Project Mage

"Well, it looks like we've all been hiding some surprises, huh? This power is incredible!”

Risebelle glanced at Runebelle, "Runebelle, you've just become a force to be reckoned with!”

Runebelle's face broke into that enigmatic smile which left her sisters and the surrounding mages in awe. This was a smile that had the promise of something extraordinary behind it. Then, in the blink of an eye, she vanished from the spot she stood without a trace .

Risebelle, Roselle and the remaining mages exchanged surprised glances. Runebelle's sudden disappearance had taken them all by surprise.

"Runebelle, where did you go,” Risebelle questioned while looking around.

Arlysa and Sylra exchanged perplexed glances as they scanned the area, trying to make sense of Runebelle's sudden disappearance.

"What in the world just happened? Where did that girl go?" she wondered aloud.

Sylra, her rough demeanor giving way to a moment of uncertainty, spoke with her own confusion. "I have no idea. This isn't something we were told of. We need to keep our eyes op-- "

Runebelle suddenly appeared behind Roselle with a creepy smile. Roselle felt a sharp and painful sensation on her butt akin to a needle prick. Her initial confusion turned into a humorous response as she let out a yelp and instinctively jumped away from the unexpected sensation.

"Needles? Seriously, Runebelle?" Roselle exclaimed, half in surprise and half in amusement. "You couldn't have warned me first?"

Runebelle held up the needle and explained, "It's the Needle of Empathy. It can help heal you too, you know. But I promise, no more surprises like that."

Roselle rubbed her bottom from the unexpected needle jab. While looking at Runebelle, she noticed something extraordinary – her sister was wearing a genuine smile. It wasn't the usual small or sad smiles that Runebelle had displayed in the past but a real, full-fledged smile that reached her eyes.

"Runebelle, you’re smiling! A real smile!"

Runebelle held a deep blush on her face as Roselle pointed out her genuine smile. Her happiness radiated from her which was infectious. Still wearing that heartwarming smile, Runebelle spoke in a slightly embarrassed tone.

"I... I just wanted to help.”

Roselle nodded, feeling an immense sense of gratitude for her sister's unexpected assistance. Runebelle's next words, however, left her utterly astonished. "Check your life force, Roselle."

Roselle followed Runebelle's advice and checked her life force. Her eyes widened in disbelief when she saw the result.

[[System Message]]

LifeForce: 125%

Note: Roselle's LifeForce is currently above its normal capacity, which may provide additional resistance and endurance. This increase is believed to be linked to the influence of Project Rune's Magic.

"I... I don't understand," Roselle said with astonishment. "How is this even possible?"

Roselle felt an unusual sensation of her magical limitations itching to be pushed further. Her own magical potential was urging her to explore the extent of her powers; however, she knew that now wasn't the right time to test those limits. Now was when she needed an advantage. It had to be something other than her Lightning affinity in order to effectively counter Sylra's Earth-based powers.

Roselle turned to Runebelle.

"Runebelle, can you use your Elemental Fusion to combine one of your Elemental affinities with mine? Anything other than my Lightning affinity should work against Sylra."

Roselle understood that Runebelle's unique capabilities could offer her the edge she needed in this battle against an opponent who seemed nearly impervious to her Lightning attacks.

Runebelle, in her Project Rune form, focused her newfound abilities on elemental infusion. She had the choice of Fire, Ice, or Earth at her disposal. Considering the situation and Sylra's Earth-based powers, Runebelle decided to infuse Roselle with the power of Fire.

With a surge of magical energy, Runebelle's green aura enveloped Roselle and the essence of fire flowed into her Lightning affinity. Roselle felt a rush of heat and power coursing through her. Her Lightning affinity began to shift and become tinged with the fiery energy Runebelle had provided.

The elemental fusion between Runebelle and Roselle worked even more effectively than both anticipated. As Runebelle's Project Rune form infused Roselle's Lightning affinity with the power of Fire, an extraordinary transformation occurred.

Roselle's hair turned to a fiery red and sparks of fire danced within it. Her entire body was enveloped in an intense flaming aura making her appear as if her body was surging with flames. The newfound power surged through her and she could feel her own energy levels skyrocketing beyond their normal limitations.

Roselle's System message displayed the remarkable change:

[[System Status: Online]]

LifeForce: 125%

Magic: 225%

(Note: Lifeforce and Magical capacity above normal due to Project Rune's Magic)

Roselle could sense the immense power coursing through her. This time there were no warnings of Magical Rupture. It was as though her fusion with Runebelle's elemental magic had unlocked a potential she had never tapped into before.

Roselle was taken aback by the dramatic transformation that had occurred. She couldn't help but gaze at her own hands which now crackled with fiery energy. The sparks of fire in her hair danced even more vividly as she examined her newfound appearance.

A surge of emotions welled up within her. It wasn't just the astounding power coursing through her; it was the realization that her own sister, Runebelle, had unlocked this potential within her. It filled her with awe.

With newfound confidence, she turned to face Sylra.

"Looks like you're in for a surprise, Sylra," Roselle declared while raising fire infront of her face. "I hope you're ready to face the flames of my will!"

"Bring it on, Roselle. I've faced worse than a little firepower. Let's see if you can actually make me break a sweat!"

With those words, the battle between the transformed Roselle and the formidable Sylra continued.

Risebelle wasted no more time observing the battle between Roselle and Sylra. She knew that they needed to make the most of the situation so she focused her attention on the mages surrounding them. With precise aim and quick shots, she began picking off the mages while they were off-guard, causing chaos among their ranks.

Arlysa, realizing Risebelle's actions, moved swiftly to intercept her with her dark magic. However, as she raised her staff, it clashed with Runebelle's Needle, creating a brief but intense standoff.

Arlysa, somewhat surprised by Runebelle's speed and sudden appearance, couldn't help but ask, "How are you so fast? Who are you?"

Runebelle responded calmly, "I’m Project Rune. You won't be able to stop us now."

Arlysa was suprised by Runebelle's declaration. She stammered over the name “P-Project Rune? What... what does that even mean?!"

The brief distraction allowed Runebelle to gain the upper hand in their clash. With a mean push, she knocked Arlysa back and caused her to stumble away from Risebelle.

Meanwhile, Risebelle continued her relentless assault on the mages, her precise shots taking down more of their foes with each passing moment. The mages, thrown into disarray by the unexpected turn of events, struggled to regroup and counter her attacks.

Arlysa, realizing the gravity of the situation, raised her staff high into the air. As she chanted incantations in a language unknown to her opponents, the atmosphere grew heavy with anticipation. Darkness gathered around her staff, coalescing into a swirling, ominous mass of energy.

With a final incantation, Arlysa unleashed her Magic,

"Greater tier Magic: Darkness Flare!"

The energy erupted from her staff in a blinding flash, sending forth a wave of dark power that surged toward Runebelle and Risebelle with destructive force. The darkness of the flare threatened to consume everything in its path, creating an eerie and unsettling scene on the battlefield.

Runebelle, in her Project Rune form, wasted no time in responding to Arlysa's devastating Darkness Flare. With newfound control over her elemental powers, she summoned a protective tower of fire, ice and earth that enveloped both her and Risebelle. The elements swirled together, creating a barrier that absorbed the brunt of the dark energy from Arlysa's attack.

The tower glowed brightly as it absorbed and redirected the darkness, preventing it from reaching Runebelle and Risebelle. Inside the protective barrier, they remained unscathed, shielded from the destructive power of the Greater Tier Magic.

As the darkness flare dissipated against their combined elemental defense, Runebelle turned her gaze towards Arlysa, her green eyes burning with a new type of fire. Risebelle, standing beside her, readied herself for their next move.

Arlysa, her staff clenched tightly in her hand, though her reaction was far from what anyone might have expected. With an edgy tone and an evil smile on her face, she commented, "You know, most people would be surprised by this….But you see, I find it rather... intriguing."

Her eyes gleamed with dark intent as she continued, "The fact that you can defend against Greater Tier Magic with such ease in that form. It makes me wonder just how powerful you truly are."

Runebelle, still maintaining her calm demeanor, met Arlysa's gaze.

Amidst her eerie laughter, Arlysa raised her staff high and shouted orders to the remaining mages. "All of you, retreat to the Magical Academy immediately! Sylra and I will deal with them."

The mages, though bewildered by the sudden turn of events quickly complied and headed towards the safety of the Magical Academy.

One of the mages, a bit shaken, whispered to their comrade, "Oh no! Arlysa is about to unleash her Extreme Magic. We have to get out of here! FAST!"

With Arlysa's intentions clear and the mages in retreat, a sense of dread settled over the battlefield as the stage was set for the impending clash of magic.

As Arlysa prepared to unleash her Extreme Magic, she extended her influence across the entire battlefield which included the ongoing clash between Roselle and Sylra.

"Risebelle, Runebelle," she called out to the sisters, her words echoing ominously. "Do you know what you've done? By eliminating Abner, the Mage of Light, you disrupted the delicate balance of yin and yang. Light and darkness coexisted in the Magical Academy, each keeping the other in check. But now, there's only darkness."

The darkness around Arlysa intensified as her power surged, creating an oppressive atmosphere that seemed to choke the very air. She continued, her tone one of madness, "Abner may have been a challenge to you but he was not the strongest Elite Mage. Darkness is stronger than light, and tonight, I shall prove it."

As her words hung in the air, a malevolent energy gathered around Arlysa, forming an aura of suffocating darkness. The very ground trembled beneath the power of her magic and all sources of light on the battlefield were extinguished one by one, plunging everything into an eternal night.In this inky blackness, her foes, along with Roselle and Sylra, found themselves disoriented and vulnerable. Arlysa moved through the darkness with eerie ease, ready to strike at will.

In the midst of her fiery assault against Sylra, Roselle found herself emulating Alan's techniques with precision. Her fists blazed with fire as she unleashed a series of scorching punches, each strike echoing with the memory of her mentor. Sylra fought back and deflected the fiery onslaught with her Earth-enhanced prowess.

Roselle, however, had something different in mind. As she continued her barrage of fire punches, she suddenly shifted her weight, launching herself into the air with a powerful fire-enhanced kick. Sylra, taken off guard by this unexpected move attempted to block it but the sheer force behind Roselle's kick sent her sprawling backward, her knees hitting the sandy ground.

Sylra grunted in frustration as she knelt there, clearly angered by being pushed back by Roselle's fiery attack. Her expression transformed into a smirk as she gazed at the approaching darkness.

The sudden onset of darkness enveloped the battlefield, casting an eerie and impenetrable shroud over everything. Roselle, still in her transformed state with a fiery aura, looked around in surprise, her heightened senses now struggling in the pitch-black environment.

Amidst the darkness, spoken words echoed with a chilling certainty.

“Extreme Magic: Eternal Nightfall."