Hearing the horrendous news, House Crimsonmane would probably lick their own spit.

For all this time, they thought they were at the forefront, obtaining confidential intelligence regarding the existence of the Divine Grace thanks to a doodle book written by their own kin, even if she was considered insane by some. Thinking they were on the cusp of seizing control of the government through a new Arcane source, all of a sudden this had become a priority for investigation by the Supreme Empire of Roma. It could not be more astonishing when a Ninshu Artist from Kagatse lands on the eastern horizon, and a necromancer from the Demon Continent had launched invasions to seize the most sacred power in the world of thaumaturgy.

If the pervasive awareness of the pure Arcane outside Roma made their heads boil, then this another fact might make the whole House of Fire Horses on fire: Pure Arcane instead chose the estranged amongst them. Whom they cursed, whom they deemed a bastard, a disgrace, and a blemish of the purebred Crimsonmane wizard. A girl named Alicia Crimsonmane.

The only Magicless Crimsonmane in history. Her mother probably had an illicit relationship to give birth to this bairn. But why was this bastard the one designated by the Silent Divine? Were his own purebred horses no longer of his interest?

The passionate debates and heated discussions reverberated off the walls of Alasdair's villa. Spittles collided with each other. No one invited them, but the Crimson Horse mages throughout the Camelot kingdom had directly stormed the patriarch's residence, a few days since their last convocation. They sought wisdom from the patriarch Alasdair, but Alasdair alone did not know the Divine's way of thinking—all silent and remained mysterious throughout the ages.

"Can you please, quiet!" Alasdair's scream echoed in the meeting hall. "You want to ask what I think? I don't even know! I don't get the grasp of why would a wean like Alicia be chosen by pure Arcane!"

"It could be that Donar and Leith actually got the Arcane but they secretly became the apostates, giving the power to their daughter, because they're still indignant with the whole House!" guessed Ulysses.

Penelope opposed the man's accusations. "Gah! You've filled your brain too much with conspiracy theories! Even though you yourself doubted Ailsa's works, and now you're making up about their family! Arcane power is not something that can be given!"

"You're assuming that love child was chosen by Silent Divine to wield the purest magic substance? Since when have you been so sympathetic to Alicia and her family? Ye're nae funny, ye ken!"

"Since the patriarch, himself decided to call a truce with them! Now it doesn't matter if she's pure blood or not. It hasn't even been proven at all! It's just a bunch of clipes from your wife's unruly mouth!"

Ulysses exploded. He started pulling out his wand. "She has been tested! Ye and yer scepticism of Western magic abilities, and yet, you're holding onto yerself, the most archaic of mystic art! And how ye dare insult my wife?"

"Penelope! Ulysses!" Alasdair said their names aloud, hinting not to create another dispute in his overcrowded villa.

That Crimsonmane woman then turned to Alasdair. "Father, we shouldn't be upset about this. Look on the bright side. The pure Arcane is still held by a Crimsonmane."

“A Crimsonmane who might have a bitter grudge against us, who might want to overthrow her own House,” the patriarch responded.

"Without meaning to offend, that sounds like an exaggeration, Father. If Alicia can control pure Arcane, doesn't that mean she's now a mage just like us?" Penelope looked around her. The countenances of the Crimsonmanes were still as plain as marble floor tiles. "You don't have to deal with Laws of the Pure Breed anymore. Maybe it's time we stopped being cold to her and started welcoming her back to the family."

Alasdair was still silenced with his ponder.

"We can slowly convince Alicia to join our cause, make her feel part of the Crimsonmane again. There's no point in alienating that little girl," Penelope continued.

Before Alasdair could open his mouth, a man with a cane suddenly appeared at the entrance. Then everyone was distracted by the footstep sound and the stick's tappings. They saw Donar walking into the meeting room with a slight limp, complete with several plasters on his forehead.

"Donar!" Alasdair thought Donar had lost his elegant touches. "For the sake of Silent Divine, what just happened to you?"

"Forgive me for my inappropriate appearance, Father. But I won't be long," answered Donar, "I and two other Crimsonmanes just got into a brawl with a necromancer, and my motor nerves are still recovering from the fight."

"You, joined the fight against the necromancer? As for the other two, don't tell me you mean your children!"

"Guess no one is participating other than me. Then yes, Father. My children were involved in the battle. That's out of necessity, actually." His statement seemed to allude to their absence in the battle.

"Speaking of my children," Donar continued, "you must have heard the recent news regarding a pure Arcane source in Caledonia. Since you give me the mandate, it would be best if I straighten out with you about what happened."

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"How the Divine has intertwined our fate! We're all quite concerned about the rumours. So what do you want to 'straighten' about?"

"I heard a rumour that Leith and I purposely gave pure Arcane to my daughter without your blessings, Father," Donar said, "But believe me before we even discuss Ailsa's journal, she has found the source of the power, and managed to purify a Protos particle addict afterwards."

Donar took one of the vacant chairs. He continued his conversation in a calm manner. There was not a single reluctance on his face to report this. "She purged a total of two people at Trinketshore. I didn't know anything about that until Leith returned from Trinketshore only to tell me that Alicia was almost kidnapped by a shinobi, then taken prisoner by investigators from the Eternal Empire to stand trial. Quite a thrilling journey for a beginner entering the world of thaumaturgy, don't you think?"

"She was tried by the magic court. How come she's still able to fight freely alongside the Magisterium?"

"Magisterium was about to confiscate the Arcane orb from her grasp, Father," replied Donar, "Unfortunately, a necromancer infiltrated the courtroom. And he didn't want the Arcane orb alone. He wanted to kill Alicia and turn her into an Arcane wielder pawn. Grand Magus Haddock gave my daughter a chance to use her Arcane might, because both the necromancer and the Grand Magus saw something in her, which I am yet to see until now."

The Crimsonmane congregation was still silent. Perhaps Donar could not see from afar, but Alasdair was moved within. Behind the tired old eyes, he seemed to recall the time he played with his granddaughter when she was very young. "Ailsa. You and your children are just the same. An anomaly, indeed," he muttered.

So said the patriarch again to Donar, "How are my two grandchildren doing now?"

"They're—pardon me," said Donar, "Did I hear you right, you said 'my two grandchildren?'"

"Just answer my question, Donar."

An unusual gesture from the patriarch. Donar observed Alasdair's movements before he said his response.

"Leith is recovering. Alicia, however… still hasn't regained consciousness until now. Adjustments to her abilities, the healer said, which is normal. Apart from those, they are both well."

"So it seems." Alasdair pondered again. "It must be hard to fight against all those undead."

"She distributed the Arcane to all mages and civil guards. She purified three dimensional-ripping totems and the necromancer himself. She surviving up to this point was beyond belief."

"Ye're sure yer not making any havers, eh, Donar?" Ulysses yelled at him from a distance.

"I hope I'm not. Even the notorious Bartholomew Strongbark, who finds it difficult to give credit to anyone implied his impression of her. You just ask him yourself."

The Crimsonmanes started asking each other. They could be wrong all along. Or Alicia was just a lucky mare. But to just wield the Divine Grace and then defeat a necromancer a few days later? Either the necromancer himself was a labile kindergarten student who happened to read a random book to summon demons, or it was surely a brilliant achievement, symbolising the nature of Crimsonmane clan's elite wizards who were indeed brilliant.

Suddenly Alasdair's face brightened. "Donar, if your daughter has recovered, invite her here. I will have a big banquet for her!"

"That's very unusual, Father!"

"Oh come now, Donar. She saved the city of Eidyn from the undead invasion. As expected of the Crimsonmane mage. Is it wrong for me to hold a celebration for her accomplishment?"

A Crimonmane mage. Alasdair lightly said it and the others just agreed as if there was nothing between them in earlier times. Even a diplomatic person like Donar was also provoked to confront one of his people with the words, You initially cursed and harmed her. Now you want to be kind to her, hoping she would be touched and join your cause. Hypocrite bastard! A vile House! I curse you to the deepest pit of Tartarus, where Chronos resides, so he shall tear your flesh to pieces until none of you are left but primordial void, you damned, ignorant self!

He was nowhere like that person, sadly. Donar was in complete control of his emotions. It was not good to assume things without proven facts. Never was that the Donar's way.

Donar stood up from his chair. "Thanks for the invitation. I have to get back to my parliamentary work, Father. Of course, I'll send the message to my daughter. Let us hope for the best."

"Very well, then." Alasdair allowed him to be dismissed. "I shall wait for the good news."

***

Orb must have chosen me for a reason. If I don't use this power when others need it, then I don't deserve this might.

Don’t listen to them, miss! How about a word of encouragement? You are a special girl. You and that magic ball? Not chosen at random. Oh, fuck! You are indeed destined to change the face of the world…!

Donar, your daughter was chosen by the source of Divine Grace. How could she escape that fate?

The Child of Miracles has made her appearance to the world. There’s no turning back for you, Alicia Crimsonmane. I hope you don’t regret it later, brat!

Alicia kept hearing those whispers over and over again until she found herself in the middle of a pitch-black void. She circled around, trying to make sense of her surroundings, as a gigantic silhouette glowing with stardust appeared before her. Alicia was surprised, but when she looked closely, the silhouette turned out to be a cosmic version of herself with fiery eyes. Orb in the centre was split into four parts and then spread out according to cardinal directions.

Alicia's silhouette moved her body in an unusual gesture. Mini Alicia was dumbfounded. She thought her giant self was performing some kind of ritual according to the mystic art of Sorcery. But for sure, the movements were neat, having the rhythm of a regular dance. The appearance of thousands of streams from the four separate Orbs hurtled like shooting stars, adding to the magic of the dream scene.

However, such a beautiful vision had to be a brief one, when suddenly she felt a tense atmosphere, and her courage shrunk for no apparent reason. She did not know what had happened, but she heard a horrible shriek impaling her ear. Alicia knew the source was coming from behind, so she turned around and looked up. The expanse of black sky displayed a dark cloud with a turbid purple light while blaring thunder. Suddenly, a pair of giant eyes appeared from the cloud, looking at the mini Alicia with a rigid stare. Its left eye was intimidating purple while the right one was as white as a cataract. One way or another, Alicia recognised the creature, who gave her a vile glance.

Alicia was looking at Khaos, the Primordial Opposition, directly.

The girl slowly backed away. She wanted to scream, but the realm did not seem to allow her to sound. The giant Alicia's silhouette with the giant pure Arcane might dash past her towards the two monstrous eyes. Both the giant Alicia and the eyes gathered the ancient powers together massively, and then shot at each other.

The moment Khaos and Arcane met, a dazzling white light emerged from the gaps of the cracked world.

The cracks were getting bigger.

Bigger.

To the moment they became the size of gargantuan.

She saw the realm she stepped on was swallowed by a dazzling glow. The girl fell.

Falling into a boundless white dimension.

Unsure of what fate awaited... []