Bandits

Celine was stumped on how to begin to start the conversation. Truthfully, she had too many questions for Aria because she never knew her too well.

"Well," she sat by Aria's side and began to undo the masks hiding their identities. "Let's start with this. What do you want to do in life? I'll tell you now, it won't be peaceful because of that tower."

Aria noticed their identities being revealed but chose not to say anything to the whimsical god and responded. "That's a hard question."

She looked to the sky and pondered. "I would like to maintain peace in my kingdom for as long as possible. With my help we can definetly survive until the tenth trial."

"And what if peace fails? If your enemies become to powerful and your allies betray you, what happens then?" Celine asked.

Aria thought about that scenario for awhile. "I don't know," was the only response that could come out.

Celine had a sorrow filled expression. "Yeah that's what I thought. You seemed lost after the Valerian Kingdom fell last time. It looked like you only fought beyond that point because you had to and not because of any goals."

"I was probably seeking vengeance," Aria said and Celine nodded. Inwardly, Celine promised to try her hardest to protect the Valerian Kingdom for the sake of Aria. Last time Aria lost her kingdom, she became much more reserved and cold and Celine didn't want her to return to that state.

The duo sat in silence for a while after that because they had ran out of things to talk about. Within the quiet of the night, Celine asked a simple question. "Can you take out the food that you packed. After we eat we should get moving again."

Aria nodded and took out a small storage ring. The ring was sleek in design and could hold an unusual amount of space within it but it required a series of chants to open it. It was a marvel of its time created by geniuses who specialized in the field of magical creation but they still couldn't overcome the downside of needing to chant before opening it.

After around three phrases were spoken softly by Aria, the duo ate peacefully in the night. It had to be known that Celine didn't need to eat as she was a god and both woman knew that but they enjoyed their peaceful meal together nonetheless.

They travelled at immense speeds and not even two full days had passed before they were nearing the outskirts of dragon territory. They were going to leave Valerian territory without any hesitation when the smell of flames and the sounds of cries filled the atmosphere.

Aria instantly turned around and began to search for the origins of those sounds.

"It's probably a village being raided by bandits," Celine said nonchalantly as if she didn't care about the village at all. She only had one goal and couldn't let anything else blind her.

Aria began to look more urgently at her words. It didn't take long for somebody with her senses enhanced by lightning magic to find the source of the flames.

"Let me guess, we're playing hero," Celine sighed.

Aria looked unfazed. "We're still in Valerian territory. These are my people facing injustice and I can't let that happen."

Celine lazily walked out into the open battlefield. The bandits were using normal flames and non-magic weapons, she couldn't possibly be harmed. "And you got mad at me because I relaxed for an hour," she complained.

…

"Quickly!" A man yelled in the middle of a flaming town. "Take the women and children! They sell for more," he greedily said. He looked at the surrounding flames and the gathering women and children with a smile. "Don't touch the women you filthy pigs! They lose value that way," he yelled at another man who had a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Suddenly, the man saw a woman leisurely stroll towards him. He was about to make a move before a sudden shrill noise sounded and dark clouds of lightning filled the area. He didn't even have to turn around to know that his allies were being hunted by a mage. "Magic master!" He thought as the density of the magic was far too powerful.

"Wrong," the woman strolling towards him said as a divine power began to release from her slightly. "Aria is an Ultimate Mage, one of only a few ten thousand."

The man quivered in fear and began to scream for his life. He didn't even realize a god was in front of him as the words "Ultimate Mage" scared him endlessly. Master mages were used as small group leaders in battles and they were usually commanded by those higher than them.

However, ultimate mages were people who commanded others instead because a battle on their level would destroy the land far too much. It was an unwritten rule that, unless it was a battle for survival, nations would never deploy a force as powerful as an Ultimate Mage or higher. The destruction would destroy the land.

The man didn't even get to finish thinking before the leisure woman gently put her hand on his face. She smiled an evil grin. "I've been wanting to test the powers of a god," her eerie voice loomed over him as she focused on her essence used to fuel her divinity.

"Change" was something that followed Celine all her life. She "changed" or adapted to survive and she strived to change her mindset towards life. At first, change was an abstract concept she understood, but it was now something she could physically use with the power of divinity.

Celine's hand on the man's face began to let out a small, divine, and golden glow as she focused on her divinity. "Change for me. Change to pursue my goals," she mumbled.

The man began to scream uncontrollably in terror as a feeling he couldn't explain took over him. Parts of him began to disappear one after another. First it was an arm, then it was part of his torso, and not long after there was nothing.

Celine looked satisfied at that scene. She planned to change the man's existence into air for her goal of making Aria happy and it worked easily. "However, I'm exhausted now. It would've been easier for me to disassemble him with telekinesis than use divinity," she sighed. Eventually her divine power would be strong enough to outweigh her sigil or magic.

She looked over at Aria who was talking to the townspeople. She had killed the rest of the bandits and was assessing the village deaths.

"Let's go," Celine shrugged.