The Crimson Magister

It took Aqua an uncomfortable amount of time to untangle the solidified piece of time from Fang's mind. The process was far from simple; the fragment had embedded itself deeply, entwining itself into the very fabric of his consciousness. But after painstaking effort and finding a single loose thread, she managed to unravel the intricate weave that bound his mind to the fragment.

Finally, with a gasp of relief, she retrieved the shard. Exhaustion hit her like a wave, and she slumped onto the cold floor. Her chest rose and fell as she caught her breath, her fingers curling tightly around the fragment.

The shard, no larger than a flea, pulsed with unimaginable power. Its size belied its true nature, for its strength came not from aether but from its connection to Time itself.

Aqua's eyes narrowed as she studied it, her thoughts swirling. Time was a force beyond even Aether Energy—more primal, more potent, more dangerous. None should dare to meddle with such a thing. Yet here she was, holding a fragment of a kingdom's reckless ambition.

Her gaze shifted to the room around her, to the collapsed forms of the Golden Rose members scattered like broken marionettes. Each one bore their own shard, a piece of the kingdom's hubris embedded in their beings. Aqua groaned as she pulled herself to her feet.

"I need to retrieve every fragment," she muttered to herself. The task ahead was daunting, but there was no other choice. With determination in her steps, she moved to the nearest hooded figure.

Golden Fang's fragment had been a nightmare to extract, it was deeply rooted and fiercely resistant. Compared to his, the remaining shards were much smaller, their connections weaker. Untangling them was no less precise, but the effort required was far less grueling.

One by one, she worked through the room, her hands glowing with ethereal light as she extracted each shard. As the final fragment was removed, she stood over the still bodies of the Golden Rose members. The oppressive black haze that had surrounded them dissipated the moment their shards were extracted.

Her eyes lingered on the paralyzed forms, and she furrowed her brow. "This black haze… it's connected to the fragments," she murmured, holding the condensed pieces of time in her palm. They glimmered faintly, their energy potent yet incomprehensible. Though studying them revealed little about their origins, one truth had become glaringly clear: Red Dawn had found a way to manipulate time.

A chill ran down her spine at the thought. Such power should never exist in mortal hands.

Reaching into the void, she summoned a small satchel, its fabric shimmering faintly as though it, too, existed outside normal time. Carefully, she placed the fragments inside, each one vanishing into the enchanted container. Once the last shard was secure, she cast the satchel back into the void, its presence erased from this reality.

Though she longed to study the shards further, there was no time. The incubation would finish in less than two hours, and the two girls she'd left behind would undoubtedly be confused when they awoke.

With a final glance at the motionless Golden Rose, Aqua closed her eyes and focused her power. Though phoenix eggs were impenetrable, the same couldn't be said of these men. She had a plan to ensure their safety—for now.

"By the grace of the Phoenix, the cleansing fire will sweep across the world. Come forth, my dear friend. Come forth, God of no divinity. Come forth, SUN GOD!"

The room erupted in flames as a vortex of primal fire swirled into existence. From the heart of the inferno, a phoenix emerged, its fiery feathers shimmering in hues of brilliant orange and red. The creature's form was ever-changing, shifting with each passing moment as though it couldn't decide what shape to take.

"I have been summoned after so long," the phoenix said, its voice a mix of crackling flames and melodious chirps. Its fiery eyes turned toward Aqua, studying her with a piercing gaze. "Do you seek my guidance once more, dear Aqua?"

The bird's form stilled for a moment as it surveyed its surroundings. Then, it tilted its head in recognition. "This isn't our old world, is it?"

Aqua smiled, warmth flickering in her eyes as she regarded her old companion. "It's good to see you, dear friend. And no, this is a different world."

The phoenix—often called the Sun God—was more than a mere being. It was the living avatar of her old world's soul, a manifestation of its primal energy. Despite its divine title, it held no true divinity, and yet its power dwarfed that of most gods. It had been her first mentor, teaching her the ways of flame and the delicate art of aether conversion.

For a moment, the creature's ever-changing form froze, as though in deep thought. When it spoke again, its voice carried a note of frustration. "Then I cannot remain here long. The world soul of this place is already rejecting me."

Aqua's expression grew serious. "I know I ask much of you," she began, her tone soft yet firm. "But could you guard these people until they wake? I can't say how long the world will tolerate your presence, but I would be deeply grateful."

The phoenix ruffled its fiery feathers, its annoyance palpable. "You've always had a knack for demanding the impossible."

Though it irked her companion, Aqua couldn't hide her excitement. The very fact that she'd been able to summon the Sun God proved something extraordinary: interdimensional travel was possible. It was a feat once thought impossible, and the implications were staggering.

Yet even as the realization filled her with hope, a shadow of doubt loomed over her heart. What reason did she have to return to that cursed world? There was nothing left for her there—no home, no future, no people. Her actions had seen to that.

Her old world had burned beneath her flames, its civilizations reduced to ashes. She hadn't regretted it then, and she didn't regret it now. A world so scarred by sin had needed to be purged, its divine parasites eradicated. From its ashes, new life would rise—a life untainted by the gods' tyranny.

"Aqua, I will do this favor for you," the phoenix said, pulling her from her thoughts. "But my deepest wish is to burn this world with you again."

Aqua shook her head, her gaze resolute. "I don't intend to destroy this world. Unlike my old one, this world can still be saved."

The phoenix sighed a deep sound that resonated with the crackle of flames. "Very well. I will guard these mortals. But you owe me." Its form shifted again, growing to the size of a vulture before expanding further to match Aqua's height.

Relief flooded her, and without thinking, she threw her arms around the fiery creature. The embrace threatened to crush its formless body, but she didn't care. "Thank you, dear friend. I'll be back soon!"

The phoenix squawked in protest, its flames flaring brightly. "You really do treat a world soul like it's a mere beast!"

Aqua laughed, releasing the phoenix as it thrashed its wings and flew a short distance away. Its form settled briefly, glowing with a deep red hue.

"You truly are insufferable," it muttered before settling near the motionless Golden Fang. "Go. I'll watch over them."

With a grateful smile, Aqua turned and dashed out of the building. There was no time to lose. The incubation was nearly complete, and her work was far from over.