“S-Start what now?” Kazuma asked.

“You want us to… liberate the Organization by starting an uprising?” Alice added.

“That’s right.” Edrian confirmed.

“H-Hold on a minute! Aren’t things a bit of a bind right now? That’s a bit much…” Alice interjected.

“That’s why this is the most opportune moment for us.” Edrian replied.

“What do you mean?”

“Currently, a large portion of the Organization’s members are trying to expend their resources on finding the missing test subject.”

“Me…” Alice answered.

“Correct.”

“But for how long?” Alice questioned.

“For about a good month or so.”

“A month… They’d go so far just to do that?” Kazuma pointed.

“Yeah. She’s a pretty vital part of the project. I’m pretty sure Silias would have a hard time trying to complete the project without its core component, that’s why all hands are on deck for now. With that, they wouldn’t have enough people to send out to look for her.”

“And Galus was the only one?” Kazuma added.

“Well… technically speaking, yes…”

“They could have easily sent out more people to look for her couldn’t they?”

“If they find you here. But we’ll cross that bridge when it happens. Now listen closely, we don’t have much time, and this has to go accordingly.”

Edrian spread out a giant paper in front of him.

“Conveniently, this is the time where the magicians are at a gathering.”

“A gathering?” Kazuma curiously asked.

“Magicians are all together in one room in order to listen to a Master’s words.” Ellis explained. “Most likely Silias will be there.”

“You and Alice will head to the chamber and listen in on what they are saying. Do not make any unnecessary action unless you have to.”

----------------------------------------

Kazuma walked along with Alice as she struggled to remember how to get to the crystal chamber that Master Ellis had mentioned.

“Hey, Alice. Are you sure you really know how to get there? Shouldn’t you have asked Master Ellis for a map or something? You did just get back most of your lost memories after all…”

“Of course I do! It’s…uh…right…”

Suddenly, there were small collection of echoes of unfamiliar voices that could be heard faintly through the walls of the halls. Both Alice and Kazuma drew their attention to find out where the sound was coming from.

“What’s that?” Kazuma asked as he tries to listen in on where the source of the sound is coming from.

“It must be coming from over here.”

Alice pointed at a wall, and tried to search for something with the use of her hands.

(“What are you doing?”)

(“If I remember correctly, this place is filled with a bunch of hidden passages and passageways. So there should be a secret passage somewhere.”)

After speculating for a while, there was a sudden click, where Alice had placed one of her hands on a stone. The wall had opened up, and Alice peeked over where she saw spacious room crowded with a bunch of other hooded magicians.

“What do you see?”

“It looks like the Organization is having some kind of meeting. This must be the place where Edrian and Master Ellis were talking about. Now, we play it cool. Follow me.”

Kazuma nodded in agreement as they both stealthily walked towards the large group of magicians and tried to blend in from the back. On the platform, there were brown cloaked magicians with red insignias standing next to one another. While there was a white-haired, tanned skinned man preaching in the middle wearing gray robes, along with a gray cloak and gray boots.

“We are the Organization! Our order is true and unwavering! We are the sanctuary of the world! Together, we will create a new world! Pave the way for a new utopia!"

Everyone in the crowd cheered except for Kazuma and Alice.

“Hail Silias!” The entire group of people said with their fists raised in the air.

(“S-So that’s Silias.”) Kazuma whispered.

(“Yeah…”)

As the crowd continued cheering for him, Silias’s eyes widen as he sensed something unusual. He looked towards crowd, trying to find the source of his suspicions.

(Am I just imagining things…?)

His eyes scanned through the crowd once more, but still could not find the source.

(No… I’m positive she’s near… but where…?)

Silias turned his back on the crowd and whispered to one of his subordinates on his left.

(“Keep your eyes open. I sense that she is near. Get everyone back to their posts.”)

His subordinate nodded and Silias walked away from the crowd with his hand raised in the air.

(“Where’s he going?”) Kazuma asked himself as he sees Silias walking away.

But just as he was about to follow after him, Alice pulled his arm.

(“What are you doing?”)

(“I’m going to find out where Silias is heading.”)

(“You can’t without making a scene. You know what Edrian said, if we stay too long people might suspect something.”)

Kazuma had no other choice but to oblige. The crowd began to disperse as the Organization magicians went back to jobs. Just as other people were returning to their posts, Kazuma and Alice followed the flow of the crowd. Suddenly, they were halted by a magician behind them.

“You there, halt.”

Alice and Kazuma turned around facing the Organization member.

“I-is there something wrong?” Kazuma asked nervously as he hoped he wouldn’t be discovered.

The member skeptically looked at Kazuma for a while.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you before. Who are you?”

“Uh, me? Um… I’m— I mean we—”

“W-We’re newcomers.” Alice answered.

“Really?” The member skeptically asked.

“That’s right! We just came back, and we have orders from Master Silias.” Kazuma added.

“Is that so? Well then, off you go. And welcome to the Organization.”

Kazuma nodded continued to walk away as Alice followed. Behind him, another Organization member spoke something to the other person that Kazuma had spoken with earlier.

(“The Master thinks that there has been a disturbance. Should we check the perimeters?”)

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(“Maybe we should do an identification check on every magician here.”)

(“Crap. What do we do now?”) Kazuma whispered to Alice as he overheard the other magician talk.

(“Just keep walking.”) Alice replied. (“We can probably get away if we’re not in the vicinity—”)

“Halt!” A different Organization member had called to both Alice and Kazuma. “Show me some identification. We fear there has been a breach.”

Both of them were at an impasse. There was only but one choice that they could choose in this desperate time. That only option was… when Kazuma and Alice quickly began to make a run for the entrance.

“Gather reinforcements! Inform the Master that we have intruders!”

Both Kazuma and Alice ran for their lives, and had somehow made their way through the maze of hallways. Alice quickly glanced back behind them and saw three magicians right on their tails.

“Three of them.” She told Kazuma.

“Over here!” A familiar voice said.

As the two were running, they saw Edrian who was running in front of them.

“This way!”

Without question, Kazuma and Alice listened and followed Edrian to wherever he would lead them. They soon were cornered to a wall, and turned around where magicians were ready to cast their magic. Just before the Organization magicians thought they had the intruders in their sights, a magic circle had enveloped beneath Alice, Kazuma and Edrian causing the three to vanish. The other members stood down as one of the Organization members punched the wall furiously.

“Report this to the Master immediately.”

----------------------------------------

The magic circle that Edrian had casted led the three of them outside to the courtyard of the Organization’s fortress.

“I’ve bought us some time. It won’t be long until they know where we are. Good grief, I ask you two to do simple recon, and this is what ends up happening?” Edrian sighed.

“What…do you…expect?” Kazuma asked as he tried to catch his breath.

“Anyways, did you get any info?”

Kazuma and Alice looked at each other for a while and laughed nervously as they looked back at Edrian.

“You two…” Edrian sighed as he face palmed. “…Oh well. It can’t be helped.”

“What do you mean?”

“It means even if you two didn’t get any new information, we already had everything we needed.”

“Then why’d you send us over there in the first place?”

“Bait, of course.”

“…what now?”

“Kidding. But giving the Organization a sense of urgency makes things a bit easier now.”

“How so?” Alice interrupted.

“Well, the members are more spread out now, so they’ll be easier to take on. A well-timed distraction to buy us some time.”

“What do we do now then?”

“The setup is already finished. Now for phase two…”

----------------------------------------

An Organization member entered Silias’s room. He sees Silias sitting on a chair, his head resting on his hand. The magician knelt down before him on the long red carpet of the room.

“Speak.” Silias commanded.

“Intruders has entered our facility.” A member reported.

“…Is that all?”

“Master?” The magician looked up at his Master, awaiting for Master Silias’ next command.

“Do not inform me with such nonsense.” Silias scoffed. "Do you even know who the intruders are? You should identify the intruders first. Only then shall you report to me afterwards when you have results.” Silias says as he gets up from his seat walking past his subordinate.

“But Master—”

“Do what you want. As long as the intruders are not interfering with the Project, pay no mind to them.” He ordered with a wave of his hand.

Click. Clack. The sound of two doors unlocking and opening drew the attention of Silias and the Organization member. Another member entered the room and knelt before Silias with a message to send.

“Speak. And please inform me of good news.” He ordered.

“It’s about Edrian… sire. He has already apprehended the intruders. Shall I—”

“No need.” Silias interrupted. “I don’t know what these intruders have done to cause such a commotion, but I’ll personally see to it myself.”

““…Yes master.”” The two members obeyed.

----------------------------------------

Silias were accompanied by his two subordinates to the courtyard. He sees Edrian next to Alice and Kazuma with their hands tied behind their backs. Seeing this, Silias grinned with satisfaction as he was pleased with Edrian’s work.

“Well done, Edrian.” Silias laughed as he clapped. “I will see to it that you will be rewarded for your efforts.”

“Thank you, Master Silias.” Edrian bowed.

“Welcome back, Alice. How nice it is to see you again.” Silias smiled at Alice.

Alice remained silent as she blatantly looked at Silias with a glare of disgust.

“…You’re not my Master.”

“Is this how you should treat me? After everything I’ve done for you… this was supposed to be your cure.” He tsked Alice.

“Cure…?” Alice wondered.

“That’s right. You’re is the reason why this entire Project exists. How much power can one gain in their lifetime? People such as us only can obtain so much… but Alice, you’re special. The one who can break that barrier, and obtain much more than any other magician could in this Organization… no, the entire world! I did promise that my research would help you achieve your magic. After all—”

He stopped mid-sentence, and directed his attention towards Kazuma.

(Boy… just who are you?) Silias thought to himself as he scowled at him.

“Is everything alright Master?” Edrian asked.

“…It is nothing.” Silias replied. “Nothing at all…”

“Oh well, what matters is that Alice is in our hands now. We have no use for the boy, so dispose him and put Alice back where she belongs.” He ordered as he began to walk away.

Silias turned to look at Kazuma.

“Wait.” Kazuma interrupted. “You’re Silias, aren’t you?”

“That’s right, boy. My name is Silias. You best remember it.” He replied with his back turned.

“…Let me ask you a question then.”

“Hoh?” Silias smirked with curiousity. “Interesting… fine. I’ll play along.”

He turned around as he eagerly complied with Kazuma’s request.

“What is your question then, boy?”

“Why do you need Alice for?”

Silias chuckled as he shook his head. “Such a trivial question. But I’m sure you know the answer to that don’t you? Take them away.”

Silias headed back inside. Just as soon as he left the courtyard, Edrian, Alice and Kazuma traded glances at each other. Kazuma nodded to signal Edrian to commence the plan. Both Alice and Kazuma broke free from their binds as they caught Silias’s subordinates by surprise. While Kazuma and Alice held them down, Edrian knocked them out with swift movements. The three of them looked around to see if anyone had seen their actions.

“Good. Now let’s move.” Edrian said.

“I see… so that’s what this is…” a voice spoke.

There was a cloud of darkness that loomed around the three. Within in it was Silias, who reappeared chuckling with each step he took.

“You thought it was that simple? To think that you could fool me? You’re going to have to try much harder than that.”

“…It stops here, Silias. This is not the way any of us intended.” Edrian declared.

Silias’s laugh had become a frown as he looked at them.

“Edrian… I am most disappointed. So, she finally has her magic. What a pity.” He scoffed as his hands began to glimmer. “No matter… it’s already too late for you.”

“I don’t think so, Silias.” Edrian replied.

“And why is that?”

Edrian traded glances with Kazuma.

“I’m counting on you.”

“Huh? Hey, wait a minute—”

By the time Kazuma could ask about what Edrian had said to him, he and Alice had already vanished with a cast of a magic circle beneath their feet.

(“Damn it, looks like I got no choice…”) Kazuma says as he gritted his teeth.

“Ho? Plotting against me?”

Silias snapped his fingers and two more of his subordinates appear. Kazuma cautiously takes a step back and prepares himself for anything that might come at his direction.

“Bring me the girl and Edrian. Leave me and the boy alone. If you’re able to sever the girl’s bond with the boy, he too shall fall.”

Silias’s subordinates bowed and vanished once Silias signaled his magicians to chase after them.

“I shall deal with you myself.”

Kazuma swiftly drew his blade from the sheathed katana on his back as he takes his fighting stance. With Silias heading towards his direction, Kazuma instinctively thought his blade had sliced through Silias’s body, but instead he suddenly vanished into thin air. Kazuma speculated at his surroundings as Silias’s laughter filled the courtyard.

“Did you think it would have been that easy?” Silias asked.

Kazuma searched around and turned to Silias’s direction where his body reformed a few feet away.

“But you’re not bad boy, I’ll give that, but unfortunately you don’t have enough to match my skill. Now, let me show you what true power is.”

Silias rushed at Kazuma, while he swung his blade as a countermeasure. But with Silias casually dodging his every attack, he instead caught Kazuma’s blade with one hand. Silias grinned as he bent his blade to one side.

“You’re strong, boy. But let me tell you one thing. You use this power well, I’ll give you that, but not well enough, I’m afraid.”

Kazuma distanced himself from Silias as readied his sword once more.

“Unfortunately, I have no use for you As for that, I shall finish this quite quickly.”

Silias stuck out his hand as a purple, black orb of energy was being charged at the palm of his hand.

“Misera anima, non est inanis in lumine. Non recedet de tenebris ramos sciendum quod.” Silias chanted.

As Silias chanted, a dark colored magic circle appeared as the orb grew bigger. Meanwhile, Kazuma is trying to figure a way out. He quickly runs out of time as the attack is being readied by the second.

(There has to be some way out of this… I have to escape this somehow… but how?) He thought to himself.

Kazuma attempts to run but finds himself unable to pass through the darkness. He finds that he is trapped along with Silias. He looked to his left and to his right, but sees nothing past the darkness which Silias has casted around him.

“There is no escape, boy. Your life ends here.” Silias assured as he continued to chant.

“Quietis tempus est enim ut mittam te ad profundum inferni…”

Then for a moment, there was a brief silence.

“…This is the end.” Silias said to him.