----------------------------Western Isles-----------------
In the Western Isles, every living being found their eyes locked onto the southeastern part of the continent. There a massive blue and black storm swirled, towering far into the sky sending out shockwaves that were felt by any living creature within a few hundred miles. Everyone who watched had no doubts a battle that would shake the world was taking place on their continent.
Inside the maelstrom, the scene was… not as climactic. A young girl with blue hair flew away from an ominous shadow in close pursuit. Any magic the girl would throw out including the maelstrom she summoned hadn’t even managed to slow the humanoid-looking shadow pursuing her. During the chase, the shadow’s cold voice rang out periodically.
“You’re so weak despite being a Mages of the Eighth. Did master truly not give you any memories to help you train or are you someone else's creation?” Bastian, transformed as a shadow for this pursuit, couldn’t help but frown at his supposed sibling's incompetence. Although Bastian had a greater mana capacity due to his improved core it was obvious the blue-haired girl had the mana to fight him but was simply lacking in technique. Bastian had to assume his Creator had given them whatever memories their purpose required. To Bastian Father had given a cornucopia of information to help with building his power and organization. For the blue-haired girl, it seemed like she was simply meant to run wild and grow through her own experiences.
Did Father desire her to be inexperienced? But what purpose would that serve? Bastian continued to question himself as he toyed with the blue-haired girl panicking in front of him. “Unless…” Bastian's thoughts made an apparent breakthrough. “Father foresaw our meeting and planned for me to take her under my wing.” A light bulb went off in Bastian's head. “Of course! It all makes sense now. Her purpose is for something so far in the future only Father would be capable of meticulously laying a plan for her development. It’s so blatantly obvious now that one of the purposes Father made me for is to teach her how to be a suitable servant that I can’t imagine how I didn’t realize it earlier.”
Now “enlightened” to his Creator's plan Bastian pulled back all his mana, the black tendrils flying towards him towing a struggling Fluma with teary eyes along with them. Totally restrained, Fluma looked at Bastian with a prideful but hurt manner as all her attempts to use her mana were dissipated before her. She had the demeanor of a child who had just been brought to a timeout.
“Little girl.” Bastian called out to the helpless Fluma. “As creations from ‘the Great One’ we have our own responsibilities to attend to. I now see that one of mine is to train and grow your power until none can stand before you. Our Lord will one day need you for a purpose and we must make sure you’re prepared.”
The blue haired girl perked up once she heard the mention of her Lord. An excited look spread across her face. The terrifyingly powerful man who had captured her now gave off a much warmer demeanor to her. “Brother?” She asked innocently through mental transmission.
Hearing the term for the first time Bastian couldn’t help but let an odd smile spread across his face as he replied to the hopeful girl. “Yes, dear sister I’m your eldest brother Bastian. Although I do not know how many of us there are, I do know I’m the eldest.”
“Fluma’s the fourth.” The girl’s childlike voice responded within Bastian’s head. As Bastian further withdrew his mana setting her free from her restraints.
At least four? Bastian thought. I wonder what the rest of my younger brothers and sisters are up to.
-------------------------------------------------Hervalle Empire----------------------------------------------------------------
Avior looked at an anxious Prim kneeling in his dorm room. A semester had passed since he started assigning her missions. Now she had suddenly come to him saying she wanted to show him what she had “done so far.” He was a little confused when she then asked to carry him, a request Avior eventually acceded to as it seemed like a thoughtful gesture. Besides it allowed him to avoid wasting mana on traveling wherever it was Prim was taking him, even if it would have been a minuscule amount. And so that’s how he ended up being carried princess style by a twelve year old girl as she dashed away using her mana to quicken her steps.
Prim led Avior to the outskirts of the city deep into the slums. In front of a seemingly abandoned church, Prim stopped before leading Avior down a hidden entrance into what looked to be ancient catacombs. At the bottom of the ancient passageway stood an out-of-place set of large obsidian colored double doors made of an unknown material which made them glimmer with an eerie aura. Prim set Avior down before walking up to the doors and pushing them open with a strength unbefitting of her small form. Avior followed Prim inside curious what she was so eager to show him.
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As the large doors shut behind him the room was illuminated to reveal a massive open space filled with large colosseum pillars… and a couple hundred kneeling people! Avior, shocked by the endless number of short people kneeling wearing black robes with hoods before him, didn’t immediately react. Prim taking the opportunity knelt down and exclaimed in a pitiable voice.
“Teacher this is the meager haul this one has brought you. Although small in number each is a rescued experiment from the corrupt and terrible Tyrant. Their loyalty is unquestionable.” Prim presented her results with a voice quivering in anticipation.
Avior allowed his shocked self to nod before trying to say something that could get him out of this situation. Despite his many lifetimes, he had never been good with crowds. He frantically worked his mind to put together a speech while awkwardly standing in front of everyone. Finally, he gave up and just went with a few lines he had managed to put together during the silence.
“We have a long and arduous journey before us. We must rise to this occasion to prevent this world from falling.” With that, Avior turned and left, thankful his adolescent voice hadn’t cracked.
From the time Avior had entered every member had kept their heads to the floor. Forcing their eyes to stay inside their hoods not believing themselves worthy of taking in the sight of the illustrious Teacher. The couple hundred figures couldn’t help but shudder as they recalled the words their mysterious leader left them with.
After Avior left the room Prim spoke to them. “You all heard Teacher's words. We must rise to the occasion. Badger, Mouse, and Owl come with me. The rest of you continue on with your missions.” At Prim’s words, three of the kneeling figures stood up and followed her while the rest disappeared down various corridors connecting to the large room.
As the three figures drew close Prim made out their appearance under their hoods. Badger had the appearance of a butch fourteen-year-old boy with brown hair and a freckled face. Mouse was a lanky thirteen-year-old girl who had a squinted face and short black hair. Finally, Owl looked the oldest at fifteen and had dull gray hair along with a soft thoughtful-looking face. As they approached her Prim began to speak to them.
“Teacher, although a great genius, is very weak. Although I’ve placed significant safeguards in place I always want at least one of us protecting him.” Prim spoke with a serious tone.
Owl responded skeptically. “Are you sure our Teacher’s so feeble? As someone who invented the ‘Resurrection technique’ or the ‘Night Cloak technique’ how could he be weak?”
Prim responded resolutely. “I’m certain. Although he’s never admitted as much, I suspect he overexerted himself when executing the resurrection technique to bring me back putting himself into a state of permanent mana exhaustion. Being taught by him for months I’ve never even felt the feeblest hint of mana around him. It was as if any mana forming inside him was instantly expelled. On top of that, he’s constantly out of breath and sore as if he’s continuously exerting his body to its limit. We must protect him.”
“Even you can’t sense any mana?” Mouse spoke worriedly. “Then it must be true. Our Teacher truly sacrificed everything for our sake.”
Badger butted in. “We must protect him. His wisdom has returned us from death, now it's our turn to be his hands and feet as he reforges the world anew.”
Owl spoke. “Can we be sure our Teacher wants to remake the world? All it sounded like was he wanted us to grow our strength and prepare to save it.”
Prim answered resolutely. “We can’t even begin to comprehend the scope of Teacher’s mind. For now all we can do is continue as we have been and grow our abilities so we can be of use to Him.”
Owl moved on hesitantly. “Of course.”
“Now as for our member headcount.” Prim spoke as she began to lead the trio while she trailed behind her Teacher who was casually walking back to his dormroom through the potentially dangerous slums.
Owl answered while pushing his glasses further up his nose mid stride. “We’ve reached two hundred and twelve members. Made up of sixty Mages of the First, one hundred and twenty Mages of the Second, twenty eight Mages of the Third, us three Mages of the Fourth, and you Prim our sole Mages of the fifth. Age wise we have seven around the age of ten, twenty age eleven, sixty seven at twelve, seventy six at thirteen, thirty two at fourteen, nine at fifteen, and one at sixteen. As those we rescue before they’ve been experimented on aren’t brought on board, all two hundred and twelve have completed their mana restructuring by Tyrant as well as their resurrection by one of us four. Very soon, once we’ve gained more Mages of the Fourth we’ll begin dispatching expansion groups into surrounding territories to grow our influence and ability to continue our war against Tyrant. “
Prim. “What of everyone’s memories?”
Badger answered stoically. “Although most of us regained our memories after becoming Mages of the Third all of us felt as if we were reading a book about someone else’s past. No one reported showing any sign of caring about their past or wishing to return to the life they had before being resurrected.”
Prim nodded approvingly. “Good as more of the Chosen become Mages of the Fourth we’ll begin expanding to other cities. Begin using our resources to build our reserves of wealth. We’ll need it.”
Their Teacher who they’d been tailing reached his dorm room and entered. Prim let out a sigh of relief now that he was within the array of protective wards she had set for him. Turning back to her trio she let out an order. “Now I’m off to go assault Tyrant's Green Mine lair. While I’m gone you three watch over Teacher.” As she was turning away she brought her head back as she just remembered something. “Oh and remember when necessary for identification we’ll be known as Chosen members of Nox.”