ARCANAS KINGDOM IS A RELATIVELY smaller nation compared to the Colosseum Empire. Like the empire though, it was not a member of the United Alliance as it was proud of and trusts its powerful magic users.

While the Colosseum Empire boasts its military prowess, Arcanas Kingdom was known in the Aria continent as the ‘Magic Capital’ and reigns in magical expertise. Almost every citizen of Arcanas Kingdom was capable of magic; from simple house-chore spells to devastating battle spells.

There were many terms for magic users depending on their region, practice, source, specialty, and kind of magic being used. But in the Arcanas Kingdom, magic-users were simply called mages.

The mages in the Arcanas Kingdom do not have formal education on magic, unlike the wizards and witches who have schools, warlocks that have temples, and sorcerers that have specific training grounds. And while mana was common knowledge, the mages learn from their family or become disciples who wish to learn certain magic.

Soon, most magic-users who do not have formal education in magic but rely on incantation and one element (affinity) became synonymous with mages.

Mages of Arcanas Kingdom can have different careers to use their magic, but most hone their magic skills to be part of the Magic Assembly that communicates with other magic-users around the world or to be part of the elite Arcane Magus that serves as Arcanas Kingdom’s mage-centered military.

* * * * *

Daisuke and his friends only took around two days after escaping the Colosseum Empire to reach the kingdom thanks to Brunnhilde’s earthen wolves. Jack, despite having motion sickness, encouraged the group to use Geri and Freki to get to the Arcanas Kingdom before dark.

As soon as they reached the kingdom’s border, they alighted from the wolves and Brunnhilde released her summoning spell before continuing on foot.

“Return to earth and wait for my command.”

Geri and Freki howled as they crumbled to dust.

“That’s some very useful magic. We could really use that to travel much faster,” Raijin commented.

“I wish I could teach it, but familiar summoning is high-grade runic magic. It also consumes a lot of mana. To learn it, you’ll basically have to summon familiars every day until you become proficient, or at least used, in it.”

“Riku, why not learn it? You’re the most proficient one in magic that I know,” said Jack who was walking with a makeshift cane.

“I would if I could, but learning magic is not easy. Besides, if not for this necklace with a rose pendant, using Rose Magic would be three times more difficult. And I don’t know any Rose-Familiar Magic.”

“Aren’t elves supposed to be all power-users? Why use magic?” asked Brunnhilde.

“I’m not sure about that. I was told, however, that this happened decades ago. The number of elves being born without power has been increasing. So instead, we were taught how to use magic so our mana will not be wasted.”

“If history books are right, elven power is the second thing you are gradually losing,” added Siegfried.

“Second?” asked Raijin.

“According to the history books I’ve read before, the elves are losing their immortality as well.”

“Elves has never been immortal though,” Jack joined the conversation. “My father told me that we just have a longer life span and better immunity compared to humans. Or at least that’s what he told me.”

As the group continued to discuss, members of Arcane Magus appeared as they got near the border to the kingdom. Instead of soldiers with steel swords, shields, and spears, Arcanas Kingdom’s army was composed of mages that use combat magic and magical weapons.

About twelve mages came running towards them that chanted spells that created translucent barriers. Up in the sky came about eight flying creatures that have a lion body and eagle head.

“Woah! Those are real griffins!” said Raijin.

“Griffin Riders,” said Riku. “And some mages decided to greet us.”

“Have you forgotten something?!” said a female voice angrily.

The group looked behind them and saw three mages. A female mage wearing a white and blue cloak and wielding a staff at the center, and on her sides were another female mage wearing an orange and blue cloak with reddish-orange orbs floating on her back and a male mage armed with hilts that have magical blades instead of steel.

“W-We don’t know what you’re talking about. We’ve just got here,” said Daisuke.

“Mirana,” said the guy with energy swords. “That’s them. The reports said it’s a group of six. And look, two of them are elves.”

“Three,” Corrected the other female mage.

“Lisa is correct, Jacob,” said Mirana. “The guy that talked just now is an elf as well, even though having different physical features.”

“But I don’t think it’s them, Mirana,” Lisa continued. “Reports said that we’re only dealing with two plant power-users.”

“And we are dealing with two plant power-users. I can sense that female elf uses magic.”

Daisuke’s group compressed as they got surrounded.

“Daisuke, I don’t like this,” said Siegfried as he unsheathed his swords.

The Griffin Riders pulled the strings of their magical bows where light-like arrows manifested, ready to fire at will. Jacob readied his glowing magical swords. It glowed brightly blue and runic symbols levitated all over it. Lisa levitated as she intensified the glowing orange orbs on her back. The mage footmen stepped in closer as well with their magic barriers and magic spears.

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“Everyone, get ready!” said Jack as he created Jackfruit Maces.

“Umm, guys, I think it would be better if we would all just calm down,” Raijin suggested.

“Gigantes Roseaus!!” Riku chanted a spell that created a giant rose flower bud surrounded by briars.

“Glacio Aeon.” Mirana chanted a spell as well. The sky turned gray and cold winds started to howl. Icicle spears started to form above the group. “Surrender now, hunters, and no one will be hurt.”

The giant rosebud was starting to bloom, releasing an intoxicating scent.

“We are not treasure hunters! We’re just here to pass through the kingdom and top our supplies!” Riku responded angrily.

More icicle spears formed above them.

“Your group must surrender and cooperate! Cancel your magic now!” Mirana demanded.

The giant rosebud was now close to fully blooming. The aroma coming from the flower has started to spread. Meanwhile, more and more icicles were forming above and have covered even up to the mages behind.

But before the ice and rose magic could be activated, a man with yellow-orange hair riding a winged lizard swooped in. The man shoots out a pillar of golden flame that melted the icicle spears above while the winged lizard breathed flames that burned the giant rosebud below.

“It’s a dragon!!” Raijin shouted.

“A dragon? Where?!” asked Siegfried.

The winged lizards landed between Mirana and the group. The man riding it then casually dismounted.

“Hey, guys! Sorry about that,” said the man to Daisuke’s group. “We are on a high alert and looking for any suspicious group of six.”

“Everyone, stand down!” Mirana ordered. She then walked towards the man. “What are you doing here, Leon?!”

“Too much mana has been detected and I just tried to see what was causing it,” the man named Leon explained.

The winged lizard went to Mirana, asking to be pet. Mirana sighed as she scratched its head. “There, there, Sully.”

The group walked closer to Mirana and Leon. “Look, we are not hunters. And we’ve just arrived,” Jack insisted.

“Leon, we need to question this group immediately,” Mirana insisted.

“Well, we could do that for formality,” said Leon. “But I can assure you that they are not the perpetrators.”

“And how did you know that?”

“Because Sully over here would have already burned them if they were the treasure hunters. Sully knows the hunters’ scent. He may not be a tracker, but he’ll know when it’s them.”

“Phew. Looks like we’re saved by the dragon,” Raijin sighed.

“That’s not a dragon, you moron!” Siegfried replied. “That’s just a winged salamander.”

“R-Right...”

* * * * *

The group was escorted by the mages inside the Arcanas Kingdom. They entered the border office and were asked a few questions before being given the kingdom passes.

“Here are your kingdom passes,” Leon gave the group a card that proved that they were processed formally and may stay in the kingdom for fourteen days. “Keep that with you all the time and surrender them when you are about to leave.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened here?” asked Jack.

“A group of six people managed to steal one of the five fragments of the Star of Arianna, the kingdom’s greatest treasure.”

“Wait, what do you mean by 'fragments'?”

“The Star of Arianna is composed of five separate pieces or, as we call them, fragments. Put them all together and they form a shape of a star.”

Jack's eye twitched. Melody didn’t tell him that there would be five fragments, and worst, they were too late. He didn’t expect that the treasure hunters would mobilize so soon and even managed to actually get one.

“Can’t your salamander just sniff every foreigner in this kingdom?” asked Raijin.

“Hahahahaha!! Well, that would be a lot of outsiders. We even have tons of guests here because a circus will conduct a show in a few days. Sully and I simply have no time to investigate everyone. We also do not want people to panic.”

“And this star treasure…what made it such a great one?” asked Brunnhilde.

“The Star of Arianna is said to be created by the goddess Arianna herself who also created this continent, hence the name Aria. Each fragment of the star contains one of the basic elements: fire, earth, water, air, and lightning. With those star pieces, anyone may use the star fragment’s respective element without consuming mana.”

“But that’s impossible,” Riku claimed. “Every magic, and power for that matter, consume mana. There’s no such thing as infinite magic.”

“Well, it is an old legend and that’s how the story goes. Whether it is true or not, we may never know since no one was ever allowed to wield the star fragments for centuries.”

“Also, the last true wielders of the star fragments were the progenitors of Arcanas Kingdom. Since then, no one has ever managed to wield them properly,” Mirana added.

“Why hasn’t anyone managed to wield them?” asked Raijin.

“Because those who are “not worthy” of using the star fragments are consumed by the fragments. Use the Ruby fragment, you'll burn to death. Use the Sapphire fragment, you’ll drown or freeze to death. You get the idea.”

“Oh…”

“And why did you think we were the ones who stole it?” asked Riku.

“Because the ones who stole it have plant powers.”

“We all know that only elves should be the ones capable of using plant-based power,” Leon added.

“We’ve never heard about elves being treasure hunters before,” said Daisuke. “And I’m sure there are a lot of Yoran elves around the world.”

“We know. Elves outside their homeland are called ‘Seekers’. But that doesn’t mean all elves are innocent. Also, I believe we have three Seeker guests today. They mention that they are investigating this plant power-users as well.”

“There are rumors that humans with plant powers started to appear several years ago,” Mirana added.

“Furthermore, we’ve caught an elf two years ago who illegally entered Arcanas. She said that she was trying to escape or something,” Leon continued.

Jack flinched as he heard Leon’s story. “Leon, did she use her power?”

“Now that you mentioned it, yes, she did. Same as yours. I saw you with those spiky fruit mace thing.”

“Is she still here?”

“No. We’ve freed that elf after another group of elves came and took her.”

But that doesn’t add up, Jack thought. Melody said that she was a captive at Eaucove. Now, he learns that she was taken by another group of elves? What is going on?

“Jack, do you know that elf?” asked Daisuke.

“The elf he's talking about. She could be my sister, Jill.”

* * * * *

At the plaza near the Central Shrine of Arcanas Kingdom was a circus that has been traveling around the world, the Cirque du Magique. The circus has visited the Arcanas Kingdom for the fifth time and has been a great hit ever since their first show at the kingdom. The circus has been practicing and doing some remote performances to invite everyone to watch their grand show in two days.

Watching the circus practice were three Seekers. They were all wearing a cloak with gradient color, almost like different shades of a leaf, from light green like a newly budding leaf to a dirty, brown, withered, dry leaf.

“Marcactas, are you sure this is the place?” asked a female Seeker.

“I’m sure, Lanatte. I can sense peculiar mana that’s almost the same as elves,” said Marcactas with his deep voice.

“How about you, Musaoi? Do you feel anything?” asked Lanatte.

“Yes, but very faintly. It’s as if the mana is somewhat…incomplete. It’s being used to be converted to something, but it’s very inefficient,” said Musaoi, another female Seeker.

“Well, I guess we need to ask those circus people if they know anything about humans having plant powers. Let’s go.”