Realms of Magic: Demon Invasion

27. Lady Sakurako

It's Blazewing's ship, there's no mistake. The sheer size and iconic logos convince me so.

The mermaids begin to board the ship, too. I see mixed expressions made by the academy students; the older ones seem ecstatic to fight, drawing their weapons. The younger ones cower a bit behind their older peers.

"Madam Rita!" I shout as I fly toward the ship, "call for help! There are thousands of them!"

The old lady's still witty; she immediately retreats back to her cabin to do so.

I perform a quick analysis; if us, Class III mages struggle, chances are they'll get killed.

I see half of them are Class I mages, the other half Class II, very few Class III. "Careful, everybody! They can use shockwave and laser magic!" I warn the entire academy, many of whom look impatient to fight their first real battle. Some of them smile and nod at me, while some frown instead.

Pity Madam Fron isn't the duelling teacher anymore. If she were, the entire situation would be much less complicated.

"Divine Archangel!" John transforms into a majestic, angelic being.

"Gaia's Armor!" Aelita, on the other hand, changes into a birdlike creature.

"Go and help them, Vio!" John and Aelita say, "We can hold our own!"

"Fine! Necromancer's Armor Set!" I exclaim, equipping a black armor set on my body.

"Blood Orb Bullet!" I send a barrage of bullets.

A few of the weaker students have taken laser rifles and begun firing at the mermaids.

This provokes another trick of the mermaids; they can form individual shields, and together they can create an energy wall.

"Lightning Bomb!" Remi devastates the mermaids in water with huge lightning balls.

"You've gotten better, Remi!" I compliment her.

"You're not too bad yourself!" she replies, "Lightning Zap!"

I begin to see students falling, although they're quickly pulled back and replaced.

"Tornado!" I hear Agatha shout, forming a torrent of wind that traps the mermaids.

"Lightning Bomb!" Remi follows, blasting the mermaids head-on.

The healers-Nala included-stay behind, healing the wounded. "Water Prison!" Joe, in a display of notable idiocy, attempts to trap aquatic creatures in a water prison.

"Nice!" I hear Remi shout, "Chain Lightning!"

Okay, maybe I was wrong.

Remi's Chain Lightning has become more terrifying; it electrocutes all the mermaids inside Joe's prison.

"Agatha! Lend me your wind!" I shout to Agatha.

"Multiple Whirlwind!" Agatha exclaims.

"Perfect! Blood Vortex!" I say, the two spells combining with each other and increasing each other's potency.

A mermaid manages to cut off Joe's left arm. "Joe!" John attempts to get to him, but the multitude of mermaids keep on firing lasers at him.

"Aquatic Regeneration!" Joe heals himself at an impressive rate, "Water Wave!"

A large wave of water sweeps the mermaids. "You guys are pretty good!" I compliment Agatha, Joe, and Remi. They have bought precious time.

"Blood Maelstrom!" I shriek, my blood waves sweeping many mermaids, including those engaging the weaker students in a one-on-one duel. I hear gasps of awe from them.

"Remi!" I signal for Remi to enhance it.

"Hmph! You are not the only one with grandiose spells! Thunder Phoenix!" Remi summons a yellow phoenix that assimilates itself into my Maelstrom.

"Circular Flame Burst!" I hear a faint voice.

In an instant, my mass of blood is cut off into two and dispelled by a woman, her hair long and pink, with large, wonderful eyes and a somewhat slim body. Upon seeing her, the mermaids stop attacking.

"These mermaids are important for our naval warfare. I can't let you slaughter them, can I?" she says.

Her light armor, covering her yellow-ish skin, tells me that she relies on speed.

"This aura ... you must be Lady Sakurako," I grit my teeth, "Are you the one controlling the mermaids?"

"Yes and yes," she unsheathes her daggers, "After witnessing such display of power, I understand why the Lords are wary of you guys."

"Impossible!" Aelita shouts, "mermaids are fiercely loyal to their queen or king!"

"Oh, what a cute, intelligent girl," Lady Sakurako compliments Aelita, "But I happen to be their current Queen. Don't you know that you can challenge their monarch in a duel for the throne?"

"Aelita, John, regroup!" I hiss. In an instant, John and Aelita have fallen back to my side.

"Flame Bombardment!" Lady Sakurako exclaims, and gigantic fire arrows fall upon us.

Aelita and John hold each other's hand, shrieking, "Multi-Layered Divine Nature Defense!"

A Divine Cube combined with Stone Cabin: Defensive Technique, this new spell blocks Lady Sakurako's rain of arrows.

"Fall back!" I order to the multitude of students, "This is beyond you!"

"Oh, how rude," Lady Sakurako whispers behind me, "Hell Dagger Stab!"

How can she move that fast!?

The stab wound on my arm burns horribly. Fire is bursting out of it.

"Water Prison!" Joe exclaims, extinguishing it.

"Thanks, Joe," I mutter. Lady Sakurako has retreated back.

"Nature Summon: Ent!" Aelita calls upon her ent, its four fists striking Lady Sakurako at the same time.

"Lotus Teleportation!" Lady Sakurako suddenly disappears, reappearing again after a few seconds in another place. Lotus petals are spread across the battlefield.

I see! She can teleport using those petals!

"Flame Breath!" fire pours out of Lady Sakurako's mouth, burning Aelita's ent.

John, who is flying behind me, rises his hand, shouting, "Rainbow Prism!"

Lady Sakurako teleports behind John, grips his shoulder and teleporting him with her directly in the path of the Rainbow Prism, then teleports out of the way.

"John!" Aelita and I shout. Aelita extends her vines, yanking him out of harm.

"A devastating one shot kill attack.... I'll keep in mind to avoid that," Lady Sakurako comments, "Fireball Cannon!"

"Stone Cabin: Defensive Technique!" Flames fail to pass through that defense.

"Everyone! She can teleport using those lotus petals!" I shout.

"Blood Orb Bullet!" I attempt to destroy the petals.

"A clever captain, an excellent tank, and a powerful long-range mage. What a dangerous team. I cannot give you time."

The petals keep on falling from tiny flowers. "Multiple Lotus Teleportation!"