Mila's eyes widened as the Sage's golden aura flared around him. In an instant, he raised his hands, and a shimmering barrier of energy expanded outward.
"Domain Cage: Unmasking the Secrets!" the Sage bellowed, and a vortex of energy opened before him.
Before Mila could react, the Sage's rival the mysterious cloaked man was pulled toward the swirling vortex, disappearing in a flash of light.
Mila blinked rapidly. "W-what just happened?! Did he… teleport him?!" Her voice cracked in panic, her restrained body twitching uselessly.
Celeste, sitting beside her, didn't flinch. She adjusted slightly in her seat, hair shifting subtly, and sighed. "Calm down, Miss Mila. That's a Domain Cage."
"A… a what?!" Mila's voice squeaked. "It sounded like he just kidnapped him into a magical blender!"
Celeste's cyan eyes flickered with amusement. "Not exactly a blender… more like a separate dimension. Think of it as… a tiny pocket universe created by the Sage. Based on his imagination, energy type… and emotions."
Mila's golden eyes went wide. "Emotions?! So he's basically bringing his rage and personality into the dimension? That's… that's terrifying!"
Celeste nodded, trying to suppress a smile. "Pretty much. And because it's his Domain Cage, he controls everything in there. Terrain, traps, illusions… even the laws of physics if he wants. It's like being trapped inside someone's very angry imagination."
Mila leaned back, sighing. "So… he could, like, make me slip on a banana peel or fall into lava if he wanted?"
Celeste blinked, then smirked. "Yes. Exactly. Or both. Don't ask me why he hasn't done that yet it's dangerous, but also… apparently dramatic flair."
Mila groaned, pressing her face into her hands. "Oh great… just what I needed. My first confrontation with a nearly-deadly rival… in someone's weird imaginary funland. I love this life."
Celeste chuckled softly. "Welcome to magic school logic. Now, focus. The Domain Cage is a cage in name, but if the owner lets their guard down, there's always a chance to turn it around."
Mila peeked through her fingers. "I don't even know how to do that! I can barely control my own tail and… everything else!"
Mila froze for a moment, her golden eyes narrowing. Wait… did I just… mention my tail to someone earlier? She shivered. "I… I think I just said something about my tail… to someone…"
Celeste rolled her eyes, still amused despite the situation. "Then consider this… a crash course in 'don't get eaten by someone else's imagination.'"
Mila muttered under her breath, "I'd rather my brain explode than sit through another lecture from a robot…"
Celeste smirked, leaning back. "Welcome to survival in the academy, Miss Mila. Now… watch closely. Domain Cages aren't just flashy tricks they're tactical nightmares."