Walking out of the storage room, Aria adjusted her cap. She had taken a spare baton along with a female guard’s uniform consisting of a black uniform jacket, white dress shirt, dark knee length skirt, and leggings. Moving swiftly through the archives, she knew she had to act fast before someone discovered the unconscious guard. Pausing for a moment, Aria studied the map of the archives that Roxy had given her. Assuming that the old man’s telling the truth, the vaults should be on a lower level, Aria thought to herself as she continued across the archives. Walking to a corridor, two guards suddenly stepped in front of her.

  "Need to see some identification," one of them said, eyeing her curiously. "Are you a ranked mage or a student?"

  "Neither. The private vaults are down there?" Aria asked. The guards exchanged an uncertain look. The existence of the military vaults was classified, known only to high-ranking officials.

  "Why are you asking?" one of them demanded, placing his hand on his side arm.

  A faint aura coated both men as they reinforced their bodies. Anticipating a fight, the two guards sensed something off about this girl. Meanwhile, Aria glanced at one of their badges. Aria assumed they were probably retired from service or privates from the Albion Armed Forces. She took a step back before aiming a swift slash with her baton. One guard instinctively blocked it while the other moved to flank her.

  "An intruder!"

  Aria slammed her baton into one man's neck, fluidly dodging a strike from the other. Without missing a beat, she threw her cap toward the second attacker’s face. He swatted it aside with ease, only to realize too late she was already gone from his line of sight. Crouching low beneath his counterattack, Aria enhanced her arm with aura and drove her fist into his ribs. The hit landed with brutal precision, forcing a sharp, pained cry from his lips as he was launched back. Spinning back toward the other guard, she intercepted his punch with a swift block. As he lunged in with a knee aimed at her stomach, Aria met the attack with her open palm, reinforcing her arm with aura to match his own.

  I can’t waste any more time.

  With a sharp pivot on her heel, Aria unleashed a devastating kick downward, the force of it smashing the guard into the floor as a spray of tile shards shot up. A glowing [Note] had appeared on the man's chest as Aria temporarily disrupted the aura he was using to defend himself, making her kick even more effective.

  Click

  Aria spun around, spotting the first guard on the ground aiming a small pistol at her. Reacting instantly, she sidestepped the bullet’s arc and delivered a devastating kick to his back. With both guards no longer moving, she quickly snatched the badge from the crumpled man before pressing forward. As she ventured deeper into the archives, she soon found herself surrounded by more guards. Quickly, a large group of armed guards formed a tight circle around her cutting off any means of escape. Someone must have seen or heard me...

  "You know that attacking the Citadel is punishable by execution," one of them taunted. "Do you have a death wish or something?"

  "I’ve been surrounded by death my entire life," Aria narrowed her eyes, quickly noting their positions. "Another day means nothing to me."

  3 years ago…

  "That girl didn’t even come to the funeral…" one of Aria’s squad members mumbled bitterly. While the rest of the squad mourned their fallen comrade, Aria had locked herself away in her quarters. A young woman with flowing purple hair sighed. Elaine glanced at Mary, who was gently laying flowers on the grave.

  "She’s probably mourning like us…" Elaine murmured.

  Mary nodded sadly. "Lady Aria has always grieved differently." She knew Aria better than anyone and understood her habits. When she was overwhelmed by sorrow or pain, Aria often withdrew, hiding herself away.

  After the burial, Mary made her way to Aria’s quarters, a small tray of food in her hands. As she reached the door, her heart sank at the sight of the untouched trays she had left before.

  "Aria, you should eat," Mary said softly from behind the door.

  "I'm not hungry." Aria said briskly.

  Mary knew that wasn’t true, but she also knew how stubborn Aria could be. With a quiet sigh, Mary slumped against the door, closing her eyes. "Ari, please see your squad. I know it’s hard, but it would do you good to get out and be with them. You should rely on them… on me."

  Curled up on her small bed, Aria clutched her knees to her chest. How can I rely on them when I’m the one who killed them! Warm tears welled in her eyes as the memories resurfaced; the looks of betrayal and pain on her comrades' faces as they fell. It had been her orders that led them to that encampment, sealing their fate.

  I should’ve been the one to fight. If I had gone out there instead... if I had ignored the order, they’d be alive. They’d be able to see their families. Instead, I obeyed my orders, and now they’re dead. They’ll never know peace. Their families will have to live without them. If I rely on you Mary, you might end up dead because of me too...

  “All I can do is move forward, for their sake…” Aria whispered quietly to herself, hugging her knees tightly. “If I don’t try to move forward, their deaths will be in vain…”

  Piles of bloody, unconscious guards littered the hall of the archives. Aria panted, specks of blood staining her cheek and sleeves. She had lost count of how many people she had taken down. Leaving a trail of bloody footprints, she pressed forward toward the inner sanctum of the archives.

  "It seems we’ve got a talented intruder…" A middle-aged man with a neatly trimmed purple beard and short salt-and-pepper hair combed to the side stepped forward. "You know, most of these guards are formally trained, or even former soldiers from the war. It’s a shame using such talent like that…" He paused, eyeing the carnage around him before continuing.

  "Unfortunately, I can't allow you to go any further. This area is off-limits, even to us. The council’s orders. Even if you defeat me, I’ve already sent two of our best guards into the vaults."

  Aria pulled her baton from the holster at her hip. Without hesitation, she rushed forward, coating her legs in aura to boost her speed. The lead guard smirked, effortlessly matching her pace. Aiming a swift strike with her baton toward his face, Aria unleashed a shockwave that rippled through the air. The man absorbed the attack with his palm for a moment before retaliating with a knee to her abdomen. Using her aura, Aria tried to parry the blow with her arm, but her eyes widened as he drew a combat knife. Instinctively, she raised her baton to block, but the blade sliced through it with ease. Before she could get cut, Aria kicked him away to create some space.

  He seems to only have aura and hand-to-hand combat. He blocked my attack and expertly applied his aura to minimize damage. Aria could tell the man had experience, the kind honed by years of battle. The same level of experience as those who fought in the war. While she wasn’t sure if he had a Spell Art, she knew he was stronger then the other guards. Dodging his barrage of slashes, Aria aimed to strike his arm to disable it.

  The man smirked, already aware of her strategy. "Aiming for my arm?” he taunted. With an inverted grip, he slashed at Aria’s neck using his knife-hand. Thinking quickly, Aria constructed a small platform beneath her feet, leveraging herself into the air for a moment. Somersaulting off her platform, Aria arced her kick overhead, slamming her heel into his shoulder. The force of the blow made the head guard cry out in pain, forcing him to drop his knife in a loud echo.

  Faltering for a moment, the guard drew a thin-barreled pistol and aimed it at Aria’s stomach. But before he could pull the trigger, she tossed a nearby hat into the air, obscuring his vision for just a moment. He fired, the bullet tearing through the hat. But his eyes widened in shock as he realized Aria wasn’t standing there. Instead, she was low to the ground. With a fluid arc, she slammed a [Note] enhanced kick into the back joint of his leg. His eyes rolled back in agony as pain shot up his body.

  The man grinned, recovering from the blow as he grabbed Aria with his free arm. Aria’s eyes widened in fear as she realized he had her in his grasp. The guard squeezed her neck with his good arm, locking it in a vice-like grip. "I recognize this fighting style," the man glanced at Aria for a moment. The way she fought and carried herself meant only one thing. "The reason you're here, and the reason you fight like them is because you’re an Easennian. A bit far from home are we?”

  Faltering in his grip, Aria’s eyes widened as she realized he was choking the life out of her. Gritting her teeth, she struggled, her breath growing shallow. She knew she had to either escape or fight back. Quickly coating her fingertips in aura, Aria slashed brutally across the man’s face. The head guard released his grip, four streams of blood trailing down his face. In a fit of anger, he tried to strike her with the back of his arm, but Aria kicked herself off him, sliding back across the tile floor.

  "I was aiming for the eyes…" Aria winced as she massaged her throat. She noticed he’d pulled back just in time, narrowly avoiding the full impact of her attack. “How troublesome.”

  The guard touched his cheek, feeling the bleeding, claw-like slash as blood dripped to the floor. “How odd. For someone so young yet it feels like I’m dealing with a seasoned soldier.” he thought candidly. “Talent and experience are wasted without a proper plan. Do you honestly think you can survive on your own? Have you considered how many Mage Corps members will turn up because of your little crusade? Arrogant girl.”

  “Should they arrive, I will defeat them. Just as I have all my life,” Aria said coldly, her voice unwavering. Aria debated using her ability now. If she did, she risked facing two strong mages with limited aura reserves. But if she didn’t, reinforcements might arrive before she reached the vault. I’ll use just enough force to end it here. Aria unbuttoned the uniform jacket she borrowed, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the man for any potential openings. She only needed to defeat him with minimal aura usage.

  The man let out a hearty laugh, obviously amused by Aria’s confidence. “I suppose that’s the folly of youth, you get an inch of power and think you can defeat anyone in your path. Even me without a Spell Art can defeat someone like you. Not because I’m stronger but because I have much more experience.” Proving his point, his speed surged as he rushed towards Aria. Dodging his grab, Aria kicked off his head as she landed behind him. He ran straight into the wall cracking it. Why go for such an obvious attack?

  The man rolled his shoulder, letting out a sigh of relief. “Ah, there we go.” With that crash, he had forcibly relocated his dislocated shoulder back into place. Rushing forward again, he lunged with both arms, attempting to pin Aria. She slipped beneath him in a swift slide. However, the guard had predicted this, having noticed Aria avoided any unnecessary hits. She can only dodge at close range! he thought with a grin, adjusting his stance before slamming his fist downward, aiming to end the fight against her telegraphed decision.

  At the last second, Aria flung her jacket over his face, momentarily blinding him. She pushed off the ground with her forearm, landing a kick straight into his chin. His head snapped back as she planted her foot firmly against his chest before twisting the jacket sleeves around his neck in a makeshift garrote.

  “Shit!”

  The head guard’s eyes bulged as he struggled to breathe. His hands clawed desperately at the fabric, but pain surged through his body. Aria’s earlier strikes had added up on him. She tightened her grip, her legs bracing against him for added leverage. His vision blurred, his movements grew sluggish, desperation setting in as he clawed at the sleeves choking the life out of him. A loud thump echoed through the hall as he collapsed, unconscious, his breathing shallow. Aria remained crouched, catching her breath as she steadied herself from the fight.

  As Aria stepped into the inner chamber, she was met with a towering, multi-floored room lined with endless rows of books, stacked high to the ceiling. At the far end, a raised walkway housed several imposing vault doors. Her eyes narrowed as her objective was within reach.

  "Looks like the intruder got past Mr. Darby," a voice mused. A teenage boy with tousled dark green hair and light gray eyes studied her with mild curiosity. He wore the standard Albion military school uniform: a charcoal-colored jacket with light gray trim and gold buttons, matching slacks, and polished black dress shoes. A purple armband with the state emblem of a wreath with various stars, rested on his forearm.

  "Hey, would you mind surrendering?" he sighed, lazily spinning in a swivel chair. "I’d rather not fight a lady if I can help it..."

  "We can’t just ignore her, Zain!" the girl beside him snapped.

  She had long silver hair tied into a back-length ponytail, with vibrant purple side tails framing her face. A light blue ribbon secured her ponytail, complementing her piercing purple eyes, which locked onto Aria with suspicion. "She attacked the other staff!"

  "It’s unchivalrous for a knight to fight an unarmed lady!" Zain countered, reclining lazily in his chair. Rina let out a frustrated sigh. Of course. Even now, when they had real responsibilities as soldiers, Zain refused to take anything seriously.

  "Can you be serious for once?" Rina muttered.

  "Hey, I’m always serious!" Zain shot back, sitting up. "Besides, it’s uncool to hit a lady! Hey, Rina?" Rina blinked as Zain pointed to the now empty space in front of them, the two realized their opponent was gone. Aria was no longer standing at the entrance. She had already slipped past them, making her way toward the vaults. She completely ignored their presence.

  Aria caught a blur of movement out of the corner of her eye, Rina had closed the distance between them. Instinct kicked in as Aria dodged, stepping back just in time to avoid a strike. She retaliated with a sharp elbow, but Rina twisted away effortlessly, countering with a fluid motion that flipped Aria back. Landing gracefully on her feet, Aria’s gaze sharpened.

  "We can’t let you pass," Rina declared, her stance firm as she positioned herself in front of the stairs leading to the vault platform.

  "Also, it's kind of rude to beat up all our coworkers like that," Zain added, now standing beside her.

  Aria’s eyes narrowed as she studied the two mages before her. Their uniforms and posture made it obvious they were students from Albion’s military academy. Judging by their confidence, they likely had Spell Arts, meaning she would have to use her own if this turned into a two-versus-one fight. She exhaled, already calculating her next move. If she wanted to win, she would likely need to use her ability.

  Aria could still feel her aura reserves had been reduced since she had been using it to not only protect herself against the previous guards but to finish off her enemies as quickly as possible. If she fought these two for too long, she risked running low on energy, especially if reinforcements arrived. "Step aside, or I will defeat you." Aria's eyed the two of them cautiously. Her threat rang hollow as the two students refused to back down.

  "We can’t allow that," Rina replied matter-of-factly, meeting the former soldier's gaze. Unlike Zain’s casual stance, Rina held herself with sharp focus, her grip subtly tightening as she felt a battle coming. Yet, despite her firm tone, there was something else in her gaze, sympathy, perhaps?

  She and Zain had seen the aftermath of Aria’s path through the archives. The injured guards, the unconscious soldiers, and yet, this girl wasn’t some ruthless killer. Rina couldn’t help but wonder why someone their age would go this far?

  "You’ve hurt a lot of people over whatever’s in that vault," Rina said cautiously, hoping to reason with her. "Why attack us over something like that?"

  "I don’t owe you an explanation." Aria’s response was curt, final.

  Rina opened her mouth to speak, but Zain stepped in front of her, holding out an arm. "Rina, there’s no point in arguing. All we can do is uphold our oaths," he said softly, drawing a gray-metal baton.

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  Rina hesitated before nodding, reaching for a throwing knife from her belt. "I know that." Her grip tightened. "If you won’t back down, then we have no choice but to fight."

  "If you won’t allow me to pass, then I’ll have no qualms about defeating you both." Aria’s arm tattoo flared to life glowing overtop her dress shirt. Using [Composition], Aria constructed a teal translucent longsword from her aura.

  I need to win. I won’t let this nation rob me any longer. Without hesitation, she lunged forward, her blade aimed towards Rina in a swift, calculated strike. Aria intended to prevent her before she could teleport again.

  To Aria’s surprise, her sword met solid resistance. Zain had intercepted her attack, wielding his baton like a blade. The impact sent a familiar vibration up her arm as their weapons locked. His baton acted like a sword. Kicking off Zain to break their locked blades, Aria kept a watchful eye on Rina. She barely caught the flick of Rina’s wrist before a throwing knife came hurtling toward her. Instinct took over causing Aria to disengage. She stepped back just in time to evade the incoming blade. Individually, Aria felt she could defeat them, but being outnumbered made this fight significantly harder.

  I need to separate these two.

  She faltered back as Zain activated a lime-green aura over himself, enhancing his speed. Pivoting to the side, Aria prepared to intercept his attack with her blade. To her shock, Zain had shifted from the ground to the air in an instant. Her attack whiffed as Zain retaliated with an overhead slash, cutting the room in vertical line. Dodging back, Aria had little time to react and instead used her aura to minimize the damage done to her. Even with her defense, the strike cut into her skin, drawing blood.

  Gritting her teeth through the pain, Aria constructed a second blade. With a flurry of attacks, she drove Zain onto the defensive, overpowering him in their 1-on-1. Defending the onslaught with his baton, Zain shuffled back as Rina ran over to assist. Seizing her advantage, Aria formed a platform beneath her feet and leapt back, crossing both blades as an eerie teal aura flooded the hall. With a powerful X-shaped slash, she unleashed a wave of aura, the force propelling forward in a devastating arc. Zain’s eyes widened in shock as he realized Aria had made an aura slash using the constructed blades. Aria’s blades dissipated as she released the aura she used to make them for that attack.

  A blast of dust erupted through the archive sanctum. Zain kneeled down from the resulting impact. While he hastily summoned a barrier to protect himself, but the attack still tore through, slashing across his shoulder. Blood seeped through his uniform as he leaned on his baton to steady himself. It wasn’t a fatal wound, but it was deep enough to leave him staggered. Summoning a platform, Aria leapt off it aiming a kick at Rina from the side. Rina countered a slash of her own. Aria, expecting to trade blows, aimed a non-lethal strike at Rina’s neck, intending to immobilize her.

  But in an instant, it wasn’t Rina standing before her, instead Zain had been the one to teleport! Aria barely had time to register the switch before her attack was parried. Zain, reinforcing his uninjured arm with aura, deflected her strike with practiced ease. Meanwhile, Rina had vanished from her initial position, only to reappear behind Aria, aiming to flank her.

  Reacting on instinct, Aria spun and delivered a powerful back kick, slamming Rina into a bookshelf. Wood splintered as books and pages came crashing down, swallowing the silver-haired soldier in a waterfall of paper and books. Aria’s focus snapped back to Zain. His baton pulsed with energy, its form shifting subtly. She recognized his ability to manipulate properties, making his baton behave like a sword. She was unsure if it was raw talent or his Spell Art. Before she could disarm him, Zain launched an aura-infused punch. His fist crashed into Aria’s constructed blade, shattering it instantly.

  “Gotcha!” Zain smirked, only to notice that three glowing notes suddenly appeared on his body. “Uh oh.”

  Before he could block, Aria drove a devastating punch into his chest, sending him hurtling across the chamber. His body slammed into the wall with a sickening thud, leaving a spiderweb of cracks behind him. Blood trickled from his mouth as he slumped to the ground, dazed and barely conscious. She had intentionally let her blade shatter to trigger the third note through contact, each [Note] stacked with a 5% damage increase.

  Just a little more… Aria winced, exhaustion clawing at her every movement. She was running out of time. Between the relentless battles all day and now facing two adept mages simultaneously, her aura reserves were low. She had to finish this fight before the Mage Corp arrived.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rina was already on the attack, charging forward with chilling precision, dual throwing knives glinting in her hands. One blade flew toward Aria like a flash of silver. She deflected it with her sword, but her instincts screamed too late. A second knife was right behind the first. It’s not teleportation? The realization hit just as Aria ducked low, the blade slicing through the air inches above her head. She surged forward, closing the distance before Rina could ready another attack.

  But Rina was ready. With a swift motion, she kicked up Zain’s fallen baton, catching it mid-air. Aria’s fist shot forward in a lightning-fast strike, only for Rina to block it effortlessly with the baton. Pain lanced through Aria’s hand. She recoiled, eyes darting to the weapon. Etched along its side, almost glowing in the dim light, was a single word: ‘Sharp.’ Aria’s fist bled as she momentarily realized how he used his baton like a sword

  An enchantment?

  Aria’s focus snapped back too late. Rina exploited the hesitation, slamming an elbow into Aria’s cheek. The sharp crack of impact echoed through the chamber. Staggering back, Aria felt warm blood drip from the corner of her mouth. Her breathing grew heavier as she was losing ground fast. Then her heart sank. Zain was back on his feet, battered but determined, stepping into formation beside Rina. Two against one. Again.

  “You can’t keep fighting,” Rina said, her voice low but firm. She saw Aria was reaching her limit. “How can a bunch of treasure be worth hurting others for?” Aria’s eyes narrowed, her body trembling, not from fear, but from the raw exhaustion clawing at her every nerve.

  I’ve rejected and lost everything already.

  If I stop now… if I fall here… then every sacrifice will be meaningless.

  Mary. My siblings. My comrades. All of them.

  Her grip tightened on her blade until her knuckles turned white. “I’m not fighting for something as stupid as wealth or possessions.” Her voice was like ice, cutting and sharp, laced with something far deeper than anger. All her grief and pain. “I’m here to get my life back. The life your nation stole from us!” The words hung heavy in the air.

  Zain and Rina froze, visibly flinching at her visceral confession. The realization hit them hard, the intruder wasn’t some reckless thief or misguided mercenary. She was here for something far more personal. Like a puzzle, the two students suddenly realized why Aria was fighting them. Rina took a hesitant step forward, realization dawning in her eyes. “That vault? Y-you’re from Easenna?”

  Aria stiffened, the weight of those words like a knife twisting in her chest. Without answering, she summoned her sword once more, the glow of her aura rippling through the air like a pulse of raw defiance. “I’m done talking. If you won’t stand aside, I’ll end this here.” Zain reclaimed his baton, his expression conflicted but determined.

  “Hey I’m not judging, but at what point will it be enough?”

  For a heartbeat, Aria faltered, his words shaking her resolve. But she shoved the doubt down. There’s no ‘enough.’ Not until I take back what was stolen from me. Until I reach the truth I’ve been chasing... Rematerializing a constructed longsword, Aria fueled it with her aura as she surged forward. Eyes locked on Rina, she constructed a platform mid-charge, launching herself high above Zain. In one fluid motion, Aria twisted mid-air, her sights set on taking Rina out before she could react. But Rina vanished in an instant. Aria’s blade caught nothing but air, barely grazing the fabric of Rina’s jacket sleeve as she reappeared out of reach. Zain was also closing in.

  It's almost over

  Aria pivoted mid-strike, shifting her momentum toward Zain. With surgical precision, she swept low, aiming for his calf, a disabling blow that would turn the tide of this fight for her. Activating a note, she weakened his defense just as her blade connected.

  Slice

  The baton snapped clean in two, aura-infused steel cutting through it like paper. Zain stumbled, eyes wide with shock, pain flashing across his face as the tide of battle turned sharply against him. But before Aria could press her advantage and land a decisive blow, Rina was suddenly there, in a fluid arc she slashed across Aria’s arm with her dagger.

  What? Aria jerked back, ready to retaliate, but before she could react, they swapped positions again. Her eyes widened in realization.

  I misunderstood his ability. It wasn’t just about making things sharp, he can adjust anything he writes!

  Written on the back of his hand was a single word: ‘Heavy’. Aria’s heart clenched as the mistake dawned on her, she had left herself completely exposed. Desperation surged through her as she called on her aura, swiftly coating her arms to try and block the attack. But it was too late to fully maximize her defense. Zain’s aura-enhanced punch crashed into her arms with devastating force.

  The impact sent a shockwave through her body, her makeshift defense shattering like glass under the sheer weight of his ability. The force launched her backward, her boots scraping against the ground as she was slammed across the floor, carving a harsh trail through dust and debris. Every nerve screamed in protest, her breath hitching from the impact. But she forced herself to rise, one trembling hand gripping her blade.

  I can’t lose. Not here. Not now Rolling from the impact, Aria struggled to remain on her feet. She saw Rina preparing to press their sudden advantage. Aria swung her sword at the girl to retaliate, but it was Zain who was now rushing at her! Somehow, he and Rina had swapped positions at the last second.

  It’s not the girl?!

  Aria had miscalculated. She had assumed Rina was the only one fueling their teleports, timing her counterattack based on the perceived cooldown between uses. Aria believed Rina’s teleport was conditional, limited in its flexibility. But she was wrong. Written on Zain’s palm were the words ‘Swap’, and on the back of his hand was ‘Heavy’.

  Zain slammed a powerful punch into Aria, driving her head into the tiled floor with a resounding crash that sent debris flying. She lay there, unmoving, her eyes glassy as the two soldiers cautiously approached. Her light-grey headband had shattered from the impact, allowing her bangs to spill over her face, streaked with blood that dripped from the corner of her mouth.

  Though Aria was a formidable fighter in her own right, her ability came with a brutal limitation, it limited her from using aura defensively if she wanted to use her ability offensively. Aria compensated through sheer speed and skill, keeping her enemies at a distance. But once an opponent broke through her range, she was forced into a dire choice: either weaken [Aura Sinfonia] by using her aura for defense or risk taking damage. Now, lying broken on the cold floor, Aria understood. She hadn’t lost because she lacked strength, rather she lost because she had misjudged their abilities and acted rashly.

  Aria had lost.

  I failed them. Dad, my brothers, Mary... I failed everyone... I wasn't able bring them peace

  The crushing weight of defeat settled on her. She knew the military would capture her now. Execution would be merciful compared to what they might do if they discovered who she really was. Her revenge had been snuffed out for good.

  “We should call one of the higher-ups…” Zain panted, wiping the blood from his hand and face. He hated to admit but that was a difficult battle for them.

  “She’s our age, yet, she went this far over the vaults.” Rina’s voice carried a note of sympathy, though her resolve didn’t waver. Despite understanding Aria’s desperation, she had hurt too many people and broken too many laws. Rina understood she needed to be properly punished for that. She unlatched her handcuffs, their engraved symbols glowing faintly, designed to suppress magic from whoever wore them.

  Nothing’s changed Aria thought numbly to herself. Every inch of her body ached, and the crushing truth settled over her: she was deep in enemy territory, completely powerless again. Unlike last time, there was no one left waiting for her. Months had passed since she was first taken by Albion’s soldiers, yet here she was no different from the prisoner she once was in Ashmore.

  The only difference is that Aria was all alone now.

  4 years ago…

  Aria coughed up blood, the metallic taste thick on her tongue. Every breath burned, and her vision blurred at the edges. Her uniform sleeves were soaked with crimson, her short blue hair matted with dirt and sweat as she knelt on the cold arena floor.

  Towering over her stood a man clad in a dark blue uniform, sharp and pristine, decorated with gold badges that gleamed beneath the arena lights. His mere presence radiated power and authority. Nicolas Corvo, the strongest magic user in the known world, feared across the entire continent as a one-man army. But to Aria, he was something far simpler. He was her father.

  His cold gaze bore down on her as she struggled to breathe, her body trembling under the weight of both pain and expectation. Around them, the crowd watched in silence, every eye glued to the brutal spectacle of the graduation duel. An Easennian tradition for those entering the military is a Point-Duel. To win you must land a set number of clean hits, each hit is counted as a point. For most this was a simple test. Yet Aria hadn’t landed a single hit.

  Blood dripped from her split lip as she tightened her grip on her sword, knuckling white with determination. Every muscle screamed in protest, but she forced herself to rise.

  Just one hit. I need to prove I’m worthy of our name… Just one opening is all I need!

  Forcing herself forward, Aria launched a desperate slash aimed at the side of Nicolas' face. Effortlessly, he parried. But this time, she had anticipated it. Pivoting sharply on her heel, Aria twisted her body, allowing the momentum of the failed strike to launch powerful kick at his ribs. For a brief moment, Nicolas’ grey eyes widened. Aria had outsmarted him for a single moment as he sensed her putting a significant portion of her aura in this kick. Aria had used the force of the recoil to enhance her own counter attack.

  “It’s not enough.” His voice was like steel. Cold and unmoving.

  With terrifying precision, Nicolas countered her feint, ramming the end of his scabbard straight into her chest. The force slammed into her like a cannon. Pain exploded through her body as she was launched backward, sliding across the dirt floor of the arena. Rolling onto one knee, Aria gasped for breath, every nerve screaming in agony. It felt like she was drowning in air as her lungs refused to obey. The pain wrapped around her like iron chains. But even through the haze of pain and humiliation, she clenched her fists. Every part of her said to get up and fight yet deep down she knew it was impossible to defeat her dad.

  “How long are you going to waver, Aria?” Nicolas' voice was deep, commanding, unyielding.

  Aria’s breath hitched as she struggled to stand, her body trembling from exhaustion. Her eyes flickered up to meet his, searching for something. Praise, acknowledgment, anything. Yet his expression remained unreadable.

  “Nothing I try works,” she admitted between ragged breaths.

  Pain pulsed through every fiber of her being, frustration clawing at her chest. But she refused to cry. Refused to show weakness. Not in front of him… The man she had admired all her life, the one she longed to stand beside. Aria had thrown everything at him. Her aura, her notes, even her best attempts at aura construction, yet nothing worked. No matter how hard she fought, Nicolas remained an immovable force, an insurmountable mountain that she could barely perceive.

  “Everything I do fails to break through,” Aria saw no path to victory. Her dad left no opening, no hope of landing a single hit.

  For a moment, silence stretched between them like a crushing weight. Suddenly, Nicolas let out a loud, hearty laugh. He drove his blade into the ground, resting a hand on its hilt as he regarded his youngest daughter. The weight of the battle, the roar of the crowd, the suffocating expectations, none of it seemed to touch him. His focus was solely on her.

  “If everything you’ve done has failed… Then use your failures!”

  That warmth in his gaze, it wasn’t disappointing. It was something stronger. Something unbreakable. Across his face was a wide smile as he looked at her. Nicolas had seen her struggle, how far she dedicated herself to growing as a swordswoman. Today he got to experience her pour everything she had into this fight. And despite all of it, despite his pride in how far she had come, Nicolas wanted more from her. He knew she needed to grow much more.

  “Use yesterday’s setbacks to forge tomorrow’s conviction,” his voice was steady, unwavering. “If you can do that, there will be nothing you cannot overcome. You have everything you need to surpass me, or anything that stands in your way. Believe in the you that you wish to become. Your family, your bonds, draw on them and your failures like forging a blade."

  He smiled warmly as he regarded Aria. The words struck deeper than any blade ever could. Aria’s green eyes widened as she internalized her fathers words. Somehow, she felt a spark of hope in succeeding in this duel. Regardless of her dad being the strongest, Aria wanted to overcome him. To reach the summit that he’d stood on her entire life.

  “If you can manage that, your blade will reach anything you set your mind to.”

  He leaned forward slightly, voice softening, yet carrying the weight of absolute certainty. A small, proud smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he lifted his sword from the ground once more.

  “So I’ll ask you once again…

  “How long are you going to waver, Aria?”

  Rina and Zain stumbled back as an explosion of fire ignited at their feet, flames scattering in a semi circle as the two soldiers were forced back. Snapped out of her spiraling thoughts, Aria forced herself up, every muscle screaming in protest. A figure stood beside her, cloaked in a white coat that seemed to be glowing despite the sterile lights of the archives.

  Aria’s eyes were wide at the person before her. Blood-red eyes met her own, steady and now familiar. Espoir ran a hand lazily through his black-red hair, his gaze briefly flicking toward the two soldiers, assessing them with sharp calculation before turning back to her.

  “It’s unlike you to be so uncertain,” Espoir smiled as Aria looked up in disbelief “After all… there’s still more work to do!”

  To be continued

  Zain Evanguard

  Spell Art: Spellwriting

  Cost: Varied based on the description

  By writing a description down, Zain can use his aura to make whatever surface he writes take that description. Each target has an initial cost of aura. The more aura applied to a target of Spellwriting increases the effectiveness of the change. All of Zain's Spellwritings can be deactivated at any given time but would need to be erased to use a new one. Additionally, all surfaces he writes on can only have a single description at any given time.

  Spell: Swap

  Cost: High

  By fueling his aura between two Spellwritings, Zain can clap his hands and switch the positions between the two. This Spell is not treated as a description so it bypasses [Spellwritings] restriction.

  Rina Delsade

  Spell Art: Time Storage

  Cost: High

  Once her ability is active; Rina can stop time on a ratio of 60 seconds of real time to 1 second of stop time. As per her condition for her Spell Art, the most Rina can store is 6 seconds of time stop. While her ability is activated Rina is the only able to move during her time stop and if she goes over the stored time she'll suffer a massive Rebound.

  Chapter Preview:

  With the unexpected arrival of Espoir, Aria's fight to learn her family's whereabouts reaches it's conclusion

  Next Time:

  Chapter 18: A Hidden Truth part 3 (Finale)