Yin & Yang Pleasures of Cultivation

Although nobody could understand the mysterious Magical energy running through the air, Darcel, Aniela, Masami, and Bella had still gone in a slight trance. Them staring into the hidden teleportation portal went beyond its enchanting appearance. 

It was like they were gazing into a profound mystery that they could potentially solve if they had all the time in the world. 

However, that was time nobody had. 

Bella was the first to snap out of her slight trance. She blinked several times, feeling genuinely impressed. 

For most things in her life, she rarely would feel any type of awe unless it came from Darcel. But, whatever this teleportation spatial portal was, it certainly left a deep impression on her.

Bella was even half-attempted to go back to that previous hypnotic trance. But she quickly realized first that Darcel, Aniela, and Masami need to leave now.

Though, when she peered her eyes over to them, she witnessed a deep green hue swirling within their eyes. Her curiosity was piqued a bit, but Bella pushed it back and in a loud, clear voice, she shouted to the trio.

"Hey! Your exit ticket is here. Don't tell me you all prefer to just stare at it?" 

"Hu-huh??" 

At the same time, Darcel, Aniela, and Masami jumped a bit. The green hue swirling within their eyes vanished as they came back to reality.

"That was….odd…." 

Masami remarked, unsure on what to make of what just happened. She didn't know what kind of trance she was placed upon, and when trying to recall it now, her mind felt fuzzy. 

"Yea….but, Bella's right! Darcy, Sami. Let's get out of this place!" Aniela suddenly spoke in an eager tone, her eyes fully back to reality. 

While there was the same mysterious fuzz coursing around in Aniela's head, she had quickly forced it down.

Darcel squinted his eyes a bit. Compared to Aniela and Masami, he felt the least amount of fuzz when recalling that trance. And during that time, he could sense that their Chaotic Shard had mysteriously activated.

When it comes to this form of energy, Darcel was anything but assured about it. That mysterious yet overwhelming power was still too complex for him to understand. Although, he could vaguely understand that their Chaotic Shards are reacting to Magical energy.

Darcel pushed down this thought for later as he knew this would be significantly helping them soon enough. 

For now, Darcel flashed both the black Magical Crystal and the special compass inside his Spatial Ring. While he did so, he told the girls, 

"Yes. Let's not delay any longer." 

"Ah! Before you go, remember what I said about Azog Ice Town. Over there, the Siren Blood Mage group is truly your best bet at becoming Mages."

Before the trio jumped out in the portal, Bella had called out to them. 

Bella felt a mix of sorrow wash over her entire body just from the fact that she couldn't go with them. 

However, she tried to understand that this was for the best. Bella may be able to protect them from other Mercenaries squadrons, but if they were to encounter her own Snow Angel group, they all would be in a tight situation. 

"Right….well, bye, for now. I think." Aniela said while turning halfway around to Bella. She had a strange-looking smile as she wasn't sure how to act around her. 

One part of her was more than glad she was leaving her presence. But now, another part of her felt as if they were about to lose a tremendous helpful force. 

"Yea, later, I guess…." Masami also awkwardly spoke, being the same as Aniela, not knowing how to properly face Bella at all.

She mainly couldn't get over the fact that what should be a hated enemy of theirs so graciously helped them out all the way until the end. 

Darcel was the only one to look Bella square in the eyes. And even without his Darkness Soul link, he could see grief swirling within Bella's eyes. 

Right then, Darcel felt Bella's desire in wanting to just abandon the Snow Angel group and come with them.

That was a tempting thought for sure, but Darcel knew that would cause them all severe problems more than anything. Still, he began to speak in a calming tone towards Bella. 

"Goodbye, Bella, and thanks for the help. We needed it. And don't worry….I am sure we will see each other again. Besides, your presence still in the Snow Angel group would be the most helpful for us."

"Haaah….yea, I know…." Bella grumbled in a low voice, spouting an expression that Darcel found surprisingly cute. 

Admittedly Bella was quite the beauty, so seeing an adorable pouty expression on her was enticing.

However, Darcel made sure he didn't react as that would only stir up Aniela and Masami to a troublesome point. 

Giving one last glance at Bella, Darcel had then turned around to Aniela and Masami. He nodded at the girls, signaling to them it was time to leave. 

Without sharing any more words, Darcel, Aniela, and Masami jumped straight into the teleportation spatial portal, immediately disappearing from sight.

Bella stayed behind to watch them entirely disappear from this independent realm. And after only a couple of seconds, the teleportation spatial portal burst into tiny wisps of Magical energy.

Left all alone now, Bella sighed with heavy emotions. She probably won't see Darcel's group for quite some time now, and that made her a bit deflated. Compared to her prudish group, she much rather enjoyed being with the trio.

And Bella could tell that there was something heavily bothering all three of them, which would explain their sudden mood shifts. 

The thought of abandoning the Snow Angel group just to go with the trio had suddenly popped into her mind.

But before that thought could tempt her, Bella vividly recalled Darcel's words. 

No matter what, she is one of the strongest Snow Angel Captains within their group.  And if she were to go missing, the Snow Angel group would only restlessly pursue them all. 

'I really do hope they can become Mages….' Bella had one final thought as her eyes linger on where the teleportation spatial portal used to lie.

After a moment, Bella took her eyes off the area and was about to fly off. 

However, when her Spirit Sense picked up on someone extremely familiar rapidly approaching her, Bella suddenly stopped.

'What's she doing here?' Bella quickly identified the one approaching her was one of her Snow Angel Leaders, Leader Melea! 

And soon enough, she heard Melea's voice speak out to her.

"Captain Bella! Just, what are you doing over here? Just before, I was sensing some kind of strange energy coming from right here." 

Bella peered up to the skies only to see Melea swiftly dive down towards her.

In seconds, Melea touched down on the ground, and her eyes began scanning the whole area. "I don't know what I was sensing from here. It felt so familiar and so unfathomable-Ah?? What on earth happened here?!"

Melea interrupted herself as her gaze landed on the utter destruction left behind by the teleportation spatial portal. That wide crater that looked down it was going to the depths of the abyss caught her attention the most.

Bella's expression had already turned back to her lazy smile when Melea had landed. She masked any other previous emotions and began telling her, 

"Perhaps we had just missed out on whatever was over here. I have just arrived here too."

Melea set her gaze on Bella again. From that typically relaxed smile of her, it was essentially impossible to tell if she was feeling different. 

However, Melea could just feel there was something off about her. So she decided to ask then, "I see….Captain Bella, answer me honestly. We've been in this realm for quite some time, yet I haven't sensed a trace from them. Tell me, have you yet to encounter Darcel, Aniela, and Masami?"

Bella didn't have any change of expression at all. In fact, out of all Snow Angels Leaders, she expected Melea to have a reaction that seemed the most mixed.

During their time under Darcel, she observed there was a particular passion that had ignited inside Melea. 

And it was plainly obvious to see that, as of now, that previous burning passion had vanished from Melea.

Right then, as Bella was going to answer her, an idea streaked into her mind. She changed a bit of what she's going to say and had then said, 

"Nope. I haven't seen them at all. Although, excuse me for asking Leader Melea, but I'm a bit confused why you want to know about them? I mean….I saw Leader Zillah's reaction, and she's so full of hatred that the mere mention of their names gets her Killing Intent roaring. But Leader Melea….I don't sense it from you?"

"Wh-what?" 

Melea was caught entirely off guard for Bella's long spiel. For as long as she knew her for, that had to be the longest time she had ever spoken!

Still, what Bella had said rummaged in her mind. A jumbled mix of emotions started to swell, but Melea quickly pushed it down as soon as it came. 

Her expression briefly appeared muddle for a moment, but the next second after, her face turned severe. "Obviously, I hold….K-Killing Intent. But that doesn't matter now! Look, just report to me, and only me if you ever were to spot Darcel, Aniela, and Masami." 

Melea's tone went through a rollercoaster of emotions as she tried suppressing her feelings.

And Melea didn't give Bella any time to react to her changing mental state. Immediately when she finished talking, she turned around and swiftly blasted off up to the skies, going far in the horizon in just mere seconds.

Bella curled her eyebrows at Melea's more than apparent suspicious response. Her lips curved into a slight smirk, feeling less uncertain about the future now. 

"If it's her, then….heh. Things won't be so overly complicated in the future."