Kane Mathews is a young American-Japanese boy who is notoriously lazy when it comes to studying. In a world dominated by science, who still believes in magic? Despite this, Kane often wishes magic were real-until a strange bronze coin changes everyt...
The girl’s gaze hardened, her large eyes locking with Ximce's in an intense stare. A chill seemed to pass through the air, and for a fleeting moment, the confident Sciro shivered. Yet, Ximce’s expression shifted quickly, a scoff escaping his lips as he shoved his left hand into his pocket. With a defiant smirk, he raised his right arm before him, and almost instantly, a dark fog began to swirl and spread around him like a living, breathing entity.
Aldine, Loer, and Hitoshi standing behind him exchanged wary glances, their faces paling as the thick, oppressive fog seeped toward them. It brought with it a nauseating weight, making their heads spin and their bodies weaken. Instinctively, they staggered back, covering their noses to block out the choking fumes. Kane, however, was less fortunate. He crumpled to the ground, his fingers clawing at his shirt as waves of pain surged through him, sharp and unforgiving. The bond he shared with Ximce made the agony unbearable, amplifying the discomfort caused by the creature’s power.
“Your master,” the girl said, her voice suddenly cold as she cast a glance at Kane writhing on the ground.
“He’s fine,” Ximce retorted, a sinister grin cutting across his face. The dark fog thickened around him, spiraling outward and creeping toward the girl in sinister tendrils. The inky waves reached for her, ready to engulf her entirely. But before the fog could touch her, she began to fade, the outline of her body blurring until she vanished completely.
“Mist magic is quite annoying,” Ximce muttered, the irritation evident in his voice. Despite her disappearance, he could feel her lingering presence, the subtle ripple in the air warning him she was not far. His sharp eyes darted to the side as his instincts screamed at him. Without a moment’s hesitation, he whirled around and snatched Kane up by the waist, leaping back in a powerful bound just as the girl reappeared in the exact spot he had just left.
Kane dangled from Ximce’s right arm like a ragdoll, breathless and disoriented. The girl’s eyes shifted from them to Aldine, Loer, and Hitoshi, who stood frozen, unable to react. The tension in the air was palpable. Hitoshi’s eyes narrowed, and he moved swiftly, casting a spell that encased the three of them in a clear crystal snow capsule. The translucent barrier shimmered with cold, white light as it solidified around them, locking them safely inside.
The girl’s smile faltered, shrinking into a tight line. Annoyance flickered across her expression as she focused her gaze back on Ximce, who hovered in front of her with Kane still in his grasp.
“What is it? What is going on? Who is that girl?” Kane’s voice was strained, punctuated by heavy breaths as pain pulsed through him.
Ximce glanced down at Kane from the corner of his eye, his expression unreadable. “Don’t speak too much,” he ordered sharply. “But to answer your question, she’s a mist mage. And she’s keeping this entire town wrapped around her fingers.”
Kane’s eyes widened as he winced. “What?” he managed to gasp.
“Don’t talk,” Ximce repeated, his gaze locked on the girl, who watched him with an eerie, unblinking stare. Her presence was like a shadow, silent but suffocating. “I was going to continue anyway,” Ximce muttered, irritation deepening the sharp edge of his voice. “She has the people of this town working for her. Everyone has consumed her mist and is now completely blinded by it. She plans on making you hers as well. That’s why she showed herself. She doesn’t want you to leave Orleans.”
A cold silence settled between them, broken only by the wind as it rustled the grass at the edges of the buildings around. The girl’s eyes narrowed further, her smile fading into a thin, controlled smirk. Without warning, a surge of dense mist shot from her outstretched hand, hurtling toward Ximce and Kane like a wave.
Reacting instantly, Ximce sprang into the air, Kane still gripped tightly in his arm. His free hand shot downward, summoning a black-grey flame that erupted beneath them, propelling him skyward in a searing burst. The same flames coiled around the crystal-clear snow capsule, lifting it off the ground and carrying Hitoshi, Loer, and Aldine alongside him.
“We’re getting out of here for good,” Ximce said, his voice a growl as they ascended higher into the darkening sky. “Nothing good will come out of staying in Orleans.”
The girl’s eyes blazed with frustration as she broke into a sprint, her form almost ghost-like as she chased after them, her speed inhuman. But that was the limit of her power; a mist mage could not create tangible structures or conjure mounts. She was bound to the ground, forced to rely on sheer speed alone. Meanwhile, Ximce’s dark flames, born from solidified emotions, carried them forward through the sky, away from the haunting grip of Orleans.
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Loer collapsed onto the grass, his chest heaving with deep, desperate breaths as he gasped for air. The cold, damp blades of grass brushed against his flushed cheeks, but the exhaustion numbed him to the discomfort. "Oh... god... he finally lost her," he wheezed, eyes closed and limbs splayed out as if he’d just fought a battle himself.
A scoff broke through the silence, dry and biting. Ximce, sitting beside Loer with a posture both casual and commanding, shook his head. His left leg jutted upward, knee raised like a small peak, while his right arm rested across it with an ease that spoke of controlled power. He cast a sidelong glance at Loer, an amused smirk playing at the corner of his lips. “You didn’t even do anything, you ham sandwich of a human,” he said, voice laced with sarcasm.
Loer’s eyes snapped open, indignation sparking in his gaze. He pushed himself up on his elbows, lips curling in a snarl. “What the hell did you just call me? Your insults are just as stupid as you!” His voice cracked with exhaustion, but he still managed to glare at Ximce. Moments later, his irritation gave way to a pout as he flopped back down, turning his head away in a show of childish defiance.
Hitoshi sat nearby, his eyes fixed on the horizon as if searching for any lingering threat, while Aldine crouched beside him, a worried crease on her brow as she scanned their surroundings. The tension in the air was thick, a shared awareness that the girl might still be out there, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Kane lay next to Ximce, his breaths shallow and ragged as the lingering effects of the pain twisted through him. His fingers dug into the earth beneath him, seeking some sort of anchor to ground himself amidst the throbbing ache that radiated from his chest.
Ximce sighed, a sound that was more annoyed than tired, and turned to Kane. “Gosh, what a drama king,” he muttered under his breath. With a gentleness that seemed almost out of place for him, he reached out and began stroking Kane’s hair, his fingers weaving through the dark, tangled strands. The unexpected touch sent a shiver down Kane’s spine. Through the haze of pain and exhaustion, Kane’s eyes fluttered open, unfocused and glassy as they met Ximce’s.
“What... are you doing?” Kane managed to say between gasps, his voice a strained whisper.
Ximce didn’t stop the rhythmic motion of his hand. His expression was unreadable, a mixture of boredom and something that could almost be mistaken for concern. “You’re fine, stupid,” he replied, his voice softer now, lacking its usual edge. The gentle strokes gradually eased the tension that had knotted Kane’s muscles. A strange warmth spread from where Ximce’s hand moved, radiating through Kane’s body, loosening the tightness in his chest and making it easier to breathe.
The pounding in Kane’s head dulled, and the pain that had gripped him with iron claws began to fade. His eyes grew heavy, his breaths steadier, and he let the soothing sensation wash over him, surrendering to the fleeting peace that came with it.
