As the days went by, the siblings turned much more efficient in their training and, as they grew they decided to join the army of Witches. Such squadron maintained foreign species out of the Inacceptable Perimeter of Trespassing they had established. For years – or, rather since the village had been founded – the army of Witches had managed to maintain the village save and sound, preventing the trespassing of known and unknown species alike. Tier and Ikaros decided to continue this tradition, working hard until they were accepted into the army.

Of course, this decision also had its own risks and levels of difficulty for both. The two needed to measure their power by either maintaining stable communication and information with the sun or by making sure that the eliminations carried out were not on a large scale. The two always kept focused on this during their vigils, while being thankful that there was not much activity during these times.

During one of those days, the intensity of the sun had been particularly low and the air surrounding the Perimeter was one of serene and gentle demeanor. The Witches handling the vigil seemed to be as relaxed as the day itself. It was clear that this day would be a slow, inactive one… or that’s what they expected. With a loud, uniform sound, low but strong, the arrival of an uninvited guest was announced. The gaze of all of the Witches on the Perimeter turned towards the sound, the very one that even started to shake the ground they stood on. From there, among the elohde trees surrounding the quiet village, silhouettes of gigantic beings started to present themselves. Their steps were calm, yet consistent. A tranquil and rhythmic threat, never missing a bit. No second went by without a step.

With an immediate reaction, the Witches of the perimeter commenced their attacks, throwing over magic against them, though they knew they wouldn’t be able to eliminate them all before some would inevitably trespass. They were simply too close for comfort and the fact that their successful protection was about to be broken spread anxiety. Tier and Ikaros witnessed all of this before running towards a strategic point of the Perimeter, the very spot where most of the giants were gathering. Once he glanced at them from up close, Tier could feel his fingers start to shake, but it wasn’t fear… He knew something would happen, something seemingly bad. Surprisingly, he didn’t feel as if he himself would be in direct danger, but the worry only spread further, causing for the situation to seem much more dire in his eyes. He didn’t want this to be the end of his village… he wanted to protect it, propelling his anxiety’s triumph against his senses.

Taking a deep breath, Tier studied the appearance of these beings, opting to calm himself. They seemed to be a mixture between animals, both mechanic and organic. Their faces seemed to hold a perfect mixture between a beast and a human, their gigantic bodies covered in fur and some mechanic compartments here and there. It was something no Witch had witnessed before. To top off their horrific appearance, they seemed to desire the destruction of every piece of magic they found in their wake, including the beloved elohde trees. He realized this as he took a peek to the path they had taken, perfectly divided between decimated magical animals and plants to evergreen and intact regular animals and plants.

Clearly, the village was at great risk, for all of the elements composing it were magical; people included. They had to protect all of it. Without a second thought, Tier and Ikaros were ready and they started their attack. Slowly eliminating internal components of some of the giants, Tier made his way to induce death among each he could stumble upon. His concentration was aimed at eliminating the closest to him, his hands waving as if he were manifesting power via their motions. Ikaros held some of the giants with myriad chords of light, allowing for other Witches to finish the job.

As Tier took care of the enemies in his proximity with great concentration, the actions taken by the owner of sun lights gradually became harder and harder to maintain. The more time went by, the less he could keep eliminate the giants closest to him quickly. As he shared his power to aid other Witches, the endeavor of fighting seemed to turn into a hindrance for him. Even though the ‘army of giants’ started to diminish, Ikaros could not aid while trying to aid himself. Sun lights try to hold back the giant in front of him and yet, it does not seem to work as the giant doesn’t even struggle to step further in. Stepping right in front of the Witch, the giant prepares its feet and mouth, ready to attack at the small target that was Ikaros. In response, he attempts to jump back and protect himself, but his legs fail him, unable to move properly. He manages to give one singular step before he stumbled. Merely by reflex, Ikaros drops all of his lights and returns them to himself before pointing them, covering the giant up before he closed his eyes and, at that very moment… the giant completely disappears, allowing for the lights to fall and return to him in a gush of cold wind and warm streaks of sunlight.

Only one person could’ve stopped that attack. Assuming he would lose him, that this would be the moment in which they’d take away the one person with whom he had shared and discovered so much, fear engulfed him. The fear of losing him without a warning, of having him disappear altered his thoughts. He wished that such a moment did not exist, that such a threat was not coming to pass. He wished, especially, that the future developing at that very moment was never born.

And that wish came true.

Tier had been the orchestrator of it. He had seen his brother in such a vulnerable state, unable to defend himself and, alarmed by the danger he was going through, he threw his overwhelming power without a limiting himself, completely eliminated the threat… And he had done it. He had completely decimated the threat that once existed. Absolutely every giant being that had been attacking seconds ago, disappeared.

Ikaros, breathing heavily and clearly surprised, turned his gaze upon his savior and smiled gently before he could feel the glances of all the other Witches upon him. From a happy expression to a serious and tired one, he turned to meet the expressions of those Witches around him. They thought he had been the one to deliver those giants into nothingness… as if they had never existed.

And it was an understatement to say that they were terrified for witnessing the “dangerously thorough power” that Ikaros possessed.