Project Mage

Abner's disbelief hung in the air as Roselle and Risebelle countered his attack, leaving Abner stammering.

“W-What…are you..!” was all he managed to utter out before he was hit by the counter attack.

Risebelle and Roselle exchanged a glance. It was one silent acknowledgment of their hard-fought victory. But victory came at a heavy cost, and Roselle's strength depleted to its limits, began to stumble.

With a grace born of sisterly instinct, Risebelle swiftly moved to catch Roselle as she fell. She cradled her younger sister in her arms with heavy concern. Roselle's breathing was shallow, and her eyes were heavy with exhaustion, but the spark of triumph still flickered within her gaze.

Risebelle held Roselle close, her protective nature coming to the forefront. "You did it, Roselle," she whispered. "We did it."

Roselle managed a weak smile, her strength nearly spent. Despite the toll it had taken on her, the satisfaction of their victory warmed her heart.

Abner's struggled to say, "This... isn't over."

Despite the exhaustion that weighed heavily upon him and the undeniable defeat he had suffered, Abner's resolve remained unshaken.

Risebelle and Roselle exchanged sad glances.

Suddenly….

[System Message]

Magic Rupture: Stage 2 Initiated

The words appeared in Roselle's consciousness like the end of a contract in which she had signed within her own body. And then, as if in cruel accordance with the ominous message, Agony unlike anything she had ever felt before gripped her.

Roselle's scream cut through the land, a visceral cry of anguish that rang through the clearing. Her body convulsed as if rebelling against itself, and she clutched her chest in sheer torment. The pain was searing and unrelenting, an internal battle that threatened to consume her from the inside out.

Risebelle, her eyes wide with alarm

"Roselle!" Risebelle cried out. She held her sister close, her own concern deepening as she witnessed Roselle's agony.

"Roselle! Stay with me!" Risebelle's trembled out with panic seeping into every word. She could feel the raw power surging within Roselle, threatening to tear her apart from the inside. "You can't leave us like this! You can't!" Risebelle soon realized that there were no words that Risebelle could offer comfort in the face of such suffering. Risebelle could do nothing but hold her sister close, offering what little comfort and support she could amidst the excruciating torment that Roselle endured

Roselle's eyes were wide with terror, her body wracked with spasms. The magic rupture was consuming her, and Risebelle could do nothing to stop it. She frantically looked around, searching for anything, any solution to save her sister. Her mind raced through the possibilities, but nothing seemed adequate. Her own magic reserves were insufficient, and there were no healing resources nearby.

Abner watched the scene before him, but he made no move to intervene. Roselle's actions today were beyond anyone's control, and they could only watch as she had to deal with the price she paid for her victory.

Risebelle's heart ached as she held Roselle close, her sister's screams of agony echoing in her ears. She didn’t want to see Roselle suffering like this, and a deep sense of guilt rushed into her mind.

"It's my fault," Risebelle thought. "I pushed her to use that power, to go beyond her limits. I should have been more cautious, more protective. I'm such an idiot!"

Tears flowed endlessly in Risebelle's eyes as she watched Roselle's torment. She felt utterly helpless, her own magic reserves not sufficient to aid her sister in this dire situation.

"I have to find a way to save her," Risebelle whispered to herself. She couldn't bear to lose Roselle, not after all they had been through together.

But as she looked down at her sister's contorted form, wracked with anguish, Risebelle couldn't help but wonder if there was anything she could do to ease Roselle's suffering. The second stage of Magic Rupture was a formidable enemy, and she feared that they were entering uncharted territory.

Abner watched the scene unfold before him, and he couldn't help but be struck by a revelation that shook him to his core.

‘These creatures... Creations of Kintovar…’Abner thought, his gaze fixed on Risebelle and Roselle. ‘They have emotions, bonds, and depths I never imagined.’

The sight of Risebelle holding Roselle, her face etched with worry and guilt, and Roselle herself writhing in agony, her screams of pain went through the clearing, shook Abner to his core.

‘Emotion,’ Abner realized with a heavy heart. ‘They are capable of emotions…’

In a vivid memory of a fateful meeting with the Headmaster, Abner recalled the stern words that had been spoken. The Headmaster, a woman of authority and wisdom, had emphasized the supposed lack of emotion in Dr. Kintovar's creations.

"They are mere experiments," the Headmaster had declared this to Abner in the beginning as if all knowing. "Dr. Kintovar's creations are soulless, emotionless beings. They lack the capacity for feelings, bonds, or humanity. If you are to ever encounter them, destroy them without hesitation."

Abner had taken those words to heart, believing them without question. The notion that Dr. Kintovar's creations were nothing more than lifeless experiments had shaped his perspective for so long. He had regarded them as tools, as beings without emotions, and had never considered the possibility that they could experience pain, suffering, or love.

Abner looked at Risebelle holding Roselle, her face etched with concern and guilt, and Roselle herself in the throes of agony, Abner realized the depth of their humanity. They were not the emotionless experiments he had been led to believe they were.

His actions and decisions were now thrown down upon him. The scientists who had been killed for creating similar experiments, the pursuit of Dr. Kintovar, and the extraction of mana from the Mystical Forest—all of it took on a different light in the face of this revelation.

"Have we been making the right decisions?" Abner wondered aloud. He couldn't help but question the path he had been following, the beliefs he had held so steadfastly.

Risebelle's trembled with sadness. She addressed Roselle, who still writhed in pain. "I'm so sorry, Roselle," she whispered, her tears falling like rain. "But I have to leave you like this for now. I have an ass I need to destroy."

With a heavy heart, Risebelle gently laid Roselle on the ground, her face filled with guilt and sorrow. She wiped away her tears and called out the word "Weapon."

Risebelle's cannon materialized in her hands, and she turned her attention to Abner, the source of their current predicament. The memory of Abner being infused with the mana extractor served as a reminder that the only way to end this was to eliminate him.

Risebelle's cannon crackled with power, and she aimed it at Abner without hesitating. It was a difficult decision, but she knew it was the only way to put an end to the suffering and danger that had engulfed them all.

Abner, still grappling with the weight of his own actions and beliefs, looked at Risebelle with a fear and resignation.

Risebelle spoke to Abner.

"I'm sorry, but I have to kill you now… Actually, no, i’m not sorry. Being sorry is a sign of weakness in the face of the enemy," she said, her words devoid of mercy.

Abner, in response, began to laugh, though his laughter held a tinge of bitter resignation. "I understand," he said with weariness. "There's no time for second-guessing ourselves anymore."

With a solemn gaze, Abner gathered an orb of light energy into his hand, a last vestige of his magic.

Abner spoke weaily, "This is all the magical power I have left."

In the shadowed clearing, a tense standoff unfolded. Risebelle, her cannon at the ready, locked eyes with Abner, who clutched the shimmering orb in his hand. The air grew heavy with anticipation as the two adversaries prepared for their final clash.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Abner unleashed his ball of radiant energy, its brilliant glow illuminating the darkened surroundings. Risebelle, her finger poised on the trigger of her cannon, braced herself for the impending onslaught.

But as Abner's hurtled toward her, a single shot rang out. Risebelle's cannon discharged a powerful blast of water, its azure brilliance cutting through the wind like a speeding comet.

The seconds stretched into eternity as the two opposing forces closed in on each other, a collision of unstoppable power.

And then, in that climactic moment, Risebelle's shot managed to breach the rapidly diminishing distance between them. The azure energy surged forward, faster than the radiant orb of light, striking Abner before the orb reaches.

Abner's body shuddered as the shot struck true. A look of shock and realization crossed his face as the radiant energy dissipated.

The shot hit Abner's body, but its true target had been the Mana extractor that he had merged with. The moment the blast made contact with the extractor, a massive explosion erupted, sending shockwaves rippling through the clearing.

Abner’s body was engulfed in a blinding flash of light as the extractor was obliterated. His scream was loud, drowning in the might of the explosion.

Risebelle shielded herself from the blast, her cannon protecting her from the worst of the shockwaves. When the dust settled and the smoke cleared, the extractor was nothing but smoldering debris, and Abner's presence had vanished.

Risebelle stood amidst the aftermath, her breathing heavy. The battle was over, and the threat that had loomed over the Mystical forest had been extinguished.

Risebelle, after the intense battle and the monumental explosion that had just occurred, sighed dramatically.

“Ugh, this was sooo tough!" Risebelle declared, with her eyes lowering. "I mean, I had to deal with this super-powerful mage and blow up a mana extractor, plus, there’s still two more Mana extractors to go… and my damn Magic is at 15%....Can anyone believe this bullshit? Why couldn’t this be any easier?"

Risebelle cast a worried glance toward her sisters. Roselle's Aches seemed to have subsided, and although she was far from being in perfect condition, there was a glimmer of relief in her eyes. However, her gaze then fell upon Runebelle, who lay lifeless with her life force depleted to 0%.

A heavy sadness weighed upon Risebelle's heart as she knelt down beside Runebelle. She reached out, gently placing a hand on her younger sister's cheek. "Runebelle," she whispered softly.

Runebelle remained unresponsive, frozen in a state of sorrow. Risebelle couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.

"I'm going to do everything I can to try and save you, Runebelle," Risebelle vowed, despite the uncertainty of the situation. She knew the odds were stacked against them, but she couldn’t give up without making an effort to try something.

Risebelle carefully brought Roselle over to where Runebelle lay. She wanted to keep her sisters close, especially with the stress she had to deal with.

As she sat beside them, Risebelle went into the depths of her mind. She reflected on the complex emotions that had welled up within her. Her innate anger toward humans had always been a driving force in her life, but these two creations of Kintovar, along with their creator herself, had somehow managed to carve a place in her heart.

"I never thought having sisters would make me feel this way," Risebelle admitted to herself, her gaze shifting between Roselle and Runebelle.

"I've always despised humans and the world they've created. Part of me remains angry at the entire world. These two and Kintovar... they're the only things I care about right now..."

With a sigh, Risebelle turned her attention back to the task at hand. She knew they had little time to spare, and she was ready to do everything she can to save Runebelle.

Risebelle gazed upon her lifeless sister, but she gained an idea.

"I can't let her go," Risebelle thought, her emotions churning. "I might hate humans, but these two... they're different. They're…. family, and unlike the humans I know. I'll do whatever it takes to save them...”

Risebelle considered unique ability. It had served her well in various situations, but now, she saw a new possibility.

"It's a long shot," Risebelle acknowledged, "but I've got to try. I won't give up on either of you. Both of you… you will survive!”