Jasmine groaned, cracking her eyes open. She could barely move, barely think. A rivulet of blood trickled down her face. It was warm, and it was not hers. It was Jered's. She didn't know where he unearthed the energy from, but right before her world flipped around, he sprung up and looped his arms around her, making sure he was the one to absorb the full brunt of the impact. It happened so fast she didn't have time to scream.

She sniffed, nudging him, "Jered?" she croaked out, "Jered...?"

"Shhh... don't talk, close your eyes," came her brother's strained voice, "He doesn't need to know that you're alive."

"W-What..."

"Just do as I say."

Jasmine bit her bottom lip, and crammed her eyes shut. Her heart thumped when she felt Jered shuffle around, prompting another stream of warm liquid to pour down her face. But even so, she didn't move. It was unfair, and she hated it, "Yes, just like that. You're doing great, Jasmine. Let me take care of the rest," she nodded briefly, her tears mixing in with his blood. With a grunt of effort, he limped out of the dented car. His left arm was broken, and a severe cut on his forehead caked his hair with blood.

The man also looked slightly worse for wear. He brought his cauterized stump up, and smelled it, "Yes... it makes more sense now. Are you the descendant of a Pharaoh?"

"I'm sorry..." Jered sighed, "This is my first fight against another magician, and I'm running on a tight schedule too..."

"Understandable. Since we're both busy men, let's put an end to this charade."

Jered didn't know what kind of spells the man had up his sleeves. 'Mana Beam', and 'Mana Orb' were practically useless due to their low level. 'Vizier's Light' was a more appetible choice, but it was not enough to put him down. As for 'Pharaoh's Flame', It was risky, especially in his current condition. Even if he won, it was not going to end well for him either.

Ten more black-robed figures ghosted in, their cloaks billowing in the wind. They stood behind the ashen-faced man, whose lips curled up in a smile, "That spell won't work again, I'm afraid. You're a talented young man, talented and extremely unlucky. This going to be a bit overkill, but we can't take chances."

With a snap of his fingers, all of his hooded minions held their hands aloft. The mana in their surroundings gathered, concentrated, and molded into a line-up of spears made of wispy, flickering shadows. The man chuckled, relishing in the pleasure of killing his soon-to-be-dead foe, "Fire."

A volley of dark spears arched through the air. They wouldn't only hit him, but his sister too. He could shield her, but she wouldn't survive the aftermath of the blast.

Jered chuckled.

Ah, fuck it.

Might as well unleash hell while dying.

[Warning! You're about to use a spell that outranks you!]

He waved the screen off, and immediately lashed his hands forward. A flash of crimson bathed the world, then the raging flames spewed out. It rippled forth with small explosions as it expanded in the sky, blazing into the shape of Tutankhamun's face. Its mouth opened, and easily devoured the swarm of flying spears. Instead of waning, the flames scorched harder, proudly asserting the dominance of a ruthless despot. Its crimson limbs melted the concrete as it sizzled towards its foes.

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The flush of searing air prickled the man's face, who was enraptured by the majestic presence of the spell. He knew. He knew that no matter what he did, there was no way he'd get away from that. His lungs burned, his skin dripped down, but he smiled, and welcomed the sweltering winds. Why? Because the ritual was complete. His mission was accomplished. The entourage of Magicians behind him erected every means of defense at their disposal. Still, their Mana Shields were swatted away by the sheer heat that preceded the flames.

Upon contact, a mushroom cloud swelled up, evaporating the buildings in its immediate area, and further damaging the ones farther away. The sound of destruction rang out for miles on end, followed by the ridges of acrid smoke enveloping the town. Jasmine, despite her promise, couldn't help but open her eyes, and witness the apocalyptic scenario. A gasp hitched in her throat as primal fear clutched her core. She had a first-row seat for the end of the world. Her eyes flitted down at the lone young man kneeling down in a pool of blood. Jered.

She wanted to fly out and grab him.

However, the raining debris was as dangerous as the clouds of dust kicking up everywhere. She coughed, but even so, she ventured out, "Je...red!" he seemed to have heard her, for he briefly turned back. Jasmine was appalled by the copious amount of blood pouring down every inch of his skin. She gritted her teeth and sped up. A few falling rocks hit her, cracking her skin. The rolling waves of hot air suffocated her. Her knees gave in, and she tumbled down before even reaching her target.

Her will to survive was in overdrive, but the conditions around her were too severe. She couldn't handle it. How pathetic of her. The desperation made her stomach flip upside down. Death had brushed close to them so many times, and it still lingered around. Jasmine was not someone who easily gave up, thus she crawled. The hot, broken road singed her hands. Compared to her brother, the pain was negligible; nonetheless, there was so much she could do before her body was bereft of energy and will to move.

"You're foolish, just like him."

An elderly voice wafted from behind her. Jasmine burst into a fit of coughs, her eyes squeezing shut.

"Don't move."

Something akin to a water barrier spurted up in a circle from underneath her. She looked down at the glowing, mysterious pattern on the ground. Was that magic? Then it clicked on her. She realized she could breathe again. Even her minor injuries didn't sting anymore. Jasmine heaved a deep sigh as she stared at the woman walking up to her. Her graying hair swayed in the breeze. Her wrinkled face was tightened in a serious frown. She was regal, with a hint of her former beauty.

"W-Who are you?"

Rainey smiled, "Just a friend," she passed by a gawking Jasmine, and made eye contact with Jered, "You're... incredible. Foolish, but incredible."

"It... was easy," Jered wheezed out with a smile—though it came out as a wince of pain. He hadn't been expecting her arrival, but he was glad she came. Jasmine was safe. As for him? He probably had half an hour before he followed the man and his sycophants in their one-way trip to hell. His mana was depleted, and his injuries were so bad he looked like had taken a bath in a tub of blood, "Why are... you... here?"

She didn't speak, instead, she watched the burning inferno slowly growing bigger, swallowing anything caught in its way, and belching out smoke. As an Arch-Magus, Rainey could recognize what spell wreaked such devastation. Even she felt slightly threatened by it, "It's not only me. A few other organizations sent intel gatherers here to find what out what's going on. You need to join Ashy Petals as soon as you can. I can't always be there to chaperon your ass," she sighed, "Still, good job. I'm proud of you. However, you need to be careful now, because word of what happened here will spread."

He nodded.

Rainey crouched down, and enveloped her arms around him, "You're my little treasure. I can't have you dying on me," she cooed, kissing him on the cheek. And when she pulled back, her lips were smudged with his blood. She caressed him, flaring her mana, and conjured a complicated healing spell. A magic pattern swirled into existence beneath them, glowing and pulsing. Jered was too tired to say anything. He closed his eyes, finally relaxing. It was a feeling similar to when the system forged his mana circuit. His blood retreated back inside the wounds, before those too began to mend, until only flawless skin was left behind.

And just like back then, the feeling disappeared.

"Just so you know, this is costing me a lot. I'm not supposed to do complicated spellwork like this."

"I'll return the favor, don't worry."

She smiled, "Yes, you better return it... or I'll do questionable things to your body."

"Pfft..."