Asta had the plump man pushed against the wall with his arm, with his free fit he aimed a punch.

""The man seeths.Asta snaps and raises his balled fist and it starts to fly towards the man's face.

""

"Stop!" Theresa shouts, running towards Asta.Asta's fist slides a bit to the side and crashes into the wall behind the man.

""Asta barks at the man with anger written across his face. The man trembles and looks at the hole Asta had bunch beside his head with sweat rolling down his face.

"That's right! A man like that isn't even worth striking with fist with. Never mind him.We have to do something about the children." Theresa cuts in.

"Oh yeah!" Asta's mood completely changes as he runs through the group of children tapping them each on the head with the handle of his sword.

"Taaaake that 'n that 'n that 'n that 'n that!" The sleeping children wake up from the spell and start to look around in wonder, some spot Theresa and run up to her.

"Mommy! Daddy!"

"My feet huuurt!"

"Where are we?"

"Sister!"

"Asta!" A little boy runs up to Asta.

"Luca!"Asta exclaims as Theresa begins to gather the children.

"There, there! All right everyone come to me."She shouts as the children hear her voice, they gather around her. She casts her healing spell on the children and they sit in mumbles.

"Asta, didn't you grow up in the church in Hage?"Theresa asks him.Asta nods.

"Sister Lily from your church came to ours to train once. She was a fine young woman."

"Isn't she?" Asta beams.

"We had a chance to talk for the first time in ages, and she told me about you."

"Sister Lily talked about me?! What did she say?!"Asta beams.

I turn my attention back to the boy, Neige. Gauche lands on the ground and kicks Neige. I land beside him and start to shout.

"Gauche, he can't fight anymore, there's no reason to hurt him!"I shout as he glares the tied up boy.I go over to him and help him sit up, using my palm to wipe off some blood on his chin, unfortunately I smudged it instead.

""I look at my hands in deep thought.

I would kill him if hurt Asta or Yuno too....

From the corner of my eye, I spit Marie running towards us.

"Gauche!I'm okay!! Sister Theresa healed all my injuries too.. So please forgive him!"She shouts in a high-pitched voice.

""

"Never mind that.We need to get them to tell us how to return the children's magic!"I hear Theresa. All.I stand up as Neige looks up at me.

"She's right.We need answers, and I'm not quite sure if these people know it. They could've been working for someone else."I conclude.I hear another painful cry from behind me, Ai turn quickly to see Gauche's foot on the side of Neige's head on the ground.

"Oi.I said lay off, didn't I?"I ask sternly.He tchs and rolls his foot forward before taking it off.

"You two,why did you do this?"Theresa asks, before continuing.

"Children are the very future of this country.They're the three-leaf sprouts that grace the nation!"Theresa explains.A wave of realisation comes falling on the two's faces.

"I just wanted friends that's all. It hurts...what should I do? Brother Baro?"Neige cries with tears leaking down his face.Gauche looks at him and lifts his foot, I quickly swooped my leg over his other foot and he lands on the floor with a thump, he glares at me and I glare back.I mouth to him 'I told you to lay off.'.He tchs again and stands up, taking a few steps away from me and Neige.

""Asta yells at the man.

"This magic!Everyone stay on guard!"I shout as I feel magic opening up on the ceiling.A black blob appears and a girl with glasses drop from above.

"Woooowww!"She exclaims.

"You're here, huh?! If you can travel with spatial magic you sure took your sweet time!They shut down our magic collecting!Help us!"The man next to Asta shouts in a slight tone of hope.I march over to him and give him a kick.

""I hiss at him as he shrinks back.

"Gosh!You're whiny and loud! I'll give you a pat on the back this time though!"The girl grins happily.

"Asta! I can't believe we meet so soon!This is great!"She shouts.

"Do you know her?"I ask Asta.

"She's the one that kidnapped me before the Emperor saved me.She from the Eye of the Midnight Sun!"Asta replies.

"Then you should be behind me you freaking idiot!I'll protect you!"I shout as I jump in front of Asta.

If you're going to take my family, you need to get through me first..

"Reinforcements?Then die."Gauche says as the mirror beside him sends mount a ray towards the girl.

"Gel Magic: Sticky Salamander."A large salamander made of gel appears and Gauche's ray is sent flying through it and directed up into the ceiling.

"Would you not interrupt our moving reunion. While I'm at it, maybe I'll dissect everybody."She says licking her lips at me.

Oh hell no she isn't.

"What's this?I came because you called me through the magic transmission item, but you haven't collected much magic, have you?"Sally says to the man behind Asta, holding a magic item.

"Well, not that it matter's anymore. Hehehe."She giggles.

"These guys got in our way! Get rid of them!"He demands.

Okay so let me get this straight. A weakling like you are telling someone so powerful to do stuff for you, just where exactly are you getting your education from?!

"The Eye of The Midnight Sun?!The terrorist who attacked the capital?!Sp they're involved in this, she blocked Gauche's magic so easily..."Theresa exclaims.

"Becareful!She blocked Nozel's attack too!"I add to her statement.Sally licks her licks once more before jumping onto the back of the salamander.

"Hehe, here I come!"She exclaims happily as the salamander jumps off the wall and comes charging towards us.Gauche flips through his book and sends out an attack.

"Mirror Magic:Reflect Refrain!"Other mirrors start to appear and shine rays around the salamander.

She warped all of it!

"That's some fine magic, but it get refracted inside mister salamander, so theres not much point.If it were more powerful magic, thing could be different."She says to Gauche as the salamander flies by him.Sally shoots a bullet of gel towards me....

No!It's aiming at Asta!

I quickly turn but Asta beat me to it, he swings his sword at it but it splits into four more pieces, it sticks onto him and throws him into the air, he lands on the salamander with Sally on top of him.

Oh.Hell.No.She isn't.

"Heavenly Sky Magic:Sun's Despair Lance."The lance of flames thins and reaches towards them, it melts the salamander and Asta starts to fall, I dispell my spell and run towards him, I see Theresa cheating another spell.I got into range and jump, I catch Asta with my arms as his back lands on my chest, we fall back onto the floor.

Damn you and your muscles, your crushing me!

Sally was blasted backwards and Theresa stands in front of us.

"That's enough of that!I won't let you harm these children!"She shouts as vortex of flames surrounds her.

"Woah!Pretty girl melted Mister Salamander!"Sally gasps as she stands up with torn clothes.Asta gets up and lends me a hand, I take it and pull my self up.

"That was great Granny!"Asta beams.

"I may be old, but I'm a former Magic Knight! Theresa, the Crimson She-leopard! That's me!"she exclaims.

Woah, even the weakest looking people had a legacy...

"Oh!Do you know. Captain Fuegoleon?"I ask her suddenly remembering my captain.

"Fuegoleon, ah yes, Fueggy! When I served at the palace, I was his teacher.He was a snot-nosed kid, but he grew up quite well."She comments.

Fueggy.....huh.

"But granny, right now, attain Fuegoleon is...."Asta trails off hoping that Theresa knows what happened.

"Yes I know, we won't fail to catch this one!"She calls to Sally.

"Four against one?This doesn't look good."Sally trials off.

"Hey you! I'll back you up with my awesome mud magic, so fix my body so I can move it! you can do that right?!"The man behind Sally asks.

Dammit we switched places so now they can team up on us!

"Wellllllll....There's a way, yes...but are you sure?"She asks turning to him.

"Yeah anything's fine just hurry up and heal me! That and gimme money! Do it and I'll help you."He demands.

"I'll do it then...are you sure?"She asks once again.

"Yeah!!"He answers with full confidence.

"Really sure?!"

"I said it's fine! Just shut up and do it!"

"Okey-dokey!In that case..."Sally trails off as she pulls out a large needle and injecting the liquid into his neck.She pulls it our and trickles of blood comes down his need, he freezes.

"Baro!"Neige cries.

His magic is swelling....

"What's going on?!?!"Asta screams.Mud starts coming out of the mans eyes and mouth, his eyes were gone and replaced by white.Mud spews out more and he screams in agony.

"What is that?!"Theresa yells.In an instant he became a sludge monster.

"Whoopsie!I messed up a little, he's charged up now but......he's personality has wandered some where else...."Sally trails off sheepishly, scratching her head. The children start to scream as I stood my ground.

"Protect the children!(Y/n)!Gauche!Asta!"Theresa cries as she charges forwards.I start to make my move towards the children gettibg my defence spell ready.I get pulled back, I look down in annoyance to see what it is.

"What is it now!?!?"I yell in a slightly angry tone.

"I-I'm scared..."Neige cries, pulling my robe.I sigh and bend down, I cup his face and give it a good a forehead crash, I let go of him as he sits back woth more tears rubbing his forehead.

"That's hurts!"He cries.

"In this world, magic is everything, you call that guy your brother when he's using you, you want to hve friends right? I'll be your friend on one condition."I say to him, his tears stop and he looks up.

"You will?"He asks in disbelief.

"Yea, on one condition."I say the 'one' with emphasis.

"I'll do anything!"he exclaims.

Even though this is not the time....urrghhhh!

"I'll tell you after, just sit tight right here and if you need me just call me."I say to him as I grip his shoulder, he sits down against the wall.I sense something flying behind me, I turn and see Gauche flying on his broom towards the exit with Marie in his arms, we make eye contact, he looked shocked for a split second before returning to a poker face and speeding out the cave.

"H-hey! You can't just leave us here!"I shout after him, I ball my fist and charge towards the children.