Roselle's energy reached 200%, and a blinding explosion of lightning erupted from her. The sheer power of the explosion shattered windows and sent shockwaves echoing through the corridors.

  The Headmaster was unable to react in time and was sent crashing into a wall with a resounding thud.

  Risebelle was also caught in the shockwave and sent into a wall. When the smoke cleared, the room was left in ruins. The walls were scorched and the ceiling had partially collapsed. The Headmaster lay on the ground, disoriented but still conscious. The impact had shattered her magical aura from around her, releasing Risebelle and Roselle from its hold.

  Risebelle, though in pain and on the ground wasted no time, and with swift hand movements, she summoned the power of her water magic. Dark clouds gathered above, casting a shadow over the room.

  The rain came pouring down from the clouds like a waterfall, drenching the room and everything within it, but this was no ordinary rain; it was infused with a deluge of acidic water. The drops slowly ate away at some scorched walls and debris.

  The Headmaster found herself caught in the acid rain. She cried out in pain upon the liquid burning her skin and robes.

  Risebelle and Roselle remained unharmed by the acid rain as it surged and churned around them. Roselle’s body, though battered and exhausted started to glow. The power of the acid rain seemed to feed her; however, the strain of her last attack was too much, and steam began to pour from her body alongside the exhaustion.

  Risebelle moved to Roselle’s side. She knelt down quickly and placed Roselle on her back. “You did good,” she said tightly but filled with a certain warmth. The words were simple, but they held more weight than any grand speech could have.

  Roselle’s weakly smiled, despite the exhaustion. Without wasting another second, Risebelle rose with Roselle firmly on her back. She dashed forward through the door and into the corridor. As they moved around, a group of students appeared with their guards up. Some exited doors while others were patrolling the hallway.

  Risebelle immediatley lifted her leg and kicked at the nearest student with an immense surge of water energy channeled into the bottom of her heels. The impact was enough to send the student sprawling back with a cry of surprise.

  The remaining students hesitated for only a moment before they charged. But Risebelle, with a flick of her wrist sent a surge of water crashing toward them. They were knocked off balance, falling one by one like dominoes.

  The door loomed ahead, and with one final push, she burst through.The fresh air and cool breeze on the outside was almost a shock to their senses. The world seemed so calm to compare to the chaos they'd just escaped but that peace didn’t last for long.

  Moments after they stepped out, a heavy presence slammed into them. It was a suffocating aura that could only belong to the Headmaster. It slowed their movements, making it feel as though their limbs were coated in concrete.

  Risebelle staggered for a second. Her breathe got caught in her throat. "Crap..”

  The Headmaster’s voice followed them into the open air, filled with fury. “Not so fast, you wench!”

  Risebelle’s eyes darted back to Roselle. To her surprise, Roselle’s hands were moving rapidly, tracing shapes in the air. There was a strange glimmer of magic swirling around her hands.

  “Wait, what’s she—?” Risebelle began, but the Headmaster cut through again.

  “You think you can escape from me!?” the Headmaster snapped. "I will—"

  But before she could finish, the Headmaster’s boot slid on a faint energy puddle beneath her feet that sizzled like static. Her eyes widened. She fell to the ground with a loud thud. Her silver hair was splayed out around her like a halo of fury shimmered beneath her.

  Risebelle stared in disbelief. A chuckle bubbled up from her throat before she even realized it. “I—didn’t think she had anything left in the tank,” she muttered with a grin

  Roselle started with a chuckle, but then broke into full laughter. “Did you see that?! That... that was--”

  Roselle suddenly winced, coughing and a trickle of sweat ran down her face. Suddenly a message from the system came to Roselle’s view:

  [[System Message]]

  Warning: Magic reserves at 1.5%. Immediate rest required.

  Roselle spoke with a rasp.“...Okay, maybe I’m a little closer to empty than I thought...”

  Risebelle’s legs carried them forward, but her eyes flickered backwards. Footsteps and murmurs could be heard from behind as some of the academy's mages started to filter out from the building.

  A few spotted them immediately and hovered just above the energy trap Roselle had created. Some of them hesitated at the edge while others didn’t see it coming.

  But those who had managed to avoid the trap began to channel magic, boosting themselves into the air with their feet glowing with a fiery aura. With explosive force, they rocketed after them.

  "Shit!" Risebelle shouted. She dashed forward into the forest ahead. She took a quick glance behind her and saw several fire mages rapidly closing in. “Damn it! At this rate, we’re gonna get caught,” she said grimly. “The Headmaster will recover, and then we’re really in hot water. We need to shake them off, fast.”

  Roselle turned her head slowly toward Risebelle. Her eyes held a faint glimmer of resolve. “Can I…trust you with what’s left of my magic?”

  Risebelle’s eyes narrowed. “What are you gonna do? You’re spent, Roselle.”

  If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

  Roselle’s breath came in shallow gasps. “Just... trust me.” With a strained effort, Roselle focused the last vestiges of her lightning magic from her body downward, rushing through her legs and into Risebelle’s feet.

  Risebelle’s eyes widened. In an instant, she saw the world around her blur. The trees and rocks that had once seemed so solid became mere obstacles. The wind tore at her face. She moved at blinding speed with her feet barely touching the ground.

  Risebelle grunted while glancing back. The fire mages were keeping up with her speed.

  “Shit! These fire mages are fast!”

  But Risebelle soon got the hang of the speed and adjusted her movements and timing with more precision. She zigzagged through the trees in a blur of motion. The fire mages tried to match her speed but one by one, they were left behind as Risebelle’s lightning-fueled pace outran them.

  Finally, after what felt like an eternity of sprinting, Risebelle saw the faint outline of Kintovar’s lab location at the edge of the cliff. Risebelle skidded to a halt at the place where the lab was camouflaged.

  With a deep breath, she turned back to Roselle, who was barely conscious now. “Holy shit… we made it,” Risebelle said almost in disbelief.

  The lab's cloaking mechanism flickered at the sight of them, uncloaking and revealing the entrance. The calm voice of the lab’s AI system came through loudspeakers overhead.

  "Welcome back, Risebelle and Roselle. Scan complete. Security protocols activated."

  Risebelle let out a shaky breath and at Roselle. She adjusted Roselle slightly on her back.

  “You did well back there,” Risebelle muttered, though her tone lacked the usual harshness. “I was wrong about you, Roselle. You know how to act smart when you need to.”

  Roselle managed a weak chuckle. “I’m glad you think so.”

  Risebelle’s next words held coldness within them. "What happened back there was a reminder that humans are dangerous. They're nothing but a threat, and we can never forget why they're our enemies. If we have to kill them, do not hesitate."

  Roselle frowned for a moment but then nodded her head. "I... I understand.”

  Risebelle softened her face. "Good. It's important you—"

  "But," Roselle interrupted. "That…doesn't mean I agree with all of this. I don't want to become a mindless weapon just killing without questioning it."

  Risebelle's face went to a glare. "Roselle, you have to understand—"

  "No, you understand," Roselle shot back. "I get that humans are dangerous, but we can't just kill them all! I… won't just accept that!"

  Risebelle's glare sharpened. Her piercing eyes locked onto Roselle's defiant look. She let out a scoff, shaking her head in frustration. “You won’t survive long with that mentality, Roselle, especially when Mages want to destroy you on sight.’”

  “Maybe not,” Roselle said softly but firmly. “But it’s still my choice.”

  Risebelle stared at her for a minute with neither flinching from each other’s gaze. Then, finally, she turned away. “Dowhatever you want but don’t expect me to change. I won’t hesitate, not for a second.”

  She glanced back at Roselle and spoke with an edge of finality. “Humans are our enemies. I won’t see them any other way.”

  After her statement, Risebelle began walking deeper into the lab. The duo found themselves face to face with Dr. Kintovar after a few steps. Dr. Kintovar lowered her headphones from her ears and observed Risebelle and Roselle with a keen eye.

  " I see you've had quite the encounter at the Academy of Magic. I've been monitoring your progress, and I must say, you handled the situation rather well."

  "Dr. Kintovar," Risebelle acknowledged with a nod. "It was a challenging situation, but we managed to escape and complete our mission. We encountered a Pyromancer named Elysia and the Headmaster herself. They were aware of our presence and powers."

  Roselle added, "We had to use a lot of energy to escape, and I used my new technique to create an explosion."

  Dr. Kintovar nodded. "I see. It appears you're adapting well to your abilities and learning to use them effectively. That's promising."

  Risebelle asked, " Kintovar, we completed the mission, but what about the plan to eliminate all the Humans? That’s still under way, right?"

  Dr. Kintovar's gaze shifted to the wall of monitors displaying various data and images. She paused for a moment before answering.

  "You may want to be patient for that one. You see, your mission at the Academy of Magic was twofold. First, it was an opportunity to assess your capabilities and how well you can blend in among humans. Second, I needed you to gather information on the academy's activities, especially their efforts to harness the Mystic forest's magic. That info was vital that you obtained from them."

  She turned her attention back to them. "The Mystic forest is a crucial source of magical power, and I have plans for its energy.”

  Risebelle and Roselle exchanged another glance with a sense of curiosity. Risebelle spoke with a raised eyebrow. “What are your plans for the Mystic forest's magic, Kintovar?"

  Dr. Kintovar's lips curled into a cryptic smile. "All in good time, my creations. For now, you've done well. Rest, recover and prepare for the next phase of your journey.”

  Risebelle lowered her eyes slightly. "You know, Kintovar, the only one I was truly concerned about was the Headmaster herself. Her power readings were off the charts and she was capable of immobilizing us effortlessly; however, if the need arises, I believe I can take on even those with very high power readings."

  Dr. Kintovar chuckled with a somewhat amused look crossing her face. She reached out and gently patted Risebelle on the head, much like one would pat an affectionate pet.

  "My, my, Risebelle," Dr. Kintovar said with a fond tone. "Your confidence is both admirable and well-founded. You are indeed a Powerful creation of mine, but there are many other variables to consider than raw power alone."

  Dr. Kintovar's gaze turned contemplative while speaking further."I've been monitoring the situation closely, and I believe it won't be long until my third creation is activated. Once her training is complete, I plan to accompany all of you on a mission to eliminate the Academy of Magic. I have a personal grudge with the Headmaster, and I want to see her defeated with my own eyes."

  Roselle moved her face forward and questioned, "Dr. Kintovar, may I ask how you can be so sure about it? “

  Risebelle smirked. “That’s an easy one, Roselle. Kintovar has some sort of device that tells her everything. She always knows what’s going on, even when it’s not so obvious.”

  Dr. Kintovar didn’t immediately respond, instead choosing to fold her arms and look up at one of the holographic monitors in the lab. After a long pause, she finally spoke. "It’s not even that this time. I’ve been watching, yes, but more importantly, I’ve seen certain 'signals' with my own eyes. These signals are subtle, but they’re there. Patterns, behaviors, things that have shifted in a way I’ve never seen before. You would’ve had to be there to truly understand what I mean. But trust me, I’m not wrong about this."

  Risebelle carried Roselle to the second floor towards the rejuvenation tanks. She carefully set Roselle down by her pod.

  "Risebelle, what do you think our next sister will be like?" Roselle asked her suddenly.

  Risebelle considered the question for a moment before answering with her eyes lowered.

  "Annoying."

  Roselle blinked in surprise. "Annoying? Why do you say that?"

  Risebelle sighed and shook her head. "Well, look at it this way. You and I, we think things through, and we get the job done efficiently enough, although you still have your problems,.. 'alot of them'. But if our third sister is anything like the way humans can be, she might be impulsive, talkative, or overly cheerful. All of those things can get annoying pretty fast.

  Roselle replied with a nervous nod," But, maybe that's not necessarily a bad thing…right?”

  Risebelle didn’t respond. Afterwards, the two entered their respective rejuvenation tanks and began their recovery.

  Meanwhile, adjacent to the sisters, the young girl with hair blending shades of blue and pink slowly opened her eyes from the tank she was in with curiosity and wonder. She surveyed the area around her.