Magi: The Tale of Faith and Hope

Dungeon Capturer

"Okay, everyone get up..." the healer said eventually. "We will do Baba-sama's funeral tomorrow..."

"Yes..." the others agreed tiredly as they dried their eyes, exhausted from all the crying they had done.

"Faith, Hope, Ugo-kun... a lot has happened since we came here..." Aladdin said as they stood outside the tent, gazing down at the village and off into the distance.

"Yeah..." the twins agreed quietly.

"But I'm glad I came to this village," he said with a hopeful smile. "I feel like I'm finally beginning to understand myself now. Just like you said..." he added with a glance down at the Djinn in the flute. The twins smiled a little, glad to see that he appeared to be feeling better after a good cry. "Hm?" Aladdin said when the eight-pointed star on Ugo's flute started to glow. "A light... from my flute?"

"Huh? What's this all of a sudden?" Hope asked, surprised when two beams of light shot out from it, one of which connected straight to her ring, while the other went on until they lost sight of it over the horizon.

"Hey, wait, that's the ring your Djinn is in, right?" Faith said. "I don't know what's up with that other one, but haven't we seen this before!?" she asked Aladdin excitedly.

"Ah!" Aladdin gasped in realization, remembering how this had happened in Amon's dungeon. "Just like that one time...!?"

"What 'one time'!?" Hope asked, starting to feel left out.

"Come on!" Aladdin told the twins, pulling off his turban for them to ride. "Let's go, Ugo-kun!" he said, summoning the Djinn.

"... War is unnecessary," Hakuei said firmly as she and Seisyun dismounted to approach Ryosai and a couple of his ranking officers, who had also dismounted. None of them seemed to be aware of the beam of light connected to her metal vessel. "The Kouga village has determined to join us through negotiation. Please retreat." Ryosai smirked.

"Wow, the Kouga Clan is a lot weaker than I thought," he sneered. "Even after being subjected to slave hunting and our sneak attack, they still caved in to your negotiations?" Hakuei furrowed her brow and clenched her teeth.

"So, it was you all along, Ryosai... This was your doing!" she said angrily, placing a hand on the hilt of her sword. Because of him, those poor people...!

"That's right. However, this is the scenario that I had in mind: 'the princess that headed to migrating barbarians was pathetically killed. Left in command, Ryosai destroyed the Kouga village with his soldiers for revenge.' What do you think?" he asked smugly, signaling for his men to raise their weapons against her. Since those barbarians had failed, he would just have to take her out himself.

"... Huh, I wonder too, Ryosai. A senincho like you, who has only commanded a thousand men, commanding the entire army? I wonder why you would think of something so ridiculous," Hakuei retorted coolly with the hint of a smirk. The soldiers with him cringed at the icy insult while Ryosai shook with anger.

"That's because I wanted to be a general instead of you!!" he roared furiously. If you hadn't come, I would've been promoted to be the leader of this Northern Station Corps! These men are under my direct control... I can safely throw you into darkness," he finished shadily.

"..." Hakuei watched as the archers aimed their bows and arrows at her. "Traitor Ryosai, may the one who hurts their own name repent through death."

"Go to hell, bitch!" he snapped, signaling for them to shoot. Hakuei held her ground as the arrows flew at her, and to their shock, not a single one hit its target. They were all repelled, as if blocked by an invisible force.