A faint red-tinted barrier loomed the sky where glyphs and runic marks floated around within it.
Despite snow seeping through it, the barrier had quite a drastic effect if comparing to what was outside...
Deafening tempest.
-30 degrees.
Heavy Blizzard.
On the inside, however...
Mild breeze.
-10 degrees.
Light Snow.
Using Vixella's Magical Jars, this barrier had recently set up by the newly appointed Archmage.
In mage terms, 'newly appointed', would mean quite about a few years' time.
Before said barrier came, life on the surface was mostly impractical, not mention impossible for the majority of residents.
The capital of Coldpoint would then usually rely on the same old underground structures in the vast ice crevices below.
However, even with the barrier, farms and life necessities were still underground since it was still rather cold up above.
To keep the barrier going, everyone who moved to the surface was obliged to donate their magical power weekly.
You could consider it as a sort of tax payment... Via the help of Vixella's Magical Induction Jars.
So that was why Enchantia decided to bulk-buy Magical Jars from her company?
Bingo!
In the middle of the town laid a star-shaped Citadel which was built together with the Wizard Tower.
The integrated Wizard Tower by the Citadel was... Well, upside down.
How does the huge structure itself rest on such a small pointy tip?
Nobody knows!
In fact, it stood tall and towering long since before Xiveall even came to as the 911th summon.
The knowledge and information on how such a structure could possibly exist had long since disappeared.
Many magical researchers were, and still are, pursuing the topic for many generations since.
Horses sneered calmly to a stop as the caravan Vixella tagged along finally reached the parking area.
A carriage door swung open as Jessica's plated boots and Vixella's low heels clanked onto the snowy streets.
Xenthur quickly hopped off and provided them with cloaks made from Beastmen Wool that was stowed in the back.
"My lady", Xenthur bowed, "Let us split up here, for I shall procure assets for our company whilst you attend to the meeting."
"Aah, I'll bring Jessica with me then?"
"Of course... May you have a wonderful meeting."
A CENTURY LATER
(Snowy Transition Music)
By taking steps forth on the cobblestone paved road, one would notice how frosted ice had already permanently filled the cracks.
Vixella and Jessica puffed out warm visible breaths as they paved forth beyond the unfinished surface structures.
Shuffling through the snowy streets as the wind rushed by, they eventually found the path leading up to the Wizard Tower Citadel.
"Sentries, what do you see?"
"Two women approaching... W-Wait... One's a Valoratian-!? F-Fireeeee!"
After that shout, volleys of fireballs hailed down upon them without warning from the walls above.
"What a warm welcome for such a cold country."
Vixella swiped horizontally as Holy Water flayed out in an arc.
The fireballs that whirled through the air, upon making contact with her water magic, dispersed in violent explosions of steam.
POOF! POOF! POOF!
POOF!
POOF! POOF!
Not all found their mark as a few that went past the two caused quite sizable explosions in the background.
Vixella sighed and braced herself for the second volley, however-
"Stand down! It's the Elderian representative! The owner of the Magical Jars!"
"Her-!?"
"How can you be so sure-!?"
"Well... There's not many people who can stop that much fireballs as if it was nothing..."
"That's the power of a Legendary Adventurer...? Let's hope we didn't offend her..."
Back down below the walls, the two women stepped up to meet the Mage Captain who came to greet them.
He quickly stopped in front and bowed apologetically before gesturing towards his men.
"On behalf of my men, I am sorry... I hope we did not offend someone of your importance!"
"Aah, no problem? But why are you glaring at Jessica like that?"
"Why is this Valoratian Elite with you?"
"She's my bodyguard, the best we could find."
"I see... I see... However, we still have to keep our eyes on her since-"
"Ara~ Is stalking the only thing Enchantian men can do to women? This must be why they'll never pair with one!"
Jessica glanced down to mock the shorter Mage Captain... If comparing, he was even shorter than Vixella, although just a little.
"Shut it, you filthy Valoratian whor---!?"
His sentence was cut short as Jessica grabbed him by the collar of his robes.
She smiled happily at the Mage Captain that was lifted into the air.
"Arara... What were you about to call me just now?"
The Mage Captain began to choke as he just couldn't pry apart Jessica's grip.
Vixella slowly glanced up to see even more fireball formations being formed upon the citadel walls than last time.
She grimaced slightly before quickly stepping in to pry apart Jessica's seemingly unbreakable grip, much to her confusion.
"Come on you two, I don't have time for this! Just shake hands already? Please?"
"Why would I ever reconcile with this-"
"Do it."
"But-"
"JUST DO IT!!!"
After ending the quarrel, Vixella still had to resort to separating the two since they wouldn't just leave each other be.
Despite her smaller stature, she dragged the taller Jessica fully clad in heavy silvered plate armor away... With ease.
Jessica eventually gave up resisting and asked Vixella to let go before going back to walking alongside her.
Water and Oil.
Cats and Dogs.
Mages and Knights.
They just can't blend together, huh.
Vixella was somewhat troubled.
Although upon relating that to Cats and Dogs, Vixella felt like having some pets.
The Great Expanse of Afria... She wanted to head there soon... Pets pets pets.
The Wizard Tower.
Vixella pulled out a small paper note that the Mage Captain had given to her a while earlier.
The paper was given to help them find the illusionary walls so they can traverse between the floors.
It wasn't like she needed the paper.
Having lived life as an ancient summon, Vixella could easily spot those said walls herself.
The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
However, to simplify things and reduce the waste of time, she simply decided to follow the markings on the map.
If talking about these illusionary walls, the average mage would take about a lifetime of magical research and insight to see them.
The reason for these said walls was to stall the enemy's advance if they ever somehow made it into the wizard tower citadel.
Some problems did occur when entering these walls since Jessica was at first hesitant to do so.
After being tired of her reluctancy, Vixella snuck behind Jessica and forcefully shoved her into one.
Letting out a feminine yelp, Jessica put shame to her usually composed demeanor.
After being laughed at by Vixella, she steeled herself to walk through the rest.
Near the upper floors of the citadel, tinted glass caused colorful patterns to paint the path they took in the dim-lit hallway.
[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/455394821364908032/459344609126907914/images.jpg]
Vixella and Jessica's steps echoed for a while before it stopped in front of a giant rusty door with massive hinges.
Rubble flew about as the doors were magically rigged to open, slowly revealing what was behind it.
Vixella coughed from the dust as she glanced up to see a circular room with a round table by the center.
Mage Conference Room.
This was where the 'significant' talents of Enchantia would come to discuss 'significant' things with the Archmage himself.
All the mages quickly threw glances at Jessica upon noticing that her armor was of Valoratian Elite design.
To both sides of the doorway were also Ancient Knight Golems seemingly ready to engage in combat.
Vixella grimaced slightly before slowly shoving Jessica back out of the room.
"Ara? What might my lady be doing-"
WHAM!
Vixella quickly pushed close the large doors, causing the mages to be surprised by her inhuman strength.
Despite doing so, the usual calm feeling in the room shortly returned as Vixella sighed out of relief.
One of the hooded mage figures sitting by the throne at 3 o'clock stood up to bowed at her slightly.
Another mage which appeared to be asleep at 7 o'clock then raised her hand towards an empty seat.
It was the 6 o'clock throne... The one directly opposite from where the Archmage would sit at 12 o'clock.
By the walls of the circular room, a small hooded figure came down the spiral stone steps.
It was a young boy... Just a kid... Vixella then wondered why he sat down at the 12 o'clock seat... Wait, the Archmage-!?
The young boy lifted down his hood to reveal a sharp pale face with cold blue eyes.
The smooth black hair that was quite wild and untended to flowed above his neck.
"Welcome to our humble conference... Lady Vixella..."
He spoke with a poker face, not to mention the mundane tone.
"Thanks?"
Vixella, for some unknown reason, felt a confliction upon seeing his face.
"It seems... You have a question... Regarding my appearance...?"
"Aah, my apologies! I did not mean to stare! Anyways, do you happen to have an older sister?"
Before the Archmage could open his mouth to reply, the massive doors resonated as something was trying to bust its way in.
A few stone bricks crumbled down with each whack that came by... The hinges were slowly coming off the stone walls as well.
The roundtable was left in silence as they all glared towards the door with uncertain faces.
A few of them stood up and stood up to prepared the chanting of combative spell formations.
The Ancient Knight Golems, on the other hand, backed off slowly and drew their weapons.
And then... The metal gates fell off the hinges... GONG!!!
All of the mages were thrown out of their cast composures.
After the disturbing resolution, dust and smoke began to seep out in every direction.
Everyone coughed as they squinted their eyes and tried their best to check their bearings.
"Out of all times... Now... There's an intruder..."
"Stay alert! Protect the Archmage!"
"Where-!? I can't see anything-!?
The Knight Golems created by the Ancients, unlike everyone by the roundtable, didn't panic.
They backed off to regain their bearings before darting back into the smoke to intercept the threat.
A few clanks shortly came by as a golem's arm was sent flying upwards to jam into the stone ceiling above.
Other pieces of dismantled golem parts then skidded about as the roundtable mages leaped away to avoid being hit.
Vixella, upon seeing the golem parts skidding at them simply decided to hop onto the table.
She expanded her arm-blade and attempted to locate the unknown presence in the smoke.
"Lady Vixella... Only you can... P-Please... Protect the Archmage...!"
One of the mages who was hit by a golem piece groaned out from the floor below her.
"Aah, of course."
Vixella, after finding the presence in the smoke, leaned forward with the intent to dash, however-
"Damnit, my dress-!?"
She unexpectedly fumbled down and fell off the table.
Throughout all the chaos, the vivid figure finally emerged from the smoke, heading straight for the Archmage.
Still tangled by her dress, Vixella couldn't get up from the ground so she raised her palm to form a Light Beam Formation.
Alas, she dissipated the formation upon seeing who the presumed 'attacker' was.
"JOHN! It's youuuu!"
Jessica smiled happily as she grabbed and threw the little archmage into the air.
"Aaaaaa... H-Hey sister... Long-time no... SeeEE!!!"
The Archmage, John, was surely not having quite the merry reunion from his side.
" "Sister-!?" "
The mages who were all still on the ground began showing shocked faces.
"Lady Vixella... Please... Provide assistance..."
The Archmage that was repeatedly flung into the air over and over weakly reached out for help.
Vixella, on the other hand, was too busy sulking on the spot.
"Aah... It must be nice to have a family..."
"L-Lady Vixella...?"
"Yaay!! John!!"
"P-Please, someone---"
"Yaaaaaaay!!"
"NoOooOooooOOO......"