The next day, the sun was warm and a cool breeze blew.
Roused from the darkness, Magnolia finally felt a little more alive.
Early in the morning, a crowd had already gathered outside Kardia Cathedral.
Several dozen Wizards in matching robes clustered around a figure on horseback.
Today was Blue Skull Guildmaster Geoffrey's monthly hunt in the northern mountains.
Geoffrey loved pomp; even for a hunt he brought dozens of lackeys to attend him—though they had to follow on foot.
"Guildmaster Geoffrey, the road ahead has been cleared."
"Mm, understood."
Aboard his horse, Geoffrey gripped a staff and wore a crossbow on his back, ready to depart.
"The perfect weather, ideal for a hunt!"
"Let's move."
With that he jerked the reins and, heedless of the town street or whoever might be in the way, spurred his horse into a gallop.
The stallion neighed, hooves drumming, kicking up a three-foot cloud of dust.
"Guildmaster Geoffrey, wait for us!"
Seeing him charge off without a backward glance, the Wizards quickened their pace.
Not out of loyalty; if Geoffrey later needed an errand-runner and found none, every last one of them would pay.
Geoffrey paid them no mind, eyes closed as he savored the wind on his face, exhilarated.
Just as he rode out of Magnolia—
Boom!!
A dull thud; his mount had collided with something and stopped dead.
"Whinnyyy…"
The horse shrieked in pain, blood dripping from its nostrils, rearing until it nearly stood upright.
Geoffrey lurched forward, lost his balance, then was slammed back by the horse's neck and flung from the saddle.
He landed head-first with a thud, brains rattled, backside wrecked!
The Wizards caught up, saw the chaos, and froze in cold sweat.
"We're done for!"
They had just reported the road clear and now the guildmaster lay in the dirt. The blame would fall squarely on them.
"G-Guildmaster, are you all right…?!"
"Damn it! What blocked my path?!"
Clutching his bruised backside, Geoffrey scrambled up, furious.
Whatever had caused the fall would pay, be it man, beast, or stone.
If human, he'd butcher it; if rock, he'd blast it to dust!
But when he raised his eyes and saw what stood in his way, he froze.
In mid-air before him, runes of magic power hung motionless, warping the rules of the space—
[Wizards of Blue Skull cannot leave this place]
"T-this… is an Enchantment?!"
As guildmaster of Blue Skull, Geoffrey knew his craft; at once he recognized the binding enchantment.
"Exactly—an Enchantment spell!"
Nearby, houses and grass that had been mere illusion melted away, revealing three figures who had waited in ambush.
Weston, Mavis, Zera!
From three sides they boxed Geoffrey and his dozens of Wizards in, cutting off every retreat.
"Today, not a single Blue Skull member leaves here!"
Three unknown brats?!
They set this trap?
Hah… ridiculous!
Had they stayed hidden they might have been troublesome, but stepping out like this? Fools.
Geoffrey calmed at once. "Who are you? What do you want?!"
"Two things."
Weston raised two fingers.
"First: hand over every treasure you've extorted and all Blue Skull assets."
"Second: march your men out of Magnolia and the nearby Towns and surrender yourselves to the Council."
"Do it now and you live."
Predictably, the 'threat' accomplished nothing.
Geoffrey laughed instead. "A bunch of green brats think a Formula trap can stop me? Delusional!"
"Look whose ground you're on, whose numbers dwarf whose!"
"Kill them!"
Talk ended in an instant—
Or, rather, it had never even begun.
Geoffrey waved; his men surged.
But Mavis flung her arms high, magic erupting as she chanted, seizing the initiative.
"Appear, guardian beast that descends from the heavens—"
"Tenrou!!"
With a roar, a colossal wolf burst onto the street!
Twice the height of the houses, each claw larger than a grown man, white-furred, cyan-eyed, wreathed in emerald flame-clouds, snarling with divine might.
The legendary guardian beast of Tenrou Island!
"We're doomed!!"
"W-what is that…?"
"Summoning Magic?!"
"It's enormous!"
The Blue Skull Wizards paled, drenched in sweat, knees knocking, trembling.
"Impossible!"
"A kid that age can't wield such powerful Summoning Magic!"
"An illusion!"
"Has to be!"
Geoffrey grasped the truth at once.
The girl looked barely thirteen; she couldn't summon a beast that size.
Therefore, it must be an illusion!
Reassured, he sneered. "Hear me! It's only an illusion, attack!"
"What? An illusion!"
Trusting their guildmaster, the members calmed.
"So it's just bluster, there's nothing to fear!"
"Grab them!"
Gleeful as Jackals among lambs, they raised weapons and charged Mavis.
Mavis only smiled.
"You think it's an illusion?"
"Naïve."
The heavenly wolf raised a forepaw high and slammed it down!
Boom!!!
One blow and the entire street lurched like an earthquake!
With a single strike, the whole street shook violently like an earthquake!