CHARLOTTE BAMFORD

Seconds felt like minutes, standing in the rain waiting for the right moment to strike the enemy. I was in my stance and so was Buckmour, looking like statues to Dummard. Hearing the battle of the professor in the background, then there was silence.

As if it was a cue, lightning struck down and I dashed forward aiming for his side. Dodging my strike, Buckmour attacked with his hand instead of his sword. Punching me in the side of my head making me roll, “Use your sword Buckmour, you don’t want me to hold back right?”

Buckmour laughed at my words, “My bad… Charlotte was it. I was only seeing if you were worthy of me using my full power and it seems like I was right.” The mana in the air appeared to flow to him, ‘ring phase’ I said in my mind. This aura is very similar to when Alter used his phase. 

Now I can see why the professors got defeated by Buckmour. 

[Zero Phase: Ancient Awakening]

My eyes widened at the basilisk muttering words, “Ancient awakening?” I thought only Alter could use Ancient Phases. Something is not right, why are basilisk with ancient phases? 

More and more thoughts came to my mind but something more came in, doubts. Doubts of who Alter really was, how he got his power, how he was two rings. I have to get answers from Buckmour or even Dummard if possible. 

“You seem to know what this phase is, Charlotte.” Buckmours words hit me like a stone cold wall, “Yes I know what that phase is.” I replied, using my ring phase too. He knows more than I “But the question here is what do you know about the phase called Ancient Walker.” 

The atmosphere changed, it was heavier than usual. I felt swords being thrust into my body, but I had to be strong. This was nothing compared to what people have felt.

Using the mana in the air to my advantage, I chanted in my mind ‘Everlasting Tree’. Vines shot up from the ground surrounding the basilisk trying his arms and legs making him unable to use magic or weapons or at least that’s what I thought.

Buckmour realized that my magic could prevent any opponent no matter how strong they are to nothing but a ringless mage. Then he ignited his body with fire affinity covering even the ground around him. My vines were being burned, while the basilisk freed himself from it. 

“You are the only one who not only made me use Ancient Awakening but to make me use ‘Hell Fire’, you keep surprising me more and more. So don’t die on me Elf.” said the basilisk as he thrusted forward using the fire element and ring phase. 

I managed to block his attacks but it only became a problem since he kept getting faster and faster. If that’s that case so will I, using even more mana than I was. His blade was fast enough that to me it was blurry, predicting his attacks slowly but surely I can win this dual. 

Using a water spell that should try to extinguish his flame but it did nothing. Panic surged through me, my mana was being depleted as I kept fighting. Conjuring another water blast but this time I used my remaining mana to make it last longer. 

“Is this all you have, elf?” The basilisk Buckmour said, in a disappointed tone. 

“No but I believe I have told you my name.” Running around him trying to find his blind spot.

[Plant Revival] 

Vines shot up from the ground grabbing Buckmour’s sword, I bolted to him holding another sword made out of plant vines. The basilisk tried to defend himself from my attack by conjuring a mud wall but it was destroyed by my sword vine. 

I thrusted my sword into his heart, while looking him in the eyes with annoyance “My name is Charlotte Bamford.” 

I saw how his soul left him through his eyes. I took out my sword from the corpse and looked at Dummard expressionless face, eyes widened, mouth open, pale face.

“You next Dum-.” Before I could finish, I was cut off by an explosion in the distance.

I faced the place where the explosion came from, horror fell on my body, an icy current went up and down my spine. There was only one name that popped in my head…

Alter…

JULIETTE RILEY

H-How is the academy damaged? The buildings were on fire and some even destroyed to the ground, there were large craters. 

I stepped forward through the entrance gate. A powerful mana surge went to my body, my mind knew that it was strong enough to beat two… no four Espions at full strength. 

“General” I said to myself in search of this powerful aura. My sensor picked up many auras in one place, but only 4 caught my eye, one seemed to be a professor’s aura, another one had activated their ring phase and was currently depleted on mana but still can take down monsters… the third one was a completely different aura something I have never felt before…

The last aura… was terrifying… it was like death itself had been on earth and was ready to take the souls of the continent with him… 

This person is probably responsible for attacking the academy but if so what’s their point.

The princess? No they wouldn’t do an obvious thing… 

The more I thought about the problem the more questions appeared in my mind, no solutions but only questions…

The more I got closer to these auras the more my body screamed to run. The pressure of that one aura made me an Espion fall to their knees, “Damn, Luna where are you?” I said getting myself off the ground wrapped my body with mana and affinities to endure the pressure.

Finally getting to the place I saw two familiar faces, Charlotte and Freyja. “Charlotte!” I yelled getting her attention yet something was wrong.

Charlotte’s voice rang in my head, ‘Espion Aurora, you need to get the student out of here ASAP. If you don't, it might be too late.’ She sounded desperate, scared and concerned about the students on the campus. 

‘Why, what’s going on princess?’ What is she scared of? More importantly, where is the general?

I looked at the direction that Charlotte was facing, a silhouette appeared from the black smoke of the explosion. He had white hair that stopped to his shoulders, his blood red colored eyes looking deep into my soul. 

I quickly regained my composure and began unsheathing my sword, “Are you the one responsible for this attack?!” I asked. 

A evil, heinous smile that put even the devil to shame was on his face, “Ye-“ before he finished I striked my blade to his head.

“You should let people finish their sentences, don’t you think Espion?” My blade that could cut through mountains was stopped by his fingers? 

Stepping back from his range I activated my ring phase.

[First Phase: Aurora’s Descends]

My connections to the affinities that I didn’t have were now under my control. Earth, Fire, Water, Wind, I have to take him far from here before it gets too chaotic. 

“First Phase: Aurora’s Descends, huh?” My body froze at his words, how does he know my ring phase? Did he participate in the war? 

“Jul-“ outside words didn’t go through my mind.

“liett-“ who’s saying my name?

“JULIETTE, he isn’t an enemy…” The princess yelled, getting my attention, “He… he is… Alter…”

My body froze in the middle of my attack, my brain was processing what she just said. “Alter is that guy?” I responded half-turning my face enough to see if ‘he’ attacked while I wasn't looking. Charlotte’s face expressed sadness at the fact that ‘that’ was the general, “Y-yes that is him, he turned like that because of a high-level basilisk.” 

“Did you hear his ring phase?” I asked, “Yes he said ‘Aether phase: Ancient Walker’ were the words he said.” Now I know why the monarchs called all the Espions, they were scared that the general would use this phase and lose control of it before we got here. 

If that’s the case, why, “why is ‘he’ here.” I pointed the tip of my sword to ‘the general’ making the princess and the professor, “W-what do you mean.” Charlotte said in her confused voice, “Why is that ‘demon’ taking over the general’s body.” I could feel their hot gazes, then ‘he’ talked, “What are you saying Juliette, There is no one trying to take over my body?” ‘His’ eyes showed worries, fake worries. 

“Don’t you dare lie to me prince of the dragons, heir to the dragon king, Onyx Millguard.” 

Onyx smiled at my words and then laughed like a maniac, “I really thought I had fooled you Espion Aurora.” His movement, his eyes, his expressions, his voice. I didn’t want to believe it but I knew it was going to happen sooner or later. That was no longer him but an evil prince who would kill all his loved ones.

“Charlotte, take the students in the shelter and get them out of here.” I had made up my mind, not looking at her I kept facing the general or at least his body that was in control of someone else. “Y-you won’t survive Julie-” I talked over her.

“It’s an order from an Espion, princess now follow it.” I yelled with authority in my voice making her know that I was no longer fooling around. She seemed to hesitate but then agreed to it. 

“Now I think I made you wait a while didn’t I, Prince Onyx?” I conjured mana all over my body as well as my sword. “You think you could beat me? The prince of dragons? Alter really made you delusional.” 

Onyx raised his hand as if he was calling something but didn’t know what, “Soulblade, Crusader of Horrors, come to me!” A golden oval portal opened from the sky only to release a sword.

The sword was purple and silver, it had ancient designs on the blade, the hilt resembled the horns of a dragon. That sword is dangerous, I need to get him out of here. 

I thrusted my sword to the ground and enchanted it with water magic.

[Water Prison]

A giant water ball appeared around Onyx trapping him inside, something is off he’s way too calm to be inside of my spell.

No time to be distracted. I need to make him unable to see me. I closed my eyes, lifted my left arm and muttere.

[Infinite Mist] 

“You have some annoying tricks up your sleeve Espion.” Onyx said in an annoyed voice, “Very well I will play your game.” He raised his mana usage to destroy my water prison.

Before the water prison was fully destroyed, I went behind him swinging my sword to his head. My strike was met with a dark purple, thick scaled armor.

Dragon armor huh? To think he would have it on him despite using the general’s body. 

Onyx swung his sword as he twisted his body to face me. 

In a split second an enchanted arrow hit Onyx’s soul blade and derailed it from hitting me. Onyx’s face showed an angered expression, It felt like a volcano about to erupt in front of me. “Who dares to interfere with my fight!” He looked around trying to find the person responsible for getting in his fight. A silhouette came out from the shadows. It was Luna, “I’m the one who interfered with your so-called fight.” 

Something about Luna was off, her tone and expression was more different from what she normally is like. I felt chills go down my spine, Luna was mad… no… she was pissed. “And who are you to interfere with my fight?” Onyx said. Luna unsheathed her sword, “I’m the disciple of the body you took over.”