"Nature Summon: Toxic Flower Fumes!"
"Blood Mist!"
Red and yellow mists combine into one, clouding their vision.
"Blood Chains!" My blood turns into chains, stopping their movements.
"Divi–"
"Okay, that's it! Let's get the hell out of here!" I roughly squeeze John's hand, which is amassing mana.
Bullets of mana fly over our head as we maneuver our wings and steeds to avoid them. Joe puts his hand on Agatha's shoulder. "Aqua Whirlwind!"
Water and wind, conjoined, drills themselves onto the barrier. Then, six snakes latch themselves around our feet.
"Crescent Lightning!" Remi emits a crescent lightning beam, cutting down the snakes, but also causing us to lose balance and fall to the ground.
"Dual Lightning Arc!" Lightning bolts shoot out from Remi's fingers, repelling a lunging Dita.
Empire's armor units have surrounded us and their infantry has pointed their weapons at us. "You're outnumbered!" Dita mocks, her body unharmed.
"Alright. There's no alternative left," I whisper, "I'll use the demonic power. Everyone, please buy me some time."
"It's too risky!" Aelita objects, followed by nods from all others.
"There's no other choice. I'll make a stand here and buy time for you guys to escape."
"Hey, hey! Do you think gossiping would prevent us from attacking? Soldiers, fire!"
"Hundred Layered–"
Just before the projectiles begin to travel in the air, the ground below us collapses, bringing us underground.
"Fuck this shit," Remi curses, "what now?"
The ground above us, for some reason, closes itself, leaving us in the darkness. Soon after that, candle light illuminates what seems to be a small corridor.
A mechanical woman approaches us. Remi, being Remi, charges up lightning with her last mana reserves. "My master recommends you to tone down your aggression," the pink haired puppet woman says.
I tap Remi's hand gently and her lightning disappears. "Who, no, what are you?"
"I'm a puppet sent by my master to aid you in your escape," the woman replies. She then proceeds to rip open her stomach, revealing what seems to be some kind of golden needle on a tray. There are also six silvery pills.
"The needle's a very rare magical tool that can penetrate any barrier sans the most powerful ones. The pills allow you one hour of breathing underwater."
"And who is your master?" I ask, my eyes squinted. "You could've been an enemy puppet."
"If I were, I would allow Dita Luxor and her allies to kill you; why would I bother preparing these rare magical items and saving you?"
"Fair point," Joe says.
"Follow this tunnel and you'll reach the sea. I have been programmed to distract the enemies."
"What about my grandma and Mr Anwar?" I ask.
"They'll manage themselves."
We proceed to walk through the small tunnel until we reach its end. We swallow the tiny pills and I charge up blood lightning on my left hand. Agatha's palm raises, wind gathering around it.
"Heargh!" Lightning and wind blast away the thin mud wall and salt water enters the tunnel.
We swim quietly, the pills allowing us to breath underwater. I can feel the aura of Mr Anwar and my grandmother above the skies, gradually fading away.
I swim upwards and the others follow me. "Alright," I ask as soon as we emerge from the water, "where the heck are we?"
Silence answers my question. "Let's go to that island. We need to rest." Remi despairingly points at a small island.
We swim again and we are all exhausted by the time we reach the shore. Remi, Agatha, and John lay down on the sand, their legs too weak to continue; days of imprisonment and mana sapping have weakened us severely.
Joe's regenerative powers and Aelita's healing have kept them on their feet as they join me on a small walk to find nourishment on this small mound of sand we call an island.
"Hey, look!" Aelita points her finger at the seas with the last of her enthusiasm. "There's a ship!"
Oh, yeah. Six nineteen year olds with barely any mana having to face yet another Empire warship. We're–
"It's an Irvinian ship!"
I take a glance at Aelita's Eagle Eye–a spell allowing her to see farther than humans are normally capable of. Reluctantly, I shoot a few flares at the air. "I'll go and fetch the others," Joe volunteers.
"Aelita, that Eagle Eye of yours will decide our fate," I point out, "make sure it is damn accurate!"
"Yeah, yeah." Aelita sounds annoyed. "That ship looks familiar, to be honest."
The other four have joined us, although their trembling feet are barely capable of standing. "That's my parents' ship!" Aelita declares as the yacht-sized ship approaches. She smiles thinly.
A door opens on the hull of the ship, allowing us to enter. I glance at the crew members: men and women wearing red, white, or black cloaks. "Aelita, do your parents like to hire shady people wearing cloaks?" Remi bluntly asks, "something just feels wrong here."
"Frankly, I don't remember these guys, either," Aelita replies.
"Well done, Remi. An Imperial Guard must be aware at all times," Madam Fron's voice softly whispers from behind.
"Madam Fron!" Aelita shrieks, "what are you doing in my parents' ship?"
Madam Fron throws her a small smile. "Follow me."
We walk through the cold, metal corridors until we reach the captain's quarters. She yanks open the iron door that has some rust on it.
"Mom! Dad!" Aelita, upon seeing her parents, lunge at them.
"Vio!"
"Grandma!"
After a few seconds of hugging, we are seated on the wooden chairs. "So, I guess this is another Order meeting, isn't it?" I ask.
"Don't throw the word 'Order' like some kind of generic word! But yes, you are correct," Madam Fron replies.
"Wait, that means my parents are–"
"Yes. As leaders of the biggest trade union in Irvine, they do have a lot of influence," Madam Fron cuts Aelita. She wipes off her sweat with a handkerchief. Cold stares from the Order members suddenly cool down the atmosphere.
Healers arrive, bandaging our smaller wounds and tending to the bigger ones. Remi is forcefed a healing potion.
"Sorry that we can't treat your wounds properly, but we have no time. The thing is that Anwar, Arctus, Vanya, and Charles have all been judged as guilty and will soon be executed."