Project Mage

Elysia continued her Inferno Waltz, flames swirling around her in a mesmerizing display of power. With a swift and fluid motion, she directed the fiery vortex toward Risebelle and Roselle. The flames roared to life, forming into a concentrated fireball that shot towards them like a blazing comet.

Risebelle and Roselle sprang into action. While Roselle dove to the side, Risebelle made a daring move, darting forward, and closing the gap between her and Elysia. She aimed to get in close, but Elysia wasn't about to let that happen without a fight.

Elysia's fiery eyes locked onto Risebelle's approach, and she smirked confidently. "Don't touch me!" she declared with arrogance.

In an instant, Elysia unleashed a powerful wall of fire beneath Risebelle's feet. The flames erupted, propelling Risebelle into the air with explosive force. She soared upward, her body engulfed in the searing blaze.

Risebelle fought to maintain her composure as the flames raged around her, but she was caught off guard by the unexpected maneuver. Risebelle hit the ground, the flames that had surrounded her began to dissipate, leaving behind singed patches on her robe. She wasted no time, immediately rolling to extinguish any lingering embers and get the fire off of her.

The ground beneath her was rough, but she rolled with haste smothering the flames and minimizing the damage to her clothing.

Roselle fired her shots at Elysia with her cannon, but the Pyromancer displayed astonishing reflexes. She moved with incredible speed and agility, gracefully dodging each of the incoming projectiles.

"Is that the best you've got?" Elysia called out with confidence. "You'll have to do better than that to defeat the Pyro Queen!"

Roselle closed her eyes for a moment in order to center herself. She remembered the jolt of electricity that had surged through her during their earlier battle with Risebelle and Kintovar's experiment. She needed to tap into that power, to control it.

As she concentrated, a faint aura of crackling electricity began to envelop her. The air around her seemed charged with energy, and her cannon hummed with anticipation. Roselle could feel the raw power of lightning coursing through her veins, and she knew it was time to unleash it in a controlled manner.

With her eyes now open, she took aim at Elysia, her fingers poised on the trigger. This time, she wouldn't let her power run wild. Instead, she channeled it with precision, firing a focused bolt of lightning directly at the Pyromancer. The bolt crackled through the air, aiming to strike Elysia with precision and speed.

Elysia, caught off guard by Roselle's sudden display of lightning magic, had to react quickly to avoid being struck. She leaped to the side, narrowly evading the bolt of lightning. The scorched ground where she had been standing served as evidence of the power of Roselle's newfound abilities.

Elysia landed a short distance away, her eyes fixed on Roselle with surprise.

"Lightning?" she muttered to herself. "I didn't expect magic from someone that didn't have magic, but it makes sense how they beat Thalindra now."

Risebelle, who had managed to extinguish the flames that had engulfed her, slowly pushed herself up from the ground. She had been watching Roselle's progress with keen interest.

Ability Acquired: Thunderclap Surge

As the system message announced the acquisition of her new ability, Roselle wasted no time in utilizing it. She focused her energy, channeling her affinity for lightning into her hands. Sparks crackled around her as she unleashed the attack exclaiming,

“Thunderclap, SSSUUUURRRGGGE!”

A powerful burst of lightning surged forth from her, forming a rapidly spinning fan of crackling electricity that homed in on Elysia. The tendrils of lightning struck with pinpoint accuracy, delivering jolts of electricity upon impact. Each strike left a trail of burning heat and scorched marks on the Pyromancer's body.

Elysia, caught off guard by the sudden onslaught of lightning, cried out in pain as she was engulfed by the electrical storm. Her fiery aura was temporarily extinguished as she struggled to maintain control. Smoke rose from her charred clothing, and she staggered, her confidence momentarily shattered by Roselle's unexpected and devastating attack.

Risebelle seized the opportunity presented by Roselle's powerful Thunderclap Surge. With a swift movement, she stepped forward, closing the distance between herself and the momentarily weakened Elysia.

The Pyromancer, still recovering from the electrical onslaught, was unable to react in time. Risebelle raised her cannon and aimed it directly at Elysia. She fired a precise shot, and the beam of energy struck the Pyromancer with incredible force.

Elysia was sent flying backward, crashing into the wall with a resounding impact. Smoke and sparks sizzled around her as she slumped to the ground.

Elysia slowly rose to her feet. She remained unbroken despite the pain and confusion that wracked her body. She cursed under her breath, her eyes locked on Roselle and Risebelle.

"What the hell are you two? How can you use magic like that when you don't even have magical auras?"

Risebelle responded.

“You could say we're a special batch of Kintovar's creations," she replied, maintaining a straight face. "We weren't exactly informed about our unique capabilities either. It's all part of the grand experiment, I suppose. I've been taking care of matters quietly in the forest, but when Roselle awakened and made 'a noise,' well, you can see where we are now."

Elysia shifted from anger to curiosity. "A noise? What does that even mean?"

Risebelle smirked. "Let's just say Roselle is a bit... ‘Unconventional’ compared to the rest of us, but I won't bore you with the details." She Raises her cannon, gesturing for Roselle to do the same thing.

Elysia's frustration grew, but she remained defiant. "You won't get away with this. The Headmaster will—"

Roselle and Risebelle fired their shots in unison, Elysia's defiant words were abruptly cut off. The combined force of their attacks struck the Pyromancer with overwhelming power leaving two holes in her body.

Elysia crumpled to the ground, her body scorched and unresponsive. The fiery aura that had once surrounded her now dissipated, leaving her powerless and defeated.

With Elysia's magic gone from the world, the door to the room unlocked, allowing them a way out; however, the commotion they had caused didn't go unnoticed. Murmurs and gasps emanated from outside the room as someone spotted the lifeless bodies of Risa and Arlanda, It wasn't long before a loud shout came through the corridor, calling for the Headmaster.

"The Headmaster! Someone's been killed! Arlanda and Risa are dead!"

The cry for the Headmaster's presence reverberated through the academy, sending shockwaves of anxiety and confusion among the students. Doors opened, and curious faces peeked out. They went from pure curiosity to great horror upon seeing the lifeless bodies.

Risebelle and Roselle exchanged a quick, worried glance. They knew they had to act fast if they were to escape without getting caught. The unlocked door was a small blessing, but it wouldn't be long before the academy's staff arrived to investigate.

Risebelle whispered urgently to Roselle, "We need to get out of here now. Follow me, and---"

Before Risebelle could finish, a sudden and overwhelming surge of magical aura radiated from the Headmaster. It was a presence that couldn't be ignored, a raw and potent energy that enveloped them both, rendering them immobile.

Risebelle's eyes widened in shock as she felt her limbs go rigid, her body refusing to obey her commands. She glanced at Roselle, who stood frozen beside her, unable to move or react.

Despite unleashing this power, she was still a ways away from them, examining the bodies of Risa and Arlanda. The Headmaster’s piercing gaze fell upon the student who had discovered the lifeless bodies of Risa and Arlanda, and she questioned them.

"What happened here?" she demanded, her silver hair seemingly ablaze with an otherworldly radiance. Her eyes bore into the student, and the magical aura that surrounded her intensified, making it clear that she expected a quick and truthful response.

The student, trembling under the Headmaster's overwhelming presence, stammered out words.

"Headmaster, I... I found them like this! Risa and Arlanda are dead, and Risa's clothes are missing! It's... it’s like… like someone else was here!"

The Headmaster's face darkened further, “Missing clothes, you say? This is a grave matter. The intruders must be close by. I will not tolerate any threats to the Academy or our mission. You, gather the others. We must find these intruders and bring them to justice right now."

The Headmaster began to approach the room where Roselle and Risebelle were held immobile by her overwhelming magical aura.

Risebelle spoke barely a whisper, "Not now. We can't let her come this way. We need a plan, and we need it fast."

Despite the urgency in her words, Risebelle and Roselle remained immobilized. They were held in check by the Headmaster's overwhelming magical presence. The situation had escalated rapidly, and the Academy's Headmaster was closing in on their location. She was determined to apprehend the intruders who had infiltrated her domain.

‘What can we do in this situation? ‘Risebelle pondered inwardly. The Headmaster's power was overwhelming, and their own escape had been nullified by her aura. It was a dire predicament, and they were running out of time.

Roselle tried to think of something, but without gaining any answers in her head, she hanged her head down.

Risebelle's eyes darted to Roselle, who was similarly held in place. She couldn't help but feel responsible for her, for bringing her into this dangerous situation.

‘We can't let the Headmaster find out the truth about us’, she thought with a sense of urgency.

As Risebelle contemplated their options, a risky idea began to form in her mind. It was a desperate gamble, but it might be their only chance to escape the Headmaster's clutches. She turned to Roselle, her eyes conveying urgency.

"Roselle," Risebelle whispered, "I have an idea, but it's risky. I need you to build up your power, just like you did when we fought me. We're going to create a distraction, and it's going to be big. Can you do it?"

Roselle looked with uncertainty in her eyes.

As the Headmaster’s presence drew closer, Risebelle’s mind raced for a solution. She had the idea, but it was time to try and execute it. Turning to Roselle, she whispered urgently, “Roselle, we have to try. Build up your power and unleash it in an explosion, just like you did when we trained.”

Roselle, still immobilized by the Headmaster's aura, looked at Risebelle with both confusion and concern. "But I wasn't trying to do that when I fought you...” she replied in a hushed manner.”I don't know if I can control it, and we might end up hurting ourselves."

Risebelle nodded, acknowledging the risks involved. "I know it's a long shot, but it's our only chance to break free from this aura and escape. Trust in your abilities, Roselle. We have to do this now, or we'll be captured for sure."

Roselle began to focus her energy, drawing upon her affinity for lightning. The magical power within her surged, crackling with intensity. She concentrated on harnessing it, preparing to release it in a controlled explosion to disrupt the Headmaster's magical hold.

The Headmaster's footsteps drew nearer, her silver hair shimmering with an otherworldly radiance as she approached the room. Risebelle and Roselle had little time left to execute their risky plan, and the outcome remained uncertain.

The Headmaster entered the room, and her gaze fell upon Risebelle and Roselle. She observed their tense faces and the faint, ominous glow of red electricity surrounding Roselle. The Headmaster's piercing silver eyes narrowed, and she instantly recognized that something unusual was happening.

"You two," she spoke with a commanding tone, "what are you doing ? Explain yourselves!"

Roselle's attempt to gather and control the electricity had not gone unnoticed, and it seemed their plan to escape the Headmaster's magical hold had been detected. Risebelle and Roselle found themselves caught between the Headmaster's overpowering presence and at the risk of their true natures being revealed.