Roselle and Runebelle guided the group deeper into the mysterious underground domains, they encountered a diverse array of beings that Kintovar identified as "Hybrids."
"Some of these Hybrids were once human, transformed through dark and potent magic into their current forms," Kintovar elaborated. "Others were born this way, a unique blend of human and magical creature heritage. These individuals seem like a diverse bunch, each with their own distinctive traits, but they share a common, unfortunate reality: they are seen as abominations by the outside world."
The group was suddenly confronted by a menacing group of individuals. These men, clad in tattered clothing and adorned with twisted tattoos stepped up and blocked the path forward. Their faces contorted into wicked grins.
The leader of this menacing group stepped forward. He sneered at the newcomers. “Well, well, what do we have here?" he taunted. "Looks like we've got some fresh meat in our territory."
The leader’s cruel grin faltered when he took a closer look at Roselle and Runebelle. Recognition dawned in his eyes, and his face shifted from menacing to sheer terror. He took a step back with his mouth agape.
“No… No way! It can’t be!” he stammered. “You two—!”
Before he could finish, Roselle and Runebelle stepped forward with their hands casually tucked behind their backs.
“Hi there!” Roselle chirped, waving her hand in a cheerful manner. “Remember us?”
Runebelle, mirroring Roselle’s gesture, added with a small, friendly wave, “Nice to see you all again…I think…”
The leader’s face turned a ghostly pale. He recalled the recent devastation the two’s party of the past had caused. It was a brutal clash that had left his group battered and bruised. He staggered backward.
“Have mercy! Please, have mercy!” he screamed.
The other members of the menacing group immediately bowed in a frantic show of submission. They muttered apologies and begged for forgiveness.
Kintovar smirked. Haras stifled a giggle. Mystimona, still adjusting to the strange dynamics of this world, shook his head in disbelief.
“Looks like you’ve made quite an impression,” Kintovar remarked. “Maybe you two should consider a career in diplomacy.”
Roselle and Runebelle shared a look of satisfaction. “I think we just have a knack for making friends,” Roselle said with a wink.
While walking along the winding underground path, Roselle remembered something. She turned to her sister and said, "You were going to tell me something important before we left Runebelle. What was it again?"
Runebelle replied, "It can wait for another time, Roselle. We have more important things to focus on right now."
Haras, who had been observing the exchange, raised an eyebrow at Runebelle. Runebelle met her gaze with gloom. Haras reached out and gently patted Runebelle on the head with a smile coming to her face.
The group found themselves at a crossroads in the eerie underground. The path ahead was dark, consistent with the eerie atmosphere that permeated the entire subterranean world. However, to their left, an intense red glow pierced the darkness, drawing their attention like a beacon.
Roselle chimed in with some valuable information. "To the left is Jayla's Domain," she explained, gesturing toward the red glow. "Up ahead is Silver's Domain, and honestly, I have…no idea what's on the right."
Roselle's eyes sparkled with excitement while looking towards the path leading to Silver's Domain. She turned to the group and asked, "Can we visit Silver's Domain? It's such a fun-looking place, and I've always wanted to go and see it again. I wish we could've gone there to play with the bunnies sometime.”
Kintovar placed her hands on her sides. "As much as I understand your curiosity, Roselle, we don't have a reason to visit Silver's Domain right now. Our primary objective is to retrieve the Star Jewel from Jayla, and we shouldn't risk any unnecessary distractions."
Roselle frowned in disappointment.
The group ventured to the left path. The intense red glow guided their way through the underground labyrinth. The grand chamber that unfolded before them left them in awe. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings and symbols. At the far end of the room, an enormous magical door radiated the intense red glow that had drawn them in.
Excitement coursed through their veins. They marveled at the craftsmanship and wondered what lay beyond the magical door; however, when they approached, the room suddenly came alive with a surge of magical energy.
Emerging from the shadows, a man in imposing holy armor with medium-length yellow hair cascading just below his shoulders stepped forward.
"I am Roy, the Guardian of this Gate and the Guardian of Jayla," Roy declared with authority. "You would do well to remember your place in the presence of a protector of the realm."
The group stood in awe of Roy. "You have ventured far into the heart of Jayla's Domain," Roy said while glaring towards all of them. "I will not allow this intrusion to continue. Take one more step, and your lives will meet a swift and final end. I command you to leave this place and never return."
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Mystimona took a step forward. "You seem pretty confident, Roy. But have you not realized the extent of my power? Your magical energy is incredibly low compared to mine. Do you truly believe you can stand against me?"
Roy remained speaking in a calm manner. "You may possess considerable power, but there are forces beyond even your abilities. I am a guardian, and I stand as a protector of this realm. My duty transcends mere magical strength."
Mystimona, confident, declared, "I'll save my strength for Jayla. Roselle, Runebelle, you two can handle him."
Roy responded with disbelief. "You send children to fight me, the guardian, and plan to defeat Jayla? This is preposterous."
Mystimona remained steadfast, his trust in Roselle and Runebelle unshaken. "They won't lose to you. I have faith in their abilities."
Kintovar, ever the scientist, concurred with Mystimona's decision. "Very well, Mystimona. Let's see what my creations are capable of."
Roy extended his senses, trying to detect any trace of magical energy from the two sisters. His face shifted from authoritative confidence to bewilderment.
"Artificial creations?" Roy exclaimed with disbelief. "Surely, you jest! Artifical beings can never stand up to the real thing. Do you truly expect me to believe that these mere constructs could challenge me?"
His words carried an edge of contempt, and it didn’t sit well with Roselle. Her normally demeanor hardened, and a flash of irritation crossed her face.
"Hey!" Roselle snapped while stepping forward. "We may be creations, but that doesn’t mean we’re weak. Just because you don’t sense our magic doesn’t mean we’re powerless. And for the record, we don’t appreciate being mocked!"
Runebelle, standing beside Roselle, nodded in agreement. "You don’t know what we can do."
Roy studied Roselle and Runebelle with a critical eye, as if searching for some hidden flaw."I have never seen this… These creations... they actually seem to have real emotion behind their words. Yet, I refuse to believe that they are anything more than mere constructs, just like every other creation."
With a dismissive wave of his hand, Roy summoned his sword and shield. The weapons materialized within a flash. “Very well," Roy declared, “If you wish to prove your worth, then come forward and face me. “With their weapons at the ready, Roselle and Runebelle prepared to prove him wrong.
The battle erupted with a flurry of motion as Roy lunged forward. His sword was aimed at Roselle. She swiftly raised her massive cannon to deflect his first strike. Runebelle took the opportunity to fire her own small cannon, sending a multiple bursts of energy towards Roy.
The guardian's shield absorbed the impact, but the consecutive amount of shots pushed him back slightly. Roselle, seizing the moment, launched a counterattack. Her cannon discharged a powerful shot of energy that surged towards Roy, forcing him to shift his stance and raise his shield in defense. The impact created a burst of sparks, and the room was filled with the sounds of clashing magical energy.
Roselle summoned the power of yellow lightning, infusing her massive cannon with an even more potent energy. She unleashed massive cannon shots at Roy with increased speed, hoping to catch him off guard. Runebelle joined the offensive, sending rapid shots from her small cannon, creating a barrage of magical projectiles aimed at Roy.
Roy, however, swiftly sidestepped Roselle's massive cannon shots. Runebelle's rapid shots were equally ineffective as Roy dodged with uncanny precision.
"You'll have to do better than that, children," Roy scoffed. "Your movements are so lackluster; it's almost embarrassing. Is this the best Artifical creations can offer?"
Roselle anger flared. She growled in frustration and lowered her massive cannon In order to focus her energy. She infused her body with the crackling power of her yellow lightning. With newfound speed and agility, she closed the gap between herself and Roy. Their clash began with the guardian’s blade strike being met by Roselle's electrified fists.
The sheer strength of Roy's attacks overwhelmed Roselle's defense. Cuts marred her skin, showing the marked difference in their power. Roselle attempted to maneuver around Roy, hoping to find an opening while moving around; however, Roy's experience and finesse allowed him to read her movements effortlessly.
“Too slow.”
With a swift strike, he landed a hit on her chest, but to his surprise, it failed to pierce her. The impact sent Roselle hurtling into a nearby pillar, and while she took damage, it wasn't as severe as it could have been.
Roselle groaned, struggling to her feet Her clothes were torn from where Roy's blade had slashed her, and yet, her skin remained unharmed.
Inwardly, Roselle mused, ‘Is this the result of my previous fight? Have I become more durable? ‘
Externally, she muttered to herself, "Well, that's a surprise... I guess I'm tougher than I thought. Time to make the most of it!"
With a confident smirk, Roselle placed her hands on her sides and said, "You'll have to do better than that, Roy!"
Roy grunted while observing Roselle. "You've got a tougher body than I thought," he said,"but don't get too confident. I'll just have to use my celestial power to pierce through it. Prepare yourself!"
Roy's sword, charged with celestial energy, sliced through the air with blinding speed, aimed at Roselle. Roselle's eyes widened. Roy’s celestial-infused strike sliced through the air like a comet. Roselle at the last minute, used her yellow lightning to shield herself. The storm of crackling energy formed a protective barrier around her, crackling with intensity. The clash created an explosion of light and energy.
As Roselle clashed with Roy, her focus was sharp, and her senses were attuned to every detail of their battle. Amidst the crackling energy and their intense struggle, she began to hear strange sounds, like the whisper of the wind. It was a soft hum, and it puzzled her.
‘What’s that sound? It's like a distant whisper... but where is it coming from?’
Her attention was then drawn to her massive cannon, which stood at a distance. It was enveloped in an unnatural red lightning, and it seemed as if she were using 200% of her magical power.
Roselle ran a check of her systems.
[[System Message]]
Lifeforce: 99.5%
Magic: 200%
Cannon Charge: 200%
Warning: Unexplained surge in magical power detected. Normal parameters indicate Cannon Charge should be 0% when not in use. Magic levels are stable and unaffected by current usage. Source of additional power unknown.
Roselle's eyes widened in confusion. “200% charge?” Roselle muttered with disbelief. “Where is this power coming from?”
Roselle disengaged from her intense clash with Roy, but Roy pressed on. Risebelle used her yellow lightning to boost her speed in order to avoid his strikes infused with Celestial power. Her focus shifted towards her massive cannon, which was now shrouded in the strange red lightning.
‘Could it be...? Is it not just me that's evolving, but my cannon as well? Maybe, just maybe, it's gaining experience, growing, and evolving to a point where I can unleash the power of 200% with only 100% of my magical energy.’
Roselle swiftly made her way to her massive cannon. She observed Runebelle firing a barrage of shots which kept Roy at bay.
Roselle grabbed her cannon, took aim and watched for the perfect moment, waiting for the opportunity she had been hoping for. She channeled her power into the cannon, and an overwhelming surge of red lightning enveloped her shot, far beyond the regular shots she was accustomed to. Surprisingly, it didn't drain her magic at all.
With a deep breath, she fired the shot directly at Roy. The explosive impact sent shockwaves through the chamber. Roselle watched with anticipation to see how her newfound power would affect the formidable guardian.