Enlil groaned and collapsed onto the table. "Mia, you know I won't have a choice but to expel Aqua if she misses more than a week of classes."
"Shush, do you realize how much of a boon she was? I was in your office every day reporting it to you. If you keep clinging to rigid rules, we will never be good teachers… and at worst we will stunt the growth of promising youth."
The headmaster exhaled and tapped his fingers. "I guess I can allow it this once."
"Good!" She exclaimed. "Also, let me show you something." She said, drawing her new weapon from her robes and placing it on the table. "I invented something that has great potential, and I wanted your opinion as a war veteran."
His eye peered at the strange weapon. "A weapon?" He asked, picking it up and dragging his finger over the barrel.
"Yes, all you need to do is channel the mana into the handle, and then you will be able to shoot the product. Try it!"
The headmaster pointed the weapon toward the wall and put his finger on the trigger.
His mana saturated the construct, then 6 crystals filled the cylinder. Enlil pulled the trigger, and the weapon clicked.
Bang.
The sudden recoil sent his arm flying, which he quickly put under control.
The bullet shattered, and the small, crystalline splinters dug themselves into the wall.
"Rather lackluster damage considering the recoil," he said, scrutinizing the weapon.
"I know, this is just a prototype, eventually this thing will be able to pack some serious punch even in the hand of someone incapable of using mana."
Enlil nodded, "I see. I will trust you," he said, handing the weapon back to Mia.
"Aqua's teaching will push our engineering department into the sky, this is why I insisted on not trying anything."
He sighed. "I can see, well, I suppose bending rules is fine… this once."
The temperature fell inside the office, and the light dimmed.
Both teachers' expressions froze. "What is happening?" Mia asked, her eyes scanning the dark mists that filled the room.
"I…" Enlil swallowed. "I suppose trouble found us."
The dark mists that appeared in front of him belonged to one special individual, someone who loved to flex their immense power and someone who was absolutely never to be angered.
"Ilya, what do I owe the honor?" He asked a seemingly empty room.
Mia stared at the headmaster as if he had gone mad.
A chuckle came from every corner of the room, and the mists slowly gathered in front of the table, making Mia back off and withdraw her wand.
Soon, the mists dispersed, and in their place stood a pale woman. Her gaze was stern, yet emotionless.
The woman turned her head toward Mia, "Put that wand down, before I cut off your hand, Little elf."
A shiver ran down Mia's spine, and she obeyed.
"Excellent, and I suppose this little elf here knows who I am, considering he knew my name," She said, pointing at the headmaster.
"Of course I do, Lady Ilya, there is no elven soldier who doesn't know you or your strength."
"Good, but let me not waste the time of my lady. I am here to find someone." She spoke in a condescending tone while leaning forward.
A sweat ran down Enlil's face.
"I am looking for Hikari, and someone called Azure Hallowshield. You will tell me where I can find them. Otherwise, I will reduce this academy to a lifeless husk." She demanded.
"There is no need for that, my lady! They just recently finished a class held by Professor Mia. They should be somewhere in the courtyard."
Mia shivered. Why is she searching for them? This doesn't bode well.
"Excellent, goodbye, little elves," She spoke, her form dissolving into the mists.
Mia raised her shivering hand. "Wh…what is that woman?!"
He let out a nervous chuckle. "That… is a greater blessed child of night. Make sure she doesn't get mad, no matter what. I do not want to die."
When dealing with beings of great power, one needed to tread carefully, lest they step on a sleeping dragon's tail.
"I guess I should go find Azure and Hikari. We need to get this woman away from our students as soon as possible."
Enlil nodded. "I agree, I trust you. Do what you must."
***
Azure and Hikari separated from Sheira, leaving the nascent goddess to get her needed sleep. Despite the drowsiness being something that was lessened recently due to the gifted bracelet, the sleep spell was still powerful.
"Sheira is rather interesting. I have never witnessed someone with that much power, and I can clearly sense she has a lot of divinity." Hikari said, "Do you know which god blessed her?"
Azure scratched her cheek.
Aqua wouldn't want me to reveal too much.
She shook her head. "Nope, I do not."
"A shame. So what would you like to do while we…" Her voice was interrupted by the darkness filling the air.
It was something that even Azure could feel.
"Ain't that great, Ilya is here. Came to be a bitch to someone again."
Azure sighed; she too heard stories of Ilya, the Crescent Moon, yet she had never had the displeasure of meeting her.
"Let's go somewhere more private. She is definitely looking for us." Hikari said, grabbing Azure by her sleeve and pulling her after her.
They rushed through the gathered students, making their way toward the back of the academy building. The duo separated and waited for the mists to gather.
"I almost thought you would run from me, Hikari," Ilya's voice echoed around them, and soon the dark woman stood before them.
The purple-eyed elf smiled. "You know there is no need for me to run, Ilya."
Ilya's gaze then fell on Azure. "Ah, my lady's revelation was true. There is a blessed child of Laleyn here… even though your divinity is pathetic."
Azure forced a smile. Did she just call me weak?
The statement stung, it was one thing to be pathetic compared to Aqua, but to someone other than her fiancé, it was unacceptable, yet she knew better than to defend herself.
"Good, my lady has sent me on a mission. I will need both of you to come with me and assist me. This is my Lady's decree, and I am not having a no for an answer."
Hikari's eyes widened. Do not reveal White Hand, you idiot.
Her worry was dispersed as Ilya continued. "Hikari, are you coming with me?"
Hikari chuckled. If it wasn't for her lady commanding her, Ilya's request would have been denied. "Yeah, of course."
Ilya nodded, then faced Azure. "You, while you are pathetic for a blessed child, I can use you as a meat shield at least."
"Ilya, there is no need to pull Azure into this."
"No, my lady had given me a vision that there were two blessed children here; I will need you both to come with me."
Azure's instincts kicked in, and she prepared to fight. This woman has no manners.
"I will have to decline, I am forbidden from leaving the Academy." She declined and put her hands in front of her.
Ilya stepped back, her mouth agape. "You dare decline a divine decree?!"
"I would join you, I really would. However, I am busy."
"Busy?!" Ilya shouted, a glaive forming in her hands.
Hikari's eyes widened. "Stop, Ilya!"
Fuck. Azure gulped and got into a fighting stance.
Before Azure could even blink, she found herself pinned against the wall, the weapon's edge digging into her throat. "Listen, you little elf. You will come and assist my lady's will, or I will cut off your head."
Yet, Azure held her brave front, her eyes wandering to the small scar of the phoenix on her palm. "I must refuse."
A blinding light coalesced in Hikari's hand and formed a mighty greataxe. "Ilya, stop at once. You will displease Laleyn if you dare harm her blessed."
"Hah, rubbish. This girl is so pathetically weak that Laleyn probably doesn't care if she dies," She responded before leaning closer to Azure. "I am giving you one more chance."
Hikari swung her axe, the holy blade forcing Ilya to back off. "What in the hells are you doing?!"
"I told you to knock it off."
Azure's fingers moved over her throat. There is still such a gap.
"Sister, let me remind you who is more powerful," Ilya spoke, using her dark mists to restrain Hikari within the roots of darkness and once again approach Azure.
The shadows formed around Azure, and the girl attempted to escape. "Oh, someone taught you my technique?"
Ilya chuckled and plunged her hand into the shadows, Azure's [Shadowmeld] dispersed, yanking her out like a mere kitten.
I am outmatched. She spun around and attempted to kick Ilya, but the girl stood unmoving.
"My Lady showed you to me, but you aren't necessary. I will cut off your head now." Ilya said, throwing Azure into the air and forming a spear of shadows that was aimed at her neck.
However, Azure twisted her body, redirecting herself just enough for the tendrils to pierce her abdomen.
She cought up blood and Azure collapsed onto the ground, already almost out of commission.
"My, My. What is happening here?" Sheira's voice reached the trio.