“So that is what happened”, said Morgana

“Now you know why Piedro is so distrustful of strangers.”

“Then I will change his mind. Not everyone will be kind to you, but you still need to trust others.”

“I hope I can be as optimistic as you.”

“Well, a stranger is the reason why I’m still alive today.”

“Good luck….”

“Morgana”

“Good luck, young Morgana”

Just as she stepped outside Travion’s house, a group of bandits ambushed her.

“Huh, really?”

Gaze fort, tides of Neptune, grant me… Oh what the heck

WATER PUNCH!

Two arms made of water emerged from one of Morgana’s containers which knocked out the bandits. She went towards one of them and looked at some sort of a symbol.

What is this symbol? This looks like a horse but with a tail of a panther

“That is the symbol of the KarKhon Bandit Group” said a large man carrying an equally large shield

Hmmmm. I didn’t know bandits have their own groups.

“You must be the sorceress from Colbarde…”

“Morgana”

“Allow me to introduce myself, I am Lance, formerly a Holy Knight of the Jahmis Order.”

“Formerly?”

“Not the time, watch out!”

Lance, with his shield in front of him, quickly charged towards the bandit that was about to stab Morgana.

BANG

The collision between Lance’s shield and the bandit knocked the latter down.

“Thanks.”

“Save the thanks for later, we need to get rid of these bandits.”

“Sure,” said Morgana as she threw a small fireball towards Lance.

“What the?”

THUD

A bandit collapsed behind Lance.

“Now, were even.”

“You’re not so bad yourself, rookie.”

“How do know?”

“You don’t even have a guild badge on.”

“Well, I have just started a new guild. Thank you very much.”

“They allow that?”

“Yeah, the Wizard Alliance never provided a rule that forbids a rookie sorcerer from creating a guild.”

“Hahahahahaha. Technically, you are indeed correct. Alright, let’s destroy these bandits.”

“Sure thing, let’s destroy these bastards.”

Light, bestow upon me your strength, heed me, and strengthen my shield.

SHIELD SMASH

Light engulfed Lance and his shield and started to attack the bandits.

Flames of hope, ignite my hands and burst forth, fists of fire

FIRE STRIKE

Meanwhile, Morgana’s fists were covered in flames, as she attacked and punched every bandit that she saw.

The bandits tried to defend themselves against the attacks of the duo but were quickly repelled and knocked out by them.

“They’re merely fodder for the real bosses”, uttered Lance.

“I can take care of them.”, answered Morgana.

Just then, a group of four bandits surrounded the duo.

“These ones are different. They’re sorcerers.”, said Lance.

“Bandits can be sorcerers?”

“Of course, they can.”

The four bandits formed a circle around Morgana and Lance. They started to chant incantations.

Air that breathes to us. Grant us our desire. Entrap our adversaries and crush them.

WIND DOME.

I can use fire against this.

“I know what you’re thinking, Morgana. You are going to use fire against these bandits, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, that was my plan before you blurt it out.”

“If you used fire, we would be trapped as well under a dome of fire. That is not ideal.”

“Sigh. What can we do, then?”

“Let me handle this.”

A light engulfed Lance’s shield. Without hesitation, he charged forward to one of the bandits.

SHIELD SMASH

“Fool. You do realize that the winds will pierce through your skin.”, said the bandits.

As the winds cut to the armor of Lance, he stepped closer and closer towards the bandit. As he was nearing his opponent, he drew a large mace and struck the bandit.

“The shield was merely for protection, the real attack came from the mace”, taunted Lance.

There are still three of us and two of you.

“Not for long.”

Great dragon of yore, provide me with your breath, destroy everyone who defies my way.

BREATH OF FIRE

A stream of fire emerged from Morganals mouth and struck the rest of the bandits. Her attack was enough to knock them down.

As they were marching throughout the town, multiple bandits kept attacking them.

Lance used his shield and mace to attack the bandits while Morgana used her fire spells.

“There’s too many of them.”, said Morgana.

“I know, we need to defeat their leader.”, said Lance

“Where is he anyway?”

“We don’t know.”

“I know, we should split up. That way we can find him faster and destroy as many bandits as we can. Well, see ya Lance.”

Morgana sprinted towards the other side of the town.

As she was running towards one direction, Lance realized that he made a critical mistake.

She doesn’t even know this town. My dumbass agreed with splitting up. Anyway, I need to look for Piedro.

Just as he was about to look for Piedro, an explosion was heard, and Piedro emerged from the rubble. Standing over him was a short woman, wield some sort of staff.

“Of all the people that I have to face, why does it have be a sorcerer”

“Hahahahahahahaha. Did you really think that KarKhon Group would come unprepared.”, taunted the woman.

Piedro lifted his broadsword and charged towards the woman, but the latter blocked it using a shield of ice.

I knew I can defeat a sorcerer, but something is fishy with her.

Lance suddenly noticed that the woman’s left arm is equipped with an armband filled with runes.

“Piedro, she has an enhancement item. That rune strengthens her magic”

“Very observant. Allow me to introduce myself, then. I am Streegan, the second in command of the KarKhon Group.”

A runic sorcerer huh, I need to stay on my toes. I wonder where Morgana is right now, thought Lance.

Morgana continued running around the town, and knocking out bandits, but can’t find their leader. As she was looking around her, she was approached by man carrying a basket of apples.

“In these trying times, kid, you could use some more fruits to recharge.”

Before Morgana could decide, her stomach growled.

I really should have eaten grandpa’s food before I left town

“Sure thing, ah….”

“Drakon”

Drakon offered her the apples. With a sadistic smile hidden from Morgana, he watched in glee as Morgana lifted the apple. But at the last second, Morgana gave the apple back to Drakon.

Did she found out? Did she figure out that I’m Konrad, thought Drakon as he panicked.

“Why? I thought you’re hungry.”

“Yeah, but I don’t like the taste of apples. My sister kept feeding me one when I was a kid. And eventually, I grew tired of its taste.”

Drats, I almost had her. But there’s no need to lift the mask for now.

“Do you know where the bandit lair is, Drakon?”

“Sure, just ran towards that area.”, said Drakon as he pointed towards a small hill just outside of the town.”

Morgana followed the directions given to her and ran towards that direction.

Go there and get lost in the fog. Hahahahaha. They don’t call that area the wandering fog for nothing.

While he was relieved that the girl had run towards a seemingly endless area, another bandit approached Konrad.

“Should I follow her, Master Konrad?”

“Do as you please.”

The bandit went towards the wandering fog to look for Mogana, with the intention of killing her.

Now, I need to deal with the rabble before we take over

In the battle against Streegan, Lance saw that Piedro was struggling against the former due to her runic armband.

“Hahahahaha. This armband ensures that I won’t lose to the likes of you.”

“Piedro, let me deal with her, find Konrad.”

“Are you sure? You told me yourself, she has a runeblade.”

“Yeah, but I can deal with the likes of her.”

“Alright then.”

Piedro then sprunt away from the battle.

“Not so fast!”, said Streegan.

ICE SHARDS!

Streegan aimed her ice attacks towards Piedro, but was blocked by Lance.

“I am your opponent.”

“Kid, do you really think you can stand a chance against someone like me.”

“You depend too much on your runic armband.”

“So what, there’s no way someone will break it.”

Lance took a deep breath and shouted,

“Light give me strength, illuminate this weapon!”

Suddenly, his mace changed color. It went from its regular bronze color into one a silvery one.

ICE MAGIC: DUAL BLADES.

Two sharp ice shards appeared in the hands of Streegan, ready to duel against Lance.

“Bring it.”, said Lance

The mace and the shards collided with each other, with the latter getting broken after the collision. Clearly, Lance’s mace is stronger than the shards. But being made of ice, the shards kept reforming.

Despite the advantages of her ice attacks, Streegan couldn't break Lance's defenses. Not only was she unable to match Lance’s mace, the latter’s giant shield provided enough protection against her attacks.

Maybe a melee attack won’t do

ICE ARMOR

“Using Ice to encase yourself?”, wondered Lance

“Just watch me, kid.”

Lance then lifted his mace, certain that it would deliver the final blow against Streegan. But then he noticed that the area he is standing on is filled with water.

Dammit. I fell into her trap.

Smiling, Streegan shouted,

ICE SHARDS

Large Ice Shards appeared beneath Lance and pierced him in different directions. Furthermore, the shards surrounded him in a way that limited his movement.

“So now, do you really think that you have the capability to defeat someone like me.”

“Hahahahahaha.”

“So now, you’re laughing eh, I’m going to destroy you.”

Covering her left arm with ice, she motioned to strike against Lance, but was stopped by the latter’s elbow. Grabbing her left arm, Lance aimed his mace towards the armband and smashed it.

After the armband is destroyed, the Ice Shards, as well as the Ice Armor disappeared.

“Told you, you’re dependent on your armband.”

“I can still attack you.”

ICE SHARDS

Smaller batches of Ice Shards were launched at Lance but was blocked by his shield. Streegan kept throwing Ice Shard after Ice Shard against Lance but was ineffective against his shield.

Panicking, Streegan tried to run away from the battlefield, but was hit was Lance’s Shield. Dazed, she tried to stand up but was struck down by a silvery mace, knocking her out.

STREEGAN DEFEATED.

Lance sighed, and said to himself. “One down.”

Just outside of Azuran, in the foggy area, Morgana was standing face to face with a bandit. She was familiar with the face but could not recall the time she supposedly encountered him.

“You may not remember me, girl. But I am Carlone, the bandit leader that you have humiliated all those years back.”

“Am I supposed to know you?”

Angry at being unrecognized, Carlone shouted to her,

“I was the one who slashed Lilith’s eye. I was the one who should have destroyed you. But thanks to you brat, I became the laughingstock of the bandits in these parts. Can’t even beat a mere child, they all said.”

“So you were the one you slashed Lilith, am I right?” asked Morgana

“Yeah, so what about….”

Before Carlone could finish his sentence, Morgana threw a large fireball towards him to knock him out.

CARLONE DEFEATED.

“Do not brag about slashing Lilith.”, shouted Morgana.

I am really hungry, I need to find something to eat

Morgana due to her hunger is slowly losing her strength, and as she was about to fade away, an old woman with a basket came to her.