INFUSION AUTHORITY

*Few months ago* 

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the Atheria kingdom, Marie led Eleanor on a leisurely stroll through the quiet streets. The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers and the soft chirping of crickets.

After a series of winding turns and observing the place around, Marie walked towards a sprawling structure in the distance.

"Oii Marie, where are we going?" asked Eleanor, looking around. "What is this place?"

"It's a destroyed castle," replied Marie, walking ahead.

"Yeah, I can see that by the ruins and broken walls around, but why are we here?"

"You like studying history, right?"

"Yeah, I do."

"According to Silvy and the people here, this place is where a once great battle took place. So it's like a monument here."

"I see"

The castle, which was standing on its ruins, had its once-majestic walls now overgrown with wild weeds and its pillars reduced to rubble, with weird symbols on the ground.

"A type of symbol that a big fortress existed here," said Marie as she traced her hands on the broken walls.

"Hmm, you are right. It does feel very ancient," said Eleanor.

Just as Eleanor reached out to touch the broken statue, a sudden, instinctual sense of danger washed over her. She jerked her head to the side, avoiding the attack by mere inches.

A stone imbedded with a fierce aura went past her ear, striking the statue wall with a loud clang.

"What are you doing, girl?" asked Eleanor.

She didn't turn her face.

"Elea," said Marie.

"Yes?"

"Fight with me."

Eleanor put her hands inside her pockets and walked sideways, facing Marie.

"What's up with this all of a sudden?" asked Eleanor.

"It's not sudden. I just want to see how strong you are now." 

"Becoming an Elite Knight here has gone into your head, or what?"

"Try me."

A faint, enigmatic smile flickered across Eleanor's lips, only to vanish as suddenly as it appeared. In the same swift motion, her hand slipped out of her pocket, her fingers relaxing, and instantly, she summoned her Witchcraft and launched in Marie's direction, but she jumped behind and evaded it on time.

*Thud*

"Phew, you don't want to give me even a second," said Marie.

"Hehe, obviously, Ms. Elite Knight."

"Why does it feel like you are jealous of it or something?"

"Why will I be jealous to see my girl standing in a better position?"

"True though."

"Anyways, you better gear up before you get hurt, my baby girl," said Eleanor, pulling back her chains.

"Don't worry, I am always ready to have you," said Marie.

With a sudden burst of speed, Marie dashes towards Eleanor, but Eleanor is ready. With a swift flick of her wrist, she unleashed her metallic links, flashing in the moonlight. Yet Marie zigzagged with incredible agility, dodging and weaving with fluid grace, and finally reached Eleanor.

"Here, take this," said Marie, who jumped on Eleanor with her aura-filled fist.

*Thud*

The wall shatters, but Eleanor dodges it on the last second, spins on her left toes, and lifts the right to kick Marie.

But Marie catches her kick with her kick, and both step behind again.

"You are good," said Eleanor.

"Hehe, thank you. You are too," replied Marie.

"So, when are you going to show me?"

"Show what?"

"Your Infusion weapon."

"Ohhh that."

"Yes."

"Well, I am already using it."

"Huhh!?" 

Surprised, Eleanor's gaze widens as she can't grasp what Marie is exactly talking about. As there's no weapon in her hand, how is she using her Infusion?

"Oh, look at that surprise face on my darling," said Marie, grinning from ear to ear.

"How exactly? I don't get it," said Eleanor.

"Is that so?"

"There's no weapon on you."

"Don't stop, sweetheart. Attack more properly, like you are serious. Then you might understand it," said Marie in a serious tone.

Marie gave Eleanor a sheer, sharp look after saying that.

"Alright. You asked for it," said Eleanor. 

Eleanor launches herself with full force and swings her chains in the air with her aura stuck to the knife, but Marie is evading it until... 

In a heart-stopping moment, Marie found herself trapped in mid-air, and seeing that Eleanor instantly spins on the ground and launches her knife at max aura, Marie won't be able to evade it anymore. There is no escape from Eleanor's razor-sharp Witchcraft. But just as the knife was about to strike, with a graceful arc of her arm, Marie blocked and then caught the aura blade with her bare hand, her fingers closing around it with a quiet confidence. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through the air, but Marie landed on the ground with a gentle thud, holding the edge of the Witchcraft —Knife in her hands. 

"Wha- that was close," said Marie, dropping the blade on the ground. 

"...."

Eleanor's gaze remained locked on Marie's, her eyes wide with astonishment. 

"How...?"

She breathed, her voice barely audible. Marie's smile was a whisper of amusement, her eyes glinting with a secret knowledge that left Eleanor's mind lost in thought. 

—Not even River was able to hold it like that. That was my full-charged attack. 

Eleanor thought in her mind.

"Damn, you look so surprised, sweetheart," said Marie.

Eleanor pulls back her chains in her grasp and stands straight, facing Marie.

"What did you do?" asked Eleanor.

"Who me? I didn't do anything," replied Marie. She is acting clueless on purpose.

"Stop playing dumb and answer."

"Trust me, it was nothing but my Infusion."

"Huh!? With no weapon?"

"Yes."

"How exactly does it wor-."

Before Eleanor could complete her sentence, she stopped as she realised it on her own.

"Wait, you didn't Infuse with a sword or any other weapon?"

"Nope."

"I tried and failed countless times during the Infusion ritual, but no weapon was reacting to it. There should be at least a little bit of a moment in it, but nothing was happening then, and that oldie who was asking us to be executed on the first day said that my Infusion might not be through a weapon but the control of it."

Marie said, recalling her memories from her training.

"Control of the Infusion?" asked Eleanor with a question mark phase as she was trying to understand what Marie was saying.

"Yes, Elea. That's my Infusion."

"...."

"It's called Infusion Authority," said Marie.

"Infusion Authority? And how does it work?"

"I can amplify or deamplify any Infusion at will. It simply means I can now control the flow of aura itself." 

*Present time* 

"Hehe. Yes, you are right, Yeona. It is my Infusion I am gifted with," says Marie.

Han and Yeona fixed their gazes on Marie.

"It's called —Infusion Authority."