Embers replaced the disappearing mist. The thick redwood trees of the forest were highly flame resistant, yet they melted from the base like wet clay. Breathing the smoldering air should have scorched their lungs. Smoke also should have enveloped everything.

But these flames were different.

They did not burn.

They erased everything they touched save for the merchant band.

The apprentice mage had seen many kinds of magic used by a plethora of countless magicians and Adventures. More than a decade of her life was dedicated to magic. The discipline was not something that could be harnessed in mere weeks or months unless one was immensely gifted in magic.

Fire magic was the most used magic across Elysia and as a result, it was the most developed and extensively understood school of magic.

The school of fire magic had by far the most chants under its name to the point where the wasn’t a single mage who did not know of a single chant. Everyone knew the upper limits of its destructive potential, especially from the likes of high-ranking Magicians from the Bellum Empire.

Towns could be set alight in an instant, and the most powerful of fire spells could engulf a small city in flames.

But the apprentice mage had never heard of flames that could discriminate between friend and foe.

The person in black and gold was a Diamond Ranked Adventurer at the very minimum, and dare she say a Radiant Ranked Adventurer – the highest rank right behind the Unbound rank for the Incandescent Colors.

Those individuals were powerful enough to be approached by Kingdoms and powerful Associations. Even Ateliers would have ties with them, though rarely.

“The flames aren’t burning us… What is this sorcery? I’ve never seen magic like this before.” A merchant was able to grasp the flames like they were just an illusion. “You! You’ve come to help us! Get – Get of the Anids for us so we can make our way out! Our goods are also burning! Are you listening!? Stop standing there and be useful –!”

The merchant’s voice betrayed him in an instant. And overpowering sense of dread weighed over them, forcing them all to clasp at the dirt. It happened the moment the figure in black and gold turned in their direction, her golden eyes demanding one thing.

Silence.

“Who the hell do you think you are to order me around?”

Her tone shifted dramatically. The kindness from before disappeared as if this was the real her. Hands sunk further into the dirt, clawing at it as faces soon joined it. Those that were too weak-willed were unable to resist her authority, their bodies sinking further into the dirt as if groveling was far too high for them to stand in the presence of this person.

“I only stumbled upon you by chance. Are you telling me that your goods are worth more than your lives? Jump into those flames and prove it to me. I’ll gladly spare the rest of your goods then.”

The air suddenly ignited.

Roaring heat washed over them as they were reminded of the fact that this person had chosen to save their lives. They were not under any obligation to keep them alive. In fact, it would be easier to allow the flames to consume them.

“Is it that hard to say thanks? Someone comes up and helps you, and all you can do is complain. Lady. How much of this Region do you know?”

Her conscious control over the flames caused the same man to tremble.

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No good deed goes unpunished. This was another common adage of Grandis.

This act alone caused them to believe that they were in fact from this Region, though her question confused the girl.

Was this person perhaps a Court Mage from the Bellum Empire? From the Northern Diavola Kingdom? How were their injuries healed if she was not a Healer?

The questions eventually became white noise as she raised her head to meet with the woman’s gaze.

“Everything! I’m the daughter of a Patron of the Highways! I can tell you everything you want to know! So please don’t cast us aside!”

“Good. I’m in a pretty bad mood right now, so it’s best if you keep those companions of yours silent.” The woman’s eyes fell back into the fog. “Come out. The fog isn’t hiding you from me this time.”

The forest floor shook. Thousands of microtremors caused what was left of their belongings to rattle. The awful cacophony was accompanied by the sound of clashing steel from within the fog.

Countless metallic-pale legs chafed against one another. Anids climbed the webs of neighboring trees as if to surround them. But they did not pounce. They were cautious of this figure who seemed to have history with them.

* * *

Frost despised the Anids. Even as intelligent creatures she could never overlook the fact that they preyed on humans, both for food and reproduction. Back then she didn’t have a reason to wipe them out.

Her naivety of the past caused her brows to furrow as she stared at the army of hundreds of Anids. The entire Nest was brought straight to her as if to greet an old friend.

Not at all. Look at them. They don’t seem happy to see me. Don’t they remember me saving them from the Listening Bird? Unless… these aren’t the same Anids?

Legs stabbed at the ground. The continuous tremors were their warning to her. Even though they were clearly outmatched, something compelled them to stand their ground.

“I doubt any of you can talk. But I know the Decanid is listening and knows exactly who I am. I wanted to ask the Decanid some questions myself, but I luckily found a better replacement.”

Flames. A hail of bullets. Her bare fists. Devouring them… It did not matter what their choice was. The result was all the same.

“… preposterous… you speak… as though… we know… who you… are…?” The hollow voice of the Decanid called from deep within the fog. A long pause separated each few words as if they were short on breath.

It was impossible for her to see it, but she could certainly sense its presence to the point where she could accurately shoot it down.

“So you are a different Decanid. What happened to the one that built its nest here?”

“Deceased… overtaken… the fool went… against the commandments… of the strings… as ordered… by the Vignitid… was supposed… to breed… Demi-humans…but gave them… away…”

Is it talking about when I took them away from them?

Frost recalled their reluctance to part with the Demi-humans at the time. The Patron they had at the time showed them the Script which caused to change its mind.

That doesn’t make sense then. Whose commandments are they going against? The Anids?

“Act X and the Anids follow their own strings. That Decanid must have been affiliated with Act X. It is considered treasonous to attach new strings. This must be why they were killed off.”

Nav informed.

“Twenty? Where’s this twenty-legged Anid?”

“… a matter that… is not yours –”

“Then how about this. What are those strings telling you to do now?”

Regardless of what being told, Frost knew that they had to die. The Anids were too dangerous to keep around. And if the first Anids she came across were the ‘good’ ones, then she didn’t need to think about what needed to be done.

“Hunger… consume… reproduce… at all costs… The compulsion… the instinct… is like… the commandments… from birth…” It said as the Anids took a step closer. “The womb… behind you… can save us… and if you… are charitable… you can also –!?”

*BOOM*

The gun that was hoisted over her shoulder was pointed in the direction of the Decanid. It was already smoking before anyone realized she had fired a bullet. The sound instantly deafened those around her, causing some to bleed from their ears and even eyes.

Once again, black particles lifted from their bodies as they were healed by a mysterious force.

“I should’ve just fired the moment you opened your mouth. What was the hell was I thinking trying to talk to a monster?”

The pressure she exerted became twice as powerful.

The mere mention of her being touched by an Anid caused her blood to boil. [Liquid Fire] doused everything in her path as the Anids lunged straight for her only to instantly melt.

[Inferno] kept the Anids that were high up in the canopies from ambushing them. The roaring flames incinerated them before they even had a chance of landing anywhere close to them. It did not matter that they could not defeat her. Their instincts – which was dictated by the strings – forced them to do the only thing they could.

Red guts spilled from the penetrated armor of the Octanids revealing the thankful eyes of those that had been reduced to a living, liquid paste within their bodies. Trees became giant matchsticks, and the steel webbing burned like thatch, spreading the flames further into the nest.