Becky and Sybil emerged from the cover of the Mystical forest, their hoods down to reveal their true identities, the mages guarding the Maramediately took notice. The mages, who had been diligently carrying out their duties, approached the newers with curiosity and caution.

  One of the mages, a stern-looking woman with flowing silver hair, stepped forward and addressed Becky and Sybil, “State your names and ranks.”

  Becky, with her short pink hair and rough gaze, spoke first. “I’m Becky and I hold the rank of Elite Mage.”

  Sybil, her shreen hair and shy demeanor trasting with Becky’s assertiveness, followed suit. “I’m Sybil and I’m also ae Mage.”

  The mages exged gnces, clearly surprised by the appearance of these two unfamiliar Elite Mages.

  The stern woman’s skepticism was evident as she respoo Becky and Sybil’s cims. “It’s impossible,” she decred. “There are only four Elite Mages and they have been assigo other Maractors. Your presence here raises questions.”

  She then turo one of the es and ordered, “Perform a quick background che the names Becky and Sybil. We o verify their identities.”

  As the mage began to duct the background check, they were met with a sudden, silenced gunshot. The mage’s body slumped to the ground a small hole in their forehead marking the lethal shot. Dr. Kintovar had acted swiftly and decisively, taking out the mage with ruthless precision.

  She then moved with calcuted efficy, swiftly stealing the mage’s cloak to ceal her identity further. The forest fell into an eerie silence as the remaining mages stared in shock at their fallen rade.

  The stern woman’s impatience was felt by them as she questiohe dey with a sharp and demanding tone.

  “What’s taking you so long? It should have only taken you seds!” she excimed with clear frustration.In a remarkable dispy of mimicry, Kintovar imitated the high-pitch of the woman she had silenced. Her vocal imitation was uny as she replied in the same tone, “Sorry, ma’am, we’re just experieng some teical difficulties with the background check.”

  The stern woman frowned, seemingly satisfied with the response, but her impatieill lingered as she tio wait for firmation. She turned her attention back to Becky and Sybil with a posture rigid with authority. She revealed her rank and o them in a no-nonsense manner.

  “I am Solene and I am a teacher at the Academy,” she decred. “Now, I demand a proper expnation for your presence here. This is a restricted area and unauthorized personnel are not allowed.”

  Becky and Sybil exged nervous gnces, but Solene’s gre remaihe situation was growing increasingly tense and her patience wore thin.

  “I said, expin yourselves,” Soleed somewhat annoyed. “You’re not authorized to be here and you clearly are e mages. I’d even go as far as to say you’re not even apprentice css mages. If this is some sort of prank the me make ohing clear: This won’t end well for you.”

  Becky and Sybil hesitated for a moment and was unsure of how to proceed. They had expected some resistance, but the stern woman’s unwavering authority caught them off guard.

  Kintovar called roup of mages to cheething out. Her tone veyed a sense ency.

  “Hey, I need some help over here ! There’s something strange going on with the magic system. For some reasoime I try to check them I am getting these strange circles which causes it to act up and I ’t access the data. I think like, the whole system might be down.”

  Solene’s eyes widened in disbelief. She exged a worried gh the es present and they began to discuss the situation among themselves.

  “This is highly unusual,” Soletered. “I’ve never heard of the magic system failing like this. Iigate this.”

  The group of mages headed in the dire Kintovar had indicated, leaving Becky and Sybil with Solene, who still regarded them with suspi.

  Kintovar acted swiftly and with deadly precision. Before the group of mages could react to her call for help, she opened fire with her silenced on, taking them out one by oheir bodies fell to the ground and the area was filled with an eerie silence broken only by the soft rustling of leaves in the forest.

  One of the mages mao shout a loud “HEY!” before Kintovar elimihem as well, ensuring there were no survivors to raise an arm.

  Solene was growing increasingly ed by the otion behind her. Sge turo look back at the se. Her eyes widened in shod horror as she saw the lifeless bodies of the mages strewn across the forest floor with their cloaks stained with blood. She took a step back with her hand instinctively reag for her own magical staff but the realization of the dahey were in struck her like a thunderbolt.

  “What in the world...?” Solerembled upon looking at the gruesome se before her. “What happened back there?“Kintovar stepped forward and lowered her hood, revealing her distinctive appearance, Soleransformed from shock to a burning rage. Her eyes bzed with anger and her features torted in fury.

  “Kintovar!” Solene spat out the h venom and a tone ced with intense anger. It was clear that the sight of Kintovar had ignited a deep-seated rese and fury within her.Kintovar’s sly smile persisted on her face. She raised an eyebrow and addressed Solene , “Oh, you’ve heard the rumor, have you? About two mages betraying the Academy and havi discussions with a certain stist named ‘Dr. Kintovar’?”

  Becky couldn’t help but smirk at Kintovar’s words. She added with a touch of defiance, “Yeah that worked like a charm, didn’t it?”

  Solene’s anger fred as the realization hit her.

  “You traitors!” Solehed and narrowed her eyes in pt. “You will pay for this betrayal!”

  Becky’s words were ced with bitterness and frustration as she s Solene.“Oh shut up!” Becky retorted roughtly. “You shitheads never gave teology a ce! You killed off stists and ahout strong magic. My magic level itiful at birth and I almost got killed off because of it. I’ve had enough of your ways!”

  Solene’s anger mingled with disbelief as she struggled to prehend Becky’s reasoning. She shook her head in disapproval and tered Becky’s argument

  “That’s ridiculous,” Soleed. “Betraying the Magical Academy for such grievances is unfivable. There were rules and traditions in pce for a reason and you chose to abandon them. You have no idea what sequences your as will bring.”

  “Screw the rules! The rules set in stone by the Magical Academy left us with no teology, nress, nothing! We were held back by outdated traditions and the arrogance of those who wielded strong magic. We deserve a ce to live in a world that values everyone, not just the magically gifted.”

  Solene remained resolute as her loyalty to the Academy unshaken. She spoke with unwavering vi. “The Academy’s traditio to maintain order and protect our world from chaos. What you did was a betrayal and there will be sequences.”

  Sybil stepped forward. She addressed Soleh a heavy heart.

  “Please, five us for what we are about to do.”

  Becky followed suit using her own ade on whi hand was a formidable hammer with intricate entments. She added to Sybil’s plea, “These ons, they were created by the Dotovar. And we’re going to use them to kick your ass, baby!”

  Solene’s anger burned hot as she gred as if gring into their souls at Becky and Sybil

  “You aes ic? This is reckless and foolish! If you were Sword Magic users like that Aliana woman, I might uand, but to forsake your own magic for these traptions is beyond prehension! Put those flimsy ons down, NOW!”

  Without warning, Becky smmed her massive hammer into the ground with incredible force, sending shockwaves of earth and rock rippling toward Solehe ground trembled as the seismic waves surged outward, threatening to engulf Solene in their destructive path.

  Solene, suprised by the sudden assault, had little time to react. She raised a barrier of magi a desperate attempt to shield herself from the oning onsught of earth and rock. The ground shook violently beh her and the impact of the seismic waves seumbling backward with her magical barrier straining to hold.

  Becky’s held a note of defiance as she ented, “Don’t judge what you’ve never seen in a.”

  Sybil’s movements were swift and graceful as she vanished from Solene’s line of sight. In the blink of an eye, she reappeared behind the stern mage w holding her sword with precision.

  With a swift, fluid motion, Sybil’s sword danced imbued with the power of the wind. As the bde sliced through the space arou created cutting gusts of wind that sshed towards Solene.

  Soleed quickly, calling upon power. Her body seemed to split into two distinct halves—one radiating blinding light and the other shrouded in deep darkness. The light and darkness iwined, f a protective barrier that covered Solene’s body like armor.

  The cutting gusts of wind cshed against this Armor of ic light and darkness, creating a dispy of sparks and energy.

  Sybil and Becky, realizing the formidable defense Solene had put up, stepped back cautiously. They exged a quice aowledging the difficulty of the situation.

  Soleill shrouded in her armor, looked at them

  “What’s the matter?” Solene sneered. “’t pee my ic Armor? It seems you uimated the power of a mage trai the Academy.”

  Soleill encased within her ic barrier, began to t. The words she ted echoed through the mystical forest.

  “os Astra Orbis!”

  A clock-like energy radiated from Solene, f a circur pattern of symbols in the air.

  From this celestial array, four swirling ic orbs materialized, each resembling a miniature p with its own unique color and energy. They revolved around Soleheir movements graceful and mesmerizing, like celestial bodies in the vast expanse of the os.

  Becky’s showed her surprise and curiosity as she muttered, “Wait, what’s this? agic? I’ve heard of elemental and other affinities, but this is new…“Solene’s words carried superiority and disdain as she gres at Becky and Sybil, “This is what happens when you choose to defy the academy without knowing anything. Ynorand relian teology are clear signs of your ck of knowledge.”

  Kintovar decided to shed some light oopic of iergy. Kintan to speak with authority.

  “iergy is the mystical force that binds the very fabric of the universe. It is a power that transds ventional magical affinities and taps into the celestial forces that govern our world and beyond.”

  She tinued with her tone filled with a hint of dession, “It’s a rare and elusive affinity because it requires a profound uanding of the os and the ability to harhe energies that flow through it. Mastery of iergy allows oo manipute the fual forces of the universe, creating unique and powerful spells.”

  Kintaze bore into Solene as she cluded, “But it’s clear to me that you are not a master of this affinity, or you would have succeeded in removing the mage’s from this isnd long ago.”

  Kintovar’s words seemed to strike a h Solene, elig a growl of frustration from the stern woman.

  Turnitention back to Becky and Sybil, Kintovar spoke in a hushed yet fident tone, “You see, Becky and Sybil, despite her experience as a teacher, Solene is no master of iergy. With the right strategy and teamwork, we defeat her. Becky cracked a fident grin and said, “Well, looks like we’ve got a fighting ce after all!”

  Sybil nodded in agreement.

  “Let’s show her that teology and power stand against the old ways.”

  Becky and Sybil stepped up and prepared to face Solene when a sudden barrage of magic beams came from behind them and caught them off guard. Kintovar, who was still standing nearby, shouted in surprise, “What?”

  The beams of magic struck Kintovar with incredible ford she colpsed to the ground, unscious. It was a sudden and ued attack that left Becky and Sybil in shock.

  “K-Kintovar?!”