“Hahaha, you girls are in trouble now!” The captured man laughed maniacally as his communication spell disappeared to locations unknown.

“I have a bad feeling about this…” Shayna said with a wrinkled brow.

“What did you do, you stupid head?!” Kannon said as she karate kicked the tattoeed man with her tiny little feet.

“I’ve just sealed your fates…… Especially you, pretty little princess.” He said, leering maniacally in Ela’s direction.

Ela looked at Maven pleadingly, instinctively relying on her savior for support. Somehow, despite knowing her for less than hour, Ela just knew that she could trust Maven deep in her soul.

*Riiiiiip*

With a tremendous tearing sound, a large gash was torn in the fabric of the world. An extraordinarily ominous purple aura leaked into the clearing from the rift, powerful enough to set even a goddess’ teeth on edge.

“Everyone, get back!” Maven said as she protectively pushed Ela behind her, causing the man on the floor to cackle derisively.

“You know I can’t do that, Maven.” Shayna said as she stood by Maven’s side, determined to not allow her dearest friend to face the danger alone. Fae was also not far behind, standing in a defensive line between the elves and the rift.

“We’re here too!” Kannon said, putting on a brave front despite her chattering teeth. That purple aura was similar to the one which bound Fae all those years ago, but somehow exuded a sharp feeling - as if it could cut anything it touched.

“Fufu, let’s see what tricks these people have up their sleeves.” Henna declared proudly, not looking nearly as worried as Kannon.

Determined to ensure the safety Ela and the elves, Maven created a shield of light magic around the elves and infused with it some of her divinity. This gave it the ability to actively defend against attacks. Whatever the man had done, his target was likely Ela and her friends.

“You guys stay there, okay…… My shield should keep you safe.” Maven said with her most reassuring smile, despite the fact that her knees were shaking up a storm underneath her robes.

“How sweet……” A cheerful, yet distant voice drifted in through the rift.

An adorable, cherubic young man walked calmly out of the fissure in space, wreathed in clouds of violet energy.

“…… That guy somehow cut a hole in space itself and even came out of it unscathed. Be on your guard, Maven.” Henna said, voice uncharacteristically serious.

“Oho, it seems we have some observant guests here.” The angelic boy said as he looked at Henna with interest. “And what do we have here? An undead? A spirit? Some sort of simulacrum? How fascinating…”

“Don’t look at me like that, you wierdo!” Henna shouted as she covered her body shyly. “Are you some kind of perv?”

“Hehe, I can’t wait to drag you back to my lab and figure out exactly what you are.” The boy said with an unhealthy gleam in his eyes, exuding the atmosphere of a mad scientist. The Sage of the Alchemy Guild often emanated a similar atmosphere, but but the boy’s eyes possessed a cruel light. He looked at Henna like she were nothing more than bug to toy with.

“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that.” Maven said as she stepped to the front, causing the boy’s face to fall flat.

“Well then…… do you really think you can stop me?” The boy said, dark violet power emanating from his body with ever increasing strength. It somehow writhed with gloomy intensity as he moved.

“You’re not getting anywhere Ela or your ugly little friend, kid!” Maven said with her bravest face, causing the boy to stop in his tracks.

Taking a look at pitiful figure of the tattooed man abandoned in the dirt, the creepily angelic boy burst out in laughter. “ Hahahahaha, so that’s why you called me? You got beat black and blue by a weak girl and her little friends?? And you called in your big bro to take them out for you and clean up your mess??? Hahahaha!”

Vein twitching on his forehead, the tattooed man tersely replied, “You’d better quit your giggling…… These little girls took me out with a single punch…… after I took out those elves.”

“After, you say?” The boy said doubtfully as he eyed the very much living elves that were currently hiding in Maven’s shield.

“Exactly, after. I swear I cut each and every one of those pointy eared swine to pieces, except for the princess…… And yet, here they stand. I have no idea how.” The man said in frustration.

“Well, well, well… Looks like I need to drag back more than that cute little ghost girl.” The boy said as his eyes shined excitedly. “After, of course, we take care of that little job you failed to complete, you incompetent.”