astonished by the implications of such an accomplishment! Annya didn’t think anything about Malicia making things appear out of thin air, she just sat and became embarrassed by her father’s reaction who she tried to get to sit on the chair next to her.

“Dad you are embarrassing yourself!” Annya chided him while hitting his arm.

Tesla looked like a kid in a candy store, but when he looked at his daughter’s tempestuous expression he sobered. “Sorry.” He said as he sat.

“Nik you are always the same.” Heracles chuckled.

“This place defies the laws of physics.” The scientist said in an excited tone.

“As you know them,” Malicia interjected. “There are a great many things that you don’t know about, Nikola.” The Dae smiled slightly.

“Ah, maybe you should teach me then.” Tesla’s eyes twinkled.

Malicia tilted her head, looking at the man through her mage sight, he had the potential to be a good enchanter. “It could be possible, but first we have something to get out of the way.”

Tesla looked at her with wide eyes and then enthusiastically nodded. Yet again, the sorceress waved her hand and two sheets of paper appeared. Tesla took it in hand and began to read what was written on it. It reminded him of the Non-Disclosure Agreements his lawyer concocted with a more permanent punishment in case of breach of trust. Death, and imprisonment.

“Those are soul contracts, anyone breaking an oath-bound by them forfeit his eternal soul. If you want to know the truth about us, and my family and to be able to benefit even more from our partnership you’ll sign.” The sorceress lifted her chin and as usual, a light glowed in her eyes.

Tesla looked at the woman before him, he has been helping her and her family for four years now, she also helped him in a consultant position with disasters or foes brought by magic, she had either taken care of the problem or given him the tools to save the day. Malicia has a reason for the things she does, and it always concerned her family and more precisely Elissa. He had followed her exploits in Europe even before they met, she had been merciless but had also avoided involving bystanders in her feud.

“Dad, are you sure you want to do that?” Annya was worried as she had not expected something this grave to happen.

“I have nothing to fear, those people are like family to me and Malicia must have her reasons to make the requirement this steep.” The man said smiling confidently.

As Tesla signed the soul contract, the sound of thunder rang out, the paper dissolved in motes of light and disappeared. Malicia smiled at that, her eyes then focused on Annya who appeared to be terrified by the implications of what was happening.

“You can leave, I am not forcing you.” Malicia was about to wave her hand and teleport the young woman outside but got interrupted when Annya’s voice rang.

“I will sign.”

The woman looked terrified but she was courageous, her father had taken a step and she will do the same, she thought.

“Are you sure?” Malicia was giving her another out.

Tesla looked at his daughter, *She’s like her mother,*

“I want to know why you are doing this.”

“I hope it won’t be too much for you.” The sorceress stood up from her seat and walked toward the gigantic mirror and snapped her fingers, the surface of the mirror began to reflect Malicia’s likeness until a green orb that was definitely a planet with three moons dancing around it appeared. It orbited around two suns, one yellow and the other pink, then the view expanded and there were an asteroid belt and three gas giants, one even had two rings around it.

“Our family isn’t from this world, or should I say this part of the galaxy.” The mirror zoomed out of the alien solar system.

Tesla stood mesmerized by the spectacle Malicia offered and the revelation shocked him. The mirror stopped to show a familiar spiral galaxy.

“Compared to Earth’s position in the Orion arm,” The mirror showed the position of Earth’s sun in the galaxy by highlighting it in a different light. “The position of my planet should be here, in the Norma Arm near the center of the Milky Way.” Malicia put a finger on the third spiral arm the milky way.

The view came back to the green planet that turned on itself, white and blue clouds obscuring the number of continents but the ocean and sky were green. Suddenly the cover of clouds dissipated and the spectators could see the lands on this green gem; there were polar ice caps in the North and South, a giant landmass comparable to Europe and Asia was visible in the center and on the East side of it three giant islands could be found from the equator until it reached the North Pole. On the South Western part of the central continent, an Archipelago of Giant Islands shared the Southern Pole.

“This our world, Phantasia. We have fifteen months in our calendar and four seasons like on Earth, it’s a world full of mana and drowned in cosmic energy. Our suns are younger and more powerful than Sol. Our population is made of six races; The Dwemer, Fae, Werecat, Merpeople, Ancient Humans and Demons.”

An example of the races she spoke about appeared in the mirror, grey-skinned humanoids with black eyes and horns, people with butterfly wings that could become as big as a human or be thumb sized, mermaids and tritons, human people but who all looked quite beautiful, cat people wearing asian styles of clothing and to finish red-skinned humanoids with horns and arrow like tails.

“Demons?!” Annya exclaimed.

She stood up from her seat, horrified.

“Yes. They interbred with some of the population and integrated into our society.” Malicia lifted her glamour, letting her black and gold horns appear and her eyes changed to become more cat-like.

“I am what Phantasians call a Dae, the offspring between a Fae and Demon. Am I not beautiful?” Malicia posed for effect.

Annya’s eyes rolled in her head and she fainted landing sonorously on the ground.

Annya woke up in the same white room, she laid on comfy green and gold cushions; The young woman slowly sat up and looked around her. She was on a slab of stone that could be called an altar. As if she felt that she was getting cooked, the blonde woman jumped from the altar. She was seeing no sacrificial dagger or skull with satanic symbols.

*Calm down, me. There’s no reason that Malicia would sacrifice or harm me.* She thought as she sighed heavily.

A migraine speared her brain as she felt through the emotional link she had with her father throb with pain. He was in pain, even though she suffered herself Annya looked for him and what she saw scared her. Her father was kneeling before Malicia, holding his abdomen. The young woman rushed to Nikola and was stopped by Heracles who put himself in her way, taking her in his arms.

“Don’t interrupt, it could kill him.” He said.

Heracles’s voice sounded even but to Annya’s touch, he felt anxious. The young woman beat on the muscular man’s chest, trying to make him let go of her, to no effect.

“What are you doing to my dad?!!” Annya shouted.

Her dad was screaming in pain, and then it stopped. Tesla was on the ground, panting.

“He is taking his place in our circle,” Heracles said as he let go of Annya and then got out of her way.

The young woman rushed to her dad and knelt at his side patting every part of his body to find out where he was hurt.

“Јеби га, то боли ! (Fuck, that hurt!)” Tesla observed.

“This is normal, opening the spiritual meridians and unsealing your core this late in your life is painful; normally this action is done when someone is still in their childhood or teenage years. As the body is more malleable.” Malicia informed them.

“I can do magic now?” Tesla asked with an enthusiastic tone.

The scientist took out a comb from the inside pocket of his lab coat and began to comb his black hair back that was put in disarray earlier.

“Indeed, I am pleased to say that you can be an enchanter. You’ll be able to craft magical items and create formations to protect or reinforce structures. I can teach you if you so wish.” In Malicia’s hand a book appeared, it was as big as an encyclopedia. “Or you could learn by yourself?”

The sorceress looked at him as if she was judging him through his next action, however, Tesla was a lot of things but not an idiot.

“I am not foolish enough to think myself able to learn your art alone. I wish to learn at the feet of someone who knows what they are doing.” He said after chuckling.

A light of approval appeared in Malicia’s eyes, and Tesla sighed when he realized that he made the right choice.

“Then we will do it like that.” The sorceress said.

Malicia made the book disappear and took out a silver necklace that she threw at Tesla who caught it mid-air.

“Malicia, what are we going to do about Elissa?” Nikola couldn’t believe that this hot potato had dropped in his lap.

Him getting cozy with magical aliens? If someone had told him that it would happen in his lifetime he would have kicked their ass. Malicia’s face became serious

“We need to prepare her and I think that you can help.” She already knew how he will be able to help, it was just a question of knowing if the man would be able to.

“Wait, what is it about Elissa? I am lost, what have you been doing while I was unconscious?” Annya’s voice broke the serious atmosphere between her father and the sorceress.

Tesla always ready for a laugh interjected, “Ah мој драги (my darling), you always choose the right timing to ask the right questions.”

Fuming with indignation, Annya said, “Dad!”

Tesla’s daughter hit him on the arm.

“Fine, I will tell you.” Tesla stood up from the ground and helped his daughter to do the same. “The Von Brauns are political refugees from the planet they showed us earlier. It seems that Elissa isn’t really their daughter, but their ward. She's the Imperial Princess and primary heir of another planet currently in a self-imposed exile, biding her time to gain enough power and allies to return to Phantasia and retake the throne from the Demon usurper who has been terrorizing the population. The worst thing is she's almost entirely in the dark about everything.”

“Говно (shit).” Annya said while looking surprised.

Tesla cackled.“That’s my daughter, she takes after me!”

 

Daphne Snow School of Arcane Art
Princess Tower
08:20 PM


Elissa walked toward the tower, her thoughts churning. She didn't want to enter her dorms just yet and stopped from time to time to watch the fairies working in the garden. Some of them completely ignored her, others waved at her or flew around her daring her to catch them; sometimes she did while being careful and released them instantly giggling at their surprised expression.

The redhead sighed heavily, pondering why she couldn’t be as carefree as those magical beings; ever since she turned four, Elissa had been raised to become a strong magic user, Malicia had encouraged her to always push her self imposed limits to gain knowledge while still being patient and waiting for her powers to develop. She was being prepared for something, all the training, the magic and the evasions from her parents when she asked direct questions about their native world. Whatever it was, Elissa hoped she would be ready for it; however, she felt desperately weak compared to her sister, her uncle Achilles or mother. She saw them as her goal, and couldn’t wait to arrive at their level of power.

Elissa let her cold aura slightly spread around her and lowered the temperature to ten degrees Celsius, maintaining it without magic had become a real chore but she still strived to raise her control. In those magicless days, she had come to view her dependency as a weakness. There was no reason that she couldn’t control her powers by sheer will, it was just a question of mental discipline. The young woman had decided that even if she got her magic back she would be careful not to over-rely on it.

Falling back on her physical skills had been something of a rush when she battled Price, she couldn’t control her ice as well as she wanted and now she was seeing different ways to fight as she regained control. Fighting while using deception, traps and controlling her foes appealed to her in a way that direct combat had not. It would have also been more effective in the fight of today.

*All warfare is based on deception.*

Elissa resolved to come up with more strategies and tactics for her main powers, she should be aware of and control the terrain around her at all times.

*Maybe being cooped up in the school is a boon, I will be able to think more about how I should fight like dad told me. I seem to be attracting a lot of unwanted attention lately…* Elissa told herself.

The redhead stopped her wander when she reached the tower, the lights were on. She saw Dawn looking at her through the window, her face was a heart-achingly lovely picture of warmth, and kind kindness. Elissa’s core flooded with desire, her heart skipping a beat as she remembered what happened between them when she got back from the security compound in the academy.

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06:20 PM




After giving her statement on what happened between her and Price, Elissa drove back to school with her father. Her ribs had begun to slowly heal thanks to her superhuman constitution but still ached. Her uniform was ripped and torn where the kinetic beam guy had struck her, fortunately, Doctor Jordan had taken care of her wounds and closed them when the security agents had brought her into the school hospital. The black woman had been frantic when she learned what happened and had refused to go heal the boys in the Hospital at the north of the island when the doctors there had asked her to come to facilitate their treatments.

Dawn was waiting for her in the parking lot, Heracles parked in Elissa’s usual space and stopped the car. The little asian girl was on Elissa as she exited the Camaro, hugging her but stopped when saw her wince in pain because of her ribs.

“Sorry, I heard what happened from Danny, are you ok?” She sounded worried, her usual sunny disposition had completely disappeared.

Elissa preferred when Dawn smiled, seeing her sad or anxious was as if all the colors drained from the world.

The redhead soldiered on as she ignored the pain.

“Peachy,” Elissa said as she hugged the petite girl who reciprocated, and then Dawn’s beautiful smile broke out from the anxious expression she had on.

“The doctor at the academy patched me up, but it still hurts a little,” Elissa reassured her friend.

The asian girl’s face brightened as she heard some good news.

“You got those guys good I heard?”

“It was a team effort, Donovan had the lions share of the fight with Danny and the girls.”

“You still took out their leader.”

“Yes I did, but I wish you were there Dawn; maybe we wouldn’t have had to fight at all.”

“Yes, I would have sent them into the ocean.” Dawn mock scowled.

In Elissa’s heart, she knew that Dawn wasn’t just a pretty meek girl, she has a steel core hidden by all this kindness. The redhead wanted to help her friend to blossom into someone who knew when to fight and took no shit from anyone.

“That’s my little tigress.” Elissa passed her fingers through Dawn’s hair and suddenly the world around them ceased to exist as they gazed into each other eyes.

Cough. “Elissa, go to your dorm, your mother will get you later for a little talk.” Heracles interrupted.

He gave his daughter a shit-eating grin, her cheeks were red in embarrassment, Dawn glared at him but that reinforced his smile. He remembered when he had told Elissa about the birds and the bees when she was six years old and hadn’t anticipated that it wasn’t boys that he should be worried about but people of the same sex. It didn’t bother him at all, he was happy that his little treasure met new people and made friends.

The hero threw the car key to Elissa who caught them and left, Dawn waited for him to leave and spoke. “Your dad is cool.”

Knowing Dawn’s sexual orientation, Elissa wasn’t surprised that his aura power just had a charismatic effect on her and not a seductive one as she had seen a lot of time on straight women.

“I know.” Elissa nodded as Dawn took her hand in hers, caressing the inside of her palm with her thumb.

This simple but intimate skinship from Dawn made Elissa think about what Danny at told her, that she took what she wanted. She thought that maybe she was thinking too much instead of following her heart. The redhead decided that she will address how to ask the asian girl out later.

“Hum, I have food in the back of the car, take out for tonight that we will heat in the microwave.” The young lady showed the takeout boxes in the back seat of her car.

“You didn’t want to cook tonight.” Dawn flashed her a mischievous smile.

It was Elissa’s turn to cook today, the two girls had come up with a rotation system that made them shares the chores and cooking duty.

The redhead shook her head.“I felt that I wouldn’t be in the mood for it while expecting a fight.”

Elissa looked rather awkward but didn’t want her friend to stop touching her. The more she was in contact with her, the more she didn’t want to stay just ‘friends’. Now that she thought about it, the hell did she think when she asked Dawn that?

*Oh yeah, I was afraid; and mom had taken my magic so I couldn’t think straight.* She realized.

“Take them, I will port us into our room,” Dawn said innocently.

Elissa listened, opened the passenger door and bend over to take the boxes of food; Dawn smiled as she could see the redhead’s perfect legging covered behind. Boxes in hand, Elissa was embraced by the asian girl who focused on the anchor point she had left in the living room on their floor of the Tower. Space warped around them and suddenly there were somewhere else. In their living room to be precise.

“And here we are, Eli,” Dawn said not letting her go.

Elissa was surprised that she didn’t feel nauseous like she was with the teleporter of the academy.

“I prefer teleporting with you, teleportation based magic is smoother than the technological one.” The redhead praised.

The asian girl giggled and reluctantly let go of Elissa.“Thanks, I will take those boxes and put them in the fridge.”

“Ok.” Elissa began to take off her uniform while walking toward her room.

But when she entered, the redhead found herself being pushed onto her bed and as she righted herself she was straddled by Dawn who took her two arms and immobilized her.

“I didn’t anticipate this.”

“No one expects the shy asian girl to do this.”

Elissa exercised a bit of strength and reversed their positions, Dawn squeaked and tried to struggle. But quickly quit doing that as she felt the weight of the redhead settling on her. To Dawn, Elissa smelled of strawberry and cherry flowers, and then Elissa’s lips pressed against hers. When the redhead stopped, Dawn didn’t know what to think besides “do it again”. Elissa must have read her desire in her eyes because she leaned forward to kiss Dawn again. The redhead lured Dawn’s tongue into her mouth, her hands sliding on the asian girl’s arms. For five minutes the two exchanged kisses that in reality had been a long time coming as they had suppressed their desire for each other.

“Elissa I am…” Malicia entered her daughter’s bedroom and eyes wide couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

Elissa and Dawn had frozen when they heard Malicia’s voice and perfectly mimicked the deer in the headlights expression.

“Sorry for interrupting,” Malicia said as she closed the door.

Clack. They heard as the door was closed; when the sorceress left, the two girls held each other in fright, Elissa had expected her mom to separate them, but she didn’t. Dread filled her mind as she had recognized the gleam of amusement in her mother’s eyes when she closed the door.

“This is so embarrassing!” Dawn whined.

Elissa won’t be able to live this down, she knew her mother would use it against her. “Tell me about it!”

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Sigh. Elissa’s heart settled, she wasn’t ready for the intense teasing that her mother would without a doubt prepare. Purple arcs of mana appeared as space distorted around her and the redhead recognized them as she was teleported. It was the first time Elissa realized that that Dawn was capable of remote teleportation without touching others.

Dawn was waiting for her near the window with the blue and green curtains, she was rather smug as she looked at the redhead.

“You couldn’t wait for me to enter the tower?” Elissa went to sit on the sofa.

Dawn followed suit, practically gluing herself to the redhead and interlace her fingers with Elissa’s. The young lady could literally taste Dawn’s embrace and smell her soft and warm feelings.

The asian girl tilted her head cutely, causing Elissa’s heart to melt at her cuteness. “But you were just standing there.”

Elissa rolled her eyes. “Dawn, do you know what a boundary is?”

A sly smile spread on the asian girl’s face. “A real or imagined line that marks the edge or limit of something?”

“Argh yes! But that’s not the point!” The redhead whined.

“I am just pulling your chain! And,” Elissa shut her eyes tightly trying to tune out the temptation caused by her… what was Dawn to her? A friend or her girlfriend now? The young lady felt Dawn let go of her hand and move on the sofa; Elissa found herself in a lap pillow position on the asian girl’s thighs. Dawn began to stroke her hair. “tell me you want me to stop.”

Elissa relaxed, giving up resisting Dawn’s advances, it clearly wasn’t working and she loved this position already.

“You win.” The redhead said looking at Dawn in the eyes.

Elissa rolled her eyes at the eastern beauty’s victorious smile, with her synesthesia and Dawn’s facial expression it was so easy to read her feelings. The asian girl was like an open book to her. They stayed like this in companionable silence.

“Say, Elissa, are we…” Dawn tried to say, her voice was trembling, the sour feeling of her fear invaded Elissa’s sense and contentment.

The redhead decided to make things clear with the usual bluntness that made her so many enemies as of late. She couldn’t bear this awkward feeling, Elissa caught Dawn’s hand and kissed it.

“Dawn I like you and yeah let’s start dating. I am sorry, I was a selfish bitch but… I was afraid.” The redhead confessed.

Elissa tasted love when a blissful smile blossomed on Dawn’s face, love of a different kind than the familial one she was used to. Had her heart skipped a beat? the redhead felt as if she was bewitched as if she was being caught in a divine spell. When Elissa saw that feeling in Dawn’s eyes she told herself *It’s like magic.*

“Hey it’s ok, I was afraid too when I discovered I liked girls.” Dawn tried to reassure her.

The asian girl was proud of herself and giddy that she finally made the redhead her girlfriend. She realized that her mother was right, in trying to build a relationship you must be proactive and not wait for the other to suddenly be aware of your feelings. Dawn had called her mother and conversed about how to help Elissa realize her feelings. Dawn’s mother, Briana had mercilessly teased her until giving her advice about stopping to wait for Elissa to make the first move and to hunt her until she gave in.

“Huhu, so far you are the only girl I am attracted to, but I still like boys too,” Elissa said.

Dawn decided to change the subject, she didn’t care about boys unless they were friends.“By the way, I heated that food that you brought.”

The asian girl had been surprised that Elissa had bought asian food in disposable food containers. She noticed that the redhead was being influenced by her bit by bit; first anime and soon manga. Unaware of Dawn’s ambition, Elissa let a contented sigh escape her lips.

“Can we stay like this another five minutes?” The redhead asked.

“Yes,” Dawn answered, stroking Elissa’s hair.

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Mercer Island Hospital
Intensive Care Unit
08:30 PM

Noah Price, a married man, a member of the conservative party and a member of the Assembly super team from Washington D.C. had always liked to think that he was part of this new wave of humanity called superhumans. Through his success in life, he had always carried his belief like a torch for all to see. He had even chosen his wife, Isobel for her powers and for her similar way of thinking as himself. That they were superior and deserved the best that the world had to offer. They had instilled the same philosophy into their son, Benjamin, they had given him the means to indulge in a life of excess and let him run rampant doing whatever he wanted.

Now looking at his son who was in a medically induced coma with his face smashed in and his pelvis fractured; the two parents regretted not having instilled caution and self-preservation in their son. Isobel kept crying, seated near the bed as she saw her son in this sorry state. The man looked like his son, a brunet with blue eyes looking like he was in his twenties; however, his eyes looked far older than his son’s.

“Noah! What happened to him? you still haven't told me!” Isobel cried as she touched her son’s hand.

Isobel was a blonde woman with grey eyes, a beautiful face and thanks to her superhuman constitution looked like a top model, an occupation that she still had since she was semi-active as a super for the Assembly. She looked at her husband who could still barely believe that his son has turned up like this by a woman; From the information, he had been able to glean he had used the same method he came up with to get girls with the hellion who did this to him.

Noah had gathered everything from the school on this Von Braun girl and began to understand why his son became attracted to her, she was strong and beautiful; however, her stats seemed to not be up to date if she could do this with just her fighting skills. Noah had thought his son strong enough to do whatever he wanted, he had even facilitated his vices while using his influence but it seemed that it was wishful thinking.

The result of his hubris laid bare before his eyes.

“It’s a young woman who did this to him,” Noah told her, taking the time to look at his wife’s tears stained face.

The blonde’s eyes flashed with malice, she stood up and went toward her husband and put her hands on his black jacket holding him by his lapels.

“Who?! Give me her name, I will kill her!” Isobel’s voice became cold as she said this with conviction.

Noah shook his head.

“You shouldn’t rush like this, Izzy! We don’t know which family she comes from, and…” Her husband tried to explain.

Isobel slapped him on his torso, she hurt her hand in doing so but ignored it. Her eyes were full of rancor and feeling of betrayal. “How dare you try to stop me?!”

The man took his wife in his arms and thanks to his super strength the woman found herself unable to move. “Calm yourself! Damnit!”

Isobel struggled in her husband embrace like a tigress, but for naught as she couldn’t extract herself from the bear hug.

“I already have things in hand, Izzy; we are going to meet this girl with her parents tomorrow,” Noah said to calm his beautiful wife.

Isobel stopped moving, looked at Noah and said with tears in her eyes. “Really?”

“Yes, don’t worry hon, I won’t let them get away with this!” Noah swore.

Isobel saw the same flame of revenge burning in her husband’s eyes, he had the same expression on his face when he schemed something. The blonde woman relaxed in his embrace, and Noah kissed her on the brows.

“Good.” She said barely satisfied.

Looking at her son who laid unmoving on his hospital bed she said, “Benny, mom will make that girl pay for what she did to you.”

 

March 7th, 2018
Tesla Academy
Testing Chambers
08:00 AM


Doctor Jordan couldn’t believe that Nikola Tesla would come before her today, after all, his time was precious and she was just a humble employee of his. His daughter, Annya Tesla was watching the monitor of the supercomputer that showed the stats of her new friend, Elissa Von Braun. The two were really interested in the power that she demonstrated in the Omega testing chamber.

“Those numbers can’t be right!” Annya exclaimed.

The blonde was looking at the numbers on the graph of the exothermic scan, she watched the screen as if it was a really bad liar.

Nikola smiled, crossed his arms and said, “Why can’t they be?”

Nikola was proud of his last born, she was brilliant, curious and tenacious; however, she reacted badly to things surpassing her knowledge and strived to prove that what she saw was impossible. As her father, he often had to gently guide her to his way of thinking before she let go of her preconceptions. Those three were in the control room for the test Chambers.

Sandra had called Tesla personally to avoid tipping off the equipment division, hence keeping Elissa's secret. She didn't expect that the Professor would be acquainted with Elissa.

Annya stopped watching the screen, turned to her father and as she saw his teasing smile she rolled her eyes. “Dad, look she froze everything to stillness, she reached absolute zero. This proves the complete absence of motion of any substance can be achieved; our technology and science still don’t permit us to reach it.”

“That’s what’s tricky with superpowers, they enable superhumans to do impossible things,” Nikola said to make her let go of that theory that isn’t just a theory anymore.

Annya pondered long and hard, then she said,“Why is she still ranked Alpha? Omega would suit her well…”

Nikola shook his head, he wouldn’t let that happen.“No, we won’t reveal her true stats to the league.”

Omega ranked supers were automatically drafted into the Omega corps in the USA, they were similar to strategic weapons or nuclear deterrent.

“Hum, Professor Tesla?” Sandra called out to Nikola.

The man turned towards her, smiling.

“Oh, miss Jordan, I am so sorry, we can be really enthusiastic about all that science.” He said as he flashed her his perfect teeth as he put his hand in the pocket of his lab coat.

Sandra made a knowing glance that showed that she knew how he felt.

“Don’t apologize I am the same… Elissa has shown me a different dimension of what a being can achieve.”

The little redhead was the most powerful cryokinetic that appeared to date, dwarfing the results from previous contenders.

“Doctor Jordan, the thing is… with Elissa Von Braun there are some secrets invol-”

Sandra raised her hands to stop him from speaking any more, she smiled wryly.“You don’t have to warn me about keeping everything about her underwrap, Elissa made me promise not to say anything.”

“Doctor, I cannot take this risk I am sorry; a lot is depending on you keeping silent, her mother is a hard woman.” Nikola’s face took on an apologetic expression.

“Annya call Malicia.” The blonde already took out her phone and began to search through her contact list.

Sandra looked weirded out by their behaviors as if they deferred to someone. “Who?” Sandra asked Nikola who was about to answer when someone interrupted him.

“I am already here.” A soft but hard voice could be heard.

Everyone turned toward the voice, Sandra was shocked that someone could appear at will like that; she thought that the academy was protected against teleporters barging into the school this way. The woman was gorgeous, ethereally so; the doctor’s eyes glowed gold as she activated her power, and through the use of her biological manipulation, Sandra noticed that this Malicia woman wasn’t human at all.

“I have been scrying on you since this morning.” Malicia laughed evilly.

Malicia’s gaze found Sandra’s and she sucked in a breath and walked to her. The sorceress’s eyes glowed and it was the doctor’s turn to express her surprise; the two women looked at each other, smiled.

“Are you a healer? I can guess that you are through your aura, you are so… untainted for someone not bound by an oath.” The sorceress was surprised to find an unbound healer in a tech academy.

She turned her face toward Tesla and asked herself if he knew what kind of existence he had in his employ. Healers were a boon to kingdoms or countries on Phantasia, but often they turned to the dark side when not bound by oath to not harm and use necromancy. Malicia couldn’t see any oath binding Sandra Jordan in any way, the same for Elissa who possesses the same power through her patriarchal line.

The sorceress was reminded that Daphne’s daughter was destined to be a healer and not a magic warrior…

*Bound? Why would I be? I already swore a Hippocratic Oath when I got my doctorate. Does she mean magically? Is she a magic user like my mother?* Sandra stepped back, she has been wary of any magic user since her mother betrayed her.

“You miss are not human,” Sandra said out loud.

“Of course not, why would I be?” Malicia let her glamour dissipate, her crown of horns appeared around her head and her eyes became catlike with a greenish gold tint. “And it’s Mrs.”

“Oh,” Sandra said, looking at the demoness before her.

The black woman wasn’t afraid, Malicia didn’t feel as scary as the first demon she met. Malica had this aura of laissez-faire leadership around her; the proof of it was how the most powerful man on Earth was three steps behind her, keeping silent as the black haired demoness interacted with her.

“Are you not shocked by my appearance?” Malicia tilted her head, a gorgeous smile on her face.

Sandra shook her head and then adjusted her glasses on her nose. “You are not the first Demonoid that I’ve seen.”

Malicia had smelled that it was the case, she sniffed the air around the doctor. “Are you related to one?”

The sorceress could sense that someone in her family had a demonic aura as their scents were intermingled, there were also motes of darkness and spirit surrounding the doctor; however, they didn’t seem inimical at all. From demon to demon they could sense the intentions and feelings of each other this way, it was an evolutionary trait as some demons didn’t always have a humanoid form; Malicia could feel that doctor Sandra Jordan was loved by the demon cohabiting with her.

“Yes, my daughter actually; it is a long story,” Sandra confessed.

To Malicia’s demonic senses there was a string of feelings surrounding the doctor’s aura: Shame, love, resolution, worry. The sorceress could feel the tension in the black woman’s shoulders as she made herself smaller under Malicia’s gaze.

The sorceress advanced toward Sandra and put a hand on her shoulder.“I don’t presume that you would be amenable in talking about it, do you have any problems with her?”

Sandra looked into Malicia’s eyes, she didn’t seem to be trying to manipulate her, unlike her daughter’s father the first time they met.

Sandra nodded. “Yes, she struggles to control her instincts. I am also hiding her from her father.”

Malicia took her hand off the shoulder of the doctor and was already calculating the pros and cons of having a healer at her beck and call. Someone unbound by any oath made by the Corvinus Council on Earth or the Mage Circle of Phantasia. A grin appeared on Malicia’s face as she stopped pacing.

“I have a deal for you, doctor… Jordan.” Malicia read the woman’s name on the badge pinned on her lab coat. “We will bring you into our circle, and I will help your daughter have a normal life. Explain to her what the demon part of her is like, bring it under control.” Malicia’s horn shimmered as a golden ball of mana appeared up her head.

The ball began to spin around Malicia who caught it in her hand and crushed it; the motes of light dissipated as she shook her hand playfully.

Sandra was not impressed by the display of power, however, she had seen the same thing happen with daughter’s horn when she was younger. “She’s a half, it shouldn’t be this hard for her to master her demonic powers.” The doctor muttered under her breath.

Malicia heard her nonetheless.

The sorceress shook her head and said,“It depends on if she represses that side of her.”

“Oh,” Sandra said.

Her daughter, Sarah was always depressed, desperately wanting to be a normal human. She categorically tried to saw off her horn or hide her tail, but she couldn’t hide how red her skin was.

“From where I come from, Half-demons are commonplace,” Malicia informed the black woman.

Sandra’s hopes were reignited, she couldn't not seize this opportunity, even if she had to make a deal with a demoness. If a man like Tesla was trusting this woman? Why couldn’t she?

“I will help her and you. I have a school, and I will teach her personally and protect her from her father while giving her the means to do that herself.”

Malicia made a card appear in her hand and gave it to Sandra who looked at it with her hand trembling.

Dean Malicia Von Braun-Halliwell

Daphne Snow School of Arcane Art

Pioneer Park

Island Crest Way

360-666-2012​

Tears appeared in Sandra’s eyes as her eyes fell on the smiling demoness.“I… don’t care about myself, but her? Yes, I would give everything I have to be able to see her smile.”

Annya and Nikola were touched by the selfless nature of the doctor; they had stayed silent to let Malicia handle everything. Nikola thought that she was an opportunistic and manipulative being, however, it seemed that she had a soft spot for parents with children in difficulty.

“I want you to teach my daughter, Elissa, everything you know about being a healer,” Malicia said, not making a heavier demand on Sandra.

The sorceress thought that slavery wouldn’t be well received from her present ally behind her and it was a taboo on this planet to even hint at it. She found that hypocritical as the nation they were in utilized an indenture system for students through the banks called ‘student loans.’ Malicia materialized a tissue in her hand and gave it to Sandra who wiped her tears and thanked her.

Once she calmed down, the black woman was all business. “I accept your terms.”

She couldn’t find anyone more suited to aid her Sarah in the pit of despair she had entrenched herself in. Sandra looked more in-depth through her biological scanning eyes, that Malicia was a demoness and something… other? The black haired demoness said that Elissa was her daughter but how could this be? Sandra decided to ask.

“You know, you don’t look like Elissa, your DNA is also different…” The doctor began.

Malicia’s expression changed, a bit sad by this fact. Elissa wasn’t her flesh and blood, however, she raised her as if she was her daughter. In her heart of hearts, she knew though that she was hers, whatever genetics and lineage said.

“A family is tied by more than blood, Doctor Jordan.” The sorceress answered to Sandra.

Sandra felt guilty as she saw the woman’s expression full of sadness.“You are right, I apolog-”

The sorceress interrupted her by raising her finger and placing it on Sandra’s lips.

“Stop apologizing, I made peace with that long ago,” Malicia said, freeing the woman’s lips. She turned to the Teslas. “Nikola, Annya do any of you have a paper and a pen?”

Malicia was keen to wrap this up as she had a meeting with the parents of the young upstart that attacked her daughter. A lesson will be extracted and she intended for it to be a resounding example for those who had designs in harming her family.

“Yes, Malicia,” Nikola said taking out his personal fountain pen out of his lab coat pocket. Annya took a paper from the printing machine. Annya and her father put the pen and the paper on the table.

Malicia’s will focus on the paper, and the pen moved by itself as the sorceress began to write a contract about keeping the origins of her family secret, the terms of services concerning Sandra’s daughter and Elissa’s own training. Once done, she dried the ink and showed the contract to the doctor who studied it and saw no traps in the wording; it was pretty straightforward. Sandra was given the pen and as she signed it, a roll of thunder made her flinch and emit a little squeak of fright.

“Welcome to the Circle, Doctor Jordan.” Malicia cackled.

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Daphne Snow School of Arcane Art
Dean’s wing
08:20 AM



Heracles was looking through the glass window of his shared bedroom in the Daphne Snow Palace. The man giggled at the name, it was really like his wife to give hints to people and at the same time dedicating a part of her territory to Phantasia’s mightiest ruler. The sky was blue and the forest and gardens gradually became green. Spell arrays shined in the fountains and geometric patterns formed by the beds of flowers and bushes.

The hero thought that Malicia was beefing up the defensive spells of this place to make it as impregnable as their own house in Seattle. He felt safe here, more so than in his own house. Maybe because this place was under Malicia’s dominion. The atmospheric shield reminded him of the one in the capital of the Phantasian continent, Storm Advent as it filtered the atmosphere for harmful substances, UV lights and didn’t let the pollution prevalent on this planet enter the pocket realm.

Heracles’ phone rang in his black and silver jacket pocket; he took the device in hand, careful not to crush it and saw that his daughter Cassandra was calling him. He had an idea of why she was calling. The man accepted the call.

“Daddy, hi!” A cute voice could be heard from Heracles’ smartphone.

A large smile appeared on the redheaded man’s chiseled face.

“Hi, Cassandra my little star, is everything ok? Why are you calling this early?” He already knew why but decided to play her little game. Like her mother, Cassandra felt the need to manipulate and arrange events to go her way, even to the extent to cut deals. Heracles dreaded the moment she would enter puberty.

“Hum… did you talk with mom about what we spoke about last night?” Cassandra’s voice was shy.

A smile appeared on the redheaded man’s face, he closed his eyes.

“Not yet, darling. But I promise you that I will do everything in my power to let it happen. Do you trust dad?” Heracles decided to use the same immature manipulation on her, it often worked.

“Psshh, dumb question daddy! I trust you implicatly.” Cassandra affirmed vigorously, but the mispronunciation of the word implicitly dispelled the impact of her sentence.

Heracles laughed. “You mean implicitly, honey.”

“That’s what I said!” Heracles could feel her pout right at this moment.

The little girl was proud, too much so for Heracles liking but he liked that she was different from Elissa at her age. Elissa was willing to blindly listen and learn from them, following them like a baby duck following its mother. Cassandra asked questions and was unruly, more so than Elissa who had just begun to enter her rebellious phase.

Heracles began to laugh a bit at his other daughter because she was finally becoming interested in someone romantically. He decided to cut short to his way of thinking, Malicia had told him how she had found Elissa and her roommate. Of course, he wouldn’t think of sharing that news with Cassandra who might get jealous, to her Elissa only belonged to her; she was her playmate, confidant, and sister-in-craft.

“You really want to go to this school, huh.” Heracles continued.

Cassandra giggled. “Yes! I am already the best with that magic, math, and English stuff! How hard a magic school could be?” The little girl answered confidently.

Wanting to poke some fun at Cassandra, her father asked, “How is your Phantasian?”

“Urgh.” Cassandra made a dejected groan.

The redheaded man laughed heartily.

“That’s what I thought,” Heracles said, giving a smile.

The door behind him suddenly opened, it was his wife and he decided to cut short the call. Malicia put her handbag on her bed and walked toward her husband, all smiles.

“Honey, your mom is here; I will call you back.” The man said quickly.

“Don’t forget what we spoke about daddy! Goodbye.” Cassandra reminded him.

Malicia walked slowly toward her husband who appreciated the predatory gait she adopted each time she saw him. The sorceress was clothed in a black long dress with stretchy bandage ankle strap pumps of the same color, a dark blue leather double-breasted trench coat covered her outfit but didn’t hide her gorgeous form in the least. Heracles opened his arms and engulfed his beautiful wife in his embrace, as usual, she smelled of black orchids and fire, he kissed her chastely on the lips; Malicia looked at him fondly and said, “It was Cassie?”

Heracles directed his wife to come to sit on his lap while he was on the bed.

“Yes, she wants to enter the school,” Heracles said while playing a lock of Malicia’s black hair.

Malicia giggled, proud of the fact that her daughter was using her father to convince her.

“And she is using you to negotiate with me? This girl, she reminds me of myself when I was her age.” The black haired demoness smiled, her eyes literally glowing in contentment and she bonelessly leaned on her husband.

Heracles laughed and said, “I remember you telling me that you were a scourge with your mother and she cursed you to relive the same with your own daughter.”

“Yes,” Malicia said, her face expressing her dejection. “I thought I was escaping it when raising Elissa… she was so compliant, so cute. Then we had Cassandra and she showed me what hell felt like but I wouldn’t have it any other way. We have wonderful daughters.”

“That I agree with, my love.” The hero said it had been hard to begin seeing Elissa as more than his charge at first, but he was her father; Cassandra had been accepted readily and she presented all the signs of his bloodline: the charisma aura, the super strength, and toughness. He was proud of the two of them. He loved Malicia more than his life.

“What do you think we should do? Bring the house here and put it into the pocket dimension? Cassandra could attend the school this way.” Malicia said as she finally thought that it was prudent to bring her daughter and home in her place of power.

Heracles didn’t hesitate one second and nodded as he said, “A good idea, I feel safe here. At least there’s no way for their satellites to spy on us or direct a missile on it when that old goat Blake’s pride chokes him.”

Malicia’s golden aura surrounded her as she thought of the incident four years ago, her horns and eyes glowed gold with menace and her nails elongated as if ready to rip someone to pieces.

“I told you that we should have killed him at the time.” The sorceress said between her teeth, her voice echoing with power in the room.

Heracles looked cool as a cucumber, not at all scared by the display of power or the pressure Malicia emitted.

“Maybe.” He replied nonchalantly.

The atmosphere subsided.

Malicia’s glamour was in place again.“There will be no staying my hand the next time.” She said with finality.

Heracles smiled at his wife, amused by her antics; No, he wouldn’t make her stop if that glory seeking clown came at them once again.

“Speaking of staying one’s hand, what do you think we should do to those Price people?” Heracles changed the subject to the task at hand.

Malicia stopped moving, a sign that she was thinking.

She opened her mouth after a moment to say, “We will go to the meeting place at Tesla’s and confront them, I wish to see what kind of parents would let their son run rampant this way. In my court I would have him skinned and then left alone in a cell with an amorous troll, all at the same time.”

Heracles was chilled by the idea, as always when he heard things his wife had done on Phantasia in her Queendom.

“It’s a bit extreme don’t you think?” Heracles said while caressing Malicia’s arm to appease her anger.

She turned her face to look at him, eyes glowing.

“There was no crime in my kingdom, conspiracies were trampled underfoot by my spies. I had my many enemies under my heel and I crushed them mercilessly.” Malicia said with relish and longing, she was missing those old days when she could do as she pleased but still rule with knowledge and play with politics.

Heracles looked at Malicia’s long and shapely limbs, slowly passing a hand on her thigh.

“Beautiful heels, maybe I will get to play with them tonight.” He said while looking at her feet.

The sorceress leaned more into him, Heracles smelled her hair and left a kiss on her right cheek. They stayed in companionable silence for a while before the alarm on Malicia’s phone reminded them that they had a meeting to get to.

“Let’s take the car, the long way seems better in this situation; those humans are going to be made to wait for us,” Malicia said.

Heracles laughed.“I like how you think, dear.”

Malicia stood from her comfortable position and got her shapely bottom slapped playfully by Heracles, she smiled at him but shoved him onto the bed with a telekinetic spell. The redheaded man shook his head in wonder, asking himself how he landed such a gorgeous woman.

“Let’s go.” The redheaded man said taking his keys from his jacket pocket.

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Tesla Academy
Administrative building
09:00 AM




They parked their black Tesla Model S in the underground parking lot of the academy and connected it to the charging station to recharge the batteries. Being married to someone who loathed any vehicles powered by combustion engines had been difficult for Heracles in their first year on this Earth. Living in Paris was not possible, so they lived in a large condo in the most ecologically conscious town near the City of Lights.

It was different in this state as they bordered a Tesla recycling facility and one of the atmospheric filters the Tesla corporation made to make Seattle clean and the air fresh. Malicia had chosen this location for its Ley lines and clean environment.

As they exited the parking, Malicia looked around her and looked disgusted at the cars near theirs and wanted to set them on fire but resisted the impulse. She harrumphed, took her husband’s hand and walked out of the parking garage and toward the administrative building.

The staff of android maids operating the place allowed them to enter, and take the elevator.

Ding. The elevator reached the third floor.

Hand in hand, Malicia, and Heracles advanced toward the door of the Dean’s office. The android maid acting as a secretary looked at them and gave a smile. Malicia was already thinking of buying one of those, she guessed that she could ask Nikola about it. Those maids could easily be used as nannies and live-in servants.

*Why not use a stable of them, I wouldn’t have to play housewife anymore now that my finances are in the clear.* She thought, and she liked this idea.

Malicia thought that maybe combining magitech and the art of golem-making should translate wonderfully with the budding enchanter that Nikola Tesla is.

The maid’s eyes gained an electric blue tint.

“It is us. Are Lord Tesla and the Prices in?” Malicia took charge of the talking as she usually does.

The mechanical maid said in her feminine but electronic voice as she stood up and guided them toward the waiting room and then to the Dean’s office.

The maid knocked on the door twice, opened the door and gave way to Malicia and Heracles who found a large chested brunette man clothed in a professional grey Armani suit and a lithe blonde woman in a white shirt and black tailored skirt, tights and to complement the outfit, black and white heels. The woman squinted her eyes at Malicia and seemed to hate her on sight as she found her more attractive than her and the eyes of her husband stayed locked on her with his mouth agape.

But her jaw lowered to as she took stock of Heracles whose aura wrecked her mind, he was terribly masculine, his muscles strained to get free from the black and silver suit he was wearing.

“Welcome Heracles, good to see you again, Malicia.” Nikola Tesla was seated in the Dean’s office whom he gave a holiday to.

“Good morning,” Heracles didn’t bother looking at the two Prices and only saluted his old friend.

He had already assessed the threat that those two posed thanks to the Justicar’s files on the other teams. The hero knew that Noah Price was a strongman with an ability geared more toward toughness and Isobel Price was an energy manipulator, both of them ranked upper Alpha. Heracles didn’t bother with the ranking system on this planet, most of the superhumans on Earth could be considered grunts on Phantasia who had people with the same powers but with decidedly more amplified versions of them.

The blatant contempt that these two had for them rankled Noah and Isobel; Nikola felt the tension in the room raise and lamented the fact that he had left his body armor in his room. He soldiered on and asked the two sets of parents to follow him into the lounge adjoining the office, furnished with sofas and a coffee table. He ordered his secretary to bring coffee and cake through his CLO.

Malicia let her supernatural allure flare at full power, causing Noah Price to follow the movement of her rolling waist, his wife slapped him on the back of the head. He was snapped out of his trance almost instantly. The sorceress went to sit on the black and red one seater sofa, crossing her legs elegantly as if she was a queen presiding over her court.

Heracles preferred to stand and lean on the wall with his powerful arms crossed.

Isobel and Noah sat on the two-seater sofa of the same color while Tesla sat between the couples; the android maid appeared through the door and came with a serving of coffee, fruit cake, and tea biscuits.

“Now that we are all here, let’s begin.” Nikola clapped his hands.“So we are here to mediate about the event that happened yesterday.”

“Is that how you call it? Their evil daughter put my son in the hospital!” Isobel shouted, pointing a finger at Malicia, who fought to keep her face straight and not laugh at the woman.

Isobel couldn’t believe the gall of these two people, their daughter assaulted her innocent son, she deserves jail time for it! Her eyes flashed with an evil light as she looked at Malicia with enmity.

Heracles intervened in a calm voice, “That boy attacked my daughter and her friends, it was obviously legitimate defense and knowing his reputation I am surprised that she didn’t kill him.”

“What?!” Noah stood up, while Isobel looked at the redheaded man, ready to attack him as she slowly stood up. Her husband seeing her hand glow put himself between them.

But his efforts were for nothing as the beautiful raven-haired woman spoke.

“I wouldn’t have minded it, this young man is a waste of air,” Malicia said as she looked boringly at the father and mother.

Her fist supported her head; she uncrossed and crossed her legs again.

“You!” Isobel’s hand shimmered dangerously in red lights. “I’m going to roast you, you devil!” The blonde woman raised her hand.

Just in time, Nikola consulted his HUD and activated the neurolock system to disable the abilities of everyone in the room. It worked wonders on the superhumans, but he saw Heracles smile at him confidently. Isobel felt cut off from her power, but it didn’t deter her at all as she tried to lunge toward Malicia.

Her husband stopped her by immobilizing her in a bear hug.

“You obviously think quite highly of yourselves, huh?” The sorceress continued, as she looked at the demented woman struggle. “We have discovered a worrying trend concerning your son and his tendencies about women. He likes to intimidate and force them in sexual intercourse,”

Malicia looked at Isobel as if she was something dirty and said, “Such an animal roaming this school should not have been permitted. Each time he was about to be charged, someone, a certain officer Leach from the local PD seems to have buried the cases or intimidated the plaintiffs.” Malicia’s hand shined gold as she made a cake from the silver tray of cakes on the low table float toward her.

She was showing that the neurolock had no effect on her innate magic. It worked as Noah and Isobel put themselves on their guard as they stopped moving while noticing that Malicia wasn’t affected by the power dampening system. Nikola just sighed and his maid came to serve him a mug of coffee.

Nikola decided to intervene to bring attention to him to defuse the violence, and said, “The money trail, a well-hidden one by the way, led to you. I have even worse news to give you, it seems Benjamin was illegally obtaining files on the students of this institution. Clearly linked to the losses after recruitment we have been having. My legal teams are already on the warpath, and the BSA is waiting for your son to wake up to be interrogated.”

Noah couldn’t believe his ears, his career was in jeopardy, he had thought that he had made his business untraceable. His blonde spouse got out of his arms, kicked the sofa but her husband caught her again.

“My son wouldn’t do any of this! How dare you-” Isobel tried to say.

Isobel struggled as she tried to attack Tesla who simply sipped on his coffee.

Heracles was amused by this woman who acted a bit like a mother bear trying to defend her cub.

“We are going to sue you, and him,” Heracles said simply as he came behind his wife, putting his hands on the back of the sofa.

Noah couldn’t believe what he was hearing, he snickered at the amateurish threat. “Ah, there’s no way you'll be able to, this is going to court.”

Isobel looked between her husband and Heracles. There was no way their son was the culprit after all! Her husband had told her that those girls had lied when they accused him.

“Actually, yes it is. This is not the Howard Blake college where they would bury all this, after all, the Von Brauns are going to put forward a case with their daughter and the girls your son assaulted.” Nikola said after finishing his cup of coffee and putting it on the low table.

Malicia wasn’t pitying the other woman in the room, either she was acting in denial or husband was used to lie to her about… everything. The sorceress couldn’t believe the level of deception this man, Noah Price, employed to keep himself clean from family and to the eyes of the people; he would be at home in the Faerie court.

But to her demonic senses, he was as conniving as a Demon of Greed. Isobel's aura wavered between wrath, denial, loss, and love for her son; finally, it settled on conviction, conviction that she was right and she chose to trust her husband and evil spawn.

Malicia decided to take the gloves off.

The sorceress worked on two curses targeted at Noah and Isobel Price, first for the man a curse that induced infertility and wouldn’t let him reproduce at all; the other one was also an act of conferring an ability, a minor one. She made Isobel Price a truthsayer, she will be able to detect lies and suffer physically as it is said. Malicia had decided to break up this couple, a man like Noah Price surely lied to his loving and trusting wife.

After another hour of mediation, threat, Isobel going berserk, an attempt to bribery and Noah being almost flattened by Heracles for insulting his wife the meeting broke up on Malicia saying, “I’ve taken everything from you already. We don’t need your money.”

The couple watched the Prices leave, those two showed furious and worried expression when they departed. Nikola wanted something stronger than coffee and went to the drink dispenser to get some cognac with ice; Heracles decided to accompany him.

 

March 7th, 2018
Daphne Snow School of Arcane Art
Garden-pond Amphitheater-Sorcery Class
09:00 AM



It was a beautiful place in the school courtyard, there were six rows of stone seats distributed in a radial arc facing a marble platform where a big crystal ball was central to it; behind it was a clear blue water pond with an unknown depth. Around the pond there were bushes with white flowers, Baby’s Breath to be specific. In the trees, there were Fairy homes, a cross between Bee-hives and Elven tree-homes.

The Daphne Snow school was the home of a great many low faes, ranging from Fairies, Gnomes, Goblin and Brownies. They also served as the administrative staff, gardeners, and cooks. In the school charters, it was explained to respect everyone and treat everyone in a friendly manner; the consequences would be dire if the rules were not followed, as the nature of Fae is often alien and tricky.

Three students were sitting in the front row of the amphitheater, two young women and a young man. Their age ranged from fifteen to seventeen. Elissa, Dawn, and Wayne; the redhead chatted on her phone with her friends at Tesla while Dawn talked amicably with Wayne about the content of the class.

Elissa had missed the first class, but that wasn’t really important to her; from what her girlfriend told her, it was about introducing themselves to the teacher and testing their elemental affinities. Well, even if it wasn’t important to her, but for the rest of them it was really necessary. Dawn had discovered that she has another elemental affinity other than her main attribute of Space - she also has one for Darkness magic. Wayne who was a fire mage also had a minor affinity in Earth magic. Those two couldn’t wait to discover what was Elissa’s second affinity.

They speculated that it was either wind or light. Meanwhile, the redhead was exchanging texts on WhatSoft on her smartphone with Danny. Who told her that Jamie and Emilia shared the photos of her walking while dragging Benjamin Price by his hair; they even made a meme out of it:

The Ice Princess lowers the Price!​

Elissa groaned in disgust, Dawn and Wayne asked her what was wrong and she shared the picture with them. Wayne looked shocked while the Asian girl began to laugh out loud crazily, hand on her belly. Elissa wasn't amused.

“Danny said that the bullying completely stopped at the academy since she posted this on the academy social network,” Elissa said, embarrassed.

“That's awesome! Right?” Dawn was ecstatic, her girlfriend stopped the offenders by beating the strongest guy at school.

The asian girl still couldn’t believe she could say those words, ‘her girlfriend’: she felt happy and at ease. She finally had someone she was close to who wasn’t an otaku or an opinionated fucker on the Eris chat for gamers. Dawn sat closer to Elissa who passed an arm around her waist, the young woman leaned into her girlfriend.

“Elissa, in a sense it's good,” Wayne said, he looked at the intimate way the two girls acted. “No one will go looking for a fight with you.”

The redhead nodded after pondering what he said. “I guess that’s good, I will be able to focus on my studies and meet with my friends without problems. By the way, Wayne, Jamie and Emilia asked after you.”

“Emilia asked after me?” Wayne looked surprised and elated.

Dawn couldn’t stop reacting with the way he dismissed the other girl added in Elissa’s statement.

“Wow, you blanked out Jamie completely.” The asian girl scowled at him.

Wayne looked apologetic, and avoided her gaze as he reddened, “Ah… I like her taller friend better.” he stuttered.

Elissa’s bell-like laugh mocked him.“We could help you, get you two together?”

“Nah, I will ask her out myself.” The young man said as he shook his head.

Five minutes later the discussion subsided and Elissa took out her notepad and her colored pens. Dawn did the same, while they waited for their teacher Miss Nerine.

Feeling warm, Elissa used her new mental technique that she developed to control her frost aura: she imagined a mental thermostat, which she used to lower the temperature to the desired point with her cryokinesis. It was a form of training that she decided to maintain at all times and it would greatly help her to tolerate the weather becoming warmer outside.

Dawn had called her, ‘her personal A/C unit’ and stayed close to her, her hand in Elissa’s.

“That your light shines upon the abyss, everyone.” A mellifluous voice echoed

Miss Nerine appeared from the pond in a blue bodysuit with a scaled texture that shimmered under the sun and showing off her curves, long flying skirts of unknown fabric. Elissa and Dawn felt envious of the outfit, as she looked gorgeous in it. Elissa was mesmerized by the physiology of the mermaid sorceress; at the end of her fingers were long blue claws, there were blue fins on her arms and her ears looked like blue fans that Miss Nerine could move at will.

“Miss Kisaragi, Mr. Griffin it is good to see you.” Miss Nerine said as she played with her blue hair decorated with a golden circlet around her head. The mermaid looked right at Elissa and scowled.

“Miss Von Braun, we finally meet! I heard about what happened yesterday.”

“Good morning, Miss Nerine. Yes, I was attacked yesterday.” Benjamin Price was scum to Elissa, she knew she could have avoided the entire battle but her upbringing taught her to never let an enemy at the gates to ambush you.

“It is important to know how to defend oneself, but I heard that your magic was sealed; next time don’t take that much risk.”

Dawn and Wayne looked at Elissa in shock. Elissa squared her shoulders as their gazes bore into her and were surprised that Miss Nerine was aware of her predicament. Her girlfriend put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and the redhead became less tense; Wayne just shook his head in disbelief.

*But why wouldn’t she? Mom would let her know about it for her class.* Elissa told herself.

Miss Nerine waved her hand and a smartphone appeared in her hand, she began texting and right away her phone vibrated and pinged. The mermaid’s face broke into a seductive smile that dazzled poor Wayne who gulped loudly. Dawn looked at the ridiculous boy with mirth as his eyes locked onto the deep neckline of the teacher. The mermaid stepped down from the platform and approached the redhead to finally put her webbed hand on her shoulder.

Elissa felt a surge of magic that felt elemental, raging and slow at the same time. The redhead felt as if something inside her was being unlocked and she regained a familiar feeling that she had almost despaired ever to have.

“Here, you have your magic back for three hours. It’s for the duration of this class anyway.” She said in a warning tone.

Tears began flowing from Elissa’s eyes and she felt no pain as she held her hand before her and conjured ice first with her cryokinesis and sculpted it with her ice magic while imbuing it with mana. The construct took on the form of a lifelike sparrow and flew into the sky. Elissa felt that she had learned something from the last few days, doctor Jordan had shown her the limits of her superhuman powers and during the use of ice magic just now, she barely used her mana.

*Before, the expenditure was important, but now I think it has become negligible. I feel that it can still be improved!* Elissa swore that she would train her cryokinesis to get even better with her ice magic.

“You have wonderful control Elissa; I would consider your ice magic mastered. That is why you should use another element.” Miss Nerine, the sorcery teacher said.

Elissa was happy for the compliment and astonished by what she said next.

*Another element? It’s true that mom drilled the basics and gave me all the knowledge of the sanctum about Ice magic.* The young woman remembered how she literally lived in the Sanctum for months with Cassie at her side, learning about magic with Malicia’s guidance; Elissa had been homeschooled for one year before entering high school in 2016. The redhead relished those moments, but staying cooped up in the sanctum wasn’t appealing at all as she liked to fight and going to the Amazon Complex had kept her sane.

Elissa tilted her head. “Is four years of study enough to think of me as a master of Ice magic?”

Nerine widened her eyes and gave a little laugh, she wasn’t expecting Elissa to be such a genius. Or was it better to say ‘fast-learner’?

“Oh my, yes certainly.” Miss Nerine answered.

“Wow Elissa, four years?” Dawn was astonished, she had trained longer than Elissa and she was barely an adept at space magic.

Incensed, Wayne stood up while looking at the redhead.“That’s insane! I studied since I was nine to have mastery of fire!” Wayne whined.

Dawn laughed at him, Elissa shrugged.

“I still don’t feel like I have mastered it… so it’s no big deal, maybe there’s more; in the pursuit of magic attaining knowledge is never-ending.”

“That’s a good way of thinking, you are right to not get a big head, hubris was the fall of a lot of magic users.” Miss Nerine smiled, proud that her new student wasn’t the proud type.

“Miss Nerine, can I know what type of secondary element I can use?” Elissa was suddenly interested in what new element she could have, after all, she has only been focused on ice magic so as to not let her cryokinesis get out of hand.

“Certainly, young lady! Come onto the platform with me.” She took Elissa’s hand and led her to the big crystal ball.

“Put your hand there.” Nerine showed her the indent in the giant crystal ball. “Pour in mana and we will know the attributes.”

Elissa followed the instructions of her teacher and poured in her mana in a steady flow, the crystal drank in the energy and began to shine with white inner light. Nerine made her stop after thirty seconds; Dawn and Wayne waited with bated breath for the great reveal to happen! Dawn thought that Elissa would have the light element, while the black haired boy thought it would be something more incredible, maybe a mineral element.

In the crystal ball, the lower part of the globe snow and mountains of ice revealed themselves, this showed that it was Elissa’s main element: Ice. Nerine looked at the ball as if she was in a trance, the wind whistled as snowflakes came down the mountains, black clouds swirled at the top of the globe; lightning flashed, thunder roared, the rain came crashing and the bottom of the crystal ball flooded with water while the wind howled.

Dawn and Wayne couldn’t understand the allegorical display in the crystal bowl, but they were sure it was something amazing as their own tests didn’t display an elaborated element like this one. There was wind, ice, water, and lightning.

“The storm!” Nerine gushed.

The mermaid turned to Elissa and showed her what she meant as she conjured a ball of water in one hand and a lightning construct in the form of a sea snake entwined her other arm.

“You can become a storm mage!” Nerine was happy, she could finally pass on her knowledge. “Elissa, become my apprentice!” the mermaid said as if she didn’t give the redhead any other choice. Nerine's dismissed her magic.

The mermaid took Elissa’s hand and put it on her breast. The redhead tried to take it back as she was embarrassed by the sudden skinship.

“That’s awesome!” Dawn shouted as she came to hug her talented girlfriend.

Wayne was jealous; he couldn’t understand how everything could be so smooth for Elissa. He had to toil to have everything he has right now, from his staff to his clothes and his knowledge was from the family library under the watch of his uncle who was a severe and no-nonsense individual. He stopped his train of thought when he remembered whose daughter Elissa was and that maybe she didn’t have everything easy.

Elissa didn’t understand why Miss Nerine was this excited.“Huh, sure Miss Nerine but I will have to ask my mo-”

The storm was regaining intensity in the crystal ball, lightning escaped it and hit the front seats of the amphitheater. The mermaid took her phone out and her entire happy-go-lucky demeanor shifted to a serious one. Elissa looked apologetic when the lightning almost struck Wayne who had leaped back.

*Ice and Storm, those are her two main elements, they share affinity and strength. This young lady will be scary when she grows into her powers… but I have no choice, the storm is such a rare element! Those possessing it are marked for greatness, this may be my destiny to teach Elissa my craft.* Nerine couldn’t let such a momentous event pass.

“Don’t worry I will call her now!” The mermaid told her pupil.

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Miss Nerine had called Malicia and she had accepted to let Elissa be apprenticed to the mermaid. After that, the class began with gusto. The mermaid teacher decided to begin with the basics and asked, “What is magic?”

Dawn raised her hand and Miss Nerine gave her permission to speak. “A mystic power that doesn't adhere to the standard rules of the universe, capable of altering or changing them entirely, it can nonetheless be studied and understood just like anything.”

“I like your answer, Miss Kisaragi.”

Elissa raised her hand, she didn’t feel that Dawn’s answer was complete.

“Magic is the principal force in the world and operates in a similar vein to real-world elemental forces such as gravity and electromagnetism. Magic warps reality in much the same way as the real universe's gravity warps its space-time. The act of performing magic is, essentially, telling the universe what you want it to be like, in terms, it can't ignore.”

“Excellent, Miss Von Braun! It’s exactly that.” Nerine was glad that her new pupil already had a good base.

“Cough -suck up- cough,” Wayne said.

It caused Dawn to pinch his arm, he cried out in pain.

“Very well, now I know that you are aware of the basics. Could someone tell me what the known schools of magic are?”

It was Wayne's turn to raise his hand.

“Abjuration, Alteration, Conjuration, Divination, Enchantment, Evocation, Illusion, Necromancy, and Transmutation!” The young man said confidently.

“Very good, Mister Griffin.” Nerine smiled in appreciation.

The mermaid was happy that she wasn’t saddled with complete novices and that the level of her students was already this high. Wayne beamed at the compliment and looked at Elissa with a smug grin, asking her to do better. The redhead just rolled her eyes and ignored the boy.

“Miss Von Braun come onto the platform,” Nerine asked the redhead who stiffened and stood up.

Dawn looked at her girlfriend with an encouraging smile and made her go with a light smack on her bum. Elissa went onto the platform, Miss Nerine giving way to her, Elissa calmed down as there were only three people looking at her right now. She wasn’t used to being that much of a spectacle, but still, she expected that a magic school would be all about being showy.

“Now I want you to show an example of abjuration spell and describe this school of magic.”

“Okay, hum. The abjuration school encompasses protective spells like magical barriers.” Elissa created a double layered shimmering dome of white and blue magic around her. “The school enables a magic user to create a physical and magical barrier. It can also negate magical and physical abilities, harm trespassers, or in the case of a demon, spirit or other such subjects they can be banished to another plane of existence.” The redhead created a ball of ice that disappeared in a flash of light.

Elissa gave a satisfied grin and was about to come down from the platform when Miss Nerine called out to her, “You forgot something, Miss Von Braun.”

Elissa stopped, then wracked her brain; she had confidence in her memory but she had never been tested on it by someone other than her mother.“Huh? Ah, yeah I remember hum, some abjuration spells include the most important spells for a caster: dispel magic and resist energy?”

Nerine nodded. “Good, you can go back to your seat, Miss Von Braun.”

Phew. Elissa sighed in relief as she came back to Dawn’s side, but it was the asian girl’s turn who became shy as the gaze of the mermaid settled on her.

“Miss Kisaragi.” The mermaid sat on the crystal ball in the center of the platform.

“Yes, Ma’am?”

Nerine flipped her hair.“Conjuration is your favored school of magic so could you explain how it works to the class?”

The asian girl began to quote word for word the definition she saw in her books.“Certainly. The conjuration school calls materials, creatures or energy to the caster and can also be reversed to send creatures to other places, either over long distances or even to a whole different plane of existence. It can also be used to teleport the caster or a group of people over great distances, usually via the Astral Plane.” Dawn was really proud of her photographic memory.

However, Nerine wouldn’t stop at this basic explanation.

“And?” The mermaid encouraged Dawn to continue.

The asian girl thought about it and remembered the annotations she saw in the Darlene Knowles book of conjuration, an excellent starter for budding space mages.

“Huh, spells of this school can also teleport the caster to a destination in another plane entirely. Teleportation spells are often one-way and require another teleportation spell to return…?”

“You are not sure, Miss Kisaragi?” Nerine questioned her.

Dawn scratched the back of her head and said, “I mean, ma’am I never teleported to another plane only to places on Earth.”

“As you should! The other planes are lawless and dangerous places. You answered well.” Nerine told Dawn who sighed and was glad this was done with.

“As you can see, magic is divided into special brands of schools and will be taught here. Though Necromancy and blood magic are proscribed by the treaty of Corvinus. I want you to fill in these papers.” The mermaid conjured a stack of papers before Elissa and the others. “And choose the schools that interest you and when my colleagues are here we will divide you into classes for the weeks of your specialties.”

Elissa took the stacks of paper before her and examined them. They were special forms to participate in classes and they were divided by school. The redhead decided to fill in only those that interested her; she would have to manage her time between Alchemy, Blacksmithing and the normal classes, but she could only choose four classes maximum.

As she already knew most of the Phantasian spells of the Abjuration school Elissa decided not to take it and take the Evocation, Enchantment, Conjuration and Divination classes. Two of them were taught by the mermaid and the others by two other teachers who weren’t there. Elissa filled in the forms and stacked them neatly near her when she was done.

Dawn looked at Elissa and then showed her the classes that she was taking, Conjuration, Abjuration, Divination, and Illusion.

“Aww, we only have two classes in common!”

Elissa giggled, “I have different needs and weaknesses to cover. I totally want to know how to teleport.”

“But you have me, Eli!”

Elissa sighed, gazed in her girlfriend’s eyes, “When you aren’t going to be here what will I do, Dawn?”

The young woman lowered her eyes, played with the plaid of her skirt and said, “Ok ok. I see your point.”

“Is everyone done filling in the forms?” The three students nodded or acknowledged. “Great, now I know that you are all more or less at the level of adept and journeymen. We will then gauge how you craft spells, and if you are able to modify them or interrupt them.”

The redhead went forward and began to trace a glowing line of Mana in the air. A string of runes began to form before her, through her will Elissa condensed the line of spell to form a rune and she continued the operation repeatedly.

“Interesting technique…” Nerine was mystified by this new way of writing spellwork.

Elissa finished and smiled, “This is spell coding.”

“I wish I could learn this,” Dawn mumbled.

Elissa heard her and answered, “You will, mom decided to take you as an apprentice.”

“Yay!” The space mage shouted in joy.

Elissa looked at her with pity as her little Dawn is going to go through hell. She was still having nightmares about failing Malicia’s practical exam. They reflected real life situations perfectly and tested the apprentice’s knowledge to the limit.

“Sorry in advance, Dawn…” The redhead said while patting her girlfriend’s shoulder.

First Dawn will have to swear a really restrictive oath. Then forced to absorb a lot of knowledge about spell coding and she will be thrown in the first level testing room of the Sanctum.

The asian girl’s eyes were wide open, she began to worry.“What do you mean?”

Elissa smiled at her but stayed silent. Dawn became really worried about the behavior of her girlfriend.

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Planet Lekrys
Kingdom of Bramha
Liira’s church
Headquarters of the Light Wave Order
Lekryan Calendar 17th day of Radagon 4912
Afternoon


Shiwan walked without paying attention to the kneeling and bowing priests and priestesses. As her steps echoed on the white marble tiles, the saintess could feel the shadow guard move silently behind the pillars supporting the church. The redheaded half-oni was still not used to being tailed every day, even more, when she wasn’t satisfied with the level of concealment the guard used. Shiwan thought that she will have to ask her second mother to step up their training yet again.

Three gorgeous women were waiting for her at the doors of the sanctuary; one was a beautiful lythe woman with white skin, ivory horns, white hair, and red eyes clothed in a black dress that didn’t hide anything. The other one was Shiwan’s lover and best friend, Melveena Ankar, a Dhampir Privateer from the floating archipelago; she was a platinum-haired beauty with red eyes too. Melveena smiled at her woman, her fangs showing. The last woman wore a golden priestess robe with blue jewels on her sleeve and a veil; her face showing an amused expression, she is Arc Priestess Daelyn.

“Finally here, young one.” The woman with the horns looked frustrated.

Her name was Grandine and she is a White Dragon and Shiwan’s master.

The red-headed oni lowered her eyes, showing deference to her master. “Sorry I am late Granny White.”

Melveena hugged Shiwan fiercely, kissing her cheek.“I missed you! You could have let me follow.” But she looked at her with a reproving glare.

The Saintess looked mildly embarrassed.“It was boring, Mel. I went to the peace conference and flattened a bandit camp on the return trip afterward. No riches, no treasures nor ancient knowledge.”

Melveena was an adventurer as well as a privateer and smuggler, so she never stayed anywhere for long as she was stricken by wanderlust. With her lover being confined in the church and constrained by responsibilities she found it really hard to part from her. The privateer thought of kidnapping Shiwan most of the time to get back to their adventures.

“What did you do to the King of Eqalyra?” Daelyn asked.

Melveena and Grandine looked at Shiwan, waiting to know if the rumor of her threatening to dethrone him was true. The steely gaze and the threatening smile appearing on her face told them everything they wanted to know.

“Nothing yet, I just dismembered one of my uncle’s sons.” Shiwan smoothed out her blue and gold dress then crossed her arms under her modest chest.

“Oh, I am sure he deserved it,” Melveena said.

If her lover went that far, the man must have ticked her off.

Shiwan opened her mouth and said, “We have business with the Goddess, Aunt Daelyn.”

The robbed woman made an exasperated sigh, she had tried to teach Shiwan the subtlety of Politics but to her, everything should be settled at the point of her daggers. Daelyn regretted having let her get into contact with Zena Gabreeyel the Queen of the Oni-tribe, her great-great grandmother; she changed from a sweet young girl to a ruthless warrior in just three years.

“I know, she gave me an Oracle, you must enter meditation and don’t worry, we will guard your body.” Daelyn finally said.

“I will take really good care of it.” Melveena patted Shiwan on her cheek, then sliding her hand on her breast and her waist.

Cough. Melveena froze and took her hands off the saintess as she felt a chill from Grandine who didn’t appreciate those kinds of moment of intimacy in the open. Shiwan wasn’t embarrassed by it at all; Daelyn opened the doors of the Sanctuary and they entered.

The women weren’t amazed by the tapestries, statues or the iron wooden pews of the gigantic room. It had two floors and was able to host thousands of people. Stained glass decorated the domed roof, the construction of the Sanctuary made sense as the light was the primary element of the Goddess Liira and praying under it was a duty. But it had another function, to permit the chosen ones of the Goddess to enter into communion with her.

Once in the center of the room on the dais, the Saintess knelt, Melveena placed herself behind her and Grandine deployed a grand formation to shield the group from attack. It created a construct of light around them, a geometric formation with runes circling through its surface. The kind of defense that was judged impregnable.

Even now, Shiwan had more enemies than any kings or influential individuals.

The Saintess began to meditate and let go of all her tethers but the one linking her soul to her life-force. The church was built on one of the main chi-veins of the planet, able to permit Shiwan to boost her power to reach Liira’s realm. As she ascended, Shiwan saw the church and its magnificent towers, the people going through their life. More and more she went upward until she reached the void and the door of her Goddess’ realm opened for her.

Landing without noise in the Celestial Hall, Shiwan walked confidently toward the center of the Star Citadel. She could barely describe everything here, so the Saintess didn’t try; however, she knew that the roof showed everything happening in her planet’s star system. It was how the Goddess monitored everything on Lekrys too. Shiwan has learned that Lekrys wasn’t the only planet in Liira’s care.

The Saintess wasn’t walking per se as much as she used the power of her mind to move through the Star Citadel. Other champions were walking, training or immersing themselves in the wonders of the Star Citadel in search of enlightenment. She had been in their shoes since her childhood, visiting the citadel in dreams.

Finally, she was there, the Goddess’ throne room. Everything was gold in color, the walls, the furniture and the weapons placed on the thirty-six columns at the center of the room glimmered like stars. It was gaudy, blinding and too ostentatious to Shiwan’s tastes but she was loath to tell the Goddess about it.

The throne was empty until the Saintess blinked and there she was in all her glory. She was tall, muscular and at the same time sensual and athletic. Her golden skin shone with an inner glow; Liira’s hair was black and shined as if there were stars born and dying in them each second; Her eye color couldn’t be described as they passed through all the colors of the light spectrum, to a mere mortal the goddess of war was a heaven-defying beauty. However, the similarities between her face and Shiwan’s were astounding. She wore a full plate of armor made of an unknown silver material with her spear in hand.

“Ah, my favorite has come to visit.” Liira’s voice came from everywhere.

Shiwan knelt, her white thigh was displayed from the diaphanous skirt. “My Goddess.”

“Come on Shiwan, stop with the formalities. It wasn’t that long that you bounced on my knees.” Liira’s beautiful voice rang like the sound of bells like crystal with her laughter.

The redheaded Half-Oni blushed furiously, Liira kept reminding her of things like that. When she was younger she was an unbridled little lass.

“I have come to deliver the Demon Sword to you, Godmother.” Shiwan was always humbled in her presence and to avoid getting even more embarrassed tried to take charge of the discussion.

Shiwan took the Demon Sword out of her soul bound ring and the box that sealed the Demon Sword appeared in her hands. The box floated in Liira’s direction and landed before her feet, but she didn’t open it.

Liira pondered on the presence of a Demon Sword on Lekrys and she had felt a great disturbance a month ago on her planet. Was it the Demon Sword arriving via a portal that created it? There was no doubt about it, however, she didn’t know who would dare. If she ever found the party responsible she would destroy everything they held dear; it was this way that she expanded her Dominion.

The Goddess’ eye searched Lekrys for any sign of Demonic or darkness activities but found none. This sword couldn’t have come here by chance.

“Yes, I feel that its presence on this world is the work of my enemy.” Liira finally answered Shiwan.

The Saintess was used to her goddess’ long silences and stayed kneeling at her feet. Her eyes were on the box and her bloodlust flared as she wanted to destroy it with the sealed sword.

“Shouldn’t we neutralize the threat?” Shiwan hated Demons and she wanted to destroy the soul of this one. It was an affront that such a tool existed!

“We will.” Liira smiled at the expression of her Goddaughter, she had molded her with care and brainwashed her to hate anything coming from the hells.

“Could you not do that? I have plans for it.” The voice was female, cool and controlled with an undercurrent of sarcastic black humor.

She was a tall and statuesque woman of Mediterranean complexion and unearthly beauty, with dark hair and eyes like pools of living shadow. She carried herself with the casual confidence of someone who knows they’re the most dangerous thing in the room, an impression that was further enhanced by the fact that her outfit seemed to consist entirely of black leather and knives.

Shiwan took her golden Chakram out of her ring and put herself on guard.

“How cute, you raised her well. Nevertheless, she’s still foolish to brandish a weapon at an Elder Goddess.” The dark-haired woman’s aura flared and its spiritual pressure bore down on Shiwan who was forced to kneel. Even though she didn’t have any chance, the young Saintess tried to stand back up.

Gently appearing behind her goddaughter, Liira’s own divine aura covered Shiwan who stood paralyzed by the clash of divine proportion. Each of the Goddesses retracted their spiritual pressure, Liira looked at the dark-haired divinity before her ready to fight.

Liira was a young Goddess, barely five thousand years old and she wasn’t ready for a fight of this magnitude with an elder Goddess. However, even if she didn’t have the knowledge necessary to fight she would make it up with power.

“What can I do for you Elder one?” She began to speak with respect to the divinity before her, even though she invaded her domain, something she had thought impossible.

The dark haired Goddess smiled and made a ‘give it here’ sign to the box at Liira’s feet.“That sword is a key piece to a prophecy that is the centerpiece to saving my World.”

“Ah? It is too bad that it reached here.” Liira tightened her spear in her hand, golden arcs of electricity coursing through it as a feeling of suspicion coursed through her.

*Was she the one who made it appear on my world?*

“It’s definitely not my fault that it has appeared here,” The dark-haired Goddess said, reading Liira’s thoughts on her face. “instead of going straight where I wanted it to, the Fates sent it here. However, it was a fortuitous event to have found you now that I see the strength of your world. Say, will you bargain with me, Liira Goddess of war and light?”

The woman was a conundrum to Liira; it’s like everything she was doing was calculated: a sentence here, an observation there as if she was used to taking advantage of every conversation or event. The Goddess of war had met new Gods in her life, mostly invaders trying to encroach on her Dominion; however, this one didn’t strike her as interested in Lekrys. There was something afoot, something that she wanted.

“What are we bargaining for?” Liira wasn’t used to dealing with Elder Gods, they often exacted a steep price for their help.

The dark haired Goddess walked toward them and stopped just before Shiwan, looking at her with pity. The Goddess’ eyes glowed silver as if she gazed at the Saintess’ soul. Liira was suddenly afraid that the Goddess before had discovered the chink in her armor. Shiwan wasn’t just her Champion but her daughter and future heir, but she had a fluctuating fate...

The Goddess said, “You help me, and I will help you.”

Liira closed her eyes, her anger flared.“There is nothing-” but she was interrupted.

A giant floating mirror appeared between them, showing a scene of war, blood, Oni, and Humans fighting for supremacy. Then the Saintess appeared and fought to destroy the invading army with all her might and power. However, she was made to kneel and was slain by a black armored man. Shiwan stayed frozen at this scene, Liira dismissed the mirror. The redheaded half-oni then looked at her Godmother as if she betrayed her.

This was too much for Liira, the look in the eyes of her champions, her avatar. A golden aura surrounded the Goddess of war, illuminating the entire throne room.

“How dare you show her… I have been trying my best to avoid this fate. I won’t let it happen to her! Even if I have to descend onto the planet myself!” Liira’s voice was vibrating with fury, cosmological events happened all over the Star Citadel as a consequence.

The woman flipped her hair and looked at Liira as if she was a particularly bad child. She shook her head in disgust, young Gods were so prone to breaking divine rules on non-interference. Liira was prepared to pay a steep price.

“Calm down, your enemy is closer than you think he is, he is also mine. The difference is that he succeeded on my world in taking power by usurping the Empire of the sorcerer lineage I engineered. I know what you feel, I know what it’s like to lose. But I know when to ask for help.” The dark haired Goddess waved her hand and the mirror’s surface shimmered.

The mirror showed another scene and this time a blonde girl with green eyes helped Shiwan avoid death by freezing the black armored man where he stood. Shiwan finished him off by using her golden aura strike and shattering him.

The Saintess stood transfixed by the scene.

*Who was this blonde girl? How powerful was she? Is she my salvation?* Shiwan asked in her heart.

“I say we can help each other.” The dark haired woman said.

This was the first time Liira saw that future being resolved this way, by introducing a new variable. Someone else to the equation that had plagued her for a decade.

“Who are you Elder one?” Liira asked in reverence.

“My name is Hekate.” Hekate looked around her, at the weapons and the gaudy palatial like room. “Nice setup here, too nouveau riche to my tastes though.”

Liira sniffed, “What would you know? It dazzles…”

“A bit too much if you want my opinion.” Hekate’s dark laugh echoed in the room.

“Very well, you flexed your knowledge, your foresight, and magical muscles, so what can I do to secure an alliance with you?” Liira asked without preamble.

It was important to permit her Goddaughter to survive and protect Lekrys from further invasions of the Demon God.

Hekate sized up Liira and Shiwan, her eyes turning silver yet again looking through different timelines and dimensions. Then as suddenly as it happened her eyes turned black, she smiled and said, “All you have to do is send this sword back through a portal of my creation at the right time, three months later I will send my Champion here to help yours to banish the Darkness who are hiding on your world. You’ll help her get stronger.”

Liira bristled at that.“You are asking a lot, Lady Hekate.” Having outsiders in her world wasn’t something she liked.

“Then here’s a bribe.” The Dark Goddess threw a crystal cube at Liira who caught it with her mind.

The goddess of war took it from the air and examined it, and knowledge, a staggering amount of it flooded Liira’s brain.

“This isn’t a bribe, this has the value of an entire Pantheon’s power.” Liira stepped back.

Hekate giggled, “Not really.” She had, even more, deeper knowledge, sharing a bit of it wasn’t too detrimental.

“You must really like your world, my Lady,” Liira observed.

A sad expression appeared on Hekate’s face, “It is the only one I have left.”

“You are desperate,” Liira said matter of factly.

Hekate asked almost with vulnerability.“Will you help me?”

“Gladly.” Liira nodded.

They shook hands and the thunder and light flooded the room, as the contract was acknowledged by the heavens causing Shiwan to be sent back to her body on Lekrys.

And as she woke up in the Sanctuary, the voice of Liira reverberated for everyone to hear.

“You have one year to become as strong as you can be, Shiwan. Don’t disappoint me.”