Project Mage

Risebelle approached Dr. Kintovar with a look of concern on her face. She knew that they were about to head out to deal with the remaining Mana extractors, but there was a pressing issue she needed to discuss.

“Kintovar,” Risebelle began, “there’s something we need to address regarding the Mana extractors. The mages guarding them are now aware of our presence, and they’ve placed protective barriers around the extractors. It will be difficult to disable them with those barriers in place.”

Dr. Kintovar nodded, acknowledging the challenge they faced. “I anticipated that the mages might take such measures,” she replied, “But there is a way to counter their barriers. You see, the barriers are likely powered by magic, and if we disrupt the flow of mana to them, they should weaken or collapse.”

Risebelle listened intently, “So, how do we disrupt the flow of mana to the barriers?”

Dr. Kintovar explained, “Each barrier should have a central source of power, which is likely a mana crystal. If you can locate and disable the mana crystal, it should weaken the barrier significantly. Just be cautious while doing so, as the mages will likely guard these crystals carefully.”

Dr. Kintovar explained further, “Just like how humans can lock and unlock doors, you have the capability to do the same with your magic system. You need to get your hands on the barrier, disrupt its connection to the mages guarding the extractors, and set it to recognize your magic as its source. Do you understand?”

Risebelle, Runebelle, and Roselle nodded, beginning to understand the concept

“So,” Risebelle asked, “we need to essentially ‘hack’ into the barrier’s magic source and make it recognize our magic source as the valid one?”

Dr. Kintovar smiled, pleased with their comprehension. “Precisely,” she confirmed. “Once you’ve taken control of the barrier, you can disable it or manipulate it as needed. Just remember to be cautious, as the mages guarding the extractors will likely notice any interference with their barriers.”

Risebelle took a deep breath, preparing herself mentally for the task at hand. “Thank you, Kintovar,” she said, “We’ll do our best to handle the barriers and disable the extractors.”

Dr. Kintovar nodded in approval. “I have full confidence in your abilities,” she said. “Now, let’s move out and put our plan into action.”

Roselle, Runebelle, and Risebelle split off from Dr. Kintovar, each heading toward their respective targets.

As they ventured deeper into the Mystic Forest, their senses heightened, and they remained vigilant for any signs of the mages guarding the Mana extractors. Roselle suddenly notices that there was change in Risebelle’s demeanor asthey moved through the Mystic Forest. Risebelle appeared slightly annoyed, and she distanced herself from the group, although she remained stealthy.

Curiosity got the better of Roselle, and she decided to quietly approach Risebelle .With a hushed speech. she asked, “Hey Risebelle? Is something wrong?”

Risebelle didn’t respond immediately and kept on the move. After a moment, she glanced back at Roselle with concern. “It’s just...,” she began, “I’m frustrated with myself. Back there, during the battle with Aliana... I did everything I could... I still couldn’t beat her. She outclassed me in all areas.. I let a filthy human get the better of me, and nearly destroy me. That’s unacceptable.”

Roselle offered some words of reassurance, “Risebelle, don’t be too hard on yourself. Aliana was very strong! And I could see why you would have trouble with her. We can’t always predict every situation or opponent we encounter, you know?”

“You don’t understand, Roselle,” Risebelle said, her eyes showing a hint of anger. “I’m the older sister, and I thought I could take on all four of those elite mages. But when it came down to it, I couldn’t even handle one! I…I am not strong enough...”

Roselle took a moment to gather her thoughts, her gaze filled with sadness for Risebelle’s struggle.After a brief pause, Roselle spoke from her heart, trying to find the right words. “Risebelle,” she began softly, “You know, strength isn’t just about physical power or magical abilities. It’s also about resilience and the will to keep moving forward, even when things get tough. We all will have our moments of doubt and weakness, but that doesn’t make us any weaker. What matters is that we learn from those moments and use them to grow stronger. She continued, “You’re also not alone Risebelle.” she said while looking towards the ground.

“When I arrived to save you all, I was doing well against her at first. But then... she activated her Sword God Form. I couldn’t keep up with her power, and she overwhelmed me. If it weren’t Runebelle, I might not have even found a way to counter attack... I would have been destroyed. So I’m not strong enough either… but so what?”

Risebelle’s frustration began to lower as she listened to Roselle’s words of encouragement. She turned her gaze to Runebelle, who peeked out from behind a tree.

She turned to see Runebelle behind the tree, her sadness evident.

Roselle continued, “Risebelle, we’re a team, and together, we’re stronger than any individual person. If we have to face an elite mage, we’ll do it together. We’ll support each other, cover each other’s weaknesses, and find a way to win. Strength isn’t just about being the most powerful; it’s about working together and having each other’s backs.”

“You know, Roselle,” she said, “You always find a way to be positive, no matter what.”

To her own surprise, Risebelle reached out and gently patted Roselle on the head. It was a rare and unexpected gesture, one that seemed to shock even herself. She couldn’t help but think, ‘What the hell am I doing? This is so unlike me…’

Roselle looked up at Risebelle, her eyes wide with surprise at the unexpected display of affection.

Runebelle, who had been observing the exchange with a small smile, simply commented, “It’s nice to see you two getting along.”

Risebelle gestured for Runebelle to come over with one hand. “Runebelle, come here quickly,” she said, motioning for her younger sister to join them.

Runebelle, always with a sad look, made her way over to Risebelle, her blue and pink hair swaying as she moved. Risebelle, with an embarrassed smile on her face, did something quite unusual for her—she gently patted Runebelle on the head.

It was a gesture of affection, something she wasn’t used to giving or receiving. But in this moment, with her sisters by her side and their bond growing stronger, it felt right.

Runebelle looked up at Risebelle, her usual sad face momentarily replaced by surprise and then a faint smile.

Risebelle gathered her sisters closer and huddled together.

“Listen, Roselle, Runebelle,” she began,“we’re about to take a strategic route here. We’re facing elite mages from the Magic Academy, and we can’t afford to be reckless. If any of us end up... destroyed during this mission, I want you both to know that we did everything we could to protect each other from the humans.”

She paused for a moment, her gaze locking onto each of her sisters in turn. “As much as I would rather go out there guns blazing and send them all to hell, we have to prioritize the mission. Our goal is to disable those Mana extractors and ensure that we survive while we are on this land. But make no mistake, if we have to fight, we will do it together. We’ll watch each other’s backs, just like we always have. And we won’t let anything stand in our way.”

Roselle and Runebelle nodded in agreement, their resolve matching Risebelle’s.

Risebelle, Roselle, and Runebelle Moves further in the southern part of the forest. They were soon met with the sight of a heavily guarded Mana Extractor within a clearing. The barrier around it shimmered with magical energy, and it was clear that the mages were on high alert.

Risebelle scanned the group of mages, she tensed as she noted the ice-covered robes of some of them. It was evident that these were the same mages who had been victims of Aliana’s previous attack. Their injuries hadn’t fully healed, but they were determined to protect the Mana Extractor.

Roselle glanced at her sisters. She whispered, “We need to disable that barrier, but it won’t be easy with so many mages guarding it.”

Runebelle, her blue and pink hair standing out against the forest backdrop, spoke softly, “We have to be careful. If we engage them head-on, it could get dangerous.”

Risebelle nodded, “Agreed,” she said. “Let’s try to find a way to disrupt the flow of mana to the barrier, just like Kintovar taught us.”

They continued to observe the mages, looking for an opportunity to disable the barrier without alerting the entire group.

The three sisters, concealed in the shadows, watched as one mage broke away from the group, sparking a heated argument among their ranks. It was clear that there was something happening among the mages.

Mage A, with a look of frustration on his face, spoke up with anger. “I can’t believe Aliana did this! She nearly destroyed us with that last attack. We’re supposed to be protecting the Mana Extractors, not becoming casualties ourselves!”

Mage B, standing in Aliana’s defense, retorted, “You don’t understand, Aliana had to do whatever it took to eliminate the intruders. She’s an Elite Mage, and that’s her duty. If we had done our job properly, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Mage C chimed in, trying to mediate the argument. “We all know that Aliana is incredibly powerful. Maybe she just underestimated the intruders. But we can’t blame her really. I would have done the same in her shoes. We should focus on protecting the Mana Extractor now.”

Mage D, who had remained silent until now, spoke up with a hint of bitterness. “Protecting the Mana Extractor? How can we do that when we’re barely recovering from Aliana’s attack? She went too far, and now we’re paying the price.”

As the argument among the mages grew more heated, with accusations and disagreements flying back and forth, a group of mages stepped forward to try to break up the confrontation, but the tensions remained high, and a few mages couldn’t contain their frustration any longer. One mage, Mage E, spoke up, “This arguing is getting us nowhere. I need some fresh air to think clearly. I’ll be back soon.”

Another mage, Mage F, nodded in agreement. “I’m with you, Mage E. This situation is a mess, and I need a break to figure out how to proceed.”

Mage G, who had been silent during most of the argument, joined them. “I can’t stand all this bickering. I’ll go with you. Maybe some time away from here will help us find a solution.”

With that, the trio of mages turned and headed away from the clearing, leaving the rest of the group still engaged in their dispute.

As the trio of mages made their way away from the heated argument, a new figure arrived on the scene. The mage with short, fiery-red hair and a strikingly handsome appearance, appeared puzzled by the commotion. His presence drew the attention of those still engaged in the discussion.He approached the mages who had remained, his eyebrow raised with curiosity. “What’s all this fuss about?” he inquired. He had a smooth and confident tone. “I left for just a minute, and I come back to find everyone in an uproar.”

The mages who had stayed behind exchanged glances, some of them still caught up in their heated discussion. One of them, a mage with glasses, stepped forward to explain, “It’s about the argument over Aliana, the Elite Mage. Some of us are upset about her actions, while others think we should focus on the mission.”

Alan raised an eyebrow, his emerald green eyes scanning the group. “Aliana, huh?” he mused, running a hand through his red hair. “Well, that’s certainly a ‘hot’ topic, but maybe you should focus on the ‘spies’ first?”

One of the sister’s silently said “Uh oh...”