House of Magic

The sigils, and the glyphs. Everything's prepped, wait—no, they aren't just aiming for the Chancellor.

They are trying take out the entire scope. The entire…area.

I grit my teeth hard, the blast is already fired. I've never moved this fast before, I think I did to the point where my body was just…directly flowing into the air.

Before the blast could even get to the stage, I kicked my leg forward, it made contact, and then with full power, I overpowered it entirely and sent it up. The spell went upwards, and exploded, creating smoke, and shaking the grounds.

Yells, and screams could be heard. I looked back, and both Lucen and Sultan were being protected by guards. Floating still, I looked back at the cloaked figure.

Running.

They're trying to get away. Trying to vanish and run back across the rooftops.

Not on my watch.

I fly across, but then halt, that humming sensation resonating from my horns again. I look back down on the ground, there, multiple cloaked figures, all rushing the stage.

Checked their mana—quick, all hostile. This…wasn't just a one-time thing, no. This is a coordinated attack. A coordinated terrorist attack.

I rushed forward, descending, outstretched my arm and landed both feet on the ground. My hand perfectly got a perfect grip of one of their heads. I looked at him directly, all…Apex level. Not Initiate nor Adept.

All Vaniti adjacent levels in strength.

With full might, I rotated and threw him towards the other cloaked figures. They all went down knocked out, then, standing upright. If they want to fight…then they got one.

I raised my other arm, backwards, and the back of my hand connected with the face of another. A cloaked figure who had walked up on me and thought I wouldn't be able to tell. With him being stunned, my tail grabbed him by his ankle and slammed him towards the ground, creating a mini-sized crater.

By the time he hit the ground, he was done. Concussed, at minimum.

I checked from multiple angles, people spreading out and running away, but there was still more cloaked figured. Didn't help they all happened to be wearing brown.

No special emblem, nothing different that sets them apart. Great if they are entirely stealthy, not if they wanted the entirety of Royalia to know them.

One came from behind, I dodged his initial slash of his dagger. Then another two direct stabs aimed for my chest that I dodged.

My tail wrapped around his hand, and drove it into the ground. Three quick jabs connected with his face instead, and a spinning kick to send him flying back.

By the time I looked around, there were three that had already began to rush me. I got into position, and shifted my foot—and almost clashed with them…but not quite directly.

All of their bodies went limp, sliding and skidding across the ground. My head tilted in confusion, only to find out who was behind it. 

There, Vaniti stood, remnants of Spirit Magic resonating around her arms. The outline died down, she must've sealed crucial blows all around.

"Vaniti! Great job," She nodded, and took a few steps forward. There were more cloaked figures approaching us, almost trying to surround us.

Our backs had no choice but to be put together, surveying each and every enemy here.

"Be careful, they're around your level. One slip-up, and they won't hesitate to punish you."

"Understood," Vaniti replied. She weaved her arms, Spirit Magic being used greatly here. I eyed almost all of them. There's a lot. 

Strength in numbers, they say. Which makes me wonder how a select group of Apex level beings were able to band together.

Couldn't be mere rogue bandits or hunters, no. This was far more sophisticated. 

One of the cloaked figures launched out, towards Vaniti, I rotated and swung sides to land a deft and open palm strike to his abdomen.

I felt an intense wait on my back, and then seeing a shadow above us, I looked up to see Vaniti in the air. She must've leapt off my back, then proceeded to land [Spirit Shot] in rapid fire. 

Each arrow delivered concussive blows to each cloaked figure, sending them back, but not entirely enough to take them out entirely.

I rushed forward, and appeared behind one of them. I went so far, I must've looked like a blur to them. Landing a clean elbow to one, jumped up slightly to deliver a spinning kick, and then directly speared the other opponent.

When it was all said and done, there were no more cloaked figures. I dusted off my hands, Vaniti arrived by my side, currently scanning the area.

That seemed like all of them, I think. Most of them were knocked out entirely on the ground. Their identities didn't matter much to me, once the authorities got there, they could solve it.

But there was one more…the one on the rooftop. I was going to pursue, but when I realized there was more than just one…it made it difficult. 

I could've left it to Vaniti, but even I'm not entirely sure if she could beat them by herself. I just happened to make it look easy.

I turn towards her, "Everything's alright?"

She nodded. "Of course."

"Great, I have to head back to Sultan and—"

Loud clapping, interrupted me. Both of us looked in the same direction to see where it was coming from, and footsteps could be heard, slow, paced.

He looked pretty young, and was tall. His attire didn't look like he was from Aurea Islands, however. He had on…a business suit. 

Markings on his face, and slick black hair to match. His sharpened eyes only faced ours.

"Wonderful, wonderful show." He began. Still clapping. While the people were still deserting, he stopped just a safe distance between us.

First thing I did was gauge his mana…and it only came out to Intiate level? No, can't be. He has to be hiding his power. There's no other explanation.

"You know, I never understood the entire political scheme. Just…people like us who separate them based on their own power and wealth," He continued. 

Well, that's one way to put it.

"But…not in a million years did I think that things would reach this level. For the people, am I right?"

He laughed afterwards, but I only took a step forward.

"You're really bold for coming out into the open," I tell him. He didn't necessarily seemed shocked or to revel in that fact.

"Bold? Of course I am. It's my middle name, after Jonah, of course."

Jonah, huh. 

Out in the middle, we stared off against each other. Vaniti also took a step forward, but I raised my arm.

"Don't, let me handle this."

She looked at me, almost…questioning. Then, with withdrawal, nodded and took a step back.

Someone who's playing pretend as an Initiate level mage is the worst thing you could possibly fight against. There's no telling how far his strength goes.

Wait, is that why I couldn't notice him amongst the crowds? Was Jonah part of this?

There's only one way to find out.