The concept of a peak originates from those who have vast knowledge in their fields and, in turn, have control and power far beyond anyone else. These people are often inventors, physicists and or other scientists who have devoted their entire lives to material science, understanding the very fabric of reality we manipulate to survive. There are also people who have innate talent in the manipulation and conjuration of mana, but never get to fully extend to their peak potential due to the lack of understanding of their situation and condition.

While the Magical Revolution paved a way to a more liberal view to the world, there still lie a slight discrimination of differences. Still, the main scale of influence and power is the capacity of mana. But this is not an accurate way to measure potential – as the cup does not signify the contents, people drink poison mistaking it for an elixir. Yet, as the only major signifier of power people could sense is their capacity, it is often associated with the sheer accessibility and potential.

People without any trace of mana are far and few in between as, those who have no potential often perish before they reach adolescence. But, if they reach adulthood, they become more successful in life than those who have magic and miracle in their lives. As they need more hands-on experience to survive, they innovate, invent, and advance, often exceeding those of talent and mastery in the imaginary art of materialization and manipulation. Unfortunately, these people defect to the underground, hiding from the dangers and discrimination of today's society and devoting their talents and skills to develop and invent things against the discrimination – to abolish the harshness towards the different.

“And these I have mentioned are our main goal. We do not mean harm or disruption in general society. We only seek harmony among the exceptions and miracles – we seek equality among the same species. The raids are uncommon but when we do them, it is for a greater cause, often to rescue others, such as yourselves, and to disrupt the operations which might be undergoing”, said Olivia, a blonde girl with a heavy Slavic accent, about three years older than Will. “So, where are we going, exactly?”, asked Will, as they approached the mana capacity whose explosion prompted San’s death. Turning the corner to the scene, “If the one you were looking for had survived, well… the chances are, she is either executed by the culprits who blew up this place or deported to another country. So, this is the closest you will ever get to seeing her”, said Olivia, at the crater left by the capacity.

Suddenly realizing something, Will started running. Turning corner after corner, he ran; he ran as fast and as far as he could. He ran and ran until… he had reached the destination, but, he had not seen the sight he had hoped for; he had reached his home – his once beloved home. Walking past the ruined front fence, the garden destroyed beyond recognition and finally the entrance door frame which was the only thing left standing of the house, he entered on the sanctuary only dust and debris reside. Catching up to him, “As their goal is so grand, a single family is too insignificant for them to take into account. Sorry for the loss, Will. My condolences”, said Olivia. “You say it is them who is doing all this. But why would they? For me? For me to live in misery and only to work as their test rabbit? Why would they? It is illogical. And you… You do not seem to be in grievance what so ever. And, why would you be? Then again, why would you say that you understand my situation? This is just a façade. You only want me to join you, no? Why? What is your ultimate goal, Olivia? Why do you need me? What is my use for you? Why? Why, I ask you!”, said Will, sitting on the rubble that once was the walls in between the kitchen and the hallway.

“Please… amend yourself… It is not our fault that you are in despair, right now. It is only the consequence of you being in the wrong place at the wrong time, trying the wrong thing. After all, if we had not been there, if Leo had not been ordered to destroy Gipfel, you would not be here, grieving over the lost and blaming us for the things we had no chance of being a part of. You would prove to be useful beyond anyone that is currently in this organization, sure, but it is not a necessity for you to be with us. We gave you a choice, didn’t we? And you chose us, abandoning the life you had before the explosion. Yet you are here, now, wanting to go back to the life which you shunned for one reason or another”, sighing out a large, “If you are a man, stand up and look onward. If the men of this country, of this place we call home, were to be cowards like you, we as an ethnicity would have long been wiped out in war”, said Olivia, standing in front of the now broken Will. In a tone that cannot be described other than desperate “what do you know of home? What do you know of ethnicity? You are a Slav in Germany – you are an outcast who fled from the very same thing you are scolding me for. Aren’t I right? That scar of yours, the one you are trying so hard to hide, The Branding of the Chalice; you ran from there, no? “Smile to the unknown”, they say. Yet you did not smile. So, they marked you for death at the stake. I guess you are lucky. That foundation, that single theocracy run in the shadows of the current society, O, the things they do to please everyone… It must have been very hard for you, Olivia-”, said Will before the angry Olivia snapped back at him.

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Pinning him up in the air with crystals she grew in stasis, “Why do you take pity on me, Will? Like you know how I felt then – why do you say it like that? You know nothing, yet you say things like you know everything. WHY?”, loosens the grasp, “Can you even fathom how I have been there? It was hell in place for heaven. Do you know how bad it hurts when the skies turn upside-down before your very eyes? All the teachings they enforce, all the pride and humility they share to others, every single thing they say turn out to be all false… Do you know how disappointing it was and how much more it hurt when they took me down to the backroom? Violence, gluttony, lust, avarice and fraudulence – service to them seemed so evil yet they expected me to follow… You cannot and that is the truth”, said Olivia, at the brink of tears.

“It is true that I do not know a single thing you went through. But, as far as one’s mind could imagine, I could only think a small fraction of it and sympathize with you. Bloody hell. And you went through a lot-”, said Will, before he was broken out of the crystal and pulled back. With a slight jingle to it, a rope made of crystal, presumably beryl, and some dark gray ceramic coated nylon fibers shatter the crystal lock and pulls Will away from Olivia, out of the house. As he was being pulled out, a faint net, as white as spider’s silk, could be seen, cast in place of him once were. “You are an annoying piece of rote, Will. And that is what I like about you. See, you even angered the bloody “Fiery Envy”. Oh, and you will be called the “Ghost” from now on, as Blanc said”, said Yuki, laying low to the ground, patting Will’s head. As bright bursts of red flame rupture where the white net was cast, “That web I have woven, it is made of Boron Nitrate, one of the best materials to use as a heat distributor”, said Yuki, scattering fine yarn on the ground.

“From what Blanc said, she excels in cremation and incineration of leftover evidence. And if you were to die, then it is almost certain that she will take care of your carcass so… do not die, man”, said Yuki. While the smoke and flash settle from Olivia’s flames, small white crystals form around Will and Yuki. The crystals remain in stasis, like a soft snowfall frozen in time, as a small sack breaks the stillness, thrown at the confused pair. Suddenly, a large explosion occurs, blinding them and hurling the two in opposite directions. Walking towards Will, “Most of the air we breathe consist of, what is known as, nitrogen which is also a major component in explosives. Those crystals you saw are RDX crystals, commonly referred by us as Salt. You should learn how to synthesize them too, Yuki”, said Olivia through the smoke while picking up Will. In a sudden gust of wind, the yarn placed down by Yuki tangles Olivia and neutralizes her. “Check-mate!”, exclaimed Yuki, perched atop Olivia’s head, “Lithe – that is the name bestowed upon me by Blanc. I would very much appreciate you call me such, Via”.

Coughing, “Please, do not use that on me ever again, Olivia. I am merely a human with no miracle – I cannot parry such attack... Well, that is that”, clearing his throat, “Why the hell did you attempt to incinerate me? Was a broken man’s nonsense too much for you? We are civilized, yes?”, said Will to the bound Olivia. Her face lightens, saying “Aw, how sweet of you to protect little Will, Yuki”. “Well, to be frank, I just wanted to make you feel a fraction of the thing that you say you know so much. It was to make you, an ignorant idiot, understand and sympathize with a shattered soul. Yet, you were prevented from feeling such despair; you were protected from the blaze, unlike me who was burnt to a crisp. It is a nice gesture, though, to see you two being so close. Well… to think I would bend a knee to someone who used such arts, how wonderful. Now, if you were to be so kind to lift such a bind from me, I would amend my mistake and offer to take our leave. I think some black-hats are on to us”, she added, in a very careless tone.

Sensing something, “Will, move!”, said Yuki as shots ring throughout the street. Still bound by Yuki’s ropes, “How impressive!”, said Olivia. “Should I offer my assistance, Lithe?”, she added as the shots fired get blocked by a large yellow nylon blanket, woven across the power-lines. “Yes!”, shouted Yuki, behind one ruin. Released from the bind, Olivia pulled out another sack and threw it up in the air. “If only I knew it would escalate to this degree… Ah, well~ It is what it is”, she said before the sack exploded in the air, scattering small particles in a large radius. The next second, synchronized explosions happen all across the street. “One… two… three… four… five poor blokes were pushed to kill either you or me. My condolences for your death, the black-hats”, said Olivia, smiling. “Well then. I take it you trust in me now. Let us go home, Lithe, Ghost”, she added, heading back to the office.

As the black-hats are the agents of the government, they have authority to enter each and every home without any hindrance. Fortunately, the rule only applies to the reaches where the central government take first authority as, most of the German divisions still enforce the state law which they had long before they were integrated into the 2nd Reich. Most famously, Hanover and Lower Saxony occupy a special position in the German parliament; they are autonomous with their own rule and law because they joined the union instead of being annexed. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to migrate to those regions, only those who were selected as the envoys of the government or those who are excluded from the rest could leave the authority of the government.

image [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GhQfBmUaMAAgQTz?format=png&name=small]