"You know, that is a magic artifact, you can't store it in your ring."
Daisy's eyes widened in shock as she observed the little box. She came to understand it was actually a magical artifact that mages from all over the Xelgar sought after.
"This... I can't take this then; I don't deserve it."
"Don't worry darling, it's already yours now."
"I think I should give it to Aizel; it will be more useful with him."
"No darling, he already got his gift. This one belongs to you, and now that you have already touched it, it won't be able to be used by anyone else."
"What is it?"
"Now that's a special gift. You find out on your own," Vespara winked at her.
They finally reached their room, and as the door to their room opened, the children excitedly rushed towards Aziel, their small bodies colliding with his in a group hug.
"Aizel we had a lot of fun…"
"Yeah, there were so many cool things…"
"I was able to use magic without hurting anyone…"
They talked over each other to make sure he heard everything about the time they spent with Grandmaster Gogo.
Daisy and Vespara looked at Aziel's face, trying to figure out what he was thinking and how he felt.
"Is that so? It seems next time I will come and play the monster role, hehe," Aizel said while laughing with the kids.
I am glad I feel more attached to them now," he thought.
"Okay guys, I'll be leaving now, I will meet you in a few days."
As he got to his feet and started to leave the room, he saw Emma was still holding onto his leg tightly.
"What happened Emma? I will be back in a few days."
He had to gently lift her up and carry her on his shoulder to free himself from her embrace.
"Don't worry Emma, I will return safe and will take you and everyone back to the waterfall valley."
After hearing that, Emma gave him a kiss on the cheek before finally releasing her hold.
Aizel left the room and headed out to rent a horse, knowing it was time to hunt some snakes.
As he made his way through the busy streets, his demeanor changed, and his face became emotionless. Without wasting any time, he rented a horse and galloped out of the city.
Meanwhile, the nobles prepared for their visit to Tidalheim.
They were uncertain of the arrival date of the common man. To ensure they were prepared, they began sending members of their family to Tidalheim and instructed them to report back every detail of the situation.
The prince seemed personally invested in the matter; he was leading the royal guard in an assault to capture the leader of the organization wreaking havoc in his kingdom.
Freedom City,
Underground at the orphanage,
Many hunters and mages had dispersed across the kingdom to keep an eye on developments as their numbers dwindled. Those who stayed usually stationed themselves close to Tidalheim, where they reported regularly.
David was in the midst of a fierce battle against three expert hunters, with all of his attention directed toward perfecting his close combat skills.
He had been training tirelessly, engaging in battles with anyone who crossed his path. Be it one-on-one or one-against-many, he was gradually gaining the upper hand.
However, he was aware he still had a long way to go before he could match the truly skilled and talented mages. He had to be strategic and seize every opportunity to gain maximum advantage.
"David, are you sure this is the right time to use that?" One of the women hunters asked.
She was one of the trio of female hunters who had been supporting David with long-range bow attacks.
"Yes Alizza, it's finally time to bring on some heavy destruction."
"But it is only a one-time use artifact. Are you sure this is the right time to use that?"
"Absolutely, everything is going according to plan; after this attack, the whole kingdom will be shaken to the core, and we will begin our final phase.
"So where is everyone right now? The ones to pay special attention to?"
"Yes, the prince and his guards are heading towards Tidalheim. Even most of the noble families are heading there.
"Soren is in Alcoberg town; Seraphine is with the princess. They are heading towards the north of the kingdom for some reason.
"The Valtor family is also going to head towards Tidalheim. Aizel is heading towards the Fangspire mountain." Alizza reported everything.
"Good, after two days we will prepare to strike, now leave me,"
*****
Aizel's horse was galloping at full speed as he approached the Fangspire mountain.
But then he saw the obstacle ahead of him: a line of experienced hunters with their carriages blocking the road. As he rode closer, he could see there were thirty or forty of them staring at him.
"YOU! Who are you and where are you heading?"
"Boss look, he is wearing the institute robe,"
"Hehe, finally we've got one fucker in our grasp…"
"You! Leave us your weapons and potions, and we will let you walk away,"
"Move," Aizel said.
"What did you say fucker, I will…"
While the hunter was still talking, his body expanded like a balloon and burst with a loud pop, spraying blood and gore everywhere.
The sudden turn of events shocked the other hunters.
"You what did you do fucker…"
"How dare you motherfucker…"
*Pop* *Pop*
As the conflict heated up, two more hunters began to swell and eventually burst apart, revealing their guts and bloody interiors.
The surviving hunters stared at Aizel in utter despair, completely gripped by their newfound horror. Their sweaty foreheads reflected their fear.
"I said move," Aizel said again.
Aizel's sudden display of power had the desired effect. With incredible speed, they were able to pull the carriages out of the way and make space for Aizel. They started to move away from him, slowly at first.
Aziel's horse began to move at a slow pace, its hooves clicking against the rocky path as he passed by the group of hunters. He didn't even spare them a glance as he rode away, leaving them behind in his wake.
"Where the fuck did this monster come from??"
