The gold masked wizard used lightning magic but this was not a small exact casting. It was a large net of lightning cast over the entire area. Mary managed to dodge with her wind but Amanda, David and Derrick were unable to move fast enough being wounded and exhausted.

Their bodies jerked inside the lightning magic and went limp. “Don't worry young lady, I didn't kill them. Now they won't be waking up anytime soon. I sure did go to a lot of trouble to get you brats but I know you’re all worth it”.

He casually walked towards Mary like a man without a care in the world; his golden mask reflecting against the sun gave him the look of having the shining face of an angel or demon.

Mary cast wind magic to try to maneuver but was shot down with water magic. She fell hard on her arm and felt a sharp pain in it; luckily it wasn't broken. “You’re too slow and predictable girl. Once you push off with your magic you only go in one direction. Unless you can quickly change direction in midair such maneuvers are meaningless”.

She screamed at him “You bastard! I am Mary Saint Cloud from the house of Cloud! I will not be looked down upon by scum like you. I will be the greatest wizard who has ever existed!”

She shot wind magic at him and as much as it hurt to use her other arm she used it to expelled wind magic to move faster. He shot a spell of water magic at her again and she moved the arm shooting wind magic below her with the arm other arm behind. She went up and over his spell and at the same time launched herself at him.

He laughed “you just made yourself a vulnerable target moron girl!”

She sneered “You will pay for your crimes scum!”

She put both hands in front of her. Suddenly wind magic gathered in her hands at amazing speed and flew at him with great haste. Such a large amount and so quick too; he had rarely seen anyone cast so fast before. Truly such a talent!

He struggled to build an earth wall between them but the magic was moving fast and the distance felt so short now. Dodging was completely impossible he knew.

Not a moment before he finished the wall the spell struck it and broke through. He felt a strong wind push him back a few steps but nothing more. The wall he quickly built managed to block nearly all of the force of the attack. Mary was in shock.

She had tested it on so many great wizards from her house at similar distances and they had all said she would likely not meet any foe that could manage to block it. They themselves barely could stop that attack from such a distance and they were some of the best wizards in her Cloud house.

“No, that's impossible” she said. She started to prepare another wind attack after her momentary disbelief but it was too late. She was hit with a water attack and knocked off her feet.

*****

Peter slowly dispelled the earth magic covering him. The heat felt intense, even with the earth shield he no doubt had a few burns but at least he avoided being cooked alive. As he dispelled the earth magic he noticed where he was laying the land dipped slightly.

If he happened to land somewhere completely level he was not sure his shield would have been enough to keep him alive. It seems the terrain helped the fire pass over him. He realized he had a leg and arm broken. He would need to do something about it fast if he was going to follow after his students.

Not too far away he saw the white masked wizard beaten up but alive sitting on a log meditating. He sensed the white masked man was trying to gather energy and mana. Usually the stronger the magic the easier it is for a wizard the sense it and the better the wizard the easier still. If such was not the case then killing even the strongest wizards would be a relatively simple matter of hiding and attack from behind.

When a wizard is mediating such as the white mask wizard is doing they become less aware of their surroundings. Peter slowly and quietly built up the earth element in his palm. He knew if the man only turned he would see him now and this attack would fail. Then he would be the one who would die.

Soon the attack was ready and peter begged the gods he didn't move or notice. He fired the earth magic. The white wizard was in deep concentration and lost all sense of his surroundings. He fell to the ground without even knowing what happened.

Peter breathed a sigh of relief “one down” he said to himself. He needed to get to the students as quickly as possible. He needed to heal himself to move but if he healed all of his body he would have no mana left to fight at this point. He focused on healing his leg. His arm he had no choice but to leave broken for now.

He tore off his sleeve and used it to make a sling. He started to run as fast as he could where he felt magic being used. “Damn this body, it's going to take me too long to get there; much too long”.

*****

The gold masked wizard gave a quick look to the Sky boy. He had barely any mana left and couldn't move. He was of no concern. He turned his attention back to the Cloud girl “I must say that was an amazing attack for a wizard your age. Your house will not doubt pay top dollar to get such a talented rose back”.

She clutched her chest where his water magic hit her while she laid on the ground “I will not be an object to be sold by the likes of you, I am from the great house of Cloud. You are nothing but criminal scum. I will see you hunted down like the disgusting rat you are!”

The Shame of the House of Sun's eyes caught fire with anger “Great house this, great house that, you are all the same. I hate you arrogant main house brats. I hated the look on your smug faces then and I hate it more now. You think you can treat us all like disposable henchman that are only here to do your bidding”.

Mary tried to cast magic again but was kicked in the stomach

“I once knew a brat like you from an arrogant main house. I taught him a lesson that his true place was below me. That he was only alive by my grace. I think you need to be taught the same. This is a technique I developed just so I could play with him to my heart’s content. To think I would find a brat like you who needs to be taught the same lesson”.

He put his hand on her body and lightning ran through her. She tried to scream in pain but could not. He took his hand away and she fell limp. She tried to move but found it was impossible. She tried to gather magic but her body wouldn't work properly. She felt like a puppet with her strings cut.

“W-what did you-” she said as best the she could. The words came out soft and difficultly. She found she could barely move her neck and mouth but everything else was entirely hopeless.

“Wonderful, is it not? It took me a while to get it just right. You will find for the next few hours you will be unable to move or cast any magic. Your body’s nervous and energy systems will not listen to you no matter how much you struggle. This is how I was able to play with the last brat that crossed me.”

He lifted her by her neck till her knees barely touched the ground. She kept her face like stone and didn't look at him. She didn't want to let him see her fear.

“Well look at you, trying to keep a brave face are we? You now you do look like a lovely little rose. I think you would look lovelier in agony”. He gathered lightning in his hand and put it against her. She twitched uncontrollably and bit her lip to stop the scream. She managed to mostly keep the same face; mostly.

“Tough little girl aren't we? But believe me; I can see how scared you are. I see it deep in your eyes. I have seen those eyes so many times, but it never gets old. You would think it would but it never does”. He shocked her again with lightning magic.

This time she let out a little cry but bit her lip soon after. It felt like all her nerves were on fire. She couldn't hold back the tears from flowing no matter how much she tried. The pain in her body demanded them. Her stone face now had tears falling down it.

“A lot people talk to me about shame; how I should feel shame for the things I did. I think it’s fun to see those same high born nobles feel the shame they talk about so much” He ripped off her shirt. Her chest was only now covered by a bra and her hands instinctively tried to reach up to cover herself but they simply hung limp at her side no matter how hard she tried to move them.

She felt humiliated and even more helpless now. For someone like her who had so much pride in her house as she did being treated in such a way was simply too much to bare.

He shocked her again with lightning magic. She couldn't hold back anymore. Why was this happening to her? She worked so hard. She just wanted to be the best and live up to her family’s expectations. She wanted them to be proud of her. She tried to defend everyone here like a true strong Cloud heir would.

She didn't want this. She was so young and had been through so much. She hurt all over and couldn't cover herself. Where was her father? Why wasn't anyone coming to help her? Didn't she deserve to be help? Why must she suffer like this? She wanted it to stop. She needed it to stop. She couldn't stop it. Why won't anyone help me?

The sobs came now like the flood gates had opened. She wanted this pain and humiliation to end. She felt a warm wet sensation go down her leg. That took her over the limit “Please stop, please no more! I'm sorry, just don't hurt me anymore!”

He laughed “There we go brat! I knew you were weak all along. You put on a tough face but look at you now? Don't you feel stupid for all your silly boasting?” The laugh grew louder “oh, we are not stopping. I am going to teach you a lesson. I told you when we first met that I would; don't you remember? You have not yet begun to beg for forgiveness”. He prepared another lighting attack.

He felt a large rock hit lower back and knock him down. He dropped Mary and felt a pain in his ribs. He turned around “who dares to interrupt me? It seems I have someone else to teach a lesson to!”

Sky watched as Lee River emerged from the woods. He didn't say a word. His face was filled with hate. Sky never saw such a focused and dangerous look on Lee’s face. If he made that same look to Sky he would get on his knees and beg for his life.

Tom snapped out of it “River leave, he is too strong. Try to go get help; there is nothing you can do.”

Mary still sobbing looked at him and then to the ground “run River. I'm sorry for what I said to you before; just leave.”

He said “I promise I will leave. But you 2 must promise on the name of the houses of Sky and Cloud that you will never speak of what you see me do here today”

Of course they knew running away would bring him great shame. No wonder he wouldn't want it known. They both swore on their houses never to speak of it as long as he left.

Lee River smiled a murderous smile “I shall leave as promised then, after I’ve kill that bastard. Remember you two swore never to speak of this. I intend to hold you to that”

The Gold masked man laughed “it’s amazing how you all fail to know your place. You interrupted my fun. Like I’d let you leave. I will make you suffer for that as well. I'll deal with you then the dirty red haired brat on the ground.”

River said “Those are some pitiful last words. No need to be worried, I doubt anyone would buy you a tombstone for you to leave such trash on anyway” he stepped forward.