Project Mage

Roselle faced the grim reality that her lightning affinity was ineffective against Sylra's Earth-based defenses, fear gnawed at her. With Risebelle tending to Runebelle and no immediate support available, she found herself alone in a daunting confrontation.

Her natural strength, while formidable, couldn't compensate for the overwhelming power Sylra possessed. The odds were stacked against her, and the weight of the situation pressed upon her synthetic heart. Still, Roselle refused to succumb to despair.

In the midst of the intense battle against Sylra, Roselle's mind raced with a flurry of thoughts and emotions. She felt the weight of her sisters' safety on her shoulders, and the realization that her lightning affinity was ineffective against Sylra's Earth-based defenses had left her in a dire situation.

‘I can't believe this... My lightning powers are useless against her. What do I do now? How do I protect my sisters?’

The fear of failing her sisters clawed at Roselle's heart.

"I can't give up. I won't. Even without my lightning, I have my strength, determination and… lifeforce! I’m not depleted yet. I won't let Sylra or the Magical Academy succeed. I'll find a way. I have to!"

Roselle re-focused on the battle at hand and was ready to face Sylra head-on. She tried to adapt to the situation and do whatever it took to thwart the Academy's plans.

Sylra, with her rough demeanor and aggressive fighting style, had been giving the impression of a fierce and relentless opponent. However, her demeanor suddenly shifted. She lowered her mage cloak, revealing a black shirt that exposed part of her body, showcasing her toned physique.

Sylra's words came with a hint of amusement as she revealed her true intentions. "You thought I was going all out, little girl? That I had shown you the extent of my strength?" She chuckled darkly and made a casual gesture, as if bored by the battle. Then, to Roselle's surprise, Sylra clenched her fist and delivered a powerful punch to her own abdomen.

The impact was astonishing. Sylra's body was as hard as rocks, and the punch seemed to have no effect on her at all. It was a display of incredible physical resilience that left Roselle stunned.

"You see that? Your lightning powers were useless from the start. You should have seen this coming and ran away like a little bitch, but don't be too mad, little girl. Your magical power is fake anyway, just like you. A reaper like me was bound to come for you eventually."

Roselle clenched her fists at the words of Sylra.

Sylra rushed at Roselle with devastating punches. Roselle had no choice but to rely on her lightning affinity to boost her speed and evade the relentless onslaught. Her body sparkled with energy as she moved with lightning-like reflexes, narrowly avoiding Sylra's powerful strikes.

Each punch from Sylra sent shockwaves through the air and the force behind them was enough to shatter the sand beneath Roselle's feet. She danced around the attacks, her movements a blur as she used her lightning affinity to enhance her agility.

Roselle's blue eyes focused intensely on Sylra's every move, her mind processing the rapid series of punches and kicks. ‘Defense Roselle!’ She said in her mind. She couldn't afford to get hit by Sylra's devastating blows, and her lightning-enhanced speed was her best counter towards the situation.

Despite her best efforts, Roselle couldn't entirely evade Sylra's attacks. The occasional strike grazed her skin, causing sparks to fly as she winced in pain.

Roselle searched for an opening, a moment when Sylra's guard would be at its lowest. It seemed like a challenging task but Roselle had no choice but try to find the weak spot.

Roselle moved with increasing speed. She soon noticed a surge of energy coursing through her body. It was as if her lightning affinity was responding to her heightened state of adrenaline. With newfound confidence, she decided to attempt to strike back at Sylra.

With lightning-fast movements, Roselle launched a series of attacks aimed at Sylra's face. She struck with precision and speed while moving like a blur; however, to her frustration, the attacks seemed to have no effect on Sylra's hardened body.

Sylra, with an almost mocking grin, absorbed Roselle's strikes without flinching. It was clear that her Earth affinity had granted her unparalleled durability, rendering Roselle's attacks futile.

Roselle wasn't deterred. She continued to unleash a flurry of strikes, trying different angles and techniques, hoping to find a weakness in Sylra's defenses. But each attempt met with the same result—a resolute Sylra, seemingly impervious to harm.

Realizing that a direct confrontation with Sylra was fruitless, Roselle quickly shifted her tactics. She evaded Sylra's next attack with lightning reflexes and retreated to gain some distance.

In a moment of frustration and realization, Roselle spoke aloud. "If only I could get to Runebelle or Risebelle. Runebelle could change her element, and Risebelle's water affinity might have been a better match against Sylra's earth magic."

Sylra's lips curled into a malicious grin as she extended her hand to touch the sandy ground beneath her. Her actions were shrouded in mystery as she concealed her true intent. With a taunting tone, she called out to Roselle, her voice dripping with mockery.

"Come forward, little Roselle," Sylra shouted. "You're a disappointment, you know? Thalindra lost to the likes of you, and if she were at her full power, you wouldn't even have be able to scratch her. Then there's your sister, Runebelle, so easily consumed by darkness, always needing Risebelle to babysit her. And let's not forget your dear creator Kintovar, who made nothing but trash creations."

Sylra's words were like daggers, aimed at Roselle's pride and self-worth. Roselle felt her rage coming towards the surface. She glared at Sylra while trying to suppress it.

“What do you know?" Roselle shouted at Sylra,"You don’t know the first thing about Dr. Kintovar! She's not a worthless scientist, and we're not trash creations! I won’t let you bad mouth her!"

Sylra's cruel laughter filled the air as she responded to Roselle's outburst. "Oh, but we do know, little Roselle. We know that after this battle, all it takes is one energy blast to strike down Kintovar. That's how weak she is now, and when I’m done with you, that’s exactly what I’m going to do to her."

The words hit Roselle like a punch to the gut. The thought of Kintovar, their creator being in danger sent a surge of fear and hatred coursing through her. She struggled to maintain control over her emotions but her magical power continued to rise, reaching 150%, then 175%. Her Lightning briefly flashed red. She could feel the immense energy building within her, threatening to overflow.

Roselle knew that if she allowed her rage to consume her, she might reach the dangerous threshold of 200% magical power, a level that would leave her drained and vulnerable. But it became increasingly difficult.

She took a deep breath, trying to rein in her emotions to no avail. Her Anger only increased the more she had to look and focus on Sylra.

Roselle's lightning affinity responded to her heightened enragement.

Sylra noticed a brief shift in Roselle's lightning from yellow to red, she couldn't resist taunting her further. "What's the matter, little lightning girl? Can't handle a little heat?" Her tone was dripping with condescension, a deliberate attempt to provoke Roselle into an attack.

Roselle's control was teetering on the edge as Sylra's insults continued to mount. The powerthat had been simmering within her threatened to boil over. Her magical power surged again, and this time, her lightning did shift to a fiery red for a moment.

With a ferocity, Roselle shouted, "You've pushed me far enough!" In that moment, Roselle unleashed the full extent of her power which turned her lightning into a blazing red inferno. She launched herself at Sylra with the flames of her attack engulfing her fists. Roselle let out a war cry.

As Roselle lunged at Sylra with her fiery attack, she suddenly felt the ground beneath her shift and give way. Before she could react, her feet sank into the ground, and she found herself trapped in a rapidly forming pool of quicksand.

Panicking, Roselle struggled to pull herself free but the quicksand seemed to draw her back to the center. Her fiery attack dissipated as she focused all her efforts on escaping the trap. The more she struggled, the deeper she sank, and it became clear that Sylra had set this trap in advance, baiting Roselle into it.

Sylra, with a sinister grin, watched as Roselle struggled in the quicksand. "Caught in your own fiery rage, are you?" she taunted. "It seems that your anger has led you into my little trap. You're not going anywhere now."

Roselle gritted her teeth, her frustration mounting as she realized the gravity of her situation.

Meanwhile, Risebelle continued to struggle against the suffocating grasp of Arlysa's darkness with her face never changing from the sadness kept upon it. The darkness seemed relentless, and for a moment, it felt like she might be overwhelmed.

Arlysa, her dark aura pulsating with power, seemed to find amusement in Risebelle's struggles.

“My, are you enjoying the darkness? Mwahaha.”

But then, Arlysa's tone changed, and she spoke to Risebelle with an eerie calmness. "You know, you and your sisters are quite intriguing," she mused. "It's rare to find creations like you, especially ones with such ‘unique’ powers."

Risebelle, though still caught in the darkness, couldn't help but be curious about what Arlysa was getting at. She responded cautiously, "What do you mean?"

Arlysa's dark power seemed to shift, and the shroud of darkness around Risebelle began to change. It no longer felt like a suffocating grip but rather a guiding force. Slowly, Arlysa turned Risebelle to face a different direction.

Risebelle's eyes widened as she saw what had happened to Roselle. The quicksand trap had ensnared her sister, and Sylra was gloating over her predicament.

While Risebelle took in the sight, it became clear that they were all trapped—Risebelle in the darkness, Roselle in the quicksand, and Runebelle was trapped by Arlysa.

Risebelle’s mind raced with the urgency of their situation. She knew that This was really bad. They couldn't afford to remain trapped like this but with each passing moment the predicament she got herself in deepened… literally!

Her thoughts were a whirlwind of ideas and strategies but she needed to find a way to break free and help her sisters. The sight of Roselle struggling in the quicksand and Runebelle consumed by the darkness only fueled her to try harder.

‘I can't let this darkness control me,’ Risebelle thought with fierce resolve. ‘We're the only ones who can stop the Magical Academy, and I won't let us fail like this.’

With her strength fading and her ability to think clearly began to falter, Risebelle knew that she needed to act quickly. She couldn't rely on brute force to break free from Arlysa's darkness; she needed a plan, a way to outsmart their adversary.

With every ounce of her remaining strength, Risebelle focused her thoughts.

And then, it struck her—an idea, a plan forming in her mind like a beacon of hope. She would use her water affinity to counter the darkness, to create a barrier of water that would push back against Arlysa's power.

But it wouldn't be easy. Risebelle was drained, and she could feel the darkness sapping her energy. She needed to summon every last ounce of her strength to make this plan work.

With a fire burning in her eyes, Risebelle began to channel her water affinity, drawing on every bit of magic she had left. She focused on creating a powerful barrier of water, envisioning it pushing back against the darkness and creating an opening for her to break free.

While concentrating on her plan, Risebelle knew that time was running out. She had to act swiftly, but her strength was giving in to the darkness. Could she find a way to overcome this obstacle?